Author's note: 1 week, two reviews, and both of them were signed, thanks a lot for your comments.
Summing up the stars: Oh yeah, Searchman is going to be running all right!
Anyway, on with the show!
Chapter 2- valentines and mad metools
"NETTO!"
Haruka screamed, waking the 20-year-old with a start.
"I
haven't heard your mother shout like that since our oven caught
fire!" Rockman said from his PET, which stood next to the computer
in the charging stand.
"Let's
go!" the young man replied, grabbing the terminal and running
downstairs, still wearing a T-shirt and shorts because he was too
tired to dig out proper pyjamas, "What is it?"
"There
are viruses in the television!"
"The
TV?" he turned around to see metools redecorating the cyberspace
inside.
"You
lot, AGAIN?"
"Well
what do you know? We were in your doghouse five years ago weren't
we?"
"And you
made it look like a forest!"
"Well,
it would be a dog's idea of heaven."
Rockman
sighed, "Viral humour, I'll never understand it."
"Well,
we're done here, you already have our catalogue, but be sure to
check channel 866, bye-bye!" and the lot ran off.
"That
channel doesn't exist." Haruka muttered, picking up the remote
and switching channels.
A mettool
began dancing across the screen, "The Metool channel!" it sang.
"Now
I've seen everything." Rockman said, wide-eyed in shock.
Just then
the PET beeped, "It's from Blues."
"Last
time he sent us an e-mail he wanted us to help stop a rampaging navi
at university, what does he want now?"
"He says
I should check out a shop in the Ameroupe section of Internet City,
calls it the Program Emporium."
"Well,
let's check it out then."
"Wait
until this evening, it's late at night over there now."
"Fair
enough."
"He also
added a note about Searchman."
"What
about him?"
"Mettool
Channel news announced him to be prone to stalkers Valentine's
Day."
"Searchman?
SEARCHMAN? Are we talking about the same navi here?"
"Don't
know any others by that name, but he pointed out that he was reminded
that he is one of few navis in Sharo that don't look like fridges
or snowmen."
"I
suppose that's a good point."
That
evening Netto plugged Rockman in and the blue navi worked his way to
the shop. Once he got there he looked around, "Blues said they sold
something here that I would find useful.""Can I
help you?"
Rockman
turned around to see a female navi standing there, her expressive sky blue eyes were warm
along with her smile, "Did you have a navi about so tall with long
silver hair by any chance?"
"Yeah,
last night, or early this morning for his time, Blues, you must be
Rockman."
"That's
me, anyway, Blues said I'd find something there that might be
useful."
"Look
over there."
Rockman
turned to see a collection of flowers and plush toys, "Blues has a
sense of humour?"
"Actually,
you might want to check the date."
Rockman
checked the clock and gaped, "I lost track of it! Netto,
Valentine's Day is this Wednesday!"
"Darn! I
nearly forgot!"
"That
explains the thing about Searchman."
"Well,
anything I can help you with?" the navi asked.
"A name
would be helpful."
"I'm
Iris, by the way, Blues didn't have any connections with the Dark
Loids by any chance?"
"IRIS!"
her operator shouted, "I told you we weren't going to pry about
that!"
"I'm
just curious Nia."
"Don't
worry, but how did you know?"
"Some of
his data was scarred with Darksoul damage, it is faint, but my
scanners still picked it up."
Nia opened
a screen, "Sorry about this, my navi is sometimes too curious for
her own good, her primary function is to learn and help others with
her knowledge."
"It's
alright, Enzan downloaded the Darkchip to stop Netto doing it."
"Why was
that?"
"I'm
not entirely sure, but he did it to help defeat Shademan."
"Shademan?" Iris exclaimed.
"You
heard of him?"
"He
scourged our Dad's workplace searching for navis to corrupt, my
frame makes me appear useless, after all, Dad is famous for being
able to hide the true nature of programs from the most up-to-date
scanners."
"I see,
so you're a decent fighter?"
"I take
a martial artist's attitude to fighting, both of us do."
"I see."
"But
don't get me wrong, if push comes to shove, I can pack a powerful
punch."
"I'll
make a note, and about these flowers."
"How
would you like them?"
"Something
pink and showing lots of love."
"Red
roses are the flower of love, but I can lighten them up with some
white ones and cream lilies."
"I like
the sound of that."
Iris
gathered the data together and produced a beautiful bouquet wrapped
in cellophane, "It's 1000 zenny, and the plush toys are 500."
"Bargain
much? I'll buy the bear with the pink ribbon around its neck."
Rockman replied, taking the bear and holding out a credit card
Iris took
the card from him and swiped it in the register, "There you go,
hope she enjoys them."
"I'm
more concerned about Blues and Searchman."
"Don't
worry, we've got Blues covered, as for Searchman, I don't know
him that well."
"What
does that mean?"
"Blues
and I might've only met before I shut up shop last night, but our
operators have known each other for 16 years."
"I see,
a favour between old friends?"
"More
like a sign of new beginnings, he was a jerk to Nia that day."
"No
surprise, he was a jerk when he was 11. What happened?"
"He
turned his back on Nia for a whole hour, but he was only imitating
his father, that was one thing that Dad knew very well, young
children act upon their upbringing, and he used that to see through
Shuuseki's false kindness."
"Well,
thanks for your help, by the way, I may not know what you are
planning for Blues, but if you have a spare I can send it to
Searchman."
"I don't
know whether or not he should suffer to be honest." Iris replied,
"It'll be hard to hide that rifle anyway."
"Good
point." Rockman replied, "About the rifle that is. The navi's not that bad, but the
operator was more of a jerk than Enzan."
"I can
only take your word for it."
"Well,
thanks." Rockman replied, logging out.
Wednesday
came quickly, too quickly for some, and Searchman was racing down the
streets of Internet city trying to run from a bunch of girls waving
some banners and calling for him to turn around and calling him names that only put him off even more.. "I never expected
this Laika!" he shouted.
"Neither
did I," the blue-haired operator replied, "take a sharp left and
maybe you can slip past them."
"Roger!"
the camouflage-clad navi acknowledged, running into a shop that was
piled high with products, once he was in he began panting, "Got…
anywhere… for a… guy to…hide?"
The navi
at the tills looked up, "Would you believe it, you see one you see them all."
Searchman
blinked at her, "Say what?"
"Blues
came in on Saturday night, Rockman turns up the next morning and now
you're here Searchman."
"Oh."
"So, can
I help you?"
"Maybe
by getting this rifle to become interchangeable, it is overly
distinctive."
The navi
examined it closely, "I think so, and I can say it won't cost you
an arm and a leg, no pun intended."
Searchman
smiled, "I've heard worse in battle humour."
"Well,
it is cheap, just 750 zenny, I normally charge 500, but that thing is
three quarters of your arm."
"That's
understandable, and pretty cheap."
"That's
us, low prices and good value, we're also small, but popular beyond
belief."
"Well,
it'll be one obstacle out of the way, by the way, you know my name,
but I didn't catch yours."
"Iris."
"Interesting
name."
Iris
tapped her helmet over one of the petals that decorated it, "I was
named after the flower, not the part of the eye."
"You
wouldn't know from the name itself."
"Although
my helmet and icon give it away."
"Good
point, but then again, someone may think you're name is different."
"Like
what?"
"Lily,
Petal, anything to do with flowers really."
"Well,
irises are a distinct blue-purple shade."
"Hence
the colour scheme?"
Iris
nodded as she installed a program into the rifle, "There you go."
Searchman
changed the rifle into an arm, "This is really good handiwork,
feels odd though."
"That's
because you need time to get used to it, rifles are heavier than arms."
"Well,
thanks a lot, but you wouldn't know how to get me out without
anyone seeing me?"
Searchman: But what about the stalkers that are out there? shudders
Laika: Well, this Iris has a resource list longer than my arm, so she should have something.
Searchman: Looks like we'll see in chapter 3 'disguises and romance'.
Laika: Why are we doing this?
Searchman: Because I finished the chapter, and for variety.