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Disclaimer: Refer back to the prologue.
Warnings: A little more violence, mild cursing.
Fic Note: FINALLY! A new chapter. Thank you Comtess for the plot bunnies!
Shoutbacks: RandomRathFan- Glad you're enjoying it! Hope you like this installment.
Shadow- Thanks for the cookies! (So…this isn't a "soon" update, like you asked, but it's still an update, right!) And thanks for the puppies as well! (wonders if she should get sick more often…?)
Nica510-Yes…glares very evil this flu, is it not? Grumblegrumble I do appreciate your knowing sympathy.
Grandmasterp- HAHA! Your reviews constantly amuse me. Yes, thank you for the pill.
Chiming.softly- Thank you! --;; I'm trying to incorporate more pairing, but it seems to get pushed further and further back…
Comtess-Hahaha…and as usual-the wonderful beta reader! (My message to you: 3)
Run Again
"They've infiltrated the first line of defense! What should we do, master Chaud?"
Chaud ran a hand frustratedly through his hair as he watched the small red blips on the screen that were supposed to signify intruders. He sighed and adjusted his headset to respond to his tense officer. "Stop the troops, but leave the leader alone. Leave me to handle him."
"Sir, yes, sir!" the other voice replied back before closing the link.
Chaud sighed and stared at the screen a moment longer, thinking about the best way on how to intercept Lan alone. "Lan…what are youthinking…?" he muttered absently to himself.
"Um…Lan…are you sure we should be doing this?"
"What, having your doubts now, Megaman? Now's not the time for secondary evaluations…"
"ButLan…maybe…maybe we should just surrender to Chaud now?"
Lan chuckled. "Oh yeah…let's do that. Now that we've infiltrated his base!" Lan snapped sarcastically.
Megaman sighed. "Chaud is understanding…"
"Right. He was. We don't know what he thinks about us now…so let's just focus on our current mission. Infiltrate base, get the rest of the Trojans back. That's all."
Megaman bit his lower lip. "Yeah…of course, Lan."
"Leader!" an older Trojan's shout snapped both Megaman and Lan out of their hypnotic conversation, "Where to, boss?"
Lan stopped a moment. The other Trojans halted their movement and looked at Lan questioningly. Lan sighed-he hadn't thought the plan this far through. The impulse of trying to recover the older Trojans had been spontaneous as well. Just as Lan was in the midst of deciding, the whole group could hear a large amount of footsteps coming down the hallway ahead of them.
Lan reacted quickly. "We've been spotted! Everyone, prepare your weapons and fight! We advance onward until we find the cells!"
"Yes, sir!" the Trojan Elite chorused.
The group continued to move on forcefully forward as Lan remained in the rear, still contemplating over things. His mind wasn't completely on the battle, though he knew he should be. These were the same boys he had grown up with during the past four years of his hard life.
"Ey, boss! Look at what we've found, a runt!" an fifteen-year-old Trojan said, throwing Lan Hikari onto the ground before the Trojan ringleader.
The leader eyed Lan critically for a moment before bending down to Lan's level and helping the boy up. Lan shivered and pushed the man's hands away and stared at the man in an almost dazed state, as if he could neither believe who he was talking to-nor his disposition. The older man stared at him a while longer, then chuckled. "So. What brings you around these parts, eh?"
Lan couldn't answer. The leader chortled. "Ah, mute, are we now? Well then, Farel, if you could see this young lad out…"
"Wait."
"Hm…?" the leader turned with slight interest, "Yes, what is it?"
"This is…Net Trojans…"
"Yes…?"
"You take…soldiers?"
The leader smirked. "Why, yes. Yes, in fact we do. We just began recruitment a while ago."
Lan half-smiled. The leader smiled cunningly. "You interested, perhaps?"
Lan didn't respond at first, but then nodded slowly. "Yeah…that's…that's why I'm here."
The young teen named Farel snorted and rolled his eyes. "Sure. You're here because you got caught. Now, whether you were trying to get enlisted or not is your business-but I'm just trying to keep the records straight here."
One death glare from the leader and the boy shut up. He flashed another questionable smile towards Lan. "Well then, boy. What might your name be?"
"Lan…" Lan whispered.
"What was that? I didn't catch it."
"Lan…ce…sir."
"Lance…hm…I see. Farel?"
"Yes, boss?"
"Take this little one to a room and get him briefed, will ya? I like the looks of this one. Strong."
The teen bowed. "Yes, sir," he turned to Lan, whose face paled, "All right, Lance. Come with me."
Without a word, Lan quickly followed. He was led into a room. The teen named Farel slammed the door shut behind of them and turned to face a confused Lan. The older boy rubbed the side of his face and clucked his tongue. "You know…I really should bash your damn head in right now…"
Lan clutched his PET tightly. The boy moved his hand and rubbed the back of his neck, "But you know…you did have a lot of guts to stand up against me. Even the leader seemed impressed…so I'm going to let you off."
Lan nodded slowly. The older boy smirked. "Anyhow…you realize what kind of work you're signing up for?"
Lan shook his head. "No."
Farel frowned. "Then why are you so interested?"
Lan blinked. "I…erm…I'm interested in the recent terrorist operations…"
Farel stared at Lan a moment, then laughed. "A-are you serious!"
Lan's mouth fell slightly open. "I…yeah."
Farel looked at Lan again. "You really are serious."
Lan nodded. Farel half-smiled. "You seem a bit young…perhaps the youngest to try and come aboard…"
"Twelve."
"Twel-? Wow…you are the youngest to request, then. No wonder our leader took such interest in you."
"Yeah…I guess."
Farel sighed. "Well…you sure about doing this? You grow up real fast, you know?"
Concerned eyes warned Lan's of future dangers. Lan only smiled brightly. "I'm ready for anything!" he struck a pose of triumph, feeling loosened up now, not even realizing the trouble he had just landed himself into.
Farel sighed again. "Hm…well…I'd better fill you in on the basics on the mission then…"
From that point on, Lan and Megaman were never the same. Their original intentions to find their father became quickly deterred by other events.
"Good job, Lance!" Farel clapped Lan on the shoulder and smirked, "You pulled out that mission well!"
Lan laughed. "Ya think?"
"Oh, yeah. I haven't laughed that much in ages! You're such a klutz. It's amazing how you're still alive."
"Hahaha."
The Trojans had become home, somewhere in the past four years. A home away from home-the only home he had felt he'd ever need. And yet now, since his two worlds were clashing, Lan felt confused once more.
He was shocked back into the world, however, when his head made contact with the ground. "Lan!"
Lan's eyes refocused on a very furious Chaud. "Ch…aud…?"
Chaud groaned. "What exactly are you trying to pull here, Lan?"
Lan's face formed a dark look. "What does it look like? I'm going to free-"
Chaud punched Lan in the face. He grit his teeth-he hated attacking a fallen opponent, but at this point, he was desperate in knocking some kind of sense into this boy. "Are you fucking kidding me? That is the stupidest thing to do!"
Lan closed his eyes, as if trying to shut the world out. "S-so…what are you trying to say to me, Chaud?"
"Why are you trying to open another Pandora's box for yourself? Let mehelp you, Lan!"
"…"
"I can't help you, if you keep trying to attack us here."
Lan didn't move for a moment, then suddenly, Chaud was pegged in the back with the blunt end of a gun. Chaud faintly felt himself being pushed roughly away. "Lance!"
Lan blinked. It was Farel. The now nineteen-year-old helped Lan up. "You all right, Lance?"
Lan blinked and then frowned, pushing Farel aside.
"Lance? Lance!"
Lan glared at Farel, which froze the older teen because Lan was rarely angry with anyone. "This is my fight right now, Farel…go help the others."
Farel looked as if he was about to protest, then thought better of it. "Right. You call me when things get out of hand…"
Lan half-smiled. "Yeah, okay."
Farel had turned back only a split moment when he heard a crash of bodies into the metal walls behind of him. He grit his teeth in frustration, only giving him more adrenaline to fight the SRT troops. The numbers weren't looking good for the Trojans, however.
Lan winced as he tried to pry off Chaud's iron grip. "Chaud…c'mon…you're hurting me…!"
Chaud almost loosened his grip-for the moment, the old Lan he had known suddenly returned. He recovered immediately from that, however. "You've got to be kidding me…stop playing these games, Lan."
Lan squirmed. "Chaud…you're really…" the brunette tried to take in air.
"Lord Chaud…"
Chaud frowned. "What is it, Protoman?"
"Lord Chaud, just put Lan down!"
Just then, Chaud seemed to remember what exactly he was doing-and who exactly he was exerting the action upon. He released Lan. "Mygod…"
Chaud backed away and stared at his hands in disbelief. Lan took in large gasps of air and rubbed his sore neck. "Nngh…Chaud…?"
Chaud seemed to be debating something in his mind. Lan waited patiently, afraid to trigger anymore violence from the other boy. Finally, Chaud spoke, "Lan…"
"Yes…?" he was still breathing heavily.
Chaud looked up at Lan slowly and shook his head. "This has got to stop."
Lan found himself reluctantly agreeing. Chaud half-smiled and held out his hand; Lan grabbed it and Chaud pulled the brunette up to standing position. To Lan's surprise, Chaud gripped Lan's hand tightly and looked at him squarely in the eyes. "Now…listen to me for once Lan…"
Lan nodded slowly. Chaud sighed, "All right. Good. Order your men to retreat-now. And stop all Trojan activity until you and I have all this sorted out-because I don't know about you, but I am completely lost and disoriented in mind, soul, and body right now."
Again, Lan nodded slowly. Without another word, Chaud slowly let go of Lan's hand and turned to his troops; he spoke into his headset and the SRT team went into immediate action, capturing all the Trojans they could. For a moment, Lan remained still, but then Chaud turned and raised an eyebrow. Lan laughed softly-Chaud was showing the enemy mercy. Why he was doing this, Lan couldn't fathom, but he knew what he had to do as the leader.
"Retreat! Net Trojans, abort mission!"
Not hesitating a moment-due to the fact that their numbers had considerably diminished, the Net Trojans regrouped and escaped. The SRT troops tried to rush after them, only to be stopped by Chaud's commanding hand. "No…" Chaud watched them leave, "Let them go for now. Just take care of what we have."
"Sir, yes, sir!"
Once outside and safe, the Net Trojans took a break to catch their breaths. Lan looked solemnly at the building they had just evacuated. He felt a hand on his arm and looked up to see the warm face of Farel.
"Come on, Lance. Let's go."
Lan nodded slowly and motioned for his troop to head back to base-their numbers even smaller than before.
TO BE CONTINUED…
So what did you all think? Everyone catch the minor cursing? Lol. Hope it didn't distract your view of the story.
What did you all think about this chapter? Ready to move on? Let me know. Review this please, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
-SaiKenYuu