Megaman Battle Network – Tournament
Chapter 29 – Friends till the End Part 2
A/N: Just to remind you battle text is:
Ribitta's commentary
Higsby's commentary
Sarah's commentary
Anything else will be in normal text.
Yamiyashi: Mary and Ring are using the Master Counter Program Advance. Not the LifeSword.
Warp da Warp Liger: That's already been answered if you check back.
MegaMan slashed with LifeSword as Roll hit Ring with her HeartSlash dispelling the Program Advance. At the last moment Roll jumped back leaving Ring completely open for the Program Advance. It connected leaving Mary to pull the plug and log Ring out.
"One down," said Roll, "Hey, where's Serenade?"
"You lost track of Serenade?" said MegaMan.
"Hey," said Roll, "I was more worried about that Program Advance of Ring's."
"I'd be more worried about MegaMan here," said Serenade as MegaMan heard a cannon hum behind him. He turned to be looking down the barrel of the GigaCannon.
"You know something," said Serenade, "It doesn't matter if I can't do it properly, at this range it will hit full power."
"Rule one of NetBattling," said MegaMan as Roll hit Serenade with a Roll Arrow and paralyzed him, "Never take your eyes off your opponent."
Serenade turned his head to see that Mayl had downloaded the Elec element chip and Roll was preparing another Roll Arrow for him. He turned back to be looking down the barrel of a cannon.
"Serenade log out," said Mamoru pulling the plug, "Well done Lan."
"Well done to you," said Lan, "But never forget how many opponents you have Mamoru."
"Ok," said Mamoru turning away from the console.
"I knew I wasn't good enough," said Mary.
"Never say that," said Sarah, "You and Ring made it this far didn't you, you should see that as a great accomplishment. Next time try to go further but if you don't just always be happy you were one of the last eight."
"Thank you," said Mary.
Mary and Mamoru turned from the console and walked off. Mamoru suddenly had trouble breathing and fell to the floor clutching his chest. The other four surrounded him instantly.
"Mamoru," said Sarah, "Come on now, breath slowly and carefully. That's it, we're all here for you."
Medics and doctors appeared from nowhere and Mamoru's old doctor somehow found his way down to the arena floor.
"It looks like a relapse," he said, "We have to get him to the hospital immediately."
In the hospital Lan and Mayl sat down waiting for Mamoru's test results. Whilst they were waiting Lan turned to Mayl.
"How did you know the HeartSlash would go through the Program Advance?" he said.
"Simple," said Mayl, "It stops elemental, sword and pure healing abilities, HeartSlash is a neutral ability with no element.
"But the healing?" said Lan.
"I didn't say it didn't hurt," said Roll.
"Sorry," said Lan.
Sarah and Chaud stood down the other end of the corridor talking.
"So what about them five?" said Chaud.
"Difficult," said Sarah, "Mission parameters state that they mustn't know anything but still…"
"I know how you feel," said Chaud, "But is now really the best time?"
"It's as good as we're going to get," said Sarah, "They called an intermission until Mamoru's condition is confirmed remember, the next chance we'll get is right before the match."
They went to go down before the doctor came out of the room. They rushed down to hear Mamoru's test results.
"He's ok," said the Doctor, "All as it was, was a mild heart attack."
"Phew," said Sarah.
"A mild heart attack," said Lan, "He was on the floor having trouble breathing."
"Trust me," said the doctor, "If it was a major one I'd be arranging for the mortuary to pick him up."
"Its ok doctor," said Sarah, "My brother is just a little irritated that's all."
"His heart is still weak from HBD that's all," said the doctor, "The stress of the tournament must have brought it on."
Lan looked downfallen.
"Lan," said Sarah, "It was going to happen anyway, it's just a coincidence that it happened after your match."
"I suppose," said Lan.
"Look," said the doctor, "If it makes you feel better, if Mamoru exercises well and eats properly for the next few years then there's no reason why he shouldn't live an ordinary life."
"Thanks," said Lan.
"Lan," said Sarah, "If you don't want to see Mamoru now then me and Chaud need to talk to you and Mayl in private."
"Huh," said Lan. Sarah just lifted him up by his shoulder and led him into Chaud's car outside. Mayl followed and sat in the back next to Lan.
"Hey," said Mayl, "Who do all these clothes belong to?"
"Focus Sarah, focus," said Sarah under her breath.
"These would all fit you perfect Sarah," said Lan.
"The clothes aren't important," said Chaud, "The entire tournament is a front set up by a netcrime organisation."
"Wait," said Lan, "This is a trick so you can win the tournament isn't it Chaud?"
"And I thought you were the smart one," said Chaud.
"Listen Lan," said Sarah, "I got this job to go undercover in order to find out who was behind this."
"The entire tournaments been rigged so two specific teams are in the arena at the same time," said Chaud, "ProtoMan and Empress, and MegaMan and Roll."
"Why?" said Mayl.
"We don't know," said Sarah, "They gave me the referee job because they wanted me in there too. We know that much."
"And Ring?" said Lan.
"We think that it was to scare me," said Sarah, "Our informant was found the day after and he aint saying much anymore.
"Ouch," said Mayl.
"So what's the plan?" said Lan.
"Wing it," said Sarah.
"What!" said Lan, "We can't do that!"
"There's nothing else we can do," said Sarah, "We don't know what they're planning so we can't plan against it."
The five sat in silence for a moment.
"Chaud," said Sarah, "Your match starts in five minutes and we're still at the hospital."
Lan didn't even know Chaud's car could reach those sorts of speeds.