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Chapter Thirty-Six:

Article Over Breakfast

"DTC's Exclusive Article: Opposites Really Do Attract, Featuring Local Tournament Participants Chaud Blaze and Namirra Hallissy! I can't believe this," Mamoru sighed.

"I am NOT amazed," Ailee said. "It was pretty obvious from the day they met that they were going to be a target for this kind of thing."

Mamoru, Ailee, Raize, and Sean were all congregated in Mamoru's room, talking about the article. Raize bounced up and down in his chair, impatiently awaiting any sort of final decision-making that he could influence.

"I'd say it started more around the day they started dating," he put in, still bouncing. "I mean, oh look, they're friends, great. But if you add a kiss in it, then there's something to talk about."

"I agree with Raize," Sean decided from the floor. "But I think it was even before their first kiss. I think it was right before the N1 crashed and there was the whole explosion of publicity on both of them since they were battling."

"You might be right," Ailee said, "but any way you look at it, there's still the ugly point that the media won't leave them alone."

"You're the lawyer," Raize pointed out. "Isn't there some sort of civil rights thing that protects their privacy or something?"

"I'm not sure, I'll do some research with legal aid," Ailee promised. "Maybe I can file a case in today if I work fast enough..."

"Not today, you won't," Mamoru said. "You're going job-hunting."

"I am?"

"You got fired. You've got to get another job."

"I know, I know I do," Ailee sighed. "But can't it wait? I want to see this last match, and then tomorrow I PROMISE I'll go—"

"Ailee, tomorrow is New Year's Eve. There is no way on earth anyone will sit for a job interview on New Year's," Sean pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but..."

"Ai, we're four months behind in rent. We've gotta get the money to pay it all off, or we're outta here," Mamoru said. "As in out of country."

"Oh..."

"Right."

"That wouldn't be so bad, actually," Raize said. "Take a year offa college, go out, see the world..."

"Your college tuition is where all the rent money is going," Sean reminded him. "And some of it is in my college fund."

"Nami's too," Ailee added.

"You guys had better get straight A's," Mamoru said sternly. "If we're lucky, you might get a partial scholarship for programming."

"You're good at that kind of scientific stuff, too," Raize added. "Maybe you can be a scientist and find the DarkChip cure."

"Hahaha, very funny," Sean said seriously. "I don't think there is a cure."

"Whatever. Maybe you could get into Wirerod," Ailee suggested.

"Ew. That place is sleazy," Sean said, revolted. "If we hate the media now, why send me to a school where I'll end up selling my soul to them? And besides, it's at the other end of the country."

"This country may be bigger than Netopia ever will be, but it's still not that big," Mamoru reasoned. "And if not there, where?"

"I wanna go to Advanced Innovation," Sean said dreamily. "I've always wanted to."

"We know," Raize sighed, having heard this fact many, many times.

"For good reason!" Sean snapped. "It's the best programming school ever!"

"And the most expensive."

"Shut up."

"What about Nami?" Ailee asked. "She hasn't said anything about what she wants to do after high school."

"Before we came here, it looked like she was planning on working for Manu until she got enough money to go out on her own," Mamoru said. "But now... I don't know."

"I don't know either," Ailee said sadly. "I hope she does go to college."

"She doesn't want to," Sean sighed. "She told me a while back. Says she doesn't want us to waste our money on her."

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Classic Namirra Starla Hallissy, right there."

"Yeah. But even so... maybe we should think about it," Ailee said. "I mean... you know better than any of us what's going to happen eventually," she told Mamoru. "It doesn't sound like that day's so far anymore."

"I know what you mean," Mamoru agreed, "but I still think we should try and put her through college and give her a chance to do what she wants to do."

"Isn't that all anyone really wants? A chance to do what they do?" Raize asked. "Would kinda suck if we didn't get to live out our dreams."

"But, what I think she really wants after high school is to settle down somewhere. Maybe even get married," Sean said.

Raize laughed. "What do you mean, maybe?"

"Raize!"

"Honestly, what college course can you put her through that she will truly enjoy?"

"We could send her off to acting school," Ailee suggested.

"She's good enough, but she's not serious enough," Mamoru said, stamping on that idea. "Nami doesn't take a lot of things seriously."

"Oh, she does so take things seriously," Sean said. "When she came over to the mall to pick out a photo album for Chaud the first time, she ended up giving her money to a homeless man outside the mall."

"And she took a lost puppy back to its owner last summer," Ailee added. "Even though it took her three hours of searching."

"Which is where she got the money for both the homeless guy and the photo album," Raize said. "Remember?"

"Yeah, I remember," Mamoru sighed. "What's your point?"

"When was the last time you saw her buy something for herself? Really?" Sean asked. "She's always giving. Give, give, give..."

"So she'll end up working for a charity most of her life, I bet," Raize said.

"But then how will she live? I mean, as far as getting a place to live, and getting enough to eat," Mamoru said. "You see, this is what worries me about her! She doesn't really have a plan for anything!"

"I'm sure she does," Ailee assured him.

"I know," Raize said suddenly. "If she marries Chaud, which we all know will totally happen the second they get out of high school, Chaud will probably already have enough money to get them both started, so that way they can both do everything they want to, and they'll have enough left over to get a place to live and food to eat and clothes to wear, all that stuff!"

Silence for a moment as they all pondered this, sudden mental images of Nami and Chaud's would-be wedding running through their minds.

"You know, that might actually be what she'd do," Ailee said. "But, then again..."

"She's really not one to take advantage of people," Mamoru agreed.

"But she won't be taking advantage of him, because they love each other and la-di-da, and she'll eventually pay him back!" Raize argued. "I'm telling you, it's perfect!"

"Maybe," Mamoru sighed. "Let's just see if they both last that long..."

---

"Nami? The match is at noon today..." Looking up from the email, Chaud saw that she had her back turned to him. "Are you even listening to me, Nami...? Oh, no... Nami, stop! You're gonna burn it!" He ran over to the frying pan, too late to salvage the egg she was attempting to fry up.

"Aw, darn it..." She sighed, tossing yet another egg out in an attempt to make breakfast for everyone. "Let's face it. I can't cook eggs."

Shaking his head, Chaud took the pan and the eggs from her. "Let me do it."

Nami cocked her head to one side. "You can do it? Seriously?"

Perfectly cracking the egg into the pan, he nodded. "Yeah, seriously."

Seeing that Chaud obviously wasn't going to burn, destroy, or ruin it in any way like she had, Nami nodded. "You fry the eggs, and I'll bake us some muffins. Cinnamon raisin sound okay?"

"Sounds great."

Ten minutes later, Nami was stirring the muffin batter she had made from scratch, turning on the oven.

"How is it that you can make muffins from scratch, but you can't fry an egg?" Chaud asked, flipping the third egg.

"I honestly don't know," she sighed, pouring equal amounts into each of the little indentations in the muffin tin. "I've always been better at baking than almost anyone else."

"Almost?" Chaud asked suspiciously.

"Mamoru beats me every time."

"Mamoru? Really?" he asked, sliding the egg out onto a hot plate.

"I'm serious, he makes this awesome baked spaghetti... But he can't make my special cookies."

"Special cookies as opposed to not-special cookies?" Chaud laughed.

Nami smiled. "We all learned the recipe from our mom. I'm the only one who can get it right."

"Is there some sort of secret ingredient in it or something?"

"There's a nice corny cliché about love here somewhere, but I'd rather not," she told him. "I think it's just cuz I'm specialful."

"You are... specialful."

Nami laughed, pushing the muffin tin into the oven.

"The eggs are done," Chaud said, putting the pan in the sink to be dealt with later.

"And the muffins will be ready in about twenty minutes," Nami added.

"That fast? And they'll be cooked all right?"

She smiled, laughing. "I promise, they'll be completely edible."

"Unlike your eggs."

"Don't ruin the moment."

"What?"

Nami shook her head. "C'mon, let's make some smoothies while we wait."

---

"Sean? What are you doing?" Raize asked. Sean was sitting at the top of the stairs looking down at the niche between the kitchen and the living room.

"They were just cooking."

"Who?"

"Nami and Chaud."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Wow. What were they cooking? Something fit for human consumption, I hope?"

"Yeah. Eggs and cinnamon raisin muffins."

"Nami can't cook eggs!" Raize reminded him.

"She can't. But Chaud can."

"...Really?"

"YES!"

"And now they're making strawberry banana watermelon smoothies."

Raize sighed. "This always happens whenever Nami makes breakfast. We always OD on fruit."

Sean turned to stare at his brother. "Well, this is what happens when you have a vegetarian for a little sister!"

The two boys watched as Nami peered down inside the blender that Chaud was filling with strawberries. "Chaud?"

"Yeah?"

She pulled out a strawberry. "You can eat the red part, correct?"

"Right. But you can't eat the leaves," he said.

"Okay... then why are we putting the leaves in the smoothie?"

Chaud stared at her, realizing his mistake. "Right... sorry..."

She smiled, pulling out the strawberries. "See? You're not exactly a kitchen wizard either."

"I have to admit, I've never used a blender before in my life," he warned her.

"You learn something new every day," she told him. "I'll teach you."

"Okay..."

They continued cutting the tops off of the strawberries, Raize and Sean still watching from the stairs.

"They're really not so bad together," Sean said.

"Yeah."

"Hey boys. Whatcha watching?" Ailee asked, passing them on the stairs, arms full of laundry.

"Chaud and Nami are cooking."

"Really?"

"Yeah. They're making smoothies," Raize said.

"Chaud, wait!" Nami cried. A loud whirring buzz noise sounded from the kitchen, the blender was on... without the top on.

"Oh, Lord, what's going on down there?" Ailee stopped, looking down into the kitchen as well. Nami and Chaud were both splattered with the pink mixture resulting from strawberry juice mixed with milk, little pieces of strawberry, and half-melted ice.

Nami shook her head slowly, suppressing a laugh. "We're gonna have to take this slow, aren't we?"

Chaud looked guiltily up at her. "Sorry..."

She tossed him a towel. "Let's get this cleaned up."

"Why are we all congregated on the stairs?" Mamoru passed them in the hall, carrying a stack of papers that were probably work-related.

"We're spying," Ailee said.

"Why are we spying?"

"Because it's insanely entertaining," Raize told him. "Chaud and Nami are cooking."

"Really?" Mamoru looked down. "Seems like they're cleaning."

"They were trying to make smoothies a minute ago, then Chaud started the blender without the top on."

"Oh, wonderful."

"They already made eggs and muffins."

"Good! We don't have to cook today," Mamoru said happily, continuing on his way.

---

"Sorry about that," Chaud said, guilty.

"Don't worry about it, it's a classic mistake," Nami said simply.

"In cartoons! I should have known better!"

"It's okay, really," Nami told him firmly, "why don't we finish these smoothies up and then get the rest of the gang down here to eat?"

"All right..."

"But you have lost your button-pushing privileges. Okay?"

Chaud smiled. "Okay."

By the time mess-free smoothies were made, the muffins were done, and the eggs were still warm.

"I'll set out the food, you go get everyone," Chaud said.

"Okay... thanks for your help," she said sheepishly.

"It's the least I can do," he told her. "You saved me from the snowstorm and let me stay here with absolutely no notice. Thanks for that."

"It's nothing," Nami said. "You're practically family."

He smiled as she went up the stairs. Maybe someday I will be...

"Hey guys, breakfast is ready!" Nami called, knocking on all the doors.

"Okay, be down in a second!" Sean's voice called from behind the door to Nami's room.

"Uh... ditto!" Raize's voice added, from Mamoru's room.

"Coming!" Ailee's voice said from Raize's room.

Nami frowned. "Why are you all in the wrong rooms?"

"Umm... be down in a second!"

---

At 8 o'clock, once everyone had finished their deliciously fruity breakfast, Mamoru went off to work early so he could finish in time for the match, Raize and Sean claiming the same. Ailee was going job-hunting, and left at nine AM.

"You two behave, okay?" she reminded them as she left.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll burn the house down, have fun," Nami called after her, laughing.

"We're not actually gonna burn anything, are we?" Chaud asked.

"Oh, of course not," Nami said. "I just say that to annoy her."

Chaud shook his head. "So... what are we gonna do for the next two and a half hours?"

"I don't know... Sen?"

Silence.

"Sen? Answer me, please."

More silence. Nami sighed. "I'm shutting you down."

"NO!"

"That's what I thought."

"What do you need?"

"Get over it," Nami told her.

"Over what?"

"Just get over it."

"What!"

"The fight you had with ProtoMan last night, get over it."

"Over it."

"Good."

---

They ended up passing the time playing random games they found around the house, even going so far as to try to snitch something out of Mamoru's room. Instead of a game, they found a newspaper.

"This is yesterday's news," Nami noticed. "It's not like him to keep day-old news on his bed."

"What's so important about it?" Chaud asked, taking it from her, reading the headline. "Oh, good lord."

"It's about us, isn't it?" Nami sighed, flopping down on her brother's bed. "That must be why he kept it."

"Well, that..." He held up the article so she could see the picture. "And the picture's a fake."

Raising her eyebrows, she took the article from him. "I'm gonna have to go with you on that one," she told him, her cheeks turning pink.

The picture was supposed to be of their first kiss, but the problem that Chaud had so quickly noticed was that it was set in the park.

"Whoever took these pictures must've edited them for some reason," Nami guessed.

"Why, though?" Chaud asked. "What's the point of putting it in the park?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "Maybe it's some sort of newspaper-y thing we don't know about."

They fell into silence for a while, reading the article.

"You're aware this is all lies, right?" Nami asked.

"Yup. However, I must agree that we are indeed in high school."

"Obviously and rightly so, but still..." Frowning, she tossed the article down onto the pillows. "I'm not very comfortable with our picture gracing the front page of the DTC Times."

"Neither am I, but what are we supposed to do about it?"

"HEY!" Sen's voice shouted. "There's stuff in it about ProtoMan and me!"

"What?" ProtoMan snapped. "Seriously?"

"Hey, you're right," Chaud realized, reading the end of the article. "They think you're like.. 'Roll and Mega Man's competition'."

"WHAAAAAAAT!" Sen exploded.

"Why would they automatically assume that?" ProtoMan asked, inexplicably calmer than Sen.

"Ask them, not us," Nami said. "I can't believe this..."

"I say we go over to the newspaper head and give him a piece of our minds!" Sen shouted, arms crossed.

"We can't, Sen, it's too far, and I bet you anything they'll tell us we need an appointment," Chaud said.

"But why? We're their celebrities," Nami said sarcastically. "We shouldn't need an appointment!"

"True that may be, but the fact remains that should we show up, we will be kicked back out," he reasoned. "We'll just have to deal with it until we can give them a nice little visit."

"I'm more interested as to how they got this, not why," ProtoMan said. "There wasn't anyone following you on Christmas, was there?"

"I don't think so... did you see anyone, Nami?" Chaud asked.

"Nope."

"Then we have an 'undisclosed and anonymous' enemy out there," Chaud sighed. "Hope it's not anyone we know."

"It might be someone from school that doesn't like us very much," Nami suggested. "What other reason would they have to try and trash our relationship?"

"Or maybe they like one of you and hate the other," ProtoMan put forward. "Maybe they're trying to embarrass you both, get you to break up, and pick one of you up on the rebound?"

"Or they just don't like you," Sen added.

"All excellent ideas, but nothing we can confirm," Chaud said. "There's just not much we can do about this yet."

"Yet," Nami pointed out. "Ooh, the second I find out who did this..."

"I feel sorry for that person... actually, no I don't," Sen decided.

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