Surface Data

[EXE 3 Postlude]

He aimlessly flipped through the programs on his terminal, looking for something, anything that would possibly make everything go back to what it was before…but he knew that it wasn't possible.

Defeated for what seemed like the millionth time, he let the PET fall to the floor, again.

It had been a week or two since Lan Hikari had managed to save the world again…and about the same time had passed since the day he had lost someone important to him. He was merely a 'program' to anyone else, but to Lan, it definitely was not the case.

Because both figuratively and literally, his net navigator was a brother to him. His friend for life, Megaman.

But…he was gone now. He sacrificed himself for Lan's sake, told him to be a good kid and to make everyone around him proud. That was easier said than done. Depression was overtaking Lan, something that wasn't supposed to happen. He was someone who was carefree, sleeping in and rushing to class, doing his homework at the last possible moment, eating enough for two people and then some…

Things had changed. Lan's homework sat neatly on one corner of his desk. His alarm was set to wake him promptly. His appetite was that of a normal person, possibly less so.

He was almost a shell of himself, somehow, and people knew that. However, at the very least…he could get help from his friends, from the people who loved him. Because he was only a kid, and had been so carefree his whole life, he didn't know how to mask his emotions so easily, hiding his pain. It was out there for the entire world to see, to recognize.

The woman downstairs, sitting on the couch and staring at the television blankly…she wasn't as fortunate to have that kind of attitude. For now, she let her hurt show, since she was alone.

Twice, now. She had lost her precious son twice over…helpless to do anything about it both times. She held him in her arms, knowing he was dying with each passing second. She cried for days after hearing the news of his death, after seeing his still and jarringly peaceful body, lying in a warm bundle of sheets. She held him one last time after that, her precious baby boy.

There was nothing but joy after learning that he had been reborn, that he was together with the brother that he never got to live with…because no matter what, it meant that he would be with her again, somehow. She'd never get to hold him again, no…but that didn't matter, as long as he was safe. She trusted Lan's ability, knowing that he took after his father, and in her other son's power as well, realizing what a great team they made, keeping each other out of danger as much as they kept walking into it…which was a lot of the time. But she didn't worry…she didn't feel the need to.

How funny…

Now the pain was coming through, again. Those pesky tears that fell down her face when she saw the life taken from that baby boy, they were coming back again, and they were overwhelming her. A sense of despair, of self-loathing…so many dark and choking emotions were inside of her, as she sat there.

She heard the door upstairs click open, realizing her son, her only remaining, living, breathing son, was coming downstairs for a snack. As much as it hurt…she did the only thing she could.

"Lan, you're hungry?"

"Yeah…anything to eat, Mom?"

"Of course. I made something for you, it's on the table. Dinner should be ready in a while."

"Thanks…"

"Lan, you have to cheer up, okay? It's what Hub would want."

"Yeah…I'll try…"

"I hope you do."

She didn't know if he knew what she was doing…she didn't know if he could see through that plastic smile of hers. It was only there to give him a sense of hope, of security, because she couldn't let him know that she was hurting worse than she was…if that happened, then she'd lose both of them, for good. That…it couldn't happen…

The suppression of those feelings from earlier was failing.

"Lan, I'll be upstairs, okay? I'm feeling a bit tired."

"Okay, Mom."

"I'll be back in time for dinner…" She ascended the stairs, giving another phoney smile to her beloved son, pain eating at her with each step.

She barely got to her door before the tears came down.