Netto looked up at Manabe with a startled expression, "Huh?" he asked.
Manabe's lips twitched in a small smile. "Have you been paying any attention this past half an hour?"
Netto yawned and leaned back in the chair he was sitting in. "Kinda," he said sleepily.
Rockman appeared on Netto's shoulder and smiled. "Netto-kun and I were sent on a mission really late last night. Then school today, believe it or not this time it's not his fault."
Netto glared at his navi, "Thank you so much," he muttered to Rockman.
Rockman nodded, "It's true," he said with a small smile.
Laika and Enzan both shifted in their seats. "You could at least stay awake for the time being," Enzan told him.
Netto shrugged, "I am."
"Well then, try and pay attention," Manabe told him kindly. "This is your new mission assignment."
"And?" Netto asked with a yawn.
"You're going to team up with an old Net Protection Police Unit and help them solve several net crimes that have appeared over the internet," Manabe explained to them.
"And they are?" Enzan asked.
"The Net Agents," she said. "They were active here about a year ago. They are led by a man named Commander Beef."
"Huh?" Laika asked.
"No way," Netto gasped. "Seriously?"
Manabe raised an eyebrow, "You know of him, Netto-kun?" she asked.
Netto nodded happily, "Yeah, they helped with the whole N1 Grand Prix thing. Back when Enzan was a jerk," he teased his friend.
Enzan coughed discreetly, "So we're to help his team solve some Net Crimes?"
Manabe nodded. "Yes, you're to meet up with them in an hour so you kids can go have lunch while I set up the briefing."
Netto's stomach chose that time to growl loudly. Netto blushed, "That sounds good," he said with a silly grin.
Enzan smiled in spite of himself while Laika merely shook his head as they stood up from the table to head down to the cafeteria.
Netto bit into his hamburger happily while Laika put pepper onto his salad. "Who is this 'Commander Beef'?" he asked dubiously.
Enzan took a bite of his own salad and sighed. "A loud, annoying and obnoxious man," he muttered.
Netto swallowed hard, "That's not true," he protested. "He works hard and he's a really good Net Battler."
Rockman nodded, "Yeah, his navi Sharkman is really strong. So are Skullman and Woodman, the navi's of his subordinates."
"So, they're at least competent?" Searchman asked.
Rockman nodded, "Definitely."
"Why the name Commander Beef?" Laika asked.
Netto shrugged, "No idea. It's just their thing I guess. I got to battle with him in the N1 Grand Prix and he was a really good tag team member."
"Just really annoying," Enzan muttered.
Laika was vaguely confused, unsure of whom to listen too. So instead he decided to wait to form his own opinion once he met the man.
Netto took another large bite of his hamburger and chewed thoughtfully. "It's been while, huh?" he asked his navi softly.
Rockman nodded, "Yeah it has. This should be fun."
Netto nodded his agreement happily before finishing off his lunch.
Later the three boys went to the room that Manabe had told them to go to before they went to lunch. It was empty so they sat down in the chairs and waited for everyone else to arrive.
Netto sat in his seat shifting excitedly and moving his chair around. Laika eyed him, "Excited are we?" he asked.
Netto grinned at Laika, "Yeah, a little," he said happily. "I looked up to Commander Beef in the N1 Grand Prix. He was a good Net Battler and really strong. And he helped us a lot."
Rockman nodded, "Yeah, he did," he agreed. "It was different when I was first activated and we weren't that strong yet."
Enzan nodded, "This is very true," he agreed.
Netto latched onto Enzan, surprising the other boy. "You're not one to talk about how you were a year ago," Netto teased him.
Blues let a small smile play on his lips for a second. "True," he said softly so that only Rockman and Searchman could hear. "Enzan-sama is a different person now."
Rockman nodded, "I think we've all changed for the better in the past few months."
Searchman and Blues nodded their agreement.
The door to the room slid open and Commander Beef as well as Saloma and Miyuki came into the room in all their costumed glory. Netto looked up and let go of Enzan to straighten up and wave happily to them. "Hello!" he said cheerfully.
Commander Beef broke into a smile, "It's been awhile," he said kindly to Netto.
Netto nodded, "Yeup, and we've gotten a lot stronger too!" he said with a big grin.
Saloma and Miyuki both shared small smiles and sat at the table.
Netto took his seat between Laika and Enzan while Commander Beef took his own seat across from them. Laika sat there and gaped at the newcomers discreetly.
Enzan side glanced to see Laika's expression. "Told you," he muttered.
Laika blinked, "Why is he wearing a fish helmet when his name is Commander Beef?" he asked softly.
Netto shrugged and Enzan shook his head. "No clue," he replied.
Manabe went to the front of the room and smiled kindly at them. "Okay, I trust my Net Saviors will treat their elders with the kindness and respect they deserve," she said while glancing at Laika and Enzan who both nodded sullenly.
She smiled, "All right, with that out of the way, I'll let you all know now that this is a team up based on a request from our government so please take that into consideration before you make any drastic decisions." She tapped a manila folder, "This has several missions that have been assigned and not completed because the target or targets in question have vanished. We've been seeing this a lot in the Undernet lately, one or more navis on the wanted list disappearing right from under us, along with our agents.
"I want you to know that right now this mission is entirely research. I don't want anyone becoming a target, yet. We need to find the common link between these navis and who is leading this operation. We called in Commander Beef and his subordinates because they've had experience with this mission and have been on it for several weeks. So, for right now Commander Beef is the team leader. Your orders come from him, understand?"
"Yes," all three boys answered.
Manabe nodded, "Good, I'll leave now to let you get acquainted with them. Please give me a report every day. Netto," she said while turning her eyes onto the brunette. "I want one report from each of you. Don't shirk on them, okay?"
Netto avoided her gaze, "All right," he said.
She smiled and left the room.
"Don't think you're getting out of it," Rockman said with a grin from Netto's shoulder.
Netto looked at his navi, "I don't doubt it," he said with a laugh.
Laika sighed and stood up, "My name is Laika Slovski, I am a private from the 13th Net Corps division in the Sharro army. Pleased to meet you," he said politely to them. "My net navi is Searchman," he nodded at his navi who appeared on his shoulder in holographic form.
Enzan stood up. "Undoubtedly you remember me," he said coolly. "But I am Enzan Ijuuin and my net navi is Blues."
Commander Beef smiled, "I remember you quite well, Ijuuin-kun."
Netto smiled, "You know who I am."
Commander Beef smiled warmly at him, "Of course Netto!" he said happily. "I'm glad to be working with you," he said as he held out his hand.
Netto took it in a firm shake. "We're happy to," he said in reply. "Right?" he asked his friends.
"Ecstatic," Enzan told him.
In the internet the greetings were going a bit more smoothly. "Nice to see you again, Sharkman," Rockman said kindly.
Sharkman nodded, "It's nice to finally be fighting together again," he agreed. "It's been awhile."
Rockman nodded then motioned to Searchman, "Oh, this is Searchman. He, Blues and I usually work as a team along with Netto-kun, Enzan-san and Laika-san."
Searchman nodded curtly while Sharkman, Woodman and Skullman nodded in return. "It seems like some interesting battles lie ahead," Woodman noted.
/I hope not,/ Rockman sighed. /I kind of just want this mission to go by on its own without too much happening./
/Awww, now what fun would that be?/ Netto teased him.
Rockman snorted. /Nothing says fun like being in danger,/ he muttered.
/I was kidding,/ Netto laughed. /Don't worry; it's purely research right now. With Commander Beef I doubt much will happen. I mean it's not like we're going to be sneaking into a secret party like we did during the Gospel incident./
Rockman chuckled at the memory, earning him odd looks from Sharkman, Woodman and Skullman. /This is true./
/Just relax and enjoy seeing them again. I'm sure they have some great stories,/ he said with a smile.
/Yeah,/ Rockman agreed and cut off the mental conversation.
Bwahahahaha Neko-Salosa is back :3 and she has new stories. Here's the first one. I adored Commander Beef in the first and second seasons and I was kind of upset when he didn't come back so I decided to fic him back into the show instead. Enjoy everyone. Hugs and cookies to all my reviewers.