Um, here's chapter ten? This onetook a little while to write,but I'm pretty proud of it. Oh, and I once again, apologize forany mistakes you encounter.So,woo! Three cheers for Netto! Woo!

Enjoy! X3

-

Chapter Ten: Round One

There is nothing more irritating than a person that will just not shut up. They keep talking and talking about things you don't remotely care about, moaning and whining and laughing at stupid jokes that just aren't funny. And they actually think you're interested. It is often times like these when you wish you had a chainsaw and the authorization to cut their throats.

Enzan himself was experiencing this. Across the room sat the reason for his annoyance, complaining away about how he still wasn't being paid enough or this. Enzan glanced up as he began to rant.

"And another thing! Watches are priceless; you can't just sell them on the black-market. It's cruel and unusual!" Mikuro waved a fist.

He'd been talking to his fish for the last half hour. Enzan sighed and rubbed his face warily.

"I doubt watches are going to help you much, Mikuro." Enzan remarked. He did not like this scientist at all, from his selfish, arrogant attitude to his eccentric obsessions. But he was the only one who could do this, the only one who knew how to bring Netto and Rockman back home.

Mikuro scowled as he wheeled around, "Your uninspiring commentary isn't helping much, you know! I need silence, me time! Where I can piece together dazzling thoughts and create wonders. You being here has squashed my inspiration, however. Don't you have any manners? Butting into a conversation, honestly…" He swung back to face the computer screen. Complicated readings littered it, and the boy could only guess what they actually meant.

How could his goldfish stand him?

"Enzan!" Dingo's voice was piercing in the stuffy quiet, and the aforementioned boy turned to look at the door.

He burst in with a loud bang. Enzan didn't panic, watching the Native boy tumble to the floor and lay sprawled there most clumsily. Whatever he came for probably wasn't that important anyway.

Dekao followed, sniggering away at Dingo, and Yaito poked her head into the room.

Mikuro glanced back and grumbled something about "annoying interruptions." Enzan inquired, "What are you all doing in here?"

"We're done. We've finished cleaning." Yaito answered curtly, frowning in Enzan's direction.

"Hmph, you say you're finished, do you? Well, I'll just have to see about that." Mikuro hopped up from his seat and begun making his way out the door. He ended up stepping on Dingo—who moaned in response—without even a glance. Yaito moved out of the doorway as he passed.

"Where's Meiru-chan?"

"She said she wanted to be alone," was Dingo's pain-filled reply. Dekao helped him up as the white haired boy decided to turn to the computer. He shuffled closer and peered at the screen. There was a scan being performed currently: fifty percent complete. Enzan knitted his brows in impatience. How long could finding Netto and Rockman take?

--

They were supposed to be infiltrating the Resistance's central headquarters, sucking their information dry and discovering their location. Easy, except the Resistance's security password would be hard to hack and obtain. Not so simple after all.

Netto observed his surroundings, like a darker and less pleasing Internet City, the untenanted buildings loomed over the milling citizens. Beside him stood Cowboy and Raven, gripping his shoulder was Cat. He'd never seen a place like this with full experience, it had always been observed through the PET.

"Ah…the exquisite structure of the Rockman Empire. I gaze in awe every occasion I am allowed. Absolute beauty…" Raven murmured, eyes sparkling and voice indeed sounding awed. Cowboy rolled his eyes long-sufferingly, "it's jus' a heap o' scrap me'al. Ain't no marvel. Wingless 'ere jus' up on 'er'elf 'cause she 'elped design it."

Netto was just barely able to decipher what he was saying. How could these Navis stand the way he talked?

"Clamp your mouth with a crab's guillotine, you illiterate oaf." Raven retorted, glaring. Cat was oblivious to this heated exchange and giggled, "Naomi said we could hang out before you went on your 'assignment'. So let's have fun, okay?" Netto only nodded. What else could he do?

She dragged him along, past signs advertising the latest armor and upgrades, until they came upon a stadium.

Towering towards the digital sky, cheers could be heard through the thick walls, echoing with excited gusto.

"Ah, the battles of the Gladiators could have taken place in this very stadium! Look at its splendor, I gape with much amazement!" Raven outstretched her arm dramatically.

"Sketched ou' th' design 'n ever'thin'." Cowboy shook his head and yanked the female Navi towards the building. She scowled, but he just ignored it.

Netto was reminded of the N1 Grand Prix Net Battle Tournament. It was like remembering something fond, almost innocent. It made him think of how far he and Rockman had come. How they weren't just Net battling for fun anymore.

"It's so big, isn't it?" Cat's eyes continued to shine.

"Y-Yeah," He was disturbed by the Navis that waved to him. They found him familiar though it was not likewise. Netto was in quite an awkward situation.

The sign greeting them read: "Ultimate Dual Stadium!"

Netto didn't have a good feeling about this.

Inside, the stadium was jam-packed. Every seat was filled. Blimps with screens running commercials floated in circles overhead. Below was an arena, its floor made of dirt and sand with a white circle painted around the edge. It was empty at the moment.

All four of them inched along the stands, apologizing and excusing themselves the whole way, before finally plopping down into some spare seats near the front.

"Oh what joy, thou will be able to see the great dual! Oh what luck hath sanctified this very day." Raven commented excitedly.

"Yup," Cowboy nodded, studying everything.

"What kind of fighting do they do here?" Netto asked.

"They clean out the weaker ones, silly! Don't you remember? You're usually the star of the show!" Cat squealed, wriggling in her seat. She'd let go of his arm by now, and she spoke in her constantly bubbly tone, although the subject was anything but cheerful.

"Yes, you were indeed a valiant opponent: strong and swift, but kind to the very end." Raven nodded in accord. Netto would have loved to take this as a compliment, but then he remembered that they thought he was Cyber.

"Oh, oh, look! Look, it's starting!" Cat pointed wildly at the arena.

This was undeniably true. The lights were dimming, spotlights swiveled everywhere before joining and highlighting a Navi that stood in the middle of the pitch. He wore a top hat and a suit: The Announcer.

"Welcome to the Ultimate Dual Staaaaaadium!" His voice was sonorous yet loud, cheers arose as he spoke. Netto and the others clapped politely in response.

"Today we've got a real exciting pick for you! Are you READY?" Shouts answered his energized query, the throng's feelings echoing his tone. Netto watched the man, some reason feeling uneasy.

"Then, in this corner, we have Topman.EXE!" An old Navi materialized next to The Announcer, looking as though he'd already lost the fight. He was shaking like a leaf. Netto frowned.

"Annnnnnnnnnd in the other corner: Darkman!" A joyous roar sounded, Navis pounded the stands with their feet.

Netto was not happy. Not happy at all. Neither was Cowboy by the way he muttered, "Ain't fair." And it wasn't, oh it wasn't. Topman looked as though he'd taken a beating beforehand. There was no fairness in this whatsoever. No one, including Raven and Cat, seemed to care however. Feverish excitement still reverberated through the round building.

"READY?"

"Ready!" Everybody screamed, except Netto and the goggled Navi.

"Hey, Cowboy, what do they do with the Navis that lose?" Netto whispered, leaning over. The Navi sat to his left, Raven beside him. She was nearly hopping up and down in her seat with anticipation.

"They delete 'em then trash their programmin'," Cowboy answered, watching as The Announcer counted down from ten, "accordin' to this, if ya lose, ya don't daserve ta be amongst th' ranks."

Netto felt queasy as the numbers were shouted around him.

"Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Fight!"

Darkman attacked first, lashing out with his signature move. Topman took it hard, with not time to react, and was thrown to the floor like a rag doll. He was given many more blows, and with each one, Netto could feel his anger igniting, hit by hit.

It wasn't long before Darkman stood before Topman's even more mangled body and taunted him with something, probably along the lines of, "You're finished."

"His moves are so fleet, he fights so well! Such power, such ability!" Raven crowed amidst the cheering.

Netto's eyes bore into Topman, and just as Darkman was about to finish him, Netto stood up and screamed.

"Stop!"

The crowd went dead silent. Darkman turned towards Netto's voice. The Announcer, out of breath, scrabbled onto the arena, "What's this? What's this interruption?" The Navi still held his undeterred enthusiasm.

The words flowed from his mouth before he knew what he was saying, "I'll fight you in his place!"

A whisper broke out in the crowd. They recognized Cyber and his ability to fight. Ooh, what a juicy turn of events this was turning out to be!

Raven, Cat, and Cowboy gawked at him. What was he doing?

The Announcer looked around at his advisers, and they just shrugged and nodded, "Well, why not! Cyber.EXE will take Topman's place—"

"But if I win, he's not to be deleted." Netto's eyes narrowed as he stormed down the narrow stairs and vaulted over the transparent, protective wall surrounding the stands. His mind was screaming for him to stop this madness but it was too late. He was already in the ring.

"So, little imp, why have you chosen such a foolish fate?" Darkman asked uninterestedly.

Netto snarled, "Because I can't stand Navis like you."

"So noble, but that's all you will be, deleted once more, and noble."

All Netto could hear were cheers as the bell dinged and the fight began.

--

The tanks were heading towards them, and they were gaining.

The four spun around and began to run. Rockman's hand gripped Meiru's wrist as she started to fall behind.

"Who's chasing us?" Netto screamed over the tank's loud engines.

"The government, those are their tanks!" Dekao yelled in reply. Rockman glanced back. He could see the symbol pressed onto the front of the hulls. Dekao was right.

"Sh-Shouldn't we stop? They could shoot us!" Meiru cried, panting.

This was true. Rockman doubted the people within the army tanks could tell if they were youths or not.

Dekao, Netto, and Rockman all agreed silently and slowed to a halt. They'd gotten pretty far but not close enough to get away. They waited fearfully as the tanks came upon them. They stopped, and a man hopped out. He wore an army uniform.

"Please mister, we're sorry, we were just—!" But Dekao sucked back in his words as a rifle was placed to his skull. They held up their hands and more men hurried towards them, carryings weapons and ushering them into the tanks. Meiru whimpered and glanced at Rockman who found himself unable to say anything to comfort her as he was prodded with the gun's barrel. He just eyed her. Whatever they were in trouble for, they'd find out soon.

He hoped anyway.

And, surely, Papa would be there to save them if they truly needed it.

He always was.