Chapter 24: Why the heck are you here?
20:20 PM (Japan Time), Friday November the 6th…
And here we are, the aftermath of today's adventure… Our gentlemen are alright but Cousin's rushing everything up. But there should one "Crest" which he shouldn't be able to gain no matter what… Or maybe he could?
"K. S." looked on the scene of the day's adventure: Misaki and Netto were discussing the recent events.
"We still haven't been able to catch Tesla Magnets."
"Well. I guess she's fled to somewhere else by now."
"Netto!"
Airstar met up with them.
"If there's nothing else to be done then I guess we can go back."
"That's right. Thank you for your cooperation." Misaki told him.
"See ya. I've got to wake up early tomorrow morning."
"Ah… I wanna go back too…" Netto announced.
Airstar piloted the chopper and headed back to his apartment.
"Are you satisfied with going back, Charlie?" Gyro Man asked.
"You know we've got a schedule! We gotta transport some VIPs tomorrow."
"Someone more important than those VIPs is gone, am I wrong?"
Airstar momentarily lost control of the chopper but was able to stabilize it before it could have an accident.
"You Navis… You guys bring up things one would rather forget from time to time!"
"That's wrong, Charlie. We think that we don't need others. But, in truth, we're here to support them."
Airstar landed the capper on top of the building in which his apartment was located at: he climbed out and closed the door.
"Gyro Man! I'll gladly leave the rest of the stuff up to you."
"O.K., Charlie."
He heated up a pot of takeaway rice in the microwave oven, although he exaggerated the temperature because he burnt his hand even while wearing his leather gloves.
"Ouch! HOT"
He blew into his palm to cool it off and ate it while seeing a show on TV.
"Go, G-3!" Someone commanded.
Airstar left the pot in the table and leaned backwards on the sofa, sighing: he suddenly noticed something which was out of place within the cushions.
"Huh?"
He looked at the right side of the sofa and saw Tesla sleeping there, covered by the cushions.
"E~H?" Airstar yelled while jumping outta the sofa from the surprise.
Tesla awoke and moved aside the cushions: she was wearing a purple gown with pictures of magnets and then stretched to shake off the sleepiness and stood up.
"Te… Tesla Magnets…" He muttered aloud.
"Hey… Charlie… What's going on with this house's water heating equipment? Hot water won't come out at all!" She told him.
"Oh… Eh… Hum… That's becase it's controlled by Gyro Man…"
"Then take care of that. I can't sleep without cleansing up my dust."
She walked out of the living room to his surprise.
"W-why are you…?" He asked.
"Hey! Like I said! Hot water won't come out..." She called out with a hint of annoyance.
"Eh? Ah… Gyro Man! Hot water! Hot water!" Airstar suddenly yelled into the PET.
Gyro Man appeared inside of the PET.
"Charlie. We have the periodic helicopter maintenance next month." He reminded him.
"Eh? What? What did ya say?"
"Charlie! What's with the hot water?" Tesla called out, apparently having already stepped into the bathroom.
"The engine needs an oil swap, but…" Gyro Man interjected without acknowledging Airstar's face.
"Hey! Charlie! The hot water!" Tesla called out.
"Huh? Ah…!"
"… If you could add some oil…" Gyro Man continued without being aware of what was going.
"Huh! Oil?"
"Charlie! That's all the shampoo you have?" Tesla asked next: she was complaining again.
"Eh? Shampoo…?"
"It's not shampoo! I'm talking about oil!" Gyro Man corrected with some increasing annoyance.
"O-oil…?"
"Hey! What's with the hot water?" Tesla called out.
Airstar looked around, confused.
"Eh? Eh…? Ah…? HE~H? WHY THE HECK ARE YOU HERE~?" He yelled into the apartment.
11:11 AM (Japan Time), Thursday November the 7th…
"… That was a rather enjoyable flight."
Airstar had transported a businessman on his chopper.
"I hope your negotiation succeeds, sir."
"Yes."
The chopper flew black across the city.
"So? What are you gonna do?" Gyro Man asked.
"Eh? A-about what?" Charlie asked.
"Isn't it obvious? I mean her."
"Dunno, man…"
"The Net Police seems to be searching for her, but… Shouldn't we report that?" Gyro Man brought up.
"She's the one who relies on me! Can I do that?"
"And yesterday you left without looking for her."
"Yesterday and today… The situation's different!"
"Wrong, Charlie. The problem is: your attitude isn't explicit enough."
Tesla stayed on Airstar's apartment, having some ice cream and watching the TV.
"Mwah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah! Ramen…! Ouch!"
The sound of an object hitting something metallic could be heard over the TV: Airstar returned to the apartment at that moment.
"Hey, Charlie… Why do you only have vanilla ice-cream in this house?"
"Do you desire something?" He dully asked.
"Marble… Can't you buy some?"
"Ah… Yeah…"
"Charlie! Weren't you gonna set things straight?" Gyro Man asked.
"Hum… Tesla." He called out.
"What?" Tesla glanced at him.
"You… What do you plan to do next?" He inquired.
"Well… I gotta wait and see for a while."
"Wait and see? Huh? You mean… see what I'll do?"
"I meant Umbra!" She now looked annoyed.
"Ah… And so…?"
"I won't calm down until I make sure to have that Umbra jerk, who had me go through such a horrible experience, pay back for what he did!" She let out in a fit of anger.
"It'll you leave Umbra up to the Net Police then they'll surely…"
"I am going to - do it - on my own - with these hands!" She proclaimed.
"Do you want anything else apart from the ice-cream?"
"Oh, boy…" Gyro Man muttered.
Let's check on Ms. Yuriko…
"K. S." had parked his car near a river to see Yuriko standing next to the banks of it: her PET beeped so she took it out of the pocket and looked at its screen.
"Hiya."
Umbra was on the screen: he was sitting on his throne and part of his body was obscured.
"Rock Man? No. Wrong… You're Umbra. I wonder how you knew this address… There isn't anyone who knows it left." She demanded.
But I know the one who supplied them with the address.
"There's nothing impossible for us "Darkloids" when it involves the Cyber World…."
"True. So?" She asked while being unimpressed.
"I'm… gathering "Duo's Crests". Yours is the last one."
"… And you think that I'll give it to you so easily?" She amusedly questioned.
"…You have a big sis, don't you?" Umbra suddenly brought up.
Ah! Cousin! You rascal! You didn't have enough with what happened in May! Did you? "K. S." grimaced.
"… And what if?" She tried to keep her tone neutral.
"You don't want your big sis to suffer an accident, do you? I'll be waiting at the "Dark Chip" factory remains on the reclaimed lands. Don't keep me waiting for too long…"
The image faded away and Needle Man appeared on the screen: he looked concerned.
"Shah, shah, shah, shah, shah! What will you do, Yuriko?" He asked her.
"I have to go there: got no other choice."
"But we dunno what that guy is plotting." Needle Man warned.
"Yeah. I know that." She admitted.
She glanced at the skies as if thinking of something.
Let's try to see if we can contact the Hikari gentlemen to help them out in this affair…
"… However… I wonder why Umbra is gathering "Duo's Crests"…"
Netto was discussing the current events with Misaki and Manabe.
"He announced he'd gathered eleven, didn't he?" Manabe asked.
"He said the following…"
Rock Man cleared his throat, put up an "evil" face, and intoned Umbra's voice.
"… "I've taken you guys' "Crest" data… I've also got the "Crests" of your overseas pals!" … Huh?"
Netto had taken hold of the PET and looked scared.
"It doesn't look like the guy!"
"Like I care if I look like the guy!"
Don't worry! I'm the real one!
Y-yeah… Huff. You scared me.
Sorry. But I wanted to make it clear.
"There are a total of thirteen "Duo's Crests". If he says that he's already gathered eleven… The pieces he hasn't yet must be Yuriko and Colonel Barrel."
"And we lack Tesla's." Rock Man warned.
"Of course! Tesla! Where could she have run off to?" Netto exclaimed.
"The Net Police is still searching but…" Manabe began.
"But we haven't found any clues yet. She shouldn't have anywhere to go to in the first place yet…" Misaki admitted.
Netto's PET beeped.
"Otouto! Mail." Saito announced.
"Mail? From whom? HUH?"
Netto looked baffled at seeing the contents.
Aha-hah! Umbra – kun: you're underestimating your opponent!
Yuriko walked towards a computer with a hand scanner installed on it: the screen lit up and Umbra appeared inside of the machine.
"Hiya! You're early. Press "Duo's Crest" over there."
The scanner glowed.
"Press this into that?" She asked as she looked at her "Crest" hand.
"Correct. Scan it and let's wrap this up. Come on." He grinned.
"I won't." Yuriko announced.
"What did you say?" He looked astonished.
You don't know that she's a fighter too? She won't concede to you so easily and she's already thought in advance.
Yuriko took out her sunglasses.
"I told you: I won't hand over the "Crest"."
"What do you mean? You don't care what happens to your big sis?" He questioned as he leant both punches on both sides of his torso.
"What you want is this "Crest", ain't it? Try to steal it by force." Yuriko challenged.
"So that's how it is." He grinned.
Ah. But she has some aces in her sleeve.
"Yeah. Correct."
She took out her PET.
"I've come to battle you."
"I don't care for either. As long as I get your "Crest"…"
Some "Dimensional Converters" popped out: Umbra and Cosmo Man materialized and stood atop a catwalk overlooking the room.
"Synchro Chip, Slot In! CROSS FUSION!"
The "Cross Fusion" was performed flawlessly.
"Cosmo Gate!"
"Mega Cannon!"
"CF" Yuriko easily dodged.
"You better don't think that you alone can beat us!" Umbra taunted.
"I was thinking of fighting alone the whole time… But I… I've remembered to rely on others. Heh."
"What do you mean?" Umbra frowned.
A blast suddenly hit Umbra.
"You're…!"
"CF" Netto was there and pointing his Rock Buster at him.
Heh. See, Umbra – kun? Don't underestimate the opponent.
"Yuriko! Mariko – sensei is under the police's protection now! The only thing left is to beat this dude!"
"I can't believe you tipped off the Net Police….!" Umbra guessed.
"The "Darkloids" don't know much of the human world!" She taunted.
"What did you say?" Umbra hissed.
"Okay! Let's go for it!"
Both Rock Men aimed for each other while "CF" Yuriko landed in front of Cosmo Man.
Heh. Let's see how you fail.
Misaki was keeping company to Mariko in a Net Police guest house.
"Excuse me… Where are we at…?" Mariko asked.
"It's a guest house we Net Police have arranged for. Please accept our escort during a while." Misaki announced.
"Yuriko requested it, right? Has something happened?"
Mariko looked at Misaki: she had that cat on her lap.
"Huh?"
"Because… Isn't that it? Because, otherwise… The Net Police wouldn't have bothered about me… Where's Yuriko at?"
"It is alright. Netto – kun is with her. Please be relieved." Misaki assured her.
Dingo and Rokushakudama were also present.
"It'd seem I must believe on that and wait…"
"Yes, ma'am."
Mariko was about to drink the tea when a crack appeared on the cup and the tea began to leak: she gasped.
"Yuriko…"
And let's see what's become of the battle…
"Yuriko! Backup will soon come! And then we'll win!" "CF" Netto told her.
"Talk about reliable. I'll be expecting 'em. Battle Chip, Long Sword!"
"CF" Yuriko jumped towards Cosmo Man, who gasped.
It's over, big boy.
Suddenly, though, a hand came out of nowhere and grabbed her sword arm from behind.
"What?" She wondered.
No way.
A pillar of black light formed and then Yoru Yami stood there while sporting the hat and coat he'd been sporting in Paris time ago: he'd passed his left arm below Yuriko's left to restrain her while he gripped her sword arm.
"Y-you lowlife…!" "CF" Yuriko gasped.
"That's…! It couldn't be!"Saito yelled.
"That guy! That's impossible!" Netto uttered.
"Mr. Yami!" Yuriko gasped.
"It has been a while! Ms. Yuriko. I don't mind if you affably call me "Demon King – sama", either ..." He announced with a smug smile.
Oh yes? Playing Maou again? "K. S." looked annoyed by now.
"CF" Netto looked on, taken aback.
"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… The Demon Tribe's resurrection will come to happen! I need something, though!" Yami announced.
He applied pressure on the sword arm.
"Let go! Let go!" She demanded.
The sword faded.
"I shall take this "Crest". Good night!"
The "Crest" shone on her hand and Yami put his hand over hers, thus provoking an energy reaction: Yuriko yelled and the "Cross Fusion" was broken.
What in the… You dirty cheater! Fight like a man!
Her PET fell to the ground: she then fell into her knees and Yami let go of her left arm.
"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…!"
"Yuriko!"
Yami's body was surrounded by a sphere of a black light and he became Twilight, complete with his armor and cape.
"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh! Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh! Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh! Bravo! I got the Crest! I am one step closer to gain a gigantic power."
"Yami! What do you plan to do by gathering the "Crests"?" "CF" Netto demanded.
"Need Not To Know. My… Half - brothers."
Umbra shot several shots at "CF" Netto which landed around him.
"Why are you guys…?"
"That's because… Twilight – sama created me, you see." Umbra announced.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Both twins asked.
Oh come on! Wasn't it obvious by now? Huh. Freeze Man. About time: he could help turn the thing around.
"Umbra! Mr. Cosmo Man! Comrades! Play with my half-brothers. Go all out!" Twilight ordered with a snicker.
"Yes, sir." Both replied.
Twilight looked towards the south wall and prepared to flee.
"Hold it right there, Yami!" "CF" Netto yelled.
"Before I become the Demon King… Have fun with my new pet. Achtung, kinder!"
Twilight waved his right hand: a jelly – like substance emerged from the ground thus assuming the shape of one of those jelly warriors Colonel had faced during the "Spectrum Incident" day: Umbra jumped besides the thing while Twilight formed the column of light and vanished from the room.
Sheesh! Bothersome meddling psycho!
"Yami!"
"Cosmo Buster!"
"CF" Netto dodged and tried to take aim but Umbra shot at his feet.
"I'll have you sink into the Universe's "Dark". Cosmo Planet!" Cosmo Man proclaimed.
The attack broke part of the ceiling and bombarded the insides of the warehouse: "CF" Netto stood up while grabbing his right shoulder.
"Hell!"
"Heh, heh, heh, heh… Did you realize how powerful I am?"
"Saito! I can finally say bye-bye to you." Umbra announced.
"I wonder about that!" Saito replied.
A chopper's engine could be heard and it was approaching: Umbra gasped and looked outside while "CF" Netto gasped in relief.
"Durundun… durundun… durundun… durundun…"
Tesla was singing onboard the chopper, which was flying over the bay in the afternoon sky.
"YOU'RE LATE, CHARLIE~!" "CF" Netto yelled over the radio.
"Sorry! Something popped during departure! But I increased the backup thanks to that! Tesla! Couldn't you calm down for a bit…?"
Airstar suddenly saw that she'd opened the chopper's door.
"Let's go, Magnet Man! Hah!"
She jumped out of the chopper.
"Tesla!"
"Synchro Chip, Slot In! CROSS FUSION!"
She used the speed to enter the "Dimensional Area" thus totally surprising "CF" Netto.
"Ta-tan!"
"Tesla! Why are you…?" "CF" Netto was baffled.
I'd like to know that too! Did they approach Airstar knowing she'd have a chance to find Umbra through him? And here I thought she'd fled overseas… "K. S." was surprised.
"Magnets suddenly showed up, Shuryou…"
"Magnets, you say!"
"Yes, sir. They apparently were riding in Airstar's chopper."
"Don't mind them. If they've come for Umbra…"
"Roger."
"Hum…" Umbra grinned.
"Umbra! How dare ya have me go through such humiliation! Get ready!"
She suddenly pointed an accusing finger at Cosmo Man as well.
"Cha too! I don't know cha name. But get ready!"
"Grr! My name's Cos…!" He was cut off.
"Mag Missile!"
"Uwo~h!"
The attack broke the catwalk and Cosmo Man fell headfirst into the ground actually surprising Umbra.
"Take these!" She proclaimed.
She shot several Mag Balls: Umbra moved out of the way and the attacks hit Cosmo Man instead.
"I…Incredible…" "CF" Netto was baffled.
The jelly fighter suddenly jumped towards him.
"Whoa! Battle Chip, Sword!"
He clashed blades with the thing and struggled in the deadlock.
"How is that?" "CF" Tesla taunted.
"Don't…"
Umbra cut through the smoke using a Dark Sword: he now looked psychotic.
"…get COCKY~!" He yelled.
He jumped towards her and she gasped.
"Tesla!"
"CF" Airstar took the blunt and collapsed into Tesla's arms.
"Charlie!"
"Thatt guy…!"
Umbra tried to shoot but was met with a volley of shots from "CF" Netto.
"You're asking for it!" He hissed.
Now who's the one getting moody?
"Are you okay? Tesla?" "CF" Airstar asked.
"Charlie… Are you okay?"
"Jeez! You're so reckless, ya know… Can't ignore ya, man! Do you want me to become your Navi?" "CF" Airstar joked.
"CF" Tesla blushed at the commented.
"CHARLIE~! HELP ME TOO, WILL YA!"
"CF" Netto was surrounded by three enemies.
Eat medicine, you big bully.
Freeze Man grinned and formed his diamonds which plunged into Cosmo Man from behind: he gasped and Umbra actually spotted them.
Yes. You don't know what they are because Mr. Hikari Sr. hasn't seen them either… "K. S." smiled.
"Gyro Cutter!"
"CF" Tesla seemed to be emotional as she looked on.
"Tornado Arm!"
The attack sent Cosmo Man flying.
"Are you OK with this, Tesla? We'll beat 'em!"
"Don't say nonsense! Those "Darkloids" are my preys!" "
"Variable Sword!"
"CF" Netto finally cut the jelly fighter in two and it faded.
"Mag Missile! Mag Missile! Mag Missile! Mag Missile! Mag Missile!"
"CF" Tesla shot an array of magnets which hit Cosmo Man.
"Ugh… UWA~H!"
They were more than he could endure, so he blew up.
"Cosmo Man…!" Umbra looked stunned, for once.
Alas… Too bad for you, but… That could play into my favor.
"OK! You're the last one!" "CF" Tesla announced from behind him.
Umbra glanced over his shoulder and smirked.
"Heh."
Umbra took out an Energy Bomb and dropped it into the ground to everyone's surprise: Umbra used the smoke to flee along with the "Converters": everyone faded out of "Cross Fusion" and retrieved their PETs.
"… Umbra ran away, huh?" Netto wasn't too surprised.
"Oi! Tesla! Where are you?"
Netto spotted Airstar walking around and calling out for Tesla.
"Charlie! Where's Tesla?" Netto asked.
"I don't see her anywhere, ya see!"
"HU~H? She got away yet again?" Netto exclaimed.
So it'd seem, Hikari. Freeze Man wasn't surprised.
Maybe they're trying to chase Umbra – kun? "K. S." wondered.
They heard erratic footsteps and spotted Yuriko walking down some stairs which connected with the upper floor.
Ah! Ms. Yuriko. She's unharmed. Thank goodness.
"Are you okay? Yuriko?"
"Arigatou."
Wily and his trolley came out from the obscurity.
Whoa! Dr. Wily!
"As I thought… That guy was pulling the strings behind the scenes…"
"Dr. Wily!" Netto exclaimed.
"Father!" Yuriko gasped.
"Turns out that Yoru Yami, Regal's copy-cat, is alive..."
Regal… Yes, I know that name…
"True! What's Yami's goal?"
"Netto. Mr. Yami stole my "Crest" and he said that he'd gathered all of them." Yuriko told him.
"All of them? The 13 of them?" Netto assumed with surprise.
"Huh? But… Now there are only 12 of them, right?"
"Yeah! Barrel – san. The last" Crest" owner is Barrel – san, but… But he's already a deceased person. Barrel – san always exists in the past." Netto confirmed.
"Then… Shouldn't it be impossible for either we or that Yami guy to obtain the last one?" Airstar argued.
Good point. Freeze Man realized.
"No. The first "Crest" which Yoru Yami obtained was… Barrel Tai – sa's own one." Wily announced.
"Wily. Tell us what you mean in a simple manner"
"… Twenty years ago… I executed a certain experiment in the Ameroupe Army."
Wily had run a body check-up on Barrel in the Spectrum Island: he was lying on a metallic table and had several medical devices attached to him and over him: he had looked like he'd been sleeping and had had an oxygen mask on.
"Barrel Tai-sa ran into trouble during the experiment so I carried out an examination of his body. During the examination… I registered the "Crest" that was on his hand's palm."
A younger Regal was watching a photo of "Duo's Crest" via one PC located somewhere: he looked interested, given his smug smile, and then shut it down.
"And Regal… He tok all kinds of data with him when he escaped my lab, but… Barrel Tai-sa's "Crest" was inside of that data back then." Wily told them.
I see. And then Yoru Yami stole it from that "Regal" man?
"And I've recently realized that it was "Duo's Crest"…"
"There aren't any other samples of that data? You didn't create a backup of it?" Netto asked.
"None. He happened to steal the only sample of the original data. I hadn't cared about that insofar yet… If the imposter is alive, then… It's a different story altogether." Wily explained as he closed a fist around the trolley's handle.
"In short: that means that… Mr. Yami's has gathered all of the "Crests": the 13 of them. But we can't get the last one." Yuriko summarized.
"I do not know either how he plans on using the "Crests"… However… He most likely pretends to get his hand on the high-technology Duo possesses, I guess…"
This is bad. That Twilight…! He's going to doom us all yet!
"Shuryou… What should we do?"
"Beats me, for once. Heck. If only we could find the rascal…!"
18:14 PM (Japan Time), Sunday November the 8th…
"… Today it was a relaxing flight too."
One businessman had been brought somewhere by Airstar.
"I hope the negotiations are successful, sir."
"Hum!"
Airstar landed the chopper on his heliport once the job was done.
Let's check on them: Magnets could try to approach them again. But, really… Cousin is risking too much. Trying to defy a Cybernetic God which even Cousin Vadous was afraid of? You'll exterminate the whole Earth if needed to get your hands in that power? "K. S." looked on while sighing and looking gloomy.
Airstar walked into the apartment bringing some takeaway food: he then sat down on the sofa and sighed as he took out the plastic bag and threw it into the garbage bin: he picked the cardboard spoon next.
"Hey… I've served some "Herb Tea" but… Will you drink it?"
"Yeah, yeah… I'll drink it…" He absent-mindedly replied.
He heard a sound.
"Hum?"
He looked at his right to see Tesla serving some tea into cups.
"Tesla!"
She sat at his right.
"You… Why are you..?"
She didn't reply.
"Eh! Hum! No! That… Ah! That's right… Tesla!"
He took out the ring she'd lost time ago.
"I've been keeping this for a while… I wonder if you remember it."
"What's that?" She suddenly asked.
She pointed at the takeaway cardboard box.
"Huh?"
It was some white rice with the sauce and the add-ons aside.
"That's Maha's Curry Bento, but…" He trailed off.
"Curry?" She asked.
A smell filled the air.
"Huh? What's that? This nice smell…"
"The dinner is roast beef, but… Do you prefer curry instead?"
"Oh no! It's a nice fragrance!"
"It should be cooked soon enough…"
"You made it?"
"It can't be!"
She drank some tea.
"I can't cook!"
"Eh? Then…? Why…?"
"Well, well! It's ready!"
Gauss came in pulling a trolley just like in a restaurant.
"HU~H?"
Oh boy. This is turning amusing, really. He's a chef too!
Charlie stood up from the surprise and pointed an accusing finger at Gauss: he walked to him and put both hands over it.
"No, no! Airstar – kun! Sorry: we father and child are indebted to you!"
"Huh…"
Gauss left the dishes with the roast beef and the add-ons on the table.
"Come on, come on! Eat some! Eat some!"
Gauss patted Charlie's back.
"It looks exquisite, Father!"
"Oh. Let me check the TV for a sec."
He engaged the TV and some show popped out.
"Jeez! Father! Don't do that during a meal!"
He shut it off.
"Eh… B-but… It's someone's home, see… I need to calm downa bit… Isn't that right, my man?" He whispered to him.
"Huh… Yeah…"
"Here! Have some of it!"
He handed him the roast beef with some sauce.
"Thank you."
"Eh… By the way… A little something… What's the relationship between you and my Tesla…?"
Tesla suddenly placed her hand on Gauss' left cheek and turned his face almost 90º to the right.
Ouch. That gotta hurt, really. She's blushing, even.
"UOH!"
His teeth were clenched.
"Don't, Father…!"
"No! I just wanted to know about his neighbors, you see… We'll be indebted to them, anyway…" He improvised.
Airstar's PET beeped: he took it out and spotted Netto on-screen.
"Do you have a min, Charlie?" Netto asked.
He turned to the right and brought the PET near his smoked glasses so that Netto couldn't see.
"Eh… Yeah, yeah… What's up?" He asked in a low voice.
"It's about Tesla, ya see…" Netto began.
"HUH? Huh…?" He looked panicked.
"It was delicious, Father." Tesla was commenting in the meanwhile.
"Heh, heh… Is that so?" Gauss chuckled.
"I wonder where she's gone off to…" Netto wondered.
"W-who knows?" He wondered as well.
"Tesla also has "Duo's Crest", ya know! We'd like to figure out where she is ASAP! You don't have any leads…?" Netto continued.
"I'd like seconds, Father." Tesla handed him her empty dish.
"Oh! So you liked it!" Gauss sounded satisfied.
"Charlie! Can't you think of anything about Tesla? A place she could be at… It beats me…"
"Airstar – kun. Do you want some as well?"
"Yeah! E-eh?" He distractedly replied.
"I'd like some duck for tomorrow." Tesla announced.
"Duck? Guess that… Would you like it roasted, Airstar – kun?"
"Do you dislike roasted duck?" Tesla asked next.
"E-eh, no…" He muttered.
"Hey! Are you listening, Charlie?"
"E-eh? W-what?" He wondered.
"Ah… Oh boy…" Gyro Man muttered in a resigned tone.