Yay, a lot of good reviews for my story so far. Maritta, I can understand where you're coming from about the story having a 'tense air' but this has more to do with my writing style than the plot. As I said, I have a technical mindset, which also translates to more realistic writing (honestly, what part of our lives doesn't have some sort of serious and tense air surrounding it?) Nevertheless, I'll keep what you say in mind (and if there are some things that seem confusing, be assured that it will be explained. If it isn't it's my fault, and then you could get mad at me )
Thanks for the praise Fanfic Critic, I don't like reading fics with too much mushy stuff either. It's cute and all, but it seems more like watching a soap opera then reading a story (and trust me, I hate soap operas ). Anyway, nothing else for me to say here, except that this chapter might be a little longer than the others. Now, on to chapter 5!
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A Paradigm's Dawn
Chapter 5: Father and Son
"That was it?" Megaman asked as he and Lan walked away from the Waterworks complex, "When I forwarded these kinds of messages to you from home, I thought you actually had to break a sweat."
"C'mon Megaman, it isn't always that easy. Sam wasn't exactly built to be a net battler like you are. Besides, even Lenny could've taken care of those weak viruses." Lan walked into the entrance to SciLab, and then made his way to the elevators. "It's almost lunch time. Mind sending an e-mail to the cafeteria to have some food ready for me?"
"Sure Lan. What do you want?"
As Lan pondered the choices of foods he had to eat and relayed them to his navi, the elevator door finally opened. Lan immediately froze when he saw his father step out of the elevator along with a rugged-looking, brown-haired man. The two shifted their gaze to face Lan as the elevator closed behind them. "Good day Dr. Hikari, sir." Lan bowed his head in respect of his boss.
Yuichiro smiled. "No need for that now, I'm off for the rest of the day. I'm sure no one will mind if you call me 'dad.'"
"Cool, thanks." One of the more radical changes Lan had to make when he started working here was to make sure to treat his dad like his boss. He understood why though; it wouldn't be proper to imply that the head of the division would give special treatment to an employee because he was related to him, even if the reality was far from the truth. Lan never used his relationship with his father as an excuse when he made mistakes, and his father always gave him the same rewards and punishments as everyone else. Still, none of that usually matters to the eyes and ears of an outsider, so great care had to be taken even when speaking to him during work.
Megaman finished composing the e-mail for the cafeteria and sent it away. "Hey, how are you?" he stated when saw his father walking alongside Lan.
"Oh, Megaman's here too? That's a pleasant surprise. I'm fine, thank you."
"So this is Megaman..." Both Lan and Yuichiro turned their heads to face the other person with them. He watched Megaman intently for a moment, then turned his head towards Lan before speaking again. "And Yuichiro's son. I'm very glad to meet you."
Lan became uneasy when the man spoke, but he ignored it. What reason was there to be afraid of someone he'd just met? "It's a pleasure. And you are--"
"Cain. Dr. Cain if you don't mind. I'm an old friend of your father here."
Yuichiro spoke as he began to walk again. "Well, I have to go. Let's go Martin." He stopped when he realized that Cain had almost ignored him completely.
"I've heard a lot about you. You and Megaman were the ones that saved these fragile networks from the likes of World Three and Gospel. You must be a fine net battler." Cain came closer to Lan as he spoke the words.
Lan's face blushed red in embarrassment. "Well, it wasn't just us. I had a lot of help too. I don't think I would've been able to do it myself."
"Indeed."
Lan's PET beeped loudly for a moment before Megaman spoke. "It's a new e-mail... it's Mayl. She says she wants you home early today, and that it's important."
"Really? Well, that shouldn't be a problem. I shouldn't be here much longer anyway."
"Ah, so you're married," Cain interjected.
Lan focused his attention on the man again and nodded. "Three years and counting."
"That's good." Cain looked away, seemingly into nowhere. "Marriage can be so wonderful." He paused for a moment. "Do you have kids?"
At this point Yuichiro interjected into the conversation, giving a stern look to his associate. "Martin, don't be so direct."
"No, it's okay dad," Lan said quickly. "I don't mind, really. Actually, Mayl and I decided that having kids right now would be too much of a hassle. I mean, I'm still trying to get used to being a husband." He let out a small laugh.
"Actually," Megaman interceded, "The decision was mostly yours." Lan smiled nervously as he used his eyes to give Megaman a stern look. The navi turned his gaze away from him. "Fine, be that way."
Lan looked towards Cain again. "I'm sorry; Megaman can be a bit of a pain sometimes. I don't understand why though." He turned a quick glance at the navi, "He isn't like that with Mayl or Roll, at least not that I know of."
"Roll?" Cain raised his eyebrow.
"Oh, she's Mayl's navi. She and Megaman were married about the same time as we were."
"How nice."
"Cain," Yuichiro began, "we have to go." He turned towards Lan. "I'm sorry; I have to take care of one more thing, than I have to go home for lunch. I'm going to have to cut this conversation a bit short."
"No problem dad. I have to get my lunch anyway. Don't want to make to make the food cold now, do I?" Yuichiro and Cain nodded then started to walk away. "Goodbye!" Lan exclaimed as he pushed the button to the elevator.
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Yuichiro watched Cain as they walked together, now about 50 yards or so away from the SciLab entrance. He didn't show it, but anyone with the power to see into his mind would've seen the raging emotions of a concerned father. He was annoyed at a lot of things, the audacity of this man to peer into his son's business, the sheer disregard he held of his own personal feelings, and, most of all, the nerve of him to even speak of Megaman. He wondered if Cain had gone mad, perhaps forgetting what he had done.
"There's no need for you to be so uptight," Cain said as the two continued walking through Den City in the direction of the Metro Line, "I was only curious to see how they were. No harm done."
Perhaps he does have the power to read minds, Yuichiro thought sarcastically. When he was teaching him, his ability to discern the feelings of others was admirable, a rare human quality that few today could take advantage of. He never imagined that it could be a source of frustration as it was now.
"You know how I feel about that. You made a mistake, one that I can't forgive you for." Yuichiro and Cain turned a corner, putting the Metro Line station into view about 100 yards away. "So don't talk to me about being uptight."
"Old grudges don't help anyone. Besides, your sons are their own persons. They don't need you to tell them who they should stay away from. When they learn more about me, they will decide on their own how to act."
Yuichiro looked away from Cain, instead trying to focus on his surroundings; a young boy eating ice cream across the street; two teenagers net battling in one of the street corners; a father holding his son in his arms, showing him all the wonderful gadgets of an electronics shop. He smiled, remembering those days when he and Lan would walk through the town, not knowing where they were going, just walking, enjoying each other's company.
He remembered the smile on his face when, on one occasion, they encountered a wandering street performer. He would do all sorts of tricks, from juggling balls to performing magic tricks, all without asking anything in return but the happiness of his audience. Lan had already been upset, as most 5-year olds would be, when he accidentally dropped his ice cream on the concrete side walk. The performer saw this and, seeking to comfort him, gave him one of his small blue headbands. He lit up like a light bulb, and since that day wore it every day. He was so distraught when it became too small for him, but was quickly satisfied when his father got him a new, bigger one, this time with the family symbol. Yuichiro couldn't remember a day when he was younger when he didn't wear his headband.
But those days were gone. Lan was an adult now, a good husband, and a diligent worker. It took a lot for Yuichiro to accept the fact that his son had grown up, and even afterwards moments like these occurred where he would like nothing more than to go back to those wonderful memories. Cain had struck a chord with his last words, but probably not in the way he intended. Yuichiro was relieved that he was able to muster this small mental victory against someone like Cain.
The two reached the Metro Line station, with Yuichiro getting a ticket to ACDC and Cain getting a ticket to Electown. The two sat down on a bench to await the arrival of the trains. "Cain," he began, "I'd appreciate it if I didn't hear from you again. Please." A train entered the station in swift fashion: it was the train to Electown. Cain, without uttering a word, got up from his seat and approached the Metro Line turnstile. Yuichiro watched as he entered the train. He might have been seeing things, but it was possible he saw the faint image of Cain laughing as the train pulled away from the station, away from Den City and away from Yuichiro.
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Haruka didn't speak. Despite the loud ringing in the kitchen indicating that the food had finished cooking, she heard nothing but the words inside her head. Mayl was going to have a child. Haruka was going to be a grandmother. Her son whom she loved so much was going to become a father. This was good news, but Haruka knew that even the best news could come at the wrong time.
"This... is unexpected," she finally said, breaking the silence. It was no secret that her son was averse to the thought of having children; he had stated it many times before. The news was therefore unexpected, especially considering the amount of care he took in making sure it would never happen. "I thought you two decided--"
"It was a mistake." Mayl was able to look Haruka in the eye now, but she still had a very nervous face. "Lan doesn't know yet. Neither do Roll or Megaman. It must have happened that day... when I came home from your house. I..."
Haruka understood now. And she knew exactly what she was feeling... "Mayl, don't be mad at yourself." She smiled, trying her best to comfort her. "Having a child isn't a bad thing. You should be happy."
"I... I am Haruka, really, but..." she shifted her gaze again, unable to complete the thought.
"I know how Lan feels about this. But trust me, if he loves you, he'll understand."
Mayl seemed to think for a moment. "I guess you're right, but still..."
"He does love you, right?"
"Well, I..."
"I know he does. And you love him. There shouldn't be a problem as long as that's true." Mayl eased up a bit, but it was evident that she was still a bit hesitant. Haruka took a deep breath. She would have to dig a bit deeper if she was going to make Mayl feel better. "Listen to me, Mayl. I haven't told anyone this until now, but..." she paused for a moment to compose herself. "Yuichiro didn't exactly... respond well when he found out I was pregnant with Lan and Hub. In fact..." she tried to keep a straight face, pausing to compose herself further. "In fact, he came close to divorcing me."
"What?" Mayl became alert, replacing her nervous expression with one of puzzlement. She obviously wasn't expecting this.
"Don't worry, there's nothing wrong now. In fact, we laugh about how young and naïve we were back then. But still..." she paused again, once again looking for the words to stay. "He was dedicated to his work. He was in the middle of his special project. You know, the one that eventually became Megaman?" Mayl nodded. "Anyway, he was frustrated, and one day came home after having a bit too much to drink..." Mayl listened intently as Haruka related the experience in pieces. "I found out a few days later from my doctor... I told Yuichiro, and he erupted. We had a fight, called each other names. You couldn't have found a more hostile couple that night."
Haruka shook her head in contempt. "He went as far as packing his clothes and possessions. He was honestly troubled at the thought of having to raise a child, especially with all the work he was doing. He was weighed down, and I didn't help because I was just as stupid then. We eventually had a long talk about it, and we decided to give it a try. He was good enough for you to marry, so I guess we did a good job." Haruka finally elicited a smile from Mayl. "The point is, Yuichiro and I loved each other, and because of that we were able to resolve our problems, despite how immature we were. If we were able to move on, you and Lan should be able to."
Mayl let out a sigh. She was nervous, but relaxed, putting a smile on her face. "Thank you Haruka. You wouldn't have told me something like this if you didn't trust me. I... I guess we'll be fine."
"I know you will." As she said the words, she recalled something, and then turned around to look at the now-cold pots on the stove. She sighed. "And I forgot to season the potatoes before they finished cooking."
Mayl rolled her eyes, in a much better mood than when the call began. "Don't worry; I won't take up anymore of your time. Thanks for everything, you've been a real help."
Haruka smiled. "Don't worry; I'm glad I can help." The screen on her phone turned off. Haruka took a deep breath, as she bided her time now waiting for her husband to come. It's an interesting feeling being motherly to a girl when you've been around men all your life. She chuckled, and then opened one of her favorite books. A grandchild... her smile became bigger as she started to read.
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The various scraps of paper littering the floor of the house situated on the Electown outskirts shuffled around as a pair of black-clad feet maneuvered its way through. The figure moving through the house made its way to another room, this one with an array of computers and four display screens. Situating himself in a chair facing the displays, Martin Cain went to work.
The display farthest to the left changed as Cain started typing on the keyboard, showing all sorts of letters and numbers, cycling through various pieces of data, until finally stopping at a certain portion of data. Stopping for a moment, Cain shifted his gaze to the display right next to the first, as it too started to change to accommodate the commands given to it by its operator. After a time, the display stopped on a certain portion of data, prompting Cain to move on to the next display.
After doing the same with the third, he looked towards the display farthest to the right, and then performed a few keystrokes. The image on this display differed from the others in that, instead of showing an array of letters and numbers, it showed the image of a cyber world. It was plainly decorated, and was littered with various pieces of data. Cain watched as he saw a navi performing some operations on the data he collected.
"I've looked at the results of your analysis so far." Cain watched as the navi interrupted its work, acknowledging that he had heard his master. "I'm impressed. You exceed my expectations again."
The navi didn't speak for a moment. It returned to performing its analysis before replying. "Thank you. How did the meeting with the SciLab officials go?"
"As I expected. They decided against giving me the resources to complete my project. They said that it was 'unrealistic, and besides that, laced with moral implications.'"
"Indeed. Your prediction was dead on then."
"It was. But no matter. I merely wanted them to know what I was up to. It's only fair, after all." He took a small device from his pocket, a PET, and pressed a few buttons on it, displaying a schedule on the small LCD display. "At this rate, we can finish our problem in a rather short period of time."
"Master Cain." The navi paused for a moment. "Are you sure these are the subjects you want to test it on. The situation involving you and--"
"What better way to test it..." Cain was still looking at the display on his PET, "then to use that navi? A one-of-a-kind gem of modern science."
"But if the test fails?"
Cain answered hastily. "It will not fail. That should be enough assurance for you."
The navi let out a sigh as it fully resumed its analyzing. Cain sat back in his chair, taking a short rest to reenergize himself after all that walking. Very soon, I'll fill in the final void.
Very soon.
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Lan was seated on the couch, breathing quicker than usual, thinking to himself. His wife sat across from him, fidgeting slightly, waiting for a response. Megaman and Roll were in the Dell computer, watching intently as the silence permeating the room caused them to become anxious. Not even a few minutes ago, it was like any other day. Lan returned home for work, to the delight of his wife, jacked Megaman into the old computer so he could spend time with Roll, and ate dinner.
However, when he was getting ready to watch some TV and unwind, Mayl stopped him, saying that she had an announcement to make. Lan felt the shock all too suddenly as she made it known that they would soon have a child to take care of. Megaman wasn't stricken nearly as hard, but it was unexpected enough to catch him off-guard. Roll had a feeling something was up when her operator went to the doctor, only to leave her in the dark as to why she went. Her suspicions only increased when she was told to e-mail Lan about something 'important', not knowing what this was. She knew now though, and was almost equally as taken as Megaman was.
Mayl waited a few more seconds for a response from Lan. Despite her talk with Haruka, she couldn't shake the nagging feelings of nervousness she had. Fearing the worst, she spoke first. "Are... Are you mad?"
Lan heard the question, acknowledging it with a look in her direction, followed by a return to his gaze at the floor. The room was silent for another minute, giving Lan enough time to finally respond. "Well," he began, speaking softly and succinctly, "I can't say I'm not surprised." He paused a moment. "I can't say I'm not upset either. I'm still learning to be married, and now I have to learn to be a father too." He paused once again, his expression still sullen. Mayl continued to listen, her heart beating rapidly.
Lan looked Mayl straight in the eye, then smiled. "I also can't say I'm not happy."
Mayl let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, feeling quite relieved. "So you're okay with this?"
"Of course." Lan got up off the couch, walking to where Mayl was sitting. "It'll take some getting used to, but how can I not be happy about the chance to raise a kid with you."
Mayl started to smile. "Thank you Lan. You have no idea how worried I was. I thought that--"
Lan responded by putting his lips on hers. The two embraced tightly, stretching out their kiss over the span of a minute before parting lips. Mayl started to laugh. "It takes some time to sink in."
"What is it?" Lan still had his arms around her.
"We're actually going to be parents. Who would've thought?" The two laughed before locking their lips again.
Megaman watched the events unfold in front of him. The thought of Lan raising a child, the same man who could barely get up on time to go to work, was a bit amusing. But at the same time, Lan was a caring person, always concerned about others. He decided that, when all is said and done, Lan would do well as a father. And he'd be there with his operator, helping him whenever he was needed, side-by-side...
Megaman let out a small sigh, which Roll noticed. She went in front of Megaman, observing his lamenting expression. "Are you okay Mega?" she asked softly.
Megaman focused his attention on Roll, and realized that he was getting lost in thought again. He smiled. "It's nothing Roll, really." He saw Roll turn around to face the display showing the view of the living room from the computer.
"They really do love each other a lot."
He didn't anticipate the change of subject, but he responded quickly enough. "Yeah, they do."
Roll walked over to Megaman slowly, putting her arms around his shoulders. "They can almost compare to us, right Mega?" She let out a soft chuckle, kissing Megaman passionately before he could reply.
The rest of the night was far from normal, as Lan hastily sought to tell everyone he could about Mayl's wonderful news, while Mayl decided to look up more information on the net. A sense of content filled the air as more and more people learned of Lan and Mayl's new arrival, and as all of them anticipated the events of the days to come...