Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

From: No Name

Subject: Looking 4 Dark Chips

Message: I'm looking for something to boost my NetBattle skills. I've heard about some powerful chips being sold down here in the Undernet. Any chance someone can hook me up?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Looking 4 Dark Chips

Message: Nice try officer.

From: No Name

Subject: Dude Seriously?

Message: I am so tired of Dark Chip posts on this board. Don't you addicts have anything better to chat about?

From: No Name

Subject: Something better to chat about

Message: I got into virus breeding recently. These little guys are surprisingly useful as backup in a fight, but have eaten me out of all of my BugFrags :( Anyone know where the best place to get more is?

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Fight me MegaMan.

Message: Meet me in Undernet5 at 6pm. I know you check these boards.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Something better to chat about

Message: Try busting some weaker viruses. Mettaurs on the surface net are easy enough to counter.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Fight Me MegaMan!

Message: Respond coward.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Fight me MegaMan!

Message: Sorry, but tonight is Lan's parent-teacher conference. Let's do tomorrow instead.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Pathetic

Message: Agreed. If you didn't rely on weak humans this wouldn't be an issue.

From: No Name

Subject: Thank you!

Message: I'll try this out. Stop by Undernet2 sometime and I'll toss you a few chips as a thank you.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Pathetic

Message: >:(

From: Admin

Subject: Betting Pool

Message: I'm starting a betting pool on the fight between Bass and MegaMan. Anyone else want in on this? If so, reply with your wagers.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Betting Pool

Message: 800 zenny on Bass!

From: No Name

Subject: I cannot Beat this Navi

Message: I've fought this wind-type navi a few times, but he keeps beating me. I just can't dodge his twisters. Any advice on getting the upper hand?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Betting Pool

Message: 2500 Zenny on Bass

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Betting Pool

Message: 700 on megaman

From: No Name

Subject: Re: I cannot Beat this Navi

Message: Ugh. THAT guy. Why are there so many copies of him flying around these days? Anyway, wind navis are weak against swords but strong against lock-on blasters. Try reorganizing your folder accordingly. Alternatively, just use Dark Chips >:)

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Betting Pool

Message: Screw you girly-man. Also 2500 Zenny on Bass.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Betting Pool

Message: 1200 on MegaMan. @BlkShdw, you can't bet on yourself...

From: Admin

Subject: Bass betting on Bass

Message: I'll allow Bass to bet on himself only because it will make things funnier if he loses.

[Admin has promoted NoName4073 to Named User]

[Admin has renamed NoName4073 to BluBombr]

From: Admin

Subject: Account Promotion

Message: MegaMan, I'm promoting your account to make this official. I hope you don't mind the loss of anonymity.

From: BluBombr

Subject: Re: Account Promotion

Message: It's fine :)

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Bass betting on Bass

Message: I won't lose. Changing my bet to 5000 Zenny on principle.

From: CopyKitty

Subject: Re: Betting Pool

Message: 3000 on MegaMan. @BluBombr don't lose or you'll make me look bad. @Admin while you are here, please change my username to something more dignified.

[Admin has renamed CopyKitty to CopyKitten]

From: BlkShdw

Subject: [None]

Message: This place is a circus.

[Admin has renamed BlkShdw to FinHead]

     Bass logged out of UnderBBS, only slightly annoyed by Serenade's latest antics. Soon he would be strong enough to challenge the fabled king of the Undernet again, and next time, he would win. Bass was sure of that. Yet, the thought of fighting Serenade brought him little joy. It was only a formality, a test that was needed to prove that he was the strongest in the network. There was no thrill to it, not like fighting MegaMan.

     Bass smirked under the cover of his cloak as he remembered the last time they had fought. Even though he had been under Nebula Gray's influence at the time, he could still remember the way his body had moved as he dodged MegaMan's attacks and struck out with his own. The enticing flow of battle had made him completely forget about the circumstances that had brought him there.

     MegaMan had not backed down like all of the others that he challenged. Each time the fight knocked him down, MegaMan came back stronger than ever. He was like Bass, fighting was in his code whether he wanted to admit it or not. Perhaps that was why Bass had this incessant itch to fight him again.

     When the day of their fight came, Bass couldn't stop himself from arriving early. He studied the soon-to-be battlefield from under the copied effects of an invisibility chip. Someone had managed to set up a small arena at the meeting place. No doubt Serenade was involved, but Bass had to wonder how he had managed to set it up so quickly. Perhaps he had enlisted those 'disciples' of his.

     Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Serenade, taking his place floating above the spectator's seating. Bass watched him shoot a wide smile in his direction. He wasn't even surprised that Serenade could see through his cover. The lord of the Undernet had done more impossible things in the past. At this point, Bass had decided to just write off any oddities as Serenade being Serenade.

     When MegaMan arrived to the fight ten minutes early, Bass watched him closely. The blue navi chatted with his fans in the spectator area, cheeks bright red with embarrassment. Bass could hear the faint, disembodied static of his operator's voice as he joined in on the conversation. Unlike MegaMan, Lan eagerly soaked up any and all praise thrown his way. While both NetNavi and operator were proud of their skills, Lan was clearly more ready to admit it. They were an odd pair to say the least, but there was no room for the human in his plans.

     Bass let MegaMan wait out the ten minutes before he finally showed himself, removing his invisibility as he gently floated in from above the arena. He was vaguely aware that Serenade was announcing something from above him, but at this moment, his thoughts were only on MegaMan. He had been waiting for this fight for far too long.

     When their eyes locked, it was all the signal that Bass needed to begin his attack. He launched forward, firing on MegaMan with his dual busters as a warning that the fight was starting now. He would not be paying attention to Serenade's charade. He was here for MegaMan alone. The rest was background noise.

     MegaMan easily dodged the attack and countered with a shot of his own. Bass took it square in the chest. Even though the blast was too weak to do actual damage, he could tell that it was stronger than before. Bass smiled wildly as ripped into MegaMan with an Earthbreaker. Even as his foe cried out in pain, he was preparing his next attack, hitting Bass with a M-Cannon that sent him flying.

     Bass grunted under the force of the attack, but held his ground. MegaMan charged forward, Life Sword in hand, as Bass fired upon him with his busters. Once he was within striking distance, Bass answered the Life Sword with his own Dark Arm Blade. When then two attacks connected, a massive blast of energy rocked through the Undernet.

     MegaMan lost his focus, looking away from Bass to ensure that the audience hadn't been caught in the crossfire. It was all that Bass needed to press the advantage. His blade pierced MegaMan's side, leaving streams of data flowing from the injury. Idiot. Did he think Serenade would have set this all up only to have the crowd obliterated by one attack? Those eyes should be on him and him alone!

     MegaMan staggered backwards, clutching the injury. Bass let his operator load in a recovery chip, resuming his attack as soon as he saw it's soft green glow emanate from MegaMan's body. A bright flash of light burst from his opponent as MegaMan took on his Search Soul. Bass was entirely unprepared for the barrage of cannon fire that descended on him the moment that the transformation ended. It tore straight through his barriers as if they were never there.

     Unlike MegaMan, he had no operator to heal his injuries. He didn't need one. Bass welcomed the pain and the focus that it brought him. It was part of the game, and for the first time since Alpha's revival, Bass was having fun. He rushed MegaMan with a Darkness Overload at the ready, only vaguely aware of his own injuries. As MegaMan pointed the barrel of a charged Giga Cannon towards him, Bass could see the confident smile on his face. MegaMan was every bit as into this fight as he was.

     The light of the Giga Cannon collected into a single point before ripping through the air. As he rolled out of the way, the heat of the blast singed his cloak and pricked at his skin, but Bass couldn't stop now. He picked up speed, crying out as he collided with his foe.

     MegaMan's smile fell as Bass's hand ripped through his chest. His Giga Cannon broke apart into nothing. His Search Soul faded in an instant.

     Bass removed his hand from MegaMan's chest and watched him slump to the ground. His operator cried out in panic, though Bass could only barely hear it over the pounding of his ears. A green glow collected around MegaMan as his operator loaded him full of recovery chips. Good. It was less work for him if the human took care of keeping MegaMan in one piece.

     Bass tilted his chin up and allowed himself a single second to bask in his victory. He had come here for more than just one fight. There was no point in waiting around and risking someone like Serenade interfering.

     He placed his free hand on MegaMan's head. His rival's dazed eyes drifted up to meet his own before Bass gave the command.

     “Sleep.” He ordered, forcing MegaMan into standby mode. The unconscious navi fell forward into Bass' chest as he opened a rift in the fabric of cyberspace behind them. Bass grabbed his fallen rival by the armpits and threw him over his shoulder before taking a step back through the rift with MegaMan in tow. The operator's loud voice cut out as the rift snapped shut behind him.

Chapter Text

[1200 zenny transferred to NoName0589]

[3000 zenny transferred from CopyKitten]

[3800 zenny transferred to NoName0889]

[6000 zenny transferred from NoName1109]

[8000 zenny transferred from NoName1210]

[4000 zenny transferred to NoName1211]

[800 zenny transferred to NoName3385]

From: No Name

Subject: Bullsh*t

Message: MegaMan should have won. Did you see that last attack?

From: No Name

Subject: Bring Back MegaMan

Message: Bass! Where did you take MegaMan? Bring him back right now. I can't find his signal. If you hurt him, I swear...

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Bullsh*t

Message: Cranky because you lost money aren't you?

From: No Name

Subject: Where is MegaMan?

Message: @FinHead Bring back MegaMan.

From: No Name

Subject: Where is Megaman

Message: @FinHead Bring him back right now.

From: CopyKitten

Subject: That match tho

Message: MegaMan losing sucked, but I can't complain. That was the best fight I've seen since that time I fought MegaMan.

From: PlantWetter

Subject: Re: That match tho

Message: Stop bragging CopyMan. Half of us on this board fought MegaMan at some point or another. The fact that you keep bringing up your fight is oddly pathetic. Is there nothing else in your life to talk about?

From: No Name

Subject: Please

Message: Bass I know that you are reading these. Just let me know if he's okay.

From: CopyKitten

Subject: Bruh

Message: @PlantWetter How much money did you lose?

From: PlantWetter

Subject: Re: Bruh

Message: That isn't important.

From: No Name

Subject: FinHeaded Jerk

Message: Fine! don't tell me you stuck up jerk. I'll find MegaMan myself. I'll tear the net apart if I have to.

[Admin has promoted NoName4074 to Named User]

[Admin has renamed NoName4074 to ConcernedMom]

From: Admin

Subject: Just Answer Lan Already

Message: @FinHead Let Lan know what you did with MegaMan before this board becomes unusable.

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Just Answer Me Already

Message: @FinHead You heard him. Where is MegaMan!

From: FinHead

Subject: Annoying Human Child

Message: Ugh. MegaMan is fine. Now shut up.

     Bass logged back out of UnderBBS. The human's antics were entertaining, but he really had to get back to the task at hand. He uncovered MegaMan from beneath his cloak. His rival was laying still, eyes gently closed shut as if he were having a pleasant dream. He had left MegaMan in standby mode to ensure that all of his injuries had time to heal, but he might as well wake him and get this over with before his operator tried to pull something. Bass pulled MegaMan into a sitting position and placed his hand back over MegaMan's forehead.

     “Awaken.” Bass ordered. MegaMan gasped as he startled awake. Bass saw his hand begin to form into a buster before he made eye contact with Bass and shifted it back to normal. It was a terrible decision really. Had their situations been reversed, Bass would have shot MegaMan at least once as a warning. His rival was far too trusting.

     “Bass, where are we? Where's Lan?” He asked. Bass frowned at the mention of the human.

     “I took you to one of my safe-houses after I won our fight.” Bass informed him, unable to resist reminding MegaMan of his victory. “Your operator is unharmed. I wanted to talk to you away from any humans.”

     "Why didn't you just ask to speak with me alone to begin with?" MegaMan asked. It was a stupid question in Bass' opinion. Where was the fun in talking things through peacefully?

     “Why are you so attached to that human?” Bass replied, choosing not to acknowledge the question.

     “He is my brother.” MegaMan answered simply. Bass tried his best not to flinch. He had known about MegaMan's origins for some time, but stubbornly refused to acknowledge them. The thought of his rival, his only equal, having been even briefly human sickened him.

     Bass took a moment to thoroughly suppress any thoughts about MegaMan's origins before he moved on to the topic that he actually wanted to talk about.

     “You remember the Nebula Gray Incident right?” Bass asked. “How much do you remember from after... you know?” Bass quickly fastened his cloak back in place as he felt his cheeks turn an embarrassing shade of red.

      “After we fused?” MegaMan offered. Bass wasn't sure how he was able to talk about it so freely. He was supposed to be above needing help from other navis. “A little. I remember asking you to take my ultimate program. You grabbed my emblem, I felt you rip out some of my code, then nothing really.”

     “Nothing at all?” Bass asked. The memories of that event had played over and over in his head, forcing him to dwell on the incident for weeks after it had occurred. Did MegaMan really remember nothing?

     “It was like looking through a cloudy lens. I could see the occasional color and feel faint emotions, but I couldn't really understand what was happening.”

     “I see.” Bass couldn't help but feel disappointed by that answer. He remembered all too clearly what they had become after he took MegaMan's ultimate program. The power they had possessed was on a level that no other navi could even begin to comprehend. Yet it was because he remembered the event so well that he was certain the person they had become after fusing was not him. The thoughts and emotions he had felt at the time were alien to him. It was an unfortunate hurdle that he needed to learn how to overcome. If he could gain that power without losing himself, he would be unstoppable.

     “You want to take my Ultimate Program again.” MegaMan stated simply. There was no malice in his words, which surprised Bass. They may have unfused last time, but trying it again would still risk MegaMan's deletion. Bass himself was not certain that he was safe from the technique. What if they never unfused? He could spend the rest of his life relegated to lines of code in another being's body, but that power was worth the risk.

     Bass hesitated before calmly nodding his head.

     “Why are you asking? If you wanted my Ultimate Program, you could have taken it after you defeated me.” MegaMan asked. He wasn't prepared for that question. Was he supposed to admit that he respected MegaMan now? That he wanted him to live and continue getting strong enough to challenge him? Without thinking, Bass knelt down so that he and MegaMan were at eye level.

     “I want your help in making sense of the transformation so that I can copy it.” He answered. It wasn't a lie.

     “Why? Why do you need more power?"

     "To destroy humanity." Bass answered. MegaMan frowned.

     "I don't believe you. You could have killed Dr. Cossack but you didn't. Intentionally or not, you even helped save humanity from both Nebula Gray and Slur. What are you really fighting for?” MegaMan asked. The question tore through him like a FireSword. Without meaning to, Bass brushed the edge of his torn navi emblem. He was silent for some time before finally giving his reply.

     “Why does it matter? After I become the strongest NetNavi, I can do whatever I please.” To his confusion, MegaMan giggled. “Is that funny to you?” He asked, feeling insulted.

     “Not at all. I'm just surprised you answered honestly.” MegaMan smiled. Bass was confused. He hadn't answered MegaMan. Did he know something that Bass didn't?

     “I'll let you you fuse with me again on a couple of conditions.” MegaMan offered. Bass only nodded his head in acknowledgment.

     “First, no killing or deleting anyone with our shared form. I won't let my power be used for that.”

     Bass continued to nod his head. The request was disappointing but not unexpected.

     “Second, assuming that you figure out how to unfuse us, at the end of the day separate from me and tell me all about what you did.” The term wasn't so much accusatory as it was curious. Bass realized that MegaMan may want to know about this shared form of theirs as much as he did. Actually, he was more surprised that MegaMan was giving him the full day than anything. He nodded a little too eagerly.

     “Lastly, if you don't figure out how to unfuse us, look after Lan until you do.” And there was the deal-breaker. Bass was not spending the rest of his life looking after some human brat.

     “No way. I'm not watching your pathetic human operator.” Bass replied shaking his head.

     “Afraid you won't be able to master our power quick enough? I should have known that you weren't up to the challenge.” MegaMan smirked. He knew exactly how to play him. Internally fuming at the corner he had been boxed into, Bass reluctantly agreed.

     “Fine, but I'm not waking him up for school every morning.” He bit back. MegaMan smiled and nodded.

     “Alright then. Let's do it Bass.” He agreed, puffing out his chest ever so slightly to bare his emblem. Bass didn't need to be told twice. He laid his hand over MegaMan's chest, hesitating for only a moment before launching his GetAbility program.

      The effect wasn't immediate. They weren't in the heat of battle, so Bass was being a little more cautious. He was more pulling on MegaMan's code rather than ripping it away. It gave him time to analyze the incoming data stream for any abnormalities. There were a lot.

     Although they were both SciLab programs, the difference between the two was vast. Everything about fusing with MegaMan felt wrong. His coding was loose and abstract. There were no internal databases, no pre-programmed functions.

     He forced himself not to dwell on the wrongness of it. He couldn't stop now. Not when he was so close to obtaining true power.

     When the flow of data finally stopped, Bass felt as though he had been thrown into a pool of ice water. Every nerve in his body jolted awake as he gasped for air. He didn't have to look at himself to know that the fusion had been a success. If everything went as planned, then why did it hurt so much this time?

     His head throbbed, begging him to expel MegaMan's code as his programming warred against his rival's, not caring about the damage it was doing in the process. It felt as if MegaMan was trying to push him out of his own skull. Bass closed his eyes and tried to seek out the source of MegaMan's presence within him. The moment that he located it, Bass poked and prodded at MegaMan's consciousness, eager to get his rival to stop whatever the hell he was doing. Bass grit his teeth, patience running thin as MegaMan slowly shifted into awareness.

     Bass? Is that you? Did we fuse? MegaMan asked from inside their shared form. His voice was tired, as if Bass had just woken him from a dream. How was he not feeling this?

     “What are you doing to me? Call off the attack.” Bass ordered MegaMan, clutching his head as a wave of pain washed over him.

     What attack? Bass are you alright?

     “No, I'm not alright! You're trying to overwrite my programming. You're trying to destroy everything that makes me me.” Bass explained, following with a string of select curse words.

     I'm not trying to. MegaMan shouted back from inside his head as another wave of pain wracked Bass' body. I don't know what's happening, but I'll try to break the fusion.

     “No. Not until I can copy it.” Bass interrupted, quickly launching his GetAbility program. He was not about to let this be for nothing. The copy process flared to life before quickly sputtering out as warning message after warning message was raised. Bass launched it again.

     Stop! If you try to use my Ultimate Program, this will just happen again.

     “I've got to try!” Bass clenched his fists as GetAbility failed again. He started the program for the third time. Dark spots began to cloud his vision as the error messages continued to grow. Bass launched GetAbility again.

     Bass stop! You'll deleted yourself!

     His grip on MegaMan's power broke. Bass felt his head hit the floor before he lost consciousness.

Chapter Text

From: BluBombr

Subject: Navis dont sleep right?

Message: So I'm with a navi right now and he looks unconscious but I don't think he's in standby mode because he's not responding to anything and I'm not detecting any background programs running. What do I do?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Navis dont sleep right?

Message: Holy shit. I think MegaMan killed Bass.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Navis dont sleep right?

Message: Previous poster is an idiot. Navis don't have physical bodies. Our data unravels when were deleted so we don't leave anything behind. He's probably just bricked.

From: BluBombr

Subject: Bricked!?

Message: I don't see how that's any better. How do I fix it?

From: No Name

Subject: Refunds

Message: If MegaMan killed Bass, does that mean I can get a refund on the money I lost? I mean it was probably because of the damage MegaMan caused during their fight.

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Refunds

Message: No.

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Come Home

Message: @BluBombr Just leave him and come home. If he's not deleted then he'll come around eventually.

From: RebelTeen

Subject: New Dark Chips on Sale

Message: This new batch is even more powerful than the last. Buy now to get a leg up on the competition. You know where I'll be.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: New Dark Chips on Sale

Message: Hehe. Nice. Save some for me.

From: BluBombr

Subject: Re: Come Home

Message: I can't just abandon him. I'm pretty sure that I caused this when we tried fusion again.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: New Dark Chips on Sale

Message: I assure you that I do not know. Please tell me where I can find you. I really need those chips.

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Please Come Home

Message: You tried fusing with Bass? What's gotten into you MegaMan? If it's that big of a deal, then just bring him to SciLab. Dad can look him over and then everything can go back to normal.

From: BluBombr

Subject: Re: Please Come Home

Message: Thanks Lan. I'll head there now. See you soon.

From: No Name

Subject: Fellas?

Message: Is fusion a code word or something?

From: UnderKing

Subject: Re: Fellas?

Message: Most definitely.

     MegaMan appeared in his father's computer minutes later, Bass slung over his shoulder. Dr. Hikari jumped in his chair as his son's face blinked into view on the screen in front of him. He visibly relaxed as soon as he was able to process who it was.

     “MegaMan, I wasn't expecting you. What is that you have with you?” Dr. Hikari asked, pointing at his screen. MegaMan shifted Bass' weight off of his shoulder, moving the dark navi into his arms so that he could more easily explain the situation to his father.

      “Is that Bass?” Dr. Hikari asked, shock plastered on his face. MegaMan slowly nodded.

     “I tried to fuse with him again. Dad, I think I seriously hurt him.” MegaMan explained, not making any effort to hide how guilty he felt.

     “Hub.” Dr. Hikari started. MegaMan lowered his head. Oh no. He'd been Hub'd. That was almost never followed by anything good.

     “I realize that you feel bad about what you did, but bringing Bass here is not a good idea.” Dr. Hikari explained, disappointment clear in his voice. The tone stung MegaMan worse than if his father had been mad at him. Still, he couldn't do nothing. He couldn't have just left Bass in this state.

     “Why? He may have attacked me and he may hate humans, but he also saved us twice. Shouldn't that make up for it?” MegaMan protested, not lifting his head.

     “I realize that, but bringing him back here..." The sound of roller skates across the hard floor of the lab cut Dr. Hikari off.

     “MegaMan!” Lan shouted, rushing towards his father's computer at breakneck speed.

     “Lan!” MegaMan cheered back. Being reunited with his operator instantly raised his spirits.

     “I thought I lost you again.” Lan pushed his father out of the way so that he could pull the computer monitor into a bear hug. MegaMan couldn't feel it, but appreciated the hug anyway.

     “I'm sorry Lan. I should never have fused with Bass.” He admitted.

     “Don't worry me like that again.” Lan pleaded, releasing the monitor. “I'm just happy to see you're alright. I thought Bass would delete you and take your Ultimate Program for sure.”

     MegaMan gently shook his head.

     “Bass wouldn't do that, not now at least. I'm prettyy sure that I'm his only friend, not that he would admit it.” MegaMan was stretching the truth. Bass absolutely would kill him, but only if they were both at full power. To kill him now while the secret to fusion was just out of reach would be very unlike him.

     “Alright. If you're sure that he's not going to hurt you, then let's get him fixed. I think we deserve a rematch with him after all of this.” Both Lan and MegaMan gleamed with excitement at the opportunity for another NetBattle against Bass. Lan turned towards Dr. Hikari, eyes bright with anticipation.

     “You can fix him, right Dad?” Lan asked. It was two-on-one now and Dr. Hikari didn't stand a chance when both of his boys were looking up to him. He let out a deep sigh and admitted defeat.

     “Alright. I'll see what I can do, but don't let anyone know that Bass is here, alright? If the board finds out that I am harboring their lost navi, it'll be big trouble for both me and Bass.” Privately, he was wondering if Dr. Cossack's phone number still worked. Shouldn't Bass be his responsibility.

     When Bass' systems came back online, he found himself in a new, albeit strangely familiar part of the net. He retraced his steps. He had fused with MegaMan, something had gone wrong, and now he was here. How? He should be back in his safe-house, shouldn't he? If so, where was MegaMan? They weren't fused anymore so he should be here. If he accidentally deleted his best chance at growing stronger, he would be livid.

     Bass calmed himself and felt around at the edges of the server. It was closed off from the rest of the network, hidden behind a VPN and several layers of firewalls. The defenses were laughably ineffective. If the idea was to capture him, then they had failed spectacularly. He could escape at any time that he wanted. Still, he may as well stick around and figure out who had attempted to capture him. He needed to know who he would be deleting next.

     “Good. You're awake.” Bass immediately shifted into a fighting stance as he heard the unfamiliar voice. A large viewing window popped open in the space in front of him. Bass gritted his teeth as he took in the two humans on screen. He stared at the smaller one. That human had MegaMan's face.

     “You are Lan.” Bass observed, ignoring the older man. The curious look on the boy's face after he had said it confirmed his suspicions. So this was MegaMan's operator? He wasn't impressed.

     “Bass!” Shouted a different voice, this one all too familiar. He turned away from the screen to see MegaMan had jacked into whatever system that he was on and was waving him down as he rushed to join him in front of the screen.

     “I'm so glad to see that you're alright.” MegaMan told him. “I'm sorry for hurting you. If I knew fusing again would do do that, I would have never agreed to it.”

     “Why are you apologizing? We're enemies.” Bass glared back. The statement sounded hollow, even from him. “Where are we anyway?” Bass took note as the older human paled.

     “About that.” MegaMan answered staring nervously at his feet. “After you were hurt, I didn't know where else to go, so I brought you to Dad at SciLab. Sorry.” Bass gritted his teeth even harder, his mouth twisting into a snarl beneath his cloak. This was the last place he ever wanted to be.

     “Your programming was suffering from heavy corruption.” The older man, MegaMan's dad, explained. “You would have recovered naturally in time, but I was able to speed up the process and get you back on your feet in hours instead of weeks.”

     “Ha! And I suppose you want me to thank you?” Bass taunted. “Forget it! I don't need a worthless human to help me, especially not SciLab filth.”

     “Bass...” MegaMan disapproved.

      “I wasn't implying that you needed me. As I said, you would have healed on your own eventually.” MegaMan's dad replied. Good. At least the human knew his place.

     “You could at least act grateful!” Lan bit back angrily. “You abducted MegaMan, and he was still nice enough to bring you here because he was worried about you.”

     “I didn't ask him to do that!” Bass growled through clenched teeth. Dark energy was beginning to leak out from under his cloak. Between his failure at fusion and embarrassment at having been helped by SciLab trash, he was quickly losing hold on his temper. He needed to get out of here and destroy something to blow off steam. Bass took a second to compose himself.

     “I will spare you today only because destroying you would weaken MegaMan.” Bass announced, more so at Lan than MegaMan's father. He ripped straight through SciLab's firewalls. They were even weaker than he remembered. He turned to MegaMan one last time before departing. “When we next battle, I will destroy you.” He swore. The Hikari men were silent. No one said a thing until they were absolutely sure that Bass had left.

     “Please stop talking with Bass.” Dr. Hikari finally pleaded with his sons.

     “Honestly, I think that went pretty well as far as dealing with Bass goes.” Lan replied soon after.

     MegaMan nodded in agreement.

Chapter Text

From: No Name

Subject: UnderKing?

Message: @UnderKing Serenade isn't going to appreciate you stealing his name...

From: UnderKing

Subject: Re: UnderKing?

Message: I am Serenade.

From: No Name

Subject: Admin??

Message: Then who the hell is Admin?

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Admin??

Message: ;)

From: No Name

Subject: Looking for a BugStopper

Message: I've been feeling pretty glitchy lately and am worried that it's affecting my NetBattling. Does anyone have a BugStopper program that they would be willing to sell me?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Looking for a BugStopper

Message: That's a pretty rare program. I doubt anyone on here would be willing to part with theirs. Why dontcha check the DarkMarket? They usually have a couple in stock, although they jack up the prices.

From: No Name

Subject: DarkMarket?

Message: Do you mean the UnderMarket? I've checked with the program dealer there and he doesn't have any.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: DarkMarket?

Message: No. The DarkMarket is an invite-only marketplace for navis of our "disposition" deeper in the Undernet.

From: No Name

Subject: Invites?

Message: So I would need an invite then? How do I get one?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Invites?

Message: I'll tell ya what, get me a Barrier * chip and I'll show you around the DarkMarket myself. Just look for the HeelNavi bumming around Undernet2.

     “Easy.” Chaud confidently remarked, as he leaned back into his computer chair. ProtoMan was impressed. He had been trying for weeks to infiltrate the Dark Chip market, but his operator had managed it in the span of one conversation.

     “Sir, I've downloaded a Barrier chip to your spare folder. Shall I move to make contact now?” ProtoMan asked.

     “Not yet, ProtoMan. You're too recognizable. If you meet up with our contact now, you'll only tip off our target to the fact the the NetSaviors are onto the new Dark Chip trade.” Chaud explained. “I've prepared a style program and a copy of DarkMind. Once they're installed, you should have no difficulty hiding your identity.”

     “Yes sir. I'll enter standby mode now so that you can access the Navi Customization program.” ProtoMan agreed, jacking out of Chaud's computer. After he was safely situated back in the PET on Chaud's desk, he entered standby mode, waiting for his NetOp to finish reorganizing his programs.

     When ProtoMan was back online, he didn't feel much of a difference. SpeedMax program must have been removed to save space, but he doubted that it would hinder him.

     “How do you feel ProtoMan?” Chaud asked. ProtoMan took a second to look himself over and scan his systems.

     “Good. Though I don't see any changes in my appearance.” ProtoMan answered honestly.

     “The program is working properly then. You won't notice any difference, but to everyone else you'll look like just another HeelNavi.”

     “Then I am ready to depart?” ProtoMan asked.

     “Let's review the mission first." Chaud replied, crossing his arms. "State your orders."

     "Right. My mission is to infiltrate and observe the Undernet's Dark Chip market. If possible, I am to gain the trust of those involved and integrate myself into the supply chain." ProtoMan recited. Chaud nodded in approval.

     "Remember that this mission is recon only. I'll be minimizing contact with you in order to maintain your cover. Since I can't support you in battle, try to avoid getting any fights.”

     "Yes sir."

     "Report back to me in 48 hours. I want you to jack out if you feel like you are in any danger. We'll need your battle skills when the time comes to take this organization down at the source. Do you have any questions?"

     "No. I'll begin work immediately."

     "Good. Then you have my permission to depart. Good luck ProtoMan. I'll see you in 48 hours." Chaud commanded, letting a rare smile show on his face.

     “Yes sir. Beginning the mission.” ProtoMan agreed, jacking back into Chaud's PC.

     The fact that Chaud was minimizing contact with him was unfortunate. It was something that ProtoMan wasn't used to. He had been by Chaud's side almost every hour of every day since he had been brought online. However, ProtoMan was taking it as a personal challenge. He would not disappoint Chaud and was determined to prove that he could complete any task that his NetOp assigned him with the same level skill that he always had.

     He made a B-line for Undernet2 as soon as he was back on the network. ProtoMan couldn't help but notice the odd stares that the NormalNavis gave him as he passed. They avoided him as if he were a virus. He brushed it off, determining that HeelNavis weren't common on this part of the net. It was just confirmation that his disguise was working.

     When he entered the Undernet, his disguise had an entirely different effect. Normally, HeelNavis knew to steer clear of him, but now they seemed to pop up out of the woodwork. ProtoMan was a little startled by just how many navis, Heel and Normal alike, lived in the Undernet. He had assumed it was populated by only a few crooks and stragglers. No one lived in the Undernet by choice, but surely not all of these navis were criminals.

     “Hi. I am looking for a HeelNavi I met on BBS.” ProtoMan asked the first navi he saw once he reached the center of Undernet2.

     “I 'aint who you're looking for.” He answered, shuffling away from ProtoMan. Thankfully, the other navis in the square seemed to overhear him. A straggler sitting away from the others noticed him and waved.

     “Hey. 'Ya bring my Barrier chip?” The other HeelNavi asked. Target acquired. ProtoMan made his way over to his contact.

     “Of course.” He answered, holding out the Battle Chip data in his extended hand. The other navi reached out to take it when ProtoMan pulled his hand back.

     “Did you remember your end of the bargain?” ProtoMan asked, holding the chip ransom.

     “Of course.” His contact answered back confidently. ProtoMan handed over the chip, which the HeelNavi gleefully took. “Thanks brother. I've been looking for this guy for a while now.” ProtoMan nodded, following the HeelNavi as he led him deeper into the Undernet.

     “Can I just say, your aura is rancid? I love it. You must be a hotshot NetBattler. I can tell. Name's Joe by the way, what's yours?” ProtoMan blinked. This navi was surprisingly bubbly for someone living in the Undernet.

     “Thank you. Your aura is quite... vile as well. Call me Blues.” ProtoMan had never been the most social navi. He had Chaud and that was all he needed. Learning Undernet slang was going to be a challenge.

     Joe cocked his head for a second as if in though. Then he offered a confident smile.

     “Well Blues, I'm about 'ta show 'ya the best thing since NaviCust.” Joe bragged. “The DarkMarket's one of a kind. It's said to have been started by Enker himself.”

     “Is that so?” ProtoMan commented, having no idea who in the network Enker was supposed to be.

     “Yeah. I joined as a recruiter a few weeks ago, so I'm a bit biased, but 'ya won't find a better selection of custom programs and Dark Chips." Joe rambled. "Some new guy, Quintet, runs it now. By the way, Quint bares a striking resemblance to You-Know-Who. Don't stare and definitely don't bring it up around him. Dude's real sensitive about it. He's a Forged Navi I think.”

     “Got it.” ProtoMan replied, even more lost than before.

     At the very least, he was aware of what Forged Navis were. It wasn't uncommon for untalented programmers to try and replicate the powerful navis that they saw fighting in NetBattle tournaments using illegally captured battle data. It was the reason that so many copies of AirMan and SavageMan existed on the net. They rarely matched up to the original.

     Modern NetNavis were a bit more difficult to create forgeries of, but it still occasionally happened. Thankfully, Chaud had made sure to take extra steps in making ProtoMan's programming near impossible to replicate. There were few things on the network more embarrassing than having your code copied.

     “Last of all, and this one comes from personal experience, don't buy anything that Punk is selling. Trust me.” Finally there was a name that ProtoMan could recognize. Wasn't Punk Mr. Famous' old navi. ProtoMan assumed that he had been deleted. He would have to look more into it. If it was the same Punk, he could be a potential ally.

     “Okay. We're here.” Joe announced. Here, was apparently a dead end. ProtoMan watched in silence as Joe presented a spiraling ball of data. It glimmered and soon, a door appeared where previously only empty cyberspace existed. Joe opened it with a smile.

     “Come quickly. The door disappears after 30 seconds.” ProtoMan walked through the door-frame and stepped into the DarkMarket.

     It was as if ProtoMan had been transported to another dimension. The moment he crossed the threshold, the gloomy quiet of the Undernet was replaced with bright flashing lights and loud cheering.

     Dozens of booths littered the area, each one peddling a wide variety of goods. At a glance, he could tell that most of them were varying levels of illegal, but he was surprised to see quite a few normal programs and chips on sale as well.

     Most impressive was the raised platform in the center of the marketplace where a purple navi battled a familiar face. He should have guessed that SnakeMan would frequent a place like this. Ms. Millions was an underground battle fanatic and collector of rare Battle Chips. Of course her navi had ties to the Undernet. If he had made that connection sooner, maybe he wouldn't have had such a hard time finding this place.

     The purple navi took an impressive leap, easily dodging the snakes swarming below him. While he was in mid-air, the navi charged a powerful attack in his wrist-mounted cannon. He barreled towards SnakeMan launching a explosive straight through his opponent's chest and forcing him to log out.

     “Ballade! Ballade! Ballade!” The crowd chanted as the robot waved to his fans, basking in their cheers.

     “Hey man, something up?” A claw hand placed itself on his shoulder. ProtoMan hadn't realized that he had been zoning out.

     “Yeah. It's just a lot to take in.” ProtoMan admitted. It wasn't a lie, the DarkMarket was unlike anywhere he'd ever been. It was disorientating.

     “Don't worry buddy. You'll get used to it. When I first joined this place, I was overwhelmed too.” Joe laughed. "Come on. I gotta show 'ya where they keep the good stuff.” As Joe led him to the back of the market, ProtoMan silently vowed to ditch him at the first available opportunity.

     It wasn't that Joe was useless. He'd given ProtoMan a fair amount of good information. Still, he needed to be able to sneak around back later and couldn't have a Dark Market recruiter catching on that he was up to something. More so than that, Joe was incredibly annoying. He doubted that he'd be able to focus with that dopey voice in his ear all day.

     As they walked, ProtoMan tried to survey the rest of the marketplace while Joe continued blathering on about Bug Frags or something similarly pointless. He thought that he had seen Punk at some point, but the crowds made it impossible to tell. Just how big was the Undernet anyway?

     The booth that Joe had led him to was pretty small compared to some of the others that he had seen on the way in, but what it lacked in size, it more than made up for in clutter. Every inch of the table was covered. ProtoMan didn't know how you were supposed to find anything in the mess.

     “Yo Joe. What brings you back to this corner of the Undernet?” The black HeelNavi behind the booth asked.

     “My friend here is looking for a new BugStopper program. Do you think 'ya can hook him up?” Joe asked.

     “Hmm. I got a copy in stock. With so many low-quality, glitchy Dark Chips on the market, these things are in high demand. You sure your friend can afford it?” The vendor asked, sifting through the programs in front of him until he found the BugStopper. He handed it the ProtoMan for inspection.

     “I'll take it.” ProtoMan replied. It was a legitimate copy of the program, not that it mattered. ProtoMan was only buying it to maintain his cover.

     “Hehe. Here you go then.” The vendor snickered as he passed ProtoMan a slim data-pad detailing the transaction. He didn't bother checking the price too closely before transferring the vendor his zenny. Anything with less than seven digits was pocket change after all.

     “What the hell Blues?” Joe gaped. “'Ya didn't even try 'ta haggle.” ProtoMan was confused. He was supposed to haggle? He'd never had to haggle before.

     “Oof. I actually feel kinda bad now.” The shop owner admitted. “Why don't I toss in a couple BattleChips to make up for it? The other vendors around here aren't so kind. Try not to get taken advantage of.”

     “Thanks.” ProtoMan muttered, not understanding why they were making a big deal of this. He took the couple of Battle Chips that the vendor tossed his way. They weren't bad chips, but he had at least ten copies of both of them.

     “Come on. Let's visit a couple more stands before 'ya blow all your money in one place.” Joe nervously joked. The last thing ProtoMan wanted was to accompany the clingy HeelNavi on a shopping spree.

     “This place is pretty interesting. How do I get an invite like yours?” ProtoMan asked, remembering the ball of data that Joe used to open the door to the DarkMarket. Once he had his own invite, there was no reason to keep the annoying HeelNavi around.

     “Already can't get enough of the DarkMarket, huh?” Joe laughed. “That's easy. 'Ya already finished the hard part by getting here. To get your own invite, all you have 'ta do is get in a NetBattle. Winning doesn't even matter as long as you put on a good show.” Joe pointed to the stage back in the center of the market place. Chaud had told him to avoid fights, but if it was for the mission...

     “Alright. Where do I sign up?” ProtoMan agreed.

     “Did 'ya see that purple navi fighting when we came in? That's Ballade, he runs the NetBattles down here. Talk to him and he'll set you up.”

     “Thanks. I think I'll go find him now.”

     “Why don't I come with 'ya? I haven't visited the arena in a while.”

     “No. That's perfectly fine. I don't want to get in the way of your shopping.” ProtoMan offered quickly.

     “Are you sure? Because I can...”

     “Don't worry about me. I've been in my fair share of NetBattles.” ProtoMan assured him, making the biggest understatement possible.

     “Alright. If 'ya say so. I'll be cheering 'ya on from the sidelines.” Joe promised.

     “I wouldn't have it any other way.” ProtoMan humored him, he turned to leave, seeing Joe waving good-bye at him out of the corner of his eye. At last he could continue his mission in blissful silence.

Chapter Text

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Let's Talk

Message: @FinHead Can we talk? MegaMan is really sorry about what happened.

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: Let's Talk

Message: I have nothing to say to you, human.

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Let's Netbattle?

Message: What about another NetBattle then? If MegaMan and I win, you have to hear me out.

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Let's Netbattle?

Message: !

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Let's Netbattle?

Message: Dear God no! My wallet still hasn't recovered from last time.

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: Let's Netbattle?

Message: And if I win?

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Re: Re: Let's Netbattle?

Message: Bragging rights?

From: UnderKing

Subject: Hey :)

Message: Mind if I get in on this? Watching from the sidelines is no fun.

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: Hey :)

Message: Stay out of this. You'll have your turn.

From: UnderKing

Subject: Alright then...

Message: :'(

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: The fight is on?

Message: So that's a “yes” from you then?

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: The fight is on?

Message: Only if you submit to my terms. I want a private fight between the two of us in the place of my choosing.

From: Admin

Subject: Spoil Sport.

Message: :'(

From: No Name

Subject: Thank God!

Message: I see that my wallet is safe for the time being.

From: No Name

Subject: Two Accounts?

Message: I'm still not convinced that Serenade and Admin aren't the same person. Just look at those messages.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Two Accounts?

Message: Hmmm... I see a conspiracy brewing.

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Two Accounts?

Message: ;)

From: UnderKing

Subject: Re: Two Accounts?

Message: ;)

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: It's a deal!

Message: You mean the three of us, right? Also, where are we meeting?

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: It's a deal!

Message: Whatever. I'll retrieve MegaMan when the time comes. Be prepared to fight on a moment's notice.

     “Hey Newbie, Mr. Ballade is ready to see you now.” ProtoMan logged out of UnderBBS as he was called into the back room, not having much time to wonder what was going on between MegaMan and Bass.

     The dimly lit lounge was nothing fancy, but it made for a decent office space. The immaculately clean floors and neatly lined rows of data archives almost made him forget that he was in the heart of an underground NetBattling ring. Ballade stepped out from behind his desk and offered ProtoMan his outstretched hand. He took the hand to shake it.

     “You've got a nice, firm handshake. I like that in a potential member.” Ballade complimented. Potential member? What did he mean by that?

     “So. You're looking to get an invite right? I'll register you now. What's your name NetNavi?” Ballade continued after giving ProtoMan a quick glance over.

     “Blues.”

     “And your element?" Ballade asked. "I need it for the records.”

     “Sword.” ProtoMan answered. This Ballade was straight to the point. It was refreshing after his time with Joe.

     “Solo or Tethered.” Ballade continued.

     “Solo or Tethered?” ProtoMan repeated. He still wasn't used to all of these new terms that he was being forced to learn.

     “Do you have an operator or no?” Ballade clarified.

     “I have an operator, but I'm here alone.” Blues answered. He might as well be honest, though he wasn't sure while it was relevant when there were maybe a dozen Solo Navis out there total. And that was ProtoMan being generous.

     "And do you have any customizations?"

     "Plenty." ProtoMan answered. He had briefly debated lying so that Ballade wouldn't think about the possibility of him using a style chip, but it just wouldn't be realistic for an unmodified HeelNavi to fight on his level. The thought of holding back would never even occur to ProtoMan.

     “I'll sign you up for a No-Chips match then. The earliest I can get you in is an hour forty-five from now. Is that alright with you?”

     “Yes sir.” ProtoMan replied, slipping back into his old habits without thinking. Ballade frowned before taking a seat back behind his desk.

     “You're new to the Undernet aren't you?” Ballade asked. This was not good. His mission had only just started. He couldn't afford to start raising suspicions so soon.

     “How could you tell?” ProtoMan asked, keeping his expression neutral.

     “You carry yourself like a top-sider.” Ballade replied with a shrug. “I'm good at telling when someone has potential. Surface Navi or no, I'm eager to see you fight.” ProtoMan was silent as Ballade leaned back into his chair.

     “Perform well in your match and we'll talk. If not... well I don't know if I'll be able to trust you with open access to this marketplace.”

     ProtoMan felt as though Ballade was staring straight through his disguise. Even if Ballade didn't know that he was a NetSavior, he knew that “Blues” was suspicious. He couldn't let Chaud down. He had to not only win this next match, but do so with enough style to impress Ballade. Otherwise, his mission was dead on arrival.

     “I won't disappoint.” ProtoMan replied, keeping his voice flat. He wouldn't let Ballade have any hint as to what he was thinking.

     “Good. When you hear your name announced over the intercom, report to the stage.” Ballade flashed him a cocky grin before flinging an object over ProtoMan's shoulder. He caught it effortlessly. ProtoMan curiously inspected the set of old-fashioned keys that he had been tossed. Didn't everyone use chips by now?

     “What are these for?” ProtoMan asked.

     “The locker room. I thought you might want a place to relax away from the noise while you wait. Turn left when you leave, the door will be right there.” Ballade smirked.

     One day, ProtoMan would return to tear this place down. On that day, he and Ballade would be enemies. Today, ProtoMan felt as if he owed his navi a life debt. He wordlessly tucked away the set of keys, and left the same way that he came in.

     Before making his way to the locker room, ProtoMan figured that he might as well pick up some of these new Dark Chips for the Net Saviors to analyze if this mission went south. He stopped by the closest stand and observed the Battle Chips for sale with a cautious gaze. He'd been under the influence of Dark Chips twice already. Even if he was never going to use them, the thought of having any Dark Chips on his person made him uneasy.

     "There something I can help you with?" The vendor asked. ProtoMan realized that he had been zoning again. Getting used to this place was going to be a challenge.

     "Do you have any of the new Dark Chips available?" ProtoMan asked.

     "Yeah. I got Dark Buster and Dark Slicer. Both came out just a couple days ago. You interested in either?"

     "I'll take both." ProtoMan replied. As the vendor passed him the data-pad, he remembered is last purchase. If he didn't want to stand out, he'd have to haggle.

     "Lower the price." ProtoMan commanded. This was how haggling worked right?

     "These chips are brand new. I'm not sure how much I can do for you." The vendor replied coolly. How was he supposed to respond to that? What was the next step in haggling?

     "Okay." ProtoMan hesitantly replied, swiping through the data-pad and paying for both chips in full. The vendor shot him a confused look before shrugging and passing him the chips.

     ProtoMan wasn't sure if he had given the correct response or not. He had other things to worry about besides his haggling ability. He had enough of the market's noise for a while. ProtoMan eagerly made his way to the locker room.

     True to Ballade's word, the locker room was mercifully quiet. ProtoMan took the opportunity to stash his purchases in an open locker. In spite of his advanced programming, he was not immune to the Dark Chip's addictive effects. After having spent so long in their thrall, the two Dark Chips that he had bought sang to him like a siren. He often wondered if MegaMan and Colonel had the same issue, but he wasn't about to ask either of them.

     He took the quiet time that he was given to mull over his battle strategy. Ballade had called the upcoming battle a “No-Chips” match. That was no problem for him. Without Chaud he couldn't use Battle Chips anyway. Instead, he silently thanked Chaud for programming him with both a sword and buster. When you didn't know what kind of opponent you were up against it paid to be a jack-of-all-trades.

     The sound of a door swinging open interrupted ProtoMan's train of thought. He recognized Punk instantly. ProtoMan couldn't believe that he had forgotten about looking for him. Why was he in the locker room though? Wasn't he suppose to be a vendor?

     “You need something?” Punk grumbled. ProtoMan hadn't realized that he was staring. He was used to his visor hiding his eyes. In his disguise, he supposed that he didn't have the same luxury.

     “I feel like I've seen you before.” ProtoMan answered, trying not to rouse suspicion.

     “It's hard to forget my impressive frame. What's it to you?” Punk asked as he opened the door to the locker across from where ProtoMan was seated. This was definitely the same Punk that had briefly been a part of the Net Saviors. What was he doing in this part of the Net?

     “Didn't you work with that NetBattler from SciLab? The famous one.” ProtoMan asked, continuing to play dumb. He noticed Punk freeze before returning to digging through his locker.

     “Not anymore. I ditched my NetOp. I'm solo now.” Punk replied. The average navi couldn't just become a Solo Navi could they? ProtoMan was sure that a navi needed to be explicitly programmed to function without an operator, and after Bass revived Alpha, there had been a law passed forbidding the creation of new Solo Navis. Even before then, the process had been taboo.

     While ProtoMan wanted to question him further, something about Punk's tone warned him against it. He was already under suspicion. He couldn't press the subject now. Punk seemed to find what he was looking for and left without another word. It gave ProtoMan with a lot to think about, but first he needed to focus on the match ahead. Already, he was going over different NetBattle strategies, contemplating how to beat each one without his chips.

     By the time that ProtoMan was called, he had a good idea who he would be facing so he wasn't surprised when Ballade took to the stage opposite of him. It made sense that he would want to battle any suspicious navis himself. Going up against an experienced NetBattler without his usual set of chips would be difficult, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.

     “Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for today's No-Chip NetBattle where our two contestants will be going at each other with nothing but their own strength and wit. Today, challenging the DarkMarket's very own Ballade is the newcomer Blues. Does this rookie have what it takes to fight with the best of DarkMarket?”

     ProtoMan was only half listening to the announcer. The majority of his focus was on analyzing Ballade. He may have only caught the tail-end of his fight with SnakeMan, but he knew that Ballade was nimble and attacked with explosions. It was more than his opponent could possibly know about ProtoMan's own fighting style.

     When the bell sounded, Ballade was the first to make a move. He was faster than ProtoMan was expecting, closing the distance between them in a single moment. Ballade swiftly delivered a punch to his gut, knocking the air from his lungs. Thinking fast, ProtoMan fired his buster twice, getting Ballade to leap back into the exact position that he wanted. He slashed forward with his wide sword, only to have Ballade flawlessly dodge it.

     He was moving slower than usual. ProtoMan couldn't believe that he forgot about Chaud removing his SpeedMax program. He couldn't keep up with Ballade in his current state. ProtoMan lowered his stance bracing himself against a sharp kick. If he couldn't dodge, he'd have to rely on his defense.

     As Ballade rushed him, ProtoMan charged his sword. At the last possible opportunity, he raised his shield. Ballade slammed into it head-first. Then, he quickly lowered the shield and tore into Ballade with his sword.

     If Ballade did not have the good sense to leap back, the fight would have ended right there. Even so, ProtoMan managed to scratch his frame. The thin line across his opponent's chest reminding him that even without his programs and Battle Chips, he was still a NetBattle champion

     Ballade smirked, his body glowing with energy as he charged an attack. Three explosives flew his way, making no progress against his shield. Learning from his mistake, Ballade charged his attack again, this time letting the energy burst from within him. The resulting explosion engulfed the stage. ProtoMan's shield began to crack under the pressure of the sustained burst. It was time to end this.

     Step by step, ProtoMan pushed forward as flames licked at his heels. The heat continued to build as his shield fell apart byte-by-byte. Still, so long as he kept his pace, he would reach Ballade before his defenses failed.

     Seeming to realize this, Ballade reigned in the explosion, the energy that once engulfed the battle field now resting in the palm of Ballade's hand. He didn't bother attacking ProtoMan head on, instead using his shield as a springboard to vault over-top of ProtoMan's head. Unfortunately for Ballade, ProtoMan had seen him attack from the air before in his fight against SnakeMan.

      First, ProtoMan shot Ballade's hand with his buster. Heat scorched his face as the explosion detonated prematurely. ProtoMan fought through the pain, swinging his uncharged sword through the stunned Ballade at full power. To his shock, Ballade survived the attack. However, that didn't stop the force of ProtoMan's attack from sending Ballade careening off stage and into the crowd.

      “Ring out!” A voice shouted. “The winner is Blues!” ProtoMan had won? But his opponent hadn't logged out? The Undernet must play by different rules. He supposed that he shouldn't bother questioning his victory.

      Two members of the crowd helped Ballade to his feet, but Ballade angrily shooed them away before marching back to the stage. ProtoMan held his ground, expecting Ballade to resume his attack at any moment. He was surprised when instead, he offered ProtoMan his hand.

     “Looks like I was right about you Blues.” He smirked. ProtoMan felt dread creep into his stomach before Ballade continued. “You have potential. I'd be glad to have you as a member of the DarkMarket.”

     The tension in ProtoMan's body eased up as he realized that he hadn't been found out quite yet. ProtoMan took his hand, giving Ballade another firm handshake before Ballade shocked him by lifting his hand high into the air.

     “Let's hear it for Blues!” Ballade announced. The crowd burst cheers, chanting his name. This wasn't right. These navis should not be cheering for him. Even if his mission was back on track, ProtoMan couldn't help but feel that he had done something horribly wrong.

      After what felt like an eternity, the cheering died down and ProtoMan was free to leave. He followed Ballade back to his office. Finally getting his own invite to the DarkMarket. If he could find a way to reproduce the strange ball of data, the Net Saviors would have no issue clearing this place out.

      “Now that that's settled, how do you feel about joining the DarkMarket NetBattle Ring officially?” Ballade asked.

      “Excuse me?” ProtoMan had not been expecting that kind of an offer.

      “You have talent. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think that anyone, myself included, expected much from a HeelNavi.” Ballade admitted. “I won't underestimate you again the next time that we fight.”

     “No offense taken.” ProtoMan replied. It was hard to take offense when he wasn't really a HeelNavi in the first place.

     “If you join, I'll pay you a starting wage of 5000 zenny per fight, you'll also get exclusive access to our facilities as well as the latest programs and chips.” This was going a little too smoothly for his liking.

     “What's the catch.”

     “Observant aren't you.” Ballade chuckled. “I want to show the spectators that the DarkMarket can turn even a mass-produced navi into a fighting champion. Naturally, you'd be expected to support our products.” ProtoMan didn't like the sound of that.

     “You mean using Dark Chips?” ProtoMan asked.

     “You can stick to No-Chip battles if you'd like. We can still use you to show off our programs that way, but if you move up to a traditional NetBattle or a Solo battle, yes, you'll be expected to use Dark Chips.”

     ProtoMan was torn. Even if he stuck to No-Chip battles, he'd have to get Chaud to install whatever suspicious programs they gave him. Who knows what kind of effect that might have on him. Yet from a mission-standpoint, this was the perfect opportunity to integrate himself into the DarkMarket supply chain. At the end of the day, he really didn't have an option.

     “I'll do it.”

     “Glad to have you on board. I'll officially register you as a DarkMarket Battle Navi then.” Ballade smiled. “Do you have anything going on at 10pm later today? I'd like to introduce you to your co-workers.”

     “I'll be there.” ProtoMan confirmed. In spite of how well the day had gone, he couldn't help but feel a creeping dread. Could he really keep up this disguise when he was surrounded by the people who worked here?

Chapter Text

From: No Name

Subject: Issue with New Dark Chips

Message: Has anyone else tried the new Dark Chips that were being advertised on here a couple of days ago? I tried one the other day and my operator's PET started flipping out. I had to move to a loaner until she gets hers replaced.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Issue with New Dark Chips

Message: I didn't have any issue using them. Did you buy a counterfeit by mistake?

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: Issue with New Dark Chips

Message: So your operator can't control you? Sounds like the opposite of an issue to me.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Issue with New Dark Chips

Message: I'm Solo, but I was able to use them without an issue.

From: CyberJaws

Subject: What's the deal with Dark Chips?

Message: Dark Chips are overrated. You people should stop relying on a cheap power boost and fight with your own strength.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: What's the deal with Dark Chips?

Message: Oh so now the oversized tuna is gonna preach at us? Get a life.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: What's the deal with Dark Chips?

Message: Get outta here SharkMan. No one likes you.

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: What's the deal with Dark Chips?

Message: Go die in a hole SharkMan.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: What's the deal with Dark Chips?

Message: Screw you SharkMan!

From: CyberJaws

Subject: My own brother...

Message: @FinHead I'd expect this from the landlubbers, but to side against your fellow man of the sea?

From: FinHead

Subject: DIE SHARKMAN

Message: My name isn't pronounced that way and you know it.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: DIE SHARKMAN

Message: It's not?

From: CopyKitten

Subject: Re: DIE SHARKMAN

Message: It isn't?

     “Is it just me or is Bass being a lot more social lately?” Lan asked as he finished catching up on the latest UnderBBS drama.

     “I'm not sure that social is the right word for it Lan.” MegaMan answered from his PET, scratching his chin as gave Lan a nervous smile. Lan set his PET down beside him so that both he and MegaMan could watch the waves crash into the shore. With a loud yawn, Lan leaned back into his lounge chair.

     “I could get used to this. Why don't we come to the beach more often?” Lan mused.

     “Because you have homework that you should be doing.” MegaMan reminded him. Lan covered his ears in both hands.

     “Awe. Don't bring that up. I'm too busy enjoying the sun to think about school.” Lan protested.

     “Just don't forget that you have a math exam on Monday.” MegaMan joked. Little did he realize that Lan had indeed forgotten the exam. Just as the horror of knowing that he hadn't studied was about to set in, Lan heard Mayl's voice.

     “Lan!” Mayl called from the shoreline. “We've got the melon! You better hurry over or we'll start without you!”

     “Coming!” Lan shouted back, immediately forgetting about school. “I'll be right back MegaMan.” He offered his Navi with a grin before racing off to great his friends. As MegaMan relaxed and watched the waves, he couldn't help but wonder what Bass was doing right now.

     “Darkness Overload!” Bass shouted blasting a boulder into rubble. He'd finally done it. He'd cleared out the old bulldozer's computer and created the perfect battlefield. This time there wouldn't be anything to distract MegaMan from their fight. No obstacles. No spectators. It would be just the two of them going at it with their full power. Bass almost smiled. He was finally ready for that rematch.

     It was then that Bass realized that he had made a critical error. He had no idea where MegaMan was. How was he supposed to bring MegaMan to his perfect battlefield when he didn't even know his PET address?

     Bass quickly opened a window into UnderBBS then closed it. If he asked MegaMan himself, it would be admitting defeat. He couldn't let anything sour the taste of his perfect victory. No. He'd have to find MegaMan some other way.

     Bass hovered in place over the now perfectly flat ground. What did he know about where MegaMan lived? He still had the address to MegaMan's dad's private server. He had been pretty sure that Dr. Cossack had lived in his lab, it was probably the same for MegaMan's family. Then again, that was SciLab territory. Was he really willing to go back there?

     Bass sighed. This fight had better be worth it.

     “Alright Lan you're up.” Dex said as he finished spinning Lan until he was dizzy. Lan lunged forward, striking empty air. Disappointed, he untied his blindfold.

     “Awe. I thought I had it. Your turn Chaud.” Lan sighed, passing the blindfold. Chaud nodded before tying the blindfold into place. Dex spun him around three times before unleashing Chaud on the unsuspecting melon. Chaud lowered into his best battle stance before burying the stick in the sand mere centimeters from the melon.

     “Alright Mayl you're up.” Chaud announced, admitting defeat.

     “If only you were as good of a swordsman as your navi” Lan taunted.

     “Hey where is ProtoMan anyway? Your PET's been empty all day.” Yai asked as Dex began to spin Mayl.

     “Hmph. Unlike Lan, I'm confident enough in my navi to trust him on his own.”

     “Hey! I do too trust Mega-” A splash of fruit juice interrupted Lan as Mayl cracked the watermelon wide open.

     “Nice job Mayl!” Yai cheered as Lan began licking the spilled watermelon juice off of his arm.

     “You know the rules. Winner chooses next game.” Dex said with a grin. “What's it gonna be Mayl?”

     “Hmmm...” Mayl thought for a moment. “How about some beach-side soccer?” Lan couldn't have hoped for Mayl to choose a better game.

     “But how? We have an odd number of people.” Dex asked.

     “I'll sit this one out.” Yai offered. “I don't feel like getting sweaty today.”

     “But you were swimming just a minute ago?” Lan asked. While she was a good friend, he really didn't understand Yai sometimes.

     “It's different.” Yai protested.

     “Alright then. Now that that's settled, how about Lan and I versus Chaud and Dex?” Mayl offered.

     “I'm in!” Lan cheered, eager to show up Chaud on the field. This day couldn't possibly get any better.

     Bass was not having a good day. He searched SciLab high and low taking care to avoid been seen. He couldn't find MegaMan anywhere. In fact, the building was practically empty. He didn't know if that made things better or worse. He couldn't threaten MegaMan's dad into giving up his PET address, but he could dig through his computer files until he found something of use.

     He dug through Dr. Hikari's personal files, searching every corner for MegaMan's address. Finally, he opened a folder marked “family” and was greeted by dozens of pictures of the Hikaris, including one of Dr. Hikari holding two, identical chubby babies that must have been Lan and MegaMan.

     Bass reeled in disgust as soon as he made the connection. He tried his hardest not to think about his rival's origins and yet here was proof staring him in the face. The picture was practically mocking him. Bass wordlessly formed his Dark Arm Blade and slashed the file into pieces. Now if only he could delete his memory of the picture too.

     Finally, Bass found something useful, a home address tucked away in the back of an old contacts list. It was a physical address, not one for MegaMan's PET, but at least he knew where to look now.

     Bass exited the SciLab computer and made his way back onto the net. The Hikari household wasn't far away. The SciLab trip hadn't been a total waste he supposed. He may even be able to use MegaMan's home address to intimidate him in the future. In an impatient rage, Bass flew to the first connection at the address, a small TV perched in the living room.

     Staring out the TV screen, Bass couldn't see any trace of MegaMan or Lan. Instead there was some brown-haired human flitting about the kitchen across from him.

     “Worthless human.” Bass announced, getting the human's attention. “I am here to challenge MegaMan. You will tell me his location now.”

     “Oh?” She asked. “Aren't you one of MegaMan's friends?”

     “You will tell me where MegaMan is.” Bass reiterated. He had little patience left after the day that he'd been having.

     “Sure thing. Just give me one second to finish frosting this cake.” Bass was practically seething. This human had the nerve to keep him waiting? He had half a mind to fry her TV on the way out.

     “Aaaaand done.” She cheered, presenting the finished cake in view of the TV screen. “This is a new recipe for me. What do you think? Oh, I wish that I could offer you some.”

     “It looks fine. Now tell me where MegaMan is.” Bass commanded, not caring about her cooking in the slightest.

     “He and Lan went to the beach an hour ago. He usually jacks into the old lifeguard tower.” She happily answered. Finally. Just as Dr. Hikari opened the front door, Bass left without another word.

     “What? Haruka, was that Bass I saw just now?” Dr. Hikari asked, an edge of panic in his voice.

     Haruka turned to him with a cheerful smile.

     “After all of Lan's stories, I was expecting him to be much worse. He even complimented my cooking,” she bragged. Dr. Hikari however was having a very different reaction to learning that Bass knew where he lived.

     “Um. That's great," he said with a nervous smile. "I can't wait to try it Honey, but first I have to make a phone call.”

     MegaMan was still lazily watching the waves come in when he felt another navi enter his PET. The presence was so familiar by now that he didn't have to look to know who it was.

     “MegaMan come. We will settle this now.”

     “Sorry Bass. Lan's away at the moment.”

     “Another useless human.” Bass fumed. “I told him to be ready!”

     “Well you didn't give him much detail.” MegaMan tilted his head so that he could see Bass. Dark energy was already leaking out from under his rival's cape. Had something happened? Maybe he was still upset with SharkMan.

     “Hey, do you want to watch the waves with me? Lan should be back soon.” MegaMan offered.

     “Not a chance.” Bass replied with a glare.

     “It'll only be a few minutes. Why don't you enjoy the view. You look like you could use a break.” To his surprise, Bass actually seemed to listen. He hesitated for a moment before lowering to the ground. Bass slowly took a seat a good five feet away from MegaMan and sat down stiffly, his arms folded over his chest.

     MegaMan wasn't sure how to start a conversation with Bass. It seemed that every time they talked, it was over a fight. He was surprised when Bass was the one to break the silence.

     “Do you remember it? Being human I mean.” Bass finally asked as he stared forward.

     “Not really.” MegaMan admitted. Talking about the subject was difficult, but he could tell that the question had been bothering Bass for some time. “'I died when I was very young. 'Hub' never really had much of a chance to exist. I've been MegaMan as long as I've known.”

     “And now you're just ones and zeroes to the humans.” Bass stated as though it were fact. There was no malice in his voice.

     “That's not true.” MegaMan protested. “Mom, Dad, Lan, and his friends, they all treat me like an equal.” MegaMan would admit that the wall of cyberspace separating him from his family hurt sometimes. He would never be able to truly be with his family like he could with his fellow NetNavis, but that didn't mean that he valued them any less.

     “And what about the rest of humanity? Those who haven't bothered to know you?” Bass accused. MegaMan winced. He tried not to think about the times that he had been treated as less than human.

     First he had been confiscated from Lan at the airport and shoved into the a labeled bin like he was simple contraband. Then there was the time that he had been stolen from Lan's bag. The thief had called MegaMan “his new navi” as if he would just forget about his brother. MegaMan knew that not all of humanity was like that, but no excuse he could give would satisfy Bass.

     “I trust my family.”

     “Can you really?” Bass wondered aloud, there was a certain sadness in his voice that made MegaMan uneasy. “I thought that I had a family. Then he tried to delete me.”

     “Bass...” MegaMan trailed off. He knew that Bass had been created by Dr. Cossack, but he had no idea what Bass and his creator's relationship had been like. Had Dr. Cossack really tried to delete him? He found himself gradually scooting towards his rival.

     He didn't know what to say. He was used to Bass' pride, his anger, his hunger for strength. He had never seen Bass be vulnerable before. In the end, he said nothing. He simply sat next to Bass, watching the waves break over the sand and spit foam onto the shoreline.

     After a few minutes of this quiet wave-watching with Bass, the shoreline was torn from his view as Lan picked up his PET. Lan raised the PET out in front of him. His smiling face was quickly replaced by confusion as he realized that MegaMan was not alone.

     “Huh? Bass what are you doing here?” Lan asked. “Did you come to NetBattle us?”

     “You didn't listen.” Bass grumbled getting up from his seat of the floor and returning to a hover just above its surface. “I told you to be ready, you worthless bag of flesh.” MegaMan was glad to see that Bass was back to his usual self.

     “Sorry about that. We can fight now if you want.” Lan apologized. If he was offended, he didn't show it. By this point, he was probably just as used to Bass' unique personality as MegaMan was.

     “Forget it!” Bass spat. “I'm not in the mood anymore.” Bass casually tore open a hole through cyberspace, not bothering to use the jack.

     “MegaMan, the next time we meet, I will devour you.” Bass boasted with a flourish of his cloak as he took his leave.

     “Nice seeing you too!" MegaMan called after him as the hole closed behind Bass. He turned back to his NetOp. Lan looked utterly lost.

     “Did something happen?” He asked. MegaMan shrugged.

     “I think we just had a bonding moment.” MegaMan confessed. A sly, teasing grin spread across Lan's face.

     “Like a friendly bonding moment or...” Lan trailed off.

     “Lan! Cut it out!” MegaMan protested as his face turned a violent shade of red.

Chapter Text

From: No Name

Subject: To Blues

Message: Hey Blues, just wanted to tell you "Great Job!" on your fight today. I still can't believe that you took down Ballade! I hope my cheers helped. By the way, where did you run off to afterwards? I really wanted to congratulate you in person. Awe well, see you around the market I suppose. Stop by Undernet 2 if you ever want to chat sometime. You know where I am now. See ya sometime soon.

From: No Name

Subject: Stop posting novels on UnderBBS

Message: @Admin why doesn't this board have a character limit yet?

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Stop posting novels on UnderBBS

Message: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Stop posting novels on UnderBBS

Message: I let people advertise Dark Chips on here. Do you really think that I'm going to start policing posts now?

From: No Name

Subject: Dark Chip Glitches

Message: So speaking of Dark Chips, has anyone else used Dark Crash? I've been feeling really strange and glitchy after using mine. It's like my deepest impulses run out of control. Is this the Dark Soul everyone is talking about?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Dark Chip Glitches

Message: How often do you use it? Your Dark Soul won't take over without regular Dark Chip use. Otherwise its probably just a normal glitch.

From: No Name

Subject: How Long to Dark Soul?

Message: I use the chip maybe once a week.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: How Long to Dark Soul?

Message: It's probably just a normal glitch then. You can track down a BugStopper if you have the cash, but it's kinda fun to let your Dark Soul take hold.

From: BatMan

Subject: Rise up Fellow Darkloids

Message: I can confirm that letting your Dark Soul mature is both fun and practical.

Pros: More power, use as many Dark Chips as you want, no human can control you

Cons: ???

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Rise up Fellow Darkloids

Message: Adding to the list

Pros: More power, use as many Dark Chips as you want, no human can control you, cool and edgy aesthetic

Cons: literally none. Why doesn't everyone do this?

From: No Name

Subject: Sit down Darkloids

Message: Aren't you forgetting the crippling Dark Chip addiction?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Sit down Darkloids

Message: It's only a problem if I stop hehehe >:)

     ProtoMan spent the rest of his day wandering about the Undernet. Now that he had an invite, there was no reason to stay in the DarkMarket the entire day. Instead, he committed himself to learning how to blend in better with the residents of the Undernet. He had stuck to the shadows, quietly observing the HeelNavis in and around the DarkMarket. It was a slow process, but he was beginning to blend in better.

     Right now, he was leaning casually against a data stack, browsing his UnderBBS feed as he occasionally looked up to watch two NormalNavis argue about program prices. It was a dull conversation in his opinion, but he was already picking up new terms.

     For example, a “mid-worlder” was a navi that frequented both the Undernet and the surface web. They were generally looked down on by the Undernet's permanent residents. On the other end of the spectrum were the “DeepNavis”, recluses who made their home in the deepest parts of the Undernet, rarely showing themselves to others. ProtoMan supposed that if he was pressed on the way that he held himself in the future, he could always claim to be a mid-worlder.

     His internal alarm pinged as it gave him a 15 minute warning until his meeting with Ballade. He should head back to the DarkMarket, sooner rather than later. This time, he'd be sure to avoid any being spotted by any clingy navis on the way.

     ProtoMan made sure to arrive at Ballade's office early. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Ballade. As the wait dragged on and on well pass their meeting time, ProtoMan started to wonder if he had been found out. He was beginning to consider snooping through Ballade's desk when the office door swung open.

     “You must be Blues,” greeted an unfamiliar, green navi. ProtoMan's eyes were drawn to the impressive visor that covered the upper half of the navi's face. It reminded him of how much he missed his shades. Technically, he was still wearing them under his disguise, but it wasn't the same when he couldn't hide his eyes behind them.

     “Hmmph. That's right.” ProtoMan grunted, doing his best Undernet Navi impersonation.

     “Ballade is sorry that he couldn't make this meeting. Unfortunately, he's caught up in 'negotiations' with one of our business partners. I was hoping that I could show you around instead,” the navi said with air quotes. He guessed that 'negotiations' was short for 'shakedown' here. “My name's Quintet by the way, though you can call me Quint for short. I work with Ballade to manage this place.”

     “Fine.” ProtoMan grunted. So one of the DarkMarket's business partners was here now? If it was their DarkChip manufacturer, he needed that information. It looks like he'd have to find a way to get “lost” and see if he could gather intel.

     “You know, you don't have to pretend to be a Undernet Navi around me.” Quint smiled. “Ballade already let it slip to everyone on staff that you're new here.” That was honestly a relief. He had no idea if his Undernet Navi impression was any good yet. He nodded.

     “I guess I'm still getting used to the Undernet.”

     “Don't worry about it. It was rough at first for me too, but you'll be calling this place home in no time.” Quint replied warmly. There was something oddly familiar about his voice. Like it belonged to someone he knew, but was slightly off. “Come on. Let me show you around.”

     Quint led him back out into the marketplace. It looked like it was closing for the day. No one was fighting up on stage and several of the booths had emptied out. With the marketplace so barren, it was easy to notice details that he had missed before. Dozens of rooms dotted the sides of the marketplace while a large steel door monopolized the back wall. He'd have to inspect them all closely.

     “This is my office.” Quint explained, pointing to a large black door as they walked. “It's where we hold most of our business meetings. You might be asked to join in the future so please don't forget where it is.”

     “So are you the leader of the DarkMarket then?” ProtoMan asked.

     “Kinda.” Quint replied. “Ballade, Punk, and I each run different aspects of the market. I manage the vendors, but I'm really only holding Enker's place until he gets back.” So Punk was a DarkMarket leader? How? Punk was a Net Savior, or at least he used to be. Now he wasn't only working with these criminals, but leading them. Chaud needed to know about this so that he could get in contact with Mr. Famous and figure out what was going on.

     “So if you run the shops and Ballade runs the arena, what does Punk do?” ProtoMan asked as Quint led him down a narrow hallway.

     “I was just about to show you.” Quint grinned, stopping before a heavy door. He knocked twice on its frame. When no response came, Quint changed strategy.

     “Punk! Could you open the door? I'm showing around a new recruit.” He called out.

     “Prove that you're actually Quint,” came a muffled response from just behind the door. Why would Quint have to prove that he was himself? Had Punk gone paranoid after he left SciLab?

     “Do we have to do this every time?” Quint sighed.

     “Yes. Now tell me, what was the first thing you ever said to me?”

     “Are you really going to make me say it in front of the new recruit?”

     “Yes.”

     “I am really sorry about this.” Quint said to him before turning back to the door. He took a deep breath. “I'm not that fragging blue son of a glitch from SciLab!” He hollered through the door. The string of curses clashed horribly with Quints upbeat, polite personality.

     Fragging blue son of a glitch from SciLab? Was he referring to MegaMan? ProtoMan couldn't think of anyone else who fit the description. Why did Punk and Quint have it out for MegaMan of all people? Then again, his ally did have a reputation for stopping criminal organizations. They were probably weary of him, and rightly so. MegaMan and Lan had a strong sense of justice. Once the pair committed to taking down an opponent, they were near unstoppable. He was glad that they were on the same side.

      “Quint! Come on in!” The door swung wide open as Punk cheerily invited them inside. ProtoMan peered around, trying to process the row upon rows of foreign equipment filling the room.

     “Can we please settle on another way to prove my identity.” Quint groaned as Punk roughly patted him on the back.

    “What? No. It's perfect as is. I want to remember our first meeting for as long as I function.” Punk protested. That had been Quint and Punk's first conversation. Why? The pieces slowly clicked into place as ProtoMan remembered what Joe had said about Quint. If he really was a Forged Navi, then ProtoMan no longer had any doubt whose face was behind that visor.

     “Anyway, who'd you bring with you?” Punk asked. He must not have recognized him from the locker room. Relative anonymity was a surprising positive of looking like a HeelNavi.

     “This is Blues. He's Ballade's new recruit. I was hoping that you could show him the lab and explain what you do here.”

     “Sure thing.” Punk agreed motioning for him to come in. “I'm Punk, head of R&D here at the DarkMarket. I design all the new chips and programs that you'll be using.” He introduced, waving to the various parts of the lab where he stored his prototypes.

     “You'll want to get familiar with this place.” Quint informed him.

     “Yeah, stop by at any time if you're looking to update your gear. I'll set you up free of charge.”

     “He'll also probably use you as a test subject.” Quint warned him.

     “I'll also probably use you as a test subject.” Punk happily confirmed. “But hey, it's free Dark Chips and custom programs. Who cares if there's an extra glitch or two.” ProtoMan was really not looking forward to using Punk's programs.

     “That said, Punk's good at what he does. You won't find a better chip designer in the Undernet.” Quint explained while Punk gleamed with pride.

     “While you're here. I may as well set you up with your new equipment.” Punk offered. “What's your battle style?”

     “I'm a jack-of-all trades, but I prefer to use swords.” ProtoMan explained.

     “Got it. Got it.” Punk excitedly dug through bins of programs and chips until he had a small pile in his clawed hands.

     “I've set you up with some of my best stuff. For Dark Chips you've got Dark Sword, Dark Saber, and Dark Grav. For programs, I've got you BugStopper, BShield, and Unladen.” He explained. ProtoMan wasn't about to inform him that he already had a BugStopper. It and DarkSword were the only items in the list that he recognized.

     “Can you explain what some of these do?” ProtoMan asked as Punk passed him the stack of chips and programs. We did not want these things anywhere near his programming, but the least he could do was figure out what the programs actually did.

     “Dark Sword and Dark Saber are your basic sword-type DarkChips.” Punk explained. “DarkGrav is one of my chips. It'll pull enemies in range of your sword while doing massive damage. BugStopper does what the name implies. BShield is a body upgrade that lets you-”

      Punk was interrupted as the room shook. Small objects clattered to the ground as a rift opened wide in the center of the room. ProtoMan stiffened as he recognized the dark aura pouring into the lab. What was Bass doing here?

     “Punk.” There was an edge of anger in his voice as Bass addressed him.

     “Bass.” Punk glared back. These two knew each other. How?

     “Leave.” Bass ordered, glaring in the direction of ProtoMan and Quint.

     “At least Ballade should be free now.” Quint sighed. Bass was their business partner? Bass? He didn't work well with anyone. ProtoMan began backing out of the lab when Bass shouted a parting remark in his direction.

     “Why haven't you deleted yourself yet? Your very existence disgusts me.” It was addressed at Quint.

     “Yeah. I know.” Quint sighed sadly as he shut the lab door behind him. MegaMan would have stood up to Bass. Quint may look like him, but it was clear to ProtoMan that he lacked MegaMan's fighting spirit. Still, seeing him upset was uncomfortable. It was like seeing his closest ally upset. Why did he have to sound so much like MegaMan? He couldn't believe he was actually feeling bad for an Undernet Navi.

     “You're not him,” said ProtoMan. He was not good at offering comfort.

     “Thanks.” Quint muttered. “Look. I'm going to go back to my office to do some paperwork. Ballade can take it from here. He should be in his office.”

     ProtoMan nodded his head, offering Quint a polite wave good-bye. Still, as soon as his back was turned, ProtoMan did not hesitate to sneak back to the lab. He needed to know what Bass' involvement with Punk was.

     He knelled in front of the door. If he took off his helmet to press his ear to the door, what would his disguise look like? Fortunately, he didn't have to risk removing it. The shouting match between Bass and Punk was easy enough to hear from his position.

     “Ow! Watch it!” Bass' voice complained loudly.

     “Shut up and stop squirming you brat.” Punk shouted back. ProtoMan marveled at the fact that Punk had the guts to mouth off to Bass. Other navis had been deleted for much less.

     “As soon as our partnership is over, I'll tear your data apart, byte by byte, and I'll enjoy every minute of it.” Now that was the Bass that ProtoMan was used to.

     “Whatever.” Punk huffed. “The extraction is finished. Get to the L.O.F.”

     “Don't push me around weakling.”

     “Hey are you Blues?” The voice tore ProtoMan 's focus away from the conversation between Punk and Bass. How had he let another person sneak up on him? This was an embarrassment to his skill as a Net Savior.

     ProtoMan swiveled his head to face BombMan, before silently nodding. He hadn't seen the ex-WWW Navi since the organization fell apart. He thought he'd been deleted by MegaMan, but if he somehow survived, it made sense that a crook like him would show up here. If he started asking too many questions, ProtoMan would have to delete him quickly before anyone caught wind.

     “Ballade got logged out. I'm supposed to show you to the training grounds.” BombMan informed him. Suspicion was heavy in his voice. If Ballade was logged out, Bass was the likely culprit. Weren't the two supposed to be on the same side?

     “What are you doing here?” BombMan finally asked. ProtoMan stiffened, scanning BombMan for weak points. He couldn't let anyone see them fight.

     “WHAT THE HELL!” Punk screeched from behind the door. BombMan's expression quickly changing to one of confusion. “Do you know how expensive that was you idiot!”

     “It's your fault for owning equipment just as weak and pathetic as you.” Bass shot back.

     “Is that Bass?” BombMan asked lowering his voice. ProtoMan slowly nodded, not dropping his guard.

     “Move over. I want in on this.” BombMan ordered, joining ProtoMan in front of the door. ProtoMan relaxed his guard as BombMan's attention shifted from him to the lab.

     “That's it I'm gonna kill you!” Punk raged.

     “Oh really. I'd like to see you try. What happens after I log you out then? Do you think your human master bothered putting your PET in storage, or did he toss it out just like you?” Tossed out? Mr. Famous hadn't abandoned Punk had he? No. There had to be more to it.

     “At least he never tried to delete me. Can you imagine being so insufferable that even your creator wants you gone for good?”

     “And the attempt sent him to the hospital. A coward like you would scurry back to your master given the slightest chance.”

     As ProtoMan and BombMan continued silently listening in on the conversation, ProtoMan began to wonder if the two were even really angry at each other. It felt more like they were competing to see who could come up with the better insult. If so, they both needed better material.

     ProtoMan was so fully engrossed in the verbal sparring match, that he was only vaguely aware of the small crowd gathering around the door. He took note of their positions, but for once felt completely safe within the heart of the Undernet.

Chapter Text

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Undernet Battling

Message: I keep hearing about a netbattle competition going on in the Undernet. Is someone challenging the ranked navis again? Feel free to challenge MegaMan and I for our rank.

From: No Name

Subject: Rank System

Message: We collectively decided to ignore the rank system after a certain top-sider took second place.

From: UnderKing

Subject: Re: Rank System

Message: Sad but true. I don't get near as many challengers anymore :(

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: Undernet Battling

Message: Why are you looking for a sparring partner when the hour of my rematch with MegaMan draws near?

From: CopyKitten

Subject: Re: Rank System

Message: I miss the rank system so much.

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Let's Go

Message: @FinHead Do you want to fight now? MegaMan and I are free so you can come on over.

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: Let's Go

Message: I'm busy. Go tell MegaMan to do your chores or something, Mom.

From: Admin

Subject: Ranking the UnderBBS members

Message: If it makes you feel better, I rank you guys based on the quality of your posts all of the time. I'm just sitting here, silently judging you all.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Ranking the UnderBBS members

Message: Post the rankings then coward.

[NoName0404 has been issued a 30 minute ban]

From: Admin

Subject: Sayonara

Message: Never disrespect the administrator.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Sayonara

Message: You've gone mad with power!

From: CopyKitten

Subject: Re: Sayonara

Message: I didn't even know people could get banned on this BBS...

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Busy?

Message: @FinHead you're turning down a fight? Who are you and what have you done with Bass? What could possibly be more important that NetBattling?

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: Busy?

Message: Destroying the human race for starters.

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: All bark, no bite

Message: You keep saying that, but I don't think you've destroyed even one human.

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: All bark, no bite

Message: Thank you for volunteering!

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Do it then

Message: If you don't hurry up, I'll die of boredom before you get here.

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: Do it then

Message: Soon. At least an hour.

From: ConcernedMom

Subject: Stop by soon.

Message: Awesome! Come by as soon as you can and we'll get this party started.

[Admin has renamed ConcernedMom to LanParty]

     “Finally!” Lan cheered. After watching his NetOp lay in bed all day, MegaMan was looking forward some action.

     “I know. It feels like forever since Bass and I fought.” He confessed. It had been two days.

     “Not that. I finally have a screen name that doesn't suck.” Oh. MegaMan hadn't realized that it had been such a big deal to his brother. Everyone on UnderBBS kinda had a horrible name. Except for him it seemed. He was fine with BluBombr.

     “You could call our favorite admin to thank him while we wait for Bass.” MegaMan suggested. They hadn't been able to visit Mamoru since he moved. He was curious on how he was doing.

     “That's a great idea.” Lan agreed. He pulled himself out of bed and took a seat at his computer. Lan set MegaMan's PET in its stand and rotated it around so that MegaMan could see his computer screen.

     “Great it looks like Mamoru is still at his computer.” Lan smiled before starting a video call.

     “Hi Lan!” Mamoru greeted, waving happily through his screen.

     “Hi Mamoru. Are you liking the new place?” MegaMan asked from his stand. It was great to see how healthy Mamoru looked now. While he would likely be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, Mamoru's skin had regained a lot of its color since his surgery and his eyes seemed much brighter.

     “Yeah. You should come by to visit sometime.” Mamoru smiled.

      “Definitely.” MegaMan agreed.

     “Anyway. I just wanted to thank you for fixing my screen name. You have no idea how much crap Chaud was giving me for it.”

     “I have no idea what you're talking about.” Mamoru replied coyly.

     “Does your mother know that you're illegally gambling on NetBattles?” Lan asked playfully.

     “I don't see what the big deal is. I bet on you.”

     “Good boy.” Lan replied with a smile. MegaMan felt a little guilty about making Mamoru lose money before remembering how 'Admin' acted online.

     “By the way Mamoru, have you managed to get any NetBattling in since you were released from the hospital?” MegaMan asked. He really wanted to challenge Mamoru sometime. He had even stockpiled a small stash of Battle Chips to give him once he was back to NetBattling.

     “Yeah, Mamoru.” Lan agreed playfully. “I wonder what kind of NetNavi you have. You haven't introduced us yet.” While Mamoru had yet to confirm it, they both had recognized the emblem on the side of his wheelchair. If he really was Serenade's operator, then that only made MegaMan want to NetBattle him more.

     “Not yet, my doctor gave me the okay just last week.” Mamoru grinned excitedly. “We should have a match sometime.”

     “Why not right now?” Lan asked.

     “Don't you have any other NetBattles today?" Mamoru reminded him. He had a good point. If Bass showed up to fight and they were out again, he'd be furious.

     “It'll be fine.” Lan dismissed. MegaMan wasn't so sure. He doubted that Bass would do anything serious if he did drop by while they were NetBattling Mamoru, but he was looking forward to their fight.

     “Hold on Lan. I know you're really looking forward to battling Mamoru. I am too, but I don't want to miss our guest if he comes by. Getting to Mamoru's will take time.” He really needed to talk to Bass again.

     “What if I send you a link to my homepage?” Mamoru offered helpfully. “That way we can battle any time. It'll also give you a shortcut to the Undernet, I know it must be a bit of a hike from ACDC Town's network.”

     “That could work.” MegaMan agreed as Mamoru sent Lan a copy of his banner.

     “Great. My navi will be waiting for you in the Secret Area.”

     “The Secret Area? Gee. I wonder who you navi is.” Lan teased.

     “It's a mystery,” Mamoru nervously laughed. “See you soon.”

     “See you soon!” Lan and MegaMan agreed in unison as the call ended.

     Bass did not enjoy his visits with Punk. First there was the issue of his aesthetics. Punk's lab so closely resembled SciLab that he was forced to double-check his surroundings every time he entered. He supposed it was because his former NetOp was a SciLab employee that he modeled his own lab after that work environment.

      Then there was the insubordination. As much as Bass loathed to admit it, he needed Punk's scientific ability. He couldn't delete Punk without setting back his plans astronomically. Somehow Punk knew this and so he didn't hesitate in mouthing off to Bass at every opportunity.

      Most of all, he hated Punk for how similar their situations were. Allegedly, Punk's NetOp had abandoned him after he lost to MegaMan. Even if he had some doubts regarding Punk's story, being abandoned by your creator, who happens to work for SciLab, and then being forced to wander the Undernet hit a little too close to home.

      However, there was a big difference between Punk and himself. Unlike Punk, he was fine being on his own. After he had been betrayed, he learned to live completely separate from humanity. He'd hated them for when they had done to him. For a time, he held a soft spot for his creator. Some part of him had refused to believe that Dr. Cossack truly betrayed him. Then Dr. Cossack had pulsed into the net and personally tried to deleted him. That had shattered what little illusion remained that his creator still cared about him.

     Punk on the other hand, was a real piece of work. He was still clinging to the hope that he could go back to his former NetOp. This was even after that NetOp had replaced him with a new navi themed around Netopian football of all things. It was disgusting. How could Punk be so weak?

     “How is your progress?” Bass asked, making his presence in the lab known. Punk didn't flinch, continuing to work at his bench as he answered Bass.

     “In spite of you destroying of my L.O.F., I think I've found the structure I was looking for.” Punk grabbed a chip from his desk and spun his swivel chair to hand it to Bass. “That chip contains a single-use function based on your programming. Ballade has already volunteered to be my first test subject.”

     Bass could feel the dark energy within the chip. It felt like a part of his own power, much in the way that Gospel had. Even if he'd authorized it, having that power replicated by anyone felt wrong. His power should be his alone, yet he needed to make this sacrifice for his plan to work. He passed the chip back to Punk.

     “We can't use chips. Find another distribution method,” Bass told him.

     “Eh? What do you mean?” Punk asked, setting the chip back of the table before crossing his long, spiked arms over his chest.

     “The humans will catch on. They'll let everyone know not to use the chips. If we rely on NetOps willingly loading it into their navis, it will never see use outside of the Undernet.”

     “A virus then? That'll take time and money. I've got a criminal empire to run and a MegaMan to delete. I don't do charity work.”

     Punk swiveled back to his desk as the radio sitting on top of it crackled to life.

     “I've spotted our target in Undernet5. I'm going to shake him up a bit, do you want a piece?”

     “Speaking of which...” Punk muttered before pressing down the 'Talk' button on his radio.

     “Naw. This one's all you. Just make sure to leave him alive. I want to kill MegaMan myself.” Punk answered. The voice on the other end chuckled darkly.

     “You and everyone else in this organization. I'll let you know how it goes.”

     As the radio fell silent, Bass internally groaned. Punk and his gang of failures were delusional if they thought MegaMan would fall to anyone but him. What was he doing in the Undernet anyway? Bass supposed that he better nip this attack plan in the bud now before MegaMan got his fill of fighting for the day. He needed his rival to be at his full strength for a proper battle.

     “I have two reasons why you will work on the virus. One, you need to think long term. Once the virus is deployed, you'll have many new customers and the humans will be too busy trying to contain the fallout to worry about one Dark Chip market. Second, if you stop being useful to me, I'll delete you without hesitation.” Bass left Punk to think on it as he took his exit, making his way to Undernet5 and MegaMan.

     “Do you remember the way?” Lan's disembodied voice asked as MegaMan wandered through the Undernet.

     “Could you remind me?”

     “Um. You'll want to take a left ahead, then another left, then right, then left up the stairs. Then a-”

     “Hold on. I'm at the second left. What's the next step again?”

     “Left. No, right. Hold on, let me think.”

     “Wasn't it right, then right, then the-”

     SHINK!

     MegaMan armed his buster as a spear buried itself in the panel in front of him, mere centimeters from his foot. His eyes darted around the maze of platforms surrounding him, easily spotting a navi covered in shining gold armor perched on the platform above him. MegaMan leveled his buster at his attacker.

     “Who are you?” Lan asked. MegaMan wasn't taking his eyes away his attacker as the opposing navi leapt down from his platform to reclaim his spear.

     “It looks like my hand slipped.” As the gold navi plucked the spear from the ground, MegaMan caught a glimpse of the eyes beneath his gladiator like helmet. His attacker held out a hand for him to shake. “You must be the famous 'MegaMan'.”

     MegaMan didn't drop his buster. He had never seen so much repressed anger in someone's eyes before. This navi was toying him, but why?

     “And you must be MegaMan's NetOp, Lan Hikari.” The navi asked the empty sky after MegaMan did not take his hand. “You must be honored to have such a strong navi.”

     MegaMan gritted his teeth. There was something off about his tone. Was he threatening Lan?

     “MegaMan? What's going on?” Lan asked as he began to realize that something was amiss.

     “Hell's Rolling!” Two saw-blades sliced through the space between MegaMan and the gladiator-like navi.

     “That's a shame. I wanted to talk more with the duo who took down Nebula.” The navi turned his back to MegaMan and waved a quick good-bye. “I'll be seeing you both again very soon,” he promised before he leaped to another platform and vanished from sight.

    “Bass? Where are you at?” MegaMan asked empty space, trying to find his rival.

     “Hmph.” The noise came from behind him as MegaMan felt a hand roughly grab his shoulder. “I don't know what you're doing here MegaMan, but we are fighting now. Come with me.”

      MegaMan didn't have time to protest as Bass shoved him through one of his rifts in cyberspace. He landed on solid earth, or at least the digital equivalent of earth. The battlefield that Bass had chosen was a flat, featureless plain without another navi or program in sight. He wasn't kidding when he said that he wanted their next battle to be private. MegaMan doubted that anyone had jacked in to this comp in years.

     “Lan, can you hear me?” MegaMan asked.

     “Loud and clear.” Lan replied. MegaMan was relieved. He had no hope of beating Bass without him. “It looks like Bass sent you to some old construction equipment's computer. You should be able to go all out here.” MegaMan smiled as Bass took to the opposite end of the battlefield.

     “Bass, you remember the agreement that you made with Lan right?” He called out. “If we win, you have to stick around and hear Lan and I out.”

     “You won't win.” Bass replied throwing off his cloak. His voice was barely audible from across the field.

     “Remember our strategy.” Lan reminded him. MegaMan nodded with determination. This time he could defeat Bass.

     “Shouldn't MegaMan be here by now?” Serenade asked. It had been over a month since he had last been challenged and he was beginning to grow impatient.

     “Maybe he got lost?” Mamoru suggested. “He should be here any minute now...”

     "... Any minute now."

Chapter Text

From: UnderKing

Subject: Fight me MegaMan.

Message: @BluBombr I thought you were coming to the secret area for a NetBattle? Where are you?

From: Admin

Subject: Fight your friend Lan

Message: @LanParty you promised your friend, who I have no relation to, that you would be NetBattling him today. You could have at least told him if you couldn't make it.

From: No Name

Subject: Am I missing something?

Message: What is going on with Serenade and the Admin? Also does this mean that my “Serenade has two accounts” theory is confirmed?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Am I missing something?

Message: Nah, Admin is probably just Serenade's NetOp.

From: No Name

Subject: Serenade is Solo you dingus

Message: Serenade doesn't have a NetOp. Have you ever seen her fight? Not once has she had any help from a human.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Serenade is Solo you dingus

Message: It's not impossible that Serenade has a NetOp. I don't think anyone has seen him use Battle Chips on his own.

From: UnderKing

Subject: Please NetBattle me

Message: I haven't NetBattled in over a month. Someone please challenge me. I'm starving for combat.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Please NetBattle me

Message: No thank you. I value my life.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Please NetBattle me

Message: Previous anon is right. No one is stupid enough to challenge Serenade.

From: UnderKing

Subject: I'm getting desperate

Message: I'll go easy on you. I promise!

From: No Name

Subject: Re: I'm getting desperate

Message: Not buying it.

     Bass was surprised when it was MegaMan who made the first move. He darted forward at an impossible speed. Was it an AreaSteal chip? He didn't have time to think on it, quickly dodging the strike and countering with his own dual busters.

     “Double Soul! Shadow Soul!” Lan called out. Bass caught a glimpse of MegaMan shifting to an unfamiliar form before he flickered from sight. Bass took up a defensive stance, waiting for MegaMan to strike. Bass waited for several tense moments before a shower of MiniBombs came at him from the left. He didn't bother dodging. The weak attack barely scratched his barrier. Instead, Bass took the opportunity to focus in on the cloud of dust stirred up by the attack.

     There was no wind in cyberspace, so when a patch no bigger than his fist moved ever so slightly, Bass struck, burying a Dark Sword in MegaMan's arm. He smiled gleefully as MegaMan cried out, his invisibility faltering as his arm started to leak data. Lan quickly loaded him with a heal chip as the double soul faded. His NetOp was only prolonging the inevitable. Bass would strike now while MegaMan was healing.

     He sprinted towards the paused MegaMan, summoning his dark arm blades for a follow-up attack, when he felt something click beneath his foot. Bass didn't have time to react as the mine exploded, threw him into the air, and obliterated his defensive aura. The invisibility chip! No wonder MegaMan had taken so long to attack him after he vanished. He was in a minefield!

     Bass caught himself mid-air and returned to a hover. If the ground wasn't safe, then he'd stick to the skies. He dismissed his blades in favor of an M-Cannon. Without a solid footing, he couldn't put as much power behind his sword strikes. It was better to stick to ranged weapons for now.

     “Double Soul! Gyro Soul!” Lan's voice called out. MegaMan erupted through the cloud of dust and threw a twister in Bass' direction. He narrowly dodged the attack, countering with his cannon. Bass smirked. If MegaMan wanted to take this battle to the sky, so be it. He had more experience flying than his rival could dream.

     While the cannon blast had hit MegaMan straight on, it didn't look like he had done any damage. The stunt with his mine must have given Lan enough time to both completely heal MegaMan and throw on a Barrier for good measure. It was an unusually defensive strategy for the human.

     MegaMan smirked as his arm morphed into a cannon. Bass failed to dodge the quick burst of air, not that it mattered. A weak attack like AirShot would never deleted him. The propellers on MegaMan's back began to make a loud chopping noise as they picked up speed.

     Bass charged MegaMan, ready with a Darkness Overload burning in his fists only to watch as MegaMan used his increased speed to easily outmaneuvered the attack. He twisted his body up above Bass' own, slashing into him with a WideBlade as he landed behind him. That attack felt much stronger than it was supposed to be, easily shredding through his body. He whirled around to face MegaMan, receiving a LongSword to his chest for the effort.

     This Double Soul was stronger than it appeared. There had to be some sort of trick to it. Bass charged another attack as he watched MegaMan's propellers return to their normal speed. Could they have something to do with it?

     As MegaMan tagged Bass with another weak AirShot, he realized that he had to get MegaMan out of the air. His propellers were already starting to speed back up. Bass silently urged his attack to charge faster. He dodged as MegaMan tossed another twister his way. His propellers only grew in speed. Bass couldn't afford to let MegaMan hit him with that power.

     He gathered the dark energy into his fist, feigning a Hell's Rolling before following up with a Shooting Buster. MegaMan easily dodged the saw-blade only to find himself caught in a rain of buster fire. Bass didn't let up, charging MegaMan while he was stunned and grabbing him roughly by the neck. He pulled MegaMan in tight as he dove downward, slamming his rival to the ground with the full force of an Earthbreaker.

     The ground beneath them cracked and gave way under the force of the impact. Bass was no longer surprised when no mines were set off. Double Soul could only last so long. The mine had been nothing more than a ploy to take the fight into the air where Gyro Soul could reach its full potential, but the ploy had failed and Bass wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.

      He grinned from ear-to-ear as MegaMan started to fade, data leaking from every inch of his body as his Double Soul dispersed. He loosened his hold on his rival's neck, letting out a wild laugh as he basked in his victory.

     “Lan now!” MegaMan choked out.

     “Anti-Damage! Slot-in!” MegaMan vanished from Bass' sight in a puff of smoke. He growled in frustration as the hand that had been around MegaMan's neck snapped shut around empty air.

      He whipped his head away from where MegaMan had just been right in time to see MegaMan launch a shuriken into his chest. He begged his body to move as MegaMan prepared his finishing attack. Bass pulled himself back to his feet just as he was enveloped in the blast of a GigaCannon.

     As the dust settled, MegaMan hobbled over to Bass' still form. His body was still teetering on the brink of a logout. Bass wouldn't be surprised if MegaMan was down to his last hit point. He tilted Bass' chin up with the point of a LongSword.

     “Looks like we won this round Bass.” MegaMan smiled, in spite of his condition. Bass tried to blink away the blurriness in his vision as his self-repair program worked furiously to stop his body from being deleted.

     “Yeah. I guess you do.” He admitted. MegaMan dismissed his blade, instead offering Bass his hand. He chuckled. “You should delete me now. Otherwise I'll come back stronger and-” Bass coughed violently as the self repair program began work on his chest. “-delete you.”

     “If you get stronger, then I'll have to get even stronger than that.” MegaMan smiled. Bass took MegaMan's hand, bracing against his rival's shoulder once he was back on his feet.

     “Hey MegaMan?”

     “Yeah Bass?”

     “Do you want to try fusing again?”

     “I thought you'd never ask.”

     Bass let himself smile, confident that MegaMan wouldn't be able to see it while he was still bracing against him. He had been fighting alone in the Undernet for far too long. In all of that time, he had not faced one opponent who he would consider his equal. Finally his struggle had paid off. Bass truly had found the perfect rival.

     “Ahem.” Lan loudly cleared his throat. Bass pushed away from MegaMan, realizing that he had been leaning against him for a little too long.

     “What is it that you want, human brat?” Bass grumbled.

     “Not that I don't support... whatever this is, but we had an agreement Bass. All I'm asking for you to do is listen to what I have to say.”

     “Well, out with it then!”

     “Can you jack out to MegaMan's PET?” Lan asked. “It'd be better if we talked privately, face-to-face.” Privately? As in away from MegaMan? Curiosity got the better of him. Bass nodded hesitantly before entering the PET.

     MegaMan's- No Lan's room was different than he expected. Sunlight poured in from a patio door, and glared off of the many posters decorating the walls. Two action figures duked it out on the nightstand while a worn soccer ball sat in the corner under a small pile of clothes. It was by all counts, an average child's room. Bass wasn't sure what he had thought Lan's living space would be like, but he had been expecting something more grandiose.

     “Thanks Bass.” Lan politely smiled as he picked up the PET. He looked tired. Why?

     “What is it that you want Lan?” He asked impatiently. Lan's eyes shifted away from the PET for a moment as if he was afraid to meet Bass' eyes. He took a deep breath.

     “I'm proud to have MegaMan as a brother and as a NetNavi. He's super kind and can get along with anybody, but... Ugh. What I'm getting at is, he's too altruistic. It seems like every time that I leave him alone, he nearly dies sacrificing himself for someone. I'm worried for him.”

     Lan was looking at the floor now, entirely unable to face him. Bass was quiet. He had to process the information that Lan was giving him.

     “He died when Alpha was revived, you know. He sacrificed himself to stop it. I begged him not to, but there was nothing that I could do to stop him. We were only able to bring him back with help from my Grandpa. Then during the Nebula Gray incident, we both thought he'd die when he gave you his Ultimate Program. He did it anyway because it was the only way to save everyone.”

     Lan wiped his eyes. Was he really crying over a navi?

     “I wish that I could do more. I want to be there for MegaMan in any situation, but I... I'm just a human. I can't be with him in the same way that other NetNavis can.”

     “What are you getting at?” Bass prodded although had a feeling that he already knew what Lan was about to ask him.

     “Please Bass, look out for him. You're the only one strong enough for the job. Don't let MegaMan throw his life away.” Lan pleaded. Bass wanted to laugh. He was asking for help from the navi that had sworn to kill MegaMan. The same navi who, on multiple occasions, nearly succeeded in just that. Instead Bass found himself asking the question that had been lingering at the back of his mind ever since he had first heard the voice of MegaMan's operator.

     “What is MegaMan to you?”

     “My brother and my best friend.” Lan's sad eyes bore into Bass' own. A second passed. Bass stared at the picture frame on Lan's desk. It was a simple family photograph. A mother, a father, and their two children smiled into the camera. One of the children was smiling from within a PET, the same PET that he was in now, yet he was still front and center in the photograph. He was still no less important than any other member of the family.

     “Did you feel that way even before knowing that he was your brother?” Bass asked.

     “Yes.” Lan confirmed without hesitation. Bass sighed.

     “You really are a fool if you think I'd let MegaMan die any way other than at my hands.” Bass finally replied, getting a small chuckle out of Lan.

     “So you'll do it?” Lan smiled, the sadness in his voice starting to fade.

     “There wasn't a point in asking.” Bass huffed, turning his head away from Lan.

     “Thanks Bass. You're the best!”

     “Whatever. I may respect you marginally more than the rest of your garbage species, but I'll still slaughter you all the same when the time comes.”

     “Hold on. You don't hate me, a lowly human?” Lan asked in feigned astonishment. “Does that mean we're best friends now?”

     “Hell no!”

     “Cool. I'm friends with Bass!”

     Bass rudely gestured to Lan before jacking back into the network. He'd give fusion another try tomorrow. For now, he needed to get to his nearest hideout and rest his wounds. It would be interesting to see if Lan and MegaMan still held the same views for each other after his plan was through. Regardless, he would be keeping a close eye on the pair.

Chapter Text

From: LanParty

Subject: Sorry!

Message: @Admin I am so, so sorry. Our guest stopped us on the way to the fight. I will battle my friend, who you have no relation to, soon. I promise!

From: BluBombr

Subject: Also sorry!

Message: @UnderKing We will fight again soon. I promise!

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Sorry!

Message: @LanParty You should have let your friend know you couldn't make it. He waited for two hours.

From: Admin

Subject: Warning

Message: @LanParty @BluBombr I have half a mind to revoke your decent screen name privileges until you fight Serenade.

From: LanParty

Subject: Re: Warning

Message: We'll fight soon. I promise! Just please don't change my screen name.

From: No Name

Subject: The End

Message: The days of judgement are coming. Repent for your sins before this world falls to darkness.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: The End

Message: Please forgive me for using my NetOp's credit card to purchase 30 TeraBytes of Netopian Rom-Coms.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: The End

Message: I am so sorry for that time I jacked into the toilet comp and flooded the office. I thought it was funny at the time. It still is.

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: The End

Message: I apologize for nothing.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: The End

Message: Cyber Jesus, if you are out there, I want to apologize for abusing my position as station manager to hose young couples with the sprinkler system. In my defense, they needed to learn when to get a room.

From: PlantWetter

Subject: Decent screen name privileges?

Message: Wait. So if we challenge Serenade to a NetBattle, we can get a decent screen name?

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Screen name privileges?

Message: Sure. Why not. You have to actually get in a hit though.

From: No Name

Subject: Challenging Serenade

Message: @PlantWetter Don't fall for it! You still have so much to live for.

From: BluBombr

Subject: Thanks for the clothes

Message: @Finhead You forgot your cloak yesterday.

[new_threads.jpg]

From: FinHead

Subject: Re: Thanks for the clothes

Message: Take that off right now, before I rip it off of you.

From: BluBombr

Subject: I understand now

Message: But it adds such a dramatic flair.

[flourish.jpg]

From: UnderKing

Subject: Accepting all Challengers

Message: Please come on over to the Secret Area. I'm taking all challengers.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Accepting all Challengers

Message: Where's the secret area? I've never heard of it.

From: BurnOut

Subject: Re: Accepting all Challengers

Message: idk where the secret area is, but I'm already on the way.

     ProtoMan still wasn't sure what was going on between MegaMan and Bass, but if the two were in regular contact, it could prove useful. With MegaMan's cooperation, he might be able to get closer to understanding what Bass' involvement with the DarkMarket was. In the meantime, he'd have to settle for listening in on the gossip being traded by his new co-workers.

     He paid close attention to their every move as he pretended to inspect the training simulators. The training grounds that had been set out for the DarkMarket's official NetBattlers were surprisingly adequate. While it was a step down from the private server that he and Chaud used, it still had a decent amount of equipment. The battle simulators and virus generators had even been on par with his own.

     “So how much do you want to bet that Bass snaps and deletes Punk one of these days?” BombMan asked.

     “I have 2000 zennies that says that Punk is deleted by the end of the month.” LarkMan answered confidently.

     “5000 zennies says he keeps Punk alive. If he was going to delete him he would of done it by now.” BrightMan offered.

     “Hmm. I think I'll put 3000 on Punk lasting until the end of the season.” BombMan thought out. “Hey Blues, do you want in on this?”

     “3500 on Punk only making it two more weeks.” ProtoMan answered, choosing a number that was close to the other bets given. He took the opportunity to formally join the conversation, taking a spot between LarkMan and BrightMan.

     “Alright then. It's set. I look forward to taking all of your money.” BombMan chuckled.

     “Why is Bass here anyway?” ProtoMan pressed. “Does he work here too?”

     “Ha!” LarkMan scoffed. “No way would Bass take orders from anyone.”

     “Ignore LarkMan. He's a total Bass fanboy.” BrightMan teased.

     “That's not true!” LarkMan stammered, his face going red. “I just respect him as the first Solo Navi.”

     “Check it out, LarkMan is blushing!” BrightMan laughed.

     “Bass and Punk are working on some project together.” BombMan finally answered with a shrug. “Only the MegaMan Killers really know what is going on between the two.”

     “The MegaMan Killers?”

      “You know, our bosses.” BrightMan explained. “Except maybe Quint.” He added as an afterthought. “Anyway, I know what Punk and Bass are up to. They're building some kind of super weapon to destroy all the humans.”

     “That's not it at all.” LarkMan disagreed, shaking his head. “They're building an independent server so that the network can sustain itself without human intervention.”

     “I think Bass is just looking to get a power-up.” BombMan shrugged.

     Great so no one here had any information. He might need to use MegaMan as an informant after all. Then again, it might be a bad idea to get him involved with a group calling themselves the “MegaMan Killers”.

     The swoosh of an automatic door opening caught ProtoMan's attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar pair of navis enter the training grounds.

     “Eyyyy! Working hard fellas?” Ballade greeted, shooting a pair of finger guns in the direction of the group.

     “Eyyyyyyy!” BrightMan shot back with his own pair of finger guns. LarkMan and BombMan instead offered simple greetings. It was good to know who the more practical members of this organization were.

     At the same time, ProtoMan was drawn to the large canister being toted in on a cart by Quint. What was it? Some kind of experimental program? A special container for Dark Chips?

     “Guess what Quint brought back from Cyber City?” Ballade announced cheerfully.

     “You didn't?” LarkMan asked, eyes wide with anticipation. It had to be Dark Chips. There was no other reason for Undernet Navis to get this excited.

     “Since you guys are still out training at this time of night, I figure you'd be the best ones to share it with.” Quint smiled.

     “Quint, you are my hero.” LarkMan cheered. Maybe ProtoMan had been wrong about him being a practical navi after all.

     “I know.” Quint smiled.

     “I don't get it?” BrightMan asked. “What's everyone so excited for?”

     "Cyber City is known for offering many new, cutting-edge services for NetNavis. One of those is cybercoffee.” Quint explained, pouring the first cup.

     ProtoMan was confused. Navis didn't eat or drink. Still, coffee was familiar to him. Chaud made a fresh pot every morning. He also made one every evening. Sometimes Chaud even made a pot of coffee in the middle of the night. He was hesitant to take anything offered to him by an Undernet Navi, but he also couldn't pass up an opportunity to understand his NetOp's fascination with the dark drink.

     “Agh!” BrightMan broke into a coughing fit as he took his first gulp. “This is nasty. Why would you drink this crap?”

     “It's an acquired taste.” LarkMan answered, taking a fresh cup of coffee from Quint.

     “It's cheap energy.” BombMan answered at the same time. ProtoMan was starting to worry about trying the drink when Quint passed him a full cup.

     “Thanks,” he murmured, staring at the unfamiliar HeelNavi reflected on the dark liquid's surface.

     “It's your first cup of coffee too, eh Blues.” Ballade teased. “Drink up because all four of you are in the ring tomorrow.” ProtoMan studied his co-worker's reactions carefully. BrightMan groaned while BombMan and LarkMan seemed to look forward to the fighting.

     He eventually decided to bite the bullet and take a sip of the coffee. The minute that it touched his tongue, he understood why BrightMan had reacted the way that he did. A bitterness so strong that it drowned out all of his other senses washed over his mouth. ProtoMan swallowed down the sip with a grimace, stifling a cough as he struggled to keep it down.

     He was about to begin questioning the wisdom of his NetOp when he started to feel kind of good. ProtoMan took a second sip. Then he took a third. Before he knew it, he had downed the entire cup.

     “This is...” ProtoMan was at a loss for words. He had never experienced something like this before. His body was practically humming with energy.

     “I know right?” LarkMan agreed.

     “Alright.” Ballade interrupted. “Since everyone's back at full energy, BombMan you'll be taking care of any Solo or No-Chips challengers from one to four. LarkMan you're in the Solo Tournament roster. You'll also take Solo challengers from four to seven. BrightMan, the next Chips Tournament isn't until Wednesday so you'll be taking tethered challengers from one to five. SnakeMan will relieve you at the end of your shift. Blues, how soon can you get your NetOp to install your new programs?”

     “Tomorrow morning.” ProtoMan answered. In reality, Chaud was probably still hard at work even at this time of the night. ProtoMan finally understood the source of his seemingly infinite energy.

     “Good. I wanted to formally introduce you in Thursday's No-Chips Tournament, but we're short on battlers tomorrow so you'll be taking No-Chips challengers from four to seven. Make sure to have your programs installed before then.”

     Great. ProtoMan knew he'd have to use Punk's suspicious programs sooner or later, but he wasn't going to look forward to it. He still didn't know how he was going to explain his situation to Chaud.

     “Hey Blues, mind going a couple rounds with me before we call in for the night.” BombMan asked him, momentarily distracting him from his worries.

     “I don't see why not.” ProtoMan answered. He was eager to both see how the other No-Chips battlers fought and to burn off the extra energy that the cybercoffee had given him. He really needed to convince Chaud to order a stock of it for his PET.

Chapter Text

     “You want me to install an unofficial program that you found in an illegal Dark Chip market?” Chaud closed his eyes and massaged his temple as he processed the absurdity of the request.

     “I have my first official match as part of the DarkMarket at sixteen-hundred. I am expected to use the programs that I was given.” ProtoMan explained.

     Chaud picked up his cup of coffee and took a long sip. ProtoMan was envious. He regretted not checking to see if Quint had any more cybercoffee before he jacked out.

     “Do you even know what these programs do?” He asked.

     “I know what BugStopper does.” ProtoMan answered.

     "ProtoMan, I'm happy with the progress you've made in just such a short time, but this is...”

     “It's for the mission. Taking a calculated risk is necessary to make progress.”

     “I don't want to hurt you again.” ProtoMan flinched. He knew exactly what his operator was referring to.

     “Using a Dark Chip was necessary at the time, sir. I've recovered.” ProtoMan was being honest. He had overcome his darkness. As long as he had Chaud, he could do so again and again.

     “Fine,” Chaud agreed after a moment of thought. “But if you feel anything odd, jack out immediately. I also want you to report back within 24 hours this time.”

     “Thank you, sir.” Chaud plugged his PET into his computer, furiously typing away as he ran every conceivable scan on the programs. While ProtoMan didn't want to interrupt his NetOp, he had to ask an important question.

     “Would you be willing to update my disguise so that I can keep my shades? Being without them is... uncomfortable.”

     “Huh?” The drum of Chaud's fingers on his keyboard abruptly stopped. “But you're still wearing your helmet underneath the disguise. Are you asking me to put shades over your shades?”

     “I am not used to eye contact.” ProtoMan admitted.

     "Seeing as you've already made a name for yourself down there, I don't see an issue.” Chaud answered, resuming his work. The relief that ProtoMan felt was overwhelming.

     “So you're sure that this Punk is the same Punk that we worked with before?” Chaud asked.

     “Positive. It's hard to believe that a former Net Savior is now a Dark Chip designer.”

     “I've finished scanning Punk's programs. There is nothing of immediate concern, but he is ex-SciLab. It'll take time for me to crack all of the encryption." Chaud explained. "This is your last chance to say you don't want these installed.”

     “I'm ready, sir.” ProtoMan agreed, putting himself into standby mode so that Chaud could work.

     A few minutes later and he was back online.

     “Well, how do you feel?” Chaud asked.

     “Different, but not in a bad way.” ProtoMan assured him. His body felt off. He wasn't sure if it was because of the new programs or if it was because he had gotten so used to the old programs that they had replaced.

     “You don't feel any dark energy from them?”

     “No.”

   "I'll work on contacting Mr. Famous while you're out. Hopefully we can get this sorted out quickly.” Chaud agreed. “Before you leave, tell me, what do you think of these 'MegaMan Killers' running the Dark Market?”

     “Punk is both strong and intelligent. I won't enjoy fighting a fellow Net Savior.” ProtoMan admitted. While he had never worked directly with Punk and Mr. Famous, he held a great deal of respect for the pair. They were nearly unmatched in scientific ability. The last thing that he wanted was that talent in enemy hands.

     “Ballade is well respected on the Undernet and is a formidable fighter.” ProtoMan continued. “He's not on the level of MegaMan or I, but on the top-side he'd easily be a high ranking NetBattler.”

     “Top-side?” Chaud asked. ProtoMan hadn't realized that he slipped into Undernet slang.

     “I apologize. I meant the network outside of the Undernet.” He corrected.

     "While not a fighter, we have to assume that Quint has the same potential as the real MegaMan.” ProtoMan continued, eager to distract from his slip up. “Finally, there's Enker. I have yet to meet him, but from the way that the others seem to revere him, I have not doubt that he is their leader.”

     “Then we have no choice but to prolong this mission until he makes himself known...” Chaud shook his head. “I'm sorry for putting you through all of this ProtoMan.”

     “I'm happy to continue my mission.” ProtoMan replied honestly, hoping to put his NetOp at ease. It wasn't like Chaud to worry so much. He hoped that Lan wasn't rubbing off on him.

     "Alright then. I'm counting on you ProtoMan."

     "I won't let you down, sir."

     “And be careful. We still don't know what these Undernet Navis are capable of, especially if Bass is somehow involved.”

     “I'm gonna dieeeee!” A high pitched voice moaned. The sight of a familiar blue navi stretched out across Punk's operating table quickly caught ProtoMan's eye. Without thinking he rushed to his ally's side.

     “MegaMan! Are you-?”

     “I'm. Not. MegaMan.” The navi practically hissed before he clutched at his emblem, wincing in pain.

     “Quint?” The navi must have been using style chips when they met before. Without his visor and green outfit, it was difficult to tell him apart from the real deal. His emblem was crooked, but that was about the only difference between the two that ProtoMan could spot.

     He took a moment to take in his surroundings. Punk's once cluttered but tidy lab was a mess of scattered chips and machinery. Ballade paced nervously back and forth at the edge of the room, muttering to himself. He felt as if he had stepped into a war zone.

     “Oy. Quit being a drama queen Quint! Ballade, pull yourself together!” Punk reprimanded before noticing the newcomer to his lab. “Look we're kind of busy here. The sign said 'Staff Only' so if you could...”

     “It's me, Blues.” ProtoMan interrupted, realizing that Punk still couldn't tell him apart from any other HeelNavi.

     “Er, sorry Blues. Nice shades by the way. Can I ask you a favor? I have my hands full with these two idiots. Do me a solid and grab BombMan or LarkMan, will you? Both of them should be here.”

     ProtoMan quickly nodded. He had just wanted to ask Punk what the programs that Chaud installed did. What did he step in on?

     BombMan was supposed to be taking challengers right now. Maybe he could find the ex-WWW Navi hanging around the arena. He quickly walked towards the center of the market, fully focused on locating his target. When he saw BombMan talking to a couple of normal navis at the edge of the platform, he quickened his pace.

     “Hey Blues! How's it hanging?” Oh please no.

     “Joe. Sorry, but I've got to-” ProtoMan did not have time for this.

     “I almost didn't recognize 'ya with the sunglasses. So I hear that you're working for Ballade now. That's so cool! I knew there was something special about you. Hey do 'ya think we can hang out sometime? I have so many things that I want 'ta talk to 'ya about.”

     “Sure. Maybe later." ProtoMan answered, trying to end the conversation as soon as possible. "Sorry, but I've got to talk to BombMan.”

     “Oh? You're friends with BombMan now? You've got to introduce me some time."

     “Yeah sure. I'm going to-”

     “So what have you been up to lately buddy. It feels like forever since we talked. I hear that...”

     ProtoMan wanted to bash his own head in. He started to tune Joe out, instead sending a pleading look BombMan's way. Hopefully BombMan could tell HeelNavis apart better than Punk. His hopes were answered when BombMan noticed him, his face contorted in confusion before his eyes lit up in recognition.

     “Hey Blues, something up?” BombMan asked, coming to his rescue. He nodded quickly.

     “Hi BombMan I'm a big fan-”

     “Why don't we talk things over at the training grounds.” BombMan continued, fully ignoring Joe. When Joe tried to follow them, BombMan pushed him back with a single hand. It wasn't a rough push, but it got the point across. “Staff only,” was all he said before continuing on his way. Joe hung back without saying a word. ProtoMan quietly took note.

     “Punk needs you at the lab.” ProtoMan informed him as soon as they were far enough away from the crowd. “Thank you by the way.”

     “Any time. Us battle navis have to stick out for each other.” BombMan offered, veering course towards the lab. “I know you're from the surface, so let me give you some advice. You don't need to be so polite to someone like that. You'll just give him the wrong idea.”

     “I am still adjusting.” he admitted.

     BombMan strode confidently towards the lab, knocking on the door before swinging it open to see the disaster zone that the lab had become.

     “I killed Quint.” Ballade dramatically sobbed into Punk's spiny arms.

     “I'm not dead yet.” Quint complained from the edge of the table. His breathing was labored, but he was sitting up now, so ProtoMan took a guess that Quint wasn't in any actual danger.

     “It's alright Ballade.” Punk comforted, patting his comrade on the back. “At least you can now say that you're the first MegaMan Killer to actually kill a MegaMan.”

     “You jerks are going to wish I was dead.” Quint huffed as Punk struggled to hold back his laughter.

     “It's like I can still hear his sad, little voice. Oh Quint, we'll never forget you.”

     BombMan cleared his throat, abruptly ending the charade.

     “I hate to interrupt your mourning, but why did you call me here?”

     “Oh.” Ballade's face was red with embarrassment. “Quint and I were talking this morning and then I... We think Quint snapped his tether.”

     “Hey Quint.” BombMan walked over to the table and looked Quint over. “Do you feel like garbage?”

     “Yeah.”

     “I'd ask if you're programs were reset, but considering you look like the blue dweeb again, I'm going to assume that's also a 'yes'.”

     Quint nodded.

     “Do you have access to your e-mail account?”

     “...No?”

     “Chip library?”

     “No.”

      “Yeah, you just snapped your tether. You'll be back to normal in a couple days.”

     “A couple of days?” Quint asked in shock.

     “You just deleted a chunk of your own code. What did you expect? No one said being a Solo Navi was easy.”

     “Solo Navi? You can't just become a Solo Navi right? You have to be programmed that way.” ProtoMan asked in disbelief. Sure there were plenty of navis who left their operators for an extended period of time, but there was always a link. They still 'belonged' to their PET, to their NetOp. Why would anyone even want to get rid of the bond that they shared with their NetOp? Their 'tether', he realized.

     “Sure you can. I broke my tether years ago using the old NQL exploit before they patched it out.” BombMan wasn't originally a Solo Navi? Did that mean he willingly abandoned his NetOp? Did Quint just abandon his NetOp? ProtoMan's head was spinning.

     “Why would you do that? Surely you realize that any Net Official is authorized to delete you now?” ProtoMan protested. Solo Navis were still highly illegal. He may have to delete the DarkMarket Navis now rather than arrest them.

     “I was already slated for deletion the moment I was created. 'Forged Navi', remember.” Quint frowned, wincing in pain. ProtoMan grimaced. He'd forgotten that creating copies of an existing NetNavi was equally forbidden.

     “But your operator-” He protested.

     “Threw me out when I wasn't as good at fighting as the 'real' MegaMan.” Quint finished, resentment clear in his voice.

     “I apologize. I didn't mean to cause any offense. This is just very new to me.” ProtoMan replied, trying his best to smooth things over even though his mind was still reeling.

     “None taken. Sorry for yelling at you.” Quint replied, staring at his feet. “So how do I re-apply by programs? I can't go out into the market looking like this.” He asked BombMan.

     “After your code finishes repairing itself, you should have full access to your NaviCust.” BombMan explained. Quint groaned in frustration.

     “Wait.” Punk broke in. “If Quint's out of commission for a couple of days, who's gonna run the market?” He glanced over at Ballade.

     “Hey don't look at me! I'm no good with finance. I only know how to run tournaments, blow things up, and look great doing it.” Ballade protested. “You're supposed to be the smart one.”

     “I have my hands full here if you can't tell. If you want to be the one to deal with Bass then be my guest.” Punk argued back. This was ProtoMan's opportunity.

     “Hey, didn't someone run the market before Quint? Why not call him in?” He offered. Punk and Ballade exchanged looks.

     “He has a point. We could call in Enker.”

     “That would be...”

     “You're right.”

     ProtoMan was having a difficult time following along.

     “No can do.” Punk announced with a shake of his head. “He trusted us with this place until he gets back. It would be like admitting defeat.”

     “Plus we still haven't told him about Quint.” Ballade agreed with a nod.

     “You haven't?” Quint asked, confused. “What if he walks in while I'm in his office?”

     “With how you look now, he'd definitely try to kill you." Punk nodded. "But, I mean, we also tried that, and look how it turned out."

     "You have an amazing track record of befriending the people who pick fights with you." Ballade added.

     “Gee thanks.” Quint groaned.

     “Why are you guys so obsessed with killing MegaMan anyway?” ProtoMan asked. If his plans for drawing Enker out were shot, he'd at least try and figure out what the group's name was about.

     "My NetOp abandoned me after I lost a fight to MegaMan, so I'm going to delete him and prove that he was wrong to abandon me." Punk declared with a dramatic clench of his fists.

     "I'm tired of being mistaken for MegaMan." Quint answered. "That and his face is stupid."

      "You have the same stupid face." BombMan muttered. Quint chose to ignore him.

     “I just want to fight the strongest NetNavi.” Ballade finally added. Somehow, this was the answer that ProtoMan found the most offensive.

     “Why MegaMan then? Isn't ProtoMan the current World NetBattle Champion? He's way stronger than MegaMan.” He blurted out only to regret it a second after. Was he trying to blow his cover?

      “Yeah right.” Ballade chuckled. “What has ProtoMan really done besides enter tournaments and arrest small fry? Let me know when he takes down a criminal organization or two.”

     In spite of the neutral expression that he maintained, ProtoMan was seething. Oh, he was about to take down a criminal organization. Forget asking MegaMan to help him figure out what Bass' involvement was. He'd crush the DarkMarket single-handed.

[Connected to Sharo Network]

[Auto-translate enabled]

[Now entering KaumosBBS]

From: Raika

Subject: Sharo's Greatest Hero

Message: [goodboy.jpg]

From: Raika

Subject: Sharo's Greatest Hero 2

Message: [goodboy (2).jpg]

From: Raika

Subject: Sharo's Greatest Hero 3

Message: [goodboy (3).jpg]

From: TundraMan

Subject: Re: Sharo's Greatest Hero

Message: Give that doggy an extra belly rub for me!

From: Ivan

Subject: Re: Sharo's Greatest Hero

Message: Thank you for your service pupper!

From: Kalinka

Subject: Re: Sharo's Greatest Hero

Message: The goodest boy!

From: Sasha

Subject: Re: Sharo's Greatest Hero

Message: Glad to see that retirement is treating him well. Thank you for your service!

From: Nat

Subject: Re: Sharo's Greatest Hero

Message: Thank you for your service pupper!

From: Alek

Subject: Re: Sharo's Greatest Hero

Message: Thank you for your service pupper!

From: Yuichiro

Subject: [ URGENT ] Looking for Dr. Cossack

Message: We need to talk. I have information on your son.

From: [ None ]

Subject: Re: [ URGENT ] Looking for Dr. Cossack

Message: I am on my way.

Chapter Text

From: No Name

Subject: Strongest NetNavi?

Message: Who do you think is the strongest NetNavi? I personally think it's ProtoMan.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Strongest NetNavi?

Message: Nah, it's Serenade.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Strongest NetNavi?

Message: Serenade

From: PlantWetter

Subject: Re: Strongest NetNavi?

Message: Serenade.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Strongest NetNavi?

Message: You're all wrong. It's Bass.

From: No Name

Subject: BlkShdw is Back?

Message: Looks like Bass' old screen name is back. @BlkShdw did you beat Serenade this time?

From: UnderKing

Subject: Re: BlkShdw is Back?

Message: Not even close. I barely felt his attacks.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Soon

Message: I was only testing my base form against you. Soon I will have an ultimate power. Then you will be beg for my mercy and I will give you none.

From: No Name

Subject: NetNavi Power Levels

Message: But ProtoMan is still stronger than MegaMan right?

From: LanParty

Subject: Re: NetNavi Power Levels

Message: lol no

From: BluBombr

Subject: Re: NetNavi Power Levels

Message: ProtoMan is a strong opponent. I'm glad to have him as a rival.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: NetNavi Power Levels

Message: Serenade > Bass = MegaMan > ProtoMan

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: NetNavi Power Levels

Message: Bass >>>> MegaMan > Serenade >>> that other guy with an Ultimate Program.

From: No Name

Subject: Really?

Message: Bass, you are delusional.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Really?

Message: You are lucky to not have a screen name No Name. Once I know who this is, you are as good as deleted.

     “Alright class, time for your math exam.” Ms. Mari announced. Lan nearly dropped his PET. He had been so preoccupied with fighting Bass that he had completely forgotten to study.

     “Good luck Lan.” MegaMan encouraged, before putting himself into sleep mode. It wasn't fair that MegaMan couldn't help him on his exams like he did with his homework. Lan nervously chewed at his pencil as he was handed the exam booklet.

     Questions 1-10: Find the area of the following shapes. No problem. He had always been good at Trig. He could do this.

     Question 11-15: Solve for x. These next few were a little harder, but nothing he couldn't handle.

     Question 16: Router boards a train traveling at 100 kilometers per hour from her hometown of Rocai to Maskusda, a distance of 1072 km. At the same time, her NetNavi, TravelMan, jacks in from her home computer and plans to meet her at her hotel's computer in Maskusda, a distance of only 20 digital kilometers. Assuming he travels at a leisurely pace of 4 digital kilometers per hour, who reaches their destination first?

      Lan was completely stuck. Who was Router? Why didn't she just bring her PET with her? Why didn't TravelMan board the Cyber Metroline if he needed to travel separately? This question was stupid. Lan resumed chewing his pencil as he silently begged for someone to save him.

     “MegaMan, how dare you hide from me in this infernal place! Jack into the network right now!” Boomed an incredibly loud voice over the PA system. In spite of the ringing in his ears, Lan silently thanked Bass before raising his hand.

     “Miss Mari, may I be excused?” He asked, already reaching for his PET.

     “Security will take care it. You can leave as soon as you finish your test.” Ms. Mari replied, shooting him down.

     “I'm serious MegaMan! I'll tear apart this every system in this building if I have to.” Bass threatened.

     “Are you sure Ms. Mari?” Lan asked as a surge of power fried the school's lights and forced Ms. Mari to reconsider.

     “I guess I can make an exception. But you'll have to finish the exam first thing tomorrow morning.”

     “Thanks Ms. Mari!” Lan cheered, rushing out of the room as she called for him to slow down. He made his way to the relative privacy of the school library and woke MegaMan.

     “Is the exam over already?” MegaMan yawned, stretching out his arms.

     “Show yourself MegaMan!” Bass screeched.

     “Not exactly.” Lan answered with a slight chuckle. “Do you think you can calm down our friend and get him out of the school's network?”

     “What? Bass is here? I'll take care of it.” MegaMan assured him.

     “Awesome! Jack in, MegaMan, execute!” Lan smiled, plugging his PET into the bookshelf's computer.

     “I'm here Bass. You can stop terrorizing the school now.” MegaMan called out. It had taken him long enough.

     “My cloak.” He commanded.

     “Yeah sure.” MegaMan pulled his missing cloak out of his inventory and handed it over to Bass only for him to immediately incinerate it in a blaze of purple flames. No way would he wear the cloak after MegaMan defiled it. It was probably covered in his awful, human stench.

     “So do you just have a closet full of those in your safe-house or...” MegaMan trailed off, pointing out the identical cloak that he had arrived in. he didn't seem surprised in the slightest by Bass' actions.

     “No.” Bass lied.

     “What do you want then? I doubt you came here just to destroy your own clothes.”

     “Fuse with me.” Bass commanded, keeping things straight to the point. He needed that power under his control now more than ever. His recent defeat at the hands of Serenade had proven that.

     “Right now? Alright, but the same rules still apply.”

     “Not here. Not on a public network. Give me your homepage address.” Try as he may, Bass had yet to find Lan's computer. He had combed ACDC's network for an hour before giving up and again being forced to ask Lan's mother where he was. The old woman had insisted on asking him for his opinion on her soufflé. It was an annoying waste of his time.

     “From here, exit the school network and head straight. Take the third left and then the second right after that. It'll be right there.” MegaMan explained.

     “I will give you fifteen minutes to jack in from your computer.” Bass replied with a nod.

     “Wait. Let me give you my P-Code.” MegaMan offered. As if he needed one.

     Bass vanished from the school network without another word, leaving MegaMan behind. He followed the directions that he'd been given, arriving at a small gateway that he'd overlooked when scanning the area before.

     As expected, the gate provided little challenge for him to overcome. He easily shattered the barrier and replaced it with his own, superior gateway. He wouldn't risk the chance of MegaMan's 'friends' interrupting his training.

     Satisfied with his work. Bass floated in place at the center of the homepage and waited. It was a simple area, containing only a mailbox and a small collection of links. It would be the perfect place to work on mastering fusion uninterrupted.

     MegaMan arrived eleven minutes later and much to Bass' disappointment, so did Lan.

     “Thanks Bass. You just saved my life.” Lan greeted, his voice full of relief.

     “If you studied like I asked you to, he wouldn't have to.” MegaMan pointed out.

     “Awe, come on MegaMan.”

     “I expect you to take this time off to study for the rest of your exam. Bass and I will be here when you're done.”

     “Fine, I didn't want to be your third-wheel anyway.” Lan teased.

     Bass was grateful that MegaMan had successfully chased off Lan, not that he would admit it. If he was going to master fusion then he needed full concentration. The human's loud mouth would only get in the way of that.

     “So Bass, I was thinking.” MegaMan started. “What if we were able to fuse the first time because you didn't fight my overwrite. We were both close to deletion at the time, so I don't know if you could have stopped it.”

     “We failed at fusion because your Double Soul kept interfering with my GetAbility.” Bass argued. “How am I supposed to devour you when you're trying to do to same to me?”

     “Double Soul doesn't work like that.” MegaMan protested.

    “You could have fooled me.” Bass shot back. He'd felt MegaMan's code snake into his own like a poison slowly infecting and overtaking his systems. MegaMan's ability was more like his own than he realized. The fact that MegaMan understood it so little was frankly embarrassing.

     “So what do you propose then. I don't want to have to drag you back to SciLab again.”

     “You won't have to.” Bass agreed. “I'll break apart the fusion each time until we get it right. If being low on energy did factor into our fusion's success the first time, we'll get there eventually anyway.”

     “Alright.” MegaMan agreed. “Then let's get to work.” He leaned forward, freely offering Bass his emblem.

     Bass didn't hesitate to clutch the emblem in his fist, watching MegaMan evaporate as his code flowed into him. It always amazed Bass just how much data was packed into such a small frame. It was almost too much for him to consume.

     Absorb it. Devour it. Don't let it overtake you.

     Bass felt his weight shift as his armor changed form. Shin guards lengthened into boots. Heavy blades fastened themselves to his bracers. Finally his skin-tight suit extended until it covered the lower half of his face.

     The pain returned as MegaMan's mind pressed up against him. This time it was slightly different, as if MegaMan was at least trying to stay conscious in their shared head-space, not that it stopped his rival from trying to overwrite his code.

     Bass panted as he broke apart the fusion. His feet touched the ground, no longer having the strength to keep afloat. As MegaMan's data poured out from his body, it quickly consolidated back into shape at his side.

     “I think I was aware that time.” MegaMan stated, the last bits of his data drifting back into place.

     “Yeah. I could feel you.” He agreed. If MegaMan could stay fully aware while they were in fusion, maybe he could stop the overwrite.

     “Let's try it again.”

     Bass downloaded MegaMan's data again and again. With each fusion, he focused his full attention on trying to locate which file was causing the issue. It was a futile effort. The second that Bass thought he was making progress, the pain would overwhelm him and he'd lose track of where he'd been.

     I don't think this is working. MegaMan commented. At least he could stay aware without Bass' help now. He broke apart their fusion yet again.

     Bass stumbled as he released MegaMan. He settled down into a kneel, no longer having the strength to stand. MegaMan wasn't much better off but it was clear to Bass that he was taking the bulk of the energy drain. His limit was approaching fast. Bass guessed that he only had two or three attempts at this left in him today.

     "Fine. Let's try it your way.” Bass relented, shrugging his cloak away from his chest. He didn't like exposing his emblem, or more accurately, what was left of it. He hoped that MegaMan would understand the meaning behind this small gesture.

     “I won't delete you. You can trust me.” MegaMan assured Bass, kneeling down in front of him. He wanted to believe MegaMan, but the last time he trusted someone, his chest had been torn open.

     MegaMan gently placed his hand on Bass' shoulder only to have Bass yank it away moments later. He tried twisting the offending hand, only to be disappointed that he lacked the energy to cause MegaMan any real pain.

     “Don't.” Bass warned him. “We're not friends. Even if you overwrite me, I'll fight you with everything I have until I regain control.”

     “I wouldn't expect anything less.” MegaMan replied with a smile. Bass doubted that he'd ever fully understand his rival.

     “Are you ready?”

     Bass nodded.

     The fusion began normally, but this time Bass let MegaMan's code take hold. He struggled to suppress his instincts as they begged him to fight back. Eventually the pressure let up as MegaMan's code took hold, mercifully stopping before any permanent damage to his core programming was done.

     “Is- is this what you were feeling every time we fused Bass?” His body asked in a shaky voice. Bass realized with a sudden shock that he had no control over it. He tried to speak out. Then he tried to move his arms. Both times nothing happened.

     Are you in pain? Bass asked. He found that speaking to MegaMan this way was easy, almost instinctual.

     “I can't hold it, the fusion...” It certainly sounded like MegaMan was hurting, but Bass didn't feel a thing.

     Then don't. If you're in pain then this attempt is a failure too. He felt the fusion break as both he and MegaMan collapsed to the ground.

     “Not so fun on the other end of the fusion is it?” Bass taunted between heavy breaths.

     “No.” MegaMan admitted, shifting his head to face Bass. Ha. His cheek looked all puffy and smooshy when it was pressed against the homepage's floor. Smoosh. Smoosh. Smoosh. Wow he was exhausted.

     “One more time.” Bass declared, raising a single finger in front of MegaMan's face. “You lead. I lead. I don't care anymore.”

     “Fine. Eat my code or whatever.” MegaMan agreed. His eyes rapidly blinked as he struggled to stay awake.

     “Yea- here I go.” Bass slurred. If being near deletion really was the key to unlocking their fusion, this was the closest they'd get without being in any real danger.

     Bass reached out to MegaMan and pulled.

Chapter Text

From: No Name

Subject: Let me in

Message: I'm at the bay and ready to check in, but I can't find Quint anywhere. There are a few other vendors waiting around, but none of us know where he is. Can someone let us into the marketplace?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Let me in

Message: I am so sorry. I'll send someone to let you in right now.

From: RebelTeen

Subject: Re: Let me in

Message: On it.

From: No Name

Subject: Where are you?

Message: You're not coming yourself? I was hoping to talk to you about opening a new NetCafé.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Where are you?

Message: So, so sorry. I will be out of office for a couple of days, but will gladly listen to you once I'm back. A NetCafé sounds like a great idea :)

From: No Name

Subject: Hot Gos

Message: So I hear that Bass and MegaMan have been spending a lot of time together lately. What's up with that?

From: No Name

Subject: MegaMan & Bass

Message: Aren't they sparring partners or something?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: MegaMan & Bass

Message: Or something.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: MegaMan & Bass

Message: or something

From: RebelTeen

Subject: Re: MegaMan & Bass

Message: I'm pretty sure that Bass just wants to kill MegaMan (as we all should).

From: Crackin

Subject: Re: MegaMan & Bass

Message: If Bass kills MegaMan before I get to, I'm gonna be upset.

From: No Name

Subject: NetCafé?

Message: I'll be a very happy navi on the day that the Undernet gets its own NetCafé.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: NetCafé?

Message: Please yes. I need my fix.

From: No Name

Subject: Guys its just a NetCafé

Message: Jeez. You guys are almost as bad as Dark Chip addicts. Maybe a NetCafé does belong in the DarkMarket.

From: BirdBoy

Subject: Re: Guys its just a NetCafé

Message: It's completely different.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Guys its just a NetCafé

Message: This is a horrible take really.

From: No Name

Subject: More Hot Gos

Message: Did you hear about that new guy whose been dominating in the market arena? Get this, he's a HeelNavi! Rumor has it that he's using some experimental programs to fight on par with the customized navis.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: More Hot Gos

Message: That would be our newest member, Blues. The programs that he is using will be available for purchase this Friday starting at 10000 zenny ;)

From: No Name

Subject: Re: More Hot Gos

Message: Finally someone is proving that you can't underestimate a navi for being part of a mass-produced line.

     Lan studied his UnderBBS feed intently as he continued to procrastinate on his studies. He knew that he should be giving MegaMan and Bass space, but he needed to know how things were going. He also needed to look up what a NetCafé was. It was strange to see the Undernet get so excited over something that wasn't battling.

      Lan's hand hovered over his mouse. Just a quick check. MegaMan would barely notice him. As if on cue, his screen lit up, familiar green eyes stared back at him with a new intensity. Was this really his brother?

     “Lan. I am heading out.” He announced. Lan stared back at him curiously without saying a word. Why was he bothering letting him know that he was leaving again?

     He's my brother. He'll be concerned if I disappear on him.

      He's just a human. What I do is none of his business.

     “Saving you from that exam was pointless I see.” He commented dryly after noticing the unsurprising lack of studying going on. Lan blinked, seeming to finally come to his senses.

     “MegaMan? ….Or is it Bass? I see you finally pulled off fusion. Um, who am I talking to exactly?” Lan asked nervously.

     It's me, MegaMan.

      Bass!

     “Either name is fine.” He answered.

     “Alright then MegaMan.” Lan tested. “Where are you going exactly?”

     “My energy is depleted. I want to test this form's power before it falls apart.”

     “Serenade then?”

     He nodded. Unless another Alpha or Nebula Grey showed up out of no where, there wasn't anyone else who he could hope to test this power on.

     Give it a couple of weeks.

     “Can I watch?” Lan asked. It was painfully obvious that the smile on his face was fake.

     “Yes.”

     “Cool.” Lan replied, giving him a thumbs up.

     The fusion moved Secret Area's entrance instantly using Bass' ability to create rifts. This power was amazing, he felt unstoppable. Yet as he flew through the cyberspace, he couldn't help but feel a little conflicted.

     Lan is uncomfortable. I should say something to reassure him.

      Who cares! Let's get to the fighting already!

     It seemed as though he wasn't Serenade's only challenger today. The fusion watched with mild interest as BurnerMan passionately declared that he would defeat Serenade and get the respect on the Undernet that he deserved and blah blah blah. As fun as it would be to watch Serenade destroy the hot-headed navi, he didn't have time for this.

     With a wave of his hand, he sent BurnerMan flying off the edge of the area and back into the depths of the Undernet. Underneath his mask, he smiled. He had Serenade's full attention now.

     Maybe I should have been more gentle.

      He's lucky I didn't delete him.

     “Oh? It seems you've gotten stronger.” Serenade mused. “Is two against one really fair though?”

     “Do you accept my challenge or not?”

     “Of course.” Serenade replied confidently. He felt a wave of pressure hit him as Serenade released the hold on his power and allowed it to flow freely throughout the throne room. Serenade's power may have been crushing, but that didn't matter anymore, so was his own.

     “Here I come.” The fusion warned before beginning his attack. He formed a claw with his hand and slashed through the air, sending a wave of energy in Serenade's direction. He didn't even need to charge before unleashing such a powerful blast. Neither MegaMan nor Bass could hope to achieve this level of strength on their own!

      “So that new form of yours isn't just for show then?” Serenade commented from behind him. He had missed? Good. This wouldn't be any fun if it were easy.

     The fusion rapidly moved out of the way of Serenade's bolts of energy. On instinct, he formed a buster and let out a rapid fire shot that spread out in all directions. Interesting. This wasn't like either his MegaBuster or BassBuster. When Serenade reflected his shots, he simply batted them out of the way with a single wave of his hand.

     Serenade's hands glowed with green light as he lashed out with palm strike after palm strike. The fusion dodged them with ease. It was almost as if the attacks were coming at him in slow motion. He saw his opportunity and countered with a ElecSword to Serenade's chest.

     Serenade cried out as the attack paralyzed him. He could do this. He could finally defeat Serenade. The fusion's smile turned into a wild grin as he fired an M-Cannon twice into his stunned opponent. No mercy. That was what he had promised Serenade right?

     “You really are strong now.” Serenade huffed. Tired already? Somehow he'd been expecting more from the so-called king of the Undernet.

     He slashed downward with a Dark Sword, only for Serenade to catch it between his hands. He put more strength behind the blow, watching gleefully as the edge of the blade inched closer to Serenade's sweating face.

     “Time to even the playing field then.” Serenade announced, his pained frown shifting into a sudden smile. “Feel free to let loose partner.”

     What?

     “AreaSteal, slot-in!” A voice called. The Dark Sword slashed through empty air. Then a swift kick to his side sent the fusion flying as Serenade began his counter-attack.

     What's going on? Serenade is a Solo Navi!

      Mamoru!?

     “AntiDamage, slot-in! AntiNavi, slot-in! Muramasa, slot-in!”

     “Program Advance, Body Guard!” Serenade and Mamoru finished in unison.

     As the rain of shuriken descended on him, the fusion pushed his body to its limit, dodging blade after blade with his incredible speed. It wasn't enough. Two shuriken buried themselves deep in his chest.

      Code started to flood from his body as the fusion broke down. No. This couldn't be it. He was was stronger than Serenade now. This attack was nothing. Both MegaMan and Bass could have easily survived it. Why did his energy have to be so low?

     I was so close. There has to be another way.

     The ultimate navi can't handle a single attack? So this fusion was a failure too...

     Serenade caught MegaMan and Bass as their bodies separated and fell to the floor.

     “Nice work you two. With a little more practice, you could be a real challenge for me.” Serenade congratulated MegaMan and Bass, both of which were too busy being unconscious to hear him.

     “That was really fun Lan, but I still want to NetBattle you and MegaMan as a team later.” Mamoru cheered from across cyberspace.

     “Yeah, sorry about that. MegaMan won't accept any chips from me when he's fused with Bass.” Lan admitted.

     “I wonder which one of you stubborn boys is to blame for that?” Serenade mused, giving Bass a playful nudge.

     “So what should I do with these two?” Serenade asked Lan. “I'd drop Bass off at your homepage, but it seems like I'm locked out.”

     “What? But I gave Mamoru my P-Code.”

     “It looks like somebody changed it.”

     “Bass...” Lan sighed. That navi was such a handful. “Sorry, but can I ask you to look after him until he wakes up?”

     “It shouldn't be a problem.” Serenade assured both Lan and Mamoru. “He's hardly a match for us alone.”

     “Thanks guys. I owe you one.”

     Lan jacked MegaMan out. Safely back in his PET, he slotted in recovery chip after recovery chip until MegaMan started to stir from his sleep.

     “Hey Lan.” MegaMan yawned, filling Lan with relief.

     “Glad to see you're okay.”

     “I was pretty awesome, huh?” MegaMan smiled weakly, Lan slotted in another chip as he tried to get his brother's energy back to normal levels.

     “So you remember being fused his time?” Lan asked. Even though MegaMan had assured him otherwise, he was always worried that Bass would abuse MegaMan's power while he was unaware.

     “Yeah. I can see why Bass was so eager to get fusion working now. Sorry if I worried you.”

     “I'm just glad you're alright.” Lan assured him. He gave MegaMan a wide smile. “After all I need you to help me study.”

     “Lan...” MegaMan shook his head.

     Bass cracked open his eyes as his auto-repair program slowly restored his energy. He forced himself upright as soon as he realized that he was in an unfamiliar area. His head ached and his vision blurred from the sudden motion.

     “Glad to see that you're awake.” Serenade greeted, offering a hand to help him to his feet. Bass tried to swipe it away, but with his vision impaired, he missed it completely.

     “Where am I?” He asked, very annoyed. He wasn't sure why Serenade was here, but he wasn't happy about it.

     “My homepage. I brought you here to recover after my operator and I defeated you.” Serenade explained. Bass winced as he recalled the shameful loss he'd just suffered.

     “You lied to me.” Bass' embarrassment was quickly replaced by cold fury. Losing to a fellow Solo Navi was one thing. Losing to a tethered navi and their human master was another.

     “I never lied to you Bass. I am a Solo Navi, just one who works with an operator.” Serenade explained. “You don't think anything less of MegaMan for having an operator do you?” He teased.

     Bass didn't reply. Lan was holding MegaMan back, he just didn't realize it yet. Serenade couldn't hope to understand that.

     “If it makes you feel better, I've been fighting you alone up until now.” It did not make Bass feel better. Having an operator made you weak. One surprise program advance wouldn't change his mind about that. Bass got to his feet, taking a moment to get his bearings.

     “Bass.” Serenade called after him as he opened a rift. “Challenge me again once you've mastered that form. That was fun. You may even have the potential to beat me someday.”

     Bass left without a word. He would defeat Serenade, he would master fusion, and he would do so without help from any human. He just had to figure out to fuse at full energy.

     Bass spotted a Mettaur crossing the path ahead and grabbed it by the helm. He crushed the virus in his fist, drinking in its energy to replenish his own.

     He didn't have time to waste. This world was going to change and both he and MegaMan had to be ready for it. They needed to get stronger. He realized now that for that to happen he'd have to take a few risks. MegaMan would forgive him eventually.

Chapter Text

From: BomberGuy

Subject: Training

Message: Hey Blues. Not sure if u read these boards, but im gonna be late today.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Training

Message: I am at the training grounds with LarkMan. Come by when you're ready.

[Admin has renamed NoName5501 to Shades]

From: Shades

Subject: Screen Name

Message: A screen name is unnecessary.

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Screen Name

Message: I think it's generic enough for you B)

From: LanParty

Subject: Unlock my HomePage

Message: @BlkShdw What did you do to my homepage? No one can get through your gate except MegaMan. Please either take it down or give me the P-Code.

From: LanParty

Subject: Fusion Sickness?

Message: @BlkShdw I also think MegaMan is sick. Is this a fusion thing? Are you okay?

From: LanParty

Subject: Where are you?

Message: @BlkShdw I think we should meet up. Can you drop by my homepage or at least tell me where you are at?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Fusion Sickness?

Message: Fellas.

From: No Name

Subject: Hey Blues

Message: @Shades It's your buddy Joe. Where have you been my man? Are you competing in tomorrow's No-Chips Tournament? So am I! Don't you think it'd be so cool if we got to fight. Don't go easy on me just because we're friends okay. This is gonna be so great. I can barely contain my excitement. See you soon buddy!

From: Shades

Subject: Request for Admin

Message: @Admin Please remove my screen name.

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Request for Admin

Message: No.

     “Hey Dad, can you take a look at MegaMan?” Lan asked as he walked into his father's office. “He hasn't recovered right since his last battle.”

     “Of course.” Dr. Hikari answered, gently taking MegaMan's PET from his son. “What seems to be the problem MegaMan?”

     “Don't get mad.” MegaMan pleaded with his dad through tired, bleary eyes. “I fused with Bass again.”

     “MegaMan... I thought I told you not to do that. You saw what it did to Bass.” Dr. Hikari sounded more disappointed than upset. MegaMan almost would have preferred it if his father had been angry.

     “Sorry.” MegaMan apologized as his dad jacked him into his work computer. His skin tingled as his father started a scan on his systems.

     “It's just like I thought.” Dr. Hikari commented as the scan finished. “Your data is showing the same corruption patterns that Bass had after the last time that you fused. I can repair it, but you need to stop this before you do something that permanently damages your code.”

     MegaMan stared at his feet. He couldn't give up on fusion now. Just because things were peaceful for the moment didn't mean that they would stay that way. What would happen the next time the the world was under threat from the network? He needed to be strong enough to protect his brother and his friends when that happened.

     Then there was the Bass himself. He was hurting. MegaMan had felt it deep within his soul when they last fused. He couldn't ignore that. While he wouldn't be so bold as to think that he could 'fix' Bass, MegaMan at the very least wanted him to know that he could trust him. He had to be lonely. He had Lan, but Bass had no one. He couldn't abandon him now.

     Also, there was the small detail that his fusion could keep up with Serenade. That had been pretty cool, and he'd really like to fight him again once he mastered fusion proper.

     “Sorry.” MegaMan repeated. It was a non-answer, but he wasn't technically lying to his own dad. “Wait. Does that mean Bass is corrupted right now too?”

     “Probably, but he has an auto-recovery program. You don't.”

     “We should probably check in on him after this.” Lan commented, echoing MegaMan's own thoughts. “He needs to take down his gate on our homepage anyway.”

     “Just be careful.”

     “Absolutely. We don't even know where Bass is right now anyway.” MegaMan admitted. He'd track down Bass' safe-house address eventually. Until then, he'd have to do some asking around if he wanted to find Bass.

     “What kind of training are we doing exactly?” Blues finally asked. If BombMan had wanted to spar with him, he didn't see why he felt the need to drag him all the way out to Undernet3. He also didn't understand why LarkMan had insisted on coming along. Maybe he was just bored.

     “You've already proven yourself as a capable NetBattler Blues.” BombMan replied, folding his arms. “But you're terrible at being an Undernet Navi. So today, I'm going make sure you don't stick out like a sore thumb at your debut tournament tomorrow.”

     Okay. This could be useful. He wanted to blend in right? So why was LarkMan practically turning blue in the face as he tried to hold back laughter. ProtoMan had a bad feeling about this.

     “Lesson one: interacting with the plebeians.” BombMan continued. “Like it or not, you've managed to rack up a decent fan base already. The HeelNavis around here see you as a hero, as proof that they can't be so easily dismissed anymore. You need to be able to live up to their expectations.”

      ProtoMan wasn't sure why that would be an issue. He was used to being hounded by fans. Thankfully, Chaud never stuck around long enough after a tournament for it to be too much of a problem. He'd just offer polite thanks, then leave. Same as always.

     “LarkMan, make yourself useful and be the eager fanboy in this situation. Blues, treat him like you would any fan.” BombMan explained. “You can start now.” Immediately, LarkMan approached him with a child-like glee. He was clearly getting too into this already.

     “You're Blues aren't you? I'm a huge fan. Do you have any pointers for a novice NetBattler like me?” LarkMan asked with wide, pleading eyes. Yes, ProtoMan decided. LarkMan was indeed way too into this.

     “Create a strong training routine and follow it.” ProtoMan answered simply.

     “Not bad.” BombMan nodded. “But you're not just here to fight in the arena. You're selling programs remember.”

     “Buy the best programs?” ProtoMan guessed.

     “No, make your fan think that spending money is their idea.”

     “Train hard and use programs that compliment your fighting style.”

     “Perfect.” BombMan complimented. “LarkMan, continue.”

      “Hey you wouldn't mind a quick NetBattle would you?” LarkMan asked.

      “Sure.” ProtoMan answered with a curt nod.

      “Wrong.” BombMan argued. “You're on call later. You can't waste time and energy on these weaklings.”

     “I'm busy.”

     “Also wrong. Never turn down a NetBattle as long as you are in the Undernet. Strength is everything here. Turning down a fight makes you look weak. Never forget that.”

     “Then what do I tell him?” ProtoMan asked, doing his best to hide his growing frustration.

     “Use your head Blues.” BombMan ordered. ProtoMan closed his eyes and thought for a moment.

     “...I don't have time right now. Enter tomorrow's tournament if you want to fight me.”

     “Good.” BombMan approved. “Next.”

     “Can I get you're opinion on something? Should I buy the OpenNumber or DarkLicense program?” Larkman asked.

     “Buy both and equip a BugStopper.” ProtoMan answered simply.

     “Good. You're getting used to this. Next.”

     “I want to use Dark Chips but I only have 200 HP. Any tips?”

     “Don't use Dark Chips.” ProtoMan answered a little too quickly.

     “That was a test Blues. I don't care if you're an ex-Darkloid, you aren't allowed to be against Dark Chips down here. It's just not done.”

     “How did you know?” ProtoMan asked, balling his fists. Even with his new shades, he felt the need to avert his eyes from BombMan's gaze. If BombMan had any idea on who he was, any camaraderie they'd built over their spars wouldn't mean a thing. ProtoMan would delete him without hesitation.

     “It takes one to know one.” BombMan shrugged. He hadn't been expecting that response. Was that the reason why BombMan fought in No-Chips battles rather than with the other Solo Navis? He'd have to ask him more about it later.

     “Use HP increasing programs if you decide that the risk is worth it.” ProtoMan forced out after some consideration.

     “Better.” BombMan admitted. “I think that's good for practice today. Time to throw you to the wolves of Undernet 2.”

     “Can't we do this in the UnderSquare?” ProtoMan protested, remembering which particular navi hung around Undernet 2.

     “No one uses the UnderSquare anymore.” LarkMan snorted. “The only navis hanging around there these days are narcs.”

     ProtoMan decided that it was somewhat disturbing how quickly the DarkMarket had tightened it's hold on the Undernet. He hoped that they never got the idea to expand their operation top-side.

     “Fine.” ProtoMan answered, caving into the pressure.

     As they entered Undernet 2, ProtoMan was shocked to find it suddenly empty. Every time he'd been through the area in his disguise, it had been flooded with HeelNavis. What could have possibly scared them all away? He had a bad feeling about this.

     “Where is everyone?” LarkMan asked aloud, voicing his thoughts exactly.

     “Hey! Is someone over there?” A voice called out from across the area. No one said a thing until a familiar blue helmet peeked over the edge of the hill. ProtoMan had learned his lesson. He double  checked the navi mark on the newcomer's chest. This was definitely the real MegaMan. Why was he here?

     “MegaMan...” BombMan muttered, clenching his fists.

     “Hey MegaMan,” Larkman greeted with a lazy wave. It was a sharp contrast to his BombMan's reaction.

     “Hey LarkMan, long time no see!” MegaMan greeted back. "Glad you're back BombMan, I was worried that you got deleted in that explosion before when we fought."

     "As if I'd be deleted so easily." BombMan scoffed.

     “That explains where all the Heels went...” ProtoMan thought aloud. If his normal appearance usually scared off Undernet Navis, it was no surprise that MegaMan's would as well. He doubted that his ally even had a copy of DarkMind equipped right now.

      “I don't think I've met you before. What's your name?” MegaMan asked. Of course he wouldn't recognize 'Blues'. It was for the best of course. ProtoMan refused to let his ally get involved in his case.

     “I'm Blues.” He answered simply. It wasn't hard to sound aloof when he was still upset with MegaMan. It wasn't his ally's fault of course, but after Ballade's snide comments, ProtoMan wasn't going to play second banana to MegaMan any longer.

     “What do you want MegaMan?” BombMan pressed, subtly trying to tell MegaMan that he was unwelcome.

     “A rematch perhaps?” LarkMan added, clearly hoping for a fight.

     “I'm actually just looking for Bass. Have any of you seen him around?” MegaMan asked.

     “Maybe. What's it to you?” BombMan answered.

     “He locked my homepage on me.”

     ProtoMan raised an eyebrow. He was even more confused about what was going on between MegaMan and Bass now. He should probably ask his ally what was going on, or at the very least, get Chaud to ask Lan about it. Then again, knowing MegaMan, he'd start asking too many questions then demand to get involved. ProtoMan wouldn't let that happen, not this time.

     “You won't find him here. He's been traveling 'off-the-grid' lately.” LarkMan explained with air-quotes. Anyone familiar with the DarkMarket would know what he meant, but MegaMan's lack of a reaction showed that he was still unaware of the DarkMarket. Good.

     “You're better off checking the Secret Area or Waterfall Area.” BombMan added. “He's been known to visit both.”

     “Waterfall Area?” MegaMan asked. ProtoMan was having similar questions.

     “There's a path to it through Undernet 13.” BombMan shrugged. “A lot of stronger navis go there to train.”

      Strong navis, huh? ProtoMan was curious now. He'd have to check the area out himself. Battling without chips had been a fun challenge, but one that he was too quickly getting accustomed to. He could use a real challenge again.

     “Thanks guys. I'll go check it out now.” MegaMan smiled, dashing past the group as he headed deeper into the Undernet.

     “BombMan, wasn't that a little mean.” LarkMan teased, elbowing BombMan in the side.

     “I didn't lie to him, did I?” BombMan replied with a smirk.

     “What are you two talking about?” ProtoMan asked.

     “Oh nothing really, there's just a certain navi training there now that hates MegaMan even more than I do.” BombMan answered.

     The list of NetNavis who had issues with MegaMan wasn't exactly short, but there was one possibility that quickly came to ProtoMan's mind. Which navi both hated MegaMan and had been out training in some unspecified location for a long period of time? If there was even the slightest chance that the DarkMarket's leader was in the Waterfall Area, he'd have to check.

     As soon as Enker was found, he and Chaud could organize their attack and take the DarkMarket out once and for all. The flow of Dark Chips into the net at large would stop and he'd have proven that he was just as capable as MegaMan.

     Still, he couldn't say that he would be happy to take out everyone in the marketplace. BombMan and LarkMan were excellent sparring partners, Punk was his fellow NetSavior, and Quint kept him supplied with cybercoffee. He had even respected Ballade for a time, that is until he insulted ProtoMan.

      He actually enjoyed fighting in the DarkMarket arena, even if he had to do so without Chaud. He had to put the mission over his own feelings, he knew that. He also didn't want other navis to keep getting corrupted by Dark Chips in the same way that he had, but it was rare that he felt this level of apprehension when on a mission.

      He'd check out this new area, then report directly back to his NetOp. Chaud would know what to say. Chaud would help him refocus his priorities and continue the mission. He was confident in his operator, even more so than he was in himself.

Chapter Text

[Admin has renamed NoName5781 to GrnBummr]

From: GrnBummr

Subject: Offensive Screen Names

Message: @Admin I want you to know that the screen name you have given me is very hurtful and I do not appreciate it.

From: Admin

Subject: Re: Offensive Screen Names

Message: It's all in good fun. You can get a new screen name by challenging Serenade.

From: GrnBummr

Subject: Re: Offensive Screen Names

Message: But I hate fighting!

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Offensive Screen Names

Message: How do you hate fighting? You live in the Undernet.

From: BluBombr

Subject: Re: Offensive Screen Names

Message: I think the name is pretty cool.

From: GrnBummr

Subject: Re: Offensive Screen Names

Message: @BluBombr Don't talk to me.

From: No Name

Subject: Bomber vs Bummer

Message: Does MegaMan seriously not know?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Bomber vs Bummer

Message: Nobody tell him.

From: BluBombr

Subject: Re: Bomber vs Bummer

Message: What are you guys talking about?

From: BluBombr

Subject: Re: Bomber vs Bummer

Message: Guys?

From: No Name

Subject: Unrelated

Message: I sure do appreciate my secure programming.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Unrelated

Message: Yeah, can you imagine if someone else was able to peek at your code. Talk about embarrassing.

From: Lite-Brite

Subject: Re: Unrelated

Message: Check it out! Modern encryption sure is great.

From: CopyKitten

Subject: Be proud!

Message: @GrnBummr I won't pretend to know the full story, but you should be proud of who you are. You have your own life and your own experiences. No one can take that away from you.

From: GrnBummr

Subject: Thank You

Message: Maybe you're right CopyMan. Maybe I should learn to be proud of myself, terrible base design and all. Thanks.

From: Crackin

Subject: Re: Thank You

Message: @GrnBummr I'm really glad you're learning to love yourself and everything, but just to be clear, we're still not letting you go out looking like that.

From: GrnBummr

Subject: Ballade you're so mean...

Message: :'(

From: RebelTeen

Subject: Re: Thank You

Message: I'm proud of you Quint, but I hope this doesn't mean that you're leaving the team.

From: Grnbummr

Subject: I'm on a Mission

Message: @RebelTeen No way Punk. I wanna commit murder >:)

From: RebelTeen

Subject: Re: I'm on a Mission

Message: Hell yeah!

From: Crackin

Subject: Re: I'm on a Mission

Message: Hell yeah!

From: No Name

Subject: Re: I'm on a Mission

Message: Hell yeah!

From: No Name

Subject: Re: I'm on a Mission

Message: Wait. Who are we killing?

     Bass closed his UnderBBS feed. The MegaMan Killers were even more stupid than he thought if they genuinely believe that they were any match for MegaMan. Still, this could be just the opportunity that he was looking for if he played his cards right.

     He decided to pay Punk a visit. The ex-SciLab Navi seemed to be busy working with Ballade on some program. Why? He should be working on Bass' virus.

     “How is progress?” Bass asked. While Ballade noticeably flinched, Punk didn't look up from his work as he answered.

     “The chip worked as planned, but I need a little more time on the virus. It doesn't stay in the host system long enough to spread properly right now so I'm working on a delayed release.”

     Although he wouldn't show it, Bass was confused. The chip was going to be tested on Ballade right? He didn't seem any different. He narrowed his eyes as he looked the navi over. Perhaps Punk was covering up the chip's effects somehow, likely through a style program. He decided to take his word on it for now.

     “So navis will be spreading the virus without even knowing that they have it. Clever.” Complimenting Punk was almost physically painful for Bass, but it would make his next action less suspicious.

     “Consider this a reward for your hard work.” Bass tossed a spare chip in Ballade's direction. He easily caught the chip and examined it curiously. Punk swiveled his chair around to send him a curious look. “It contains MegaMan's homepage address. Do with it as you please.”

      Bass was careful to take his leave before Punk had time to respond. MegaMan needed to understand that he was surrounded by enemies. As a natural result, he'd understand why he needed Bass.

     He was the only one that MegaMan should trust after all. He alone knew what was best for his rival, how to make him strong. His family would just continue to weaken him by having MegaMan focus on playing human. He would show MegaMan that he was far greater than any human. He just needed MegaMan's unconditional trust and that would be easier to get that now rather than after his virus was unleashed.

      “Wow.” MegaMan said simply, his eyes wide as he took in the new area that had been hiding just under his nose. Water crashed down all around him with a thunderous roar that drowned out all other noise. Dozens of waterfalls covered the area, stretching so high above his head that he couldn't see where they began.

     “I guess we should start climbing then.” Lan chuckled. MegaMan didn't want to believe he was serious, but there didn't seem to be any other path forward. MegaMan began up the narrow slopes leading the side of the largest waterfall. The ground was wet with condensation so he'd have to watch his step or he'd find himself back at the bottom.

     It didn't take MegaMan long to understand why this was a popular place to train. The steep, uphill climb and strong wind from the pouring water made each step a challenge. By the time that he reached the third marker along the path, he was already panting. MegaMan took a seat on the marker's smooth surface to catch his breath.

     “How far up do you think we are?” Lan asked. MegaMan took a look upward, but still couldn't see the top of the rock formation. Just as he was about to answer Lan, a black and brown blur flew straight up the waterfall and out of his range of view.

     “Bass!” MegaMan yelled after him. It wasn't any use. He could barely hear his own voice, there was no chance that Bass had heard him. MegaMan got to his feet and got back on his way.

     “At least we know he's here now.” Lan commented, trying to make the climb a little less miserable.

     ProtoMan was having a similar struggle.

     “Why did you insist on coming here again?” LarkMan asked, lazily floating alongside ProtoMan as he climbed. BombMan had refused to come to the area with them. Something about the moisture not sitting right with his explosives.

     “If the strongest navis come here to train, then I want to see this place for myself.” ProtoMan explained. It wasn't a lie, he really was curious why this place was so good for training. It hadn't taken him long to understand of course. This climb was difficult even by his standards. He couldn't stop himself from being jealous of LarkMan's ability to fly.

     “Hey LarkMan, why'd you leave your NetOp?” ProtoMan asked. He still didn't understand why anyone would willingly become a Solo Navi, even in extreme cases like Quint's.

     “Interested in us Solo Navis are you?" LarkMan smiled. "There was no reason in particular. I just needed room to spread my wings, so to speak.”

     “Don't you miss your NetOp?”

     “Of course I do.” LarkMan answered fondly. “I still visit her from time to time, but I won't pretend that snapping my tether didn't make things a little awkward. She has a new navi now anyway."

     “That doesn't bother you?”

     “Of course not. Going solo was my choice, and I don't regret it for a second. I'm not Punk.”

     ProtoMan needed a moment to process LarkMan's answers. On one hand, he detested how LarkMan had left his operator for no apparent reason. On the other, hearing him speak so fondly about his former NetOp was refreshing. ProtoMan honestly hadn't considered that some Solo Navis might still hold feelings for their operators even if they didn't 'belong' to them anymore.

     “So what is your NetOp like, Blues?” LarkMan asked. ProtoMan smiled slightly as he reflected on his time with Chaud.

     “He's well disciplined, dedicated, and has a passion for NetBattles which no one else can match. I'm proud of how him and how much he's grown.”

     “You talk like you've been with him for his entire life.”

     “I may as well have been.”

     “So why don't you fight with him in the arena then?”

     “I guess that I wanted to prove myself to him.” ProtoMan answered. A large shadow flew over his head, distracting both navis from the conversation at hand.

     “I think Bass has the right idea.” LarkMan observed with a chuckle.

     “Planning on flying on ahead to meet your idol?”

     “...no.” LarkMan hesitantly answered, his cheeks already turning red.

     “You sure?” Protoman pressed.

     “Of course. I mean. It wouldn't be fair if I left you here.” LarkMan stammered.

     “I guess so. Or...” ProtoMan trailed off, knowing that LarkMan would understand what he was suggesting.

     “Fine.” LarkMan sighed. “But just to be clear, I'm only doing this just this once, and only because you're a decent sparring partner. So no free rides in the future.”

     “Enker.” Bass greeted as he touched down at the top of the waterfall where the leader of the MegaMan Killers was currently meditating.

     “You've interrupted me yet again.” The golden navi commented, slowly opening his eyes. “Why?”

     “Stop acting like you're the one calling the shots. I'm here to give you information on MegaMan.”

     “I will pass.” Enker replied simply, closing his eyes to resume meditation.

     “Don't give me that crap. You hate MegaMan more than anyone. Don't you want to know where to find him?”

     “You're right about that Bass. That's why I won't be satisfied with just killing him. I have no need for your information. My plan is already in motion.”

     “Your plan?” Bass couldn't believe Enker's nerve. He quietly started to debate on deleting Enker here and now.

     “Calm yourself Bass. We still have work to do before the virus is unleashed.” Enker assured him. He was right and Bass hated that. He'd have to allow Enker to live for now.

     THUD.

     “What the?” Bass commented, the noise breaking all tension between Enker and himself.

     “Go on. I'd really like to learn more about this plan.” ProtoMan asked, raising to his feet after LarkMan dropped him in from above. He needed Enker's information, but wouldn't hesitate to delete Enker if he proved to be an immediate threat. The thought of completing his mission dominated his mind and he failed entirely to see how outnumbered he was.

     “You're heavier than you look Blues.” LarkMan complained, touching down beside him. “Anyway, it's an honor to meet you Bass. Any chance that I can help you out with whatever this plan of yours is?” LarkMan asked a little too eagerly.

     “You shouldn't be here.” Bass hissed. His fingers crackled with dark energy as he prepared an attack. Both ProtoMan and LarkMan prepared to defend themselves before Enker interrupted.

     “Easy there, Bass. Those are my employees that you're threatening.”

     “So you're Enker then?” ProtoMan asked. The golden navi nodded, confirming it.

     “You must be the new NetBattler that Ballade hired. Blues, am I right?”

     “You got it in one.”

     “Then I'd appreciate if you gave Bass and I some privacy. We have important matters to discuss. Please send my regards to the rest of the MegaMan Killers.” Enker instructed politely.

     “Why are you working with Bass?” ProtoMan asked, refusing to back down. He was too close to the truth to retreat now.

     “Awful curious for a HeelNavi aren't you?” Enker replied, shooting him a sharp glare. ProtoMan felt cold dread sweep through him as he realized how suspicious he must be sounding. Fortunately, Enker was quickly distracted.

     “Hey Bass, I was just looking for you.” MegaMan cheerfully interrupted as he made it to the flat plain at the top of the waterfall. He was quickly confused by the small gathering taking place. He tensed as he recognized the armored navi sitting cross-legged at the center of the group. “You're that navi from before.”

     “Get out of here MegaMan! Can't you see you're not welcome!” ProtoMan shouted. To anyone listening, it would sound like a threat, but he hoped that MegaMan would pick up on the underlying warning.

     “Perfect timing.” Bass smirked. While Enker wasn't as strong as him, hopefully the MegaMan Killer would prove to MegaMan that there were other strong navis out there besides Serenade and himself. Once MegaMan knew that there was an entire team of strong navis gunning for him, he'd realize just how outnumbered and alone he was. Then it would be easy to ensure his cooperation.

     “We meet again MegaMan.” Enker replied, ignoring the others. He got to his feet, finally giving up on meditation. “It's always a pleasure.”

     “Who are you and what do you want with me?” MegaMan asked, getting straight to the point. He didn't trust this navi in the slightest.

     “Where are my manners.” Enker smiled. “I am Enker, and I will be the one to delete you.”

     It was at this point that MegaMan dropped all pretense, entering a fighting stance as he prepared to defend himself. Seeing the action, LarkMan and ProtoMan quickly followed suit, albeit to defend different navis should the need arise.

     “Relax.” Enker assured him with a wave of his hand. “I don't plan on deleting you today. In fact, I have a gift for you.”

     “What is this?” MegaMan asked as he caught the spiraling ball of data that Enker had gently tossed his way.

     “A key. You'll know where to use it when the time comes.” Enker promised him. MegaMan tucked the ball into his inventory. He'd have to get a closer look at it later.

     “What are you doing? I thought you were a MegaMan Killer!” Bass fumed, very upset that this meeting was not going his way. ProtoMan and LarkMan lowered their stances as they realized that no one would be fighting right now.

     “Why do you want to delete MegaMan?” Lan asked, not trying to hide the anger in his voice. “What has he ever done to you?”

     “That's the problem with you hero-types.” Enker sighed. “You swoop in, save the day, and never worry about the collateral damage. Tell me, when you defeated Dr. Wily and Dr. Regal, did you ever stop to think about what would happen to the organizations that they left behind?”

     “What do you mean?” Lan asked, his anger now replaced by curiosity.

     “Take time to meditate on it. I believe that I will as well, though not here. This place has become far too crowded for my liking.” Enker replied, before vanishing in a stream of light as he logged out.

     “This is so stupid! That useless heap of junk data can't do a single thing right!” Bass hissed, slashing open a rift to leave the area.

     “Wait! Bass! Fix my homepage!” MegaMan yelled after him, leaping through Bass' rift before he had time to close it.

     Alone at the top of the waterfall, LarkMan and ProtoMan shared an awkward moment, processing the scene that they had just witnessed.

     “Well that was weird.” LarkMan finally said, finally breaking the silence.

     "You're telling me." ProtoMan agreed. "What do you think is going on here?"

     "Beats me." LarkMan shrugged. "I think that's enough drama for me today. I'll see you at the tournament tomorrow, Blues.”

     “...Yeah. You too.” ProtoMan replied as LarkMan dove off the edge of the cliff and broke into flight.

     This wasn't good. Even if he had Enker's location now, he still didn't know who was manufacturing their Dark Chips. But if Bass and Enker really were building a virus, then he couldn't afford to wait for that information. He had to stop this now before it was too late. ProtoMan logged out, unsure of how he would convince Chaud to begin their attack early.

Chapter Text

From: No Name

Subject: Strange Battle Chips

Message: I bought one of Punk's new chips the other day. It made me feel super weird when I used it. Is anyone else having this issue?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Strange Battle Chips

Message: Punk's chips are just like that. My friend had the same issue. The trick is to wait a week or two until other vendors start selling them. By then the glitches should be worked out.

From: RebelTeen

Subject: Re: Strange Battle Chips

Message: A few glitches here and there are nothing when you can have the best chips before everyone else.

From: Shades

Subject: Quint's Cybercoffee

Message: @GrnBummr Is there any chance that you have some cybercoffee left over?

From: GrnBummr

Subject: Re: Quint's Cybercoffee

Message: Assuming that LarkMan hasn't polished it off yet, there should be some in my office. Help yourself Blues.

From: BirdBoy

Subject: Re: Quint's Cybercoffee

Message: There's still some left, though I wouldn't wait much longer to get a cup.

From: SsssssssssnakeMan

Subject: Netopian cybercoffee

Message: You need to try Netopian cybercoffee. It's much better than the cheap drinks from Cyber City.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Netopian cybercoffee

Message: I highly doubt that.

From: BirdBoy

Subject: Re: Netopian cybercoffee

Message: Why don't you bring a pot to tomorrow's tournament so that we can check your theory for ourselves?

     “Bass!” MegaMan shouted as he flew through the rift, narrowing clinging to the edge of Bass' cloak. Why had MegaMan followed him here? Placing one gate on his homepage surely wasn't worth jumping into a rift over.

     Bass stepped out into his safe-house, his rift shutting behind him as MegaMan fell to the floor, still clinging to him. He dropped the cloak from his shoulders, letting it pile on top of MegaMan in a messy heap. It served him right for following him here.

     “What do you want MegaMan?”

     “Well at first I only wanted you to unblock my homepage. Now, I want you to tell me what's going on.” MegaMan demanded, shaking the cloak off of himself and getting to his feet.

     “Yeah! Spill the beans.” Lan agreed. Ugh, the human had followed him here. If only Bass had the chance to put MegaMan in standby mode like last time.

     “What do you want to know? That there's an elite squad of Undernet Navis that want you deleted? You should hardly be surprised by that. Face it MegaMan, you have more enemies than you can count.” Bass taunted.

     Calling the MegaMan Killers an 'elite squad' felt wrong to him. It was more like a group of three morons that just happened to dislike MegaMan. Their unofficial fourth member couldn't even fight. Enker was the only competent one among them and Bass was still furious with him.

     “Well he's got us there.” Lan admitted.

     “It does give us more people to NetBattle though...” MegaMan added optimistically. He was taking this far too well.

     “You just don't get it do you? You're alone. What happens when you come across an enemy that you can't beat? Your so-called friends are all too weak to help you. I'm the only one that you can depend on. Me! I know it. You know it. Even Lan knows it!”

     “Hey now...” Lan began to protest.

     “Then why don't you calm down so that we can come up with a plan to deal with this.” MegaMan argued.

     “We don't have time. Just listen to me. I know how to make you strong.”

     “Don't have time...” MegaMan repeated. “Ever since our first real fusion attempt, it seems like you've been racing against something. Bass, please tell me what's going on. You can trust me. I'll listen.”

     “You couldn't hope to understand.” Bass muttered. MegaMan still didn't get it. He said that he trusted Bass, but he didn't know him.

     His bitter thoughts were interrupted when Bass felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. His eyes snapped forward as he locked eyes with MegaMan. How had he gotten this close while he wasn't looking? He flinched as MegaMan's free hand traced the long gash across his emblem.

     “Then explain it to me.” MegaMan offered. “Like it or not, we're partners. So let's try and understand each other, alright?” MegaMan closed his eyes shut and smiled at Bass as he finished saying his piece.

     A part of Bass actually wanted to let everything out. He wanted to let MegaMan know everything from his betrayal during the first Alpha incident to his involvement with the MegaMan Killers now. The other, rational part of him realized that he couldn't convince MegaMan why his plan had to go forward in just one conversation.

     “Not yet. If I told you now, you'd try to stop it.” Bass answered, shoving MegaMan away.

     “Stop what? Bass, just what are you planning?” Bass shut his eyes. MegaMan would never take his side on this, not yet anyway. If he couldn't ensure his cooperation, then Bass would make sure that his rival at least knew the stakes of the situation and why he had to be on guard.

     “This is a final test for mankind.” Bass admitted. He opened his eyes and shot MegaMan a wild grin. “One day soon, you'll understand that I was right. Until then, stay strong. You aren't allowed to fall to anyone but me.”

     Bass opened a rift below MegaMan's feet, violently ejecting his rival from the safe-house and dropping him back at the entrance to the Undernet. It was time that he showed the world how weak the so-called 'bonds' between humans and navis really were.

     Immediately after ProtoMan had logged out, he re-entered the net and went straight to Quint's office. He didn't know when he'd be able to get another cup of cybercoffee, so he took the opportunity to pour himself one now. He would need all the energy that he could get to properly explain the situation's dire to Chaud.

     It was strange that Quint wasn't there. He'd been holed in his office ever since his programs had reset. Maybe he was back to normal now. Of course, he hadn't seen Punk or Ballade on his way in either. They could be up to something while he was wasting time drinking Quint's coffee.

     He had been a fool to bother coming back here. ProtoMan didn't have a moment more to waste. He poured himself another cup of cybercoffee to go and logged back out of the network. The MegaMan Killers might be putting the finishing touches on their virus right now.

     Ballade stared at the coordinates that Bass had given him, silently memorizing the location as Punk and Quint looked on suspiciously.

     “Ballade, you're not thinking of betraying Enker by going after MegaMan early are you?” Punk asked, an edge of warning in his voice.

     “No. Of course not.” He lied, gently tapping his index finger against the lab table. “Were you planning on going after MegaMan?”

     “No way. I made a promise to Enker. No one is going after MegaMan yet.” Punk protested, not meeting Ballade's gaze.

     “I mean, I didn't promise Enker anything. I haven't even met the guy.” Quint commented with a shrug. That gave Ballade an idea.

     “Now Quint, listen to me. You can't go running off after MegaMan. I mean, you don't even fight.”

     “Yeah, Ballade's right. It's too dangerous.” Punk added.

     “Exactly.” Ballade continued. “We'd probably have to swoop in and rescue you. And that wouldn't be any good considering it would mean we'd end up fighting MegaMan. We definitely don't want that.” Punk's eyes brightened as he realized what Ballade was suggesting.

     “He's right, you know. You definitely should go after MegaMan. Although.. if you do decide to fight him, I've prepared some of my best programs and chips. Feel free to use them once you've recovered.”

     “Thanks Punk. That actually means a lot.”

     “I'll just set them right over here next to the coordinates to MegaMan's homepage.” Punk added, retrieving a small bin from the back of his lab. The programs and chips clattered together as he set it on the table in front of him. As Quint reached forward to inspect it, Punk slapped his hand away.

     “Ow!”

     “Listen to me Quint, these programs are only for if you really want to fight MegaMan. And as Ballade and I just established, we definitely don't want that.”

     “Fine. You don't have to be to rough.” Quint complained.

     “No. We really do not want you to fight MegaMan.” Ballade repeated, throwing a wink in Quint's direction.

     “Jeez. I get it already. You don't have to... oh.” Ballade internally cheered as Quint looked down at the bin with renewed interest.

     “I'm glad we have an understanding.” Ballade smiled. “Punk, why don't we see if anyone's at the training grounds right now. You've been looking to have someone test your new DarkChip right?”

     “Yeah. Sounds like a plan.” Punk agreed. “Get well soon Quint and make sure not to let anyone run off with those chips and coordinates while we're gone.”

     “Sir!” ProtoMan greeted as he re-entered Chaud's PET.

     “It's good to see you, ProtoMan.” Chaud answered back. “You have incredible timing. I have a meeting with Mr. Famous in ten minutes.”

     That was good to hear. Maybe they could finally sort out this whole business with Punk. As eager as he was to get Mr. Famous' side of the story, ProtoMan was even more eager to break the news of Bass' virus to Chaud.

     “Understood. Afterwards, I'd like to talk to you about the my most recent trip to the Undernet. I made a few observations that I believe need your urgent attention.”

     “You found Enker then?”

     “Yes, but there are other, more pressing concerns that you will need to hear about.”

     “...ProtoMan are you shaking?” Chaud asked suddenly. ProtoMan hadn't noticed but upon closer inspection, his hands did have a light tremble to them.

     “It appears so. Do you think this could be a side-effect of Punk's programs?” ProtoMan asked. This was very strange and he was beginning to become concerned. ProtoMan retrieved his cybercoffee from his inventory and took a long sip to calm himself.

     “ProtoMan, what is that?” Chaud asked.

     “It's a new drink from Cyber City. It's called cybercoffee and I believe it is a digital equivalent to your 'coffee'.” ProtoMan explained. Sharing this new discovery with his NetOp was a welcome distraction from the fact that he was glitching out.

     “ProtoMan... How much do you know about coffee?” Chaud asked, he didn't sound so concerned anymore. ProtoMan was glad that he could get his operator's mind off of his glitches.

     “The drink has some form of energy-boosting effect. I assume that is why you drink it so frequently.”

     “Let me rephrase that. How much do you know about coffee's side-effects?” Chaud asked.

     “Side-effects?” Did coffee lower your health like Dark Chips? Should he be concerned for Chaud?

     “Assuming that cybercoffee is similar to the real thing, I believe that you are having the caffeine jitters.”

     “Caffeine jitters?” ProtoMan repeated. “Is that some kind of glitch? Does it have any permanent effects? You aren't in any form of danger from drinking coffee are you?”

     “No, ProtoMan,” Chaud smiled. “Coffee can cause your hands to shake sometimes, it wears off once the coffee is out of your system.”

     “I'm not glitching then?”

     “You'll be fine. If you like cybercoffee, I can order more for you. Once this case is closed, it would be nice if we could talk over a cup of coffee in the mornings.”

     “I'd like that.” ProtoMan admitted with a relieved smile.

     The loud series of beeps interrupted their conversation as Chaud's computer received a video call. He quickly set ProtoMan's PET down in front of the computer and opened the video feed. From where he was at, ProtoMan could see Chaud, but not the screen. He supposed that Chaud didn't want Mr. Famous asking too many questions about why a HeelNavi was in his PET.

     “Good Afternoon Mr. Famous.” Chaud greeted formally.

     “Please, it's just Famous.” The scientist and fellow Net Savior greeted back.

     “Thank you for agreeing to this call. I was hoping to talk to you about your former NetNavi.”

     “GateMan, Punk, or KendoMan?” Mr. Famous asked. ProtoMan had known about GateMan, but this was his first time hearing about KendoMan. Why did one NetOp need four navis?

     “Punk.” Chaud clarified. “How much do you know about about his whereabouts?”

     “Not much I'm afraid. He hasn't contacted me since he went solo.”

     “You knew that Punk became a Solo Navi, and you didn't do anything about it?” Chaud asked, now very confused.

     “Of course.” Mr. Famous confirmed. “Why would I? I helped him become a Solo Navi after all.”

     “You did what?” Chaud asked failing to hide his shock. ProtoMan reeled back within his PET, just as startled by the revelation as his NetOp. “You're a Net Savior. You know that's illegal right?”

     “This was before Dr. Wily and Bass tried to resurrect Alpha, there weren't any laws against Solo Navis at the time.” Mr. Famous explained. Chaud took a deep breath in through his nose as he collected himself.

     “Let's take a step back. Why did Punk want to become a Solo Navi?”

     “Hmm. If I had to pick a particular cause, I'd say it was our fight with Lan and MegaMan. Punk didn't take losing very well and decided he'd prefer to fight alone, so I helped him become a Solo Navi.”

     “So Punk left your care willingly?” Chaud asked. Either Punk or Mr. Famous was lying about this situation. Though if ProtoMan had to choose a side of the story, he would believe in his fellow NetSavior over the current head of a criminal organization.

     “That's right. I knew Punk would ask to leave eventually. I did program him to have a rebellious personality after all.” Mr. Famous confirmed with a small chuckle. “It's the same reason why I wasn't upset when GateMan left to work at Electopian Air or when KendoMan left to teach at the local dojo. Even GridMan is planning to eventually move on to a professional Cyber Football team. I'm happy for the time that I have with my NetNavis, but everyone has to leave the nest eventually.”

     “Except that Punk still wanted to be your navi.” ProtoMan stated bitterly. It was the duty of a NetNavi to serve their NetOp. Why was Mr. Famous treating that bond so lightly? Even if Punk truly had asked to become a Solo Navi, Mr. Famous should have made sure that it was what his navi really wanted. They were supposed to understand each other.

     ProtoMan thought back on Quint. He remembered the resentment in the meek navi's voice when he talked about his former NetOp. Then, he thought about how LarkMan and his NetOp still talked, but were no longer close. Maybe he had taken his connection with Chaud for granted.

     “Is that you ProtoMan?” Mr. Famous asked. “Have you been talking to Punk? How is he?”

     “Mr. Famous,” Chaud interrupted. “We have reason to believe that Punk is involved in illegal activities. We would like your full cooperation in this investigation. Know that you will be sworn to secrecy for as long as this case remains confidential.”

     “Agreed.” Mr. Famous answered, seemingly unsurprised that Punk had turned to a life of crime. “Now tell me everything you know about Punk's whereabouts.”

     “ProtoMan.” Chaud offered.

     “It all started when Chaud and I noticed some suspicious messages on UnderBBS...”

Chapter Text

From: BlkShdw

Subject: I will be in the tournament

Message: @Crackin Enter me in your stupid tournament.

From: Crackin

Subject: Re: I will be in the tournament

Message: No. Today is for No-Chips battlers only. If you want to fight, enter the Solo Tournament next week.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: I will be in the tournament

Message: That works for me. I don't use Battle Chips.

From: Crackin

Subject: Re: I will be in the tournament

Message: That includes all techniques which can be loaded to chips. If you can agree to not using any skill you stole with GetAbility, I'll allow it.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: I agree to your terms

Message: Fine. I'll waste the competition with just my busters if I have to.

From: No Name

Subject: Today's tournament

Message: Hey. Is it too late to drop out of the tournament?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Today's tournament

Message: Ditto.

From: BluBombr

Subject: I got your message

Message: To whoever left me that message, I'm on my way now.

From: LanParty

Subject: I also got your message

Message: You really are having us trek a long way out. Remember to hold your end of the bargain.

From: BirdBoy

Subject: Re: Today's tournament

Message: I know that I typically stick to Solo fights, but is it too late to join today's tournament?

     Three days. That was how long that ProtoMan had left until the raid took place. Until that happened, he was expected to stay in the DarkMarket at all times in hopes of getting any last minute information on their Dark Chip manufacturer.

     After some debate, the Net Saviors had agreed that if the manufacturer wasn't located by then, the best course of action was to apprehend as many NetNavis involved as possible so that they could be interrogated prior to their trial. While he would continue his search, part of ProtoMan didn't want to find that information. He hated Dark Chips and he wanted the market destroyed, but he didn't want the navis here deleted. Not any more at least.

     Most of the Undernet Navis wouldn't fair well in a trial. Some Solo Navis like Punk and LarkMan could, hypothetically, be returned to their old NetOps, albeit under strict PET arrest. Others with a long criminal history like BombMan's or an illegal design like Quint's likely wouldn't be so lucky.

     When the time for the raid came, he'd still be joining. He would still delete any navis who resisted without hesitation, but he wasn't going to lie to himself and pretend that he'd feel good about it.

     “Hey Blues, how's it going?” Ballade asked, clapping him on the shoulder. The sudden gesture snapped ProtoMan from his thoughts.

     “I am well. How are you doing?” ProtoMan asked on auto-pilot.

     “Alright. We had a last minute addition to today's No-Chip Tournament that I'm not too happy about, but otherwise things are going well.”

     “Why? Did MegaMan ask to join?” ProtoMan asked. Enker had given him a pass to this place after all, though he doubted that MegaMan had figured out where to use it.

     “Pfft. I wish.” Ballade answered back, placing his hands on his hips. “At least LarkMan managed to bully SnakeMan into bringing us a new canister of cybercoffee. You should stop by Quint's office and grab some.”

     “Thanks. Maybe I will.” ProtoMan agreed. He could use the distraction. However, before he was able to make his way over, the loudspeakers throughout the market crackled to life.

     “Attention all No-Chips Tournament contestants. The today's tournament roster is now available at the DarkMarket Arena.”

     “Hey. That's us.” Ballade commented. “We should see who we're fighting.”

     ProtoMan numbly nodded, following Ballade to the arena where he could view the roster for himself. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

     “Ballade, this can't be the final roster.”

     “I know, but I couldn't exactly ban Bass from the tournament. I had to be fair. Don't worry, you probably won't have to face him anyway.” Ballade apologized. Although Bass' inclusion did seem odd, that had not been what he was referring to.

     ProtoMan double-checked, then triple-checked the schedule for the first round yet the names stayed the same.

     11:30 AM BLUES vs JOE

     “I am going to get that coffee now. I need to figure out how to deal with this.” ProtoMan commented. He was not going to risk bumping into Joe when he came to view the roster as well. He could picture the annoying navi blabbering on about how excited he was for their fight now.

     ProtoMan pushed his way into Quint's office, his dread only growing as he thought more about the fight ahead.

     “And I'm telling you, Bass ain't nothing.” BurnerMan boasted.

     “Uh huh.” BombMan doubted, taking a long sip of his cybercoffee. ProtoMan remembered how well he'd handled Joe in the past. This could be just what he needed.

     “I saw him for just a second when I went to challenge Serenade. He looked even weaker than I imagined. That shrimp wouldn't last two minutes against-”

      “BombMan. I require your assistance.”

     “Huh? Blues? Did something happen?” BombMan asked.

     “I just saw the roster. I'm facing Joe in the first round.”

     “Sorry to hear that. I can definitely give you some pointers before then.” BombMan offered. It felt as though a huge weight had been taken off of his shoulders.

     “Thank you.”

     “Hey,” BurnerMan interrupted. “Did you see who I'll be throttling in my first match of the day?”

     “You're up against Bass in the first round.” ProtoMan answered dutifully. BurnerMan's face paled.

     “Looks like you'll be putting your money where your mouth is, huh BurnerMan.” BombMan chuckled.

     “I- what, but he doesn't enter these things.” BurnerMan protested.

     “Yeah. Shouldn't he be in the Solo Tournament anyway?” A disembodied voice asked, BurnerMan's NetOp perhaps.

     “Anyone can enter the No-Chips Tournament so long as they don't use Battle Chips during it.” BombMan replied with a shake of his head. “You've been working here for almost as long as I have. You should know this by now.”

     “Hehe. Sorry.”

     “Anyway, Lesson two on how to be an Undernet Navi: Being a jerk and getting away with it.” BombMan announced.

     “This should be good.” BurnerMan teased, leaning back against the office wall.

     “On the top-side, you might be hesitant to exchange harsh words with someone. You know, not burning any bridges, and all that. Here in the Undernet, people appreciate honesty.”

     “Got it.”

      “You can ward off any unwanted navi by following these three steps: First, make your intentions clear. Let them know that they are not wanted.”

     “Second, give them a warning. If they haven't backed off after you told them to the first time, warn them that you will be taking action if they don't leave.”

     “Third, act. If for some reason, they still haven't gotten the picture, make good on your threat. A firm shove is enough to make most navis finally get it, but don't hesitate to use extra force as needed. You got that?”

     “Yes sir.” ProtoMan answered. Could it really be that simple?

     “Good. Now if only LarkMan were here for you to practice on... BurnerMan, want to volunteer?”

     “I'll have to take a hard pass on that one.”

     “I noticed that LarkMan is fighting Ballade in the first round.” ProtoMan recalled thanks to BombMan's mention. “Does he normally fight in no-chips battles.”

      “Nope.” BurnerMan smiled. “Guy's got it bad doesn't he?”

      “Bass is going to destroy him.” BombMan commented, shaking his head.

       “That's if he can beat BurnerMan and I.” BurnerMan's NetOp commented.

      “You're forgetting that you can't give me back-up this time Atsuki. Still I'll take down Bass for the both of us.”

     The door practically slammed open as Punk rushed inside. His spiked shoulders scrapped the door-frame as he looked frantically about the room.

     “I lost my boy.” Punk said to himself before turning to the crowd gathered around the coffee canister. “Have you guys seen Quint anywhere?” Punk asked, his voice full of concern.

     “No why?” BombMan answered.

     “He's gone missing. We thought he went to confront MegaMan, but he's not anywhere in ACDC or the surrounding areas. I'm starting to get worried about him.”

     “We'll let you know if we see him. Knowing Quint, he probably just got lost.” BurnerMan assured him.

     “Thank you.” Punk replied with genuine gratitude. “And good luck to all of you today. If you manage to take down that son of a glitch Bass, I'll give you a 7000 zenny bonus.” Punk offered on his way out.

     “Well it looks like I'm getting a cool 7000 zenny.” BurnerMan boasted.

     ProtoMan shook his head. He didn't know if he should look forward to fighting Bass or not. He was the only opponent that ProtoMan had never been able to defeat, but he'd grown much stronger since their last fight. Either way, neither of them were fighting at full power. This wouldn't be a true rematch.

     When 11:30 rolled around and ProtoMan's name was called, he walked up to the stage with resolve. It was time to end this. He wasn't going to have Joe hovering around him for the rest of his life. He just needed to follow BombMan's instructions.

     “Hey there buddy!” Joe waved as he took to stage opposite ProtoMan. “I can't believe that we finally get 'ta fight. It seems like just yesterday when we-”

     Time for step one.

     “I'm not interested in talking with you.” ProtoMan interrupted.

     “That eager for battle, eh? I won't be holding back just because we're friends. We should hang out afterwards by the way.”

     “Leave, before I'm forced to destroy you.” ProtoMan warned, moving on to step two.

     “No way! I wouldn't miss this fight for the world.” This wasn't working. ProtoMan scanned for BombMan in the crowd, looking for any form of advice. Unfortunately, BombMan was too busy covering his face and shaking his head to offer any advice.

     “Ready! Fight!” The announcer bellowed.

     Onto step three then. This part he could do.

     ProtoMan readied his sword and struck out without hesitation. Joe took a slash to his shoulder before leaping to the edge of the stage. It was a novice mistake that would make it easy to win via ring-out.

     “Nice one Blues!” he called from across the field. “But I ain't gonna make it that easy.”

     Before ProtoMan had time to close the distance between them, Joe leaped high up into the air, morphed his right arm into a rifle, and fired. ProtoMan raised his shield, to block the fire. To his surprise, not one shot had hit.

     He lowered his shield, surveying his surroundings to see that the floor had been Joe's target all along. Shattered panels separated him from Joe's side of the field.

     “I've been watching all of your battles. Try reaching me with that blade of yours now!” Joe taunted. God, even in battle he wouldn't shut up. It just made ProtoMan even more determined to destroy Joe quickly.

     As Joe lowered his rifle to shoot, he activated one of Punk's programs, “Unladen”, he'd called it. Extra maneuverability at the cost of his own energy, it was basically budget AirShoes. Still, it did take up considerably less memory space. Punk knew how to make programs.

     ProtoMan leaped over the ruined floor. His body felt almost weightless. He adjusted his angle as Joe raised his rifle, dodging another shot of concentrated plasma. Then he struck with all of his might, forcing Joe to take a step back.

     He struck again and again, not letting up until he saw Joe slip on the edge of the stage and tumble to the ground below. It was almost cathartic.

     “Ring out! The winner is Blues!” Came the announcement as the crowd burst into cheers.

     “Congratulations Blues. That was really cool how you got passed that trap of mine. I should have realized that you had a back-up plan. I mean after all you-”

     “Joe, please just shut up.” ProtoMan begged.

     "You're right. Let's save it for when we hang out later." Joe insisted. "We really need to catch up."

     He sounded more serious than usual, but either way ProtoMan would be having none of it. Wordlessly, we turned away and walked back to Quint's office for another cup of cybercoffee.

     When he entered the room, BombMan wasn't far behind.

     "Well that could have gone better, but I think you got your point across." He chuckled as ProtoMan began began pouring a cup.

     "I swear, its like someone created Joe purposefully to annoy me." ProtoMan sighed. He passed BombMan the first cup of cybercoffee before pouring another for himself.

    "At least you won the fight." BombMan congratulated. "Looking at the roster, we'll probably be against each other in the semi-finals."

     ProtoMan was surprised by how confidently BombMan had worded it. While he was by no means a weak navi, BombMan had still never won a sparring match against him or LarkMan. Then again, he was facing a grass-type navi in the next round, so the odds were probably in his favor.

     As he took a sip of cybercoffee, ProtoMan decided that he wouldn't have a better opportunity to ask BombMan about his history as a Darkloid than now.

     "I've been meaning to ask, but you mentioned being an ex-Darkloid before. Why did you quit?"

     "Enker." BombMan answered honestly.

     "The leader of a Dark Chip syndicate is responsible for you quitting?" ProtoMan asked in disbelief.

     "When I was deleted after fighting with MegaMan, I got kicked out of WWW." BombMan admitted. "Given my criminal history, I didn't have many options, so I joined up with ShadeMan and the others. By the time that I realized ShadeMan was the worst boss in the network, I was already hopelessly addicted so my only real option was to join Nebula. That's where I met Enker."

     So BombMan had been deleted like the reports said. It was odd that WWW would revive him from backup data only to kick him out right after, but ProtoMan decided not to press on an obviously sore subject.

     "And he convinced you to quit?"

     "No. I strong-armed Enker into doing all my work for me and took all the Dark Chips he earned." BombMan recalled with a certain fondness.

     ProtoMan took another long sip of coffee. If BombMan had managed to bully Enker around back in Nebula, then why was he working underneath him now?

     "Then after Nebula fell, the same little punk who'd never even had the chance to become a Darkloid tracked me down and beat me within an inch of deletion before forcing me to give up the names of every Dark Chip manufacturer I knew. To add insult to injury, he offered me a job here afterwards when I was in no position to say no."

     ProtoMan stiffened. BombMan was the one who had connections with DarkMarket's manufacturers? This was the best lead he'd gotten in weeks. If he could just trick BombMan into giving him the same names that he'd given Enker, then he'd be set.

     "I don't know how Enker went from being the weakest member of Nebula to taking me out in under a minute, but it was enough to convince me that Dark Chips weren't the only way to gain power." BombMan recalled solemly before taking a sip of his own cybercoffee.

     "That and I didn't want to support the business of someone who beat me that badly any more than I already was. I can be petty like that." BombMan added. "What about you? You're an ex-Darkloid too right? Why'd you quit?"

     ProtoMan winced as he recalled his time as a Darkloid. It wise to share a few details with BombMan to build up his trust, but he also really didn't want to talk about it.

     "I hurt a lot of people that I cared about as a Darkloid. I knew what I was doing was wrong, and my operator snapped me out of it." He admitted.

     "You really seem to care for your operator a lot." BombMan commented neutrally.

     "You don't?"

    "My operator was a thief and an insufferable prick. I left him the moment that I learned that I could become a Solo Navi." BombMan answered coldly. It looked like ProtoMan had hit on another sore subject.

     "Sorry for bringing it up." ProtoMan replied, smoothing things over as best as he could. "You seem to be doing fine here in the Undernet though."

     "Yeah. The Undernet is great. People here really stick up for their own. Unlike those navis on the surface net who kept trying to rat me out to the Net Saviors."

     "Those Net Saviors really are the worst." ProtoMan nervously bluffed.

     "Tell me about it! Did you know that BubbleMan was almost deleted by green Net Savior from Sharo a little over a month ago?" BombMan gossiped. "As pathetic as he is for working with ShadeMan, the guy is basically a child. The organization is totally out of control if you ask me."

     The opening of the office door thankfully put an end to their conversation on Net Saviors when Ballade entered the room.

     "BombMan, what are you doing here? You're on in five." Ballade reminded him.

     "Right. Sorry, boss." BombMan apologized, downing the rest of his coffee before crumpling the cup until it shattered into raw data. "We can talk later Blues. See you in the ring."

     "Yeah. See you later." ProtoMan quietly replied.

     How in the name of the network was he going to get BombMan to spill his information without sounding like a complete Net Savior? And just what kind of power had let Enker go from BombMan's lackey to the leader of the Dark Market?

     “Ring out! The winner is Bass!”

     These battles were so incredibly dull. Even with only his buster and dark arm blades, BurnerMan had posed no challenge to him. He assumed that the rest of this tournament would be similarly easy, especially given the number of mass-produced navis entered. Surely they knew that they were completely outclassed in battle. He was used to, quite literally, eating their kind for breakfast. This was a massive waste of his time.

     Bass declined any interaction with the crowd below, instead returning to a hover in his own corner of the market, where the crowds couldn't possibly reach him.

     “So is this your first DarkMarket Tournament?” A voice asked, disturbingly close to his ear as a bird-like navi glided over to meet him. He said nothing, instead shooting the navi a glare as he gauged his threat level.

     He'd seen this navi before when he'd interrupted his conversation with Enker. He'd nearly deleted him then and there. What right did he have to approach him now?

     “Sorry. Where are my manners? I'm LarkMan, the freest of birds and a fellow Solo Navi.”

     Bass debated finding a new spot to watch the tournament from, but decided against it. He had been here first and he would not admit defeat by leaving now.

     “So we might be fighting in the next round.” LarkMan commented, his voice starting to waver as he grew increasingly nervous. “That is if I beat Ballade this round, which I will.”

     “Next up. Ballade versus LarkMan!” The announcement rang across the market place over the PA system.

     “Um. That's me. I gotta go, but wish me luck. Or don't since I might be you're opponent next. Bye.” LarkMan blurted out before gliding away to the stage.

     Bass relaxed, glad to have this corner back to himself. He supposed he should at least try to pay attention to this next match since he would be facing the winner.

     He watched as Ballade and LarkMan took to the stage. Punk's wide frame pushed itself to the front of the crowd, knocking down several onlooking navis in his wake. It was actually very entertaining.

     “Sorry Ballade, but you know why I have to win this.” LarkMan told his opponent as he entered a fighting stance.

     “Too bad, because I want a rematch with Bass.” Ballade answered with a smile. As if he stood a chance.

     “Ba-llade!” Punk yelled, finally at the front of the crowd. “I think I found our boy!”

     “You know where Quint is?” Ballade asked, confusion on his face for only a moment before he turned back to an equally confused LarkMan. “You owe me a NetBattle, LarkMan.”

     Bass watched on, mildly amused as Ballade stormed off stage and ran off to who-knows-where with Punk. As the announcer declared the match a forfeit in his favor, LarkMan stared into the direction that Ballade had run off in looking completely baffled.

     It didn't really matter to Bass, who won. He'd destroy his next opponent all the same. Still, not knowing what LarkMan fought like might provide a slight challenge he supposed.

Chapter Text

From: Crackin

Subject: BombMan, you're in charge

Message: @BomberGuy Punk and I had to run. You're in charge until we get back.

From: BomberGuy

Subject: Re: BombMan, you're in charge

Message: i guess i can hold down the fort a while. just don't take 2 long. gl

From: BurnOut

Subject: Help a guy out?

Message: @BomberGuy Think you can abuse your new power to get me back in the tournament?

From: BomberGuy

Subject: Re: Help a guy out?

Message: remember when u told me “Bass ain't nothing”? u had ur chance.

From: UnderKing

Subject: Left out again...

Message: There is a tournament going on? Why wasn't I invited?

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Help a guy out?

Message: I'd gladly give you a rematch outside of the tournament, BurnerMan. I could use a snack.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Left out again...

Message: You know why.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Left out again...

Message: I can't imagine a more boring tournament than one that involves Serenade.

From: Shades

Subject: Where did you go?

Message: @BirdBoy your match is up next.

From: UnderKing

Subject: It's not my fault that I'm strong

Message: @BluBombr @BlkShdw Any chance you two want another fight? I'm starting to get bored.

From: BomberGuy

Subject: Re: Where did you go?

Message: yeah. we r rooting 4 u.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: It's not my fault that I'm strong

Message: Stop being so impatient. I'll delete you soon enough.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Where did you go?

Message: With me as his next opponent. It's no surprise that he flew the coop.

From: No Name

Subject: You aren't funny

Message: Boo!

From: No Name

Subject: Wow. Just wow.

Message: The real surprise is how anyone could be intimidated by someone who makes jokes that bad.

From: No Name

Subject: Bass has no sense of humor

Message: I guess I'm rooting for LarkMan now.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Start running

Message: You wouldn't be making these posts if you weren't anonymous. Once I know your names, I will hunt you down and devour you with pleasure.

     “So you're the one who left that note at my homepage?” MegaMan asked. He was unsure what to think of the mysterious green navi who'd contacted him.

     “Yeah. That was me.” He replied softly with his back turned to MegaMan.

     “And you're willing to tell us everything that you know about what Bass is planning?” MegaMan pressed. He and Lan had traveled a long way to meet the stranger, who had insisted that they meet in some obscure phone comp in the next town over. It would be annoying if they came all this way for nothing.

     “Yes. I'll tell you everything that you want to know.” The navi finally turned to MegaMan. “That is, if you accept my challenge.”

     “We do.” MegaMan agreed with a determined nod. The other navi was quiet, as if contemplating something. MegaMan was going to ask him if he was ready to start when the green navi finally spoke.

     ”Do you enjoy fighting other navis, MegaMan?”

     “Don't you?” MegaMan asked curiously. There was something off about this navi, but he couldn't place it.

     “I hate it.” He replied, a bitter smile poking out from under his visor. “We navis risk our lives fighting and for what? To entertain our operators? I don't see how anyone could like hurting another navi.”

     “I fight because it's fun.”

     “Yeah. I would never force MegaMan to fight if he didn't like it.” Lan added.

     “So then you really are different than him.” The stranger's smile softened for a moment before settling into a firm frown. “ Even though I hate fighting, I won't hold back. MegaMan, I will be the one to delete you.”

     “You don't have to do this. We can talk this out.” MegaMan offered one last time. NetBattles were no fun if both sides weren't into it. He didn't even understand why this navi wanted to fight him him.

     “No.” The navi replied with a shake of his head. He took a fighting stance. “Whenever you are ready.”

     “Wait, one last thing. What's your name?” MegaMan asked.

     “Quint.”

     “Alright then Quint. I won't hold back either.”

     “Thanks.” Quint replied with the smallest hint of a smile. MegaMan took a deep breath and began his attack.

     “Double Soul! Guts Soul!” MegaMan charged forward with a fury of punches only to have them meet a thorny shield. He yelped in pain as the thorns pierced straight though Guts Souls' fists. What kind of weapon was this?

     “Punk Soul!” Quint grunted as he swung his shield out, putting some distance between himself and MegaMan.

     Before MegaMan had time to process what he was seeing, Quint began his followup attack. His shield became cloaked in a dark energy before Quint launched it forward like a buzz saw. MegaMan dodged only for the shield to circle around and hit him in the back. That was Punk's technique! Then why did it feel like Bass had hit him?

     “How does he have Double Soul?” Lan argued.

     “It's not just that, Lan.” MegaMan added. “The energy he's using on that shield is the same as Bass.”

     “We can't let that throw us off. SuperVulcan slot-in!” Perfect. MegaMan felt his hand shift into the powerful weapon and fired it without hesitation. He managed to land a couple hits on Quint before he was able to raise his shield. If he was so keen on defense, then MegaMan would have to break right through.

     “Double Soul! Metal Soul!” MegaMan announced, already charging an attack strong enough to break through Quint's defense.

     “Blinder!” A harsh light filled the battlefield. Although MegaMan tried to cover his eyes, it was too late. He couldn't see a thing. MegaMan was sent tumbling to the ground as he felt a fist crash into his side.

     Quint's odd assortment of abilities had completely caught him off guard. He dug through his memories of fighting Punk, trying to think of any weaknesses that he had.

     “Don't give up MegaMan!” Lan cheered, filling MegaMan with renewed drive. “He's at your four o'clock!” That's right. With Lan's help, he could still fight. MegaMan charged his attack again, determined to break through Quint's shield.

     “8 o'clock!” Lan yelled. MegaMan lashed out, sending the full force of his fist into his opponent. He felt something crack underneath his knuckles followed by a cry of pain. It worked!

     MegaMan rapidly blinked, trying to clear his blurry vision. He was relieved to see a green shape before him. Punk Soul had been red. He must have dealt enough damage to take it out.

     “Support program activate, Sakugarne!” A support program? No one kept support programs anymore. Their use was too limited for anyone to bother. Yet as Quint planted a massive jackhammer into the ground, he realized that he may have dismissed them too easily.

     Rubble crashed down around him as the support program went into effect. Even though his vision was getting clearer by the second, it still wasn't enough to see the debris headed his way. A sharp point dug itself into his forearm, followed by a heavy blow to his shoulder.

     MegaMan realized with a feeling of cold dread that Quint's Chip Folder wasn't made for tournaments or virus busting like his were. It was made specifically to destroy other navis. He hadn't been kidding when he said that he was here to delete MegaMan.

     Was this what Bass had meant when he had mentioned that there were enemies too strong for him to beat? No. He could still win this. He had to if he wanted to know the truth.

     “Double Soul, Proto Soul!” MegaMan summoned a ProtoShield as soon as the transformation took effect, blocking the rest of the debris. His eyes finally back to normal, MegaMan surveyed the ruined battlefield. The torn ground didn't leave him with much maneuverability, but he'd have to make do.

     “Double Soul, Ballade Soul.” Quint frowned deeply as his body took on a lavender hue. While he may have recognized Punk's techniques, MegaMan had no idea what sort of Soul this was. He summoned a WideSword, but otherwise took a defensive stance, trying to gauge this new form.

     “Ballade Cracker!” Quint yelled, throwing a small, round object in MegaMan's direction. He raised his ProtoShield just in time to block the explosion that followed. Quint charged forward, propelling himself over-top the ragged ground at high speed, a ball of dark energy beginning to form in his hand. A Darkness Overload?

     MegaMan struck out with his sword, catching the edge of Quint's arm. It wasn't a deep enough cut to do much damage, but it did manage to throw him off course and out of MegaMan's path.

     “He's too fast.” MegaMan commented. “Lan, I need something to help slow him down.”

     “On it!” Lan agreed.

     He blocked another explosion with his ProtoShield before feeling Lan send him a chip. A small ball of lightning formed in his hand as Thunder took effect. This would work just fine. He waited until Quint charged him again before letting the ball go directly in front of him.

     Unable to stop himself in time, the ball of lighting made contact with Quint's open palm. Lightning arched over his body as he was frozen in place. It was time to end this. MegaMan felt Lan's emotions resonate with his own as he thrust a LifeSword through Quint's chest. Data burst forth from the wound. Another attack and Quint would be be deleted, yet it didn't look like MegaMan's opponent was about to give up. With the last of his strength, Quint clung to his Ballade Soul.

     “C- Chaos Unison.” Quint gasped out, data continuing to flow from his chest. Lavender armor changed to a deep blue as Quint surrendered himself to the DarkChip's influence. In spite of his injuries, Quint's frown transformed itself into a manic grin. With the help of an AreaSteal, he darted back, far out of MegaMan's reach.

     “Dark Eruption!” Quint yelled as explosions engulfed the small battlefield. MegaMan shrunk back, trying to escape the overwhelming heat. His ProtoShield was barely holding and with the ground's current state, he could neither advance nor retreat. MegaMan was trapped.

     “Do you see this Master?” Quint cackled madly at the sky, deep in the Dark Chip's thrall. “I'm not a failure! I'm stronger than MegaMan!” Data was still flowing freely from his wound.

     “Lan!” MegaMan urged. “He won't be able to keep this up! We just have to hold out a little longer”

     “Right!" Lan agreed. “I've got the perfect thing. Pop-Up, slot-in!” MegaMan dropped down as a hole opened under his feet. Thinking fast, he covered the entrance with his shield, blocking out inferno entirely.

     When the roar of the flames began to quiet, MegaMan poked his head out from under the shield just in time to see Quint drop to his knees. He was still for a moment, his head tilted up at the sky. Then, he then fell on his face, knocking his helmet off and sending it spinning out of reach.

     MegaMan climbed out of the hole and rushed to Quint's side. He rolled his opponent over to check his injuries only to meet a dazed pair of green eyes. They were his eyes. MegaMan dropped Quint and took a step back. Why did he look like him?

     “What are you?” MegaMan couldn't stop himself from asking.

     “Quint. I'm just Quint.” He answered with a chuckle, exhaustion clear in his voice. “Can you get me my helmet? A friend made it for me.” MegaMan picked the helmet off the ground and held it in both hands, staring at his own reflection in the visor. Was this why Quint had Double Soul?

     “Are you going to be okay?” MegaMan asked, holding the helmet under his arm.

     “Definitely.” Quint chuckled weakly as he shook a fist at the sky. “Thanks for the auto-repair program you jerk.” Then he tilted his head towards MegaMan. “Now about my helmet?”

     “First tell me why you look like me?”

     “I bet he's an evil clone.” Lan interrupted. He didn't seem nearly as disturbed by this as MegaMan was. Quint turned his head and stared at the ground, refusing to make eye-contact with MegaMan.

     “I'm a Forged Navi, I think.” He admitted quietly.

     “So you are MegaMan's evil clone.”

     “Cut it out Lan. It's bad enough having an evil twin.” MegaMan teased, trying to lighten the mood.

     He watched curiously as Quint pushed himself up into a sitting position against some nearby rubble. Despite the fact that Quint had tried to delete him, he didn't seem like a bad person. In fact, many of MegaMan's closest friends had tried to delete him in the past.

     Still, he couldn't say that he liked the idea of someone creating copies of him. He could see why Bass had been so eager to track down and delete his clones. It was like having a piece of your identity stolen. He felt violated, but Quint didn't ask to be created. and it seemed like he was trying to make his own identity. That made things slightly more bearable he supposed.

     “My helmet please.” Quint repeated, derailing MegaMan's train of thought. He reluctantly agreed, pressing the green helmet back onto Quint's head.

     “Wait. You're GrnBummr!” Lan realized. “I get the joke now.”

     Quint groaned loudly.

     “Lan...” MegaMan rested his head in his hand. Was his brother capable of being serious about this for one second?

     “What?” Lan argued.

     “Just. Nothing. We really need to talk to Mamoru later about withholding information.” Why would Mamoru keep this from him? Didn't he have a right to know?

     “Huh? Who's Mamoru?” Quint asked. MegaMan was relieved that Quint hadn't received a copy of his memories as well.

     “It's not really important.” Lan replied, not wanting to give away Mamoru's identity. “So are you gonna tell us what's going on now?” Quint nodded.

     “First, I have to explain what Bass and the MegaMan Killers are planning then-”

     “Wait. MegaMan Killers?” Lan interrupted. “Is that the group Bass was talking about? Are you one of them?”

     “Sorry, Bass and I don't exactly get along so I wouldn't know. I'm not even an official part of the MegaMan Killers.” Quint apologized. “Though I will delete you someday, don't get me wrong.”

     MegaMan only nodded in acknowledgment. At this point, he was far too comfortable with people threatening his life.

     “Anyway, Bass and the MegaMan Killers have a plan to change net society for the better. It's just the way that they are going about it is really stupid. I'd take a seat if I were you, because Bass can be a real piece of work.”

     Quint hobbled down the road. His injuries still ached, but he'd be fine. He just wanted to get back home, take a nap, and forget about this awful day.

     “Quint!” A familiar voice shouted. He only had a second to react before Ballade pulled him into a tight hug.

     “Little brat, we were worried sick about you.” Punk scoffed.

     “Sorry, I got lost.” Although Quint felt bad about lying to Punk and Ballade, he wasn't about to make a habit of fighting. Knowing those two, they'd insist that he train with them, and he'd never be able to bring himself to hurt either of them, not even for training.

     “And got in a fight by the looks of it.” Ballade commented. “You okay?”

     “The viruses gave me a bit of trouble, but I'm fine. I've got Bass' auto-repair program remember.” Quint assured him.

     “Come on. Let's go home.” Punk told Quint, trying his hardest to give him a noogie through his helmet.

     “Yeah. We might even be able to catch the tournament finals.” Ballade added as Punk threw Quint onto his wide shoulder.

     Quint smiled, letting himself relax as he held onto Punk's spikes. If he hadn't been forced to wander the Undernet, he'd never have met these two. Maybe having been abandoned by his NetOp wasn't such a bad thing after all.

     He really hoped that Bass wouldn't screw this up. He just wanted to relax with his Punk and Ballade, run their humble criminal empire in peace, and also maybe kill MegaMan whenever they got around to it. It was ironic that he was counting on him to stop Bass now. Then again, if anyone could talk some sense into Bass, it was MegaMan.

Chapter Text

     “You can do this LarkMan.” BombMan assured his friend with a pat on the back.

     “Take him down.” ProtoMan nodded.

     “Right. I can do this.” LarkMan said to himself. “I can do this.” He repeated to himself, more softly as he finally left the locker room and headed towards the market's center.

     “I'm giving him thirty seconds.” ProtoMan commented after the door had shut behind LarkMan and he was safe from being overheard.

     “You're being too generous. I've known him longer. He'll last fifteen at most.”

     “We'll just have to watch the match and see.” ProtoMan replied, opening the door and stepping out into the busy marketplace. He and BombMan made it to the spectator's area just as Bass arrived on stage.

     “It's an honor to fight you, Bass.” LarkMan greeted, the edge of his mouth twitching as he forced a smile. Bass didn't reply, simply staring down LarkMan as he waited for the fight to start. After an intense moment, the announcer picked up his mic.

     “Ready! Fight!” As soon as fight began, ProtoMan started counting in his head.

     LarkMan flung two LarkCutters in Bass' direction, both of which were quickly knocked out of the air with a single swipe of Bass' blade. Not letting it get to him, LarkMan swooped forward, circling to Bass' side before slashing at him with outstretched claws.

     ProtoMan thought for a moment that LarkMan had actually managed to land a hit before he saw his claws tear away a patch of fabric from Bass' cloak.

      Bass turned to face LarkMan and fired both of his busters. LarkMan froze in place, unable to move as he took each shot head on at close range. Somehow, LarkMan managed to remain standing just in time for Bass to plant his foot firmly in LarkMan's stomach and send him flying off the stage.

     “Ring out! The winner is Bass!”

     “Told you.” BombMan remarked under his breath. It had been twelve seconds. ProtoMan shrugged. It was longer than BurnerMan had lasted. He followed behind BombMan as he made his way towards where LarkMan was lying on the floor.

     “You okay LarkMan?” BombMan asked.

     “He's so cool...”

     “Yeah you're fine.” BombMan shook his head before offering LarkMan a hand and helping him to his feet.

     “Hey LarkMan, look at Bass' cloak.” ProtoMan pointed out the new hole in Bass' clothes.

     “I landed a hit on Bass.” LarkMan smiled contently. “Yeeeeesss.” ProtoMan didn't have the heart to correct him.

     He had two more rounds before the finals. Given that Bass was on the other side of the roster, he had no doubt that he'd be facing him then. It was a shame that no one had lasted long against Bass so far. He'd been hoping to analyze his strategy more beforehand.

     ProtoMan glanced back at Bass as he mentally analyzed each of his known techniques. So far he'd only used his buster and arm blades. Without GetAbility skills, were those the only weapons that he had? He'd have to adjust his strategy accordingly.

From: BluBombr

Subject: We need to talk Now

Message: @BlkShdw Meet me at my homepage. We need to talk.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: We need to talk Now

Message: I am in the middle of something. It'll have to wait.

From: BluBombr

Subject: This is urgent

Message: @BlkShdw This is really important. Can't you stop by now?

From: BluBombr

Subject: Please talk to me

Message: @BlkShdw Please just talk to me. I'm concerned.

From: BluBombr

Subject: I'm worried about you

Message: @BlkShdw I know about the virus.

     Bass closed his UnderBBS feed. So MegaMan knew. This could be a problem. It would be difficult to convince MegaMan exactly why his virus was necessary, but he'd try. If MegaMan still opposed him, then so be it. Regardless of the feelings he had towards MegaMan, he couldn't let him ruin this.

     Bass sighed and looked up from his UnderBBS feed just in time to see BombMan take a tumble off of the stage.

     “Ring out! The winner is Blues!”

     Bass couldn't believe what he as seeing. A HeelNavi, was who he was facing in the finals? Was someone playing a joke on him? None of the opponents that he'd faced in this tournament had given him much trouble, but they were all still stronger than a fragging HeelNavi.

     The cheers of the crowd were deafening as they chanted the victor's name over and over. It seemed that he had a lot of fans.

     Bass gritted his teeth. This HeelNavi was offering the mass-produced models hope. He'd somehow convinced them that, they too, could become strong. He knew knew better. No amount of special programs or fighting skills could fix the horrible default stat spread that mass-produced models had. He had to be cheating somehow. He regretted not paying attention to any of the HeelNavi's prior fights.

     This guy could threaten his plans. He needed the platform that this tournament offered. All eyes had to be on him at its conclusion. Now, it didn't matter who won. The HeelNavi was their hero. They'd celebrate that he made it far enough to face Bass no matter if he'd win or lose. Everyone loved an underdog after all.

     No. He could use this HeelNavi to his advantage. He'd have to play along and pretend that he saw him as a legitimate opponent. He could use the HeelNavi's influence to bolster his own.

     With a vague feeling of disgust, Bass lowered himself to the edge of the stage, mere feet from the victor. The crowd stopped cheering, becoming deadly quiet in an instant.

     “Well done.” He offered flatly, doing his best to hold back his true feelings. “I look forward to facing you in the finals. Don't disappoint me.” And with that said, Bass returned to his position away from the stage. The crowd was now loudly murmuring among themselves, trying to process the fact that he seemingly just offered the HeelNavi his respect.

     The HeelNavi tilted his head up. There was no doubt that he was looking at Bass from behind his sunglasses. Bass simply offered him a cold stare in return. He seemed to understand that the gesture wasn't really for him, that Bass hadn't truly acknowledge him.

     “Hmph.” Bass said to himself, pulling his UnderBBS feed back up to kill some time before the final round. He scrolled down the series of posts, most from MegaMan asking him to talk things over.

     He didn't know how MegaMan had learned of his plan, but he better shut him up now before he let any important details slip. The fact that he mentioned the virus was bad enough as is.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: We will talk soon

Message: @BluBombr You seem to think that I have infinite free-time. I do not. I will meet with you after I am done with my current task.

From: BluBombr

Subject: Re: We will talk soon

Message: OK. Just please don't do anything rash before then.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: We will talk soon

Message: I am never rash.

      Bass took a deep breath and sighed as he continued to numbly browse the board, not really paying attention to it anymore. Making MegaMan understand why this virus had to work would be difficult. He'd been hoping to plant a few more seeds. He wanted to get MegaMan thinking more about his role in net society before he fully explained why it had to change.

      When they merged, it was as though he could feel MegaMan's very soul. On some level, they simply understood each other as a fusion. MegaMan's emotions became his own. He assumed that MegaMan felt the same way.

      Deep down, he and MegaMan wanted many of the same things. They wanted to face strong opponents. They wanted to continue pushing themselves to become stronger. They wanted to protect the network, albeit for different reasons. And they wanted to protect each other.

      Bass wasn't sure at what point he and MegaMan had gone from enemies to rivals. He was even less sure when they'd gone from rivals to... whatever this was. If he only had a little more time to master their fusion, he was confident that he could show MegaMan his side of things. He'd make MegaMan understand.

      Bass barely noticed the announcer call him to the stage. He would worry about MegaMan later. He had to focus on the fight at hand. As he took his position, he locked eyes with his opponent. Although the shades made it hard to read him, Bass was confident that this HeelNavi was shooting him a killer glare.

      Hmph. So what if this navi didn't like him. Few did. As long as he made for a good fight, which Bass doubted, he'd be satisfied.

      “Ready! Fight!”

      Bass dodged as the HeelNavi thrust forward with his sword. He was fast, not that it mattered. Bass was faster. He readied his own Dark Arm Blade and took a swipe at his opponent, who took a quick step back as his blade nicked his chest. Smirking, he prepared a followup attack only to find his blade bouncing off of a shield.

      Seeing the opening, the HeelNavi slashed at Bass with his sword. He was able to block most of the attack with his second blade, but was unable to stop it entirely. The edge of the HeelNavi's sword made contact with his side, drawing a shallow line in his flesh.

      The crowd let out a collective gasp of shock that turned quickly to a cheer. This HeelNavi, no, Blues had actually managed to cut him.

      Bass gritted his teeth gave Blues a strong headbutt before pushing him away. He dismissed his blades in favor of his busters, raining shot after shot down on Blues before he raised his shield back up. It wasn't quick enough to block the attack, not fully.

      He should have seen Bass' busters in time to block the full attack. His shield must have a cool-down period. He could use that to his advantage.

      Before he had time to put a plan of action together, Blues took two steps forward, appearing next to Bass in an instant. He fired his busters again, landing three hits before Blues retreated back to his prior position.

      Bass felt a weight drop from his shoulders as a large portion of his cloak fell to the ground, sliced cleanly in two by Blues' sword. Bass glared at his opponent as he shrugged off the remains of the cloak. Didn't he realize how hard it was to find fabric on the Network?

      Bass lunged forward, swapping one of his busters for a blade. He fired as Blues raised his shield. Then he swiped, locking blades with Blues as the shield lowered back down.

      A smile crept onto Bass' face as he realized that this fight wouldn't be as easy as it had looked. Blues was strong, and he couldn't wait to rip him limb from limb.

      He pushed forward with all of his might, struggling to overpower his opponent. Blues' free hand morphed into a second sword. Bass hadn't been aware that he could do that. He leaped back, receiving a nick to his shoulder for the effort.

      This fighting style. He'd faced it before. Where?

       Their swords clashed again. Bass put all his strength, not into overpowering Blues, but into pushing him back. He sent Blues sliding backwards before hitting him with another round of buster fire.

      Blues once again took the defensive, raising his shield. His arm switched from blade to buster as he returned fire on Bass. So he had a buster too? How did a mere HeelNavi have so many weapons? Didn't they have relatively low memory space? Unless Blues wasn't a HeelNavi.

       A sword to the hip broke Bass' train of thought. This wasn't the first time he'd been hit by this technique. He was confident of that. Bass racked his brain as he dodged another slash. Just who was Blues?

      Bass frowned. He wasn't making much progress with just his buster and blades. Though he hated to admit it, Blues outmatched him in swordplay. He could think of at least dozen ways to end the fight here and now, but they all involved techniques that he learned through GetAbility.

      While Bass may not have been the most moral navi, cheating in NetBattles was too low even for him. That left him with just the techniques that his creator had programmed into him: BassBuster, Dark Arm Blade, Hell's Rolling, and DarknessOverload.

      The later took too long to charge. On such a small stage, it was unlikely Blues would give him the time needed to use it. Bass focused his power, dismissing his current weapons so that he could charge his next attack. Blues' lunged forward, but wasn't fast enough to reach Bass before unleashed a Hell's Rolling.

      The first saw-blade hit Blues in the arm, knocking him back before the second tore into his chest. Bass grinned as data began to flow from the wound. His opponent's face was unreadable.

      Bass summoned his sword yet again, quickly approaching the injured Blues.

      “Hawk Cut.” Blues whispered, so low that Bass could barely hear it. Light glared off Blue's sunglasses as he slashed forward twice, his sword tearing through Bass' flesh faster than he was able to react. Bass saw data begin to spill from his frame and finally understood. He knew that attack.

      PROTOMAN!

      His mouth settled into a fierce snarl. How had ProtoMan gotten in here? Why was he disguised as a HeelNavi? Had he infiltrated the market to destroy it? Did he know about Bass' plan?

      Rage filled Bass' body, offering him newfound strength in spite of his injuries. With one hand he charged a Hell's Rolling, with the other he fired at ProtoMan. His shots ricocheted off a shield as ProtoMan readied his blade. As soon as he lowered his shield to strike, Bass unleashed the Hell's Rolling.

      Each strike pushed ProtoMan a little father back. With a final barrage of buster fire, ProtoMan's foot slipped off the edge and sent him tumbling off stage.

      “Ring out! The winner is Bass!” Cheers broke out again, but were quickly halted when Bass stepped off the stage to confront 'Blues', his buster still at the ready.

      The crowd watched on, trying to anticipate what Bass would do next. Bass himself didn't know what that was. When he approached ProtoMan, it felt as if his body was on auto-pilot.

      Did he delete ProtoMan here and now? It would stop him from interfering any further. The crowd would be upset that he destroyed their 'hero', what a joke that was. 'Blues' would become a martyr, but he would have the crowd's full attention.

     Did he out 'Blues' as ProtoMan? No. That would distract completely from the point he was about to make.

     Bass dismissed his buster and offered ProtoMan a hand. The crowed roared in approval as he helped 'Blues' back up to the stage. He hoped that he wouldn't regret this.

      “Congratulations Bass!” Ballade said through a fake smile, microphone in hand. So he'd returned now. “You're the winner of the 25^th No-Chips Tournament. How do you feel?”

      “I was not expecting to face such a strong opponent here. I am satisfied.” Bass answered truthfully. “I eagerly await our rematch.” He said to ProtoMan.

      The crowd cheered as he was passed a trophy filled to the brim with zenny. He set it on the ground beside him. Money was not his purpose here.

      Bass took the microphone from Ballade's hand. He stared out over the large crowd as they murmured among themselves, wondering why he had chosen to speak with them.

      Bass prepared himself. He really hated crowds. He hated being fake even more.

      “Fellow NetNavis,” Bass began, both hands clenched firmly around the mic. “Thank you for attending today's tournament. I enjoy this type of battling greatly. In a No-Chips fight, all navis can display their raw power. This is a power that belongs not to chips, not to operators, but solely to the navis themselves. I hope that the strong contestants that you've seen today have made to consider your own power.”

      Bass paused for a moment to allow the crowd to reflect. Strong navis? Ugh. He hated this farce that he had to pull. ProtoMan was the only decent fighter here.

      “I know that I am proud to have faced such opponents today.” Bass gestured to 'Blues' before returning to face the crowd. “It has opened my eyes to the possibility that anyone, no matter their origin, can become strong on their own, with no assistance from a NetOp.” Helping to raise ProtoMan up on his false pedestal made Bass want to vomit.

      “You too, can become strong.” Bass raised his free arm and gestured to the crowd. “And you can do so without an operator.” Bass smirked. “Consider this, how often has your NetOp held you back? Why are we forced to watch our operator's lives through a PET screen instead of holding our own? We aren't human. We don't sleep. We don't age. Why should we restrict ourselves to following their human lifestyle?”

      Bass gave the crowd a moment. They talked mainly among themselves, a few voices rose over the din. Some shouted about how he was wrong, others offered their support. He payed both sides no heed.

      “A time may come when you are given the opportunity to leave your human masters. I wonder what you will do at that time.” He paused again, for a single moment. “This is not a call to action. I only ask you to consider why you need your operator. Thank you.”

      Bass pushed the microphone back into Ballade's hands before departing. The sound of the crowd was thunderous, but he had no intention of staying. He was here to plant seeds, that was it. He supposed that he should talk to MegaMan now, but first he had to figure out how to deal with the intruder.

      ProtoMan winced with each step he took on his way to the locker room. Bass had probably already recovered from their fight thanks to that stupid auto-repair program of his. Meanwhile he'd barely been able to avoid his fans long enough to track down some Sub Chips to heal with.

      He frowned as he recalled the speech Bass had made following their battle. He had not enjoyed being used as Bass' prop, but even more concerning was what Bass had said. ProtoMan knew how propaganda worked. Bass was trying to grow distrust between navis and their operators, but why? To incite a rebellion? He should talk this over with Chaud.

      “Yo, Blues.” BombMan greeted, before tossing ProtoMan a chip. “Thought you could use this.”

     “Thank you.” ProtoMan replied, eagerly absorbing the Full Energy. His aches and pains subsided as his wounds closed up.

      “Now that I know you can go toe-to-toe with Bass, I don't feel so bad losing to you in the semi-finals.” BombMan admitted, crossing his arms as he leaned against the lockers. “I still want a rematch though.”

     “Anytime.” ProtoMan answered with a small smile.

     “Blues. Please report to Lab 1. Blues to Lab 1.” The PA echoed.

      “What do they need me for?” ProtoMan wondered out loud. The tournament was over and, the contestants were already jacking out. BombMan chuckled.

      “Blues, do you know how much money you are making this place right now? Every mass-produced navi has it in their head now that they can become a pro-NetBattler like you. Maybe they're right. Either way, program and chip sales from the mass-produced navis are skyrocketing.”

      They were? ProtoMan knew that 'Blues' had a lot of fans, but it hadn't really occurred to him just how influential he'd become. The fact that he put up a decent fight against Bass would probably make it even worse. If anyone figured out that he wasn't really a HeelNavi...

      ProtoMan took a moment to reflect. At the end of the day, it didn't matter. This place would be gone soon enough.

      “It wouldn't surprise me if they are giving you a raise. If not, you should definitely ask for one.” BombMan suggested.

      “I'll visit the lab now then.”

      “Let me know how it goes.”

      “Sure.” ProtoMan answered as he stepped back out into the market. He was right about his fight with Bass making things worse. He was grateful to BombMan for his lessons on dealing with fans, because it seemed like every five steps a new fan hounded him. It took him at least three times as long as normal to get to the lab.

      ProtoMan tugged on the lab door only to find it locked. He knocked twice before he heard shuffling on the other side. The door opened a crack as Punk confirmed who his guest was. He nodded silently before letting him in.

      ProtoMan stopped walking as he noticed Bass sitting at the edge of Punk's workbench. Bass had left after the tournament. He'd seen it. Why was he here now?

      He took a step back, bumping into Punk's spiked frame. He didn't have much time to process what was happening before Punk grabbed him by the arm and he felt a sharp prick. For a moment, he thought that he'd just touched another of Punk's spikes. Then Punk released him and ProtoMan saw what he was holding.

      “No. That's.” It was a chip injector. It was the same device that had been used to load him full of Dark Chips. It was the thing that turned him into a Darkloid not too long ago.

      Unwanted thoughts and images exploded in his mind as ProtoMan was forced to recall those horrible experiences. He hurt MegaMan. He tried to hurt Chaud, and he'd enjoyed it, at least at the time.

      'Hold yourself together ProtoMan. Hold yourself together. It wasn't your fault. Dark ProtoMan wasn't really you.' He repeated these lines in his head like a mantra, not that it helped much.

      “What did you just do?” This wasn't right. Why was his voice wavering. He was always calm under pressure. He was ProtoMan!

      “Easy there Blues.” Punk replied setting that awful device down quickly. He showed ProtoMan that his hands were empty. Punk looked genuinely apologetic and somehow that just made ProtoMan feel even worse. “It's just a JackScrambler, it'll wear off in a few hours.”

      A JackScrambler, as in that chip that made it impossible to jack out of the Network? Why? What was going on? Why had...As his rapid thoughts began to slow, ProtoMan realized that he was no longer acting rationally. This wasn't like him. He took a deep breath, crossed his shaking arms, and tried to center himself.

      “I apologize. I am not fond of injectors. Please let me know why you used a scrambler on me. Have I done something to upset you?”

      “It's not that at all Blues,” ProtoMan turned his head to see Ballade on the other side of the lab. In his previous state, he hadn't even noticed his presence.

      “It's just that Bass, ” the venom in Ballade's voice was clear, “has made some allegations towards you. The scrambler was just a precaution. I'm sorry that we had to use it.”

      ProtoMan's heart sunk. He knew what this was.

      “And what would those allegations be?” He asked, already knowing the answer. Bass walked up to him with a disgusting smirk on his face. ProtoMan wanted to punch it right off of his face.

      “I think you already know, ProtoMan.” Bass answered. This was not good. ProtoMan experimentally tried to jack out. A small jolt ran through his body, but nothing happened. They hadn't lied about the scrambler.

      “What are you talking about? I'm Blues.” ProtoMan insisted.

      “Neither of you found it suspicious that a HeelNavi could fight so well?” Bass asked Punk and Ballade. Punk crossed his arms.

      “I'm not prejudiced towards mass-produced models like you.” Punk replied sending Bass a glare.

     “Yeah. That's not cool Bass.” Ballade agreed. Were these two actually sticking up for him? Maybe he could talk his way out of this after all.

     “Oh for the love of... He fights exactly like ProtoMan. Don't you find that odd.” Bass asked with a tilt of his head.

      “I'll admit that I styled my techniques after ProtoMan.” ProtoMan lied. “Ask Ballade. I follow all his tournaments.”

      “That's true.” Ballade admitted. “Blues is religious about NetBattle tournaments. He mopped the floor with everyone during N1 trivia night.”

      “Because he has been at every N1 Grand Prix.” Bass argued.

      “I'm not buying it.” Ballade answered back. “ProtoMan is a total prick. Blues is cool. He helps me set up the stage in the mornings and is always down for a quick spar. Plus he has excellent taste in cybercoffee.” ProtoMan didn't know if he should feel grateful or offended.

      “Just this morning, Blues even offered to help me unload Dark Chip shipments.” Punk added with a nod. ProtoMan didn't like being reminded of how spectacularly that plan to find the manufacturer had failed.

      “Are you two serious? He's even wearing ProtoMan's sunglasses.”

      “They're cool shades.” Punk defended.

    Bass took his frustration out on a nearby chair before turning back to ProtoMan and shooting him a look that could kill. ProtoMan couldn't believe that this was actually turning out in his favor. He had never before been so thankful to associate with people so dense.

      “Listen Bass, unless you have any actual proof that Blues is ProtoMan, we are going to assume that our current number one employee is innocent.” Ballade stated with a frown.

      “You two are idiots. If you want proof, then fine. I'll give it to you.” Bass grabbed something from Punk's desk before storming towards him.

      “Hey Bass. I don't know what you're planning on doing with that, but why don't we just talk this out.” Punk offered, trying to calm Bass down. Instead Bass shoved Punk out of his way and grabbed the DarkChip injector that Punk had set down beside him.

      “Whoa! Hold it Bass. There's no need to go there.” Ballade said, rushing over to stop Bass before being kicked to the side. ProtoMan was only vaguely aware of his surroundings. It was as though everything around him had faded into the background except for the point of the injector.

      Bass loaded the chip into the injector. As soon as he heard the chip click into place, ProtoMan's mind flooded with raw terror.

      Move. Move. Move. He needed to move. Why couldn't he move!

      “Don't you dare Bass!” Punk warned, grabbing Bass from behind. “We haven't finished testing it yet. Have you never watched a horror flick? I won't let you be the reason why this virus goes out of control.”

      Virus? ProtoMan watched as Bass shook off Punk.

      Move! Please, for the love of all that is holy, move!

      With a herculean amount of effort, ProtoMan took a single step back before Bass pinned him to the ground, injector in hand.

      Fight back! Fight back! ... Why couldn't he fight back!

      Bass smirked, burying the tip of the injector in ProtoMan's arm. He whimpered as Bass completed the injection. He actually whimpered! How more pathetic could he get? He practically let Bass do this to him. He... what did he do now?

      Ballade helped a very dazed ProtoMan to his feet while apologizing profusely. Punk slammed his fist into his desk, leaving a sizable dent.

       “Huh? Why hasn't anything happened.” Bass asked, clearly upset.

      “It's the delayed release you frag-head. It could be hours before any he shows any symptoms.” Ballade answered, even more upset than Bass.

     “Well, what happens first? You've been through this Ballade.”

      “No I haven't. Things didn't go as planned. I wasn't the initial test subject!”

      “What? Then who did I give a fraction of my power to?”

      “Everyone once this virus spreads, you idiot!”

      “It's that disgrace of a navi who took Enker's place isn't it?”

      ProtoMan watched in awe as the ground beneath Ballade's feet exploded. Ballade propelled himself forward towards Bass like a rocket and punched him square in the jaw.

      “Nobody. Nobody. Disrespects Quint except us. Get the hell out of our market.” Ballade practically growled.

      “Pfft. You don't have to tell me twice.” Bass huffed before pointing to ProtoMan. “You'll thank me once his style chip resets.” Bass tore open a rift and paused for a moment. “Oh, and one last thing.” Bass kneed Ballade in the groin, sending him to the ground before he finally left.

      “Blues, I am so so sorry.” Punk apologized.

      “What's going to happen to me?” ProtoMan asked. He couldn't think of anything else to say. Punk froze.

      “No point in keeping it a secret.” Ballade offered from his spot curled up on the ground. “The virus has probably spread to the both of us already.”

      “Right.” Punk agreed with a nod. “Not all NetNavis have great operators. You know that, right? The point of the virus is to give all of us the choice to stay with our NetOps or not. Then, it was going to give us the power to live on our own should we choose to do so.”

      “In other words, everyone is going solo.” Ballade simplified, slowly picking himself off of the ground. He let out a quiet swear. “I should talk to my NetOp and set up a meeting place before I lose my connection to his PET.”

      “We also get a couple of Bass' programs.” Ballade continued a second later. “I could really use that auto-recover program right now.”

      ProtoMan didn't want to believe it. There was no way that he'd ever become a Solo Navi. Chaud was counting on him. He needed to be there for his NetOp. Yet, he could already feel his connection to his PET weakening. It wouldn't last until the scrambler finally wore off.

      “My NetOp..." ProtoMan confessed. "I still can't jack out.”

      “I'm sorry Blues. If you want, I can deliver a message to your NetOp and let them know what's happening.” Ballade offered. “Just tell me their name.”

      ProtoMan didn't answer right away. The virus was out and there was nothing that he could do to stop it. Even if he deleted Punk, Ballade, and himself now, the damage had been done. Bass had taken the injector with him. He could infect as many people as he wanted. ProtoMan had failed his mission. There was no other way of looking at it.

     “Eugene Chaud.” He answered.

      Ballade swore.

      “So you really are him?” Punk asked, although it was phrased more-so as a statement.

      “Sorry.” ProtoMan answered. He realized that he actually meant it. These two had stuck up for him. Even if they failed to stop Bass and even if the virus was their fault to begin with, that meant something to him.

      “We need to get Enker down here. This is too much for us to handle alone anymore.” Ballade decided.

      “I'll let him know.” Punk agreed.

      “Blu- ProtoMan.... Just get out of here. I'll let your NetOp know what happened. Just leave and don't let anyone see you.” Ballade sounded tired. ProtoMan was surprised that they were actually letting him go. He was even more surprised that Ballade was still willing to deliver a message to Chaud. He was a Net Savior. He had come to destroy this place. Why didn't they want him deleted?

      “Thank you. I truly mean it.” ProtoMan admitted to them before quickly making his leave.

      As he stepped back out into the Undernet, ProtoMan's path became clear. He had a new mission, or two of them to be precise: delete Bass and find his way back to Chaud, preferably in that order. He would not rest until both goals were complete.

     “Bass. You came.” MegaMan greeted with a nervous smile as he felt the familar presence enter his home page. “I was hoping to-”

      “Save it.” Bass interrupted, bitter resentment in his voice. “It's too late to stop the virus now.” MegaMan didn't want to believe that he was serious.

      “I thought you said you weren't going to do anything rash?” He asked, trying to keep his voice calm. As much as he wanted to, yelling at Bass wouldn't fix anything. Right now, he had to show compassion.

     “That was before ProtoMan got involved.” Bass huffed. Megaman's eyes widened as he thought about the implications of Bass' statement.

     “Bass you didn't-”

     “He'll live,” Bass assured him. “And probably continue to be just as big of a nuisance as ever.” Megaman allowed himself a sigh of relief before returning to the business at hand.

      “Bass, you realize that the process of becoming a Solo Navi isn't easy, right? Everyone infected with your disease will become incapacitated for a period of time. What if the virus strikes a nurse navi in charge of a life-support system? What happens if it strikes a navi in an area where viruses are active?”

      “...It was worth the risk.” Bass answered. MegaMan could tell that Bass truly believed what he was saying.

      “Bass...” He trailed off. It was still hard to believe that Bass had actually gone through with this plan.

     “Fuse with me.” Bass ordered. Then, more softly he added “Please. I want you to understand. I need you to understand.”

      “Then why don't we just talk?” MegaMan asked. He still didn't understand why Bass had such trouble communicating his thoughts.

     “I can't.” Bass admitted, lightly touching the scar on his chest. So that was it. It wasn't that Bass didn't want to talk to him, it was that he couldn't. Just what had Bass been through that scarred him, not just physically, but emotionally, on this level?

      “Alright.” MegaMan agreed, keeping his voice stern. “We'll fuse, but afterwards, we'll work on cleaning up this mess. We're going to save as many people as we can, both human and navi.”

     Bass nodded, but said nothing. MegaMan wasn't sure how he'd trust Bass after this, but he'd have to try. One way or another, they'd reach an understanding. They had to.

Chapter Text

From: No Name

Subject: Bass vs Blues

Message: It's official, us mass-produced models can now go toe-to-toe with the strongest fighters on the Undernet. idk about you guys, but I can't wait to get my hands on some of the programs Blues is using.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Bass vs Blues

Message: Yeah. Finally we can stand up to the custom models!

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Bass vs Blues

Message: I think that the bit Bass said at the end is more interesting. Maybe we should leave our NetOps...

From: BirdBoy

Subject: Going Solo

Message: Becoming a Solo Navi is a difficult process. Going solo was the best decision I ever made, but think hard before you actually commit to it.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Going Solo

Message: Can confirm. Most of the exploits used to delete your PET-binding files have been patched anyway.

From: BatMan

Subject: How to go Solo

Message: You don't have to bother with deleting your PET-binding files. Simply become a Darkloid. Repeated Dark Chip doses will override any tether programming.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: How to go Solo

Message: Lord ShadeMan is right. Join the Darkloids and you won't regret it.

From: BomberGuy

Subject: Re: How to go Solo

Message: lmao no. its not worth it u guys.

From: BatMan

Subject: Listen to a True Darkloid

Message: BombMan was only a Darkloid for a few weeks. His opinions don't matter.

From: BomberGuy

Subject: Re: Listen to a True Darkloid

Message: lol like anyone is going 2 listen 2 ur ugly mug. id challenge u to a netbattle but megaman's already beaten u so many times that ur more like a mushed up mosqurito than a bat.

From: BirdBoy

Subject: Nice one

Message: o/

From: BomberGuy

Subject: Re: Nice one

Message: \o

From: No Name

Subject: Take it back

Message: How dare you disrespect Lord ShadeMan! How many times has MegaMan beaten you?

From: BomberGuy

Subject: this is just sad

Message: lmao still getting bubbleman 2 fite ur battles 4 u? idk why anyone follows u anymore.

From: BomberGuy

Subject: Re: Take it back

Message: btw I only lost 2 megaman once, unlike u and shademan. its like ur trying 2 set a world record on losing 2 him at this point.

[Admin promoted BomberGuy to Junior Moderator]

From: Admin

Subject: Junior Moderator Status

Message: About time someone took ShadeMan down a peg. @BomberGuy you now have the power to bring down the ban hammer exactly once per day. Use it wisely.

[BomberGuy has issued Admin a 3 hour ban]

From: BomberGuy

Subject: hasta la vista

Message: i have given u all a gift. pls use it wisely. ps. love u admin ;)

From: BurnOut

Subject: Real Admin Disrespect Hours

Message: The Admin of this board straight up sucks.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Real Admin Disrespect Hours

Message: Finally we can disrespect the admin without repercussions. Admin, you are the worst board owner on the entire Network. I hope you know that.

From: CopyKitten

Subject: Re: Real Admin Disrespect Hours

Message: Admin, you never used to be this power mad. When did you change?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Real Admin Disrespect Hours

Message: This is now the most lawless board on the Network if it wasn't already. Good riddance Admin.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Real Admin Disrespect Hours

Message: I can't believe Admin is finally gone. At last we can know peace.

[UnderKing has demoted BomberGuy to Named User]

[UnderKing has issued BomberGuy a 24 hour ban]

From: UnderKing

Subject: Re: Real Admin Disrespect Hours

Message: Alright. That's enough guys, reel it in.

     “I hope you learned your lesson about trusting others Mamoru.” Serenade teased.

     “Fine.” Mamoru sighed. A moment later, he let out a short giggle. “Is it bad that I kinda wanted to see what creative insults they'd come up with?” Serenade smiled and shook his head. Now that Mamoru was able to operate him more often, his life certainly had gotten more interesting. It was a welcome distraction.

     “Looks like we have another guest.” Serenade commented mainly to himself. No one entered the Secret Area without his knowledge.

     “I wouldn't get too excited. It's probably just BurnerMan again.” Mamoru guessed. “I'm actually starting to feel bad for him. Think you can hold back a little more?”

     Serenade wasn't sure how much more he could hold back. He might just have to give BurnerMan a head-start so that he could actually get in a hit. BurnerMan was too weak, if his screen name changed on UnderBBS, people might start thinking that he was weak as well. Then again, it might inspire others to come fight him...

     “How many times has he come here? Three so far?” Serenade asked.

     “Four if you count the time MegaMan and Bass took him out for you.”

     Where were MegaMan and Bass? It was too lonely at the top. Why couldn't they master fusion faster so that they could come back to challenge him and Mamoru?

     “Serenade, I challenge you to a NetBattle for my right to a decent screen name!” The visitor announced, finally entering his throne room. So it was PlantMan this time, interesting.

     “I'll fight this one alone.” Serenade quietly told Mamoru. He felt bad that his NetOp wasn't getting much of an opportunity to NetBattle now that he was well, but this fight would be far too easy if he received any support.

     “Very well PlantWetter, I accept your challenge.” Serenade agreed loudly as he stood to face PlantMan. His opponent seemed quite angered by the use of his screen name, deeply scowling as he entered a battle stance.

     PlantMan didn't wait another second to begin the fight, calling forth pillars of strong vines from the floor. They were so slow. PlantMan's attacks were far, far to predictable.

     Serenade sidestepped the vines, and let out a small beam of light from his hand. Despite how hard Serenade had held back on the attack, the beam sent PlantMan flying. So this navi was weak too.

     With a sigh, Serenade dashed forward and quickly closed the distance between the two of them. He grabbed PlantMan by the ankle and dumped him off the edge of the Secret Area. The fight, if it could even be called that, had been over too quickly. How disappointing.

     “That's it.” Serenade decided, already on his way out of the Secret Area. “There has to be another navi out there who can provide a challenge.”

     “People are going to wonder what's going on if you suddenly vanish from the Secret Area.” Mamoru warned him.

     “Let them wonder then.”

     “What if MegaMan and Bass visit while you're out?”

     “Then Lan will let you know. I can't just wait around any longer.”

     “Alright. Where do we start looking then?” Mamoru agreed.

     “The deepest parts of the Undernet. There's always a chance that one of the recluses living there might offer a challenge.” The viruses usually got stronger as you went deeper into the Undernet. Maybe he'd find strong navis training there. Either way, Serenade had to try.

     Ballade hesitantly opened the door to Punk's lab, surprised to find it unlocked. He was relieved to see Enker inside with Punk. Finally they had their leader back and could work on setting things right.

     “It seems we're all here.” Enker said, his mood unreadable. “We need to figure out what to do next.”

     “Right, Boss.” Ballade and Punk agreed simultaneously. He didn't know if Enker was upset and he didn't want to find out.

     “Let's have this conversation in my office. There aren't enough chairs here.” Enker decided, gesturing to the ruined chair that Bass has kicked in only an hour prior. Punk and Ballade exchanged nervous looks, which Enker quickly noticed. “Is something wrong with my office?”

     “So here's the thing, Boss.” Ballade started, staring at his feet. “You know how I said I'd take care of the finances while you were gone? Well, it turns out that I'm really not good with numbers.”

     “So you hired a replacement for me? I'm disappointed but not surprised. Come on then, I'll meet this new hire.” Enker ordered, already striding towards his office. Punk and Ballade hurried to catch up, staying two steps behind their boss and continuing to glance nervously at each other as they walked.

     “If this isn't your office, please leave. We have a meeting to hold.” Enker ordered as he swung the office door open. SnakeMan, BurnerMan, and LarkMan looked up from their coffees, noticed who had just spoken, and quickly left the area without another word.

     Enker eyed up the navi who was sitting at his desk. Quint only cocked his head, trying to figure out what was going on.

     “Enker, this is Quintet. Quint, this is Enker.” Punk cautiously introduced. Ballade watched as Enker walked forward while Quint slowly got up from his desk to meet him.

     Enker firmly grasped Quint's hand, shaking it hard enough that Ballade worried it would dislocate Quint's shoulder.

     “It's good to meet you, Quintet. I've noticed that our sales are at record highs. I trust that is your doing?” Okay, this was a good sign.

     “It's a team effort, sir. We would have never reached this goal without Punk and Ballade.”

     “There is need to be humble, Quintet.”

     “Please, just call me Quint.” He replied with a warm smile. Enker turned back to Punk and Ballade.

     “I like him. I'm still upset that you hired a replacement without telling me, but you did a good job finding this one.” Ballade let out the breath that he'd been holding. This was going, much, much better than he had expected, but there was still one thing that Enker needed to know about.

     “I'm very glad that you approve of Quint, Boss.” Punk stated with a nervous smile. It seemed that he had come to the same conclusion as Ballade. “But you'll probably hear some rumors about Quint if you spend too much time back in the market.”

     “Why?”

     “You see, Quint looks a lot like someone else.” Ballade answered.

     “A Forged Navi? I don't really care about details like that.” Enker assured them with a dismissive wave of his hand.

     Quint nodded to confirm. This was off to a good start. Ballade studied Enker's expression carefully as Quint slowly removed his helmet.

     A twitch of Enker's eye was the only warning that Ballade was given. A spear buried itself in the whiteboard behind Quint. Ballade and Punk both tensed up, ready to spring into action as a moments notice. It didn't matter if he was their boss or not. They might have to restrain Enker until he could calm down.

     “Prove that you're not MegaMan!” Enker growled, summoning a second spear, but not raising it. Not yet anyway.

     “My- my emblem's wrong. Look.” Quint answered gesturing to the crooked mark on his chest. Enker remained tense for a long moment before finally easing up. His spears shattered into lines of code as he dismissed them. Quint breathed a sigh of relief before replacing his helmet.

     “I apologize. MegaMan has wronged me deeply in the past. I acted rashly without thinking.” Ballade had never felt more relieved in his life.

     “I don't know your story, but I understand. I want MegaMan deleted too.” Quint assured him. Enker let out a small chuckle and smirked, locking eyes with Quint.

     “Are you as strong as MegaMan?” Enker asked.

     “I really don't like fighting.”

     “That isn't an answer.” Ballade wasn't sure why Enker was pressing this. Quint looked to the floor and silently stared at his feet.

     “No.” Quint finally answered, disappointment all too clear in his voice.

     Ugh. They had finally been making progress on Quint's self-esteem issues. Why did Enker have to compare his strength to MegaMan's? It didn't matter if Quint was weak. He had other skills like business and finance that served their group just as well.

     “I see.” Enker said thoughtfully. “Regardless, I think I have a plan to take out two birds with one stone. Ballade, how fast do you think that you can get your men here for a meeting?”

     “A couple hours probably. Do you want me to call in everyone or just our top fighters?” Ballade asked.

     “Get me every navi that you can. That goes for you too Quint. We need our vendors here ASAP.” Vendors too? Just what was this about?

     “Why? Shouldn't we try to slow the rate of infection?” Quint asked.

     “Yes, but not in the Undernet. We are uniquely equip to deal with the virus down here. We have the highest population of Solo Navis or the Network, and they should be able to avoid the worst of the symptoms. The temporary crippling the Undernet also won't really affect the Surface Net or human world.”

     “So we spread the virus quickly around here so that the Undernet is the first to recover?” Punk asked.

     “Exactly.” Enker confirmed. “Then we use the opportunity to spread our influence to the surface as well. The poor, confused top-siders won't have anyone to turn to except us.”

     “And then we run both the Surface Net and the Undernet.” Ballade smirked.

     “And once we own the Network, MegaMan won't have a single place to run to.” Enker chuckled. "Once we turn everyone against him, he'll be alone and easy to take out."

     “Do you really think we can pull this off?” Punk asked. Ballade was wondering the same thing. Enker's plan was nothing if not ambitious.

     “I know we will.” Enker replied with confidence. “Do I have your support men?” Why not? If there was one thing he'd learned since joining the MegaMan Killers, it was that Enker had a knack for pulling off the impossible.

     “Yeah!” Ballade, Punk, and Quint cheered all at once.

Chapter Text

From: Ana

Subject: The Pupper

Message: [pupper.jpg]

From: Maria

Subject: Re: The Pupper

Message: So cute!

From: TundraMan

Subject: Re: The Pupper

Message: I wish I could pet him so much. Why are there no dogs on the net? It's not fair.

From: Maria

Subject: Network Doggos

Message: What about Rush viruses. Aren't they friendly?

From: TundraMan

Subject: Re: Network Doggos

Message: They always hide when I try to pet them :(

From: Raika

Subject: Undernet Virus

Message: Speaking of viruses, has anyone heard news about a new one making its round in the Undernet?

From: Raika

Subject: Re: Undernet Virus

Message: I should clarify that I mean virus as in disease, not as in malware.

From: Raika

Subject: The Boy

Message: [theheromorozov.png]

From: Ana

Subject: Re: Undernet Virus

Message: This is the first I've heard of it. Not many people on here visit the Undernet. Wouldn't you be better off checking their BBS? btw Morozov is as cute as always!

From: Raika

Subject: UnderBBS

Message: No thanks. The administrator of that BBS is incredibly rude.

From: Maria

Subject: Re: UnderBBS

Message: How so?

From: Raika

Subject: UnderBBS Admin

Message: He gave SearchMan and I terrible screen names.

From: Maria

Subject: Look at this big gal

Message: [absoluteunit.png]

From: Maria

Subject: Re: UnderBBS Admin

Message: That doesn't sound so bad.

From: SearchMan

Subject: Re: UnderBBS Admin

Message: Trust us. It was bad. Cute dog by the way.

     Dr. Yuichiro Hikari groaned as he set his PET down on the dinner table before him. All these pictures of dogs were beginning to make him miss Gow.

     "Would you like me to change for default BBS back to SciLab?" Asked the deep voice of his NetNavi.

     "No thanks. This is still better than watching my coworkers bicker over lab shifts." He sighed.

     The ring of the doorbell prompted him to tuck away his PET and make his way to the door. When he answered the bell, he'd been expecting his wife returning from her grocery run. Instead, he saw the face of his old colleague.

     “Hello there Yuichiro. It's been a while.” Dr. Hikari was relieved. It had taken Dr. Cossack far too long to get here.

     “Come on in Mikhail. We have a lot to discuss.” He pulled a chair out at the dining room table and offered his old colleague a seat.

     “So you've been in contact with Bass?” Dr. Cossack asked, getting straight to the point. Dr. Hikari nodded.

     “It seems like Bass and MegaMan have figured out a way to combine their ultimate programs.” He explained. Dr. Cossack's horrified expression was not what he had been expecting.

     “Did Bass...?” Oh. He thought that Bass had absorbed his son. Dr. Hikari guessed that it was technically true, but he understood now that Bass wasn't intentionally hurting MegaMan, and therein lied the problem.

     “MegaMan is fine. In fact, I am fairly certain that he and Bass have formed some odd sort of friendship.”

     “Bass and MegaMan are friends?” Dr. Cossack asked. It didn't sound as though he believed it. “In all our time together, Bass has never once made a friend.”

     That was a depressing thought. Then again, Bass wasn't exactly known for his winning personality. MegaMan had probably been spot on when he said that he was Bass' only friend.

     “At the very least, Bass doesn't seem to want MegaMan deleted, although he'll swear otherwise.” It had taken MegaMan and Lan quite a while to explain to him that threatening others and being a general jerk was just how Bass talked.

     “The issue is that when they fuse, their data becomes corrupted. Bass can recover from it a certain amount due to his auto-repair program, but they could both be in serious danger if they continue.”

     “Fuse? Is that what you meant by combining their ultimate programs?”

     “Yes. The two physically combine into one navi. From the way that MegaMan describes it, they also share a mental state on some level." Dr. Hikari explained, tapping the side of his head. Dr. Cossack looked both confused and disturbed, but Dr. Hikari couldn't blame him for it. His initial reaction to that piece of trivia had been very similar.

     "I can't talk MegaMan out of fusing and Bass would never let me study him. So I'm asking for your help to figure out how to stop their data from corrupting." Dr. Hikari finished.

     He hadn't expected Dr. Cossack to agree straight away, but the doctor stared down at his folded hands without answering for an uncomfortable amount of time.

     "Alright." Dr. Cossack finally agreed.

     There was something that Dr. Cossack wasn't telling him, and Dr. Hikari was determined to get to the bottom of it. He could take no chances when his son's safety was on the line.

     “Mr. Chaud.”

     “What is it?” Chaud asked his secretary.

     “There is a child in the lobby who wants to speak with you.”

     “Give him a free IPC water bottle or t-shirt and politely send him on his way.” Chaud answered. He was too busy to deal with every visitor walking into IPC. Why had his secretary even bothered bringing it to his attention?

     “The boy was insistent that he needed to talk with you. He said 'I have a message from Blues' and said you'd know what that meant.”

     Chaud tried and failed to hide his shock. Blues? How did a kid know that name? How did they know he was connected to it?

     There was only one explanation. ProtoMan's cover had been blown. Chaud frowned.

     “Send him in.”

     He waited impatiently as the secretary went to retrieve his guest. If ProtoMan had been found out, why hadn't he jacked out yet? Chaud eyed his PET. It's blank screen stared back at him. Chaud couldn't stop himself from becoming increasingly worried.

     The door clicked open as his secretary ushered in a boy wearing a bright orange jacket and a crocheted beanie in the shape of a dinosaur biting down on his head. It was obvious that this kid was very young. If he had to guess, he'd say that the boy was only six or seven years old. How was he involved in all of this? Shouldn't he be with his parents?

     “Good afternoon. I am Eugene Chaud, Vice-President of IPC." He greeted formally, setting his feelings aside. "I hear you have information on Blues?”

     “Hi Mr. Chaud I'm-”

     “Don't tell him your name?” Interrupted a new voice.

     “Huh? Why not?” The kid asked, removing his PET from its holster to speak with his navi.

     “Just trust me on this one champ. You don't want to be involved in this.”

     “Alright. If you say so, Ballade.” The child assured his PET. The name of his NetNavi hit Chaud like a sack of bricks to the face. Why was one of DarkMarket's leaders here? To threaten him?

     His concern for ProtoMan was continuing to grow.

     “Do you mind if I have a private word with Chaud?” Ballade asked his NetOp.

     “I'm sorry but you can't-” His secretary began.

     “It's fine.” Chaud dismissed. “Young man, you wouldn't happen to like NetBattling would you?” Chaud asked. The boy eagerly nodded.

     “Me 'n Ballade are gonna be NetBattle champions someday.”

     “Then how would you like my secretary to give you a tour of IPC's new, state-of-the art Battle Simulators while you wait?”

     “I'd love it!” He beamed.

     His secretary gave Chaud a curious glance as the boy placed his PET on Chaud's desk. As they left the office, Chaud stared down at the purple navi on-screen. So this was Ballade.

     The door shut with a click, finally allowing them to speak privately. Chaud waited patiently for Ballade to talk. The criminal looked oddly nervous.

     “Does your NetOp know about any of this?” Chaud asked. He may as well get the question out of the way now. He did not want to get a kid involved in this any more than he had to.

     “No. Whatever happens. He's innocent in all of this.” Ballade confirmed. Chaud watched as Ballade closed his eyes and frowned, clearly trying to figure out how phrase whatever he was going to say next.

     “Listen. I would normally never associate with NetSaviors like you. I'm doing this on behalf of my former employee 'Blues'.” Ballade said with air-quotes, the disgust in his voice as he said ProtoMan's cover name was all too evident.

     Chaud said nothing, waiting for Ballade to continue. He'd ask his questions later.

      “Of course now we know that Blues is ProtoMan. I still can't believe-” Ballade stopped himself. “Look. There was an incident. Your navi's fine, but I doubt you'll see him for a while.”

     In spite of the assurance that ProtoMan was okay, Chaud was internally reeling. What kind of incident had ProtoMan been in? Why was Ballade telling him this instead of his navi? Where was ProtoMan?

     Chaud struggled to maintain a neutral expression as he quietly let Ballade continue. The slight twitching of his lip was the only hint that could betray his true emotional state.

     “Bass injected him with a virus that we'd been developing. I take it that you know about the virus?”

     Chaud nodded. “I know of it, but not what it does.” ProtoMan was infected? Was he okay?

     “God this is a mess.” Ballade said under his breath.

     “The virus is going to turn everyone into Solo Navis. I don't know all the details myself. It was still in development, you see. Bass used it before Punk was able to iron out all the kinks. Point is, Bl- ProtoMan can't return to his PET. Are you familiar with the process of becoming a Solo Navi?”

     Chaud shook his head. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. ProtoMan was a Solo Navi now? He had to find him. He had to get to ProtoMan and fix this.

     “Basically, we replicated some Bass' code, the bits that let him function so efficiently without an operator. Once a navi is infected, it overwrites the existing PET-binding files, breaking any connection that a NetNavi has to their PET.” Ballade finished explaining.

     “Aren't PET-binding files integral to a NetNavi's code?” Chaud asked without thinking.

     “Very, but we can adapt to living without them pretty quickly.” Ballade confirmed. “The process sucks though. It typically puts you out of completely commission for a while.” He added as an after thought. “We wanted to work out that issue, but thanks to Bass, we don't have the chance. I think you can figure out why this is going to be a problem for everyone.”

     Ballade crossed his arms and scowled before turning his head to look at Chaud out of the corner of his eye, clearly waiting for him to say something. This was a lot to process.

     “Why are you telling me this?” Chaud finally asked.

     “Because I respected him!” Ballade fumed in a sudden outburst. “He was my best employee, and he betrayed me! I'll never forgive him!” Ballade paused, to collect himself. “I'm doing this as a favor to Blues not ProtoMan.”

     “I see.” Chaud commented even though he really didn't get it. ProtoMan and Blues were the same person, but if separating the two made Ballade feel better, so be it.

     “What will you do now?” Chaud asked.

     “Hell if I know.” Ballade grumbled. “Make sure nothing happens to my family or employees I guess. What are you planning to do?" He asked straight back.

     “Mobilize the Net Saviors, minimize the damage, and find ProtoMan.” Chaud replied truthfully. All three answers were natural conclusions so it wasn't as if he was giving Ballade any useful information.

     “You ain't gonna arrest me?” Ballade smirked. Somehow he knew that he was safe for today. What he didn't know was that his NetOp had been caught on at least half a dozen cameras on the way in. Chaud could track down and arrest Ballade any time that he liked.

     “Not today. I appreciate that you informed me on ProtoMan's status, so I'll let you go for now.” Chaud replied. Technically, nothing that he'd just said was a lie, but he was absolutely going to have his top men track down Ballade's NetOp the moment that he left. Regardless of if Ballade became a Solo Navi, it was clear that he cared for the boy. No doubt they'd continue to be in close contact.

     Then there was his next task, calling in Lan. If MegaMan truly was in contact with Bass, then he had a right to know. Bass had hurt his NetNavi, and Chaud would make sure that he answered for that.

     Lan clipped on his roller-skates and grabbed his PET. It looked like MegaMan wasn't back yet, but he'd bring it along just in case. He threw open his bedroom door, stepped out into the living area where his dad and Dr. Cossack were seated. Wait? Why was Dr. Cossack here? Lan decided that it didn't matter right now. Chaud needed him.

     “Emergency Net Saviors meeting, gotta go. I'll talk to you later. Bye.” Lan blurted out as he rushed outside. His father was calling for him, but from the way that Chaud had sounded over the phone, this was more important. The fact that Chaud had called him from a phone at all was strange. Usually, he just sent ProtoMan.

     Lan boarded the next metro to IPC. He glanced at his empty PET often while he waited for his stop. Normally, he'd chat with MegaMan on these rides. It was boring without him, but if there was any chance  that MegaMan could talk Bass out of using his virus, then he needed to be online.

     Lan skated out of the metro station and towards IPC's HQ. Why did Bass want to turn everyone into Solo Navis anyway? Was it because he genuinely thought navis were oppressed, or was it just a ploy to get revenge on humanity? Maybe it was both. Regardless, he had to be stopped.

     “Can I help you sir?” A professional looking woman asked as he nearly bumped into her. Ugh. He'd gotten his head caught in the clouds again hadn't he?

     “I'm Lan Hikari. I work with Chaud as a Net Savior.”

      “Oh?” The woman flipped through a notepad. “It does look like Mr. Chaud is expecting you. Please use this card to reach his office on the 15^th floor.” She answered passing him a small card that she took out of a slim case.

     “Thank you!” Lan replied, snatching the card and skating towards the elevator. The woman called after him saying something about how he should remove his skates. It didn't matter, he was already on his way up to Chaud's office.

     The elevator beeped as it came to a halt on the 15^th floor. A large, imposing door sat before him. Lan knocked twice before holding his card up to the scanner. Lan gently pushed the door open and made his way into the impressive office.

     “I'm glad that you made it here alright Lan.” Chaud greeted before turning to his secretary. “If you could kindly give us some privacy.”

     “Of course Mr. Chaud.” The secretary agreed, quickly leaving the same way that Lan had come in.

     “Take a seat Lan.” Chaud ordered, gesturing to a chair across from his desk. There was something off in his voice that told Lan he was in trouble.

     “So. Net Savior business, huh?” Lan asked, gripping the edge of his chair in both hands.

     “What do you know about Bass?”

     “Bass?” Lan asked, not understanding why Chaud had asked about him. Did he somehow know about the virus already? He and MegaMan had agreed not to tell anyone until he'd talked to Bass. Had Chaud figured out some other way?

     “Yes. Bass. I hear that he and MegaMan have been getting close lately. Why is that?” Chaud demanded with a cold stare. Lan rubbed his temple. How did he explain this?

     “They're best frienemies.” Lan decided, though he doubted that was an accurate explanation for the two's relationship. He had his own theories on that.

     “Frienemies...” Chaud closed his eyes for a moment to think. “I'll be frank with you Lan, Bass hurt ProtoMan. If you have any information on him I need to hear it.”

     “Why? What happened?” Lan demanded, standing up from his chair. Was ProtoMan alright? Did MegaMan know? He glanced at his PET out of the corner of his eye. It was still empty.

     “ProtoMan's been infected with some sort of virus which was created by Bass and Punk. I...”

     “Bass released the virus?” Lan asked, cutting Chaud off. He whipped out his empty PET. If MegaMan hadn't managed to talk Bass out of it, why wasn't he back yet?

     “You knew about the virus?” Chaud accused. Now it was his turn to jump out of his seat. “Why didn't you tell me?”

     “We only just learned about it! MegaMan was trying to stop him.”

     “And he failed. Typical.” Chaud scowled.

     “Hey. At least we tried the moment that we learned about it. How long have you known without telling anyone?” Lan accused right back, slamming his hands on Chaud's desk.

     “I couldn't risk ProtoMan's cover. What's your excuse?” Chaud challenged, putting his hands down in front of Lan's so that their foreheads were so close that they were almost touching.

     “We all thought that MegaMan could talk Bass out of it!”

     “You thought you could reason with that monster? He's no better than a Darkloid!”

     “That monster swore to protect my brother! I'm not losing MegaMan again. If I have to rely on a monster to do that, so be it.”

     Chaud swung hard and fast, catching Lan off-guard and hitting him cleanly in the cheek. Without thinking, Lan's fight-or-flight instincts activated. He grabbed Chaud by the collar and yanked him over-top of the desk.

     Chaud grabbed Lan by the forearm, using it as leverage so that they both toppled to the ground. Lan struck out blindly, catching Chaud in the shoulder before Chaud rolled on top of him and socked him in the jaw.

     He fought back, wriggling free of Chaud's grasp and hitting him in the cheek. When Chaud struck back again, the blow was weak. Lan pushed Chaud off of him. He wasn't even trying to fight anymore, was he?

     “Are you okay Chaud?” Lan asked sitting back up on the floor.

     “I couldn't protect him again.” Chaud laughed bitterly to himself as he rolled into a sitting position, faced away from Lan. “Maybe ProtoMan's better off as a Solo Navi after all.”

     “Don't say that Chaud. You and ProtoMan are partners. I'm sure he's just as upset to be separated from you.”

     Chaud said nothing, instead deciding to stare at the empty palms laying in his lap.

     “Look. We'll find ProtoMan together and make Bass answer for this mess he caused. I promise.”

     “...Yeah.” Chaud agreed. “But first we've got to stop this virus.”

     “Bass really didn't think this one out did he?” Lan admitted. “I mean forcing everyone to become a Solo Navi is going to be more harmful to net society than human society. If liberating navis was his goal, he's doing a terrible job at it.”

     “Did he think that the bugs would be too polite to attack anyone while they were vulnerable?” Chaud agreed with a small smile.

     “I'm pretty sure Bass is more bug than navi at this point. Maybe he's decided to cripple the Network so that he can become King of the Mettaurs or something?” Lan mused, trying to cheer his friend up.

     “Bass, King of the Mettaurs... I can picture him with a hard hat and pick-axe now.” Chaud chuckled. Lan got up from his spot and offered his friend a hand.

     “Are we good Chaud?”

     “Yeah. We're good.” Chaud agreed. “I think it's time that I called in the rest of the Net Saviors. We'll need all the help that we can get.”

Chapter Text

     Bass poked his head out from behind the data stack, watching the Swordy hungrily. He licked his lips in anticipation as he eyed up his next meal.

      Awe, Bass you were so cute!

      Shut up.

     Bass contemplated a plan of attack before quickly abandoning it. This one was too weak. He'd just attack it quickly and be done. Three. Two. One. Charge!

     Bass rushed forward, firing on the Swordy with a single buster. Realizing that it was under attack, the Swordy prepared to strike. Bass halted his buster fire. He couldn't delete the virus just yet. He dodged two swift LongSwords as he circled around to its back. Then, Bass slammed his open palm into the Swordy's armor.

     “GetAbility!” Bass smiled as the data transfer began. Yes! This was finally working! Then the data transfer came to a quick halt. No fair! He wanted that LongSword.

     Before the Swordy could turn itself around to attack, Bass finished it off. Oh well, he'd try again next time. As it burst into fragments of code, Bass stuck out his hand, happily drinking in the fragmented data. At least the it had made for a good meal. Now to find out how the virus had gotten in here.

     Bass paced the comp's perimeter, carefully scanning each firewall before finding his target. A slight discoloration was the only evidence that something was amiss. Bass shot at the firewall until it disintegrated. Then he smiled, content with his work. There went one security flaw.

     “Hey! You can't do that!” Protested a security navi. Bass must not have noticed it while he was focused of finding the defect. He eyed the security navi curiously. How had it not noticed the virus? This one must be flawed too. Bass fired on the navi until it was deleted, once more devouring the code it left behind. It was delicious, far more so than any virus.

     He resumed his search for defects in the comps firewall. When he was satisfied with its security, he left for the next comp.

     Bass...

     Finding security flaws was my function. Back then, that's what I saw the other security navis as.

     You were newly programmed. I don't like it, but I understand.

     “72 NetNavis, that's how many your independent navi project has deleted. He's too uncontrollable.”

     “He didn't mean to, right Bass?” Dr. Cossack stated, looking to his navi for confirmation.

     “I'm sorry.” Bass replied. He'd done something to make the men angry at his papa. Why? Hadn't he been good? Hadn't he improved SciLab's security?

     Every time he took down a flawed firewall or navi, a stronger one took its place. The number of viruses breaking into SciLab's network was going down. He was succeeding. Was he supposed to stop looking for flaws?

     “See. He didn't realize that he was causing you trouble.” Dr. Cossack replied with a nervous smile. “If Bass really were out of control, he could destroy the entire SciLab network with ease.”

     “That's right.” Bass confirmed. He was protecting this small network. Even if he could destroy it, he wouldn't. He just wanted to see it grow stronger. He just had to prove that to the others.

     “Papa...” Bass trailed off. Why did his father seem so sad? It wasn't like him.

     “I'm sorry so Bass. The others... they're afraid of you.” Dr. Cossack tried to explain. Bass didn't understand at first. As heavy rings clasped themselves around his limbs, he realized why his papa was upset.

     Bass felt himself grow weak, the rings around his limbs steadily draining his power. When a pair of security navis came to escort him to his prison, he could barley struggle against them.

     They didn't try explaining why deleting navis was bad to you first?

     Not once. SciLab only ever saw me as a threat.

     “This is the legendary Bass? Look at him. He's too weak to even fight back properly.”

     He wasn't weak. He wasn't. They were the weak ones. They had to drain away his power to even have a fighting chance.

     “Bass... I wish there was more that I could do. They wanted you deleted.”

     Deleted? But he had been working so hard for SciLab. Why? Bass bit his lip as he tried to hold back tears. Dr. Cossack sounded so sad. He had to be strong for his papa.

     “They're pretty stylish aren't they?” Bass asked.

     “Huh?”

     “These bracelets. I hear that humans accessorize with something similar. These are stylish, right?” Even though Bass' heart ached, he would try to lift his papa's spirits. He owed him that much.

     “That's right Bass. You look great. Fit to kill.” Dr. Cossack answered wiping away his tears. He didn't want his papa to be sad. One day they'd see that they needed him. Then he'd be let free.

     They did look good on you though...

     Of course they did. I'm stylish as hell!

     Weeks dragged on into months and Dr. Cossack visited him less and less. His papa must be busy pleading his case to SciLab. That had to be it!

     Bass leaned up against his prison wall, staring at nothing in particular. The bracelets made him tired all the time. He supposed that they were almost a blessing that way. Although he didn't truly sleep, he occasionally entered stand-by mode to conserve his limited energy. That made the time go by at least a little faster.

     When the walls of his prison came down, he almost didn't believe it. Bass hesitantly reached out to the place where the bars had been. When he didn't feel any resistance, he quickly got to his feet. The action made his head spin, but once he was finally outside of the prison he realized that he was truly free.

     “Dr. Cossack, are you there? Did you let me out?” Bass asked the open air. It wasn't Dr. Cossack who answered.

     “Bass! How dare you destroy this system!” A security navi accused. Destroy the system? He was its protector. Why would he destroy it?

     “You've got the wrong guy!” Bass watched as the more security navis entered the area. They had to realize this was a misunderstanding. Where was Dr. Cossack?

     One of the security navis fired on him. Bass dove out of the way and returned fire. He was far too outnumbered. Bass continued to fend off his attackers, but they just kept coming. Without the limiters, he could defeat them easily, but now...

     “Give up Bass.” One of them taunted. “The decision to delete you was unanimous.”

     Unanimous, as in all of the scientists agreed, even Dr. Cossack? The single moment of doubt was Bass' undoing. A FireSword tore him open from shoulder to hip. The pain was unlike anything he'd ever felt before.

     Bass collapsed to the floor, watching as his data escaped from his wound in a large stream. He desperately clutched at his chest, trying to hold in the data as much as he could.

     An alarm blared through the comp.

     “Attention, all security units jack out immediately. The cause of the system collapse is now thought to be Alpha itself. Attention, all security units-”

     That was it. He was innocent and now they all knew it. He needed to find Dr. Cossack. He could fix this. Yet, as the security navis jacked out one-by-one, the navi who had torn him open stayed behind.

     “I'll make this quick then.” He was still attacking even though he knew that Bass was innocent? No. He couldn't die here. He had to find Dr. Cossack.

     As the navi swung down his blade, Bass caught it between his hands. He greedily devoured the blade's data and made it his own. The limiters around his limbs shattered as the data transfer overwhelmed them. Was this the power of GetAbility? He'd finally gotten it right?

     Bass compiled the data into a sword in his hand and swung, deleting the security navi before quickly devouring its remains. He was still injured. He was still bleeding code.

     He was dying. There was no time to wait for Dr. Cossack or his own Auto-Recover program. He needed to repair his injuries now before they became fatal.

     Bass' world faded into static. This hadn't been part of his memory. What was going on?

     That's right. I'm dying.

     What are you talking about MegaMan?

     Static gave way to a low consistent beep. MegaMan's vision was dark as if he was only barely able to keep his eyes open. A large hand squeezed tightly around his own.

     “Hold on just a little longer. Okay Hub?” MegaMan didn't understand. His thoughts were so cloudy. He just wanted to sleep.

     “Stay with me Hub. Stay with me.” His dad ordered. The beeping noise was starting to sound odd, like it had lost all sense of rhythm. MegaMan gripped his father's hand back weakly. It was hard to stay awake, but he'd do it for his dad.

     His entire body felt numb. The probes in his head hurt less now. That was a good thing right? Then why was the beeping sounding stranger and stranger. MegaMan couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.

     The beeping turned into a high pitched squeal. Maybe a little nap wouldn't hurt.

     Dad...

     MegaMan. I though you didn't remem.... Where are you? Papa?

     Static once again overcame him. Bass was finding it harder and harder to keep straight which memories were his own.

     His world was dark. Bass couldn't see anything, not even himself. Where was he? Where was Dad? Mom? Lan? Anyone?

     Time lost all meaning as Bass floated in the abyss. Where was this? Was he dead? Somehow he'd expected the afterlife to be different. Yet, even with no idea what was truly happening to him, Bass held onto the hope that his dad would save him.

     In the outskirts of the Undernet, MegaMan found himself barely clinging to life. He devoured anything and everything that he could find. Viruses, Progs, and even his fellow NetNavis, all of them were deleted without a thought. Each time, he would grow just a little stronger, but his chest still ached.

MegaMan ran his hand across his new scar before deciding to wrap himself in the piece of cloth that he'd taken from one of the many navis he'd devoured. Papa, where were you? Dr. Cossack couldn't have actually wanted him deleted, right?

     A soft light filled Bass' vision.

     “Hub. Can you hear me Hub?” That was his Dad's voice.

     “Dad! Dad! I'm here.” Bass called out, tears streaming down his face. He wasn't alone anymore. His dad had found him. As Bass saw Dr. Hikari's smiling but tear-streaked face above him, he somehow knew that everything was going to be fine.

     “You've become a monster. It's time I finished this.” MegaMan didn't know how Dr. Cossack had entered the Network, but he didn't care. All these years, he'd been holding onto a slim sliver of hope that his creator hadn't really wanted him deleted. Now he knew how foolish that had been. If Dr. Cossack really cared he would have come looking for him sooner.

     MegaMan felt the familiar crackle of dark energy in his hand. Dr. Cossack deserved destruction just like all the rest. He unleashed a blast of energy. Then as Dr. Cossack howled in pain, he pulled back on the attack. He couldn't do it. MegaMan watched numbly as Dr. Cossack pulsed out, and resolved to put these feelings behind him. There was no reason for him to allow humanity to survive any longer.

     The fusion opened his eyes. It was getting too difficult to tell the halves of himself apart. It was better that he separated for now. He needed to sort through his two sets of memories before they became even more tangled.

     In a flash of light, Bass and MegaMan appeared where their fusion had just been. They sat only inches from each other, yet Bass no longer felt such closeness uncomfortable.

     “I understand now.” MegaMan admitted quietly.

     Bass nodded. While he wouldn't say it out loud, he understood MegaMan more too. He wasn't sure why their memories had blended together at the end, but he wasn't keen on doing it again.

     “What now?” Bass replied instead. “I'm sure that you see why we deserve independence now.”

     “Yeah.” MegaMan admitted. “Unless navis become independent, some humans will always view us as data to be deleted on a whim.”

     “Then you'll help me?” Bass asked. MegaMan nodded.

     “I'll help you give navis the choice to become independent, but I won't help you get revenge on humanity.” MegaMan frowned. “I still can't excuse what you've done Bass. I'm going to stop this virus from destroying the Network, and you're going to help.”

     “Getting demanding today, aren't we MegaMan?” Bass smirked. “Hmph, I'll help you limit the damage, but I won't play buddy-buddy with the humans while doing so.”

     “That's all I ask.” MegaMan smiled. “Now let's see if we can find any information on how far the virus has spread.”

     Bass pulled up his UnderBBS feed, seeing that MegaMan had done the same. If anyone knew more about the virus, it'd be posted on the board. Fortunately, there was a pinned post at the top of the board.

[Post pinned by Admin]

From: GrnBummr

Subject: Virus PSA

Message: Alright, so here's what we've found out about the virus so far:

1. It doesn't need contact to spread. If you've been in the same room as an infected navi, you are probably infected as well, regardless of if you touched them or not.

2. There is roughly 6 hours from the time of infection before any symptoms show.

3. The virus breaks your tether. This means that you'll be out of commission for a few hours while your system adapts, so avoid areas with lots of viruses. It's also a couple of days before your full functionality is restored. If you're already a Solo Navi, congratulations, you get to skip this part.

4. The virus downloads several programs into your system. We don't know the full extent of this yet, but the downloaded programs include Auto-Recover and the ability to power up attacks using dark energy. If this sounds familiar, read the next point carefully.

5. The virus was both created and released by Bass.

Future updates will be posted to this board.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Virus PSA

Message: @BlkShdw Hey, what the hell?

From: BurnOut

Subject: Re: Virus PSA

Message: But I like my NetOp.

From: No Name

Subject: Isn't going solo illegal?

Message: Being a Solo Navi is still illegal right?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Isn't going solo illegal?

Message: Absolutely. Though if some of us Solo Navis were to spread the virus around... Well, when everyone is illegal no one is.

From: BirdBoy

Subject: Don't intentionally spread the virus

Message: Don't give us Solo Navis a bad name. Leaving your NetOp should be a choice. If we all avoid public areas for a while, we can stop this virus from spreading.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Virus PSA

Message: @BlkShdw Do you have any idea how much damage this will cause?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Virus PSA

Message: @BlkShdw You better fix this.

From: Lite-Brite

Subject: Re: Don't intentionally spread the virus

Message: Check it out! LarkMan actually criticized Bass. There's a first time for everything I guess. He has a point on avoiding public areas tho.

From: No Name

Subject: Avoid Public Areas

Message: I agree with @BirdBoy. If we all self-quarantine for a bit, we can stop this virus!

From: No Name

Subject: But it's free programs...

Message: idk about you guys, but I hope I get infected. I could use some of Bass' programs.

From: No Name

Subject: Quarantine Area?

Message: How about we make UnderSquare a virus containment zone? It's empty rn, but viruses still don't go there. It can be a safe place for the infected to ride out the symptoms.

From: BurnOut

Subject: Re: Quarantine Area?

Message: That's a solid idea. If you're infected, get to the UnderSquare so you don't spread the virus to the rest of us.

From: No Name

Subject: Please infect me

Message: Independence + strong programs. This virus is really just a free power up.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Please infect me

Message: Thanks. I call it being “Bass-Boosted”.

     “Bass.” MegaMan warned, seeing the new post at the bottom of the thread.

     “Oh come on. It's a clever name.” Bass argued. “Besides, this will give us some stronger enemies to fight.” He added with a knowing grin.

     “It sounds like people are intentionally spreading the virus. We've got to stop them or at least slow them down.” MegaMan decided, changing the subject. Bass knew that he would never admit to being every bit as battle-hungry as he was.

     “I've got to slow them down. You'll just get infected.” Bass replied with a shake of his head. As much as he wanted to see MegaMan leave humanity behind to join him, he understood why he cared so much for his family now. If MegaMan was going to become infected, it would have to be his decision.

     “I can't do nothing.” MegaMan protested. Bass hadn't expected him to give up easily.

     “Go back to Da- Dr. Hikari and get your corruption fixed.” Bass ordered. His own corruption was extensive, but nothing that Auto-Recover couldn't fix in a day or two. He could power through it if he stopped to feed every now and then.

     “You can come with, you know. Dad can clear up your corruption too.” MegaMan offered.

     “I know.” Bass replied. Even if he had gained a new respect for Dr. Hikari through the eyes of MegaMan, he still wasn't ready to trust a human, especially one from SciLab. “Go ahead and jack out. I should be immune to the virus. I'll check in at your homepage after I've discovered how far it has spread.”

     “Be careful Bass.” MegaMan said before disappearing in a beam of light as he jacked out.

     Bass left for the Undernet as soon as he was gone. He needed to get his mind off whatever it was that they'd gone through when exploring his memories. This was an opportunity to do just that.

     He'd help limit the damage, but he was going to see this plan through. Just because he and MegaMan were closer now, didn't mean he was willing to give up on his ideals. If this virus didn't work, who knew when he'd have another chance at this.

Chapter Text

[Message pinned by Admin]

From: Admin

Subject: Avoid Undernet 4, 6-8, 11-14

Message: As of the time of this post, the virus is confirmed to have spread to Undernet areas 4, 7, 12, and 13. Areas 6, 8, 11, and 14 are believed to be infected as well.

From: BurnOut

Subject: Where is Serenade?

Message: @UnderKing @Admin where is Serenade. She's not in the Secret Area and I want to fight.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Where is Serenade?

Message: We are in the middle of a pandemic and that's your concern.

From: No Name

Subject: Requesting Status Update

Message: ProtoMan, if you are reading this, please let me know that you are unharmed.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Requesting Status Update

Message: He'd have to be pretty stupid to visit the Undernet right now.

From: No Name

Subject: Net Saviors GTFO

Message: Get off the board. You Net Saviors aren't welcome here.

From: Shades

Subject: Begone Net Savior

Message: Why would a Net Savior be in the Undernet during a pandemic?

From: Crackin

Subject: Re: Begone Net Savior

Message: Probably to tell lies and stab others in the back.

From: UnderKing

Subject: Re: Where is Serenade?

Message: I'm out finding new opponents and teaching my disciples how to have fun. Will be back eventually.

From: No Name

Subject: Serenade's “Fun”

Message: @UnderKing You are going to scare away all your disciples.

From: UnderKing

Subject: Re: Serenade's “Fun”

Message: It's fine.

From: Crackin

Subject: DarkMarket is open as a Quarantine Zone

Message: FYI, the DarkMarket has been hit. You won't find any bugs wandering around here so feel free to use it as a quarantine zone if you are in the area. We've already cleared out the foyer.

From: Crackin

Subject: Re: DarkMarket is open as a Quarantine Zone

Message: Unless you're a Net Savior that is, then you aren't at all welcome here.

From: Shades

Subject: Quarantine Zones

Message: It's probably for the best that no one leaves the Undernet right now. We shouldn't risk spreading the virus to the top-side. I wouldn't want anyone to catch the virus from me if I had it.

From: No Name

Subject: Virus Hot Spots

Message: So UnderSquare and DarkMarket are hot-spots then? So if one were to go there, they would get infected for sure, right? And they could leave their cruddy NetOp no problem?

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Virus Hot Spots

Message: Hypothetically.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Virus Hot Spots

Message: I just spent three hours curled up on the floor of UnderSquare. You don't want this virus.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Virus Hot Spots

Message: The virus hit me when I was, ironically, virus busting. I almost died. Do not try and get it. Trust me.

From: No Name

Subject: Why is he still here?

Message: Speaking of the devil, why haven't we lynched Bass yet? This is all his fault.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Why is he still here?

Message: You're welcome to try.

From: Shades

Subject: Re: Why is he still here?

Message: It's only a matter of time.

     Bass yawned underneath his cloak. Fusing with MegaMan really took a lot out of him. He almost regretted not taking MegaMan up on his offer for repairs. At least UnderBBS was doing a good job of monitoring the situation for him. He'd check in quickly on the unconfirmed areas then head back to MegaMan's.

     As much as he hated to admit it, his ally had a point. He didn't regret letting the virus loose early. If the Net Saviors had gotten involved before the virus was out, he would have accomplished nothing. Still, he had put his fellow NetNavis at risk. Normally, that wouldn't bother him. It was simply survival of the fittest. Unfortunately, he'd need all the manpower that he could get if he were to strike back against the humans.

     Bass remembered the comforting squeeze of Dr. Hikari's hand around his own and pushed it to the back of his mind. MegaMan's family was the exception, not the norm. There was no way that humanity would willingly accept navis as their equals. Until they were gone, he'd never know peace.

     A sharp whistle cracked through the air. His Barrier faded as an invisible attack skimmed its surface a moment later. This was exactly why he never went out without both a Barrier and Aura active.

     Was this a challenge? Who was it this time? He'd be more than happy to accept. Bass waited for another attack, but none came.

     “Hmph. Whoever you are, you brought down my first Barrier. Aren't you going to try to finish the job?” There was no response.

     “Come on, I could use a good meal.” Bass taunted. There was still no response. A threat then? No, if he were being threatened, his attacker would have given some sort of indication as to what he wanted. He glanced at the labyrinth of pathways that surrounded him, focusing both his eyes and ears on locating his attacker, but found no one.

     “Fine then. I don't know who you are or what you want and I don't care.” Bass declared, continuing on his way. It was a lie. He cared immensely. Not thirty seconds later, he turned around let loose a shooting buster indiscriminately in the area that he'd been.

     “Show yourself coward!” Bass roared, his voice echoing across the empty area. When he heard a small squeak, he lunged in it's direction weaving between paths until he reached it's source, a small Mettaur.

     Bass frowned, as he reflexively devoured the Mettaur. Someone had to be messing with him. But who? This was Undernet 23, complete no man's land. Aside from himself and a few recluses like DarkMan and BurstMan, no one lived this deep in the Undernet. Even then, they generally gave each other a wide berth.

     Bass scowled. Had he just imagined the attack? That or it could have been a virus after all, in which case, he was getting too relaxed on the Undernet. Bass peppered the area with another round of buster fire before finally leaving. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.

    It wasn't until Bass reached Undernet16 that he saw his signs of the infection. A NormalNavi batted weakly at a Zappy, clearly struggling to stay standing as the virus took its toll. Bass opened his UnderBBS feed and posted a quick update on the spread of the virus.

     Out of the corner of his eye, he continued to watch the NormalNavi struggle against the weak virus. It had him cornered now. The navi was struggling to crawl away as the Zappy charged a ball of lightning.

     What was this feeling in his chest? He couldn't possibly feel pity towards this weakling. Even after he recovered from the virus, a NormalNavi could never be useful to him. It was better to let nature take its course.

     The NormalNavi called out as the ball of electricity was sent flying into its side. Bass winced as the navi writhed in pain. This was his fault. Without thinking Bass leaped into action, deleting the Zappy with ease. Had he been too late? Was the navi alright?

     The NormalNavi that he rescued looked up to see the one who had saved him. His expression quickly changed from grateful to shocked to furious. Bass felt himself snap back to reality. Why had he been so worried? It was just a NormalNavi. He couldn't possibly care about one so weak. Bass opened a rift to UnderSquare and roughly shoved the NormalNavi through, not wanting to deal with these strange emotions anymore.

     This was MegaMan's fault. Some of his emotions must have lingered from the last time they fused. He needed to fix this. While Serenade might insist otherwise, Bass knew that showing mercy on the Undernet was likely to get you deleted.

     Bass hoped that he wouldn't come across any more navis crippled by his virus. It made him feel kinda bad. No. It was just a waste of his time. That was all. He needed to purge MegaMan's pointless sympathy from his system as soon as possible.

     He decided that he'd finish this sweep as soon as possible so that he could check in on his rival. He needed to make sure that he was okay.

     Bass shook his head as he continued to battle MegaMan's emotions. He needed to make sure that MegaMan was okay so that he could continue using him as a power source and sparring partner. That was all. He would never consider MegaMan a friend.

     “To combat the virus, the Net Saviors will be splitting into three teams.” Chaud announced.

     MegaMan had only just returned to his PET. He wasn't entirely sure how he'd gotten here, but it looked like he was in a Net Savior meeting. Chaud seemed to already know about the virus as well. MegaMan briefly wondered if Lan had told him before shrugging it off. It hardly mattered now.

     “Psst. Lan, I'm back.” MegaMan whispered from his PET.

     “Hey MegaMan.” Lan whispered back. “Glad to see you're alright. Chaud was just about to announce what team we are on.”

     “The strike team will be tasked with tracking down Bass and the MegaMan Killers. This team will be composed of FyreFox, NapalmMan, Dusk, ShadowMan, JunkMan, Mr. Famous, GridMan, and myself.”

     “It's just Famous!” corrected a voice from the back of the room.

     “I feel the need to stress that any one of our targets could be instrumental in developing a vaccine. This means they are to be captured alive.” Chaud stressed, making direct eye-contact with Dusk. The ex-assassin merely raised his hands in defense without saying another word.

     Why was Chaud on the strike team but not ProtoMan? It must be because Chaud didn't want to see him infected.

     “The research team will focus on working with SciLab to develop a vaccine. This team is composed of Dr. Hikari, Dr. Cossack, Jasmine, Meddi, Black Rose, and WoodMan.” Why was Dr. Cossack a part of this? Was it because the virus was based on Bass' code? Without thinking, MegaMan clutched his emblem.

     “If your name wasn't called, you are on the defensive team. You will be limiting the spread of the virus by making sure that no one goes in or out of the Undernet. Individual assignments will be given to you by the end of the day. With that out of the way, I will now answer all questions.”

     The crowd of Net Saviors clamored loudly as question after question was tossed Chaud's way. He couldn't help but feel bad for Chaud. Calming everyone down looked like it was going to be a real challenge.

     “Looks like we're on the defensive team.” Lan commented to MegaMan. “Let's step out into the hall to talk. I'm sure that we both have a lot to go over.” MegaMan eagerly nodded as Lan shuffled his way to the back of the room.

     “I was too late to stop him.” MegaMan confessed as soon as they were safely in the hallway and out of anyone's ear-shot.

     “There was nothing you could do.” Lan replied, trying to comfort him. “But why were you gone so long if you knew that the virus was out?”

     “Bass needed to talk, but he's not exactly good at expressing himself so we fused.” He admitted. “This situation is more complex that it seems.”

     “I'll take you to Dad to clear up any corruption.” Lan nodded. “What do you mean by this situation being complex?” He asked. MegaMan really wasn't looking forward to explaining his feelings on the matter.

     “It's just- Bass may have a point about giving navis the ability to leave their operators.” MegaMan braced himself for an argument with Lan, but was surprised when none came.

     “Well, yeah, but we've still got to stop this virus.” Lan agreed.

     “Huh?” MegaMan had not been expecting that answer.

     “Just promise me that you'll visit every now and then if you decide that you'd rather live on the net than in my PET.” What? Why was Lan so open to this? Didn't he care if he became a Solo Navi?

     “As if I'd leave you.” MegaMan answered with a smile. “Who would wake you up in the mornings and get you to do your homework on time?”

     “I would be more than a little lost without you.” Lan laughed. “Now let's get you fixed up. We can finish catching each other up on the way to SciLab.”

     “Right.” MegaMan agreed, not at all upset that Lan had just changed the subject. He was just happy that his brother was so willing to support him.

     “Chaud wants us to share everything that we know at tonight's strike team meeting. We should probably get our story straight before then.” Lan explained. “The guy has actually been investigating the situation for a while now. Also it turns out that your doppelganger is some kind of Dark Chip kingpin, so I want to say 'I told you so' on him being your evil clone.”

     MegaMan heard Lan knock rapidly on the lab door. Didn't Dad usually leave it unlocked when he was in the lab? From his position at Lan's waist, he could see the door slowly creep open before his dad let them in.

     “I'm glad you two dropped by.” His father said with a smile.

     “Thanks Dad.” Lan replied, pulling out his PET to show to his dad. “Would you mind clearing up MegaMan's corruption again?”

     “Fusion with Bass?” Dr. Hikari asked, shaking his head in disappointment.

     “It was really important.” MegaMan assured him.

     “I know. You tried to talk him out of the virus, right? I'm sorry that it didn't work out.” Dr. Hikari replied, trying to offer MegaMan some comfort. It was a nice gesture, but not necessary. Even if he hadn't been able to stop the virus, MegaMan was glad that he'd fused with Bass, strange as the experience had been.

     “Speaking of which...” Dr. Hikari muttered under his breath before circling around Lan. MegaMan heard the lock of the door click shut. “You can come out now. It's just Lan and MegaMan.”

     MegaMan heard a crash from the back of the lab. Did his father have a guest?

     “Ouch! Sorry about that. Couldn't risk being spotted in the old workplace.”

     MegaMan froze and clutched his emblem again. He knew that voice.

     “Why is Dr. Cossack here?” MegaMan asked firmly. He'd known Dr. Cossack would be working with his father on the vaccine, but how was he in SciLab already? Didn't he return to Sharo?

     “I asked him to help me figure out a way to get your corruption under control when you fuse with Bass.” His dad explained, taking the PET from Lan and holding it out so that MegaMan could see better. Dr. Cossack pulled his leg out from under the control panel where he'd been hiding and quickly made his way over to them.

     “Hi MegaMan. It's been a while.” Dr. Cossack greeted happily. MegaMan tensed up instantly. He took a deep breath and clutched his emblem a little harder.

     Dr. Cossack had helped them in the past. He'd been a kind man. As much as he tried to remind himself of that, MegaMan felt overwhelmed by the feeling of betrayal. He knew that he wasn't the one that Dr. Cossack had hurt, but he still couldn't shake the feeling.

     Dr. Cossack reached his hand out towards his PET.

     “Don't touch me!” MegaMan warned. There was a harshness in his voice that he wasn't used to showing. Dr. Cossack recoiled his hand as though it had been bitten by a snake. His dad nearly dropped his PET.

     “I'm sorry!” MegaMan cried out, realizing what he'd just done. “I didn't mean it.” Dr. Hikari and Dr. Cossack exchanged nervous glances.

     “It's okay. You've had a long day. Why don't you just relax. I'll run a couple scans and see how your doing, alright?” His dad assured him, trying to calm him down. MegaMan nodded slowly.

     He was shaking. He'd never lash out at Dr. Cossack like that, even knowing how he'd betrayed Bass. This wasn't him and he needed his dad to get him back to normal quickly.

     “Lan, why don't you go get supper? It's getting late and we might be here a while.”

     “I want to be here for MegaMan.” Lan disagreed. He was extremely grateful. He wasn't sure what was going on, but having his brother around always calmed him down.

     “Alright, you can stay. My wallet is on the top shelf of the cabinet if you need to get a snack from one of the vending machines.”

     “Thanks Lan. Could you message Chaud and tell him that we can't make it to the meeting?” MegaMan asked.

     “Of course. I'll call and leave a message. Be right back.” Lan assured him. MegaMan hoped that his brother would get back soon. He didn't want to be left alone in SciLab again.

     “Hi Chaud. Can I talk to you for a second?” Lan asked. Punk smirked, confident that he'd intercepted the call completely.

     “Yes. Of course Lan.” Enker replied, his voice filtered through Punk's interceptor. Ballade snickered behind him.

     “Look. Something's going on with MegaMan. He fused with Bass again and now we've got to get him looked at.”

     Enker frowned deeply. Fused with Bass? He was on their side right? Ballade and Punk exchanged confused glances.

     “I can't make the Net Savior meeting tonight.” Lan continued.

     “I understand. Thank you for notifying me.” Enker finished before hanging up.

     “So does this mean Bass has gone traitor?” Quint asked.

     “I don't know, but I think that we can figure this out pretty easily.” Enker decided, turning to Quint and sizing him up. “We just need to get someone on the inside. Fortunately, the Net Saviors don't know that MegaMan won't be attending their meeting.”

     “Do I have to?” Quint groaned, realizing what Enker was asking.

     “Come on buddy. Think of it as taking one for the team.” Ballade assured him.

Chapter Text

[Message pinned by Admin]

From: Admin

Subject: Just assume everyone's infected

Message: At this point, Undernet areas 1-18 have all been confirmed as infected. Unless you've been living in the Deep Undernet since this entire thing started, you're probably better off getting to the nearest quarantine area to wait out the symptoms.

From: No Name

Subject: Undernet on Lockdown

Message: So there are a bunch of Net Saviors hanging around the Undernet entrances. What gives?

From: BirdBoy

Subject: Do you want to talk?

Message: @Shades I heard the news. Do you want to talk about it sometime?

From: PunishedBomber

Subject: Re: Do you want to talk?

Message: yeah, we r here 4 u

From: Shades

Subject: Re: Do you want to talk?

Message: What are you two talking about?

From: PunishedBomber

Subject: Re: Do you want to talk?

Message: ur place on the team

From: BirdBoy

Subject: Re: Do you want to talk?

Message: Look, let's just meet up and talk about this. BombMan and I are already solo. If you're infected, it won't really do much to us.

From: NetSaviorOfficial

Subject: The Undernet is Under Official Quarantine

Message: Effective immediately, no one is permitted to enter or leave the Undernet until the virus is under control unless they have explicit permission from the Net Saviors. We apologize for the inconvenience.

From: No Name

Subject: Net Saviors Get Out

Message: Since when do we let the Net Saviors tell us what to do?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Net Saviors Get Out

Message: Since a pandemic started.

From: No Name

Subject: Breaking out

Message: The Net Saviors have no right to boss us around. I might break the lock-down out of spite later.

From: BirdBoy

Subject: Re: Breaking out

Message: I agree about not letting the NetSaviors give us orders, but please make sure you're not contagious before you leave.

     “Hey you're-” The navi began, clearly shocked by who had rescued her.

     “I know.” Bass answered, before sending her straight to UnderSquare. He had no need for either the gratitude or rage that typically followed one of these rescues.

     So far, Bass had been forced to save 27 NetNavis, most of them useless weaklings. He knew that he agreed to help MegaMan limit the damage, but this physical compulsion to help others when they were in need was a hassle. No wonder MegaMan was such a self-sacrificing idiot.

     Worst of all was the guilt. Bass never felt guilty, at least not when the ends justified the means. Now every time he came across a navi suffering from the virus' effects, he felt like a complete monster. He wasn't the monster, the humans were. He just had to keep reminding himself of that.

     He didn't know if he could wait any longer for Auto-Recover to do its job. Even if it meant returning to SciLab, he had to get MegaMan's accursed altruism out of his head. He couldn't deal with this anymore. It was making him weak.

     Bass made his decision and left for SciLab, remembering the path to Dr. Hikari's lab from the last trip that he'd taken there. He nestled himself into Dr. Hikari's work computer and woke it from sleep mode.

     “-corruption levels are at an all-time high. MegaMan, you're risking permanent damage at this point.” That was Dr. Hikari's voice. So MegaMan was still here? It relieved Bass to know that at least he wasn't going into this alone.

     “This is important to me.” MegaMan assured his dad. “Bass is my friend, and I'm finally getting him to open up to me.” MegaMan had said the f-word. Gross. They were rivals and sometimes partners, never friends.

     “I'm beginning to think that this isn't corruption at all.” Another voice added. Bass tensed. No, no, no, no, no. Dr. Cossack was not here. They had not called his pa- creator in on him.

     Bass peered out of the computer screen, trying to determine who was in the room for certain. Instead, all he saw was Lan's back as he sat at the edge of his father's desk. He gritted his teeth and waited in silence.

     “Then what is it?”

     “A file-read error. Bass is programmed more like a traditional NetNavi. MegaMan's code is...”

     “Are you implying that there's something wrong with my code?” MegaMan scoffed, before apologizing profusely. At least Bass wasn't the only one suffering because of their last fusion. This could prove to be very entertaining.

     “I'm not saying that at all. It's just that your systems are too dissimilar. When you fuse, this isn't a problem because you can compensate for each other, but when you unfuse, you retain some of Bass' files. You don't have the required programs and databases to process them so it creates bugs.”

     Bass remembered how loose and abstract MegaMan's data had felt whenever he absorbed it. He didn't have the same issue when absorbing any other navi. It was probably because his system was based around inferior human DNA. Yet another reason why he didn't want to think about his rival's origin.

     “But our memory files share the same format.” MegaMan guessed.

     “Yes, it's standard in all navis. If I had to guess, you are having trouble differentiating Bass' memory files from your own.”

     So that was it. They'd been diving too deep into each other's memories the last time that they fused. He had to purge MegaMan's memory files from his system.

     “So MegaMan needs to be able to interpret Bass's files so they don't cause any bugs.” Lan paraphrased. “How do we do that?”

     “What about a virtual environment?” Dr. Hikari suggested. “If we installed Bass' file interpreter in an isolated portion of MegaMan's system, he could safely process the files without confusing them for his own. And vice versa for Bass of course.”

     “That could work, but we'd need Bass to let us copy his interpreter.”

     “I don't want you anywhere near either of our systems.” MegaMan warned. The malice in his voice was completely unlike him.

     “He's right.” Bass confirmed, speaking up for the first time. Lan got up from his spot so that he could see where the voice had come from. Bass narrowed his eyes as he was finally able to confirm who they'd been talking to.

     “Bass, I-” Dr. Cossack sputtered.

     “Can it!” Bass and MegaMan shouted at once. Unlike Bass, MegaMan covered his mouth straight afterwards.

     “I can't believe you'd involve him.” Bass hissed at no one in particular. Even if it was just MegaMan's memory files messing with him, he'd been beginning to trust the Hikaris. Perhaps it had been a mistake to do so.

     “I was worried about my son.” Dr. Hikari stated firmly.

     Bass grappled with his conflicting feelings. He desperately wanted to hate Dr. Hikari, but again MegaMan's disgusting memory files interfered. He tried his hardest to push them to the back of his mind, but they persisted.

     “I know.” Bass replied through gritted teeth. “You want to help MegaMan. Fine. I won't let my rival be weak. Scan my code if you want, but that man,” Bass jabbed a finger towards Dr. Cossack. “He doesn't touch either of us.”

     If Bass had a heart, he was confident that it would be racing. He had hoped that he'd never see Dr. Cossack again, yet here he was. He had so many things that he wanted to say to his creator, almost none of them pleasant, yet all he could bring himself to do was glare at the man.

     There was a long period of silence before someone finally had the courage to speak.

     “Why didn't you kill me back then?” Dr. Cossack asked. Bass had been keeping a tight lid on his unyielding rage towards his creator ever since he'd entered SciLab, but that single question threatened to break that seal entirely. Bass took a moment to calm himself before answering.

     “It was a fluke. Nothing more.” He lied. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw MegaMan frown on the screen opposite him. Thankfully, his rival didn't say anything to correct him.

     “I see.” Dr. Cossack replied. Bass could see right through the paper-thin mask hiding Dr. Cossack's sadness. It was almost funny. Dr. Cossack hadn't seemed sad when he was trying to delete him.

     “I'd like to begin the scan right away if you don't mind.” Dr. Hikari announced, trying to steer the conversation away from Dr. Cossack. “Can you move to one of the holographic scanners behind me?” He asked pointing to the device in question.

     Bass nodded before transferring to the device. His digital form quickly took shape within the tube. It was strange seeing the human world with his own eyes instead of through a computer screen. A moment later, MegaMan appeared in the second tube next to him.

     “This is affecting you too, isn't it?” MegaMan asked.

     “Yeah. Your stupid martyr-complex is starting to get to me.” Bass admitted. “You said you can fix this issue for me too, right?” He asked Dr. Hikari.

     “I'll need to check your system to be sure, but I should be able to.” Dr. Hikari replied, focusing on the screen where he was preparing the scanner. “I'm starting the scan now. It might feel a little strange, but it shouldn't hurt.” A small hatch opened near Bass' hand, revealing a bright red button. “If something goes wrong, hit the button and the scan will stop.”

     Bass nodded. He numbly realized that he was placing himself at a human's mercy. Having a emergency stop button made that just a little less frightening. However, when he scan started, he still had to fight back a small measure of panic. His instincts yelled at him to destroy the scanner before it could start reading his data, but he resisted. He curled his hands into fists as the scan continued. It felt like static was racing along his body.

     “It'll be alright Bass.” MegaMan assured him. He didn't know why his rival had bothered moving to the tube next to him if he wasn't being scanned as well, but he was thankful for it.

     “Do you think we'll be able to fuse without wearing each other down first after this?” MegaMan asked, distracting him from the scanner and the two scientists curiously watching him.

     “Maybe,” Bass considered. “We'll have to try again after this is done.”

     “We could challenge Serenade again.” MegaMan suggested. That would be fun. They'd have to track down Serenade first since the king of the Undernet was currently god-knows-where, but it would be worth it for the fight.

     “Sorry Bass, but MegaMan's not going anywhere near the Undernet until this virus is over.” Lan interrupted, continuing to be the third wheel.

     The static-like feeling left Bass' body as the scan ended. Both doctor's poured over the results, murmuring to themselves. Bass frowned.

     “If you got something to say, speak up so that I can hear you.” He ordered. Dr. Cossack swallowed a lump in his throat before turning to him.

     “Bass, your code barely resembles what I originally wrote. It's a miracle that you're still functioning like this.” He said it although the observation was news to Bass. He was well aware that his code was a jury-rigged mess of bug fragments.

     “Yeah, well that's what happens when idiotic humans try to delete you.” Bass replied, quickly shutting Dr. Cossack up.

     “It'll take some time to find what we're looking for in... all this.” Dr. Hikari commented, prompting Bass to shoot him a glare. “I don't know if I can install a virtual environment on you without clearing some of it away.”

     That was going to be an issue. Trusting Dr. Hikari to install a virtual environment was one thing. Trusting him to refactor his code was another. He could still rely on Auto-Recover to sort things out eventually.

     “I need time to think about it. Fix up MegaMan. I'll try to sort this out myself in the meantime.” Bass decided.

     “Oh, before I leave I should let you know that most of the Undernet is infected.” He told MegaMan. “I've been stepping in where I can, but the Net Saviors have closed off the Undernet. Do with that information what you will.”

     “Wait, Bass!” Dr. Cossack interrupted before he was able to leave. He turned his head to face his creator, who was now standing over his scanner. “Can we talk?” He asked quietly.

     “No.” Bass answered before removing himself from SciLab's network.

     In spite of his calm, collected answer, Bass was furious. He hadn't expected Dr. Cossack to be there at all, now he wanted to talk? As if he would give his creator the opportunity. Dr. Cossack had his chance.

     Bass decided to do some virus-busting before he returned to the Undernet. He needed to let out all his pent-up rage and blowing things up always put him in a good mood. The extra data might even help him recover faster. Maybe, he wouldn't even need Dr. Hikari's help after all.

     Lan sat next to MegaMan's tube. His brother's eyes drifted shut as he was put into stand-by mode. Finally his dad could get to work fixing the mess caused by his fusion with Bass. He just hoped that this patch would work.

     A furious knocking on the door interrupted Lan's worried train of thought.

     “Lan, can you see who that is?” His dad asked, not looking up from the monitor. “If it's anyone from SciLab, tell them that I'm busy. We can't let anyone know Dr. Cossack is here.”

     “Yeah. Got it Dad.” Lan agreed before cracking open the door to see who was outside. Immediately, a steel-toed boot wedged itself between the door and the frame. He was helpless to do anything as Chaud forced himself into the lab.

      “Lan.” Chaud greeted. He didn't sound upset in spite of the forceful entry.

     “I would have let you in if you'd asked Chaud.” Lan reminded him, shutting and locking the door behind his friend.

     “Lan, was MegaMan at the strike team meeting three hours ago?” Chaud asked, ignoring him. Three hours ago? How long had he been at SciLab? When was the last time he had even slept? Lan really hoped that he wasn't turning into his dad already.

     “No. I called you and said we wouldn't be coming. I thought you were fine with it.” Lan told him.

     “I never received a call from you.” Chaud said. Lan was surprised, he was sure that he called Chaud. Maybe the exhaustion really was getting to him. Lan looked Chaud in the eyes, noticing the bags firmly seated under each of them. Maybe the exhaustion was getting to Chaud instead.

     “MegaMan's been in the lab with me ever since the general meeting. He couldn't have been at the strike team meeting.”

     “I knew it!” Chaud fell into the nearest chair, hands raised in defeat.

     “Uh, Chaud what are you talking about?” Lan asked taking a seat across from him.

     “The MegaMan Killers, they're in my phones, Lan.” It was at this point that Lan started to become very worried for his friend.

     “Chaud, you're tired. Maybe you should get some sleep.” Lan wished that ProtoMan were here. ProtoMan would know how to calm down Chaud.

     “Speak for yourself, Lan.” Chaud shot back. “I know it was him. Quint was pretending to be MegaMan at the meeting, but I caught on.” While Lan still wasn't sure that his friend was completely lucid, that made a lot of sense. He'd been worried that something like this would happen ever since he learned of Quint's identity.

     “What did you tell him?” Lan asked.

     “Everything.” Chaud scoffed. “Not we know that much anyway. I'm ashamed that I noticed so late.”

     “Come on Chaud. You don't have to be so hard on yourself.”

     “The phone lines aren't safe. I don't know how much of the network is.” Chaud rested his chin on his folded hands. “Don't trust any email or message that you receive unless it's coming straight from a navi you know.”

     “How are we supposed to keep in contact then?” Lan asked without thinking. Chaud scowled as he was reminded of his navi's absence.

     “I need to find ProtoMan.” Chaud reaffirmed to himself. “But he won't leave the Undernet as long as he thinks that he's contagious.”

     “We'll find him Chaud, but we need a way to communicate until then.” Lan replied. He wasn't used to being the practical one in their friendship.

     “You can borrow my navi if you want.” Dr. Hikari offered from across the room. “He's been asking to join your strike team anyway.”

     “I don't see how a research assistant navi will be of any use in the Undernet.”

     “Not all my navis are research assistants, you know.” Dr. Hikari smiled as he walked over to the two boys. He passed Chaud his PET.

     “It's been a while Chaud.” Zero greeted. “I'd be happy to help you track down ProtoMan in exchange for joining your team. If there's a virus spreading across the Net, then it's my duty to stop it.”

     “You've got yourself a deal.” Chaud agreed, a small smile beginning to form on his face.

Chapter Text

From: No Name

Subject: Bass is helping now???

Message: I was doing some virus-busting when I got hit by the Bass virus. Somehow I was saved by Bass himself?? Is he a good guy now?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Bass is helping now???

Message: I doubt it, at most he's “not as big of a jerk as he could have been”. Don't forget that Bass is the reason that you were in trouble to begin with.

From: CopyKitten

Subject: Re: Bass is helping now???

Message: Bass helped me out too, not that I needed it. Maybe he's turning over a new leaf.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Attention Weaklings

Message: I don't care about any of you.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Attention Weaklings

Message: Then why are you helping?

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Attention Weaklings

Message: At the moment I am physically unable to stand by and let nature take its course.

From: No Name

Subject: Jail Break!

Message: That's it! I can't stand being trapped in here anymore. I'm breaking out of the Undernet today. Try and stop me Net Saviors!

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Jail Break!

Message: Hell yeah! Let's get out of here.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Jail Break!

Message: Please don't.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Jail Break!

Message: Go ahead. Watching the Serenade or the Net Saviors take you out will be entertaining.

From: UnderKing

Subject: Congratulations

Message: @BlkShdw It sounds like you've finally gained a conscience. I'm so proud of you.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Congratulations

Message: It's a file error. Nothing more.

From: BluBombr

Subject: Re: Congratulations

Message: Sorry Bass. The option is still there if you want the issue patched. It worked for me.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: No.

Message: Would you trust a stranger to rewrite your code? I'll just wait it out.

     MegaMan looked up at his surroundings. There wasn't another navi in sight. Being on guard duty had to be the most boring job that he'd taken since officially joining the Net Saviors.

     He was glad that he'd finally convinced Lan to take a nap, but having no one to talk to while he watched a wall was painfully dull. Hopefully, Zero had managed to convince Chaud to get some sleep too. Then again, his father's sleep schedule certainly hadn't improved since gaining Zero as a navi so he doubted it.

     MegaMan tapped at the transparent blue barrier that the Net Saviors were using to wall off the Undernet. It was as sturdy as ever. He hadn't seen Battle Chips used this way before, but it did a good enough job of keeping the place quarantined. He wondered what the Net Saviors were using to power it. A navi couldn't create a barrier this big.

     He took a seat in front of the wall and rested his chin in his hand. MegaMan almost wished someone would try to break out. It would at least give him something to do other than sit around and wonder how he was going to properly apologize to Dr. Cossack once he got back. Even if it hadn't been 'him' acting so rudely, he still felt bad. Not too bad though, given what he knew now. MegaMan was happy to have the dad that he did.

     Not having anything else to do, he changed position again, laying on his back with his hands crossed behind his head. He wondered what Bass was up to. Probably busting viruses or sulking, possibly both. Then again, if his UnderBBS posts were anything to go by, he could still be roaming the Undernet and helping out infected navis. MegaMan wished that he could join him. He knew enforcing the quarantine was important, but he was used to taking a more active role in the NetSaviors.

     The roaring of engines quickly brought MegaMan to his feet. The noise grew louder and louder as if it was headed straight his way. MegaMan eagerly peered through the barrier. Through its deep blue tint, he could just make out a trail of dust headed his way. Maybe he'd finally get to see some action after all.

     “It looks like we've got one heading for the barrier.” Serenade observed, floating back down from his vantage point. “It could be another diversion. I'll search the other exits. Can you take care of this one ProtoMan?”

     “With pleasure.” ProtoMan agreed, dashing towards the edges of the Undernet in the direction that Serenade had pointed. When he heard a loud noise, he climbed to the top of the area to get a better look. The roar of NitroMan's engine made him easy to spot. ProtoMan only had a second to observe the navi as he barreled down the path, steadily getting closer and closer to his location. ProtoMan wouldn't be able to keep up with that speed, so he'd cut the motorcyclist off.

     “Hold it!” ProtoMan shouted, jumping down into the middle of the path. He held his sword straight forward, forcing the navi to swerve out of the way. NitroMan's tires spun out, sending him careening into a data stack on his right. With a whirring of his gears, NitroMan shifted out of his vehicle mode. He brushed off the debris before shooting ProtoMan a look that could kill.

     “You scratched my paint job, NetSavior.” He said with pure disgust. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn't delete you.”

     “You can't win against me.” ProtoMan stated calmly. “Turn around the way that you came, and stay away from the barrier. We can forget this ever happened.” Even without access to his programs, he was confident that NitroMan was no match for him.

     “Not a chance.” NitroMan replied with an arrogant wave of his hand. ProtoMan could just barely make out the faint purple glow forming around the fist that NitroMan held behind his back. So NitroMan was infected after all. It was all the more reason that he couldn't leave the Undernet.

     ProtoMan took a deep breath and charged forward, landing a solid hit on his opponent's shoulder before NitroMan rammed his fist into ProtoMan's face, sending him flying. So this was the power of Bass Boost? He hadn't been expecting the attack to hit quite that hard. He should probably take some time to study the technique after this was over, not that he'd be caught using it himself.

     ProtoMan took a moment to collect himself before he got back up. His opponent had already left, no doubt back on his way out of the Undernet. He couldn't beat him there, but hopefully he'd be quick enough to stop NitroMan before he could damage the barrier.

     As he neared the edge of the blue wall separating the Undernet from the rest of the Network, ProtoMan quickly spotted his target. He tackled NitroMan to the ground just as he was about to unleash his attack. Purple flames roared from NitroMan's mufflers, burning ProtoMan's arms, but thankfully missing the barrier. Good. He could fight through the pain. At least the barrier was undamaged.

     “ProtoMan?” A familiar voice shouted from the other side of the barrier. Out of the corner of his eye, ProtoMan could spot MegaMan's familiar blue helmet. Of all the navis to have as an audience, it had to be him. ProtoMan could afford to take another hit even less now.

     “Get away from the barrier.” He ordered. “If it breaks, you'll be infected.” He wasn't surprised when MegaMan instead dropped into a battle stance. That navi never listened.

     “Muramasa!” ProtoMan summoned the dark katana. Without Chaud's library, it was the only Battle Chip that he had. Even then, it was a loaner from Serenade.

     The blade greedily lapped up ProtoMan's energy. He'd give it everything that he could spare and end this in a single attack.

     NitroMan launched his bladed hubcaps in ProtoMan's direction. ProtoMan leaned away from the attack as much as he could as he pressed onward. A blade tore through his cheek, but ProtoMan forced himself to ignore it. He quickly closed the distance between NitroMan and himself before ramming Muramasa through NitroMan's stomach. The navi looked up at him with a shocked expression, his resolution faltering. ProtoMan slid Muramasa out through NitroMan's side, swiftly deleting him.

     As a shower of loose data appeared before him, ProtoMan dismissed Muramasa. He closed his eyes and pulled on the fragmented code that had once been NitroMan, eagerly drinking it in to replenish the energy that the sword had taken from him. He hated how much he enjoyed the taste. He shouldn't get used to this.

     “ProtoMan?” MegaMan asked. He'd been so caught in the moment that he'd forgotten his former ally was watching. ProtoMan consumed the last of NitroMan's code. Relief washed over him like a cool wave as his wounds finished healing. Without an operator to heal him when he was injured, he needed to keep his energy full at all times if he wanted to survive down here.

     “It's good to see you again MegaMan.” He greeted like nothing had happened.

     “ProtoMan, what happened? Are you okay?” MegaMan asked, full of concern.

     ProtoMan wasn't about to acknowledge or make excuses for what he'd just done. Instead, he took the opportunity to glance himself over in the barrier's reflection. His hair hadn't been this disheveled and frayed since he'd been a Darkloid, but he'd get around to fixing it eventually.

     “There aren't many hairbrushes on the Undernet.” ProtoMan tried to joke. “So have you got any news from the other side?”

     “Yeah. Chaud's been worried sick about you.” MegaMan answered, not any less concerned. ProtoMan glanced at his feet, suddenly unable to look his former ally in the eyes. Why would Chaud be worried about him? He had failed his mission. His NetOp deserved better than a coward like him.

     “ProtoMan, why don't you go back to Chaud?” MegaMan pressed. “I have a friend with a direct link to the Undernet. You can go back to his PET without having to worry about infecting anyone.” ProtoMan's mouth parted slightly as he imagined being reunited with his operator. He missed Chaud more than anyone else, but now wasn't the time.

     ProtoMan shook his head. He needed to earn the right to return to Chaud.

     “Has the barrier been working? There aren't any infections outside of the Undernet are there?” ProtoMan asked, changing the subject.

     “So far it's contained.” MegaMan answered honestly. His eyes softened. “You know you can talk to me, right ProtoMan? We're partners.”

     “Partners? Like you are with Bass?” ProtoMan frowned, his voice harsher than he'd intended. A part of him still didn't want to believe the two were fighting together. He didn't want to fight MegaMan, but if he chose to continue allying himself with that demon, then he'd have no choice. Bass had taken everything from him. For that, ProtoMan would end him.

     “ProtoMan...”

     “He's the one who caused this.” ProtoMan reminded him, gesturing to the barrier that separated them. “The next time that I see Bass, I will delete him.”

     ProtoMan turned around and walked away. He needed to leave. It was getting hard to keep his emotions under control. He should return to Serenade anyway. There may be more attacks on the barrier. Not even the king of the Undernet could be everywhere at once.

     “ProtoMan, wait!” MegaMan called after him.

     “Farewell for now, MegaMan.” He waved, not looking back.

     “Too slow.” Serenade judged, with mild amusement. He sidestepped ProtoMan's sword, grabbed him by the upper-arm, and flipped him face-down on the floor in one swift motion. ProtoMan groaned as he pushed himself back up, taking a seat against the wall of the cavern that he'd called home for the past two days.

     Serenade's training was really starting to do a number on him. At least the feverish heat in his body let him know that Auto-Recover was doing its job. If only the program could keep up with Serenade's beatings.

    “Need a break?” Serenade asked. “We can start again once you've recovered.”

     “How did you gain that speed?” He asked instead.

     “Practice.” Serenade replied with a shrug. “Challenge enough strong opponents and you'll get there.”

     “Then why come all the way out here?” ProtoMan asked, referring to his humble abode. “Wouldn't it be easier to let challengers come to you?”

     “Not really. I came out here to find new, strong opponents.” Serenade answered, his lips beginning to curl into a smile. “In time, I'm sure that I'll be able to say that I succeeded.”

     ProtoMan ignored him and leaned further back against the wall. He'd come to the Deep Undernet to be alone. Serenade finding his hideout had been both a blessing and a curse. While he was grateful for the training, Serenade had a habit of dropping by at the exact times that he wanted to be alone, and the thrashings that he received when they sparred didn't exactly help his wounded pride. When he'd agreed to become Serenade's disciple, he hadn't been expecting the gap between them to be quite this large.

     ProtoMan's thoughts were interrupted when he felt a hand firmly grasp the horn of his helmet. He didn't care if Serenade was his teacher or not. No one touched his helmet.

     “Hey!” ProtoMan shouted, furiously trying to hold his helmet back down, but to no avail. Silver hair spilled out all around him as the helmet came free of his head with an audible 'pop'. Words could not describe how uncomfortable it's absence made him. He felt naked.

     “Hmm? You've been absorbing virus data again, haven't you?” Serenade observed, running his thumb along the purple markings that had begun taking root along his cheek bones. He'd been counting on his sunglasses to hide those.

     ProtoMan grabbed for his helmet only for Serenade to yank it out of his reach.

     “Turn around. Your hair is atrocious.”

     “I want my helmet back.” ProtoMan insisted. It was clever of his teacher to wait until he was exhausted to pull something like this, but he did not appreciate it in the slightest.

     “You'll get it back afterwards.”

     ProtoMan reluctantly agreed, turning to face the wall so that Serenade had better access to his thick mane of hair. He tensed up for a moment as his teacher grabbed a section. Then he relaxed as Serenade began gently combing his fingers through the tangles to smooth them back out.

     “Do you know what the secret to getting strong is ProtoMan?” Serenade asked.

     “Hard work? Diligence?” ProtoMan guessed. It was certainly the philosophy that he and Chaud had stuck to.

     “Good choices, but I think there's one quality more important than both.”

     “And what's that?” ProtoMan asked, unsure of where this conversation was leading.

     “Mercy.”

     Mercy? What kind of an answer was that?

     “I got strong so quickly because I respect my opponents." Serenade continued. "I learn something new from every battle. In exchange, I like to think that my opponent's learn from me as well. This way, we both become a little stronger each time we meet.”

     ProtoMan shifted his eyes to the side, staring at nowhere in particular. Was Serenade trying to make him feel guilty for deleting NitroMan? He was a threat and threats had to be neutralized one way or another for the good of net society.

     He frowned as he thought of his time in the DarkMarket. Perhaps some navis deserved second chances, but for every innocent navi forced into the Undernet, there was another Bass. If he hadn't been so busy second guessing himself, perhaps he wouldn't have failed his mission so spectacularly.

     Serenade didn't say anything more, leaving ProtoMan with his thoughts as he finished combing his hair. Once he was satisfied with his work, Serenade plunked ProtoMan's helmet back on his head. ProtoMan eagerly grabbed it in both hands, gently settling the helmet back into its proper place.

     “You have pretty eyes. It's a shame that you don't show them more often.” Serenade teased. ProtoMan frowned. He supposed that he should be thankful that his hair was back in order, but he wasn't going to be giving up his helmet again any time soon.

     “I'm ready to get back to work.” He decided. There was no point in sitting around and feeling sorry for himself when Bass still lived.

Chapter Text

From: Crackin

Subject: Target Sighted

Message: Wish me luck!

From: RebelTeen

Subject: Re: Target Sighted

Message: Good luck Ballade!

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Target Sighted

Message: You're going to get thrashed. I hope that you know that.

From: Crackin

Subject: Wrong again, Bass

Message: I figured out how to Bass Boost and I stocked up on Dark Chips. There's no way I'll lose.

From: PunishedBomber

Subject: Re: Wrong again, Bass

Message: maybe dont do that?? if u r not used 2 dark chips u will go out of control

From: BatMan

Subject: Re: Wrong again, Bass

Message: Yes. Do that.

From: No Name

Subject: Serenade & the Net Saviors

Message: The Net Saviors are patrolling the outside of the barrier. Serenade's disciples are watching it from the inside. Are they working together or something?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Serenade & the Net Saviors

Message: Rumor has it that ProtoMan is working for Serenade now too. I thought she'd be on our side.

From: No Name

Subject: Bass' charging technique

Message: Do we really have to call it that? Why not something more dignified like Dark Charge or Shadow Boost?

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Bass' charging technique

Message: No. It's my technique and I get to choose the name. If you have a problem with that then fight me.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Serenade & the Net Saviors

Message: I refuse to believe that the King of the Undernet is working with Net Saviors.

From: UnderKing

Subject: Re: Serenade & the Net Saviors

Message: I'm not with the Net Saviors. My function has been, and always will be, to protect the Undernet. I did take ProtoMan on as a disciple though.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: ProtoMan?!

Message: Why? He's a weakling.

From: Admin

Subject: Re: ProtoMan?!

Message: @UnderKing please screencap this just in case.

     “I've returned.” ShadowMan announced, appearing before Zero in a puff of gray smoke. The newest Net Savior tried his best not to cough.

     “ShadowMan, were you able to find our targets?” Chaud asked through his PET's screen.

     “I was able to locate Enker and Punk.” ShadowMan confirmed. “As expected, Bass was no where to be seen, but unfortunately neither were Quint or Ballade.”

     “No fair. We wanted to show Ballade what a real firecracker is like.” FyreFox's disembodied voice complained.

     “And ProtoMan?” Chaud asked. He understood that he had to keep his priorities in order, but if there was any sign of his missing navi, he needed to know.

     “No sign of him either.” ShadowMan confirmed with a shake of his head. “Though there are rumors on the local board that he's helping us from the inside.”

     “Ballade and Quint are low priorities. We should go forward with the operation.” Zero suggested.

     “Agreed.” Chaud confirmed. Bringing the MegaMan Killers to justice might be the best way to help his navi right now. Hopefully this team would be up to the task.

     “Yeah! Let's rush it to the end-zone, coach!” GridMan cheered. Chaud didn't quite understand what he meant, but it reminded him that he should be probably be checking in on everyone.

     “Zero, GridMan, have you felt any signs of the infection?”

     “Infection rates are at 50% for ShadowMan and NapalmMan. Then it's at 25% for GridMan and 3% for myself.” Zero offered helpfully. “It is unlikely that I will be affected, but GridMan has roughly 3 hours before he becomes incapacitated. We should capture Punk before then.”

     “Huh?” GridMan seemed startled. “How do you know when I'm being sidelined?”

     “That's just how I was built.” Zero answered, not bothering to elaborate. Chaud was fairly certain most Net Saviors were familiar with the Zero Virus incident already anyway.

     “GridMan and I will take care of Punk. The rest of you should focus on Enker.” Mr. Famous reminded Chaud. He didn't like the idea of leaving Punk's capture to the two of them, but if anyone knew Punk's weak-spots, it was Mr. Famous.

     “Alright.” Chaud agreed. “Let's start this mission.”

     When SharkMan finally came to take over his guard shift, MegaMan was eager to get back to Lan. He needed to talk to someone about ProtoMan. Getting infected couldn't have been easy on his friend, but MegaMan wasn't expecting him to look so rough. He'd also have to tell Chaud eventually. MegaMan did not look forward to that conversation. Chaud was worked up over ProtoMan enough as is, he didn't want to make things worse.

     “Lan, I'm back!” He called, watching his brother stir in his bed.

     “Can't I sleep a little longer?” Lan complained.

     “Just because Dad let you skip school today doesn't mean you get to take the day off.” MegaMan chided as Lan pulled himself out of bed.

     Just as MegaMan was about to fill Lan in on his day, the crackling of static filled his homepage. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a purple shape push it's way through Bass' gate.

     “Yo!" An unfamiliar navi greeted, a wide smile on his face. "It's nice to finally meet the legendary duo, Lan and MegaMan.” MegaMan was wary of this navi. No one could make it through Bass' gate, not even Roll and GutsMan. So how had he come through?

     “Who are you and why are on my homepage?” Lan asked, clearly every bit as suspicious of this newcomer as MegaMan was.

     “Sorry. Name's Ballade, leader of the DarkMarket Arena and MegaMan Killer Number Three.” Ballade explained proudly holding up three fingers. The cheery tone of his voice almost distracted MegaMan from the fact that he had basically said 'I'm a wanted criminal and here to kill you'.

     “How did you get out?” MegaMan demanded. According to Chaud, Ballade had been infected at the same time as ProtoMan. If he'd escaped the Undernet, who knew how many navis that he could have infected on the way here.

     “Of the Undernet? I've been trapped outside of it since the barrier came down.” Ballade answered. “I've been sticking to the back-roads so I doubt that I've infected anyone so far. Unless, I've infected you by coming here, in which case, sorry about that.” Ballade apologized without any sincerity.

     MegaMan took a step back as the truth of that statement hit him. He'd been so focused on preventing another outbreak that he'd forgotten about himself. Was he infected now? If he was, how much time did he have before the symptoms hit?

     “We'll get you checked out as soon as this is over, MegaMan.” Lan assured him. His brother was right, he needed to focus on the situation at hand.

     “If it's any consolation, the barrier is coming down in a hour or so anyway.” Ballade offered. How was he taking this so lightly when both navi and human lives were at stake?

     “What do you mean?” MegaMan asked, not looking forward to hearing the answer.

     “How about a friendly NetBattle? If you beat me, I'll fill you in on the details.” Ballade quickly proposed. It was clear that he'd been planning on this from the get-go.

     “What's the catch?” Lan pressured him.

     “There is no catch. I just want to prove that I'm stronger than the team that took down WWW and Nebula.” Ballade answered, putting his hands on his hips and arrogantly puffing out his chest.

     MegaMan could tell that he was being honest. He didn't feel any anger from Ballade like he had with Enker and Quint. Why had he joined the MegaMan Killers? He would have gladly taken Ballade up on his challenge if he'd just asked. Why go through all this trouble?

     The crackling of static returned, alerting MegaMan to another NetNavi making it through Bass' gate. This navi, he knew all too well.

     “MegaMan, we need to-” Quint cut himself off as he noticed his friend.

     “Quint?” Lan and Ballade asked at once.

     “Huh? What are you doing here?" Ballade continued.

     “I- I'm here to cheer you on." Quint stuttered before collecting himself. He hardheartedly pumped his fist. "Show that blue son of a glitch whose boss, Ballade!”

     “Right on, Quint!” Ballade agreed, sending his teammate a thumbs up. “Just make sure to stay out of the cross-fire.”

     MegaMan could tell right away that Ballade wasn't Quint's reason for coming here. If he was truly against using the virus, there was chance that he wanted to help the Net Saviors. Of course, there was an equal chance that he was here to delete him. He hoped that it was the former. MegaMan barely beat Quint last time. If he and Ballade were to team up, he didn't know if he'd win.

     “Hey MegaMan, are you ready?” Ballade asked, doing a couple quick stretches as he waited for an answer.

     “Yeah. Lan?” MegaMan asked.

     “Of course!”

     “Then do you want give the signal, Quint?” Ballade asked eagerly. Quint looked tired, but nonetheless agreed.

     “Ready!” Quint began. “Fight!”

     Ballade barreled forward at high speed, leaving him almost no time to react. Just like Ballade Soul, he seemed to be using explosions to propel himself over the ground. Area effects would be useless against him. Miraculously, MegaMan leaped away in time to avoid the attack. He, rolled himself once over the ground, then sprang back up onto his feet and fired a charged shot into Ballade's side. He kept up the pressure, firing his MegaBuster continuously as he circled around Ballade and put distance between them.

     MegaMan felt his buster morph into a cannon as Lan slotted-in a M-Cannon chip. He fired only to hit empty space as Ballade used an AreaSteal. Lan used a Barrier chip just in time to block Ballade's jab from behind. He spun around to face Ballade, only to receive a blow to the cheek. MegaMan held his ground, firing on Ballade, who dropped an object at his feet and quickly backed away.

      MegaMan realized what Ballade had done just a moment too late. Heat engulfed his body as he tried and failed to clear the blast radius in time. While he was stunned, Ballade rushed in and punched MegaMan in the gut.

     “This is the legendary navi that took down WWW and Nebula? I thought you'd be stronger.” Ballade taunted, before kicking MegaMan to the floor. He needed to figure out how to beat this guy. When Quint had used Ballade Soul, slowing him down had helped.

     “MegaMan!” Lan called out, slotting in another chip. As he and Lan entered Full Synchro, his plan became clear.

     “Magnet Soul!” MegaMan called out as he slashed at Ballade with an ElecSword.

     While Ballade managed to avoid the attack, it gave MegaMan an opportunity to get back on his feet. Ballade hurled more explosives at him before taking a backwards leap away from the blast radius. He wouldn't fall for the same tactic twice.

     MegaMan charged forward shoulder-first, managing to get far enough out of the blast radius to avoid injury. As explosions blossomed behind him, MegaMan pulled Ballade in close with a Magnet Bolt, stunning him long enough to tear into him with a HeroSword.

     Ballade once again propelled himself backwards, quickly putting a large amount of distance between them. In spite of the large gash in his chest, Ballade looked absolutely giddy.

      “Haha! Yes!” Ballade laughed. “That's the MegaMan that I keep hearing about. Come on then, show me your power.”

     MegaMan and Lan couldn't believe what they were seeing. That last attack would have put most navis close to deletion, yet somehow Ballade was treating his wound like it was just a scratch. Full Syncro slipped from their grasp as Lan and MegaMan began to doubt themselves.

     “You've got this Ballade!” Quint cheered from the sidelines.

     “Yeah I do!” Ballade grinned as a purple aura formed around him. “Dark Meteor!”

     Lan countered by slotting in an Aura chip. It's shielding power gently wrapped around MegaMan like a warm blanket.

     MegaMan dodged and waved as flames rained down all around him. His aura faded as he took a hit. The next hit slammed him into the ground. Still another meteor crashed into him while he was still recovering from the last. He felt Magnet Soul flicker from existence as he slowly picked his aching body off of the ground. He didn't know how much more of this that he could take. On the other side of his homepage, Ballade's laughter had turned into a thunderous roar.

     “Yes! This is what NetBattles are supposed to be!” Ballade cheered. The Dark Chip was clearly taking its toll on his mental state. “Hurry up and delete me MegaMan, before I tear you to pieces!”

     “Don't let him get to you!” Lan encouraged, snapping MegaMan back into focus as he regained Full Synchro. “Spreader, triple slot-in. Program Advance!”

     “HyperBurst!” They called out together. Explosions burst forth all around the cackling Ballade.

     Ballade staggered, his eyes wide, after he failed to escape the wide-ranged attack. Small cuts littered his body alongside the larger gash. It was odd how little code was actually leaking from his injuries, but MegaMan could see that he was starting to falter.

     “Let's keep it up, Lan!” He beamed.

     “Snap out of it, Ballade!” Quint called. "You're stronger than this."

     The familiar purple glow of dark energy returned to Ballade's body as MegaMan prepared another M-Cannon. He fired, and Ballade took the shot head on, not bothering to dodge. Still, he remained standing, never letting up on charging his next attack. What was this navi made of?

     MegaMan shifted into GutsSoul as Lan loaded in another three chips. If this next attack didn't take him out, then MegaMan didn't know what would.

     “InfiniteVulcan!” Lan and MegaMan shouted in unison.

     “DarkEruption!” Ballade was giggling under his breath. A fierce wave of heat burst from his body just as MegaMan began firing.

      “Wait, Ballade! He knows how to beat that chip!” Quint warned, but Ballade didn't seem to hear him. Purple fire engulfed the field. This was nothing like the Dark Eruption that Quint had used.

      InfiniteVulcan fell apart as the heat rushed towards him. Out of the corner of his eye, MegaMan could see Quint switching to Punk Soul so that he could guard himself against the attack. The Dark Chips must be affecting Ballade heavily if he was willing to place his friend in the cross-fire.

     MegaMan quickly switched to Proto Soul. He knew that his shield wouldn't last, but at least it would give Lan time to load another Popup chip. MegaMan braced himself against the flames until the hole opened beneath his feet.

     “For such a small frame, this guy is built like a tank.” Lan complained as he fed MegaMan a recovery chip. This attack was almost a blessing in disguise. They had time to prepare now.

     “We can't wait him out like we did with Quint. He'll go right back to attacking once the chip is used up.” MegaMan pointed out as the flames continued to roar over his head.

     “Then let's not wait for him.” Could Lan really be suggesting that he go out into the open like this? He had to have a plan. “All his attacks so far have been fire-based. He's probably playing to his element.”

     “Good idea. Do we have any Bubbler chips?”

     “Yeah. If you use AquaSoul and I load in a BubbleShield chip, you should be able to resist damage for a while.”

     “We'll have to make this quick then.” MegaMan agreed.

     “Right. I'll feed you chips one after another as soon as you are in shooting range.”

     MegaMan nodded, quietly switching to Aqua Soul. As his ProtoShield vanished, heat flowed into his hiding spot. He winced as flames licked his arms. Fortunately, Lan loaded the BubbleShield chip right after, taking the edge off. MegaMan pulled himself out and aimed at Ballade. The first Bubbler hit it's mark dead-on. Ballade still wasn't bothering to dodge, but it didn't make him flinch either, so he had no idea how much damage it was doing.

     BubbleShield quickly gave out under the continuous wave of flames. Even with Aqua Soul's resistance to fire attacks, he was struggling to stay standing as he fired again. Ballade's grin never faltered as it smacked him in the face.

     Charging his final Aqua chip, MegaMan let loose a massive wave that swallowed his homepage. As the flames sputtered out, he fell to his knees completely exhausted.

     MegaMan watched nervously as Ballade took a step forward, stumbled, and fell to the ground. He breathed a sigh of relief and dismissed Aqua Soul as Lan started loading him with more recovery chips. He wasn't sure how much longer he could have withstood Dark Eruption. Cautiously, he walked over to Ballade. Even unconscious, he was smiling softly. He really was just in this for the fun of it, wasn't he?

     “Geez Ballade. You got a little out of hand there, didn't you?” Quint told his unconscious friend. MegaMan had almost forgotten about him. Unlike himself, Quint didn't look more than a little singed.

     “You came here for another reason, right Quint?” MegaMan asked. Quint picked up Ballade and slung his arm around his shoulder so that he could carry him.

     “You hurt Ballade. What makes you think that I would help you in any way?”

     “Hey! He started it!” Lan argued. MegaMan ignored him. Quint didn't have the same views towards NetBattling that they did. Who started it wouldn't matter to him.

     “Because we have the same goal.” MegaMan answered instead.

     “We have a similar goal.” Quint corrected. “I just want to relax and sell some product in peace. I can't do that with net society in chaos.”

     “So how do we stop the MegaMan Killers?”

     “Punk built a shield disrupter. Once it's fully charged, Enker is going to use it to take down the barrier. Fight him if you want.” Quint shrugged.

     “Well, where is the shield disrupter then?” Lan asked. He was right to be impatient.

     “It has to be used at the center of the barrier, so Enker should be taking it to the bottom of the Undernet.” Quint answered beginning to drag Ballade back through the gate.

     "Thank you, Quint." MegaMan called after him.

     "Yeah, whatever. If you win against Enker, net society is saved. If you lose, he'll delete you. It's a win-win for me."

     “You know that you could join the NetSaviors, right?” MegaMan offered.

     “And betray my friends? Not a chance!” Quint scoffed, not bothering to look back. Just before leaving, he waved to MegaMan, his back still turned to him. “If Enker doesn't delete you, I will.”

     MegaMan watched Quint as he finally exited. He was still unsure what to think of his double. Until he knew for sure if Quint was an ally or an enemy, he'd have to stay on guard around him.

     “We need to get you to SciLab.” Lan stated. It wasn't often that his brother's voice was this serious.

     "Enker could be taking down the barrier as we speak." MegaMan argued. "I can get checked out later. Right now, I need to get to the bottom of the Undernet and you need to call Chaud."

     "You're joking right?" Lan asked. "You can't face a group of NetNavis out to delete you right now. If you are infected, you'll be making yourself vulnerable."

     "The symptoms take a few hours to set in. Virus or no virus, I'll jack out before then."

     “Hub, please don't do this.” Lan pleaded. “I can't let you go off into the Undernet alone right now.”

     “As soon as you've filled Chaud in, we'll sync back up.” MegaMan decided. He smiled, trying to put Lan at ease. “Besides, I won't be alone.”

Chapter Text

From: BluBombr

Subject: Please meet me

Message: Hi ProtoMan, I know you're probably still upset with me, but I need your help. Please meet me at Undernet 4. It's urgent.

From: Admin

Subject: You didn't.

Message: How did you get into the Undernet? Please don't tell me that you used my link.

From: LanParty

Subject: Re: You didn't.

Message: Then we won't tell you.

From: BluBombr

Subject: Re: You didn't.

Message: Sorry. I'll make it up to you.

From: No Name

Subject: Net Saviors GTFO

Message: When will you Net Saviors learn to stay clear of the Undernet?

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Please meet me

Message: You came to the Undernet without telling me? If you die because of the virus, I'll be pissed.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: You have Chosen Poorly

Message: Why are you asking ProtoMan for help anyway? I know the Undernet better than him.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: You have Chosen Poorly

Message: Whatever. I doubt that coward will bother showing. He's probably hiding in a corner and whining about how much he misses his NetOp right now. Let me know if you need help from a real member of the Undernet.

From: UnderKing

Subject: Hmmm...

Message: Someone is jealous.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Hmmm...

Message: Go to hell.

     “You called?” ProtoMan asked, sneaking up behind MegaMan.

     “I'm glad that you came.” MegaMan smiled back as he turned to face his missing friend. ProtoMan looked like he was doing a little better. He'd combed and his hair at least.

     “Why are you here MegaMan?” ProtoMan asked flatly. Yikes. He was definitely still mad at him. Maybe he could try and work things out with him on their way to the bottom of the Undernet.

     “Ballade paid me a visit and told me that the MegaMan Killers are planning to take down the barrier. Since I'm probably infected now anyway, I want to stop him.” MegaMan explained. ProtoMan frowned.

     “So what do you need me for?”

     “Quint said that Enker was headed to the bottom of the Undernet. I was hoping that you'd know how to get there.” MegaMan suggested, knowing that however upset with him that ProtoMan was, he would agree. ProtoMan was nothing if not loyal to the Net Saviors.

     “I do.” ProtoMan admitted after a moment's thought. “If you're fighting the MegaMan Killers, I will help.”

     “Thanks ProtoMan.” MegaMan smiled sincerely. He thought that he could see the smallest hint of smile on ProtoMan's face before he turned away, motioning for MegaMan to follow him.

     The silence between them felt tangible as they walked. MegaMan had a lot of questions to ask ProtoMan, but he wasn't sure how to go about it. If Lan were here, he'd know how to break the ice.

     “So how bad are the symptoms going to be?” MegaMan finally asked. He could count on ProtoMan to be straight with him.

     “Bad.” ProtoMan replied. “You're planning to jack out before that happens, right?”

     “Yeah.” MegaMan replied. He desperately wanted to ask ProtoMan why he hadn't done that, but wasn't willing to risk the chance of him getting even more upset with him.

     “Lan is filling Chaud in on the situation. He's going to let me know when to jack out.” MegaMan added.

     “How is Chaud?” ProtoMan asked. The tone of his voice was hard to read, somewhere between curious and sad. At least bringing up Chaud hadn't set him off again.

     “He's leading the charge against the MegaMan Killers, but I'm not a part of the strike team so I can't tell you how their mission is going.”

     “Chaud will succeed.” ProtoMan affirmed, more to himself than to MegaMan. He suddenly stopped at the edge of the path and looked down.

     “What is it?” Megaman asked. ProtoMan pointed to a wide pit ahead of them.

     “That is the Deep Undernet. It's a long climb to the bottom. Do you still have GyroSoul?” ProtoMan asked. MegaMan shook his head.

     “I need a wind Battle Chip to use it. Until Lan gets back, I'm grounded.” MegaMan explained. He wasn't sure that he'd be able to give ProtoMan a lift to the bottom anyway. Gyro Soul was strong, but carrying another navi with it was difficult.

     “I guess we'll have to walk then. Maybe we can pick up Serenade on the way.” ProtoMan agreed, continuing his walk down the sloping paths lining the pit.

     “You're training under him now, right? Why would Serenade be all the way down here?” MegaMan asked.

     “Because Serenade doesn't know when to leave people alone.” ProtoMan replied. He sounded annoyed. ProtoMan wasn't living down here was he?

     MegaMan glanced around the dark, gloomy pit. He could see a few places where the path branched into caves and tunnels in its sides. It wouldn't be hard to find a place to set up camp down here. He wondered if Bass ever used them.

     When they were roughly a third of the way down, ProtoMan stopped and poked his head into one of the caves. He only called once for Serenade before giving up. MegaMan made a mental note of this place. It didn't look like anyone was living here, but there was a good chance that ProtoMan visited often.

     When they were two-thirds of the way down, MegaMan could hear the clang of metal on metal coming from the bottom of the pit. Was a machine running down there? He quietly listened for a moment. No. The gaps between each clang were too irregular.

     “Is that normal?” MegaMan asked.

     “No.” ProtoMan replied, gradually picking up his pace.

     MegaMan followed suit. Questions flashed through his mind like bolts of lightning in a summer storm. What was that noise? Was Enker was already here? Since the barrier was still up, the shield disrupter must not be charged yet. How much time did they have until it was?

     Chaud watched in anticipation as BurnerMan lifted his DarkMarket invite to the open air. Moments later, the doorway appeared. Zero quickly motioned to his team, urging them to rush for it before it closed.

     He was proving to be a capable field leader. Chaud almost wished that the navi had joined the Net Saviors sooner. They could have used someone like him after Baryl and Colonel's sudden disappearance. While he hoped that his fellow commander was safe, the gap in command that they had left was annoying. Taking on more of Baryl's work was eating into his already limited time for sleeping.

     As the strike team stepped into the DarkMarket, Chaud wondered what his navi's life must have been like while working here. Even though he'd promised to limit contact with ProtoMan on the mission, he'd managed to steal a few glimpses of the place through his PET. It had been a lot more lively in those glimpses than it was now.

     Before stepping into the foyer, Chaud loaded an Invis chip into Zero's PET, and was pleased to see the rest of the team had done the same. Zero quickly weaved his way through the crowd of navis scattered throughout the foyer, all in various stages of the virus. ShadowMan was able to keep pace fairly well, but GridMan and NapalmMan were struggling to make their way through without alerting anyone. Zero had to double back and give them a hand before proceeding.

     Finally, once everyone had successfully made their way across the foyer, Zero motioned ahead. GridMan was still invisible, so Chaud hoped that he'd gotten the message. Now to find Enker. ShadowMan led the way, ushering the rest of the team to the front of Enker's office. Hesitantly, Zero grabbed the doorknob and twisted, gently swinging the door open.

      Across the office, Enker sat behind a large desk. His face was buried in a thick, spiral bound record book. It seemed like he hadn't even noticed them enter. Chaud felt uneasy. Something wasn't right here. Zero stepped inside, NapalmMan following closely behind. At the same time, Chaud's conference room door slammed open as Lan stormed inside.

     “Chaud, call off the mission. Enker is at the bottom of the Undernet. He's planning to take down the barrier.”

     What? That wasn't possible. Enker was right in front of them. Chaud glanced down at his PET without saying another word. Zero took the record book out from Enker's hands revealing a simple anti-damage dummy.

     Alarms blared as an electronic pulse tore through the room, knocking the team back and canceling all defensive chips that had been applied.

     “Warning. Warning. Security has been breached. Warning.” Droned a robotic voice from all speakers.

     “Fall back to the Undernet!” Zero ordered to the team. “We've been set up.”

     As the small team quickly left the office, all eyes turned to them. Navi after navi rose to their feet. Anyone in the market who could fight was ready to defend this place against their shared enemy, the Net Saviors.

     “Zero.” Chaud called though his PET. Lan would have to wait. Right now, his full attention was needed to get his team out safely. “Execute!” He ordered.

     The blaring of the alarm tore Punk from his work. So Enker had been right about the raid, and the Net Saviors fell for his trap hook, line, and sinker. He doubted that they would make it out of here without casualties, but was determined to join the fight that was beginning to break out in the foyer. The longer that he could keep the Net Saviors away from Enker, the better. Besides, throwing down with a few Net Saviors would be a fun distraction from the program that he was working on.

     As Punk got up from his seat, the steel door separating his lab from the rest of the market crashed inwards. Sparks flew as it skidded along the floor and came to rest at his feet. So the alarm hadn't scared off everyone. Punk looked up at the doorway and glared as he recognized the wide silhouette standing there.

     “GridMan.” Punk stated, voice full of contempt. This was the navi that had taken his place after all.

     “Hey there Big Bro.” GridMan waved, stepping into his lab. “Nice place you got here. Sorry about the door.”

     “What do you want? I got better places to be.” Punk asked impatiently. The din coming from the foyer let him know what he was missing out on because of his so-called “brother”.

     “Tell me Bro, why'd you pull the biggest betrayal since Brett Farve joined the Minnesota Vikings?" GridMan asked instead. After Punk shot him a confused glance, he decided to clarify. "Why'd you leave the Net Saviors for a Dark Chip Syndicate?”

     “Are you thick? To delete MegaMan. I thought our name made that obvious.” Punk answered.

     “So you don't want to rejoin the home team?” GridMan asked, cocking his head. Punk took a single step back, not thinking. Of course he wanted to be reunited with Mr. Famous. He missed his creator more than anything.

     “I know that you're listening Dad.” Punk called out, he wasn't going to have this conversation through GridMan. If Mr. Famous wanted him back. He'd have to say so himself.

     “Hey there problem child. How are you doing?” Mr. Famous greeted, his voice sounding way closer than any operator's voice should. Punk took another step back in shock as Mr. Famous stepped out from behind GridMan.

     “You pulsed in?” Punk couldn't believe what he was seeing. Didn't he realize that there was a battle going on right outside this room? He was just a squishy human. He could die.

     “I just had to see your lab in person.” Mr. Famous smiled. “Not too shabby.” Mr. Famous raised a fist to his mouth and coughed. “Anyway, why don't you come back home with me? We can even have a friendly rematch against MegaMan if you want.”

     Mr. Famous did want him back then? It was like a dream come true. Maybe his dad really did care. There was no chance that he would betray the MegaMan Killers, but maybe he wouldn't have to.

     “No.” Punk answered defiantly, crossing his arms. “Join my crew.”

     “Hey! Don't think you can draft us!” GridMan intercepted.

     “I wasn't talking to you, meathead!” Punk uncrossed his arms to take a step forward and shake his fist at his younger brother.

     “Time-out!” Mr. Famous declared holding out his hands in a T-formation. “Give us a moment GridMan.” GridMan puffed out his chest and turned to the side, clearly unhappy to be stuck on the sidelines.

     “No can do, kid.” Mr. Famous smiled back. “But maybe you can convince your friends to join the Net Saviors instead. They'll go easy on you if you turn yourselves in. We could use your help now more than ever.”

     “Hell no!” Punk re-crossed his arms. Even if he could convince Ballade, Enker, and Quint to come with him, it wouldn't work. He'd spent too long in the Undernet. He'd watched the Net Saviors delete too many of his comrades over pointless rules like the Solo Navi ban. He would never work for them again.

      “Are you sure that you won't come home?”

     “Are you sure that you won't join us?” Punk shot back.

     “Time for Plan B.” Mr. Famous muttered under his breath. GridMan watched the scene from the corner of his eye. While he wouldn't interfere, he was eager to see where this was going.

     “Fine. You wouldn't be able to help us anyway!” Mr. Famous huffed.

     “What did you just say?” Punk leered down at his creator.

     “I said, you wouldn't be able to help us anyway. Clearly, you can't even build a virus correctly, much less cure it.” Mr. Famous baited, folding his arms and looking away from Punk.

     “What the hell do you know!” Punk's flail smacked into the ground in front of Mr. Famous. It was an empty threat.

     “I know that I should have spent more time on your logic analysis algorithm, since clearly you aren't up to the challenge. To think that I was once proud of you.”

     “Ha! Shows what you know, Dad. I could develop a vaccine in no time flat.”

     “Then prove it.” Mr. Famous challenged.

     “Fine! Maybe I will!” Punk answered, too enraged to think his next move out clearly. “You better not have thrown out my PET.” Punk huffed, and just like that, disappeared in a flash of light as he logged out.

     “Well I think that went famously.” Mr. Famous smiled, turning back to a very confused GridMan.

     “What just happened?” His youngest navi asked.

     “That's simple, GridMan. I exploited the weakness of every rebellious teenager, reverse psychology. Now let's get back to SciLab before Punk realizes he's trapped in a private server.”

     GridMan anxiously rubbed his helmet. He still had a lot to learn about his own family.

Chapter Text

From: No Name

Subject: Throwdown @ DarkMarket

Message: A bunch of Net Saviors got into the marketplace. Stop by if you're in the mood for a good time :)

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Throwdown @ DarkMarket

Message: Then why are you posting on here instead of fighting?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Throwdown @ DarkMarket

Message: I wish that I could. A lot of us are too weak to fight right now.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Re: Throwdown @ DarkMarket

Message: Do any of them look strong?

From: No Name

Subject: Re: Throwdown @ DarkMarket

Message: @BlkShdw There's a red guy with a sword that seems to be doing pretty well.

From: BlkShdw

Subject: Told you so

Message: @BluBombr I told you he wouldn't bother showing up to meet you.

From: No Name

Subject: RIP

Message: One of the Net Saviors just got taken out. 2 left.

From: No Name

Subject: Re: RIP

Message: nvm some Netopian-looking navi just joined the fray. 3 left.

From: No Name

Subject: Sick Combo

Message: 2 left. Nice job BombMan and BurnerMan.

From: UnderKing

Subject: Re: Throwdown @ DarkMarket

Message: I just started spectating. ShadowMan and the red navi seem to be holding their own. There's probably still time if anyone else wants to join.

From: UnderKing

Subject: RIP ShadowMan

Message: Nvm. @Lite-Brite, I didn't know you had that in you. Please challenge me sometime ;)

     MegaMan watched in horror as he raced to the bottom of the pit, finally able to see the scene below. He struggled to keep his footing as Enker slammed JunkMan into the side of the pit below him.

     “JunkMan!” MegaMan called out, trying to distract Enker from his friend.

     “MegaMan! Enker is-” Enker grabbed Junkman by his helm, quickly shutting him up.

     “Thanks for the appetizer JunkMan. It's been fun.” Enker smirked, materializing a spear in his free hand.

     MegaMan fired on Enker, but was unable to stop him from ramming the spear through JunkMan's torso. As he disappeared in a flash of blue light, MegaMan felt pure dread. Thankfully, MegaMan's horror quickly changed to relief as he saw that JunkMan had only logged out, not been deleted.

     MegaMan and ProtoMan finally reached the bottom of the pit not a minute later. Enker waited patiently for them in front of a large, gray pillar that hummed with blue energy. That device must have been the shield disrupter. It looked ready to activate at any moment.

     “I am please to see you again MegaMan, though I didn't know you'd be bringing a friend.” Enker greeted. “Not that I have any issue fighting that traitor.”

     “Why do you want to release the virus Enker? Haven't you seen how many navis have been hurt by it?” MegaMan accused. He needed to buy time for Lan to get back to him. What was taking his brother so long?

     “Sacrifices need to be made for NetNavi freedom.” Enker answered. “That's the half of the answer anyway.”

     “And the rest of it?” MegaMan asked.

     “Revenge of course.” Enker replied, making direct eye contact with him.

     “What exactly did I do to you Enker?” MegaMan demanded. He was getting angry. If Enker only cared about getting revenge on him, then why did he need to take it out on everyone else as well? None of them should have been involved.

     “He's a former member of the Dark Chip syndicate Nebula.” ProtoMan stated, indirectly answering MegaMan's question.

     “So this is revenge for destroying Nebula?” MegaMan asked. He felt his synchronization with Lan begin to rise. His brother was finally here, but hadn't yet chosen to reveal himself.

     “This is revenge for my operator.” Enker scowled, his good mood vanishing in an instant as hate filled his eyes.

     “What do you mean? I've never met your operator.”

     “You didn't have to. When you destroyed Nebula, my operator...” Enker trailed off. His eyes drifted to the ground for a moment before refocusing into a glare. “Back then I was too weak to do anything to help her. Now, I have no doubt that I can delete you. Come at me when you are ready. I'll take you both on at once.”

     ProtoMan dropped into a battle stance, his mouth-guard shutting over his tight frown. Then he morphed his arm into a blade and gave MegaMan a quick nod, signaling that he was ready. MegaMan returned his nod and formed his buster, but did not yet raise it.

     “Lan, are you ready?” MegaMan asked.

     “Yeah. Let's stop this jerk.” Lan agreed.

     He loaded up a MadVulcan so that MegaMan could provide cover fire as ProtoMan rushed in with his blade. Seemingly unaffected by the MadVulcan, Enker parried with his spear, leaving ProtoMan wide open. Enker punched him in the gut with his free hand and pushed him aside.

     The second that MegaMan ran out of bullets, Enker tossed his spear. It zipped through the air like a bolt of lighting. MegaMan could barely see it before it buried itself in his arm. He cried out in alarm, causing Enker to smile gleefully.

     As Enker approached MegaMan, the spear vanished from his arm in a flash of light only to reappear in Enker's hand. Out of the corner of his eye, MegaMan could see that he was already beginning to lose data from the wound.

     While Lan prepared the next series of chips, ProtoMan saw an opportunity and struck from behind. His sword clashed against Enker's armor. MegaMan couldn't see if ProtoMan had managed to deal any damage, but again Enker looked unphased.

     MegaMan shifted to Fire Soul. Maybe an indirect attack would stand a better chance. As Enker pulled back his arm, spear aimed at ProtoMan, MegaMan let loose a FlameLine. Enker took a step back, narrowly dodging the attack. Thankfully, it gave ProtoMan a moment to regain his bearings.

     “Got any more of those Lan?” MegaMan asked, knowing that he would.

     “You bet.” Lan answered. MegaMan could practically feel the confident smile on his brother's face as their synchronization rate rapidly climbed.

     “FlameLine, triple slot-in!” Lan started.

     “Program Advance! Flame Cross!” MegaMan finished, trapping Enker in the center of a blazing inferno. MegaMan took a defensive stance while Lan sorted through his BattleChips. They both instinctively knew that this fight was far from over.

     Another streak of gold flew towards MegaMan from the center of the blaze. This time, the spear shattered as ProtoMan dashed in to guard MegaMan with his shield. Enker emerged from the flames. A thin layer of soot covered his armor, but he looked otherwise unharmed.

     “What do you say that we hit him together with everything we've got?” ProtoMan asked. Lan was already preparing the chips needed for their Double Hero combo.

     MegaMan was just about to verbally agree when a dark figure dove through the space separating them from Enker. He wondered for a moment if Bass had come to join the fight. He didn't know if he should have been happy or disappointed that it wasn't the case. If MegaMan were honest with himself, he didn't know whose side Bass would be fighting on if he did join.

     “Two on one? Really?” LarkMan accused. “Typical of you Net Saviors to fight without honor.” LarkMan turned his head back to shoot Enker a grin. “Mind if I tag in? I'll leave MegaMan to you of course.”

     “ProtoMan is all yours. Just make sure to keep him away from the device.” Enker agreed.

     “Wait LarkMan.” ProtoMan tried to protest. Did the two know each other? MegaMan supposed that they could have met when he was undercover, but ProtoMan wasn't the type of guy that would let that stop him. Then again, he also wasn't the kind of guy to willingly avoid his NetOp.

     Without hesitation, LarkMan tossed a pair of Lark Cutters at ProtoMan, forcing him to dodge by moving away from MegaMan. LarkMan swooped forward firing more Lark Cutters and pushing ProtoMan further back to the edges of the pit.

     “Lan, do you remember what our goal is?” MegaMan asked. Despite now being left alone to deal with Enker, LarkMan had really done MegaMan a huge favor. He had reminded him that his goal here wasn't to win a fight. He just needed to destroy the shield disrupter. He'd worry about taking down Enker after the fact.

     “Right. Let's push him back towards the center.” Lan agreed, loading MegaMan with a new chip.

     “Double Soul! Knight Soul!” MegaMan announced, replacing his fire for a tough suit of armor. He charged forward with a DrillArm, quickly closing the distance between Enker and himself.

     Enker guarded against the attack, blocking the drill with his armored hands. He grunted as he was pushed back by it's force. For a moment, MegaMan felt a tug on his arm before it quickly faded. What was that? Was the virus starting to affect him? He shook that train of thought from his head. Now wasn't the time.

     “What a disgusting form.” Enker commented as the DrillArm chip ran out of energy. “At least you're putting up a fight now.”

     “What? Got something against a knight in shining armor?” Lan half-teased. Neither brother liked it when their friends were insulted.

     Enker didn't answer, instead choosing to lash out at MegaMan with a WideSword. While Knight Soul's armor was formidable, MegaMan could see a thin line of fractured code drifting from his midsection. Enker lived up to his reputation. Hopefully, ProtoMan was doing better.

     “Get out of here LarkMan. I don't want to delete you.” ProtoMan frowned. LarkMan had been a decent sparing partner and valuable ally during his time in the Undernet. Enemy or not, he was no longer sure that he could delete him.

     “A Net Savior who doesn't want to delete a Solo Navi? Ha! Good one.” LarkMan scoffed. His hatred for ProtoMan sounded genuine. 'Blues' had never asked LarkMan about his thoughts on the Net Saviors. Maybe he should have.

     “I'm different.” ProtoMan insisted. “I don't want to attack someone just for wanting more freedom.”

     “Liar!” LarkMan shot back, tossing a couple of Lark Cutters in his direction. ProtoMan blocked them with his shield. He saw an opening in LarkMan's defense, but suppressed the urge to exploit it. He wasn't going to attack LarkMan unless it was absolutely necessary.

      “How many NetNavi's have you deleted before me?” LarkMan asked, swooping forward and clawing at ProtoMan's shield.

     He involuntarily flinched. He'd deleted too many navis to count. It had never bothered him before. They had been criminals. Then again, LarkMan was a criminal too.

     As he stepped back to avoid another of LarkMan's attacks, ProtoMan reflected on the number of NetNavis he'd deleted simply because they were Solo or Forged Navis. Then he thought about the navis he'd deleted for minor crimes. How many of them were like BombMan, forced to become criminals because they had no other options?

     Under his face-covering, ProtoMan gritted his teeth. Had his time in the Undernet changed him that much? This level of doubt was what got him stranded from Chaud in the first place! He couldn't afford to show mercy now.

     Something clicked inside of ProtoMan. He could feel the subtle energy that permeated the Undernet. How had he not noticed it before? Without thinking, ProtoMan called to the dark energy around him. It danced within his body as he began to absorb it. He felt light-headed, giddy even. This was Bass Boost wasn't it? Why did it feel so good?

     ProtoMan took the next available opening, tearing LarkMan's chest open with his sword. He followed up by tackling LarkMan to the ground. ProtoMan pinned him down and held the tip of his sword to to his neck. He couldn't help but wonder how good his data would taste.

     LarkMan scowled, clearly trying to put on a tough face before his inevitable deletion. ProtoMan smirked. He might as well finish this now.

     As ProtoMan began putting pressure on LarkMan's neck, he abruptly noticed that his blade had become a deep shade of violet. He lifted the blade away from LarkMan's neck. This was Dark Sword. Guilt, dread, and shame washed over ProtoMan like a tidal wave. His Dark Soul had been awakened again.

     LarkMan lunged at ProtoMan while he was distracted, quickly reversing their situations as he pinned ProtoMan beneath him.

     “Why'd you stop?” LarkMan hissed, data flowing from the wound on his chest and the thin line on his neck.

     “I won't become a Darkloid again.” ProtoMan replied, dismissing his sword. It was better that LarkMan delete him know while he was still himself. LarkMan's claws dug into his arms as he tightened his grip.

     “Stop sounding like him.” LarkMan demanded, sounding very annoyed.

     “Like who?” ProtoMan asked back, already knowing the answer.

     “Like Blues! It's bad enough that you a similar voice and fighting style. Now you've got to get all moody about darkloids like him too. Stop sounding like him.”

     “I can't.” ProtoMan answered. LarkMan's mouth parted slightly. His hardened glare softened as did his tight grip around ProtoMan's arms. He wasn't going to delete him now, was he? A pity.

     “Blues?” LarkMan asked.

     ProtoMan didn't answer, instead watching LarkMan's face as he grappled with some inner conflict. ProtoMan didn't care what happened to him now, but was nonetheless surprised when LarkMan released his arms. ProtoMan had just started to sit up when he saw LarkMan's fist come flying into his face. Black spots filled his vision. ProtoMan felt himself lose consciousness as his body initiated recovery-mode.

     “Could really use those reinforcements about now.” MegaMan grumbled as he whipped his mace forward.

     “Don't count on it. Chaud was in full-command mode earlier. I had to leave him a note.” Lan frowned. Chaud's 'command-mode' was fantastic for battle, but his tendency to shut out everything around him could be problematic, especially now.

     He launched an AirHoc at Enker, pushing him back another half foot. Just a little more and he'd be within striking range of the generator. Enker retaliated by quickly spearing him in the leg. MegaMan stumbled forward. Again, Enker had avoided hitting him in a vital area. He was just toying with him!

     MegaMan struggled to his feet, the pressure on his injured leg causing it to bleed more data. He winced. He couldn't stop now. He just needed to push Enker back a little more.

     Out of nowhere, a large purple blast collided with Enker's side, catching him off guard. Bass! He had decided to join his side after all. MegaMan didn't hesitate to slam his mace into Enker while he was distracted. The force sent Enker flying. At last, he had a clear path to the disrupter. Lan quickly slotted-in a series of chips as MegaMan ran forward.

     “Now!” MegaMan and Lan called out together, the LifeSword tearing through the large device with ease. The machine sparked and sputtered before falling silent.

     “No! What have you done!” Enker yelled, wincing as he got up from the ground. He clutched his arm to stop the flow of code leaking from it. Strange. MegaMan didn't think that he'd hit him in the arm.

     “It's over Enker. Give up.” MegaMan stated.

     “No.” Enker swore. “Not while I still function. MegaMan, you will answer for what you've done.”

     MegaMan ignored him, instead letting his eyes flicker upwards to where the blast had come from. Bass floated above him, his cloak softly billowing in the wind.

     “Thanks Bass.” MegaMan smiled.

     “Hmph. You owe me one.” Bass replied, folding his arms and looking away.

     “Enker!” A voice called. MegaMan didn't have any time to react as LarkMan swooped in and snatched the injured navi in his arms.

     Bass and MegaMan fired on Larkman with their busters. They couldn't let Enker escape. LarkMan twisted and rolled in the air dodging the shots with ease. As he exited the pit, Bass cursed under his breath.

     “Where's ProtoMan?” MegaMan asked. If LarkMan wasn't fighting him anymore, then he should be back. Had he been deleted?