Megaman Battle Network – Rebirth
Chapter 2 – Dummy
Lan thought about Sarah, about how she would look up at the stars as if seeing them for the first time, how she'd ran up to him and Mayl asking what grass and daisies were, how her naivety had led her to be who she was.
She was unique, not just in what she was but who she was. He realised that now but wished he had realised it sooner. She was human, more human than most humans are, more human than he had been.
She was capable of feeling emotions more than any other navi he had known. She had lived with one foot on both sides of the line and shown him how thin the line truly was. Unique was an understatement.
He looked down and across at Mayl's window and saw her there looking over towards him. She quickly looked away when she noticed him. Lan shook his head, he knew she liked him, but didn't know if she knew he liked her.
Mayl in her room thought the same thing, she knew he liked her but didn't know if he knew she liked him.
Lan didn't ask his Dad that week but soon found that he didn't need to. That Saturday his Dad brought someone home with him from work.
His mum must have known as Dad knocked on the door and his mum sent him to answer it. He answered the door and saw his Dad and Sarah. After blinking a few times he grabbed Sarah and nearly squeezed her to death because he was hugging her that hard.
"Lan you're crushing me," said Sarah.
"Sorry," said Lan letting go.
"Hey, if you were on the net I'd be doing the same thing," said Megaman.
"Lan, don't leave them standing there all night," shouted his Mother from the kitchen. "I bet you two are hungry," she said as she came out of the kitchen to greet them.
"I am," said Sarah, "I haven't eaten for nearly a year."
"Hey, I tested your digestion system last week," said his Dad.
"Yes, but I wasn't in control then was I."
They sat down to enjoy the meal. In between mouthfuls the four of them talked.
"So you finished upgrading her body then Dad?" said Lan.
"I finished the upgrade a few months ago. Since then I've just being trying to improve it," replied his Dad.
"Oh," said Lan, then something clicked home, "You have a digestive system Sarah?"
"How do you think I eat? It's pretty basic, it takes what my body can use from my foods and disposes of the rest," replied Sarah.
"How does it..." said Lan before catching a look from his Mum.
After the meal Lan and Sarah went upstairs to go on the net. Lan had arranged that day to meet with the others on Mayl's homepage. They were just about to go online when Lan said,
"How are you going to go online Sarah? I mean you don't have a navi and I'm not dragging you into bed again."
"I can go online myself now, the fainting was a side effect of the degrading speeding up whilst online," replied Sarah.
"Fainting?"
"Temporary Shutdown of my body's main functions then, also called fainting when a human does it."
Sarah and Megaman jacked into the computer and Sarah was nearly squeezed to death for the second time that night by Megaman.
"Let go Megaman," said Sarah.
"Sorry," said Megaman letting go.
The pair of them quickly arrived on Mayl's HomePage. Megaman went in first and then Sarah. The other six all just stared at Sarah for a moment, navi and human.
"Yes it is me," said Sarah, "You can all stop gaping at me now."
"It's either her or someone has gone out of their way to get the personality right," said Yai.
"You got that right," said Mayl.
"How?" said Dex.
"You're still as stupid as ever Dex I see," said Sarah.
"Hey, I resent that!" said Dex, "Gutsman attack her now!"
Gutsman ran up readying his Gutspunch. Sarah stood there and didn't even look phased. At the last moment Sarah vaulted over Gutsman and drained energy off him. Changing to her newly gained Gutsman Style in midair she landed and then landed a Gutspunch straight into Gutsman's back and nearly forced him to logout.
"Gutsman!" said Dex.
"I thought you knew better Dex," said Sarah returning to normal style.
"Hey I forgot, it has been nearly a year you know Sarah!" said Dex.
"You wouldn't have forgotten if you'd had a chance to back out," said Lan.
"Hey! I'd have Gutsman beat up Megaman for that but thanks to your sister I can't. Anyway, she still hasn't answered my question."
"I never died dummy, remember, I sent you an email detailing the entire plan. The only person who didn't get one is Lan," said Sarah, "I had backed myself up into Scyler V5.0 remember."
"Dex has a slight memory problem remember," said Yai.
"Yes, and a hearing one, if he doesn't like the facts then he makes up his own," replied Sarah, "Like the fact he's never lost to Lan in a NetBattle."
"I haven't, I've just had temporary setbacks that's all," said Dex.
"Yeah, Gutsman always needs rebuilding after he and Megaman are in the same room on their own," said Roll.
"Miss Roll," said Glyde, "Do I have to keep reminding you to use your manners?"
"Oh, shut up Glyde, you know that Gutsman has only beaten Megaman once and that was only because Lan had half his chips confiscated," said Roll.
"Miss Roll!" said Glyde positively shocked.
"That's not like you Roll," said Sarah, "Has she been like this a lot Mayl?"
"Just lately yes," said Mayl, "I keep meaning to take her to your Dad but I never get chance to go to SciLab and he's rarely at home."
"Well he's home now but it is a bit late," said Sarah, "Tell you what, I'm here for the weekend so tomorrow I'll come and have a look at her ok."
"Fine by me Sarah," said Mayl, "I really would appreciate it if you could though."
"No problem," said Sarah, "Log out now in case it gets worse and I'll see you tomorrow."
"Ok," said Mayl logging Roll out.
"Well I'd best be going," said Yai, "My Dad's arranging a business trip tomorrow and I don't know if I'm going with him or not yet."
"I'd best go and rebuild Gutsman," said Dex in a mood.
After the rest had gone Lan and Sarah jacked out as well. Lan was worried, did Roll's behaviour have anything to do with the Empress Style Chip.