Chapter 5:

Hoshikawa Subaru:

Subaru was still tired, but anxious excitement was fueling him on at the prospect of visiting Utagai-san. He wanted to befriend the scientist, not only because the man seemed lonely, but because it was also the best way to guard against the return of Cygnus. Though Warrock hadn't said so outright, he knew that the happier people were, the less susceptible to possession they would be.

Maybe it sounded bad: having dual motivation. But no one needed to know.

He glanced at his transer again, ignoring the curious look Luna shot his way. Warrock still hadn't returned. The alien should be able to find him anywhere; locating Subaru's wavelength should be as easy as counting to three for the ET. It was making Subaru nervous because Rock had never been gone this long before.

"Are you expecting a call or message, Hoshikawa-kun?" Luna asked, leaning into his personal space, olive-green eyes shimmering with curiosity. He hated it when she did that.

"No." he deadpanned, clicking his transer shut. Gonta gave him the evil eye for some unknown reason. Subaru could feel the bad vibes from three seats down, and it was sending chills down his spine no matter how much he tried to ignore it.

"I did it!" Kizamaro suddenly squeaked, an unfortunate crack in his adolescent voice. He was hunched over his transer, eyes sparkling behind his glasses.

Luna immediately leaned the other boy's way, much to Subaru's relief, "Lemme see!"

"Three tickets to Misora-chan's concert next Friday!" he was breathless with excitement, "I can't believe I got them this late!"

"Way to go, Kiza!" Gonta yelled, slapping the nerdy boy on the back and drawing the attention of the other commuters on the waveliner.

Subaru was going to ignore them, he really was, but the 'what?' slipped out before he had a chance to catch it. All three of them turned flabbergasted faces on him like he had missed a dumb question like, 'what year is it?'

"Y-you," Luna was stuttering, which was uncommon for her, "You don't know about Hibiki Misora?"

Subaru shrugged, noncommittal.

"Subaru-kun, she's only like, the biggest pop idol of the century. She's a super cute," Luna sent Kizamaro a small glare at that, "really talented musician. Her concerts sell out so fast they're impossible to get into most of the time!"

"Congrats then." Subaru turned back to his transer, ignoring them. But they wouldn't let it go.

"So you haven't heard any of her music?" Luna asked.

"No."

"She acts too!" Kizamaro added, "You haven't seen her on TV at all?"

"No."

Gonta even added his two cents, "She's smoking hott. You sure you haven't seen her picture in a magazine somewhere."

"No." Subaru fought to keep his voice down.

"Have you been living under a rock, Hoshikawa-kun?" Luna smirked.

He didn't dignify that with an answer. Instead he said in a tone of false surprise, "Oh look, it's our stop." He got up without waiting for the others.

Truth be told, he didn't know much of went on in the real world; his head had been so full of the waveworld. It was a new frontier only he could see in person. He knew the name of every virus, had conversed with netnavis face-to-face, and had traveled around the globe a few times just for the heck of it. What's hot and what's not didn't interest him that much.

Luckily, the threesome seemed to have dropped the subject. He wove through the crowded station, not pleased to be sharing space with so many people. If these goons hadn't insisted on coming with him or if Warrock was back, he would have simply wave-changed and taken the waveroads to the hospital. They broke out onto the sidewalks, but they were irritatingly busy with foot-traffic as well.

Let's just get this over with. He set off at a quick pace; the hospital was only a few blocks away.

Luna stayed in stride with him, matching his step with annoying ease. Kizamaro, on the other hand, fell behind. Gonta stayed with him, picking the smaller boy up and carrying him by the scruff of his neck every time he went to slow. The poor nerd was breathing heavily when they arrived, but the beefy boy just patted him on the back good-naturedly.

"What room is Shinsuke Utagai-san in?" Subaru asked softly at the desk. The hospital was quiet, an atmosphere of calm that masked the pain behind the walls.

The nurse glanced up at him, analyzing the group of teenagers, "What is your relation to him?"

"A friend," Subaru answered, "And coworker."

"Room 1412. I'll lend you Naviman. The hospital can be a bit confusing for those who have never been here before." The nurse downloaded a netnavi onto Subaru's transer. A familiar figure dressed as a concierge, materialized on the screen. Subaru remembered Rockman had just had a conversation with him the other day. He'd stopped to talk with the navi about the types of power fluctuations might interfere with the hospital's energy grid. As much as Subaru wanted to explore, he didn't want to put anyone at risk.

"Oh! Subaru-san!" the little man exclaimed, helmeted head bobbing in a bow, "Nice to see you again."

Subaru wasn't sure how all the inhabitants of the waveworld knew he was a denpa-human, but they did. He assumed on such a vast network of information, sometimes they simply acted like a hive mind. Data sharing wasn't strange to the creatures of denpa.

Subaru felt a nervous smile tug at his lips, but the navi just winked knowingly at him.

"Where's your friend today? I don't see him around."

"He ditched me. Now about that room…" Subaru prompted the friendly program, setting things back on track.

"Oh yeah," Naviman sounded embarrassed, "Go ahead and start up this hallway. Shinsuke-san is staying in the standard care unit as his injuries weren't serious."

Subaru followed the instructions given him. He felt the curious stare of Shirogane-san on his back… again, but he wasn't going to humor her. Naviman bid them good day as they arrived at their destination.

"We'll wait out here," Luna said quietly. Subaru's confusion must have been written across his face because she explained, "We don't want to make him nervous and stress him out like last time. You go on ahead, Hoshikawa-kun, and let us know if he's okay for more company."

He nodded. It made sense after all; and even more so if you were aware of Utagai's mental state. Being possessed probably didn't help the scientist to rise out of depression.

Subaru knocked before entering. The smell of antiseptic greeted him, full force; the tasteless white walls of the small room glared with the midday sun.

"Hey," Subaru said nervously. The scientist's bed was propped up and he was awake when Subaru peeked around the privacy curtain. Only a single IV was attached under the long sleeves of his hospital gown. Utagai appeared significantly better than the last time Subaru had seen him: face smoothed by dreamless, drug-induced sleep, anti-depressants, and therapy.

"Subaru-san?" Utagai's voice was soft, but a tentative smile grew on his face, "It is! Amachi-san's apprentice right?"

"Not quite," Subaru said with amusement. He took the man's enthusiasm as a cue to come closer, "I came to check and see how you were doing."

Utagai nodded enthusiastically, "Yes! Amachi-san said you'd be over today!"

"Has Amachi come to see you?"

"No," Utagai's smile didn't waver though, "He's been very busy with the repairs at AMAKEN. Apparently, one of the drives blew up, so they've been trying to salvage the data from smaller storage devices and handwritten notes. Sounds like quite the task." He said the last part wistfully.

Subaru felt himself smile, the expression rusty, "It sounds like you're ready to get back to work."

The man nodded energetically, "My stay in the hospital has brought a few things to my attention. I…" he cut himself off, suddenly giving Subaru a wary glance.

Subaru put his hands up, as if in surrender, "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to Utagai-san."

A grateful smile returned to his face, "Sorry, Subaru-san." There was a moment's silence, "The doctor has been encouraging me not to instantly mistrust people. It's hard to break old habits."

Subaru shrugged, "I understand." And he did.

"I promise to show it to you as soon as I finish the prototype. How's that for a compromise?"

"Fair enough," Subaru hesitated, unsure of how to introduce the other teenagers, "Utagai, I brought you some company. Do you want to see them, too?"

A quizzical furrow formed on the man's brow, but he nodded all the same. Luna, Kizamaro, and Gonta practically fell over each other trying to get into the room. They gathered around the bed, crowding Subaru out.

"How are you feeling, Shinsuke-san?" Luna asked.

"I didn't know you'd been hurt!" Kizamaro exclaimed, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Way to go!" Gonta was firmly patting the thin man on the back, "You fought off those aliens!"

"Gonta-kun!" Kizamaro drooped, "Nothing like that happened!"

Though Utagai appeared slightly overwhelmed and a little bit nervous, he smiled at the three. "You're Subaru-san's friends, right?"

Subaru coughed into a fist, choking back the denial that attempted to get past his throat; but Luna nodded enthusiastically, "Sure we are!"

Utagai smiled again, "I'll have to show you what I'm working on too! You three can help me test out its functions when it's finished!"

"Seriously?!" Gonta yelled.

"Sure!"

"That's so cool!" Kizamaro said dreamily, "Working in a lab and making discoveries!"

Subaru bowed his head into his hand. God help him. He tried doing one nice thing, and look where it got him. I'm never leaving my room after this.

"Subaru-san?" Utagai asked, when the others had quieted down, "Were you there during the attack?"

Subaru hesitated, hating the fact that he had to lie so blatantly, "No. Why?"

The man frowned, as if this confused him, "I could have sworn you were. I passed out before most of the mayhem began, but I thought I heard your voice. You told me I would be happy at AMAKEN labs."

Uncomfortable did not begin to describe the way Subaru felt right now. He wanted to faze through the floor and walk straight out of the hospital. He had said that, but he didn't expect Utagai to remember. Luna's group and the researcher were looking at him expectantly. If he denied it now, it would probably make the man upset.

He settled for not saying anything at all, digging his hands deeper in the pockets of his shorts.

Surprisingly, it was Luna who came to his rescue, "Shinsuke-san, can I ask you what happened? How did you get injured?"

Utagai tossed one more – thoughtful – glance at Subaru before facing the girl, "I was in my lab hiding after running into you guys. I don't even remember why I was so upset. But suddenly, I felt really cold and empty inside," he shivered, "Then something else filled the void, but it wasn't just cold, it felt like ice. I only recall one thing very clearly before it all goes black."

The threesome leaned forward; even Subaru was listening closely to the account. He had no idea what EM possession felt like when he wasn't the one in control.

"What was it?" Kizamaro whispered.

"Denpa-henkan." Utagai answered, hand on his chin in thought, "But I have no idea what it could mean. Besides getting the impression that Subaru-san was there, the next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital. They haven't told me directly, but I know I'm here for psychiatric attention." He smiled, "You don't tell people you feelings while lying on a couch and not think you're seeing a shrink."

Subaru grinned at that. Unbalanced or not, a scientist was a scientist: Utagai wasn't stupid.

"When will you be released?" Subaru asked.

"Amachi-san will be coming by to pick me up tomorrow." But Utagai started to pout, "He won't let me go back to work until Monday."

"You need your rest, Shinsuke-san." Luna said placating.

"Agreed," a new voice sounded from behind them, making them all spin around in surprise. A nurse was standing behind them, holding a clipboard and a plastic cup, "You have mandatory bed rest for three days, Shinsuke-san. I've informed your boss of this. He will obey or incur my wrath."

Utagai looked sheepish.

Subaru cleared his throat, "Ah, we'll see you later, Utagai-san. Oh, I almost forgot!" he pulled a bar of chocolate from his backpack, setting it on the bed table, "Amachi said white chocolate was your favorite."

When Utagai regarded it doubtfully, Subaru laughed, picking it up again, "There's no need to be so nervous. See?" He opened the candy, breaking off a square and ignoring Luna's outraged 'don't eat his gift in front of him!' He popped the square in his mouth, chewing and swallowing for the man to see. "It's safe. I promise!"

Carefully, Utagai accepted the candy from Subaru, "Thank you, Subaru-san."

"No problem." He said with a wave, escorting the others out so the nurse could do her job, "Just promise me you'll get better soon."

Utagai smiled, the action becoming a habit for him, "I promise!"


Shirogane Luna:

"That's a lot of happy pills." Kizamaro said matter-of-factly as they walked home. Shortly after leaving the hospital, Subaru had claimed he had something to do and had run off. Luna had let him go without a fight; she had a lot to think about.

"Yes," she agreed, "It certainly is quite the turnabout since the last time we saw him."

"But I'm happy for him."

Luna nodded, despite the weirdness that permeated the man's recovery.

"That skipper is up to something funny." Gonta grumbled, meaning Subaru.

Luna gave him a sideways glance, "I thought he did wonderful. He was friendly and talkative and I think he might've laughed once too."

"That's not what I mean!" Gonta growled, his giant fists clenched at his sides.

"I agree with Gonta-kun, Prez." Kizamaro pushed his glasses up his nose, "My observations prove inconclusive as to what it might be, but Subaru-kun is hiding something."

You don't know me, so I don't think you can be an accurate judge of my behavior. Luna clearly remembered Subaru throwing that in her face.

But how can I get to know you if you won't let anybody in?! Luna wished she had told him that when she had the chance. Now, her only option was to get to know Subaru by the bits and pieces that slipped through his indifferent mask.

"What were your… observations, Kizamaro."

The nerd pushed his glasses up his nose before beginning. He held up a finger with every new point he made, "First, is the netnavi. The nurse lent us Naviman because none of us had ever been to that hospital before; but the concierge clearly knew Subaru-kun quite well. Second is his mysterious 'friend.' I didn't think Subaru-kun had many – if any – friends, but Naviman knew of someone specific and Subaru-kun confirmed it. Third, is his attitude towards Utagai-san; it was extremely out of character. Fourth, is Utagai-san's testimony of Subaru-kun's presence during the attack; even if it was a bit shaky, it should be taken into consideration. Fifth and finally, is denpa-henkan. 'Wave change'; that sort of thing is right up Subaru-kun's alley, yet he asked nothing about it."

"Maybe he didn't want to upset Utagai-san." Luna guessed.

Kizamaro shook his head, "I was watching him. He didn't even look curious, more like Utagai-san had confirmed something. That, among the other things I mentioned, are inconsistencies I don't understand."

Gonta was looking uncomfortable, but he added his thoughts anyway: "Something about him just doesn't feel right…" he mumbled.

"Care to explain, Gonta." Luna said coldly. She was growing jaded with Gonta's attitude. Subaru hadn't done anything serious enough to make Gonta hate him. If Subaru was going to join their group of friends, then Gonta needed to get over himself.

Suddenly Gonta wheeled on her, "Why are you defending him like that?!" he spat, flames in his black eyes. Luna actually took a step back as Gonta got in her face, "What do you see in that pretty-boy anyway? He's constantly rude to you, Prez! He doesn't care about school. He doesn't care about people. He doesn't care about anything! AND YOU KEEP TRYING EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT WORTH IT!"

Gonta ran out of words, simply blowing steam. He stepped back and ran a hand through his messy hair, "I'm going home." He quietly turned away without another word.

Luna felt tears prickle in her eyes, but she blinked them back. She'd been friends with both boys for nearly two years, and never once had they had a fight. His words stung, but they weren't completely true. Gonta didn't see what she saw in Subaru.

Kizamaro stayed with Luna, walking her home. When they arrived at the front gate, he turned inquisitive eyes on her, "I'm not angry like Gonta, but he does have a point. Why are you trying so hard to befriend Subaru-kun, Prez."

She debated telling him, but she wasn't sure how to squeeze the words through her aching throat, "I think you can figure it out, Kizamaro."

He nodded, understanding without really comprehending. He waved goodbye and walked home. I hope tomorrow turns out to be a better day, Luna thought, but I better not jinx it.

Subaru showed up for school the next day as well, much to Luna's delight. But her mood was still somber from her argument with Gonta the previous day. Said boy had nothing better to do than throw dirty looks at Subaru all through the morning classes. When lunch came around and Luna insisted on sitting with the social outcast, Gonta sat as far away as possible while still being at the same table.

Gym class proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back.


Hoshikawa Subaru:

Subaru wasn't one to bow to intimidation, but the glares that Ushijima Gonta had been sending him all morning were making him increasingly uncomfortable. It was like an itch under his skin that he couldn't reach. And Warrock's confession from the day before wasn't putting him any more at ease.

"Where did you go for so long?" Subaru had asked him. The FMian hadn't returned to his transer till after supper.

"Investigating some things," Rock had muttered edgily, "I sensed at least two other FMians within earth's atmosphere. It's only a matter of time before they find hosts."

Subaru tapped his pencil on his desk, thinking. He didn't like battling that much. In the waveworld he tried to avoid fights with viruses unless he felt like blowing off steam. Mankind wasn't ready for an invasion from planet FM, even without Rockman giving them a handicap.

But FMians were another matter. They were too powerful and adaptable for normal anti-corruption equipment. Like Rockman, they could control their wave state. They were intelligent and aggressive. They had a purpose and a goal. As melodramatic as it sounded, he was earth's only hope when it came to fending them off.

He was twirling his pencil unconsciously as a bell rang, the sound startling him enough to lose his tempo and drop it. Reaching down, a blonde head interrupted his field of vision. Lady Luna-san was there, picking up the fallen utensil and handing it to him with one of her smiles that could sell toothpaste.

"Time for gym class, Hoshikawa-kun."

Subaru could feel Gonta's eyes searing the back of his neck, but without much of a choice, he accepted the pencil. She waited while he gathered his stuff, she walked with him down the hall, the tried to talk to him…

"Just why are you doing all this?" he asked from behind his locker door as she – once again – waited for him to collect his stuff. He slammed the locker shut, "You already have me here! Why do you insist on orbiting around me like a satellite?!"

There was honest hurt in her olive-green eyes, but her voice was steady, "Isn't it obvious, Hoshikawa-kun? I want you to be friends with us!"

People passing by were staring. The recluse and the refined, practically nose to nose as they stared each other down.

"I just want to be left alone." He hissed.

"I am aware of that." her sage gaze growing intense, "But I don't want to see you in a hospital, doped up on anti-depressants like Shinsuke-san, because you can't make friends!"

"I am fully capable of making friends on my own."

"Are not."

"I don't want friends like you." Subaru snapped, spun on his heel, and walked away.

It was cruel. He had seen the pain in her eyes. Maybe it was over the top. But maybe it was enough to get her to leave him alone. That prickling feeling on the back of his neck intensified. He glanced over his shoulder.

Ushijima Gonta had seen the whole thing.


Dodge ball.

Whose great idea was it to give a bunch of teenagers with hormones and grudges red, rubber balls? And whose great idea was it to tell them to throw said balls at each other as hard as they could? And whose idea was it to call the whole thing a game? Subaru would like to know so he could have a sit down talk with them about ethics and common sense.

It certainly put the whole school in perspective.

Most of the girls stood back on their half of the field so the balls had a chance to lose momentum. All the nerds were sitting on the sidelines, already out. And the testosterone-driven guys were right up at the line, laughing and beaning each other in the head like a bunch of idiots.

Subaru sighed at the immaturity of it all. He was still in the game, hanging out somewhere near the middle. He was sure he would have been out by now, but wave battling had honed his dodging skills, so he hadn't been fortunate enough to get hit.

Gonta had finagled himself onto the other team so he could take potshots at the new kid. And though Subaru would rather be sitting, the muscular boy was making hard and fast throws. The balls whistled by Subaru's head as they passed. Needless to say, he did not want to get hit by one of those.

"Stand still, runt!" Gonta yelled across the field.

Subaru shrugged, as if to say: you can't hit me, too bad. Unsurprisingly, it only served to make the other boy even angrier.

Warrock, on the other hand, was having a blast. No one could hear him above the noise of the game as he commented on the 'skill' displayed by various students.

"That was a close one, kid. Good dodge!"

"Thanks."

"Did you see that guy over there? Hit in the face! I think there's blood coming out his nose. That big, brawny kid has good accuracy."

"You don't need to sound so excited." Subaru muttered dryly.

"Yesss, our team is up by five players! Keep it up, kid!"

"I'm not even throwing anything!"

"Exactly! Once you take part, we shall be triumphant!"

"Rock," Subaru whined, "it's not like that."

"Yes it is!" Warrock corrected. A ball rolled up to Subaru's toes, "Oooo! There's one right there!"

Subaru's transer arm yanked him down in the same moment a ball went whizzing over his head. He looked up to see Gonta, yet again, stomping his feet in frustration.

"What is your deal?!" Subaru asked, loud enough to be heard over the other students.

"You insulted Prez in front of the whole school. You're gonna pay for that, runt." He picked up another ball, slapping it like he wished it was Subaru's head.

"I didn't insult her." Subaru shot back, "I just told the truth."

A shimmering, heat-like aura surrounded the beefy teenager, "I'll kill you for that!"

Subaru glanced around nervously to see if the teacher was paying attention. He wasn't.

Warrock cleared his throat, "Kid, you might want to apologize for that…"

"The heck, Warrock, you never back down from a fight!" Subaru hissed.

"I'LL KILL YOU, RUNT!" Gonta screamed, his voice becoming inhuman.

"Oh #$%&," Warrock mumbled.

Subaru made a note to berate Warrock for the expletive later. As for now, he didn't have the time. Gonta was growing in front of his eyes; red, yellow, and orange armor materializing from thin air and clamping to his body like they were magnetically attracted. It took Subaru a minute to recognize denpa-henkan, as he'd never actually seen it before.

Within seconds, a fifteen foot, ox-like creature had taken the place of his Kodoma-high classmate. Ivory horns stretched three feet from either side of its head, a muzzle that looked like a car's exhaust pipe protruded below tiny, black eyes. It looked like a minotaur from legends, with giant hands and bull-like hooves.

"Um…" Subary stuttered.

Students and teachers suddenly started screaming, deciding that now was a good time to run. In ten seconds flat, only two remained. But the beast only had eyes for Subaru.

Kizamaro snuck up to Subaru's left side; Luna grabbed hold of Subaru's right sleeve.

"Is that…?" she couldn't even form the question.

"I AM TAURUS, CAPTAIN OF HIS HIGHNESS KING CEPHEUS'S OFFENSIVE FORCES!" the creature roared so loud it shook the ground.

"Ushijima Gonta." Subaru correctly answered Luna's unasked question.

"PUNY HUMAN, YOU ARE INCORRECT! THIS VESSEL SHALL BELONG TO ME FROM NOW ON! THIS PLANET HAS NO NEED OF USHI-MAMA GERTA! TAURUS IS HERE!"

Luna and Kizamaro both squeaked in fear. Subaru grit his teeth, thinking fast. He needed to get these two out of here; out of harm's way. But his brain was shifting into battle mode; brilliant diversions were escaping him. Taurus turned his attention back to Subaru.

"MY HOST ONLY REQUESTS YOUR DESTRUCTION. IT IS ONE WISH I SHALL FULFILL, FOR IT WAS THAT HATE AND ANGER THAT BID ME TAKE CONTROLL. I PROMISE I MAKE HIM STRONGER, AND I HAVE!" the hot wind from Taurus's snout blew Subaru back a step.

"You guys might want to get out of here." Subaru informed, "He's after me. I'll distract him."

"We can't leave you here!" Luna gipped his sleeve harder.

"Just go!" Subaru snapped, wrenching his arm from her grasp. Kizamaro had the sense to pull her along as he fled.

If the FMian had the features to make such a face, Subaru was sure the creature would be smirking, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO AGAINST ME, LITTLE HUMAN?"

"Run." Subaru said, matter-of-fact, sprinting past the beast and taking him by surprise. The time it took Taurus to turn around gave him a few second's head start. But it wasn't long before he could hear the monster bearing down on him.

"Dodge, kid." Subaru threw himself to the side on Rock's command, rolling with the momentum and bouncing back up into a sprint. Only a few feet away, he slid to a stop behind the school dumpster, wasting no time in commanding 'Warrock, Denpa-henkan!'

The now familiar energy of Rock's z-waves encased him, infusing his muscles and encasing his body. Though reluctant to say it aloud, he felt safer this way. He could defend himself and he could be invisible – his two favorite things. Vision through his red visor was crystalline clear. His left hand was already charging a shot on his blaster. His wavelength was shifted to match his opponent's.

All set. He dashed forward, becoming a beam of light for a billionth of a second.

Taurus was shaking cement from the school wall off his head, but the collision with the building hadn't fazed him. "What is this guy made of?" Subaru gawked.

"All brawn, little to no brain." Warrock answered. Subaru knew he wasn't sugarcoating it.

"How am I supposed to fight this guy? He's huge," he gestured to Tauraus, then himself, "I'm tiny!"

"LIKE A BUG!" Taurus screamed.

"Yes, 'like a bug.' How the he…" Subaru was cut off as he jumped out of the way when Taurus attempted to squash him under-hoof.

"Figure it out, kid."

"You know more about him than I. Give me some stats, data, anything!"

"WARROCK, IS THAT YOU?!"

"Yes, dimwit, it took you this long to figure it out?" Subaru could hear Warrock rolling his eyes.

"YOUR VESSEL IS MICROSCOPIC!" the FMian roared, "YOU SHALL FIND ANOTHER. THIS IS NOT A SUITABLE CHALLENGE FOR THE MAGNIFICENT TAURUS!"

"If you need more motivation than that," Warrock said with a chuckle, "then there is something seriously wrong with you."

Subaru glared at the giant ox, but spoke to Warrock, "Give me something on him."

"Outrageous offensive and defensive ability. Limitless energy, being a denpa creature, so you can't wear him out. Both fast and strong… I don't know kid. There aren't many weaknesses for you to exploit besides his stupidity, but even that doesn't seem like much of a crutch when he's like this."

"I'll figure something out… eventually." Subaru whispered.

"STOP THE NOISEMAKING! I HAVE DECIDED TO CRUSH YOU, DESPITE YOUR DESPICABLE HOST! THE VERY SIGHT OF IT ANNOYS ME!"

"Getting real sick of all you boasting," Subaru shouted, "Come over here and show me you can back it up!"

"VERY WELL!"

Taurus pawed the ground and shot forward not a moment later. Subaru tensed, jumping to the side last second like he was in a bull fight. He released the shot he'd saved at Taurus's retreating back, but the bolt buzzed harmlessly across his armor. The beast didn't show a flicker of pain.

"Backside is armored just as well as the front." Subaru informed Warrock in the moment before Taurus stated charging his way once more.

Subaru attempted to dodge horizontally again, but Taurus – despite his thick skull – could learn even the simplest of tricks. As he passed by, he threw his head out to the side, clipping Subaru in the side with his wide horns.

The glancing blow sent Subaru stumbling backwards, hands pressed to his side. Data streamed freely from the 'wound,' and though Subaru knew it would heal within minutes, the sickening sensation raced across his abdomen.

Wincing, he stood upright, loading a variety of weapon cards to test their effectiveness, "This is going to be messy." He huffed, "Trial and error is not proven to be an effective method."

Taurus was turning to face him, once again shaking the school's brickwork from his head.

"I know, kid," and Warrock, for once, sounded grave, "Just give it the best you've got."

The charge was unsurprising, but disproportionate speed still amazed him. Taurus barreled towards him, and this time Subaru jumped up, pushing off Taurus's head with his second step. Flipped upside down, he aimed his cannon at the small of the monster's neck and fired.

This time, Taurus slowed and stopped. Subaru used the chance to sprint back to his enemy, dropping to slide beneath its legs in an attempt to catch him off guard. The cow, however, snatched him up, giant hand squeezing Subaru tight.

It felt like his muscles were melting, the metal of Taurus's armor was radiating heat like a furnace. The steel fingers like a vice, constricted, staining his vision black.

It's too early to go down! Subaru wriggled with all his strength, by some miracle managing to slip an arm through Taurus's grip. The next card was already loaded in his hand. He shoved the power bomb up the cow's muzzle.

The resulting explosion damaged both parties. Taurus only stumbled back a step; but Subaru flew through the air, managing to orient himself to land on his feet. One knee buckled out from underneath him, his breathing heavy.

"Let's not do that again, Rock."

"Preferably not."

A gurgling sound was coming from Taurus, but as Subaru steadied both feet below him, he realized it was the minotaur's version of a laugh.

"FIRE? YOU TRY TO HURT ME WITH FIRE!? I WILL SHOW YOU FLAMES! I WILL SHOW YOU WHY THEY CALL ME GENERAL TAURUS OF FIRE!"

A jet of liquid flames shot from the FMian's snout, like napalm, billowing out and crisping the sport's field in milliseconds.

Subaru summoned a brief EM shield to guard against the blast, biding his time. Taurus would need a brief time to recover after that attack, given the wide range. Subaru's next idea was based on stories of European battles he had learned about doing history homework last week: Victorious soldiers in a battle would oftentimes lame the enemies' horses by severing the Achilles tendon. He'd noticed the back of Taurus's lower legs were similarly unguarded.

His transer chimed, a tidal-edge sword, shifting into place. He zipped forward, shifting his frequency just enough to protect against further attacks. Curving around, he felt his blade connect with the sturdy makeup of the giant FMian. Success!

But as Taurus roared in pain, he swung an arm around so fast Subaru didn't have time to react. This time he was the one slammed into the side of the school, and he didn't have the same level of durability as the ET minotaur. It hurt! His head throbbed and stars danced before his eyes. Despite the hit he had gained on the cow, he's sustained just as much damage.

"This isn't working," He croaked to Warrock as he slid to the ground.

"But that was effective, Subaru. You just need to anticipate his moves a bit better."

I must be hearing things, Subaru wondered to himself, cause Rock just sounded encouraging!

The bull pawed the ground again, preparing to charge. Subaru thought fast. Ground Wave! He summoned the card, slamming a hand down on the ground with all his might.

A white wall of energy rushed up to Taurus, washing over him. Molecular vibrations rippled along his heated armor, interfering with frequencies and jamming energy signals. It wasn't fun, Subaru could speak from experience, and it was enough to slow down the juggernaut for now.

Subaru got to his feet, feeling suddenly focused. He had an idea, but he need to keep it together long enough to pull it off. Too bad his limbs were still shaking. The more injuries he sustained, the more it forced Warrock and him apart.

"You hanging in there, Rock?"

"For now." But the words came out strained, "Try not to get hit again and we'll see just how well I'm doing."

Subaru sidestepped, checking over his shoulder to make sure he was in the right place before yelling, "Taurus! You haven't squashed me yet! What's taking you so long?"

"I AM SAVORING IT!"

Predictably, the ox-brain charged again. Subaru rolled to the side like he had initially, and when Taurus tried to nick him, he changed state.

Taurus breezed past, crunching an electric line like a toothpick. The post toppled, crashing to the ground beside the beast. Adjusting back to match, Subaru sidestepped, launching a wide wave attack from his blaster.

Steam hissed as the water drenched the fiery FMian. Subaru followed up without hesitation, loading and firing a 'thunder shot' in the blink of an eye.

Electricity arced between the supercharged alien and the severed power lines, and Taurus screamed as it scrambled his functions and sucked his energy dry. When the light show flickered out, Taurus fell, movements rigid with shock.

Subaru pounced on the minotaur's chest, ignoring the way residual currents raced up his legs. A sword materialized on his right arm, and he drew it back before savagely shoving it under Taurus's breastplate. It sunk up to half the blade yet Subaru pressed harder, ignoring the beast's grunts of pain.

"I'll put you out of your misery." He whispered, sweat beading down his face at this close proximity to the superheated FMian.

"You…" Taurus wasn't done yet. He reached up, trying to pull Subaru off him, "DIE!"

"Kid!" Rock warned, but Subaru didn't need it. He could feel the rending feeling tingling down his limbs. It was similar to having them fall asleep; like hot and cold at the same time.

No, Subaru thought desperately, not now! I'm almost there.

But Taurus was growing stronger, crushing Subaru's chest in that vice-like grip. He needed a miracle.

And like he asked, one came:

"Ushijima Gonta!" a shrill, fear-filled voice pierced the air, "Would you get your head back on straight and QUIT SQUEEZING MY ROCKMAN-SAMA! That's my job, you bonehead!"

Luna was standing among the smoking grass of the school yard, hands on her hips and fire in her eyes. Kizamaro was there too, looking slightly less audacious.

"Prez?" it wasn't Taurus's voice.

The menace paused as Gonta broke through. Subaru took the opening provided, throwing the last of his might behind the sword and driving it all the way through.

Taurus's body burst into flaming orange. It seeped off Genta's sleeping form, assembling itself into the silhouette of the FMian's true shape.

"You win." Taurus's voice rumbled, sounding satisfied.

Subaru didn't feel quite as well off, "And what does that mean?" he asked between pants. Warrock and he were barely holding together now.

"I submit to you as a superior in battle. As long as you are the strongest, I will not oppose you."

"So you won't bother earth again?" Subaru asked, doubtful.

The FMian folded his flaming arms, "Only if you defeat my master. Until then, I will wait for the outcome." In a flash of neon, the alien shot into the air. Taurus left earth.

Luna and Kizamaro were knelt on either side of their compatriot, attempting to wake him up. For once, they weren't paying Rockman any attention.

"What was that all about, Rock?" Subaru muttered quietly.

"Taurus is a fool, but an honorable one. He won't come back unless you lose to Cepheus. But he's even more stupid to think that the FM King is the only one stronger than him."

"I don't want to hear about it today."

"I bet." Warrock said with a chuckle, "But you did good, kid."

Genta was coming round, being bombarded with questions by his friends. Subaru felt satisfied, not only because the threat was now gone, but because he'd managed to keep these guys safe. He didn't know what it was, but he felt he was another step closer to… nevermind. The warm fuzzies were making him illogical. Rock said he did well; and he had.

"Thanks, Rock." And with that, he flashed away. Denpa-henkan wouldn't hold on much longer.


AN: This is a shorter chapter, but that fight took a lot out of me. It felt like Subaru's first real challenge in this reboot. My little brother complained that the last fight didn't have enough action to it - I hope this is satisfactory. For some reason though, when writing Taurus's line, all I could see was Major Armstrong flexing his muscles at me... don't know it anybody else got that impression :) I really want to put a lot of effort into developing characters, so I don't think there will be intense battles every chapter (general wave-battling will just happen between the lines). Let me know what you think!