Hello! Now that I'm back from my NY trip, I can start updating again!
Enjoy!

The Healing of the Scarred One

Chapter 7

At SciLab, everyone was thinking of last week's event.
"We'll need to be more cautious when we're around the Net." Bass explained.
"More importantly, we need to find out what's really behind NeoForte and his so-called Forte Destruction Army." Protoman said. "Obviously, they want to get rid of you, Bass. But we haven't figured out exactly why they want to delete you."

"Naomi, do you know anything about NeoForte and his syndicate?" Protoman asked.
"Well, NeoForte is a copy of Bass, only his data is also mixed with Pharaohman's and the Virus Beast's. I first met him three months after my soul was uploaded in the cyberworld and…for some reason he really wants to be the Ultimate Navi."
"You've met him before?!" Bass exclaimed.
"Yes. At first, I thought he was you. Then I noticed his red marks and he tried to absorb my Ultimate Program. He's been chasing me ever since."
"That could be exhausting." Tomahawkman commented.
"How did he know you in the first place?" Bass asked.
"He scanned my memories while I was caught off guard. When I woke up, he was gone."

Something's amiss here. If NeoForte wants to be the Ultimate Navi, why couldn't he just absorb
Naomi's Ultimate Program? Bass was thinking so deeply that he didn't notice Naomi looking at him face to face.
"You shouldn't worry so much. It could wear you out."
"Y-yeah."

"Hey, guys. Do you wanna go and try to find out where NeoForte and his gang are hiding?" Megaman questioned.
"Megaman, you shouldn't do something so rash if you don't know what their up to." Protoman said.

"We shouldn't just lounge around here worrying! What we need is a relaxation." Roll announced. "Who wants to go to that new Cyber Beach in the weekend? It has just opened three days ago."
Great… More pointless vacations, Bass thought.

"Hey, we NetOps need a vacation too, you know." Lan replied.
"Alright, then. Why don't we go to Oran Island in the weekend?" said a young girl that had a shiny forehead who wore a red dress. "I hear that the island just became a tourist attraction. Oran Island is also linked to Cyber Beach. We can go on my luxurious ship. Are you coming, Chaud?" She looked at him dreamily.
"I don't know, Yai. It depends whether I'm gonna have a lot of work tomorrow or not."
Chaud was the vice-president of IPC, one of Electopia's top gaming companies. He never had the time to take a vacation.
"Please…"
"I'll try…" Chaud sighed.

"Hey, Raika." Searchman said.
"Hm?"
"Your uncle sent an e-mail that since there's been some quiet around Sharo, he says that you can stay here a bit longer, that is if you wanted to."
"Don't start trying to persuade me going to the beach." Raika protested.
"Well, why don't we invite Princess Pride, Jasmine, and FyreFox?" Lan replied.
Both Raika's and Maylu's faces went up red, with each of them having different reasons why.
"…They could get a vacation, too…" Lan peeped.

"Alright, then it's decided. Meet me at my mansion at 9 o'clock sharp-that is if you can. I'll send the invitations to the three." Yai announced.
"Wait, what about Naomi and Bass? How are they gonna come?" Lan asked.
Everyone looked at him.
"Oh, no…"

"Why did I have to open my big mouth?" Lan sighed.
"Wow, Lan. Your room's pretty neat." Naomi said.
"Actually, my mom's the one who cleans the room." Lan replied.

"Can I stay in your homepage?" Naomi asked.
"Sure, why not?"
"I need to stay in your homepage as well." Bass said to Lan.
"Hmmmmm…" There was a pause. "All right. I guess you want to protect Naomi from NeoForte's army, right?"
Bass nodded.
"I'll stay in my PET," Megaman explained.
"OK, well, good-night guys."