"Did you really throw one of those giant rubber balls and break three windows and a refrigerator?" Lan asked curiously from Raika's laptop computer screen.
Raika narrowed his eyes. "Do you really believe that I would be that physically inept?" he retorted.
Besides him, standing by Searchman, his younger sister Nellie was once again playing with a small toy on his lap. The small plush ball- nothing to do with the supposed large one- had done nothing more dangerous than be unartfully lobbed again another human less than two-years-old. He was thankful that there had been a spare curtain rod for his room, and nothing had been damaged with the blinds from two of his younger siblings somehow pulling both down the day before . . . and that the rest of the sextuplet horde was currently occupied with young friends from the village nearby who were quite happy to entertain the small "toddlers".
"How much are they walking?" Chaud asked curiously.
Raika sighed. "It's not that they are just walking," he stated. "According to my parents, most all of them have been running since they were just nine months old." Almost literally circles around him and Searchman also sometimes, but he did not mention that part.
"That seems pretty early for toddlers to be running," Chaud commented. "And with them being sextuplets, at that. From what I've read, twins and so forth generally are behind development at first since they are born earlier than usual, including with physical accomplishments."
Raika shrugged a bit. "I really do not know," he answered. "It could be that they were just following the example of some other younger ones that had lived nearby them."
Lan spoke up, his face a bit annoyed. "You really didn't answer my question," he complained. "If you didn't throw that ball, then how come there was a picture of all of that stuff that had been trashed?"
Raika was thankful for Megaman's intervention. "I would think that there was some sort of photo editing going on there," the blue navi interjected. "And like I said before, I think that some people had spread the story so much that it blew out of proportions."
"There was no ball-throwing involved," Raika intoned, barely restraining himself from huffing in annoyance.
He had hoped that at least his former fellow net savers would not believe all of the strange things that the media claimed about his family, himself included. Unfortunately, he had apparently hoped too much, for Lan, at least. He could definitely straighten the actual story, though.
Reluctantly, he briefly related the actual events, leaving out the part that it was due to his inattention that had led to the fall of the curtain rod and blinds, plus the fact that it had taken three hours for all of the reporters to finally disperse, including one that had somehow snuck into the home. His father had been very clear in his order to keep all outside doors and windows locked from then on.
Lan laid his head on one hand. "So how many times a day do those crazy reporters come?" he asked.
"Not every day, thankfully," Raika replied. "But when they do, they are quite obnoxious, to say the least."
Lan laughed a bit. "I'll say," he said, grinning. "I'm glad that I don't have any reporters following me around for cross fusing with Megaman."
"That's partly since it's so rarely shown in the media," Megaman pointed out. "And when it does, it's not really clear if it's actually in the cyber world or not."
His net op leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm mean, it would be cool to be on TV, but not for net saver stuff." Lan then leaned forward again. "So, are those battle chip gates still working for you and Searchman?" he asked. "They are the same type that Chaud has."
Chaud nodded from his portion of the video chat. "Mine still seems really sturdy to me, and unless there are some random flaws in the workmanship, it seems that they would hold up just fine."
Lan laughed again. "Well, I don't think that people at Sci-lab would build any flawed stuff," he stated. "Especially something that my dad looks over."
"And he had Chaud's first, so he knew more of what to expect with it, including that only those who had cross fused could use it," Megaman chimed in.
"Yeah, yeah."
Raika hid a longing pang since he and Searchman could no longer cross fuse, which "kind of" required for one of the pair to be a navi.
Chaud spoke next, and unfortunately, it was not truly a change in topic. "From what I've heard, anyone that can cross fuse will soon be able to travel through the cyber world using reverse cross fusion instead," he explained. "Though we would need specific passes for that, of course."
"That would be handy for going to Sharo," Megaman commented, his voice thoughtful.
Lan grinned. "Yeah, and we could see Raika and Searchman more since we wouldn't have to waste so much time on an airplane," he added. "So Raika, did your uncle ever tell you about that?"
Raika frowned. "I can no longer cross fuse," he pointed out heavily, hoping that Searchman would not be too offended at the blunt statement. "Plus, with my net saver status overturned, it would be pointless for me to be informed unless I was to expect someone soon."
"Oh, right," Lan said, frowning a bit. "I keep on forgetting that . . . well, yeah," he added, looking over to Searchman on Raika's left.
Nellie was now bouncing the small ball she held on both Searchman and herself, but was still quiet. Raika was glad that Searchman's somewhat "tag-along" was not as rambunctious in nature as her siblings- for most of the time. She could scream quite loudly, though, as Raika had heard several times before.
"She seems content," Chaud said, looking at the toddler still playing with the plush ball.
Raika shrugged. "Yes, fortunately, she can be quite tame, and is right at this moment."
"Can be?"
"I don't think she could destroy a refrigerator," Lan commented.
Raika avoided rolling his eyes. "No, thankfully none of them can even open the fridge yet, even without a child lock."
The chat finally turned over toward something else besides navis and net savers. Raika listened to Lan telling about another teacher actually hiding in a closet in school in a costume for part of a school lesson, and Chaud stating some recent developments in his father's gaming company. He supposed that he was glad that at least he did some sort of friends. He was not used to the word with anyone besides Searchman, but was surprised that he was somewhat pleased that they still wanted to communicate with him even though he had only gone to Sci-lab twice since Searchman's transformation, then second time being to receive the battle chip gates.
"So how's Searchman doing in school?" Lan asked. He then made a somewhat strange face. "Though that still sounds pretty weird, if you ask me."
"I think it would sound weird to anyone, including Searchman himself," Megaman stated.
Raika glanced over in Searchman's direction, seeing his former navi with neutral look on his face. The lack of emotion showing was practically a requirement most of the time in the military school that he used to attend, but especially for navis, as only aids for the young net ops that they were to help.
He turned back toward the computer screen. "He's still doing the same the last time I told you," he stated finally.
"Still good grades and all that?" Lan asked.
Raika inwardly sighed. "Of course," he stated aloud. "Why would you think anything else?"
He tried to keep an almost vengeful inflection out of his voice for the latter statement, but did not think that he had succeeded. Unfortunately, he was quite right with what Lan said next.
"Come on; it was only a question," Lan retorted angrily.
Raika frowned but spoke up, this time succeeding in keeping a neutral tone. "Searchman was used to succeeding and doing his full part in missions," he pointed out. "Why would you think that he would suddenly change his motives now?"
Lan frowned a bit. "Oh, right. I guess that makes sense."
Raika knew that Searchman was definitely not used to the conversation revolving around him, especially with Lan and Chaud. Then again, he was still more used to residing in a PET, unseen to most net ops. Apparently Searchman felt the same, for he suddenly looked at Nellie, who had by now climbed onto his lap, still clutching the small ball.
"Yeah, so I've never even met your parents," Lan complained a bit, changing the topic. "Are they as nice as your uncle?"
Lan was of course referring to Chief Malenkov in a few lighter moments that he had witnessed, mostly in his home on the military base that he and Searchman had stayed for a while with his family before moving to their updated home.
"They are still adjusting to living in Sharo again, and still attempting to maintain a somewhat orderly household with six younger children," Raika replied.
"That still sounds really crazy," Lan exclaimed. "I'm just glad that no one is going to break anything in my room." Raika saw Chaud fervently nod in agreement.
The chat soon ended, and Raika closed the laptop and stowed it safely away from the sight of random curious toddlers. Even though Raika was glad for the company that was not teachers, curious or even hostile classmates, or stressed parents, he could tell that Searchman was tired of attempting to act as if contented with his new position with humans that definitely knew him when he had been just a navi. He of course would think himself again as an outsider that was attempting to listen to conversations that he should not (even though of course he had heard other similar conversations from Raika's PET before many times).
Nellie clambered off Searchman's lap, and his former navi literally ran her in circles around him with her still holding the soft ball, switching hands to accommodate when he would run out of room with the other.
Raika smiled a bit. His navi was trying so hard, even though he still felt so uncomfortable in his new "role" as a human.
Fifteen minutes later he was taking turns with tossing the small ball to her, back and forth. He then heard a knock on the door. Raika stood and handed the colored ball to Searchman, then opened the door to reveal his mother.
"Is Nellie still doing all right?" Dinara asked.
Raika noticed that she seemed more relaxed than the day before, when three of the sextuplets had somehow gotten into the lower cupboard with some of the larger food containers, even though his father, Grigory, had supposedly locked it thoroughly. Apparently the group currently entertaining the other sextuplets was currently successful enough.
He nodded, keeping his face neutral as he was used to doing. "Yes, she's doing fine," he replied.
Dinara looked past him, and Raika briefly turned to see Searchman throw the ball straight at Nellie yet again.
Thankfully, he saw his mother smiling slightly. "I'm glad that she's behaving herself today," she commented. "Actually, ever since the others came to help with the younger ones today, they all were mostly behaving just fine."
Raika nodded again, and his mother soon left. He resisted a sigh as he joined Searchman in the small throwing game again. Nellie and the other crazy siblings, and his former navi were all fine . . . for now.
"So are you sure you don't want to tell me anything about the military?"
Raika frowned at his and Searchman's schoolmate, a black-haired boy named Joyo. The boy was smiling a bit with anticipation, as if his efforts from the past months would lead him to the answers he sought.
"I will say it again," he said thinly. "The answer is, and will always be, no."
Generally he would have just ignored the annoying person, which had worked well for several curious classmates, but this particular one was apparently more stubborn than the others. Of course, there were no guards around to task the boy for misbehavior as there would have been at his former military school. He fervently wished that none of the teachers had mentioned his participation in the strict institution. Then again, if the teachers had not stated it, it was quite probable that any one of his classmates that paid attention to the news would have discovered the fact from the ever "thoughtful" random media forms that had featured his family with the sextuplets in the first place.
Joyo then turned to Searchman. "So Peter, did Raika ever tell you anything about the military?" he asked inquisitively.
Raika glanced at "Peter", but his former navi did not rise to the bate, but was silent. Raika turned around, with Searchman beside him. Unfortunately, Joyo chose to walk beside them, even when they were near the outside door.
He then turned around, frowning scowling fiercely. "I can ask the police to curb your disrespectful actions," he spat.
Joyo's eyes widened. "Whoa, are you friends with the police?" he asked. "Wait, are all people that were in military school friends with the police? Do you have an official badge, or something?"
Raika inwardly fumed, knowing that the only official "badge" that he had once proudly owned had disappeared along with his net saver status.
"Hey, just leave them alone already," another voice came from behind them.
Raika turned to see Cole, another schoolmate. The slightly smaller brunette boy was frowning at the other.
Joyo just smiled some. "Are you interested in the military, too?" he asked quickly. "It's a great topic, right?"
Cole just raised an eyebrow. Joyo rolled his eyes.
"'Kay; fine," he said in defeat. "Three against one is not really too fair, anyway."
He left, and Raika watched his retreat until he disappeared around the corner. Even so, he was not fully certain that the curious civilian would not attempt to follow him and Searchman to their home at some point.
He inwardly winced. Not only was he having difficulties by a very minor problem according to his former military school procedures, but another person had helped them solve (for now, at least) what he did not. He hoped that student would not then pester them as the other one had.
Thankfully Cole just also left, without any intrusive questions. Raika opened the door to the outside of the school, stepping onto the small porch that had been swept earlier of most of the snow. He and Searchman then began walking the now familiar route to their strange new home.
"I somewhat almost wanted to throw him," he admitted.
Searchman looked in his direction. "Unfortunately, that would not be a respectable solution to handling wayward civilians," he stated seriously.
Raika nodded. "I know," he said. "But I also know that for most of them, theoretically I could easily handle them in a fight, so the fear factor would cause them to stay a reasonable distance away."
"We're in a civilian world now, Raika," Searchman said. Raika noticed the "we" included, and momentarily felt ashamed that he had not been thinking of Searchman's reactions to the curious students as much. "The students are not as well guarded, with even less procedures to follow. Their current actions, irritating as they are, will not cause them to lose their place in school. We should attempt to behave civilly, just as was expected at the military school, even with the different circumstances."
Raika nodded a bit sadly, and not just that his former navi felt the need to include himself in behaving, as he was also basically a human currently.
Searchman continued. "However, I also, have had to restrict any impulses to lash out in a manner that I should not," he admitted.
"I suppose," Raika said, remembering a few times he had seen frustration on his former navi's face at yet another insult about either Searchman's past as a foster child, or even more so, about Raika's former military status.
Searchman nodded. "We both need to work on containing our reactions so that they do not turn into misbehavioral tendencies. You did do well to not physically react with the student earlier, though."
"Yes, I know," Raika responded. He then sighed. "I am really just not used to living in a civilian environment- again, really."
"It is very different than the structure in the military school," Searchman agreed. "However, any reported wrong conduct would be looked down upon by your- . . . our . . . parents."
Raika ignored the correction, and looked past the small shops that they were about to pass by. "I had not really thought about that, but now that you mention it, they are guards, in a way."
"Of a sort, yes."
A few minutes later, they were in a small grocery store, on an errand to purchase a loaf of bread that his mother had forgotten to buy the day before. The store was thankfully not crowded, and soon they had the bag with the bread.
He was still near the main counter they had used, when a door behind it quickly opened.
"There are troubles with the store's network," a uniformed man said rapidly in a low tone. "Close the register for a bit."
The burly man at the register frowned, but took out a sign from below the counter, and flipped it to state CLOSED.
A few people nearby in line groaned, but Raika did not pay much attention to them. It seemed that there were not too many problems with this store's network that often, or at least enough to affect the register itself with what he had just seen.
Of course, this would be a time where he before would have quickly and inconspicuously shown his net saver badge, illuminating from his PET. However, without a navi and net saver codes, it would be harder follow any clues to where the viruses resided, not mention, following the moving viruses themselves. Most likely, they were in the networks in the back room, closed off to mere customers.
The outside door burst open, and a boy with brown hair around his age ran straight to the counter, where the disappointed customers had already left. Raika frowned, recognizing Cole from earlier at his new school. It could be that the boy was merely hoping to purchase something, just like he had, though.
He was not prepared when Cole pulled out his PET, and a very recognizable three-dimensional symbol appeared above the device.
The man at the counter instantly changed his demeanor, turning to a stern but willing mannerism. "In the back," he said, pointing with his thumb.
Cole them pointed to Raika and Searchman- Raika had seen the boy glance at him as he rushed by- and spoke.
"They can help some, too," he state solemnly.
The man was surprised. "But they don't have navis," he protested.
Raika frowned, remembering just three weeks before being at the same store with the same counter assistant, admitting that neither of them had cyber companions through a friendly question. He was surprised that the man remembered them, but perhaps he was used to young people around there age owning navis.
Fortunately, Cole did not outwardly become frustrated at the man's bluntness, though. "I've had reports that they can battle without navis, and have helped a lot before," he stated firmly.
The man shrugged, and motioned them to all come to through the small gate that the man unlocked at the left side of the counter. Raika was curious as to why Cole had heard of him and Searchman as "net battlers"- not to mention, how he had become a net saver in the first place- but did not pursue any answers. Obviously he followed another area chief than his uncle, and Raika certainly had not met every net saver in Sharo, so it was not too surprising that he did not know about him. It almost seemed like he should have at least guessed his fellow classmates status, though.
Feeling as though he had lost another rank, he followed Cole to the back area generally restricted for employees. They were directed by another staff member to a room that was obviously a storage area, with many food supplies on various shelves.
"In there," Cole directed, pointing to the jack in port that had been indicated by the employee.
Raika resisted rolling his eyes at the order, then berated himself. Had he not been under the command of others in many net saver missions before? This was somewhat the same sort of situation, though he wondered how experienced Cole was, not to mention his navi. At least the boy did not generally seem to be one that misbehaved at school, as far as he could tell. He certainly could not let down his guard, though.
Raika hoped that Cole would not attempt to direct him and Searchman throughout the whole. Even without a navi, he still knew what type of chips would work in most situations.
He was thankful that Cole merely pointed his PET toward the jack in port and logged in his navi with the tale-tell red beam, and definitely without saying anything about Searchman's navi origins.
Raika took out his battle chip gate, as did Searchman, holding it firmly in front of him. Once again, it was another net battle, but this time with a classmate net saver that had suddenly revealed to have the status he once had prized for himself.
Raika clenched the battle chip gate a bit more firmly as the computer screen in front of them showed various viruses- thankfully looking all somewhat lower-levelled- scattered around the cyber world area. The blue and orange armored navi that obviously belonged to Cole raised his arm, with it morphing into a general sword. Raika attempted not to huff in distaste, as he would have of course preferred the long range rifle of Searchman's cyber form, but that would definitely not aid in the battle.
The navi at least seemed decently trained in some fashion, though, as he swiftly swiped through several viruses, including one that kept teleporting a short distance away from him.
Meanwhile, Raika and Searchman had taken on many viruses with various chips. To his slight dismay, it seemed that Cole and his navi truly could have managed the mission on their own, so he was beginning to feel a bit confused as to why the boy had specifically invited them to battle with him; not to mention, reveal to a civilian that they could easily battle without navis. It was possible, or course, and some civilians, including traveling "virus poppers" who did just that, but it certainly was not that common with younger people.
The battle was soon over, with Raika and Searchman taking out the rest of the virus horde. After Cole had reported to the manager of the success, who invited them to come again to the store, Raika turned to his classmate.
"Why did you invite us to help you in the mission?" he asked evenly.
Cole shrugged. "You were there, and I had heard about you both from the chief," he stated nonchalantly. "It seemed pretty convenient for you guys to help, and plus, I thought that you could use a little boost with what happened, you know?"
Raika's eyes widened in surprised. Cole merely waved in farewell, and left the room to presumably to exit the store.
"Merely 'convenient'," he muttered. "That is just rather . . . demeaning, really."
Searchman looked at him. "I know that you would rather be informed of missions as opposed to being invited to them," he stated. "But you did agree to your- and our- new position."
Raika looked downward in a bit of shame. "Yes, I remember," he said quietly. "It is just quite . . . hard to put that into constant practice."
"As I will also have to remember," Searchman said.
Raika nodded. "Even with strange classmates that are annoying or turn out to be, well, net savers," he finished, lowering his tone with the last two words.
He saw Searchman frown. "I wish that I had known that Cole was a net saver myself, and I know you would have likewise."
"At least Cole did not specifically ask about you," Raika admitted.
Searchman nodding, smiling a bit. "Yes, he was definitely being tactful about that topic, at least for now."
They soon left the store, bread included. Raika almost hoped that there were random viruses in the network, as had occurred a few times before. He and Searchman had taken care of them easily.
Then again, he certainly should not wish for viruses of any sort. There would only be six energetic young children, his mother, most likely another helper from the village nearby . . .
He opened the door to his home and resisted letting out a groan. "Why did someone leave the container of cheese sauce open?" he muttered.
For in front of them were several small pillows covered with the tale-tell orange paste, as well as a bit smeared onto the wooden flooring. He was glad that the latter would be much easier to clean than a rug or a carpet, though.
"I would assume it was only an accident," Searchman pointed out.
Dinara appeared in the doorway of the front room, holding a wailing Henry, her smile a little strained. "One of the helpers was making a snack for the younger ones, and forgot to put the cheese sauce away," she explained. "Could you . . .?"
Raika nodded, and together with his former navi, started to clean up the small mess.