The Grand Ball
Chapter 18: A Surprise Attack
Rana Residence 7:50
/I hope they're having fun at the ball./ Grandma Rana was walking around the house cleaning a little bit. She was tired after all and she kept thinking about Mrs.Rana's relationship with the children.
/She has been gone for a long time.../ Grandma Rana thought. She sighed and put the broom away in a small closet.
Outside 7:53
"Well, well. Looks like the old coot is alone." Hawkman cackled.
"Be quiet bird." Master Shukun said. He was wearing a cloak, a black one so that he was invisible in the dark.
"We must aim this perfectly..."
Master Shukun watched the old lady locking the last window and the last door. She turned on a light in the living room and sat down.
"Perfect..." Master Shukun jumped and aimed Hawkman to a slot of the house. Hawkman went to work...and a shrieking scream was heard inside...
Ayano Mansion 7:55
Lan and Maylu had finally went inside seeing that the guests were still dancing from the music. They looked around to see their friends but they were no where in sight...
"Maylu..." Maylu turned around and saw Yai telling her to come to her. Maylu tugged Lan's sleeve and whispered something to him. Lan nodded and he went somewhere else. Yai approached to the red-haired girl and smiled.
"Well?" Yai asked. Maylu was confused.
"Well what?" Maylu asked.
"How was it?" Yai grinned specially.
"Uh...I don't know what you're talking about..." Maylu turned away. Yai suspects that she was blushing.
"Don't be dense Maylu..." Yai crossed her arms. Maylu sighed and smiled.
"If this is about...you know, then well..." Maylu blushed.
"Ha ha. You can't fool me Maylu." Yai pointed to her. She sighed once again and said,
"It was...wonderful." Maylu squealed as Yai did the same. Only a few guests saw them but ignored it.
"You did it Maylu. And I'm proud." Yai said.
"Thanks..." Maylu whispered. "And now my eternal love is made..."
Another side of the Ball 8:00
"Hey! Calista! Are you there?" Lan asked everywhere he went. He had to tell Calista something and it seems serious.
"Lan?"
Lan turned around and saw Calista holding Oscar's hand.
"Oh...hey." Lan went over to the girl.
"What is it?" Calista asked. Calista told Oscar to find Chisao and Oscar ran off to a different area...an unknown area...
"Oscar...this is a bad idea..." Wrenchman saw him go somewhere else with no people.
"I just want to look around. No big deal." Oscar smiled. But he wasn't prepared for the worst.
"Well...do you see something strange about me?" Lan asked.
"Besides kissing Maylu? No..." Calista smiled.
"Hah. I see you found out..." Lan said.
"Yup...but why do you ask?" Calista asked. Then she felt a shock as she looked in her chest.
"Hold on..." Calista grabbed her chip and it started to glow.
/Is it time/ Calista thought.
"What's happening?" Lan pulled his sleeve up and he saw his wrist glowing red.
The mansion turned into eternal darkness. Guests stopped dancing and stared around the dark dimension. The music turned silent and Yai's father had went in the middle of the room.
"EVERYONE! WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM! UNTIL THEN EVACUATE IF DANGER OCCURS!" He commanded. The guests took his path and they began to go out the main doors.
"Glide! What is going on?" Yai asked.
"I don't know Miss Yai. Somehow something destroyed the main walls of the systems." Glide responded.
"Where are the security navis?" She asked.
"They're-They just fainted..." Glide said.
"Fainted? How?" Yai asked a million questions to Glide but it was difficult for him to answer. Just then a flash of a holographic screen appeared. Master Shukun showed himself in his lair.
"WHO ARE YOU?" Lan commanded. The man stayed silent until he responded.
"HA. FOOLS...I WON'T REVEAL MYSELF. That reminds me...YOU DON'T KNOW THAT SOMEONE IS MISSING?" Master Shukun cackled. Everyone looked around except that only a few people stayed around the area.
"Oh no..." Everyone turned around to see Calista with her hands in her shoulders.
"What is it?" Armella asked her operator. Calista began to sprung out emotions.
"OSCAR! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HIM?" Calista shouted. Everyone looked around and she was right. Oscar was no where in sight and his P.E.T was losing signals every second.
"LOOKS LIKE YOU SOLVED THE MYSTERY..." Master Shukun had moved out of the way and there was Oscar unconscious and her grandmother(?) right next to him. It turns out that Hawkman captured Oscar with a small dimensional area that no one noticed. Master Shukun had successfully carried the old lady and gave her a little sleeping gas.
"No..." Calista whispered.
"THE ONLY WAY OUT OF THIS IS TO HAND OVER THE CHIP..." Master Shukun commanded.
"Or else..." He whispered and Shukun had turned his chair and Hawkman was harming Oscar by pecking him...violently. Oscar winced a bit and he didn't really wake up. Although behind those closed eyes he was holding back tears. Calista couldn't take it anymore. She is feeling the pain from her family and she never wants to feel it ever again...
"I'LL DO IT!" Calista agreed. "JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE!"
"HA...VERY WELL. HERE IS SOMETHING TO FIND ME..." Master Shukun had threw a small card and can you believe it? It went right through the holographic screen and landed on Calista's hand.
"AND IF YOU DON'T DO AS YOU WERE TOLD...YOU KNOW THE PENALTIES..." Master Shukun's screen disappeared and everyone was silent.
/Darn.../ Calista thought. She stood up and she began to look at the card.
"I'll take that." Yai had stole the card from Calista and she wanted to help.
"Hmm...this is hard to read..." Yai stared at it once more.
"Even when I know all the languages of the world..." She couldn't help but brag.
"Let me."
Everyone turned to Calista's P.E.T where Armella asked.
"Please." Armella said quietly.
"Can you?" Calista showed the card to Armella.
"Hmmm..." Armella stared at it closely as she can. Her eyes were amazing...
"Got it. The destination is Dentech City's Ayano Tech...but..." Armella gaped.
"Yes?" Calista asked.
"...That's all I can see...sorry. If only I can see better..." Armella frowned. Calista sighed. Then she made her move.
"...I'll be going..." She whispered to herself. She walked toward the front door and someone was blocking her.
"Please I have to save my family..." She whispered. She had her head down to avoid eye contact.
"You are not doing it alone..." Chaud held her shoulders. Calista fidgeted as Chaud let go.
"I need to save them. They're my lifesavers...I won't avoid this mission." Calista said hoarsely.
"You are not doing this mission alone like he said." Lan went over to the girl. "We will do everything we can. Don't lose hope."
Calista never thought about it in a way that it comforted her. The advice...from Armella was echoing in her head much more.
/Always stand tall and speak strong.../
She questions herself. What does it really mean? Why was she even thinking about her advice now? All she could think about was the stressful fears and cries of help. And that cracked her mind...
/Help.../
Calista shook her head as it made her dizzy like a mule. Lan and Chaud watched the scene of Calista while she put her hand on her forehead with closed eyes. She sighed.
"...Armel..." She whispered to the P.E.T. Her navi was worried as she politely gazed at her.
"Yes?"
"Can you look one more time...I want to do something..." Calista ripped the chip out of the necklace and she held it tight.
/I don't want to do this to you but.../ Calista held the chip high in the air...
"Cally No!" Armella shouted but it was too late. Calista had slotted in the chip swiftly as Armella began to faint. The chip was supposed to be handed in to the man.
"Cally...why?" Armella's symbol was glowing rapidly.
"I'm sorry...but it's for the best..." Calista had tears in her eyes. Everyone was startled by her reaction and Lan went up to her.
"Calista..." Lan whispered softly. "What does the chip do? Tell us."
/He begged.../ Calista thought as she wiped a few tears away.
"Lan..." She whispered to the boy. Lan's eyes widened.
"WHAT! WHY?" He shouted. Chaud pushed him away and held Calista's hands.
"What did you tell Lan?" He begged just like him. Calista shook her head.
"I won't tell you but..." Calista held the P.E.T.
"Armel...how are you feeling?" She asked awkwardly. Chaud knew that she changed the subject...but he will find out soon.
"I feel much better..." Armella whispered. Although she was lying. But since Calista did this movement to her she has to act the same way.
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The chip...was evil. It was called the Time Chip. When a navi uses this chip(even though it is one of a kind) it has an unusual...time limit. That time limit was when the navi will become much stronger and powerful. The navi's body will be raised in its top priority such as eyesight and focus. But one tiny detail and it was one of the biggest. When the time limit was finished...that navi will be...deleted. No one knows why anyone would create a chip like this...
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"Good. Now can you check the card once more?" She held the card high in the air.
"Let's see..." Armella thought quietly amongst herself.
"Ah-ha." Armella smiled not mentioning a change. "Behind Ayano Tech there's a black gate..."
Yai stared at the two friends as she said one thing. "Hold on...I remember a black gate behind Ayano Tech but I barely see it." Yai commented. Calista turned back to the P.E.T.
"Armella we have to go there." Calista commanded.
"Right. And Cally..." Armella whispered. Calista went closer to the P.E.T.
"Whatever happens...I will always love you." Calista held back the tears.
"Same here..."
Dentech City's Ayano Tech 8:45
Everyone had changed onto his or her regular clothes since it will be a difficult mission. Yai had escorted them all in her special jet that can go in top speed. When it landed at the Ayano Tech parking lot, that was deserted, all the teens went out of the jet swiftly and stared at the cold building.
"I haven't seen this building in a long time..." Yai whispered.
"Well...we should begin..." Calista went behind the Ayano building searching around for a gate. Everyone did the same but nothing was seen.
"Cally. I see a riddle in this card..." Calista had digitalized the card in order for Armella to see better in the Cyber World.
"Tell me." Calista asked.
"Okay." Armella began the riddle:
'I'm large as a building...and a guard to put around...but I barely can move and I never make a sound...'
Armella ended the riddle. The others heard the riddle while searching around more.
/A guard.../ Calista thought. Then something startled her.
"Ow!" Approaching more throughout the building shocked Lan.
"Uh...I think I found something..." Lan pointed at the Ayano Tech building.
"There's a dimensional area..." Lan touched it once more and it was true. There was a dimensional area but it was invisible!
"Look!"
There were viruses attacking the building. Millions of them were appearing rapidly and marching to devour.
Scilab 8:47
"Dad! Dad!" Lan called from the main computer of the Scilab. He used the P.E.T for more contact. Dr.Hikari had heard the shout and rushed toward the main rooms.
"What is it Lan?" Dr.Hikari asked the boy.
"There is something-strange going on around the building. Can you get data on it?" Lan had told that he was near Dentech and he needed the help. He also told about Calista's family and Dr.Hikari wanted to help eagerly. He typed the location of the building and he had the final results.
"Lan...this is amazing!" Dr.Hikari was astonished. "The dimensional area is invisible..."
"Invisible? But how can that be possible? It was created with huge amounts of data!" Lan exclaimed.
"I know...but whoever did this might be the one who created it...and we didn't do much on invisibility..." Dr.Hikari thought more and sighed.
"Lan." Dr.Hikari began a command.
"Go inside the dimensional area. Since you felt the digital shock you can go in without much difficulty. But you have to gain the speed like before." He finished.
"Okay..." Lan cut contact and stared at his friends.
"Hey...you guys..." Lan was referring to Maylu, Dex, and all the others who couldn't crossfuse.
"I want you to go to the Scilab. This will put you in a lot of danger and we want you to be in a safe area. You can help over there and my dad will solve this situation." Lan said.
"Lan..." Maylu whispered. Lan walked toward the girl with keenness.
"I'll be all right. Right now we have to save everyone." Lan whispered back. Maylu held his hand gently. Maylu was silent as she let go.
"...Just be careful. Let's go." Maylu told the others and they nodded. Everyone left except Lan, Chaud, and Calista. The jet had flew away and it was going to the Scilab.
"Hey...the riddle...it's solved." Calista whispered.
"Yeah..." Armella said. Calista shook her head and faced the reality.
"Ready? We need speed in order to get in right?" Calista said. Armella was getting stronger and the time was still running. Calista doesn't know how much longer it will take.
"Yeah. And I think I found a way in..." Lan said. He pointed to a large redwood tree...
"Lan...we are not jumping from that are we?" Chaud asked.
"Chaud...we have been through danger before right? So this wouldn't be a big deal..."
"Lan! It's a large tree! How are we suppose to climb it in the first place?" Calista asked hyperactively. Lan sighed.
"You don't know much do you?" Lan smiled. The two teens were utterly confused. But the next thing they were surprised...
Scilab 8:50/Who knew that this could be so serious/ Dr.Hikari had searched more data about the unclear visions of the dimensional area. But it wasn't a success. Famous had watched him with great curiosity since he had already finished the rest of the data that he checked.
"They're here." A scientist came right out of the blue saying that a jet came in.
"Good. Lead them in here." Dr.Hikari ordered and the scientist did as he was told.
Scilab Main Entrance
"Okay. Dr.Hikari wants you immediately." The scientist led the teens to the room they were being held.
"Dr.Hikari. What can we do?" Maylu patted his shoulder.
"Well...all we can do is wait until Lan is in the dimensional area..." Dr.Hikari said softly.
"What? But that will take too much time! There must be something we can do..." Yai suggested.
"Wait..." Dr.Hikari began to type rapidly seeing windows and boxes popping out. And he found something that can help...
Ayano Tech 9:00
"Just watch me..." Lan went up to the tree and stared at it for a long time. He thought about visiting here a lot and playing with his friends. Yai...she had a lot of secrets.
"Lan what are you doing?" Calista sighed. Lan smiled.
"One..." Lan knocked the tree.
"Two..." He knocked again.
"Three!" Lan made the hardest knock that he can do and suddenly...
"Yes!"
A door...just opened in front of a tree. A ladder made a thud in the dirty ground and it looked so old.
"Whoa..." The other teens' eyes widened.
"Now we have to jump..." Lan straightened the ladder and he began to back away.
"Except...you have to jump not me..." Lan rubbed his neck.
"WHAT?" Calista was about to faint but Chaud held her back.
"Lan...how are you going to get inside for yourself?" Chaud asked. Lan backed away from the tree even more. He had put on his skates until he reached to where the dimensional area was.
"Relax...watch me." Lan started to skate rapidly for a start.
"Megaman how's the speed?" Lan asked.
"Really good Lan. This is perfect now." Megaman had showed a chart where it reached the speed limit.
"Great." Lan started to set sight of the tree and Lan jumped. He tipped his foot from the trunk and it made him jump back forward making him go backwards to the dimensional area. Armella guided the two friends as she used her sight to command them when to crossfuse.
"NOW!" She shouted.
"CROSSFUSION!" Lan and Megaman shouted and as Lan's back began to form in the dimensional area, so did his body. They were forming inside and they did it successfully.
"Lan! This is serious! We don't want to jump." Chaud yelled as Calista nodded with eager agreement on the other side.
"Okay. You know there is more inside the tree." Lan pointed and luckily there were no viruses coming after him. Chaud and Calista turned to the brunette's direction and saw something strange...
"J-J-Jet packs?" Calista stared. And it was! The jetpacks were the color army green and the rockets had a lot of fuel.
"You're kidding...right?" Chaud asked.
"Not unless you want to jump..." Lan pointed to the large tree. Calista shook her head and held on Chaud tight. Chaud sighed.
"Fine. Calista let's go..." Chaud and Calista began to walk away and grabbed a couple of packs. They started to back away from the tree and into an open-aired area.
"Ready?" Chaud asked as he held Calista's hand.
"Yeah..." Calista whispered.
"Hey! Are you going or what? I'm having trouble!" Lan shouted as he tested his head cannon and it was a pretty good chip to handle. Chaud and Calista nodded as they put it on in their packs and pressed a button to begin. The fuel was in high power and Calista waited for the moment when she heard a...
BOOM
The jetpacks started to effect and the teens were slowly lifted up. Calista was frightened but Chaud patted her shoulder in a comforting way.
"When I say to release the jetpack from your back...do it..." Chaud whispered. Calista nodded as she heard every word.
"And when you release...grab the P.E.T and hold my hand..." Chaud said once more. But then...
WHOOSH
The jetpacks were flying with rapid speed. Chaud grabbed his P.E.T first and Protoman nodded.
"NOW CALISTA!" Chaud yelled.
Calista quickly took off the pack and it made an explosion. She felt like she was blown off course but she grabbed her P.E.T from her pocket and Chaud held out his hand. Calista went closer and closer but she felt like she was falling off a cliff. Chaud made his hand go near and Calista grabbed it quickly. Chaud released his pack since they were near the dimensional area and it also exploded like fireworks. The two teens began to fall above the dimensional area and with Armella's eyes they were able to tell which was above.
"CROSSFUSION!" The two teens went inside and they were still holding hands as they were in. They swiftly let go and blushed.
"Uh...hello? I NEED HELP!" Lan shouted as he fell down.
"Bamboo Sword! Battlechip in!" Chaud yelled and a sword appeared in his right arm. He slashed the viruses in half and Calista searched around. She ended up seeing ten Lil Cloud virus as it contained rain.
/It's an water virus.../ Calista thought.
"Electro Sword. Battlechip in!" Calista formed the blurred sword as it crackled with shocks. She slashed all of them with a blow of thunder.
"HEAD CANNON! FULL POTENTIAL!" Lan shouted and the head cannon began to spin round and round. It shot millions and the viruses...were deleted.
"Lan! That was a perfect synchronize!" Calista smiled.
"Uh...thanks..." Lan scratched his forehead. Chaud slashed the last virus that was still living.
Scilab 9:15
"What is it Dr.Hikari?" Famous rushed to the information that the scientist found.
"The black gate...it's...Lan!" Dr.Hikari called from the computer.
"What is it Dad? I'm searching!" Lan shouted.
"We found the black gate..." Dr.Hikari said.
"What? Where?" Lan asked frantically. Dr.Hikari stopped him with his hand in the air. He was a little strange to say this to his son but it was the only way to find the black gate.
"Lan. I want you to shoot the ground..." That was all that Dr.Hikari had said.
"That's it? What for?" Lan asked more.
"Yes. We have to show you where to shoot. So..." Dr.Hikari turned to the other teens.
"I want you to log all your navis inside the Ayano building. Yai, is it possible that the building still has running technology?" He asked the girl with braids.
"Well, the main computer is still running so..."
"That would work!" The others shouted.
"Very well. Do it now and quickly!" Dr.Hikari commanded. The teens went to a slot in machine.
"JACK IN! ROLL!"
"GLIDE!"
"GUTSMAN!
"ICEMAN!"
"POWER UP!" The teens shouted and all the navis are loaded in.
Scilab Cyber World 9:20
"Okay. Follow my directions. I know how to get there since I used to work." Glide said and the others nodded. They began to see a tunneling way that Glide thinks was a special shortcut before. And soon they were in the main computer of Ayano Tech.
"Okay..." Glide searched around and stared at the computer loading. Then it beeped.
"Now all I need to do is find the grounds and it will be a success." Glide went to work.
/But you have to do this fast/ Glide thought. He popped so many windows that he couldn't find a single area that had a weak ground. The navis were getting impatient and they wanted to help. But Glide knows what he was doing. Until...
"Yes!" Glide found a window that showed many weak grounds but they had to find out which one...
"Dr.Hikari tell Lan to get ready. And the others too." Glide smiled. Another window popped up and Lan appeared on one of them.
Ayano Tech 9:25
"Great job Glide now tell us." Lan said.
"Very well..." Glide stared at the main ones that probably will work.
"The left side of the building." He said. Calista was on the left side.
"Hi Cannon. Battlechip in!" Calista's hand had become a cannon and she shot the ground below her. Apparently it wasn't the one.
"Okay...the right side..." Glide suggested and Chaud was ready.
"Mega Cannon battlechip in!" Chaud's hand did the same thing and he shot the ground as hard as he can. It...wasn't the one either.
"Lan...it's up to you." Glide stared at the last one. Will it work?
"This time I want you to do a Chargeshot in the middle of the ground. Do not destroy the building though!" Glide sweatdropped.
"All right. Thanks for the help." Lan stood in the middle as Glide waved good bye and logged out.
"Megaman...let's do it." Lan whispered.
"Right."
Lan took a deep breath and focused more on the ground. Megaman's power went up and Lan opened his eyes.
"CHARGESHOT!" It felt like they were in Full Synchro but this time their power was in their hearts. Lan jumped high in the air and the shot was powerful that the ground shook. Calista and Chaud got out of the way and the ground exploded like an earthquake in affect.
"Lan...open your eyes..." Megaman whispered. Lan opened them as he was still in the air. He saw something so amazing.
"Whoa..."
And it was amazing! There was something underground the whole time. The circle that exploded was very round and large. Under the ground there was another building and it was made of steel. And...finding the black gate was a success. It was in front of the building!
"Gosh..." Calista whispered. "That must be where my family is being held..." She whispered and stared at Armella. She was losing power after all that waiting.
"We have to search fast now!" Calista said.
"Let's go down there." The two boys nodded and jumped down to the...can you believe it? Water!
SPLASH
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Calista was the first one to come up to the surface as she stared at the black gate.
/Well...this is it.../ Calista thought and the boys came from the surface also.
/It's time.../ Calista jumped in the air and she landed on top of the gate.
/Ugh...I feel so weak.../ Cally touched her symbol that dimmed and flashed with light over and over.
/Cally...the time limit is fading.../ Armella whispered.
/Man...I hated the maniac...Shukun.../ Calista whispered. She saw the black engraved letters: REO. There was a cobbled path leading the way...
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