Discliamer: I do not own any of Megaman characters, they belongs to Capcom. I have just Rumiko, Angie and the others in the following chapters who are desinged by me.
Author's note: So the time has finally come, I've uploaded my first story. This is my first in every way 'cause this is my first Megaman fanfic and a first story in English at all. But I got some help from one of my friends -BonBon- so I hope it'll be good:) I've stirred the storyline a bit so the characters are older but they uses the first anime season's technology. I hope you'll like it!
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chapter 1 -The day I met you
It was 6:00 p.m., and the rain was pouring non-stop. The only sound that broke the monotone pattering of raindrops against roofs, windows, asphalt etcetera was the cacophony of a passing car's motor.
"A person in their right mind wouldn't go out in this weather! I'm freezing to death!"
"There you go! I told you to bring an umbrella with you! But no, you're like: 'noooooooo, of course it's not gonna rain…'"
"Thanks Angie! My day was terrible so far even without you and now you're just making it worse! Really nice, I should say! Otherwise, it's totally easy for you to talk, you're in the PET, safe from ra – achoo!"
"From rain, you mean?" asked the voice called Angie, superciliously.
"Ha – ha, very funny!" the operator of Angie commented sarcastically.
She was nearing telling off her navi ruthlessly, but the fact that the small argument between them was merely due to the tiring day behind them stopped her.
For a short while, both navi and operator remained quiet. The girl was a teenager, about seventeen years of age, with long, silky, raven black hair, wich she wore in a tight ponytail. She was wearing a light blue sweater, jeans and black trainees. Her otherwise exuberant hair now was matted and stuck to her soaked clothes.
"Listen, Rumi, you're really gonna catch a cold like this..." Angie spoke up suddenly.
"I know." agreed Rumi, in the same anxious tone Angie spoke previously. "But what can I do?"
"For a start that arcade will do good. Go stand under it!"
"How do you see such things? Which arcade, anyway?" Rumi asked disbelievingly, rapidly drawing her PET from her belt-scrip.
"The PET holder isn't as in the advertisements," Angie winked. The navi was wearing a red, yellow and orange armor, with matching red helmet and gloves and boots. Her green hair was combed into two noticeable plaits, and under her helmet, her fringe rebelliously peeped out.
"Do you know that X-ray compared to you is nothing? But thanks, anyway!"
For like an hour and a half were they sitting under that alcove, speechless, but the rain just kept pouring and pouring, as if to prevent Rumi from returning home. It actually turned into a smaller ice storm as time slowly passed.
"This is our luck..." sighed Rumi, visibly annoyed.
Just when the storm was about to get serious, the creaking of a door opening was heard. Her head immediately shot in the voice's direction, to find a boy, about her age, approximately a head taller then her, towering above her. From his icy, blue eyes nothing could be read out.
"H… hi…" she stammered nervously. She was both afraid of the outcome and stunned by his appearance.
"What are you doing here?" he asked frigidly, without any sort of salutation.
"I was caught by the rain and this was the first dry place I found. But if I am bothering, just tell me and I will go away. The rain seems to be stopping, anyway… ACHOO! Oops, sorry, I think I caught a cold…"
"Come in, or they'll blame me for your little cold."
"Wait… what?" she asked, surprised.
"Come on in, before I change my mind!" he said impatiently.
Rumi nodded and entered the building.
"This is awesome! For both size and looks!" she cried in astonishment as she looked around.
"I sent an e-mail to your mom and dad."
"Thanks, Ang!"
"Who are these, Chaud?" a deep, male voice questioned.
"No worries, Protoman, just two harmless titchies from around the corner." the boy named Chaud replied.
'Just two harmless titchies from around the corner?! Just wait and see!' Rumi thought angrily, hoping for a chance to show how she and her navi were everything but harmless.
"Oh, sorry, I even forgot to introduce myself." said Rumi, smiling good-naturedly. "I am Rumiko Arakashi. And my navi's Angie."
"Hi!" Angie said, smiling, waving from the PET.
"The name's Chaud Blaze, and he's Protoman." he introduced himself and his navi, offering a handshake, but from his look it was evident he was just being formal. He probably was brought up that way.
"Wait – that Chaud Blaze?" she asked, her eyes gleaming. "Blaze Quest Games… you mean…?"
"I don't mean anything and it's no big deal anyway." said Chaud, shrugging. He was still talking to Rumi emotionlessly, but inside he felt an awkward lump forming in his stomach. Before he could act furthermore, Rumi's PET clinked, indicating someone was calling her.
"Ugh, I'm sorry, it will be only a few minutes, I swear!" she smiled friendlily.
"It's no matter." he said and took a few steps away before he was asked to, so he wouldn't overhear her conversation.
"Hey, Maylu! Yes, sorry, I can't go! Yes, of course I've got right in the middle of it, as always… I'll tell you everything later, OK? Fine, I can send Angie in to the Battle Field! Oh, yeah, and tell Lan I'm especially sorry I can't participate... Bye, and have lots of fun!" she pressed a button and looked at the boy. "May I use one of the connectors?"
"Yes, of course…"
"Thanks!" she said and hurried to the nearest outlet and plugged her PET into the socket.
Her navi, accompanied by a "bye!" disappeared as a yellow beam of light from the PET's monitor, to the battle field Rumi's friends' navis were about to have a series of Net Battles lasting till midnight. She unplugged the PET, followed by a long, deep sigh. An embarrassing silence followed, which Chaud broke, finally.
"Come, I'll give you some dry clothes."
Rumi looked at herself, and saw that not only was she soaked but wherever she went previously now was very-very wet. He started to walk up the stairs, and beckoned her to follow. Rumi noticed the stairs went two ways after a short while of walking; Chaud went to the right and Rumi went after him. They arrived in a hallway painted light brown, which's floor was covered by a long, seemingly endless (like the hallway) dark brown carpet. Finally Chaud opened the door of a room and both walked in. Even if Rumi had seen this room in a dream she would have know it belonged to a boy; it wasn't exactly messy, but wasn't as tidy as an average girl's, either.
"Take these on, I'll wait for you outside." he said curtly, handing her a black tee shirt and old, grey jogging pants. Both looked as if he had outgrown those ages ago. Before he dismissed the room, she called after her:
"Chaud!"
"Yes?" he turned back.
"Just… thanks!" she said finally.
Chaud looked away and nodded, then dismissed the room.
'I'll take that as a thank you!' she thought.
A few seconds passed and Rumiko was done dressing. She pressed the door handle down and stepped out in the hallway, where she found no sign of Chaud. She, assuming he went somewhere and didn't return yet, went in the direction they came.
"Behind you."
For a second that seemed like ages to Rumi, her heartbeat stopped. 'Ooohh… you would go into that certain place! I've almost jumped out of my skin!'
"Next time consider the spiritual health of the one you want to scare to death, OK?" she asked, harassed, turning on her heels to face him.
Chaud was leaning against the light brown wall, and with his eyes closed the complacent smile just became even more irritating to Rumi.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."
"Why do I have the feeling you're just joking about that?" she asked, wagging her head disbelievingly.
He was ready with an answer, but Rumi's green eyes had his throat go sore when he was about to say it.
"It's... it's good I didn't trash these clothes…" he stammered. He attempted not to show he was nervous, but had a feeling it did not really work out. His old clothes fit her perfectly.
"Ugh... yeah, the pants were a little short so I folded them so it had look like it was like that on purpose… no problem, I hope?"
"No… no problem..." he replied.
"And... where can I put my wet clothes?" she asked, pointing to the floor where she had left them.
"Just leave it there, the staff will take care of it." Chaud said, waving the matter down with his hand. "Do you want... anything to drink, or eat, or… ?"
"Well, I'd fancy some cocoa if that's no problem."
"OK." Chaud nodded.
A few moments later the couple of them were sitting in the Blazes's dining room, facing each other, waiting for Rumi's cocoa to be served.
"So you know Lan." said Chaud, looking at the pillow beside him. The sun was now shining through the enormous window beside them.
"Yeah… and I kind of now you too. Lan told few things about you before..." she winked.
"Uh-hum." he nodded. "And where would have you two gone?"
"Not the two us, Maylu was coming too." said Rumiko. "They need a little time alone, anyway. I guess Angie found a reason too to leave… but being as booby as Lan is, he probably didn't realize the true reason why she wanted to leave… But that's between just me and you, OK?"
"My lips are sealed," he said, "zipping" his mouth, with a barely visible smile.
"All right!" she exclaimed happily.
'Finally! It's improving! He's less like a lemon now when I talk to him.' she thought.
"Your drink, missy." said one of the waitresses, holding Rumi's cocoa on a silver plate.
"Wait... what, where?" she exclaimed, returning to reality from her thoughts. "Oh, I'm sorry! And thank you very much." She said, taking the mug of cocoa from her. Then she heard a strange noise from her right.
"Hey, don't laugh at the smaller!" she said, on the verge of laughing herself. "I'm not used to being called 'missy'..."
The sweet moment was interrupted by Protoman.
"Chaud, your father wants to see you." the navi said.
"Right now?" Chaud asked, crestfallen.
"He says it's urgent. He's waiting for you in his office." Protoman went on.
"All right." Chaud sighed. Rumiko looked at him sympathetically. "Tell him I'll be there in a minute."
Protoman merely nodded and disappeared from the PET's screen.
"Here! You can drink it. It's good for bad mood and I haven't drunk into it yet." offered Rumiko, meaning her mug of cocoa.
"It's all right. If you wish you can stay here, but I reckon my room's much more comfy." he said.
Rumi nodded and watched as he walked away.
'Poor him! Now I understand why he's so sour like a lemon all the time. I would hate it too if my parents' would order me around random times a day and wouldn't endure if I didn't go there immediately because it's urgent
"Hello!" Rumi called cheerily when Chaud entered the room. Rumi was occupying his bed.
"Hey..." he said tiredly and threw himself on his bed, too.
"What's up? You look pretty bad…"
"I'm just tired…"
"No wonder, your dad kept you at the lecture for like two hours… what have you done that made him so mad?"
"Mad? Lecture?! What are you talkin' about?"
"Well didn't your dad just tell you off because you was up to no good?" she inquired.
"'Course not. We had to discuss something about the Blaze Quest Games' running. He needed my help as an alternate officer." Chaud replied.
Rumi blinked twice. She needed time to swallow the information.
"You mean, as a seventeen-year-old…"
"I'm eighteen. And didn't Lan blabber about this to you too?" he said curtly.
"He told me, you told me, but I thought it was just a big bluff… Chaud, this can't go on like this! You're ruining your life, you know!" Rumiko cried pleadingly.
"It's none of your business, anyway!"
"Listen up! As an eighteen-year-old like yourself you should run from party to party! And your dad shouldn't boss you around like... For God's sake you're his son!" she added as she saw Chaud's expression.
"Leave my dad out of this!"
"But... OK. It's really none of my business." she said resignedly.
After a few minutes that seemed like hours to both of them, the boy broke the silence.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to shout." he said apologetically.
"I should be the one apologizing, I went too far…"
"I was six when my mother died. I remember every moment of the ceremony as if it had just happened an hour ago. My dad escaped into work and business, as if that had help on anything!" he frowned. "That was the easiest way out, escaping into something…" he sighed then proceeded only. "I had not told this to anyone before, not even to Protoman." He was staring into nothingness just as if he was musing out loudly about some matter.
Rumi leaned closer and put her arms around his shoulder.
"I'm really sorry!" she whispered. "I meddled with stuff that was totally none of my concern…"
"But you didn't mean it for bad..." he replied softly. "Just do me one favor."
"What?" she asked, tilting her head to get a better view of his face, so maybe she could read out emotions from his expression.
"I never told you this!"
Rumi smiled and "zipped" her mouth. "My lips are sealed! But, umm, could I ask you something too?"
"Yes?"
The reply was a pillow straight in his face.
"Next time, watch out!" she said.
Chaud was astonished, but was attempting to suppress laughter at the same time. No matter how hard he tried, laughter burst out of him like a rocket.
"You know, you should see yourself…" Rumi giggled, not paying attention to where his hands went and the effect was a pillow in her face as well!
"So, let's decide who should watch out more, shall we?" he said, sounding like a gallant gentleman – which he most certainly wasn't, Rumi decided.
"Pay-back time!" she cried.
"Really? I thought it was five o'..." a pillow in his mouth muffled the rest of his words.
Pillows flew everywhere, and and the Blaze residency was noisy with a laugh not heard for a long time.
The following morning Chaud woke up first. He attempted to get up but something pulled him back. He turned to see what it was: Rumi's head lying on his shoulder. He felt the same he did last time when Rumi attempted to comfort him; he wished this moment would last forever. But, as last time, soon the moment ended.
The girl woke up, her green eyes shining tiredly.
"Hello…" she greeted him dreamily.
"Hello to you too."
"What is the time?"
"Half past six." he answered, glancing at the clock on the wall in front of him.
"It's so early." she announced grumpily.
"I didn't wake you up." Chaud said defensively.
"I know… but it's still early." she said. Then suddenly turned bright red as she realized where she lay. "Oh... I'm sorry... excuse me... didn't mean to…" Rumi tried to get up but Chaud pulled her back gently.
"No... don't go! I'm happy you are here..." he said soothingly.
"Chaud…" Rumi said, looking him in the eye.
Chaud caressed her cheeks. Both knew what they wanted. Their lips met, and both relished in the sensation that entirely overtook their five senses. They felt like they needed each other as much as they needed air.
"I love you, Rumi! I know this sounds crazy after only one night…"
"Shush! There's no need to be saving yourself."
"Just… just I'm not sure all this is really happening." he admitted.
"You can be sure of it..." Rumi smiled.
"You're going already?"
"I would love to stay, but I have to go home."
"But… you talked to your parents already on the phone, they know you're OK!" Chaud protested.
"'Course, but they believe their eyes more then their ears." she explained.
"Umm… I don't want to interfere, but your parents said to be home at three o' clock. It's around one clock, and in the city there are usually traffic jams at this time."
"Ugh, my dearest desk diary." Rumi said, rolling her eyes. "But she's right… thanks, Ang!"
"Well... how about if I take you home?" Chaud offered.
"It's OK, Chaud, I don't wanna waste your time…" she shook her head.
"Let me rephrase, then." he said, putting his arm around her waist. "Should I drive you home or shall I take you home?"
"I think I'll choose the former one." she giggled.
"That's what I was expecting!"
She started for the main entrance, but Chaud suddenly baffled her the opposite direction. Soon Rumi found herself in an underground garage where countless limousines stood against the tiled wall. The boy started for the car, but did not stop there, but stepped behind it. Rumi, befuddled, followed him, still looking around to get more of the vehicles that indicated prosperity she only heard of before.
"Oh my God! This is beautiful!" she exclaimed uncontrollably, when she saw the fire-red motor Chaud was leaning against.
"It's entirely mine." he said. "It's a year since I got my license."
"Wow, that's really cool." she said apprehensively.
"Here, take this on." he said, handing her a black helmet for safety. She accepted it and put it on.
Both were sitting on the motor already, but for some reason, Chaud was hesitating.
"Rumi…" he said finally.
"Yes?"
"Well… we are observing this banquet one week from now, and I was just wondering if you had like to come..."
"Thanks for the invitation, I accept it!" They both smiled at each other.
She put her arms around his waists, tightly, so there could be no way she could fall off at high speeds.
"May I?" he said.
"Of course!" she nodded.
The door of the garage opened, and the two young persons drove out into the blinding sunlight.
End of chapter one