Okay so I've decided that the zoo 'part' is gonna be called Rainbow Zoo for absolutely no reason other than the fact that it amuses me and it also kinda describes exactly what's going to happen in this 'part'.

And what is gonna happen in this 'part', you ask?

Well, the basic answer is - Chaud takes ProtoMan to the zoo and shows him the different animals there, and ProtoMan gets very excited about certain animals.

Chaud's nine years old in this, for everyone's information. This is set a few weeks after he gives ProtoMan the helmet that lets him see things. I'd also like to inform everyone that ProtoMan is most likely about to become very OOC at some point, mainly because of the whole 'he gets really excited' thing. And I'd also like to remind everyone that wants to complain about the OOCness that this ProtoMan has only just discovered the wonders of sight and is still in the 'oh my god the world is amazing and I love it' phase.

I'm also writing this 'part' purely because excited ProtoMan just seems really adorable to me, and Chaud gets to giggle at his crazy blind Navi because why not.

I don't own MegaMan Battle Network/NT Warrior, on with the show!

OOOOOO

"ProtoMan, what's the plural form of tanuki?"

"Tanuki or tanukis, either is acceptable."

"Thank you."

ProtoMan tilted his head and looked - he was still marvelling at this, and he knew he would never get tired of it - at his operator through the screen. Chaud was working on a report of some kind for school, but ProtoMan was uncertain as to what type of report it was.

Apparently it had something to do with tanuki, otherwise known as the Japanese racoon dog.

"May I ask what this report is about, exactly?" ProtoMan asked. Chaud did not mind him asking questions like this, so he was fine with asking.

"Tanukis and their habitats," Chaud replied, still mostly focused on his report. "It's for . . . biology, I think."

"You think?"

"No, definitely biology," his operator said, more confidently now. "Miss Riley gave us assignments for our biology reports, the habitats of different animals, and mine's about tanukis."

"Ah," ProtoMan said. "Of course. Is there anything specific about tanuki you wish to know? I could go on the internet and look up some information for you, if you would like."

Chaud paused in his typing, and gave ProtoMan an amused look. "You've been offering to do this kinda stuff for me ever since you got your helmet," he commented. "You really like being able to see, huh?"

"Of course," ProtoMan answered, unable to restrain a smile. "I doubt that I will ever tire of sight. I am . . . I believe the emotion is called 'excited'."

His operator giggled a little, and went back to typing his report on tanuki.

ProtoMan busied himself with doing some maintenance with Chaud's files on the PET - not that it was necessary, his operator had grown used to sorting the files on his own and so the files were all in order (or as much order as a very intelligent nine-year-old could manage), leaving ProtoMan with not much to do really. He looked through them in case there was anything that could be deleted to make room for newer files, though.

Several minutes later, he was distracted by Chaud making a frustrated sound and glanced up at the screen to see him leaning back and pouting - actually pouting - at his computer screen.

" . . . Chaud?" ProtoMan asked. "Is everything alright?"

"No," Chaud muttered. ProtoMan would have been worried about the answer had Chaud's tone not been so sulky. "This isn't working."

"What isn't?"

"This!" Chaud exclaimed, gesturing wildly to his computer. "It . . . I can't . . . This report is stupid."

"Er . . . I am afraid I still do not understand," ProtoMan admitted. "Why is the report stupid?"

"Because it won't work. I can't make it work."

It took ProtoMan a moment to work out what Chaud was trying to say. As with most children, Chaud grew less intelligible the more frustrated he was. Luckily, ProtoMan had grown used to Chaud's unique spin on this frustrated speech.

"Perhaps if you could word it differently, or come at the problem from a different perspective?" ProtoMan suggested lightly.

Chaud grunted and crossed his arms, glaring at his lap. Ah, and now they were in the silent sulking phase. ProtoMan hid a tiny, amused smile behind his hand.

" . . . This isn't working," Chaud repeated his earlier sentence. "But maybe . . . maybe it's because I don't get it."

"Could you explain what you mean, please?" ProtoMan asked.

Chaud looked at him. He seemed a little calmer now. "I mean, maybe it's because I'm only reading about tanukis. Most of the class is going to find the animals they've been assigned to make a report on. Maybe I should do that too."

"I do not believe tanuki live in this area of Japan," ProtoMan informed him somewhat reluctantly. "I have not heard of any that live in or near DenTech City, at least."

His operator frowned at him, and then turned back to his computer for several moments to contemplate that. ProtoMan waited, and was not disappointed.

"The zoo might have tanukis," Chaud said, brightening up. "And if I ask, they can tell me about them. Right?"

"That is correct," ProtoMan agreed, nodding. "The zookeepers would no doubt be more than happy to help you, if you ask politely."

"I'll ask nicely, don't worry," Chaud assured him. He saved the work he'd done on his report and switched his computer off, and then took his PET out of the charging station. "Where's the nearest zoo, ProtoMan?"

"ACDC Zoo is the nearest currently to our location," ProtoMan replied. "Would you like me to call a driver to take you there?"

"Is it within walking distance?"

"I believe so."

"Then I'll walk. It'll be more fun anyway," Chaud said. Still holding onto his PET with one hand, he grabbed his school bag. He shrugged into it a little awkwardly, and headed out.

ACDC Zoo was a fifteen-minute walk for a full-grown adult human, but for an undersized nine-year-old it was twice that time. Chaud didn't complain and ProtoMan didn't bother repeating his offer to call a driver for him, and they used the time it took to walk to the zoo to just talk casually. ProtoMan didn't know very much about zoos, except that they housed many different species of animals and even had a digital counterpart in the cyberworld for NetNavis (which was a recent addition as Navis had become even more advanced in the past four years since the two of them had met), so he was just as interested to go to the zoo as his operator was.

Half an hour after setting out, Chaud arrived at ACDC Zoo. There was a bit of trouble at the gates, because he was an unaccompanied minor (Navis apparently didn't count), but luckily ProtoMan was able to convince the zookeeper at the gates that his operator was mature enough to wander around on his own. Chaud quietly waiting for the situation to be resolved helped to reinforce this image, and he was allowed in.

"This place is really big," Chaud said quietly, pausing to look around the entrance.

It was a wide-open space and a few animal pens and cages were scattered around, and ProtoMan could see various paths leading off to, presumably, other animals. And there were lots of people around - mostly children with their parents, or couples on dates, and judging by the large group over there, a school trip or two.

"Perhaps you could tag along with them?" ProtoMan suggested, pointing at the large group of schoolchildren. "We do not only have to be here for tanuki, we can also look at other animals as well - and explore the zoo. If you wish to, that is."

"Um . . ." Chaud glanced uncertainly at the group of schoolchildren, and seemed to shrink away. "I don't . . . I wanna go alone."

ProtoMan translated that as 'large groups of people make me uncomfortable'. He knew why - all the bullying at his own school had forced him into isolation and had made him highly suspicious of large groups and anyone aside from ProtoMan being nice to him.

He wanted to tell his operator that it was fine, these children didn't know him and most likely wouldn't mind him tagging along, but he also didn't wish to upset Chaud by forcing him into situations where he was genuinely uncomfortable.

So he kept quiet, and instead allowed Chaud to jack him into the zoo's network so he could walk around in the digital version of the zoo. He downloaded a map so that neither of them would get lost, too.

"So . . . tanukis," Chaud said, after ProtoMan had brought up the map on the PET screen. "They're almost on the other side of the zoo."

"It appears so," ProtoMan commented, scanning the map to find the shortest route they could take. "If you would follow my directions, we can get to the tanukis first and then explore properly afterwards?"

"Sure, okay."

OOOOOO

This turned out to be a two-chapter 'part' after all, but hey, I just wanna write some adorableness between these two.

Anywho, excited ProtoMan shows up in the next chapter, and we find out from the end of this one that Chaud's very wary of large groups of people because of all those asshole bullies from his school. Poor little baby's probably forgotten what kindness from anyone who isn't ProtoMan is like.

But don't worry, as you all know, he'll eventually find out - or remember, whatever. Lan and co. more or less force it down his throat, so it's fine.

Have fun with the next chapter, guys!

Read and review!