Something that I forgot to mention: Jya na means 'see you.'
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Chapter 19: Two Souls, One Bond
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Terry found himself in a large, empty area. The floor was silver and seemed to extend infinitely in all directions. The ceiling overhead was a depressing gray color.
'' Where am I?'' he wondered aloud. '' Am I… inside Dash?''
Or maybe something had gone wrong, and he was now in limbo forever! '' No no no! I mustn't freak myself out here.'' he said to himself. '' Okay, what should I do next?''
Yeah, what was he going to do? So far, his plan had worked, but now he was at a loss. He was intending to encourage Dash, but he really had no idea how he was going to go about doing it. He sighed, and then sat down on the floor, trying to think up a plan.
'' Terry, what are you doing here?''
Terry jolted and jumped up to see Dash standing near him. But this wasn't the same Dash that was currently sedated. This Dash was the old one; his eyes were their natural dark blue color, and, distressingly, he looked slightly fuzzy, as if he was about to fade away.
'' I came here with the Pulse Transmission System.'' Terry said, a little amazed that he was speaking face to face with his navi.
'' Oh, that…'' Dash said in response, but he said it flatly, with little emotion.
'' Dash…'' Terry began. '' What exactly are you? I know that you're my navi, but what exactly am I talking to?''
Dash sighed. '' I guess you could say that I'm the physical manifestation of Dash.EXE.''
'' Okay, but where am I?''
'' You're inside me Terry.'' Dash replied, still devoid of emotion. It sounded like he was disinterested in the whole thing. '' This is the one place that isn't infected by the venom, the one place that's safe…''
'' Dash, why have you given up?'' Terry asked, getting straight to the point. '' Arman said that a navi can eradicate the venom themselves, but you're not doing crap!''
Dash looked down. '' I can't… I'm too weak…'' The next thing he felt was a blow to the side of his face.
'' T-Terry…'' he said, sounding surprised as the pink mark on his cheek faded.
Terry was looking angry, had his fists clenched, and was breathing heavily. '' Weak!'' he shouted. '' That's a damn lie and you know it!''
'' But…''
'' Who was it who fought Blues to the last of his strength!'' Terry demanded. Dash said nothing.
'' And who helped fight off all of those fire viruses!'' Dash remained silent.
'' Who fought Pyroman, even though he had been powered up with the Extra Code!''
'' I- I did…'' Dash said at last.
'' And who was it who avenged Saito's murder! Hm? Who was it!''
'' It… was I…'' Dash said.
'' See, you're not weak, you're strong!''
'' I, I guess you're right.'' Dash finally admitted, his outline becoming slightly more solid.
'' Accept the truth.'' Terry said, pleased. '' Or I'm gonna punch you again!''
'' That won't be necessary.'' Dash said, grinning sheepishly. '' I was just afraid… So afraid that I kept retreating… When I could've been fighting.''
'' Now that you've come around…'' Terry said. '' How should we go about this eradicating?''
'' I could bring my anti virus features to maximum.'' Dash suggested.
'' No, I think what Arman meant was more along the line of a contest of wills, rather than diagnostics.'' Terry explained.
'' I have to think about eradicating?'' Dash said, sounding dubious.
'' Well, you did say that you are the incarnation of Dash.EXE, that has to mean something.''
'' Then that would make me the incarnation of the venom.'' a slightly raspy voice said.
'' What the devil are you?'' Terry shouted, for a new figure appeared before his eyes. That figure was… Dash. Or rather, a feral looking navi that vaguely resembled him. It's eyes were violet and narrow, the white arrow shape on the front of the helmet had been replaced by a red jewel, it's boots were protected by armor that extended up to the knee, and was segmented, so that it resembled chitin more than armor. A small ridge of spikes protruded from the white shoulder pads, and in the center of it's chest was Dash's navi symbol, a white equilateral triangle against a black background.
'' I told you, I am the incarnation of the venom, just as he is the incarnation of his main program.'' the virus-navi said. '' You can call me Dream Dash.'' (AN: I'm just going to call him Dream.)
'' Dream Dash?''
'' I am what you will become once I delete you.''
'' What do you mean?'' Dash demanded.
Dream smirked. '' You are all that's left of the original. Once you are gone, I can completely take over!''
His purple eyes rested on Terry. '' And you… Once I delete you here, your body will die in the real world.''
'' Wait… what?'' Terry said anxiously.
'' You remember how the Pulse Transmission System works, don't you?'' Dream taunted. '' Everything you experience here is sent to your physical brain. So if I delete you here, your brain, thinking it has died, will shut itself down. If your brain isn't working, your brainstem isn't working. If your brainstem isn't working, your heart will stop beating.''
'' No! I won't let you harm him!'' Dash shouted, morphing his hand into a buster.
Dream laughed. '' You needed your operator around just to have the will to fight! There is no way a wimp like you can win!''
'' You're wrong.'' Dash said, his outline becoming even more solid. '' Not only am I fighting for my survival, but for my operator as well, the person who means the most to me in this world.''
'' Oh how cute.'' Dream said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. '' You're motivated by love. How disgusting.'' He morphed his hand into a long, pale green sword.
'' Terry, get back.'' Dash told his operator. '' He's right. If you're deleted here, your body will die.'' His eyes shone with concern.
Terry started to protest, then stopped. '' You're right… If this was the real world… But it's not… Just… don't lose…''
Dash smiled. '' I won't. I have a strong reason to fight, unlike that freak.''
'' That is where you are wrong.'' Dream countered. '' We are fighting for the exact same reason. Survival. My program dictates survival. I infiltrate a navi, integrate myself with it… until I completely take control. The infection is then spread to other navis, and the cycle repeats itself.''
'' That's just…'' Dash began. '' Feral instinct!'' he shouted, firing a buster shot.
Dream leapt over it, Dash, and landed in front of Terry. Terry jumped in alarm and started to back up, but Dream raised his sword. '' Goodbye human.''
But as he brought the blade down, it shattered into pieces. '' What!'' Dream cried. '' How could that happen?''
'' You forget.'' Dash said, turning around. '' That you're inside me. You're in the heart of my power! And… you tried to kill my operator, something that is unforgivable!'' He began to charge his buster.
Dream tried to leapt out of range, but found that he could not move. '' How!'' he cried. '' How are you doing this!''
'' I told you, you're inside me. A grave mistake on your part, virus!'' Dash said, narrowing his eyes. '' You're basically at my mercy. And when you, the source, are gone, so to will be the infection!''
'' N-Noooooo!'' Dream wailed. '' This is impossible! Absolutely impossible!''
'' Oh shut up already.'' Terry said.
'' Yeah, what he said!'' Dash said, releasing his charge shot.
Dream wailed as the plasma blast hit him, causing him to vanish in an explosion. When it faded, all that was left were a few mere pixels that slowly faded away.
Dash sighed. '' It's over… finally.''
'' Alright!'' Terry cried jubilantly. '' You did it! Now that the source is gone, the rest of the infected areas will be purified!''
'' Yes.'' Dash agreed. '' It was all thanks to you, Terry.''
'' Aw, come on, you had to save me!'' Terry smiled.
'' No. You opened my eyes, you saved me.'' Dash told him.
'' Nah, it was our bond, our understanding of one another.'' Terry corrected.
Dash agreed to this. '' Yes, it was our love.''
Terry nodded, then said, '' Well, I'd better log out, or everyone will be worried.''
'' Will we ever be able to talk like this again?'' Dash asked.
'' I dunno.'' Terry said. '' To be honest though, I think a human's place is in the real world, operating a navi, rather in the cyber world. Maybe one day… we will… Whether it be in real life, or just a dream, we will, someday.''
'' Farewell Dash.'' he said finally, slowly fading away, leaving Dash along.
Dash smiled. '' Someday…''
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There you have it, the end of the story. I was more focused on the aspects of the navi-human relationship, rather than fighting. I just hope people don't think that this was a Dark Blues rip off.
To everyone who read this story, I thank you. Knowing that people enjoyed this is a wonderful feeling
jhvh777: I'm glad that you asked that, for I have one final story planned: The Lone Eden. If the theme of The Link Between the Past and Present was '' lessons from the past'', and the one of Viral Nightmare was '' operator and navi'', then the theme of the next story will be, oh, '' relationships with friends and family.''
But, sadly, you won't be seeing it posted for a while, for while I do have the first few chapters written, I'll be out of state on vacation for the next two weeks, and school starts afterwards. I will, however leave you with a small preview:
The Lone Eden: The rebels travel to an island nation to take part in an ambitious project. But getting there is only half the fun! They're going to have to deal with weird dreams, angry samurai, aerial battles, street urchins, the cyberworld's underworld, one scheming brunette (Kassandra), one really pissed off blond ( Lloyd), and unexpected revelations and developments!
I'll see you then.
