School has ended for me, and I don't start work yet, so you may be wondering why I haven't gotten a chapter up in over a week. Well, you'll have to read to the end to find out…
Chapter 35: A Sibling Quarrel
''What is going on here, Nee-chan?'' Solinar asked, impatience on the surface and a hint of anger beneath. ''I told you in Japan to not interfere in this!''
''But I will intervene when it involves someone near heading down the wrong path.'' Lunare answered. ''Isn't that the duty of siblings? To look out for one another?''
''This isn't a matter of love, Nee-chan.'' Solinar said unpleasantly and pointing towards Dash and Tyria. ''I have business with them, and you've tried to prevent me from settling it every step of the way!''
''I've told you before, and I'll tell you again.'' Lunare said patiently. ''These rebels are important. More important than they realize. I will not allow them to be destroyed due to a petty grudge.''
''But they're rebels!'' Solinar shouted. ''Don't you realize that?! Are you suggesting we let them off scot-free?! They've destroyed an extremely expensive Dimensional Chip production facility, forced even myself to steal T-Corp commerce, imprisoned Lloyd within Arman's virus laboratory, and have deleted a number of T-Corp navis, even Elites!''
''I realize that.'' Lunare said. ''I agree that they will be punished for their attempts to undermine our society. But you are not interested in justice, Brother. You are only out for revenge.''
''You do me a great disservice.'' her brother replied back. ''I have always upheld our standards.''
''Maybe, but you've twisted them in order to justify yourself and your desires.'' Lunare retorted. ''Both you and your operator have become slaves to your own emotions.'' Solinar's didn't say anything to this, but his eyes were burning into his sister. He was obviously trying to think of something to counter with.
''What's going on between those two...?'' Terry muttered as the humans observed this from the real world. ''I thought that they were, y'know, on the same side.''
''They're arguing over you, I guess.'' Dotarou said as he scratched his pompadour. ''What did you guys do to them?''
Solinar finally gave up trying to think up a counter argument. ''No matter, what happened here Nee-chan? That green mark upon your bosom tells me that there was a struggle.''
''This is nothing. It's easily repairable.'' Lunare said, shrugging her injury off. ''That green navi over there, Dash.exe, thought that he could stand up to me.''
''Ah yes, both he and his operator were rather hot-headed, if I recall.'' Solinar smiled and turned towards Dash and Tyria. ''It's been awhile, rebels. How's Zero doing?''
''He's fine.'' Tyria said, scowling at the orange-haired navi.
''Glad to here it.'' Solinar said pleasantly. ''And speaking of him, where's Shockman? He should still be on this island, but I don't detect his presence all at.''
''That's easy to explain. I deleted him.'' Lunare said nonchalantly.
''You WHAT?!'' Solinar shouted. ''What the hell is wrong with you?!''
''He was going to lose anyway.'' Lunare was completely unaffected by the outburst. ''And I'm sure that you've already finished with him anyway.''
''But why are you siding with rebels?!''
''I'm not siding with them.'' Lunare's face continued to be expressionless. ''I am only doing this because Kassy has an interest in this group.''
''But what kind of connection do you mean?'' Dash asked, able to stand with support from Tyria. ''We haven't done anything that would draw her attention!''
''He's somewhat correct, you know.'' Solinar added, arms crossed. ''This group wasn't even worth acknowledging until that Dimensional Chip factory fiasco a little less than a year ago. That was the only reason we sought them out for our investigation.''
''The time will come, Brother, it will come.'' Lunare answered. ''Until then, I will not permit you to destroy them.''
''But they deserve to be punished for what they have done!''
''There are more ways to punish and torment someone than simply killing them, Brother.''
Solinar looked conflicted after hearing all of this. His brow was trembling, and his fists were close to shaking. His teeth were clenched, but he still managed to speak, barely. ''You…don't understand my humiliation…'' he managed to get out. ''The only thing that can restore our honor… The only thing that can satisfy us…is their deaths!'' He pointed his fist in Dash and Tyria's direction and morphed it into a cannon. ''Sol Blast!'' A ball of fire was shot from it. Dash and Tyria couldn't possibly move in time.
But the expected intense heat never came, only an intense feeling of humidity as the two were surrounded by steam. ''Steam?'' Dash muttered. ''That means…'' The cloud began to disperse, revealing a half-melted wall of ice before them.
''I told you to stop interfering, Nee-chan!'' Solinar growled, glowering at his sister.
''And I told you that I would if necessary.'' Lunare replied, cold air coming off of her hands.
''Do you remember what I told you back before I departed?'' Solinar asked her, more than a hint of threat in his voice. ''I said that you will be treated as an enemy should you stand before me. I have given you ample warning.''
''I have no interest in fighting you.'' Lunare remained unfazed. ''I also have no interest in your worthless male pride, nor in those rebels. I am only doing this because Kassy wishes it.''
''Uh, Terry?'' Dash whispered while this was going on. ''They're not paying any attention to us. We should get out of here.''
''Yeah, there's no way we can win against both of them.'' Tyria added.
''True. Plug out.'' Terry said, somewhat reluctantly, as he hit the button. Karla followed suit.
Solinar and Lunare certainly didn't miss this. Solinar morphed his weapon back into a forearm. ''I never want to see your face around here again, Nee-chan.'' He scowled one last time and logged out.
Lunare stood still for a while before looking up, so that she was staring directly at the viewer. ''Operators,'' she said. ''I do not know why you are in Elysium, but I will say this: tread carefully. I let you live, never forget that.''
''How gracious of you.'' Terry said dryly.
''Oh yes, one more thing.'' Lunare said, as if it had just struck her. ''Do you still have that device that you received in End City?''
''Yeah… Slate has it, I think.''
''Good.'' Lunare nodded, satisfied. ''Don't lose it.'' And with that, she turned into a mass of pixels and vanished.
''They're both gone.'' Levi sighed, slumping. ''Thank goodness.''
''Interesting though.'' Terry remarked. ''I had forgotten about that device. We never did learn who sent it to us. If she knows about it, I guess that means that Kassandra either sent it or knows about it.''
''Did you also notice that she didn't log out?'' Karla asked, hand over her injured arm. ''She just left the network.''
''She's sticking around Elysium I see.'' Terry observed. ''How troublesome.''
''I kinda feel sorry for you guys now, after seeing all of that.'' Levi said, glancing at the others. ''You're being fought over like meat.''
''Uhg, we uncover one mystery and discover two more…''
''Hang in there.'' Dotarou said to them. ''There'll always be rough spots. Things'll start to get better.''
''Yeah, provided we survive the wrath of the Alva siblings.''
Author's Notes: Eh, not the best, but it'll have to do.
So, the reason I've taken this amount of time is due to me beginning to watch an anime I've heard about for some time: Code Geass. Think Death Note with mecha. Basically, a highly intelligent boy gets a special, unworldly power, and decides to change the world. Though instead of killing people via pen and paper, he raises a resistance to oppose an oppressive empire. Lots of intense mecha fights, pointless and sometimes gratuitous fanservice, good art, and lots of scenarios that will make the view chuckle in amusement, whether it was intentional or not. Seriously, you haven't see crazy until you've seen a guy with some crazy, bizarre pseudo-Oedipus Complex try to hack up subject of said complex with a chainsaw.
And a few of the seiyuus from Rockman.exe are in their too, most notably Searchman, Slur, Raoul, and Sunayama.