Author's note: Thanks for the review anon, I'm a big Zelda fan as well, so I tied it in, it won't be the only reference that will be made, but they're later. Anyway, on with the show!

Chapter 1-familiar faces

"Did you just say Enzan?" Iris asked intently.
"Enzan is my operator's name," he replied calmly.
"As in Ijuin Enzan, Ijuin Shuuseki's son?" she pressed, looking to a mixture of confusion and anger that Blues couldn't place.
"You know him?" he asked, "And the president of IPC?"
"I don't, but my operator and our father do." Iris replied, "Her name is Liona Harmonia, better known as Nia."
Enzan opened a screen, "Liona? As in the one that turned down my old man's contract 16 years ago."
Another screen opened, and although she had grown substantially with age, it was undoubtedly Dr Liona's daughter, "And the girl you ignored for an entire hour," she replied, her eyes were expressive too, and right now they weren't entirely warm.
"About that, I am very sorry, and in my rebellion years I can honestly say I've learned better." Enzan replied, looking at her.
Warmth flooded Nia's emerald eyes, "Don't worry Enzan, Dad told me that you were simply imitating from what you've seen, and that you could change over the years, although it was unlikely."
Enzan smiled, "Thanks," he replied, " by the way, nice place you've got here."
"Thanks, it's amazing what you can do with a few resources and lessons."
"You made all this?"
"Yep, mostly from scratch too."
Blues gaped, "This stuff is amazing."
"Yeah, many people say that if I did something else like this I'd put someone out of business, but this is my field." Nia replied, laughing.
Enzan laughed with her, "That's a familiar one, so, how long have you been at it?"
"I've only been full-time since the past holidays, but the shop has been selling programs for 5 years now."
"You seem to sell things quite cheap, your profit margins can't be that big."
"Actually, I have something for every occasion that the net can bring up, after all, if you only sell one product, customers are less likely to return."
Iris indicated some flowers in a corner, "You know what's coming."
Blues went a little pink, "All my dates have been duds, and so have Enzan-Sama's really, apart from one that led to legal issues with their fathers."
"BLUES!"
"Hey, it isn't my fault that most were superficial! But I should tell Rockman about those flowers."
"Does he have a girlfriend then?"
"Yeah, luckily."
"Why do you say that?"
"One, they've lasted long enough to be a married couple, two, last year I was chased across Internet City." Blues replied, the pink tinge going red.
Nia smiled, "I'll see if I can whip up a disguise for you."
"Thanks."
Just then he spotted Mettools dancing on the digital television screen, making Blues jump, sword at the ready.
"Take it easy!" Iris exclaimed, "One, not even officials can use chips in here because of a program Nia installed, two, that's just a channel run by rogue Metools to the standard programming."
"Rogue?"
"Normally they are programmed to do what they're told, but these guys do what they like, and they are actually pretty constructive, and their channel is pretty good."
Blues relaxed, as a cheesy metool with digital paper in his hands appeared.
"Although, the newsreader is pretty corny." Iris added.
"Welcome to Metool Channel news, giving you the low-down on what's going on in Internet city and beyond. First piece of news, digital superstar Aki-Chan is going to be spending Valentine's Day in a safe house. The star told Mettool News via e-mail that although she appreciates her fans throughout the years, the valentine stalkers are just too much, and her manager would like to remind navis that due to a different digital makeup she cannot be touched by navis. Others prone to stalking include prodigy navi Blues and, to both navi's and operator's sheer horror, Searchman. Rockman, known to be equally as famous as Blues, told us that he is already taken."
"Well, at least he's safe." Blues muttered enviously as the interview with the location navi appeared on the screen.
"Yes I do have plans for Wednesday, and I am happy to say that I have a girlfriend." Rockman said to the microphone, clearly irritated that he was doing this.
"Would you like to give any hints about the love of your life?"
"Just that she's pretty, pink and has been there for me right from the start, and that she should never be estimated in battle."
"Why on earth is Searchman being stalked?" Blues asked.
"Probably because he's a military leader and he doesn't reflect the cold Sharo climate." Iris suggested.
"Meaning?"
"Most navis there look like overgrown fridges or snowmen."
"Fair point." Blues replied, filling in an order form as he spoke.
"Speaking of Valentine's Day, navis need no longer fear about not being able to express themselves, Program Emporium sells flowers and cuddly toys to help navis tell their loved ones how they feel."
Blues looked up, "That's this place, how did they know that?"
"They snoop around here for news every other week."
"How exactly do they get people onto this channel?"
"They do it when they redecorate televisions."
"You're joking!"
"Wish I was, they live in a travelling village that works its way into random computers. If it isn't to their standards they redecorate it, and if it's a television, subscribe it to channel 866."
"I take it that's their channel number."
"Yep."
Blues handed the filled order form and a digital credit card. Iris walked over to the checkout and swiped it, "We'll deliver the chips in the post, e-mails can be hacked these days."
"I know."
"Don't worry, we have a few contacts in the shipping industry, they'll see to it that the products come through safe and sound."
"What about this e-mail?"
"There's a mailbox in the corner, next to the brass plaque."

Blues looked at the names, "What's this for?"
"That is a list of donors to our annual charity donation. Every year we collect donations and money we don't need and give it to charity, that's a list of all the navis and operators that made substantial donations to the final donation from the shop, mostly companies looking for a good image."
"Well, at least people are doing their best to make a difference. What are you giving the money to this year?"
"A charity that helps children with physical handicaps and speech problems."
"Really? We have a friend with a handicap, I think she's working to help others by putting on fund-raising shows."
"Is that so? Well everyone needs to do their part."
"Too bad the old man wouldn't think about it that way."
"Well, feel free to add to it."
Blues looked at the screen, "What do you think Enzan-Sama?"
"The old man would go on about a waste of money, but he's on the brink of retirement, so who cares what he thinks?" the young man replied.
Blues smiled and put some money into the collection box, "I'll be off now, nice to meet you Iris."
"You too Blues." Iris replied, smiling warmly as he left.

As she began shutting the shop for the day she muttered, "I never saw a navi blush that much."
"Then again, most of the navis around here have little of the face at all."
"Good point."
Nia yawned as she jacked Iris out and put the PET on a stand next to her laptop, "Well, that was a pleasant surprise."
"Who would've thought that Ijuin Enzan would've changed so much?" Iris agreed, "He said something about Rockman, he must know Yuuichiro's son."
"Yeah, I was thinking about that one, it would explain where the new warmth came from."
"Why's that?"
"Easy, if he's been around a kid like one from Hikari's family then it is impossible for him not to soften up."
"Maybe not all."
"What do you mean?"
"It's not as bad as during the Darkchip incident, but traces of it scarred Blues' programming."
"You mean…?"
"Yep, Blues was possessed by the Darksoul, then recovered somehow."
"Who would've thought that would happen?"
"You know what Enzan is like, if he had to jump off a cliff for a reason he was determined to carry out he would."
"You sound like you were with me 16 years ago."
"Dad programmed me, so I can't have been in a PET in his office for 48 hours without him telling me about the incident."
"I suppose, but then again, I've never been in there for 24, let alone 48."
"I think it would be best not to ask Blues and Enzan about it, it may spark painful memories."
"I wasn't going to, it is in the past Iris, and doesn't concern us."
"I suppose, goodnight."
"Goodnight Iris." Nia replied, changing into a pair of pyjamas and climbing into bed.

Iris: The Metools are producing big time in terms of subscribing televisions to their channel and remodelling web space.
Nia: You're telling me, but I'm more concerned about Blues and his friends this Wednesday, well, maybe not Rockman, but that girlfriend of hers may be in for trouble from fans of his.
Iris: As long as he's with her? I doubt it, but what about Searchman?
Nia: We're going to have to wait and see in Chapter 2, 'Valentines and Mad Metools'
Iris: See you next week!