Hi everyone! I'm sorry for my long period of absence, but College was killing me along with Writer's block, but to make it up, I'm sending a heap of chapters to keep you interested over the summer. Well, without further ado, here's that long-awaited continuation.

Chapter 4- invitations and sports

"Right you lot! 5 laps around the track NOW!" the coach bellowed, blowing on his silver whistle.
Netto ran casually, sports had recently become his strongest subject, and had the body to match now, although girls in his class were constantly trying to catch his eye, he ignored it.
"Come on Hikari! I know you can do better than that!"
"You want me to go faster, alright then!" Netto replied, picking up the pace.
"Ok you lot, you know the drill!" Sportsman called to the navis of the students, "10 laps and NO AREA STEAL CHIPS!"
Rockman ran quickly across the track, only one person ever matched him or outran him on the rocky circuit, and that was Blues, although they were going on it after hours.
Suddenly a hoard of metools with tools appeared, and began levelling the track.
"What on earth?"
Rockman stopped, "How many times am I going to run into you guys?"
"As often as you keep moving around, what are you doing here?"
"My operator takes sports, and navis have to do the same as part of the program."
"Oh, well, we're here to level the track, and a good thing too, it looks like a bombsite, literally!"
"That's because Sportsman got in a bad mood and threw mini-bombs like shot-puts."
"Say WHAT?"
"Of course, both coaches were in a foul mood that day."
"Look on the bright side Rockman, it made the course a little tougher."
"You want a tough course, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO?" a metool exclaimed, starting to rearrange it.
"What are you doing?"
"Making and obstacle course of course!"
Some navis fought not to burst out laughing at this.
"What's so funny?"
"It had a slight pun to it, that's all."
"Obstacle course, of course, so it does," the virus replied, "by the way, when in the lounge be sure to check out channel 866, goodbye!" and they ran off.
Sportsman blinked, "O k, that was…odd. Anyway, might as well try out this obstacle course."
"But…channel 866 doesn't exist," a navi muttered as they began climbing a rope net.
"Where they've been, it does," Rockman explained, "It's a channel run by the Metool Village."
"There's a VILLAGE of those things?"
"Yeah, but they randomly appear in unused computers."
"I see."
Just then the PET beeped, "Netto, you've got mail from Enzan!"
"Hikari, what have I told you about calls in class?"
"It's an e-mail coach, and I thought I left it at silent after last night." Netto replied, a cold trickle of sweat running down the back of his neck as he looked at it briefly, then turned off the warning tone before finishing his laps.
After class Netto read the e-mail again, "It's an invitation to a formal IPC dinner party, I wonder why Enzan is sending me one."
"Two actually, he says to invite a friend." Rockman replied, "He also adds that he's inviting someone he's sure that we would like to meet."
"Cool, I wonder who that could be."
"Knowing Enzan, it could be anyone."
"Come on, let's go and ask Meiru to come along before Electronics." Netto replied, hurrying over to her.

Meiru was watching the Metool Channel in the students' lounge when Netto found her, "Hey Netto, do you know anything about this?"
"Something run by that travelling village of metools."
"I see, it isn't bad considering."
"Anyway, I've got a pair of invitations from Enzan for this formal dinner party, I was wondering if you would like to come along with me."
"I'd love to Netto, it would be a great opportunity to show Enzan some support in an environment outside of netbattles."
"Yeah, after meeting his father I'm surprised that he puts up with the old man."
"Well, when is the party?"
"A month today."
"Roll, fill in the details for me."
"You got it Meiru." Roll replied, filling it into the organiser.
"Cool, well, I've got a class to get to, see you later."
"Great! See you around."

Iris had just opened a similar message, "Sounds like something interesting."Nia nodded, "It's just after the annual charity donation, so I'll be in Akihara anyway. I don't see why we shouldn't go."
"I'll send a reply then, maybe he can come along to the presentation."
Iris had barely finished the message when Blues turned up, "I see you've received the e-mail."
"We're making the presentation a couple of days before, so we're in town then anyway." Iris replied, "So you can count us there."
"That's a lucky coincidence."
"Yeah."
Enzan smiled as he opened a screen, "Bet you the old man won't remember you."
Nia chuckled, "How much are you willing to bet?"
"1000 zenny halved every time you drop a hint."
"Sounds fair to me."
"So, how's business going?"
"The usual, although we had quite a rush over the valentine season."
"No wonder, with what you were selling."
"Hang on." Iris replied, grabbing the location interviewer for the Metool Channel News, "You again? In here every other week!"
Blues looked at her, "Who's that?"
"Metool 963, location interviewer for Metool News."
"Explains why the channel knows so much about this place," he said, looking at the metool with the camera.
"Hey! I'm being recorded here!"
Iris put him down, "I know all your hiding places pal, because I managed the building of it."
"I'm just trying to get a story here! Besides, I don't do that many interviews, mostly commentaries while this guy films."
"And that's all I do."
"Well, there is nothing new this week."
"This guy's here."
"We're just friends." Blues told him flatly.
"I was on about the IPC party."
"How do you know about that?"
"We remodelled the network this afternoon."
"You did WHAT?" the silver-haired navi exclaimed.
"Well, I didn't, the village did really, I just do the TV work."
"Well, I don't have much to do with the party, because I'm involved in the running of the company."
"Darn! Another story out the window."

After a long day Netto collapsed on his bed, "Man, what an exhausting day."
Tohru, who was e-mailing Yaito, looked over, "I take it sports was hard."
"Yeah, as usual, although it has put me into good shape over the past few years."
"But those metools are popping up everywhere!" Rockman exclaimed from the terminal that hung on his hip.
"Look on the bright side Rockman, they're doing a good job, plus I hear they make some very realistic scenery."
"I suppose, the television back home is looking really good now."
"My point exactly, plus I hear they are slowly working to perfect Internet city for each country."
"I have to admit, it is looking a lot more colourful." Iceman squeaked from the computer as Tohru typed his message and gave it to him.
"Glyde should be waiting for you in her PC."
"Right."
"You've been e-mailing Yaito a lot recently, are you two on one of those ling-distance relationships?"
Tohru flushed, "Well…um…it's only been recent but…yeah…sorta."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, I always thought you two would make a good couple."
"You think?"
"Yeah, I mean, Shuuseki and Yaito's father would do anything to separate their kids, they hate each other's guts."
"That may be true, but we're all adults now, it's really up to us."
"Well, there is another point."
"What's that?"
"Their fathers kept threatening to sue each other, they lowered the level to friendship after that."
"Good point." Tohru replied.

Searchman returned to the Program Emporium, and saw Iris behind the counter, filing some order forms from the customers that were there. He walked over and said, "I just dropped by to say thanks for saving my hide."
Iris turned, a warm smile on her face, "It's nothing, we've got to support one another."
"I also came in to return this," he added, holding out the disguise.
"Keep it, it may be useful." Iris replied, "And don't try to make me change my mind."

Next time

Just after Searchman leaves, Nia asks Iris to test a new transport designed to solve previous transport problems, and as the craze hits in, Enzan has a situation at IPC

Stay tuned for Chapter 5 'Crazes and formalities.