Not sure if this is needed, but there is a little bloody violence here, so, just

in case that was needed, there it is.

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Chapter 11: Blues' Recollection
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(Note: Netto and Enzan would be roughly 26 and 27, respectively)

'' You should hurry Enzan-sama. We shouldn't keep the guests waiting.''

Enzan selected a gray tie from his closet and put it on. He lived in the well to do part of Densan, but he tried to not appear to be a rich snob. '' Don't rush me Blues, it takes time to prepare for things like this.'' he said.

He was preparing for a party being hosted by IPC at one of Densan's ritziest hotels. The occasion was a generous donation to a local charity, and Enzan wanted to give a good impression.

He then selected a white blazer, put that one, then turned around and held his PET out in front of him. '' How do I look Blues?''

'' Sharp.'' he answered. '' Now, we should hurry, as I said before...''

'' I know. We shouldn't keep the guests waiting.''

The party hall was already filled with people when Enzan arrived. The guests included local business partners, political figures, and workers.
Enzan surveyed the group for a bit, then heard a familiar voice.

'' Let me by! I want to speak to him!'', followed by some hasty apologizes from a second voice.

A man emerged from a group of scandalized looking women. He threw them an annoyed look as he brushed off his suit.

'' Hello Netto.'' Enzan said, surveying his friend.

Netto had donned a classic black suit and tie. He was also wearing a blue armband, having exchanged his old headband for it. His hair was tamer than it had been when he was a child, but it was still a wee bit unkempt.

'' Oh, hello Enzan.'' he said, looking up.

Enzan, like Netto, had also changed. His hair was mostly white now, and his eyes were proof that running a company was very stressful.

'' Hello Enzan, Blues.'' Rockman said from his PET. Blues nodded back from his own.

'' So, how've you been doing these days?'' Netto asked, leaping right into conversation.

'' Can't complain, I suppose. It's a lot of work, and the recent virus outbreaks have gotten more serious. People are starting to become seriously concerned. So demand for our products have gone up.''

'' Oh yeah, congratulations.'' he added.

Netto's face adopted the quizzical expression it had often worn during childhood. '' Congratulations for what?'' he asked.

'' How thick headed are you? You haven't forgotten that, relatively recently, you got MARRIED, haven't you?''

'' O-Of course I haven't!'' Netto protested, his face turning red.

'' Sigh, your memory hasn't changed much since you were a child Netto-kun.'' Rockman lamented.

Enzan smiled to himself. That was true. Netto hadn't changed that much, even after 15 years.

'' Meiru didn't want to come, did she?''

'' No.'' Netto said. '' She said that she would've felt out of place with all these high society people around.''

'' How have you been Blues?'' Rockman asked.

'' To tell you the truth, bored. We don't do much fighting anymore. I mostly just oversee the working navis and programs and help Enzan-sama complete paperwork. Being a CEO is not as exciting as being a net savior.''

'' Well, enough about us, how has life been treating you lately?'' Enzan asked.

'' Well, I'm a part time net savior, part time researcher, so the recent spike in virus activity has kept me very busy. I guess it was hard for Papa too...'' Netto trailed off, and Enzan knew why. Netto had been full of grief when his parents had died when he was a kid, and he did not like to talk about it.

'' It's been busy here too.'' Enzan said, steering the conversation away from Netto's parents. '' Did you know that we caught an embezzler a few months ago? Turned out, he was more than a little crazy, but he had hacked his medical records to cover it up!''

'' Geez, some people will do anything for money.'' sighed Netto.

They spent the next forty five minutes or so catching up on old times, making the other guests envious of the man that was receiving so much attention from such an important man.

Netto accidentally backed into someone, so he turned around to apologize lest Rockman start on him again, but he was greeted with the scent of stale beer.

He turned and saw a short, grimy man with a shabby jacket and a chinful of stubble.

'' Who are you?'' Netto asked. This man did not look like he belonged here. He looked like a hobo, not an invitee to a party.

'' Netto! That's Yoshi Yamasu, the embezzler I was telling you about! He got off on those charges!'' Enzan shouted.

'' And how did he get in here?'' Netto wondered.

Yoshi turned around. '' Enzan-san...'' he muttered, reaching into his jacket, giving Netto a very sick feeling.

BAM! BAM!

Blues' PET feel to the floor with a clatter. '' ENZAN-SAMA!''

'' Enzan!'' both Netto and Rockman gasped.

Enzan stood there, eyes wide with shock as his white suit was stained red with blood pouring from two gunshot wounds to his chest.

Yoshi looked down at Blues' PET, which had stopped by his foot. He raised a foot, preparing to stomp on it.

'' NO!'' Netto shouted, surging forward. He punched Yoshi, knocking the gun away and making him lose his balance. '' Netto-kun!'' Rockman shouted. Netto's actions were all it took. Eight burly security guards tackled Yoshi, cuffed him, then dragged him away. People had finally realized what had happened, and chaos broke out. Men were shouting and women were screaming.

Through the confusion, Netto run over to Enzan as he went down on one knee, coughing up blood as he did so. Netto put one arm around him to support him. He didn't care that blood was staining his expensive suit, all that mattered was the life of his friend. '' Someone's called an ambulance.'' he reported, his face pale.

Enzan nodded weakly, even though he knew in his heart that they would be too late. '' Netto... get... Blues...''

Netto picked up the fallen PET and handed it to him. '' Are you all right Enzan-sama?'' Blues asked with relative calm, but his earlier scream betrayed his true emotions.

Enzan coughed up some more blood. '' I'll be okay... Blues.'' He turned to Netto and handed him his PET. '' Take care of Blues... Netto... friend. Blues, Netto will be... your new... operator...''

'' Don't talk like that Enzan-sama! Please, don't!'' Blues pleaded.

'' Hold on Enzan!'' Netto pleaded, his hands smeared with Enzan's blood.

'' Goodbye, Hikari... Blues...'' Enzan mumbled.

'' No! Please, don't... die... Enzan-sama...'' Blues pleaded, abandoning his emotional mask.

Enzan smiled weakly, and Blues' and Netto's faces were the last things he saw before darkness claimed him.

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