Chapter 2: Fright
17:39 PM (Japan Time), Friday June the 17th…
"… We're home!"
"Oh! Thank goodness! You're safe!"
"Yeah, Mama… Somehow."
"What in the world happened?"
"Well…"
Netto and Saito got home and were greeted by Haruka, who looked pale and nervous, for once.
"Someone set up dynamite and gunpowder in the school but was "kind" enough to freak us out and make us run out of the building… And it'd seem it was a Net Navi working for some new terrorist band named Death Club…" Netto scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah. That's what transcended." Saito sighed.
"Thank goodness…! There was such an ongoing scandal that I thought something bad had actually happened…!" She sighed in relief.
"Papa will soon get extra work, I think. The Navi attacked the Police Navis and left some stuff behind which was sent to Science Labs to be analyzed to see what it is." Saito admitted.
"I see… So no – one got hurt?" Haruka asked.
"Not really. There may have been some pushing and stepping over others' feet but that's to be expected when a crowd flees… But that wasn't worrisome, either."
"What matters is that everyone is alright… I need… to calm down. I should sit down for a bit…"
Haruka sat down on the sofa and sighed in relief: Saito picked a glass of water and tossed an aspirin inside: he handed it to her and she slowly drank it up: some color got back into her.
"Take it easy, Mama. We know you were scared to death. Lie down for a while. We'll work on the homework." Netto told her.
"Y-yes, you're right… Ah…"
"You could try looking for a comedy show or something like that which will help you shake it off." Saito suggested.
"Good idea… Thank you."
The twins formed weak smiles and then headed upstairs into their own bedroom: they took off their backpacks and left them into the ground as they sat on their beds.
"What an afternoon!" Netto exclaimed.
"Yeah. I can't remember anything so maddening ever since the Gospel days… Speaking of which… We should try to meet with Obihiro – kun: his skills could help us look up info." Saito suggested.
"And another person we should contact is… Zarashe. I still don't know why he won't answer to any of my calls or emails: I know he's living in Kyoto but it isn't that hard to get there from here." Netto brought up next.
"He must be tormented by what happened in November…"
Netto's Link PET suddenly rang and he picked it up: Yuuichirou appeared on-screen while looking nervous.
"Netto! Saito! Are you alright? I just saw the news!"
"We are, Papa. No – one got hurt." Netto replied.
"Thank goodness!"
"Has the stuff to be analyzed gotten there yet?" Saito asked.
"Huh? Stuff to be analyzed?" Yuuichirou asked.
"Yeah. The Navi behind this attacked the Police Navis and brought the whole squad down while leaving traces of a strange bluish substance which seems to generate some kind of static electricity… They said they'd send it there for analysis." Saito told him.
"Hikari – hakase, do excuse me, but… Some gentlemen from the police are here claiming they bring some important material which has to be analyzed ASAP…" Meijin called out off-screen.
"Is that so, Meijin? Well then, lead them to the analysis lab. We'll begin the analysis." Yuuichirou ordered.
"Roger, sir."
"Well… It'd seem there's work to be done over here so we'll get down to business. Be careful, both of you." Yuuichirou told them.
"Okay!"
The communication ended so Netto placed the Link PET on the charger next to the computer: Saito did the same with his and then rummaged on his backpack to take the chemistry textbook out of it: he opened it and began to search for something.
"What are you hoping to find there?" Netto asked as he picked a magazine outta the bookcase.
"The description of the stuff is picking me. As far as I know, no liquids are capable of generating static electricity in their own even if they are in gel state." Saito replied.
"Good point." Netto realized.
"It might be a sub-product of the stuff being inside of the Cyber World to begin with but even so I doubt it. The description seems to say the liquid naturally generates the electricity." Saito argued next.
"O. K, Holmes. Go ahead." Netto joked.
"I get the irony." He drily replied.
"Heh, heh, heh! Saito – niisan is gonna be the Cyber Detective!"
"And you're gonna be the manga reviewer?" Saito countered.
"Who knows?" He teased.
Saito shrugged and kept on reading the textbook…
17:47 PM (Japan Time)…
"… So! Delta! Are ya gonna exclaim in awe upon receiving that heavily customized M1911A1 from EVA? Or are you rather gonna awe at the terrific nature of the Treading Behemoth AKA the Shagohod?"
"Come on, Hiro – kun… It ain't the time for jokes."
Hiro had gotten into his house's bedroom and was joking with Delta who didn't look amused at all.
"Heh, heh, heh. So? Are you gonna go date Red and come up with a triple adventure 'long with Rocky – chan?" He teased.
"JEEZ! Enough!" Delta grumbled.
"Heh, heh, heh… So? What do you think it was the connection between Volgin and Major Raikov?" Hiro asked with a grin.
"… I won't reply. It was quite obvious in the game. Now, don't you have something far more intelligent to do than troll me?" Delta asked as he fumed and looked fed up with the whole thing.
"I might, Watson."
"I give up! And I thought Omega's humor was impossible to the point that even Zero and Forte begin to think he's going overboard… You've gotta be picking bad habits from him!" Delta grumbled next.
"Heh, heh, heh. Forensics Inspector Delta strikes back."
"HUH? What has forensics have to do with this?"
"Dunno. Maybe I picked the title at random."
"Jeez. I'm off to go speak with Red Sword."
"Don't you mean let him teach you how it's done?" Hiro teased in a hushed conspiracy tone.
"No. And this argument's over. Later, Hiro – kun."
"Heh, heh, heh. I'm a genius, yessir!"
17:50 PM ((Japan Time)…
"… Whoa! What's all this stuff here? Hello~? Red? Cosmo Man? Cloud Man? Blizzard Man? Is anyone there~?"
"Delta – dono, sir! It's been a while, sir."
"Whoa! Red! Don't sneak on me from behind!"
"I apologize. It wasn't my intent, sir."
"Where are the others?"
"The others, sir…? Eh? Huh? W-what happened here?"
Delta had stepped into a square somewhere in the Cyber World only to find it filled with craters, burn marks, cracked ground panels and walls plus several pools of a ghostly bluish gel which were hissing and crackling plus producing bubbles on its surface and drawing nerve-like patterns over their surface which grew in thickness as they approached the outer edge: it gave off an eerie vibe.
"So, Red Sword… Any ideas?"
"Eh… It looks like there was a fight, sir…"
"Sure does!"
Red Sword had a wild flock of silver hair which came out from behind the helmet and covered all of his body's back.
His helmet's main color was blood red as well, yet the inner edges surrounding his thick red shades had a tint of purple to them: a purple band formed on the forehead and circled the whole diameter of it: two valley-shaped cavities had been inserted into the sides of it and they ended in golden circles: a "fin" sprouted from the top of the helmet thus giving it a menacing-like look.
His main "skin" color was black, yet his upper torso had red blood armor built over it: there were two black shapes drawn over the shoulders having a golden rim and a thin black line spread from the base of the neck to the lower edge of the armor.
An emblem with a black edge was set on the chest: it consisted of white and black halves split by a thunderbolt-shaped line: white was golden and silver was right.
The forearms were colored blood red and had two purple-colored parallel formations which originated at the sides of the emblem atop each hand's palm: they spread over the edge of the forearm while forming a pyramid-like shape.
His right forearm currently held a purple-colored Long Sword with a customized hilt.
The central body of the forearm was now colored metallic gray and had two purple circles colored yellow inside: a purplish-colored blade emerged around a cone-shaped purple-colored formation: the blade looked sharp and menacing for some reason or another.
His boots began slightly below the knee and had purple-colored diamond-like shapes which extended as high as the knee: they were colored blood red as well: the soils were colored purple, too.
"And this is the same stuff which was reported at our school a little while ago, too! It can't be a coincidence… Yet… There are no data remains or traces, so… It'd seem that no – one got deleted." Delta muttered as he looked around.
"But… What kind of Net Navi could it be, sir? Cosmo Man and the others were "Darkloids" of Nebula, sir… They wouldn't go down so easily in a battle, sir!" Red Sword argued.
"I know. And the level of damage to the square hints at heavy weaponry being used… Not even I could achieve this level of damage even if I went berserk." Delta pointed out next.
"True, sir. I couldn't do that either, sir."
"So? Why weren't you present?"
"Eh… Well, sir… I received an email from Forte, sir…"
"From Forte? What did he want?"
"He asked me to come ASAP to the Reverse Square… That was about 17:10 PM, sir… I found the road to be shut down given maintenance tasks by the admin, so all traffic was routed through the deepest level and I then had to start climbing up, sir… I reached the square at around 17:30 PM and found Forte but he checked the email address and we found out that someone had come up with a fake address, sir… I've rushed back here using the same route and have just gotten here, sir… Something has had to happen while I was away, sir." Red Sword explained.
"So! You've only been away for 40 minutes yet they had ample time to come here, fight the three guys, knock them out, and take them away elsewhere. We should try to look up the server to see if there's any record and ask if there were eyewitnesses but I rather doubt the last part. We did pick a website in Hamura because we wanted a discrete spot and not that much attention… And we Navis only need 7 minutes to travel between Akihara City and Hamura, so…" Delta muttered.
"Maybe they have an interest on their powerful body structure and the antibodies Delta – dono designed?" Red Sword suggested.
"Could be, yeah… Yet… They actually bothered to lure you away and I'm sure they purposely made you take that detour to stall for time. In normal circumstances, Reverse Square is just 12 minutes away." Delta replied as he frowned.
"Hmmm? What!" Red Sword suddenly gasped.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Delta asked.
"There, sir!"
Delta looked at the puddles and gasped: some of the gel was starting to "rise" and consolidate to give way to a figure which was being built: it eventually became a Garuu Virus totally made of the blue gel and having white eyes: it opened the mouth and shot raw gel at them which they barely dodged in time as it stained the ground where they had been standing at.
"H-how in the world did that gel create a Garuu?"
"I do not know, sir! Maybe it would be safe to take it down?" Red Sword suggested as he drew a Neo Variable Sword.
"Let's try attacking it from afar: I don't feel like stepping closer to those puddles." Delta replied.
"Roger, sir… Take this! Red Cannon!"
"Delta Buster!"
Red Sword transformed his right forearm into a cannon-like weapon and began to bombard the Garuu with red spheres of energy as Delta shot standard attacks at it to distract it and annoy it: the Garuu's eyes turned blood red and it suddenly grew wings out of its central body: its claws turned larger and a row of sharp teeth formed inside of it: the altered Virus jumped into the air and dived for Red Sword: he jumped to the side and shot a shot at its main body: the sphere of energy actually glued to it and began to emit static electricity which electrocuted the Garuu: it suddenly broke down into raw gel and seemed to remain like that: both Red Sword and Delta stepped away from it and looked pale.
"WHAT was THAT?" Delta asked to no-one in particular.
"Note something, sir! The Virus wasn't deleted! It rather broke down into raw material, sir!" Red Sword added.
"What in the world's going on? First that terrorist group at our school, now this… Has everything gone crazy or what?" Delta hysterically wondered aloud.
"Heh, heh, heh. Maybe yes, maybe not." A voice rang out.
"Who goes there?" Red Sword demanded.
A Killer Eye Virus which was stained with the same gel flew down from above and started at them.
"Mars Warrior. Remember me?"
"You!" Delta grumbled.
"Yeah. Did ya like my little show?"
"That was a "little" show?" Delta demanded.
"Of course. It was to kill my boredom. I'm too hyperactive to stay put and patrol our hideout while partner works on the gel."
"What's this gel?" Red Sword questioned.
"Name it "Omicron Factor"… And I'm sure the Science Labs will soon realize they're analyzing something which can change the world yet has its lethal effects… Was that scary enough?"
"Totally." Delta drily shot back.
"My, my. What dryness to life ya guys have. Well, how about this? That Roll girl is gonna bring ya with her to the shopping mall and have ya be her "carrier boy"… Heh, heh, heh. Reverse." Mars Warrior chuckled.
"Me? Roll – chan's "carrier boy"…? Reverse…? Oi, by "reverse" you mustn't mean…" Delta seemed to guess something.
"Yeah. I mean that. I've experienced it. Refreshing. It's not that bad if that's what's needed to work together with my aibou, Miss Venus Warrior… By the way! Did ya know Venus was the one who can be blamed for the start of the Troy War? Paris' Judgment… Check it out, will ya?"
"Hmpf." Red Sword was unimpressed.
"Heh, heh, heh. Can you hear it? This rhythm? The pulsations of time! Can also be called life's pulsations, too! Isn't this sound nice? I loved roaming around clock-shops' counters ever since I was kid. People's lives are limited! Bombs engrave time, and bombs are the only ones which honestly tell you when the end has come! You lowlife… Glad ya made it on time. We're about to have a party…"
"That's part of Fatman's speech…" Delta looked unimpressed.
"Fatman, sir?"
"Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty… A mad bomber who went around placing C4 Bombs which he signed with cologne… That's his speech when he shows up to challenge the player…" Delta replied.
"Heh, heh, heh… Laugh and grow fat! See ya around!"
The Killer Eye shrieked and suddenly blew up: both ran out to avoid being sprayed by the raw gel while some laughter rang out.
"What a jerk!" Red Sword cursed.
"Totally. This is more dangerous than we though. We should have this place sealed and the stuff inside recollected to be analyzed. The Science Labs staff will groan at having to do extra hours." Delta suggested with a hint of sarcasm.
"Good idea, sir."
They both ran out and closed two large steel doors with the words "Hunter's Guild" written into them: Red Sword interacted with a holographic screen and changed the message to "ON A VACATION: WILL BE BACK SOON!" instead.
"Let's contact the authorities. I'll take care of that given how I am a Net Savior to begin with." Delta told him.
"What should I do, sir? Where do we start looking for some clues or hints, sir?"
"Contact the webmaster. Ask for any security footage."
"Roger, sir."
"Let's meet in a while."
"Alright. I'll do my best, sir."
Red Sword saluted and headed elsewhere while Delta joined a heavily – transited road and began to walk it down while looking at the ground and thinking.
What in the world is that gel? Who are the "Death Club"? Mars Warrior? Venus Warrior? A partner…? Omicron Factor…? A gel which actually CREATES Viruses out of nothing? Alchemy? The Philosopher's Stone? And it can actually "change the world"…? Are we about to step into a chaotic era or what? I'm worried…