Author's Notes: I do not own MMBN or lay claim to any characters thereof.

B. D. Yugi, I have just got to follow that up sometime...

S. Rain, Proto Unison's already been done and given to Mega-Man, so Roll'll never get it.

Jill, there's always room for improvement.

Begin Chapter.

"So are you ready for this, Lan?" I asked as we waited on the match to be announced.

"I still don't like fighting you." My friend told me, "But we're going to go out there and give it our best, don't think that just because you've beaten Chaud that we'll be easy prey!"

"I know you won't be." I nodded for his benefit, the expression didn't really mean that much to me anymore, "But no matter what happens, we'll stay friends right?"

"Right." Lan agreed.

"Good luck, Maylu." Yai's voice came through the air. "And you too Lan."

"Go out there and beat each other up." Dex told us, "So that Gutz-Man can beat you both tomorrow."

"Not going to happen." Lan chuckled back.

"Do your best." Tory announced, "and accept what comes."

"We will." I heard Ribbita wrapping up; the match would start soon. "It's about to start, here we go."

"And now it's Lan and Mega-Man versus Maylu and Roll!" The announcer blared. "This has got to be the most ironic match ever, as these former teammates go head to head in order to win the Battle Expo!"

"Let's go." I headed for my connection terminal. "Good luck, Lan."

"Same as."

"Jack in now!" Ribbita shouted.

"Jack in, Mega-Man, Power Up!"

"Jack in, Roll, Power Up!"

"You ready, Roll?" The Bomber asked.

"As ready as I can be."

BATTLE START!

"Let's get things moving!" Lan cried out, "Mini Boomers, Battle Chip in, Download! Download! Download!"

I heard Mega-Man toss his Boomers through the air, and then Roll dodge them as they exploded. This continued for several minutes, and while they were doing that, I grabbed a chip and readied it.

"Now, Electro Sword, Battle Chip in, Download!" My competitor shouted. "Area Steal, Battle Chip in, Download!"

"Got you!" Mega-Man replied.

"Not quite," I slammed the chip into the terminal. "Body Double, Battle Chip in, Download! Variable Sword, Battle Chip in, Download!"

"How'd you do that?" Lan gasped as I heard Mega-Man block Roll's attack.

"Lan, we've watched each other Netbattle for years." I explained, "I know that move, you always use Mini Boomers to distract your opponents, right before you attack."

"Well, just remember that you're not the only one that can read people's moves." The brunette stated, "so get ready for this!"

The swordplay went on for several seconds, with neither Roll nor Mega-Man gaining an advantage. They continued to attack and parry, but didn't get anywhere.

"Now, Area Steal, Battle Chip in, Download!" Lan instructed, "Crossfire, Download!"

"Watch it!" I yelled.

"I'm on it!" I heard Roll jump to the side and a laser rip through space before canceling out.

"Gai Meteor, Battle Chip in, Download!" My opponent downloaded a chip.

We were trapped between a falling meteor and a Navi with a cannon. Where was there to go?

"Leaf Shield, Download!" I slotted in.

"Mega Blast!" I heard the Bomber fire, and his shot rip through the air.

"AH!" Roll's defense stopped the laser, but the Meteor crashed into her, and knocked her off of her feet.

"Now, Spreader, Battle Chip in, Download!" My competition announced.

"Crossfire Download!" I sent the chip home. "Roll hurry!"

I heard my Navi scramble out of the Spreader's way, and then she fired her cannon, nailing her opponent.

"Not bad." Lan muttered, "how about we kick things up a notch?"

"Fine with me." I replied.

"Style Change!"

"Aqua Custom!" Mega-Man announced.

"Wood Shadow!" Roll cried out.

"Spreader, Battle Chip in, Download!" Lan shouted.

"Cyber Sword, Battle Chip in, Download!" I yelled. "Hyper Burst!" The Bomber fired his Program Advance.

"Ha!" I heard my Navi vault around the blast, and swing her blade. "Nice try, Mega!"

The Blue Navi fired again, but Roll duplicated her maneuver, and scored another hit.

"Spreader 5, Download!"

"Ultra Burst!" The Bomber fired again, and caught Roll head on.

I heard a thud as she was thrown backward to the ground, and her Style Change dissolve.

"Ugh," She panted, "I didn't see it coming, the Style Change's gone."

"Hurry, strike again!" Lan hollered.

"Ultra Burst!"

"We've got to try the new one! Shotgun, Crossfire, Spreader, Mega-Cannon Download!" I sent the chips home, "Program Advance!"

"Powered Cannon!" My Navi fought back.

"Hang in there." My opponent encouraged his Navi.

I listened as the two Advances crashed into each other, and it became a standstill, each one trying to overpower the other.

"Area Steal! Download!" Lan pulled the Bomber away from the scrimmage.

I heard Roll's advance cancel out. We'd missed our target.

"Bamboo Sword, Battle Chip in, Download!" I shouted. "His Style Change is gone." My pink friend reported as she deflected a laser form the Bomber's Mega Buster.

Roll's footsteps quickened as she closed in on her target.

"Aqua Sword, Download!" The brunette announced.

The two stood there locked in battle, each one trying to out parry the other. This was going to be close.

"Don't hang back now." Roll commented, "We need to do our best more than ever. So let's do this!"

"Right." I nodded. "Fine with me." Lan agreed.

"Soul Unison!"

"Turbo Unison!" I slammed a chip into my terminal.

"Search Unison-" My friend cut himself off, "TURBO? When did you get that?"

"A while back when Roll and I helped Kai out of a jam." I explained for him.

"TURBO!" Kai's voice echoed through the stadium. "GO TURBO!!"

"Now, Turbo Tires!" I heard Roll fire off a pair of speeding hot wheels.

"Warp Gun!" I heard Mega-Man fire off several times in an effort to destroy the speeding projectiles. I think he managed to destroy one, but the other one nailed him.

"Hurry!" I instructed.

"Right, Turbo Buster!" My Navi fired her cannon.

"This one I can stop!" The Bomber's voice came to me, "WARP GUN!"

A loud explosion ripped through the speakers, he had succeeded in stopping our attack.

"Scope Rifle!" Our Opponent cried as he fired in great rapidity.

"Turbo Tires!" Roll fired back.

The two attacks met and cancelled each other out.

"Hi-Cannon," Lan announced, "Battle Chip in, Download!"

"Double the firepower!" Mega-Man quipped.

That's when it hit me, the Navi was going to fire his Warp Gun and the Hi-Cannon at the same time, doubling the amount of work we'd have to do.

"Nice try Lan." I slipped a disk into the device. "Mettaur Guards!"

"Mettaurs!" Roll repeated; I heard her summon the viruses, and use them to stop the blast from the Hi-Cannon, her tires took care of the Warp Gun's shot.

"I'm going in." My Navi announced. "Get ready Mega!"

"I'm set." The Unisoned Bomber announced. "Bring it on."

"I am!" Her footsteps told me that she was charging her opponent.

"Warp Gun!" The Bomber fired again.

I listened as Roll vaulted around the attack, and then her Buster went crazy, slapping the Bomber with rapid fire.

"YEOW!" Mega-Man's voice came to me. "Now that hurts! Scope Rifle!"

Two explosions sounded.

"Our Unisons are gone." Roll panted.

"It all comes down to this." My friend muttered, "Let's go Mega-Man."

"Right, I'm good to go." The Bomber's footsteps took off.

"So am I!" Roll took off running.

So this was it, for all the Style Changes and Unisons, it came down to an old-fashioned sword fight. Well, if that was the way Lan wanted it, that was the way we'd play it.

"Cyber Sword, Battle Chip in, Download!" Lan and I said in Unison. I heard the two swords form, and waited for the results, and realized that I had been holding my breath because of the suspense.

"Please..."

The battler's weapons met with a clang.

Then everyone gasped in horror!

End Chapter.

WHAT? Did you really think that I'd give it all to you in one sitting?

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Next Update: Friday!