Author's Note: You know the drill, I don't own Mega-Man or any characters, and don't forget to review.
Katy B., I'll try and slow things down a little.
Saturday 11:23 AM: Sakurai house.
"Style Change!" Lan's voice cried out, I knew that he had fed the chip into the P-E-T.
"Wood-Shield!" Roll exclaimed to me.
"O.K." I acknowledged her as I ran my hand over my Battle Chips; Lan had attached labels with raised printing onto the disks. If I ran my finger over the top of a Chip, I could tell which one it was.
I heard digital footsteps, and guessed that the Blue Bomber was charging at Roll. She would be waiting until Mega-Man got very close.
"NOW!" Roll cried out.
"Fire-Tower! Battle Chip in! Download!" I slipped the chip into my P-E-T, it had taken some practice, but I had learned to slot in easily.
"Ow, hey, that's hot!" I heard Mega-Man gasp.
Mega-Man logging out.
"We did it!" Roll exclaimed.
I grinned slightly at Lan; "You didn't take it easy on me, did you?"
"No, it's like I told you," I could hear the grin in his voice as he answered, "Even if you can't see, that doesn't mean you can't Netbattle."
"I can't speak for Lan," Mega-Man groaned from his terminal, "But I wasn't holding back, I think that's the first time I've ever been nailed by a Fire-Tower."
"Sorry, Mega" I listened to Roll chuckle at the pride-bruised Bomber, "But you set yourself up for it when you did that Style Change."
"I'll be right back." Lan said to me; "I've got to put these chips back in the recharge machine."
"Take your time, I'm not going anywhere." I replied.
I waited a few moments, to give the Op time to leave the room before I asked. "Mega-Man? Are you there?"
"No, Lan absent-mindedly picked up his P-E-T when he left." Roll explained for me.
"I didn't want them to hear this anyway," I commented, "Because Lan would make a joke out of it. But I'm glad we have them as friends."
"Yeah," Roll agreed, "They haven't given up on us."
Monday 11:49 AM: The Boulevard.
The weeks passed quickly, and before I knew it I was on my way to our first match of the Tag-Team Tournament.
I could tell that my walking had improved as my parents and the group my friends led me through the Boulevard, maybe it was practice, or maybe it was the confidence in myself that had come with Netbattling, that had made the difference. I didn't know what it was, but I enjoyed it, because as long as I had that feeling, I didn't mind being blind as much.
"Are you ready for this?" Lan asked as he helped guide me across the street, "Our first match in the Tournament is today."
"You can do it, Maylu!" Yai's voice agreed, "We'll be cheering for you."
"Yeah, it's not like it'll be a problem that you can't see-" Dex cut himself off, "Oh, I mean -uh- good luck!"
I could well imagine one of the others frantically trying to keep Dex from finishing his statement, and I grinned at the various scenes my mind created. Dex had always had a small problem being tactful. "It's alright, Dex."
"We're here!" Tory announced as we entered a building.
"You can do it, Maylu." Mom's voice reminded me. "And we'll be here watching."
"You'd better go get registered," Yai informed me, "Because your match starts in ten minutes."
"Thanks guys." I nodded, "I won't disappoint you."
"You could never do that." Tory said to me. "So go get them!"
Seven minutes later, Lan had finished registering us in the tournament, and we were waiting at the Battle Arena for the match to start. After a moment, the announcer's voice flooded the stadium.
"Welcome to the first annual Tag Team Tournament!" The Announcer cried, "I'm Ribbita, your host for this event! Unlike most championships, this one will try to find the best Netbattling team, so get ready for some action!"
"The connection terminal's on the upper left side of the board." Lan told me.
I reached out and felt along the control panel, after a second I felt the connector with my fingers. "I've got it."
"To start things off with a bang," Ribbita continued, "We've got the second-place champion from the N1 Grand Prix, Lan Hikari! And his Net Navi: Mega-Man! Along with his teammate, Maylu Sakurai! And her Navi: Roll!"
I could clearly hear all of my friends cheering for me.
"Their challengers: local Battle Chip expert, Mr. Higsby and Number-Man, his ally, which was chosen by the judges because Higsby didn't have one, is Frank Main, with his Navi: Whale-Man!"
"Higsby entered this?" Lan remarked, "I wonder why… which one do you want to take, Maylu?"
"Frank," I replied, "I don't want to fight Higsby, he might take it easy on me."
"Alright, we can do this!"
"Before we begin, I have to make a note. According to her file, Maylu Sakurai recently went blind in an accident, but Lan Hikari refused to change partners when the fact was brought up during registration. Do they even a chance at winning this battle? We'll have to wait and find out! And now Netbattlers," Ribbita said, "Jack in now!"
That threw me for a second, they knew I was blind? And they had tried to get Lan to change partners? He had never told me about that; did he really have a chance as long as I was his teammate? 'He did it for me.' I reminded myself, 'he didn't do it to win, but for me, I won't let him down!'
"Jack in Mega-Man! And Power Up!" Lan's voice shouted. I could clearly hear his trademark style.
"Jack in! Roll! Power Up!" I also snapped her P-E-T's wire into the computer; of course, I couldn't be as fancy as Lan was.
Mega-Man and Roll must have beamed into the computer; they should have been followed by Whale-Man and Number-Man.
"Don't think we're going to take it easy on you," I overheard Whale-Man blubber at Roll, "just because your Op can't see!"
"Don't you know it's whaling season?" I couldn't help but grin as Roll shot an insult back at him.
"And now!" Ribbita shouted, "Battle Start!""Crossfire! Battle-Chip in! Download!" Lan shouted.
"Your number is up!" I heard Mega-Man fired away at Number-Man.
"I can't count the number of times I've heard that joke." Number-Man remarked; something must have happened, because I never heard the shot connect with its target.
"Missile Barrage!" I turned my focus back to Whale-Man. If I remembered right, this move was very similar to a buster. I kept my concentration on listening to the match; I could hear Roll easily clearing the attack.
"Aqua-Tower." The marine Navi shouted.
"Now, Maylu!" Roll said to me.
I ran my hand over my chips; I quickly had the one she needed ready and slid it into her P-E-T, "Area-Steal Battle Chip in! Download!"
I guessed that Roll had warped out of the tower's path and was appearing behind Whale-Man. I knew I was right, because I heard her shout: "looking for me?" and then a Roll Blast slam into Whale-Man.
"Ready, Roll?" I asked as I heard her dodge another one of Whale-man's attacks, "Cyclone! Battle Chip in Download! Aqua-Tower, Battle Chip in! Download!"
Roll would've sent her Cyclone tearing at Whale-Man, then she would leap to the side, and set her Aqua-Tower loose. I could hear Whale-Man delete the cyclone, but the Aqua-Tower crashed into him.
Enraged, the marine Navi renewed his missile attacks.
My pink friend was having trouble against an angered Whale-Man. The marine Navi was firing missile after missile at her, and she was going through barriers faster than I would have liked.
"Me and Mega-Man are back-to-back!" The pink Navi shouted to me.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I heard Lan ask.
"I hope I am." I replied. "Get ready Roll!"I listened to Number-Man fire a grenade and Whale-Man send a missile flying toward their opponents.
"Spreader! Battle Chip in! Download!" Lan instructed.
"Piranha Virus, Battle Chip in, download!" I sent a chip in as well."Looks like you two are pinned in!" Whale-Man shouted.
"It is time for us to divide the championship!" Number-Man squealed, "Because you are trapped between us!"
I could hear Mega-Man vault into the air.
Then I heard a thump, which told me that Roll had hit the ground and the missiles continue to roar without exploding. A thud sounded as she leapt to her feet; she summoned the Piranha Virus, and instructed it to unleash it's Triton Spears at Number-Man.
Number-Man shrieked as first the missile, and then the Spears crashed into him.
I listened to the Blue Bomber hit the ground and then fire his Spreader-Cannon.
Number-Man logging out.
Whale-Man logging out.
"Unbelievable!" Ribbita roared into her microphone, "Even with their handicap, Maylu and Lan have taken victory in this round!"
"We did it!" Lan shouted.
"We did!" I agreed. I was feeling wonderful, everyone had been expecting us to lose, but we had come back for a win.
I jacked out. "Listen, the others still haven't stopped cheering."
"Come on." I felt a hand take mine in its grip, "We have to go get our chips."
I just smiled as I heard the grin in his voice.
Higsby and Frank met us in the Battlers Lounge.
"That was a good match, Maylu!" The Chip expert sang out, "You won fair and square."
"Nice round." It must have been the boy named Frank that was mumbling, "I guess we're supposed to swap some chips, huh?"
"That's right," Lan confirmed, "The judges say that this way, it will be skill, and not chips that determine the outcome of the match."
"Alright, Lan," I heard Higsby sighed, "Which chip do you want?"
"Did you bring that 'Time-Stop'?"
"Uh, alright! Here! take it! What chips have you've got?"
"Why didn't you use the thing?" Lan asked.
"I couldn't bring myself to waste such a rare chip!" I shook my head as I listened to Higsby's explanation; it was his biggest weakness.
"Waste?" The Op repeated, "what do you mean?"
"Every time you use a rare Battle Chip, its value and quality decline." Higsby explained, "I couldn't let it happen to that one, while it was in my possession!"
"Which chip?" There was a trace of anger in Frank's voice, as it broke into the exchange.
"Um, which one's do you have?" I asked, the sense of helplessness was starting to emerge again.
Silence.
"Frank? Are you still there?" By now the remains of that victorious feeling had been shattered.
"He's got a Heater, Bubbler, Ring-Zap, Bubble-Wrap, and a Cyber-Sword." It was Lan's voice that explained it to me; it had an undertone of frustration.
"I've already got a Bubble-Wrap and the Bubbler," I said, "So I'll take the Cyber-Sword." I didn't have many sword chips, so I rarely used that strategy. But with this chip I would have a surprise for anyone that figured out my style.
"Area-Steal." Frank demanded.
I held out my copy of the Area-Steal chip, and felt it leave my hand. After a few seconds, another disk was placed between her fingers.
I sensed Lan jerk a little. As I started to pocket the chip, his voice stopped me.
"Maylu, wait, here- He gave you the wrong chip."
I gasped, Frank had tried to take advantage of me, and I hadn't even known about it. The helplessness threatened to overpower me; I couldn't keep existing like this, relying on someone else to watch out for me. 'No!' I thought to myself, 'don't think like that, there's a solution, you just have to find it.'
"Here's the real Cyber-Sword." I heard Lan's voice as a chip was pressed into my hand.
"Sorry," I listened to the kid mutter as he stalked away.
"Let's go, I'll put a label on that chip for you." I could hear the anger in Lan's voice. "Don't let him get to you, he's just a jerk."
"Well, well, well, Lan, you have just sunk to a whole new low."
"Chaud." Lan's voice clearly showed that he wasn't in the mood for this.
"I mean, choosing a blind partner just so that everyone will take it easy on you. That's disgraceful." The Op continued.
"Keep walking," Lan whispered to me, "Maybe we can get by him."
"Don't expect me to fall for your trick." Chaud's voice was fading now, "Because I won't lay down for any fourth rate battler, even if she is blind."
"We'll show him." Lan muttered to me, "He's got no right to say those things."
"I know," I agreed, "I think that those comments just show how insecure he feels."
Next update on Friday.