(Chapter 11)
Dragoman, Heart and Kendoman were quickly making their way through the Nebula server. They had to take care of a few viruses on their way, but they were quickly progressing.
"Dragoman, how much further to where we need to be?" Kendoman questioned as they continued on.
"It's a big server, but we haven't got much longer to go" Dragoman answered.
"Excited, Imouto?" Ademu asked Heart.
Heart turned to the screen as they continued to run on and smiled "Of course I am Ademu, I never wanted to get fused with Heart in the first place, it'll be good to get back out there with you" she answered.
"You do remember that once you're in your body, you'll be on your own, don't you Heart?" Dragoman asked her, she nodded.
"I remember my way around the base, I should be able to get out undetected" Heart replied.
They reached their destination, the area controlling the life support machine keeping Heart's body alive. They all knew her mind was connected up, and so all Michirure needed to do was separate from Heart, enter the link, and then have Meijin and Kendoman upload her into her body.
"That's only IF you can get in there Heart" a voice called out. R-Pyra logged in, blocking their path to the link.
"Out of the way Saratu" Ademu told her.
"Try us Ademu, Heart won't be returning to her body as long as we're here" Pyra replied.
"Why do you want to stop me Saratu?" Heart asked, but R-Pyra ignored her as she went on the attack.
"Battlechip Samurai Sword!" R-Pyra called as the chip formed in placed of her hand. Dragoman formed his sword to successfully block her strike. Seemed she needed to be using the Yuugou program to get that power and strength increase.
'I see... When Saratu injured us before she was using Dragoman's Anger Power program. Unless she activates the Yuugou program again she can't use it.' Ademu thought as he looked on.
(At the Science Labs...)
"How are things going on the mission Yuuichiro-kun?" Neta questioned.
"Not too well, Seachman and his team just got ambushed by viruses on their way to the Dimensional Core, and R-Laserman looks to be too much for R-Rockman to handle alone" Yuuichiro replied.
"Where are Enzan and Blues?" Neta asked.
"Blues isn't all the way recovered from the Dark Chip Enzan had to use on him to save himself and Rockman against Shademan. Enzan must be waiting on a bit longer for him to heal up a bit more" Yuuichiro answered.
(Back in the Nebula server...)
With Dragoman keeping R-Pyra busy, Heart thought it was a good chance to get back to her body. She and Kendoman sneaked passed them either side and got to the link. Once there, Heart put her hands on the edge of her icon 'Spirit Release Program, execute...' Heart thought. Her icon then started to glow. Red energy began to pour out of it.
R-Pyra noticed this and looked back, Dragoman tried to attack her while she was off guard, but she put up a Black Barrier and he smacked right off it. She formed a Bomb chip, but it was black in color.
'Pyra! Regal said we just had to keep her from getting back to her body! Deactivate that bomb!' Saratu thought to her Navi, scolding her.
Pyra didn't comply with her request, and grinned evilly. She activated a program, and Saratu lost conciousness, but Pyra was still able to control her. She then threw the bomb at Heart, whom had a new form in front of her. A red tinted girl a head taller than Heart had formed, anyone could guess this was Michirure. The bomb hit Heart in the back, and it exploded. She was deleted instantly, but the force of the blast knocked Michirure into the link, and she disappeared, Kendoman didn't see this over the smoke left by the explosion, and he logged out.
"Saratu!" an angered voice called to R-Pyra, she turned around and saw Dragoman, with a red aura around him, and his blade glowing a crimson color.
'Damn, I forgot about the Anger Power program, damnit Saratu, why couldn't you slot the Dragoman chip in before we fused?' Pyra thought.
Dragoman charged forward and began to slash at Pyra, whom was having trouble dodging his attacks, the first attack made contact with the Black Barrier she formed and it disappeared.. She knew guarding against his attacks wouldn't work, his power had increased too much for that.
'His power has gone way over mine and Saratu's in Cross Fusion, I'd better log out before I get both of us killed' Pyra thought as she continued to dodge Dragoman's swipes. 'But he's not giving me the time to, if I try to log out he'll delete us, I have to wait until the barrier reforms, then I'll log out' she thought to herself. After dodging Dragoman's swipes a few more times, the Black Barrier reformed. She backed up a bit and then prepared to log out. Dragoman charged at her, only to hit the barrier as she logged out.
"Dragoman, calm down. We lost her" Ademu told his Navi. He nodded and the aura, and his sword, disappeared.
"But we've gotta catch her Ademu" Dragoman told his operator.
"I know, but she'll have returned to the real world, and she'll have access to Michirure's body. Without her AI, it's useless to us" Ademu replied.
"I'm sorry Ademu, I should've been watching her. If she hadn't tried to get to the link, then R-Pyra wouldn't have used that bomb" Dragoman said, hanging his head.
"Don't worry about it Dragoman, I should've been watching too. C'mon, log out. It won't be long before Nebula's other Navis get there" Ademu told his Navi, he nodded.
Dragoman.EXE: Logging Out
(Elsewhere...)
Saratu was waking up. She was on her bed, Pyra must have brought her here after logging out. "Wait, Heart!" Saratu said, remembering what happened before she lost conciousness. She looked around her quarters, and noticed her PET was rested in it's charger. "Pyra, I can't believe you did that" she told her.
"The only way I could think of stopping Heart from getting back in her body from where she was, was to delete her. We both had our orders Saratu" Pyra answered.
"I know Pyra, but I don't think Regal-hasake had her deletion in mind. Well, there's nothing we can do about it now" Saratu replied.
Pyra could see she had upset her operator by what she had done. It looked like Saratu was rested up from the Cross Fusion, so she decided to cheer her up. "Saratu, Regal and Laserman left soon after we went to the internet, and he hasn't returned. We can get Kurisutaru out of here if you're up to fusing again" Pyra spoke up.
"What? He left Kuri-chan here? Okay, let's get her out of here" Saratu replied.
(Minutes later, Nebula main computer)
'Um, Saratu, if we can get Kurisutaru out of here, are you going to continue to work for Regal-hasake?' Pyra questioned.
"I'll have to, I'm already in enough trouble as it is, and I don't want to get Dad and Kuri-chan into trouble with the Net Saviors, or with Nebula, since Regal could send his operatives to Creamland and hold them hostage, and force me to work for him. I don't want that" Saratu answered.
R-Pyra reached a cage of data, Umi was asleep inside. "Pyra, can you hack it?" Saratu asked. Pyra scanned the cage.
'I should be able to, just give me a couple of minutes' Pyra replied as she started to work. R-Pyra's typing woke up Umi.
Umi rubbed her eyes as she sat herself up. As her sight focused, she saw R-Pyra, working to free her. "Wait... Aren't you Saratu?" Umi asked.
"Glad to see you're okay Kuri-chan, don't worry, we'll have you out of here in a moment" Saratu answered back with a slight smile, then returned her attention to the screen that Pyra had opened to hack her way into the cage to unlock it. A few minutes later, the cage disappeared.
Umi jumped up and hugged R-Pyra "Saratu! I missed you..." Umi said to her, R-Pyra gave a brief hug before they let go.
"We need to get you out of her quickly Kuri-chan, can you move with your fin?" Saratu questioned, Umi shook her head.
"I'm sorry Saratu-chan, but I'm not used to it" Umi answered.
"Don't worry, just grab onto me" Saratu replied, kneeling herself down so Umi could get onto her back. Umi wrapped her arms around R-Pyra's neck and her fin lightly around her waist. R-Pyra stood herself back up and linked herself out of the Nebula server.
(In the Science Labs, later...)
After bringing Umi to the Science Labs' Server, R-Pyra emerged into the real world, in the same room she had been forced to stay in. She put Umi down on the bed, and Umi let go of her.
"What now? The Net Saviors will arrest you if they catch you here" Umi asked.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to be here long. I'm just going to turn you back to normal" Saratu answered as she grabbed onto Umi's icon. She started to turn it. Eventually, the icon came loose, and Umi's form retreated into it, revealing Kurisutaru in her human form once again. "I'm not sure if I'll get to see you again Kuri-chan, but I promise to keep in touch when I can, okay?" Saratu told her, tears formed in Kurisutaru's eyes. The icon she had taken off of Kurisutaru had formed into her PET, she put it down on the bed beside her sister.
"Saratu-chan, I don't want you to go, now I know you're okay, I want you to stay..." Kurisutaru replied, Saratu Crossed Out, catching her PET.
"Come here Kuri-chan" Saratu said, holding her arms out. Kurisutaru buried herself in Saratu's chest, now crying openly. Saratu stroked the back of her head, fighting tears in her own eyes. "I know you don't want to see me go Kuri-chan, but if I don't, you and Dad will get into trouble. I want both of you to stay safe" Saratu tried to comfort her, getting no result. "Hey, tell Mom this isn't her fault, I don't want her to feel sorry for herself because of this..." she said. Kurisutaru looked up, and opened her eyes.
"Y-you believe her?" Kurisutaru questioned. Saratu smiled warmly, nodding.
"Hey, just because I'm not there, doesn't mean everything is going to go wrong for you Kuri-chan" Saratu told her, she let go of Kurisutaru and reached under her jumper, and took off a necklace, then offered it to Kurisutaru "I want you to have this, to remember me by. Dad said Mom bought it for me before she died, I bet she still remembers it" she added. Kurisutaru nodded and took it from Saratu's hand, then put it on. Saratu backed up a little and Cross Fused with Pyra again.
"Saratu, don't go..." Kurisutaru replied after she had put the necklace on, reaching out for R-Pyra.
"I'm going to miss you too Kuri-chan, goodbye..." R-Pyra replied as she transferred herself back to the internet. Kurisutaru began to cry openly again.
(Later...)
Kurisutaru had been found by the Science Labs' staff. She hadn't woken up yet. Yuuichiro and Meijin were making sure she was okay.
"Looks like she cried herself to sleep, wonder what upset her this much?" Yuuichiro asked, noticing the girl's tear stained face.
"I can answer that Hikari-hasake" Umi spoke up. She had just brought herself out of sleep mode.
"What happened?" Yuuichiro asked the Navi.
"It was Saratu that brought Kuri-chan back here, and separated us. Kuri-chan didn't want Saratu to leave her, but she explained that she would get her and Reo into trouble with the Net Saviors, and Nebula if she stayed. I know how much they care about each other, and it tore her apart" Umi answered.
"Maybe Neta can cheer her up, but she is still infected..." Meijin said.
"Neta couldn't even speak when Kurisutaru last saw her, she should be able to cheer her up" Yuuichiro replied.
(Days Later...)
"Didn't I tell you Netto? Saratu still cares about her family, she's doing this to keep Kuri-chan and Reo-kun safe" Neta said. Everyone was in Ademu's room, everyone's Navis were shown on a nearby monitor. Ademu was healed up a bit more, and was sat up, with Kurisutaru sat on the bed next to him. Everyone else were in chairs around the room.
"Yeah... But what about Kuri-chan? Saratu probably cares about her more than her father, and she was hurt by her leaving" Netto replied.
Ademu had an arm over Kurisutaru's shoulders, whom was sobbing quietly. "It's because Kurisutaru doesn't have that many friends, that's why she didn't want Saratu to go" he spoke up.
"But at least she has us now" Roll called from the computer, everyone present nodded.
"I know, but Saratu and me have always been close, she's always been there to support me, even when I was blind. She's the best friend I've ever had..." Kurisutaru replied.
Meiru got out a tissue and handed it to Kurisutaru "Here, and cheer up Kuri-chan, even though you're going back home soon, we'll support you. And Saratu said she'd keep emailing you when she could. So you haven't lost her. Anyway, didn't Ademu say he was going to come back with you to Creamland?" she told her.
Kurisutaru nodded, and wiped her eyes. "Thanks, and you're right Meiru, I should stop feeling sorry for myself because Saratu left. Despite what she said, I'll see her again, someday" she replied, now with a smile on her face.
"That's the spirit Kuri-chan" Neta added, smiling at her daughter. Kurisutaru turned to the monitor.
"But you're still infected with that virus, and it's got worse since you were infected. If you hadn't been fused with me, then you'd be okay" Kurisutaru said.
"Don't get upset because of this Kuri-chan, sure I'm a windup doll now, but Yuuichiro-kun will cure me of this virus eventually" Neta told her.
"See? Nothing to worry about" Yaito added.
"I guess so. Just remember to keep in touch with me, okay?" Kurisutaru questioned, everyone else nodded.
"I gave everyone your email address Kuri-chan, so their Navis can email us if they want to" Umi said.
(End of Chapter)