Everyone enjoying reading Restless? I'm planning on making this a two-chapter 'part', and then we'll be moving on to something else entirely.

That something will be explained in the AN at the end of this chapter, so unfortunately you'll have to read the chapter before you can see what I have in mind for the next 'part'.

I will tell you this, though - it's not canon for System Error, nor is it canon for the actual franchise itself. And that's all I'm gonna tell you, because otherwise we'll be here all day and I'll end up writing that instead of the rest of Restless.

Anyway.

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

OOOOOO

"Raika brought Chaud here as soon as TomahawkMan told me what you said," SearchMan informed ProtoMan the day after he had woken up properly. Chaud was still out, but that was to be expected, and ProtoMan had made good on his promise not to move from his operator's side.

"Why the Hikaris?" ProtoMan asked.

"He's been here before, and Lan's parents enjoy his company, as does Lan himself," his friend replied. "There's also the fact that Dr. Hikari took this entire ordeal very personally, especially after he visited IPC Tower."

ProtoMan barely restrained a gasp of surprise.

"He went to IPC?" he repeated. "Why would Dr. Hikari do that?"

"Initially, he went to inform Chaud's father of his son's illness," SearchMan said. "I don't know all the details, but apparently it didn't go very well. Dr. Hikari stormed out ten minutes after going into Shuseki Blaze's office, and when he came back here, he announced that Chaud would be staying here for the time being." SearchMan gave ProtoMan a considering look. "Any idea as to why Dr. Hikari would be so angry with Chaud's father?"

"It is Chaud that SciLab mainly deals with when it comes to IPC," ProtoMan said, trying to stall his answer. He had a feeling he knew exactly why Dr. Hikari had been so angry.

"Yes, but that doesn't explain why Dr. Hikari would dislike Chaud's father so much," SearchMan rebuffed. "And I know it also ties in with your own behaviour - Dr. Hikari's willingness to allow Chaud to stay here rather than rest at his own home, and you yourself being against Chaud going home to start off with. Are you ready to explain why Chaud's father wouldn't allow him to rest when he so clearly needs to? Or why you were so opposed to Raika taking Chaud home?"

"That place is barely home to either of us."

The words were out before ProtoMan could stop himself. He gritted his teeth, immediately regretting saying anything, but SearchMan didn't seem too shocked. In fact, it appeared as though this was the sort of answer he had expected. Which just made this 'interrogation' even worse.

"I'm going to ask you one question, and I want you to answer it honestly, and plainly," SearchMan told him. "Does Chaud fear his father?"

ProtoMan looked at SearchMan and stayed silent.

SearchMan merely stared back resolutely. In a battle of wills, ProtoMan knew he could probably defeat this Navi, but this time SearchMan was determined - and ProtoMan himself was still slightly weak from being active for so long, despite the several-days rest he'd had recently. He was eventually forced to look away, down at the material of the pillow they were sitting on.

"Yes," ProtoMan said.

SearchMan hummed, straightening up. ProtoMan didn't dare look him in the eyes.

"And that, in turn, also answers the question of why you're opposed to him going home in this condition," SearchMan said quietly.

"I'm not opposed to him going home because of that," ProtoMan muttered. "If he goes home like this, his father will only force him to continue working despite his need to rest. I do not wish for that to happen. If I really did tell TomahawkMan and IceMan to not let Chaud go home, then I am glad that they listened."

"If someone says something like that, even if they're half-asleep, people will take it seriously," SearchMan told him. "I know I would - Raika certainly did. He has not personally experienced this type of thing, but he understands more than most."

"Don't . . . don't talk like that," ProtoMan said quietly, lowering his head even more. "Please. I am not Chaud, but I can speak for him. He would not want to hear any of this."

"Why not? His friends care for him, why shouldn't he hear this?"

"Because he knows everyone cares, he just does not want to . . ." Here, ProtoMan hesitated to speak further. But SearchMan seemed to know what he was going to say anyway.

"He fears his father, and his father's wrath," SearchMan guessed, correctly. " . . . Even if Chaud is too afraid of his father to stand up to him, he has to know that his friends will do it for him if the need arises. Dr. Hikari has most likely already done so, when he went to IPC. Apparently the argument got out of hand and Dr. Hikari actually began shouting."

ProtoMan looked up sharply. SearchMan shrugged.

"I may not know the full story, but that much I do know," he said. "It's partly why Dr. Hikari now bears a strong dislike towards Shuseki Blaze. I wouldn't go as far as to say he hates the man, but it's certainly close."

ProtoMan could understand why Dr. Hikari did not like his operator's father. He was unashamed to admit that he did not like the man either, and Chaud knew this. However, he was the only one who knew, and ProtoMan wished to keep it that way.

Both Navis were distracted from their conversation by a murmur from the human child beside them. ProtoMan half-expected this to be another sleep-sound, but when he looked over at Chaud, he found himself looking into half-lidded and glazed blue eyes.

"Chaud." ProtoMan had to force himself to be quiet - his first instinct had been to cry out in joy (Chaud hadn't woken since he'd become active), but that wouldn't be a good idea at the moment. Chaud needed peace and quiet. "How do you feel?"

"I hurt," Chaud replied, his voice hardly more than a hoarse whisper. "What happened? Where am I?"

"You're ill," ProtoMan explained. "And you are at the Hikari residence."

"Raika brought you here upon ProtoMan's request, sort of," SearchMan interjected. "You've been asleep for several days, though you've woken up several times - you weren't at all lucid, however. How aware of yourself are you right now?"

"What does that even mean?" Chaud croaked.

"I believe he is, otherwise he would not be speaking to us like this," ProtoMan said to SearchMan, who nodded his agreement. ProtoMan turned his attention back to his operator. "You say you hurt - where, exactly?"

"Head," Chaud murmured. "Stomach. Aching everywhere."

"You haven't eaten for a while, it makes sense that your stomach hurts," SearchMan said.

"Head?"

"I told you, you're ill," ProtoMan reminded him gently. "Of course you're aching all over. You need to rest as much as possible, which is why the Hikaris are looking after you at the moment. Now that you're actually awake, Mrs. Hikari can give you the medicine you're supposed to take."

"Don't want medicine," Chaud half-whined, cringing. "It tastes stupid."

ProtoMan sighed, while SearchMan mouthed 'it tastes stupid?' to himself incredulously.

"If you wish to get better, then you must take it, no matter how much you do not enjoy its taste," ProtoMan lightly scolded his operator. "If it will make you feel better, I could convince Mrs. Hikari to give you something afterwards to get rid of the taste."

"Can you?" Chaud asked hopefully.

"I cannot promise anything, but I will certainly try," ProtoMan replied. "Do you feel tired right now?"

"Little bit . . ."

"Then go back to sleep," he urged Chaud gently. "I will wake you when Mrs. Hikari comes in. Just rest."

"'Kay . . ." Chaud mumbled.

When he was certain that Chaud had gone back to sleep, ProtoMan turned back to SearchMan, who was still confused about Chaud's choice of words to describe his dislike of the taste of medicine.

"I've never heard him speak like that," SearchMan said.

"He is ill, you cannot blame him for being unable to speak poetry," ProtoMan huffed.

SearchMan raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him.

OOOOOO

And this marks the end of Exhaustion's follow-up, Restless! I've decided that I'm gonna keep this name, cus I like it. Anyway, have some concerned SearchMan, and ProtoMan sassing him at the end there.

I love sassy ProtoMan. It's even better because this silliness comes moments after a completely serious discussion about how horrible Chaud's father-who-doesn't-deserve-to-be-called-a-father is.

But anyway, I said I'd tell you about the next 'part'.

It's gonna be a two-chapter 'part', and will be known as The Darkloid's Pet. It features Dark ProtoMan and Chaud, and also is a complete AU. Basically it doesn't fit in with System Error's canon, and the only reason I'm writing it is because me and Cin started talking about the Darkloid war timeline from Stream, and we sort of spawned some really weird shit about it.

Including, of course, something to do with Chaud. And Dark ProtoMan. I won't say too much right now because I don't wanna spoil anything for anyone, but it won't exactly be a happy 'part', for the most part at least.

Have fun waiting for The Darkloid's Pet.

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