Megaman Battle Network Lan AU

By: FunahoMisaki

(A/N: I own nothing and read last chapter)

"Do you remember anything?" Chaud asked Lan looking upset but official. All an act of course but a good one for those watching the questioning. And neither boy was stupid or delusional enough to think that there weren't others watching the questioning. There were at least four other Officials watching from outside of the room and that was just the officials! Not counting the reporters, those coming to visit Lan, or the hospital staff.

"Nothing." Lan said shaking his head in the negative and looking furious with himself for not knowing anything that could be of use.

"It's to be expected. You were a threat to them; they'd want to keep you clueless and ignorant for as long as possible. Not to mention that according to the doctor you had a nasty bump on your head. It's possible that it caused some short-term memory loss." Chaud said with a grimace of his own and making Lan scowl again. Although he had already known about the bump. He had told Tsukimi to make it look like he took a nasty hit to the head in order to avoid most all the questioning that he would suffer from.

"So why did they release me now of all times?" Lan asked wanting to know what the official reason for this was.

"Unknown but most are believing that it's because they got ahold of something that they believed could defeat you, or possibly because they were well bribed by some of your more influential friends, or even because of this other new group that popped up while you were gone called the Knights." Chaud said and he shrugged slightly to show that the other officials couldn't make up their mind or didn't know why exactly Lan had been released. After all they were just as shocked by the Deck releasing him as everyone else was.

"The Knights?" Lan asked making sure to look confused about this since he wasn't supposed to know about them and their appearance.

"Another new group of crooks who popped up about a week after you were taken and started doing more overt things like taking over Squares and all. For some reason the Deck went against these Knights and utterly slaughtered all of them, from the reports it was just three members of the Spades that did the damage. They didn't take any prisoners either, the only one who survived of the Knights was one who had done so by logging out early for some reason." Chaud filled in his boss on that and making Lan groan and thunk his head lightly against his pillow.

"Of course there was going to be a second one. Seriously is my life a series of games that come in sets of two or what?" Lan asked aloud and Chaud didn't think the boy was asking any one person in particular or anyone at all really. He couldn't blame his boss, not when all of the groups seemed to come in sets of twos, the cybeasts…the red sun and blue moon…blue and white….

"Apparently so?" Chaud said sweat-dropping the longer he thought about it because honestly…Lan had a point. Lan made a mental note to see about having some of the deck more into that kind of thing make a game. It could be a good source of revenue after all.

"So they probably released me so that I can take down these 'Knights' for them." Lan said with a sigh and making Chaud give him a stern frown.

"Yeah no. You're forbidden from Netbattling for at least a week if not two." Chaud said making Lan look shocked and glare at him.

"What?!" Lan demanded as if this wasn't just another part of his plan.

"Yeah the nurses and doctors said you didn't need the extra strain at the moment. You're forbidden from any Netbattling at all for at least one week if not longer depending on your healing rates, and you'd better be glad they aren't trying to make it longer." Chaud said with a snort while Lan looked upset and furious as well. Honestly they were glad that everyone in the higher tiers of the deck already had impressive acting skills, and those that didn't learned very fast.

"But what if there's another attack? I can still Netbattle and help! Megaman does most of the battling anyways! I just pick and insert a chip!" Lan said looking ready to get up and throw down with whoever had stuck him on bed rest.

"Don't get pissed at me. I'm just the messenger. Doctors said it'd be too stressful for you, and they didn't want to risk it only for you to end up in even worse condition or kidnapped again. They already know you'll do something reckless because of Ms. Mari and Ms. Yuri so-"

"Ms. Mari and Ms. Yuri?! What happened?!" Lan demanded sounding worried and shocked and stricken since he wasn't supposed to know of their kidnapping and forced indoctrination into the deck.

"…They were both captured by the Deck not long after you were. There's still no evidence of what they want from the two or what they're doing to the two." Chaud said wincing and looking as if he didn't want to tell that information.

"WHAT?!" Lan roared at that news after a few seconds of silence as he 'processed' it. Immediately Lan was getting up and moving as if storm from the room.

"Lan no! Don't try to push yourself right now!" Chaud didn't even have to act or pretend as he tried to grab his boss and get him back into the hospital bed.

"Let me go! I have to go save them!" Lan struggled with Chaud but he was weak still and couldn't put up a good fight, not like he usually would at least.

"You can't save anyone until you're back to one hundred percent! Lan I promise we're trying our best to find and save them! Just give the Officials some more time!" Chaud tried to argue logic into his friend and leader but Lan was struggling hard against him. As hard as he could at the moment at least without giving anything away.

"You have one week. One week before I hunt down the ones who took them and save them myself." Lan growled and Chaud winced slightly at the deadline set.

"And if need be he'll have the whole of Creamland behind him." Princess Pride spoke up, making them both jump since they hadn't been aware that she was in the room.

"Who let you in here and why? He shouldn't be having visitors yet." Chaud said frowning at Pride who smirked slightly.

"There are some perks to being a princess. Besides I'm his fiance, of course I'd be allowed to see him as soon as he woke up." Pride said making Chaud's eyebrow twitch. That was Lan's cue. After all the news of his engagement broke while he was still in 'captivity' after all, and he knew there were still Officials not part of the Dec watching. Which was one of the main reasons for the squeak in his voice as he stared at Pride wide eyed.

"Fiance?"