Mental Trauma
Stage 4: Fan girl to the rescue!
"Enzan! Open up! It's me!" Netto cried out, obviously overly excited. Unable to stay in one place for too long, he'd hop on one foot, and onto the other.
"Netto-kun! Yamete kudasai." Rockman urged. "Please stop! You're making me dizzy!"
"I can't help it Rockman! I'm so happy! I can poke you, I can poke you!" Netto laughed quite joyfully.
Rockman broke a sweat-drop, however he too was rather curious to discover the wonders of physically poking Netto. Cross fusion had been the closest thing to it. However, the option of poking a part of himself was not something he wondered about. Hugging his Net Op and ending up tickling each other into submission. It sounded like the time of their lives. They could feel each other's excitement brewing substantially fast, and roaring. They awaited the opening of the massive doors, or at least a call from Enzan through the speakers. Obviously, they got neither. Netto idly tapped his foot on the quality flooring of cement, feeling a song in his head form to the rhythm.
"Who wants to be a millionaire, la, la, la, la…" He sang rather absentmindedly, his mind mocking Enzan's quantitative property. The rhythm came to a halt as Netto's foot slammed against the ground. "Argh! Stupid Enzan!" Netto shrilled, feeling his leg going numb. "I didn't come here to sprain my ankle!"
"Netto-kun! Ochitsuke kudasai!" Rockman slightly panicked. "Don't make a scene and embarrass yourself!"
"I don't care about image, Rockman!" He pressed the shiny red button underneath the speaker, and howled into it. "ENZAN! Come now! Do it or I'll sneak through a window or something and—" a hand grabbed his finger and pulled it away from the shininess.
"And trigger almost all of the alarm systems, freak out the maids and trigger lock downs in the entire mansion. Is that what you want Netto?" Came a familiar voice, with scolding in his tone.
"Hey! What's the big deal?" Netto yelled. He turned around and found the mint-haired dead, a serious look on his face as usual. "Laika! You showed up! Now I don't have to wait alone!" The brunette cheered.
"What about me?" Rockman pouted. Netto just laughed nervously.
"I take it you've been waiting more than one would like to. It must be pretty big for you of all people to be waiting at the door for so long, but then we all have our days." Laika gave the slightest grin.
"It's big alright! I'm talking dimensional area big!" Netto spread his arms wide to describe the bigness of the topic. Laika raised an eyebrow, which to others is like eyes widening; both eyebrows raised and head tilted slightly downwards and massive suspicion lingering in the pupils. "I'm serious! He told me he had one installed! Wait, were you calling me impatient?" Netto caught on. Best time so far.
"Wouldn't think of it." Laika said lamely. "I… was calling you… motivated… You know what? Never mind I was calling you impatient." Though his face little changed, his attitude certainly twisted. Netto frowned and pouted, arms crossed and turned his back to face the closed door again. Laika, pretty sure no cameras focused on him, gave a smile and inner chuckle at the younger Net Saviors' response. "Mou… don't worry, Netto. I'm sure Enzan will come soon enough." Laika assured. Soon enough was sooner than they had expected; they began to hear chatting on the other side of the door, then some mysterious sounds of yelling and contempt that drew itself nearer to them. Laika withdrew half a step, and Netto pulled back three steps, one leap and a step behind Laika. "Hey! I'm no human shield!" Laika snapped.
"Military are meant to protect the civilians! Now protect! Protect I say!" Netto cried, hand on Laika's shoulder to boost him up. It was most likely to see the slaughter to come.
"Oh, I'm so sure a Net savior is put into the category of civilian. Saving them from digital harms is nothing." Laika retorted.
"Net Saviors are undercover as civilians! Military are NOT undercover!"
"They are some times!" Laika glared.
"That may be so, but have you looked in the mirror lately?" With that the sounds died on the other side, and so did both Laika and Netto's bickering. The brunette dove behind the 'soldier' and tugged on the uniform.
"Wrinkle it and you do my laundry for a month." Laika scolded, not once did he take his eyes off the bronze doorknob that twisted and turned slow and almost hauntingly. His right arm raised almost protectively in front of Netto, "Don't move."
"Don't plan to!" Netto's teeth chattered.
The door slowly slid open, no creaking and no screeching. Netto peaked over the arm curiously and blinked. No creaking was a good sign. "E… Enzan is that you?" Netto stammered, as the door slid open further a red gleam shone through. "Oh no! Enzan must be covered in blood! The maids mutinied because of Enzan's frequent abuse being too cruel to them and now he opens the door to run after being nearly slaughtered!" The brunette net savior shrilled. Laika whirled around and gave Netto a smack upside the head. "Ow! Or… maybe it's just his vest…" He corrected himself. Rockman sighed and idly scratched his head.
"Netto…" Laika pointed through the open door. Netto trembled as his head tilted strangely to look in the door's direction. It revealed the white and black haired boy with blue grayed eyes and a red arm wrung around his throat. The hand of the arm had the symbol of a familiar red Navi. Netto's eyes widened and his mouth dropped in disbelief, arms dangling at his sides. Laika's eyebrows raised. Yes, both of them. "Enzan… is that… could it be… Blues?"
"In the flesh!" Blues started to singsong, jumping up and down and around. The two noticed Blues' helmet was removed, his glossy hair flowing all over the place. He grabbed Enzan's limp hands and swung them back and forth. Netto stumbled in front of Laika, slightly shoving him. Blues came to a halt, with a cat-like smile on his face. Netto walked one slow examining walk around Blues. He poked Blues' tummy, which made him jumpy. He sent himself on another lap around Blues, and tugged at the slivery locks, running his fingers through it. Blues screamed as if all hell would break lose as he pulled his precious hair away. "Iie! Only Enzan-sama gets to do that! Eh?" Blues paused; Netto had apparently been heavily startled by the scream of terror ringing in his ears, and hid behind Laika. He studied Netto's new timid little face. Blues' face lit up, smiles, wide-eyes and all. "Ka…" His hands trembled in front of his face and his hands clasped together. "KAWAII DESU!" He squealed, pulling Netto into a deathly hug. That was when Netto and Laika noticed the brand new feminine-like tone in his voice.
"No! Let me go! I have a life to life! Kids to come home to! Ah!" The brunette pleaded, hopelessly struggling to break free from the hug of doom.
"Since when did you have kids…" Laika raised an eyebrow shortly after his gawking recovery, hands pressed to his sides (Notice I didn't say hips? That's how much I adore Laika's masculinity! XD)
"I don't have them yet but my future is definitely down there somewhere!" The boy whined. Laika rolled his eyes. He looked into the eyes of the happy-go-lucky Red Navi. They were less than what Laika had expected. They were a bluish pink. Blues noticed the gaze brought down upon him and made eye contact with the soldier. Laika instantly stiffened up, though no one could tell.
"L-Laika-san!" Blues let go of Netto, pulling one foot back, hands behind his back and a little pink brewing in his face. Enzan in the background slapped his forehead. The mint-haired boy's eyes widened "Ko—konnichiwa, Laika-san!" Blues pulled a ninety-six degree bow, a funny smile on his face.
"Eh… Konnichiwa… Blues…" Laika said, each syllable slowly and nervously. He looked as if he were scared that Blues would jump him at any second. "Enzan, if you mind my asking, what emotional subroutine is this, and why does he have it?" Enzan dragged himself out of the shadows of the mansion.
"No idea… but… I… don't… like it…" Enzan muttered. He looked half dead in his shimmering blue eyes. Blues hand once again latched himself to Enzan, cuddling and purring against the boy's pale cheek. Laika twitched and tried to ignore the awkwardness and studied Blues, had to toe. "I think it's his squeamish girly side… make a note of the funky eyes, and the brand spankin' new voice." Enzan commented as Laika began his circle around Blues. Something caught the teenager's eye. "What is it?"
"What's on his shoulder? This weird little chip. It's glowing rainbows on Blues." Laika pointed his white-gloved hand at it. He completely ignored Blues' hand shyly trying to ward off the pointing.
"That would be Hikari-hakase's dimensional emitter. It gives off a dimensional area off when connected to an activated Navi. It also measures the exact volume of them too. Netto, your father is beyond the genius I expected him to have. I just wish Blues could be… really here to experience it if you know what I mean…" Blues had gone behind Enzan, nervous of Laika's presence.
"Are you sure this isn't the glomp all but Laika stage? Because I could get used to this." Laika idly scratched the hair at the tip of his wedge. Enzan shrugged and glanced sadly at Blues, a small smile on his face.
"Not too sure why. Blues, what's so bad about Laika-san? Something on his face?" Laika raised an eyebrow slightly annoyed by the remark.
"Ano… Enzan-san, I'm not sure you're helping things." Can a voice at Laika's side. Blues' face lit up and looked in the direction of the voice, absentmindedly eyeing the left side of Laika's tunic. The soldier turned for his left to face the red Navi.
"Don't even think of it, Blues." Laika said rather warningly. Enzan gave a slight grin.
"He won't bite, Laika." Enzan said rather numbly. Laika shot him a look. "Relax or you'll be making Blues even more nervous."
"Wait," Netto cut in, yet again shoving Laika aside.
"Hey!" Laika scolded. Netto continued as if nothing happened.
"Papa?" he said, "Papa designed the chip? Probably the dimensional area in your house too, right?" Netto grasped the shoulders of the white and black haired boy. "Hey! How come Papa put one in your house and not mine?" The brunette whined.
"Netto-kun!" Rockman called from the PET pouch. "With the kind of space you take up? It's a surprise we can still make it through the front door." Enzan grinned, and Laika gave a small smile. Netto frowned, pulled out the PET.
"Rockman?"
"Yes?"
"Shizukanishite…" Netto said dully. "Be quiet."
"Humph!" Rockman stuck out his tongue; Netto followed suit, and put the PET back into the pouch, facing Enzan again.
"Seriously! Why did Papa give it to you?" Netto whined.
"Maybe Rockman was right," Enzan shrugged. "You're not exactly the most organized—whoa!" Netto desperately grasped Enzan's shoulders.
"I'm organized!" He cried. "Give me a better reason!"
"Okay, maybe it's because my mansion has the better security and alarm system than your house?" he shrugged again. Netto pouted.
"Well, that's not fair…" Netto whined yet again. Enzan numbly patted the boy on the back. A pity pat one could call it. Before Enzan could say any comforting words, Blues stepped in between and shoved them apart.
"Too close! Too close! Step apart! Step apart!" Blues shrieked and grasped Enzan's shoulder. Netto stared baffled at the other boy and mouthed words of confusion. Enzan returned them with a shrug and mouthed other words of confusion. "Enzan-sama! Enzan-sama!" Blues sang, his index finger making circles on his chest. "Let's go inside! I want to see Rock-chan and Searchman!" Enzan rolled his eyes, and pulled Blues' hand away.
"Okay."
"Yay!" Blues shrieked happily, they all covered their ears. Blues grabbed Netto's hand and dragged him in. Though equally excited, Netto couldn't keep track of occurrences. "Come Netto! Come!"
"Whoa! Slow down!" Netto cried, Laika and Enzan watched the brunette fly into the mansion and up the stairs. The two shared a monotonous sigh.
"Blues has definitely become…" Laika was at a loss for words, and had faded out of his sentence. Enzan made an attempt to continue it.
"What? Psychotic? Squeamish? Provocative? Girly? Ridiculous? Mentally ill?"
"Different…" Laika raised an eyebrow. "It has yet to be an entire afternoon, and you already want him off already? I thought you'd have more patience than that, Enzan." The blue-eyed Net savior stared down at the floor, feeling rather awkward.
"No… Laika…" Enzan said quietly, "I can stand him, I'm perfectly fine with it… In fact I love it! It's funny, a little annoying but fun… It's just…"
"Just?" Laika prodded.
"How long is it going to last? What if… Blues can't take it? And what if he…" Enzan raised his head, worry blanketed over his eyes. Laika's hand twitched, and curled up into a tight fist. "I really… can't stand it if I lost him again…" Enzan's teeth clenched.
"Enzan…" Laika took a deep breath, and looked hard into the blue orbs of fear and worry. There was a silence as the mint-haired soldier began to sum up the words to explain. "It's… we need to talk… It's about Blues."
"Enzan-sama!" Blues called out. "Where do you store the rest of the chips? Rock-chan wants to see the outside world!" Enzan guided his eyes up the stairs to see Blues skipping down as content as possible.
"Just a minute Blues!" He replied, as pleasantly as he could be. "Go back up and watch them, I'm scared they might touch something and break it." Blues nodded and ran up the stairs again. He turned his focus back to Laika. "You were saying something about Blues?" Laika was silent for a moment, almost blank and distant in the face. "Laika?" The mint-haired boy shook his head slowly.
"No… It can wait… I'll tell you later." Laika smiled numbly. "Let's go, unless you don't mind leaving those three together." Enzan grinned, nodded and made his way up the stairs. Laika followed suit and pulled out his PET. The sniper had a look on his face.
"You should have told Enzan-san. Remember what Hikari-hakase had said?" Searchman said. Laika sighed heavily and gave him a slight nod.
"I know that…" Laika grimaced. "I think I can tell him at the end of the day…" Searchman sighed. "Enzan seems to be enjoying these new sides to Blues, and from what I can tell the Navi is far from the verge of total insanity." Laika reassured. Searchman gave yet another look. "What?"
"Pardon my being blunt, but so far on missions I've never heard of you being willing to take such enormous risks, Laika-san." Searchman said, obviously as bluntly as he could possibly get. Laika twitched and tightened his grip on the green PET. "If you think a few moments of happiness for Enzan with a new Blues' new attitude is worth his deletion—"
"No! Stop questioning me, that's not it!" Laika snapped, growing tired of Searchman's comments, but sighed. Searchman straightened up.
"My apologies! I'm only looking out for Blues and Enzan-san's best interest." The green Navi said quickly.
Laika sighed again, a little eased this time. "I know, Searchman, I know… Sorry about that…" He looked up the solid dark wood staircase, blanketed with a generous red carpet. Enzan was quite a distance from him at the moment. Laika stared sadly, almost longingly at the younger boy. He felt sorry for himself and Enzan. Laika took a deep breath, "E-Enzan?" The younger boy paused, and turned around, a curious smile on his face, with his hand on the railings for the needed support.
"Yes, Laika?" The boy said almost pleasantly. "Change your mind or something?" Laika was silent for a minute, face scorned and serious. The pleasant feeling the Ijuin gave off soon faded, and his face showed he was ready for any kind of heavy blow. "Laika…"
"Enzan…" Laika had sometimes been the barer of bad news and had no trouble telling it if something terrible had happened in combat practice or the real deal. He'd feel remorse obviously, but he could blurt it out. This for some reason had become considerably different. He couldn't remember the words, and if he did they would get caught in his throat. He sighed and gave up, "Everything will be all right… Please… don't worry…" Laika tried to smile for Enzan's sake, but he couldn't. He just couldn't. Enzan was silent for a moment to study Laika's facial features.
"Laika…" Enzan started slowly. "I… wish..." He stopped, looked down and sighed. Laika had yet to take his eyes off of him Enzan looked up again and smiled. "Laika, thank you, I'm sure it'll be fine too." He quickly turned around and went up the stairs at top drag-your-foot-around speed. Laika took off his wedge and massaged his temples in frustration. He continued up the stairs, realizing what a possibly huge mistake that he had made. Searchman remained silent for the rest of the flight of stairs. Only then did he finally see clearly through the paper-thin walls.
End chapter
Well, I hope you liked that chapter! I added some funky aloofness to it! I tried my best to update as soon as possible. I'm juggling this between 3 hours of schoolwork, sketching, piano practice, martial arts, and cramming. I'm doing my best I tell you. I can imagine you guys rolling your eyes and going, "Oh sure, blame it on other things but yourself." Trust me folks, this is as organized as I'm going to get. I'm not really organized at all. I try, I really do! Okay! Read and review!
Happy Halloween!