ProtoMan. EXE checked his internal clock. The set meeting time was 4:00. It was 4:06. "She's late." He stated to no one in particular. Who would hear him anyways? He was standing in a remote section of the Internet, which was practically the boundary line between civilized Internet and the Undernet.

The Undernet.

That was where the target was.

"You're late."

Turning, the tall Navi watched his partner approach.

Starfire. EXE smiled as she approached, her golden hair swinging behind her like some sort of cape. Placing her red-gloved hands on her hips, she sighed, looking out at the Undernet. "I apologize for being late. I ran into a little trouble and I didn't want to use the battlechip data I have stored just yet. So I took them out the old way. It took a bit longer than expected."

Glancing up at her silver haired partner, Starfire sought out his hidden eyes. "Are you sure about this? I mean, this is our first solo mission. No net ops or anything. Once we cross this line, we're totally on our own, you know that, don't you?"

Turning to look at her, the red Navi smiled. "I know Star. But we can do it. We've been in bigger messes before this, right?" Although he was smiling outwardly, ProtoMan was as scared as Starfire was.

Reaching up, Star slugged him playfully in the shoulder. "You liar."

With a deep breath, ProtoMan gathered his courage and stepped across the invisible boundary into the Undernet.

It was strange; everything was different even though he was only a couple feet from where he had been a moment ago. The air even seemed to be different. Turning, he looked at Starfire, who was standing hesitantly on the border.

Starfire stood, a dozen thoughts crowding her mind for attention. Could she actually find him? If they did, there was the other matter of recognization.

"Are you coming or not?"

Looking across the border, Star saw ProtoMan standing there. For some reason, he was a comforting sight. His silver hair snapped in the breeze, his red body standing out against the dusty brown of the Undernet, his eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.

With a deep breath, Starfire boldly charged across the border.