My Name is Lan Hikari. I'm in 5th Grade and I am going to win against Dex today. My friend Dex got a custom net navi a month or so back wasn't able to shut up about it. So I told him to shut the hell up during the middle of his rant at school. Sadly he saw my Navi since my PET was lying on the Desk and he challenged me to a battle. Sadly I've lost 17 times in a row. His Navi Gutsman has to be cheating. I will beat him today after some upgrades I downloaded off the net last night. I manage to get to the Net Center right before Dex and noticed a real cute girl leaning against one of the walls she's wearing a black Skirt, shirt, knee high stockngs, finger-less gloves,and even a black cape draped over her shoulders down to her feet. Her emrald green eyes have a strange allure to them. Her silky black hair reflects the florecent lights like stars. She glares at me causing me to avert my stare. "Hey Lan over here!" Suddenly I hear Dex. Never have I been happier to hear his goofy voice. I approach the hollogram generator.

"So Lan you ready to lose again?" Just you wait Dex. "No I don't think I'll lose this time!" With that Dark Prog. I got last night it should be easy to win. We jack in and the fight begins. I manage to do pretty well until he starts using his GutsHammer. My Navi manages to jump over the Shockwave and download the Shotgun Battlechip data to fire it before being hit with his GutsPunch. "You no win!" Gutsman says as he sends my navi flying across the digital plain. "I number 1 Navi!" Damn it. "Cybersword Battle Chip. Download!" I say as I quickly slide the chip into the chip port. The navi forms the sword on his arm and dashs at guts man. I think it will chop off at least one of his hands but it failed?! The sword shatters and my navi is sent flying back. "Right arm damaged. Regeneration execute!" I hear my Navi say as it starts reforming it's lost arm. "No get out of there! Activate!" I yell as I slide the Dark Prog. Chip into the chip port. Just as my navi starts to change Gutsman completly flattens my Navi with his GutsSlam. "NAVI LOGGING OUT. WINNER: GUTSMAN." I hear the computerized announcer say as Dex gives his usual victory speeh. "Oh yeah give it up everybody! Dex wins again!" The crowd around us chatters and disburses until I notice a black cape flow past me. It's that girl I was staring at earlier. "I chalenge your GutMan." Well at least she's semi Fluent in Electopian...Kind of.

?'s POV at the Net Center

"I challange your GutMan." I hope I said that right. Why is Electopian so complicated? Differnt styles of writing and differnt words that have the same meaning and same words that have differnt meanings and honorgrams. What fucking purpose do all these things have do with communication? Absolutly Nothing. "Normally I'd go easy on you because you're a girl but now that you called me fat I'm going to delete you so hard it's going to traumatize you! Jack in GutsMan!" "GUUUUTS!" Wow I've never seen such a sorry display of idiocy. I pull out my customized black PET and Jack In. "Jack in...Deleter." It took me a second to remember the word for Deleter. Which is my Navi. She wears a black bodysuit with an upsidedown silver crown symbol. She rarly takes her Battle Mask off unless I order her to. "DELETER V.S. GUTSMAN" The computerized Announcer says. The crowd around us starts cheering all of a sudden. "You mean your the operator of that Classified Top Secret Net Black Ops Navi said to delete entire armies of Navis? Number one on the National Power Lists only to be eclipsed by me here in Electopia. I am the Dentech City Champ!"

Does he ever shut up? I look at my PET. It says his Power rating is only 162 points. 9837 points less than me. "I saw what you did to that boy. Be prepared to feel the same pain he now feels as the Flames of Vengance swell in his heart. Deleter Final strike will be dilieverd to Target point 72468." She narrows her eyes at GutsMan. "Understood Mistress." I gain a satasfactory smile knowing that this fat ass won't be oppressing that cute boy. "I judge thee gulty. The strong who opress the weak will be met by much stronger forces than themselves. Now raise your head and face the Sword of Fate." Deleter says the same prayer we've said together countless times before. Gutsman uses his GutsHammer attack right away. Deleter jumps high avoiding the shockwave. "Moonslash." I slide the red chip in the chip reader as Deleter does a flip and descends down to GutsMan. She slices a crescent shape in his back and jumps to avoid his GutsPunch. "Final Strike Fate Blade." I slide another red chip into the chip reader. "Targeting Point 72468. Target aquired. Execute." Her left arm materializes into a black Cybersword. She dissapears from GutsMan's GutsPunch and abrubtly appears to his side to chop off his right arm. The room is filled with GutsMan's repugnant screams of pain as his arm is deleted. She then slices GutsMan in half vertically. "GUTSMAN LOGGING OUT. WINNER:DELETER." I jack out Deleter and leave.

Lan's POV After the Battle

Holy Shit. So thats a Custom NetNavi? She was so Powerful. Even though the girl wasn't fighting I felt her body raidiating Murderous intent. That and her Navi was so powerful it made my hair stand on end. Her Navi was so brutal, So precise, So increadibly powerful. I leave after I make sure my heart is still beating and not going into cardiac arrest. I walk outside to see Mayl on her scooter. I quickly attach the rollerblade attachments and catch up with her. "So Lan how'd it go?" I look at the sky while looking downcast. The weather said it would be sunny but is it a crime for the sky to cry for my broken pride? "This makes my 18th loss in a row. Not only that but Dex got defeated by a girl right after me. Really brutally too." If this could sound worse than it already is I would have to be crying. "Well what else do you expect when you have just a reguler old Net Navi. By the way was this Girl wearing a black cape and mention something about a Sword of Fate when she deleted GutsMan?" Does Mayl know her? "Um something like that why?" Suddenly her PET starts alarming. She stops and pulls it out. "Mayl Calander update you have a piano lesson now. I just got an E-mail from her as well. She's waiting at the house playing the piano. She also sent an Mp3 and some sheet music for some special piano music." Her Navi is a Custom Net Navi named Roll. She wears pink and her eyes are green. "Sorry Lan gotta go." She goes off on her scooter leaving me behind.

I skate to the park and take off my roller-blade attachments and sit on some steps. "PET run diagnostic." I say while I think about what Mayl said. "Was this Girl wearing a black cape and mention something about a Sword of Fate when she deleted GutsMan?" Did she know her? "Diagnostic Complete." I look at the PET as it shows my navi. It's right forearm is red. "Right Arm Operating at half strength. Recovery condition: NO MORE NET BATTLES." No more Net Battles? "AGH! This sucks!" I say as I lay back on the ground. The sky looks pretty clear, Almost beautiful. Oddly a shadow appears over me... Wait a second a shadow?! I quickly try and stand before the shadow hits my chest. "A fish?!" I say in surprise. It said it would be clear. Not raining and most certainly not raining fishes! "Hey Lan!" Maysa the fish guy figures he would greet people by throwing fish at them. He's wearing a blue shirt with green pants and wearing an apron with a picture of a fish on it over his clothes. He also wears a wierd blue and white rope wrapped around his forehead. "Geez Maysa be careful. You could've hit me in the head you know." "You look down kiddo what happened?" Even the fish guy can tell? "I lost a Net Battle to Dex." I say as I go to a nearby faucet to get the fish fuilds off of me. "So you lost a game to Dex? Why're you so down about that?" A game? Man Maysa can be irritating. "Not a game Maysa. Then again you're the only person in the world who doesn't have your own PET." I turn off the faucet and walk back over to Maysa. "A pet? I had a fish for a pet when I was a youngun." Wow what a boreing pet. "No not a pet a PET. PErsonal Termanal." He starts cleaning his ear for some reason. "You know what'll really bust your chops?" He takes his finger out of his ear and blows on it. "Fish don't have eyelids." All of a sudden we hear Fire Trucks pass by. "Looks like theres another fire." Maysa seems as worried as I do. "Yeah it's scary how ovens have been suddenly catching fire. Maybe theres something wrong with the Computer Control Unit." After all ovens just don't catch fire without a reason. "Speaking of which I better go check mine." He hands me two big fish and rides off on a bike...

I manage to attach the roller wheels and skate back to ACDC my nighborhood. On my way I manged to get a bag for the fish. When I finally manage to get in the center of the nighborhood where I live, narrowly avoiding a car. I stop and look at this blue two story house across the street from mine. I've always been curious about it. "Hey Lan Watcha staring at?" I hear a little girl say to me. I look down to see a girl with her blonde hair in pigtails. She also wearing a poofy red dress. "Oh hey Yaito." This girl is one of my classmates Yaito Ayano. "I told you call me Yai we are friends after all. Since you're staring at this house I'm geussing you'd like to buy it?" Well I could if I was rich like she is. "Well more or less. I was always facinated by this house ever since it was built. So I was always wondering why this house intrested me." She smiles. "How about I buy it? After all my Daddy is a very wealthy man." With that she pulls out a small red cell phone and dails a few numbers then puts it to her ear. "Hello? Yes its Yai. Tell Daddy I'm calling...I don't care if the new game is experincing problems. Well he's not Beta Testing it is he? Transfer me to him at once or I will have you fired before you can say sorry Mistress Yai! Yeah I'll hold... Hi is Daddy there? Oh really? GET HIM! I'm waiting...Hi Daddy. I was wondering about that house across from Lan's. You know that blue one? Wonderful. Wait a second. What? Are you saying that it's already bought? Daddy... Please. I really want this one!They paid how much?! Over 3,000,000?Thats a whole year of morgage on this piece of crap! I see... Sorry Daddy. Love you too. Bye." I must admit only seeing and hearing the one half of the conversation is certainly intresting and seeing her many faces as she yells, speaks, and whispers are better than any comedy. She abruptly throws her phone to the ground. "Somebody already bought this house! I wanted to buy it! Damn it!" She picks her phone back up and holds it to her flat chest. "Ahem!" I turn to the woman clearing her throat at me. "Your in the way of my door. Move please." I step aside. She walks to the door. She pulls out a key card and inserts it into the doors card reader. The slot turns red and spits it back to her. Her eyebrow twitches as she takes the card and inhales deeply. She suddenly kicks the door sending it flying into the house. She then walks in and puts it back in place. She then opens the door. "Good night Mayl See you tomarrow." She then shuts the door. Yai and I cast our stares at Mayl who's standing there smiling. "When did you get here Mayl?" I ask in suprise. "Didn't you hear Roll? You were right there. She said that Jen was at the house. I'll tell you the rest tomarrow after school." After that she runs home. I say my goodbyes to Yai who nods and leaves to her mansion. I walk to my house.

Jen's POV after Mayl returns home

When Mayl walks in through her front door I stop playing her piano. I decided to send her the sheet music of some Piano Party Music. "Well I see you've adjusted well Jenna. Considering when you stepped off that plane you were wearing that big poofy dress." Well what else do you expect when I visit a forgien country. "Well I am the Princess of Kattleox. It would be strange to not wear a dress of my homeland. Normally they aren't that poofy but Mom had to embarrass me. Considering she called every 3hours to see how things were going and to make sure that I didn't miss the landing. Interupting my Electopian lessons. I was able to catch up on them once I got here. I already know a piano by the feel and key number. I just love how the sound reverbrates not only in the piano but within yourself as well." It's true. When I play the piano sometimes I feel the sound referberating within my soul. "Well that's some beautiful poetry. So you like the piano? I can see about you getting one when you get settled in." She walks over and sits on the couch. "I never thought you had a piano. I thought Mother had Dad arrange a male escort at the airport." It's true I was told to look for an adult male named Yuichiro Hikari. "Well Your Mom probibly called your Dad and he called Lan's Dad which called Lan's Mom and she came to my door to ask me to meet you at the airport because Lan's dad is somewhere in Africa and she's busy that and she doesn't trust her some with an atractive girl who can't speak fluent Electopian. At least the first place we went was a less conspicuous outfit than the giant dress. Though was the cape neccasary? I mean you look more like a vampire with that cape." I walk over to the couch and sit next to her. "Come on you know you love the cape." I put my hand on her stockings moving toward her skirt. "No not now. Sure your cute and everything and I'm trying to resist your charm but we barely know eachother." So boring. Well I guess they all can't be VN cases can they? Fine I'll play this dating sim. I'll win in the end. "Fine I'll let you know about me and you let me know about you." I give her a kiss. Mayl suddenly pulls me closer and trys to make out with me but I put my finger to her lips and pry myself away from her. "Ah ah ah. You said no. Remember?" She frowns. "Your so mean... But your cute so I'll forgive you." Well I suppose this may work in my favor as well. She has a healthy adolescent sex drive. I'll make sure she can't hold out until she finally loses herself to her own lust. Though I may lose it myself. Well I might want to get going. I can't stay here as long as Mayl would want. Besides I have to sleep sometime and making Mayl wait is a integral part of the plan. Staying here would just make her want to rape me in my sleep and that would make my plan fail. "Lets head over my place. After all if I don't get some sleep I may not get to school on time." She pouts. "Fine but I get a kiss at school too! It'll be the same as today. No lame peck on the cheek!" I smile. "Fine I promise." Though i'm reluctent to do so. "Okay lets head to your house."

We get up and head to my house where I see a little kid and that boy... Lan I think it was. I don't really give a damn what thier saying except that the idiot wearing the headband is going to find his head removed from his body if he stands in my way much longer. I clear my throat loudly to get the idiot's attention. "Your in the way of my door. Move Please." I resist the urge to say 'Move you moron or you're dead' but I really want to say it. He steps aside and I try the Key Card for the house Dad sent to Mom. The card reader rejects the card. I'm starting to tire of this country...FAST! I kick the door with all my strength feeling increadible pain in my foot almost immeditaly after. The door is sent into the house with my shoeprint permanitly inprinted on the door. I walk in and pick up the damaged piece of wood and push it into place. I quickly open the door to say goodnight to mayl before shutting the door and trudging up the stairs to the room I proclaim mine. I take off my cape and pull out my huge fluffy dress. I fold the dress so it becomes a pillow and use the cape as a blanket. I take my PET out of my pocket and put it next to my pillow. "Good night Deletegirl." I decide to say before laying down on my side and closing my eyes. "Good Night Mistress Jenna." I hear Deletegirl say before I finally let my consciousness drift away to the Ferryman of Dreams.

Lan's POV After dinner

"Oven's are catching fire everyday now. It might be something wrong the model's Computer Control unit. I should check our oven." After all it isn't day anymore. So I can get in on a netbattle. But it is just a routene check nothing dangerous. "You don't need to worry. I already called the company so they should send a matenince man here tomarrow." Thats my Mother. Always thinking ahead...I think. "Oh I almost forgot you got something from your Father." I stand from my seat and look at the family picture on the counter. "Dad's out traveling the world and I'm stuck going to school." It sucks really. "I told you Lan. You can be anything you want just-" "'Just keep up with your studies.' I know Mom." I've lost count of how many times she's told me that. I pick up the envolope from the counter. I open it and my jaw drops in surprise. "What is it? A suvenior from Borneo?" I almost forgot where he was. In Borneo somewhere in Africa. "No a Custom Burn Disk! He remembered our promise!"

I quickly run out of the living room, up the stairs, and into my room where I put the PET in a terminal and put the disk in the MD port. My computer quickly installs it. "INSTALLING CUSTOM NAVI DATA...CUSTOM NAVI DATA INSTALLED." That was fast! "Alright. Now to see my new navi." I take the PET off the termanal and turn it on. It flashes on then off. "Um...Thats odd." I have a full battery I know I do. I turn it back on AGAIN! It shows the update screen. "SECOND STAGE OF INSTALLAION BEGINING... SECOND STAGE INSTALLAION COMPLETE. THERE WILL BE A DELAY BEFORE YOUR NEW SOFTWARE CAN BE USED." I thought something was off. "How long is the delay?" It beeps and says. "THREE HOURS." Are you kidding me?! You have to be joking! This goes beyond suspense building! This is pissing me off! RRRRGAH! "That's all?" I ask dissapointed and broiling with anger. "THAT'S ALL." I walk to my soccerball in the center of the room and kick it with all my strength at the glass balcony door. It bounces against it and hits my head but I just hit it sending it back and bounce it off my chest and finally just catch it. I am pretty good at soccer but it is also pretty fun so I almost forget that I'm on a team. I open my balcony door and put it outside. I shut the door and go to my bed. I fall on my bed letting my slippers fall off. "And I thought I was going to get a Custom Navi. Stupid Dad. I hope you come back soon so I can twist your arms to get me a custom Navi!" I fall asleep thinking about somebody who looks like me. I don't know why. But I feel like I know him.

...

As the night went on the room was filled with increadable light. As the Default Navi was replaced with something... Differnt. Something Stronger,Faster,Raidiating Malicous Intent, and something made for Devine Intervention.

?'s POV from Lan's PET

"I finally get to see you...Brother"

TO BE CONTINUED!