Jhvh777: Aw, that was so kind of you! Reviewing (Twice? Why? I posted the chapters at the same time!) even when you were on vacation in Tennessee. (Please don't forget your suntan lotion next time. :D) About Chaud... No, can't say. It's confidential. ;-) Mm, you could have an idea there, though. He's not a stalker, but who knows what'll happen next? Not you guys, I'll bet. (grins evilly and sniggers)

Rose Kitsune.EXE: And I thought you would be angry at the demented Chaud thing. XD Good thing you weren't. You know, you and Jhvh leave such great ideas for this fanfic in your reviews. Someday, Rose. Someday - when I'm done posting this fic. That's when you guys will find out what happens next. ;-)

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Lan's POV

NetBattle.

Go figure.

That was my first thought as I watched Chaud raise his PET and plunge Proto Man's cord into a jack-in slot from a nearby traffic light. Automatically, I reflected the gesture back to him, feeling Mega Man disappearing from the Real World as I jacked him in. I felt an odd sensation as the jack-in cord left my hand and danced, almost playfully, into the slot. Even as I clicked it in, it was like something was leaving me. Like a part of me was going. I shook my head to clear himself. Mega Man may be a humanized Navi, but we were two different people - no matter how much we were related to each other (in more ways than one).

In the Internet battle arena, Mega Man and Proto Man stood in front of each other, arms crossed, glaring at each other before beginning the fight. I could just imagine Proto Man's eyes shining from behind the shades perched delicately on his nose, reflecting Chaud's own expression. Indeed, the white-haired Net Op did look vindictively evil with his dark, almost midnight-blue eyes shining through the gaps in his bleached hair.

The battle started.

Proto Man's right hand ignited in a way-too-familiar battle blade; the sword that was permanently fused into his arm was strengthening for the NetBattle ahead. A shocking thought struck me full force: What if we got rid of it? Not only would that make everyone's life much easier, it would also give Mega Man the winning edge for this battle.

Suddenly, cutting through my thoughts, Proto Man's sword flashed hot-white among Mega Man's chest as he swiped my Navi down to the floor, smiling evilly in the shadow cast by his red helmet. Now all we needed was the evil laughter. I felt anger bubbling deep within me, but close to the surface. Reining it in, I decided it was payback time.

I quickly flashed a chip through the slot of my PET for starters. Nothing much, but Mega Man knew what to do with it. He rolled over, exposing a small grin, then jumped back up, MiniBoomer in hand.

Mega seemed to hesitate for a moment, fake sidestepping Proto Man before tossed the small blue bomb not at the Navi standing in front of him, but behind him. Proto whirled around; I took that chance to slide another chip through the slot of my PET. A CyberSword.

Now they were even. The two sword blades whirled in an everlasting cadence of battle, clash upon clash of white and palish yellow. The blades spun and smacked each other again as the two Navis aimed and parried in battle. Their story sang from between the blades and into the night.

I quickly tightened my fist around one single BattleChip: a WideSword. I was waiting for the right moment, waiting so Mega could strike, waiting as the two swords swirled, two pale flashes, one against the other. The dance of the blades, not for this age and time, but for all eternity. The battle was on.

Until, that is, Proto Man's sword struck Mega Man right in the chest.