CHAPTER 4

"The Stabbing"

THE NEXT MORNING

Lan was up, dressed and out the door before Megaman woke up. And Lan was running early for a change.

"Lan?" Megaman asked groggily.

"Morning, Megaman." Lan said walking down the street slowly.

"You're up early...you're NEVER up early." Megaman said, shocked.

"I know." Lan said smiling as he pulled out the PET.

"So...what's up?" Megaman asked.

"I had a heck of a time staying asleep. I don't know why." Lan said.

"Really?" Megaman asked.

Lan nodded.

"Yeah." Lan said.

Megaman had a thought.

"Were you dreaming?" Megaman asked.

Lan blushed.

"No." Lan lied.

"Uh-huh, then why are you blushing?" Megaman asked.

"No reason." Lan lied.

"Yeah RIGHT!" Megaman chided.

"Lan!" Maylu exclaimed running to catch up to him.

Maylu hugged Lan. Lan hugged her back. Megaman smiled to Roll. Roll went over to Megaman PET.

"Hey, Roll." Megaman said with a smile.

"Hi." Roll said kissing Megaman.

Megaman's smile grew. Lan whispered something in Maylu's ear and Maylu nodded in agreement. Lan had hoped the two navi's were to busy kissing to notice. Megaman had glanced over to the kids while was busy with giving Roll another kiss on the cheek. Maylu whispered in Lan's ear. And he whispered back. She whispered again and kissed him. Lan nodded. Megaman and Roll just grinned.

"Lan, just promise me." Maylu said.

"I promise. I'll be back as soon as I can." Lan said running off leave Megaman's PET with her. Because he didn't wanna to worry Megaman.

"Maylu, what's going on?" Megaman asked her curiously.

"Lan said he had a bad feeling and that he had to go." Maylu said frowning worriedly.

"Why?" Megaman asked.

Lan turned a corner and put on the emersion glasses and pulled out Marriorman's PET.

"I don't know." Maylu said.

Lan jacked in.

'You BETTER come back brother.' Megaman thought.

"I have a feeling, he's gonna get in trouble." Maylu mumbled hoping the two navis didn't hear her.

'Me too.' Megaman thought.

"Megaman, I'm gonna jack you in see if you can find him." Maylu said looking at Megaman.

Megaman nodded, agreeing.

"Jack in Megaman! Power up!" Maylu exclaimed.

"Marriorman, where are you?" Megaman called.

Marriorman looked up when he heard Megaman.

"Megaman!" Marriorman called.

Megaman sighs.

"What are you doing?" Megaman asked.

"I was on my way to Scilabs." Marriorman said.

"Why, Lan?" Megaman asked.

"Let's just say that since dad made those repairs I've had this sixth sense about his computer even in my human form and I sensed some viruses." Marriorman said.

"You're serious? Does he know about this?" Megaman asked.

"Yes, I'm serious and No he doesn't, he was asleep when I woke up and realized it." Marriorman said.

"Well I'm GOING WITH you!" Megaman stated firmly.

"Let's go." Marriorman said and started to Scilabs.

"Alright." Megaman said as he followed.

Soon they arrived and their presence alerted Dr. Hikari.

"Hey doc!" Megaman called.

"What's going on?" Dr. Hikari asked.

"Tell him." Megaman prompted Marriorman.

"Dad, you have a virus on you computer, I can sense it." Marriorman said.

"I believe him." Megaman said.

Dr. Hikari checked his computer.

"Your right. Can you two give me a hand?" Dr. Hikari asked as the viruses appeared around them.

"Oh great we're surrounded." Marriorman said.

"We can take 'em!" Megaman said.

Marriorman nodded.

"Right." Marriorman said and charged at the viruses with his wide sword and long sword.

"What battle chips do you want bro?" Marriorman asked.

"Got some blaster battle chips?" Megaman asked.

"Don't I always?" Marriorman asked.

"Let's do this!" Megaman shouted.

Blaster battle chips went into Megaman's PET and downloaded.

"Blaster!" Megaman called out.

"Let's finish this as soon as we can." Marriorman said frowning.

"Right." Megaman agreed.

"Megaman...something's...wrong..." Marriorman started.

"Marriorman logging out."

"LAN!" Megaman shouted in mid-firing a shot that hit a virus.

"Something maybe wrong with Lan." Dr. Hikari said.

"What?" Megaman asked worriedly.

"I don't know what. But, that maybe what caused Marriorman to log out." Dr. Hikari said.

"Will he be alright?" Megaman asked.

"I don't know." Dr. Hikari said.

'Lan...' Megaman thought.

"You'll have to hurry back to your PET." Dr. Hikari said.

"Alright." Megaman said reluctantly.

"It's the only way to get to Lan. We can deal with the viruses later." Dr. Hikari said.

Megaman just nodded before retuning to his PET and the girls who were waiting.

"What's up? Did you find him?" Maylu asked.

"Yeah, I did." Megaman said looking down.

Lan was still partly jacked in. He was able to send a faint message to Megaman.

"Lan..." Megaman said softly when he was alerted to the message.

It told him where Lan was but then it stopped.

"Lan? Can you hear me? Where are you?" Megaman called to his brother.

"Down in the next alley from you guys..." He cut off.

"We're coming, hold on! Maylu, Lan's in a nearby alley and he needs help!" Megaman told her.

Maylu ran into the alley and gasped in shock dropping both PET's. Maylu ran to Lan.

'Please let him be alright.' Megaman silently begged to himself.

"Oh, no...Lan!" She shouted in fear.

Lan slowly opened his eyes and looked at her.

"M-M-Ma-Maylu?" Lan asked.

"Shh, it's ok stay still." Maylu said.

"Megaman, call an ambulance." Maylu said.

"Right." Megaman said as he alerted medical personnel.

"I hope they hurry." Maylu said gently moving Lan's head into he lap.

Both Megaman and Roll looked on in worry. There was blood on Lan's shirt.

'My lord, how did that happen?' Megaman wondered to himself.

More blood was getting on Lan's shirt.

"MAYLU? Did you noticed the blood on Lan's shirt?" Megaman asked the girl.

Maylu moved his shirt and there was a stab wound on Lan's stomach.

"Megaman, I think he's been stabbed!" Maylu exclaimed.

"WHAT!" Megaman shouted.

Maylu ripped off part of her shirt and held it hard to the stab wound. Lan winced.

"I know it hurts but, I have to keep you from bleeding too much." Maylu said.

All Megaman could do was look on helplessly at his friend as they waited for help to come. Soon the ambulance arrived. Maylu stepped back as they put Lan in it. She picked up the PETs.

"Maylu, what are we gonna tell his folks?" Megaman asked.

"I don't know." Maylu said as she headed down the street back towards Lan's house. Tears were pouring down her face.

"Aw Maylu, don't cry...please? It's not your fault." he told her after seeing the tears.

"I could have talked him out of it." Maylu said she froze a moment outside his house.

Maylu went and knocked on the door.

"Maylu? What's the matter? Weren't you with Lan?" Mrs. Hikari asked after opening the door and letting Maylu in.

"He ran off and he..." Maylu looked at the floor.

"He got hurt." She said sadly.

"I-Is he aliright?" Mrs. Hikari asked slightly alarmed.

"M-M-Mrs. Hikari, he was attack and he was stabbed." Maylu said crying.

"Oh no... Maylu, listen to me alright. this wasn't your fault. don't blame yourself for what happened to Lan." Mrs. Hikari said softly trying to com fort the girl.

"They took him to the hospital." Maylu said smiling slightly at Mrs. Hikari.

"That's what I told her." Megaman piped in.

"We have to make sure he's alright." Maylu said.

"Of course we do!" Mrs. Hikari exclaimed.

"Better believe it!" Megaman replied.


"Let's go." Maylu said leading his mother to the hospital.

'Lan, please hold on!' Megaman thought as Mrs. Hikari took the PET with her.

Soon they arrived the doctor told his mother they stopped the bleeding and that Lan was asleep now.

"That's a relief!" Megaman said.

Mrs. Hikari went into the room Lan was in and smiled at his sleeping form and looked at Megaman.

"Why don't you stay here until he gets out." Mrs. Hikari said.

"Sure, at least he'd have some company." Megaman replied.

Mrs. Hikari nodded and put the PET down on the bedside table.

"Lan...I'm here with you." Megaman whispered to the sleeping boy.

Maylu had to go to school even through she didn't want to.

AT SCHOOL

"Lan Hikari late again." Ms. Mari said.

Maylu raised her hand.

"Yes, Maylu." Ms. Mari said noticing the hand.

"Ma'am, Lan's in the hospital." Maylu said sadly.

Ms. Mari was shocked. Then she walked over to Maylu's desk and then ushered her outside of the classroom.

"Maylu, do you know happened to him?" Ms. Mari asked with concern.

"He was stabbed." Maylu said sadly.

"Were you there when it happened?" Ms. Mari asked, trying her best to calm Maylu down.

"I found him in an alley bleeding." Maylu said sadly.

"Do his parents know, are they with him?" Ms. Mari asked gently.

"His mother knows but, he was sleeping so she left Megaman with him." Maylu said.

"I see," Ms. Mari said nodding.

AT THE HOSPITAL

Lan Rolled over and slowly opened eyes. Lan sat up.

"Lan, you're awake!" Megaman exclaimed having heard Lan move in the bed.

"Hey, Megaman." Lan reached for the PET and when he had it in his hand, he laid back down.

"You gotta take it easy." Megaman said gently.

Lan nodded. Megaman hadn't noticed yet. But, Lan was soaked with sweat and looked flush.

"Lan? Are you alright? Do you want me to get the doctor?" Megaman asked, having noticed the look of his brother.

Lan nodded.

"Are you sure?" Megaman asked.

"Megaman, I think I have a fever so...get a doctor." Lan said shivering.

"I'll be back in a flash!" Megaman said as he went to the nurses station on the floor where he and Lan's room was on.

"I need some help!" Megaman called out.

The nurse came over to the computer.

"What is it?" The nurse asked.

"It's Lan Hikari...I think he's coming down with a fever! He's sweating a lot and his face is flushed. Can you help or get his doctor?" Megaman asked.

"I'll bring his doctor as soon as I can." The nurse said.

"Thanks." Megaman replied before returning to the PET in Lan's room.

Soon the doctor arrived.

"Thanks for coming so fast." Megaman said.

The doctor checked Lan over and gave him some medcine.

"What happened?" Megaman asked.

"He has a slight infection but, he should be fine with the medcine I gave him." The doctor said making a note in Lan's chart.

"Okay, thanks again for coming so fast." Megaman said.

The doctor nodded and walked out.

"Feeling better now?" Megaman asked.

Lan nodded.

"A little." Lan said.

"Try and rest. I'll see if your mom and dad are here yet." Megaman told him.

Lan nodded and closed his eyes and fell asleep. Megaman just smile sadly when he heard someone coming.

"Megaman, is he alright?" Mrs. Hikari asked as she came in with Maylu.

Megaman put a finger to his lips.

"Shh, he's asleep." Megaman whispered

Dr. Hikari was outside talking to Lan's doctor.

"What happened, Megaman?" Mrs. Hikari asked.

"Well we were talking and then I noticed that he was sweating a lot and flushed." Megaman told her.

Dr. Hikari nodded in understanding when Lan's doctor explained what medicine he gave him. Dr. Hikari walked into the room.

"Oh, hey Dr. Hikari." Megaman greeted solemnly.

"Hey, Megaman." Dr. Hikari said as he carefully sat on the edge of Lan's bed.

"His doctor, tell you what happened?" Megaman asked.

Dr. Hikari nodded. Megaman sighed as he looked on at the sleeping form of his closest friend. The boy in the bed didn't look like the normal young netbattler they all knew. Dr. Hikari frowned. He knew something the others didn't.

"What's the matter Dr. Hikari?" Megaman asked, noticing his expression.

"Well that medicine they gave him has a side effect..." Dr. Hikari started.

"What?" Megaman asked worriedly.

"It's only a temporary side effect but..." Dr. Hikari started looking at the bed as his son Rolled over.

"What is it?" Megaman whispered, trying not to wake Lan.

"Lan is gonna go blind for about 2 months." Dr. Hikari said sadly.

"WHAT! YOU'RE NOT SERIOUS!" Megaman said in shock.

Dr. Hikari nodded.

"I guess that all we can do,...is be there for him, huh?" Megaman said gently.

Dr. Hikari nodded in agreement.

"You know that I'll do what I can, right?" Megaman said.

"I know." Dr. Hikari said.

"You'll help too, right Maylu?" Megaman asked the girl sitting in a chair that was the room.

Maylu nodded.

"Yeah." Maylu said.

"He'll need everybody in order to get through this." Megaman said to himself.

"Megaman we have to tell Yai, Dex and Tori. I'll tell them but, where should I met them?" Maylu asked.

"What about the park? We can bring them here afterwards, if it's okay" Megaman suggested.

"OK." Maylu said nodding.

"Um, Dr. Hikari... Maylu's gonna take me so we can tell the others what's going on and maybe bring them over, okay?" Megaman told the scientist.

Dr. Hikari nods. The two leave the room and their friend in the hands of his parents. Maylu went to the park and sat down.

"Are you alright?" Megaman asked concerned.

"Yeah, have you or Roll contacted the others?" Maylu asked.

"I Emailed them to come. They'll be here soon." Megaman assured her.

"Good." Maylu said.

"Maylu? What's going on?" Yai asked as she was first to arrive.

Maylu frowned.

"Lan got hurt and he's in the hospital. Yai, he was stabbed." Maylu said looking at Yai.

"Oh no, is he gonna be alright?" Yai asked, knowing there was something more.

"They gave him some medicine, that gonna make him go blind for two months." Maylu said.

"SERIOUSLY?" Glide said from his PET, shocked at the news.

"Yes." Maylu said.

"Do you know how his parents are taking the news?" Yai asked.

"They're both with him at the hospital." Maylu said.

"We'd better go when the others come... he'll need his friends" Yai said.

Soon the other arrived. Maylu told them what was going on and then they all rushed to the hospital.

"Is he awake, Dr. Hikari?" Megaman asked when they arrived.

"Yes, he is." Dr. Hikari said.

"Lan?" Megaman called.

"Megaman?" Lan asked and Maylu ran over and sat on the bed.

"I'm glad you're awake Lan." Maylu said.

"Maylu?" Lan asked.

Maylu smiled.

"Yeah." Maylu said.

"You had us scared, pal…" Megaman said, glad that Lan was awake.

"Megaman, I..."

"They already know son." Dr. Hikari said cutting off Lan.

"Good." Lan said.

"No need to worry over that, Lan." Megaman said.

Lan nodded.

'Hope he can handle this, he's been through so much already.' Megaman thought to himself.

Roll went into Megaman PET and hugged him.

"He'll be fine." Roll said hugging Megaman tightly.

"Thanks Roll, I needed that." Megaman said, returning the hug.

Roll kissed Megaman and smiled. Megaman sighed as he watched Lan and the others.

"He has you and Maylu." Roll said hugging Megaman kissing Megaman again.

"I know, I know." Megaman said.

Maylu bend over and her and Lan lips lock. They stay that way for quite a while.

"So, Lan? Found a way to get to Maylu, huh?" Dex asked from the door.

"They've doing that for days." Mrs. Hikari said with a slight giggle.

"WHAT!" Dex shouted.

"You know, Dex has a crush on Maylu." Yai said.

"They were at her house until midnight last night and Lan was up early this morning." Mrs. Hikari said.

"And I saw them kissing yesterday." She added.

"HIKARI! JUST WAIT UNTIL GET MY HANDS ON YOU!" Dex shouted, only a very few people knew that he liked Maylu.

Maylu stood in front of Lan.

"WHAT?" Dex asked in shock of Maylu's action.

Lan smiled slightly knowing what she was about to say.

"I love him, and I won't let you hurt him." Maylu said.

"Fine." Dex said.

'I'll get you for this.' Dex thought.

A WEEK LATER

Lan was out of the hospital but, was still on bed rest at home.

"Still tired, eh Lan?" Megaman said.

"A little." Lan said nodding.

"Then try and rest. You know doctor's orders and all." Megaman said.

Maylu was laying next to him already a sleep. Lan nodded and fell asleep.

"Sleep tight, you two." Megaman said gently.

Roll was in sleep mode. Megaman decided to also get some rest. Mrs. Hikari called Maylu's mom.

"So, the kids FINALLY told each other their feelings, HMM?" Mrs. Sakurai asked.

"Yeah, and now Maylu and Lan are asleep. And they look so cute." Mrs. Hikari said.

Mrs. Sakurai just giggled.

"Took them LONG ENOUGH! They've known each other for so long!" Mrs. Sakurai stated.

Mrs. Hikari giggled as well.

"They had their first kiss yesterday." Mrs. Hikari said.

Lan shifted in his sleep.

"Really?" Mrs. Sakurai asked.

"Yeah." Mrs. Hikari said.

Lan shifted again in his sleep. A giggle escaped Mrs. Sakurai.

"Lan looked into her eyes brushing away her tear, then Lan pulled Maylu in and I don't think I have to go into anymore detail." Mrs. Hikari said giggling.

"Okay...okay, do Megaman and Roll know this?" Mrs. Sakurai asked

"Yep." Mrs. Hikari said.

"It wouldn't surprise if they did or fell in love like the kids" Mrs. Sakurai stated.

"I think they already are." Mrs. Hikari said.

"You know the saying -like op, like navi-" Mrs. Sakurai said with a giggle.

Mrs. Hikari just giggled. For some reason Lan's been sleeping lighter this week. Lan Rolled over.

'I hope he's feeling alright. He's normally not a light sleeper.' Megaman thought to himself.

Lan opened his eyes and slowly and carefully sat up trying not to disturb Maylu.

"You alright." Megaman whispered, also trying not to wake her.

"Yeah." Lan said looking at Megaman.

"I'm just asking 'cause you still look a little sick." Megaman said quietly.

"I'm fine. except for the whole being blind thing." Lan whispered.

"I didn't mean it like that." Megaman defended himself quietly.

"I know." Lan said quietly.

Megaman turned and saw Roll still asleep. he smiled.

"I guess I just have to get use to it for now." Lan said softly.

"You won't have to go through it alone, you know?" Megaman said gently.

Lan smiled and nodded.

"I know." Lan said.

"I just wanna make sure." Megaman told him.

13