The sun was gradually setting and taking its light away from the SciLabs facility. Evening would soon follow shortly.

Lan sighed in frustration as he stared at the giant monitor. He felt like he wanted to just mash the keyboard in front of him and type nonsensically. A few moments later, Mr. Famous entered the lab to check on Lan's progress.

"The program still failed...?" Mr. Famous asked casually.

Lan turned abruptly and answered Famous' question.

"I tried to reboot the program several times. I tried to configure the settings. I tried to recode the program in order to make it work! I even tried ditching the program for thousands of Iris Clones to do the job! But Chaud wasn't lying about NeoForte's bugs. The bugs have become so potent that not even an Iris Clone could restore Protoman and Searchman. The best that I could do was stop the bugged data from spreading. Chaud and Raika are going to skin me alive if they find that I couldn't restore their Navis!" Lan exclaimed.

"What about the Greek Iris units? Why not use them?" Famous questioned.

"We've already lost many of them because of NeoForte's bugs. We can't afford to lose the remaining units. And it's going to take time and energy to duplicate the deleted Greek units."

"What about using the true Iris Healing Unit System? She could solve the problem much better than the Clones, right?" Mr. Famous mentioned.

Lan hesitated to answer. He wanted to help his friends' Navis, but he didn't want to go so far as to risk infecting the real Iris Healing Unit System. He dodged the question.

"...I just don't understand how some decades-old Navi could cause such irreparable damage. You'd think NeoForte would've been caught and deleted a long time ago by the Colonel Attack Unit systems. Or, at least the damage would've been reversed by the Iris Healing Unit systems..."

"He's pretty much Bass, remember?" Famous reminded matter-of-factly.

"Speaking of Bass, we have no idea where Baritone's parents could be. The Undernet was the original location, but... it's been a while since the entire Undernet started collapsing due to the Colonel Attack Unit System units chipping off the Undernet's data. Not to mention... Naomi's gate to her mind network area is completely cut off..."

"What do you mean by that?" Famous asked curiously.

"I remember several years ago that we had to send Megaman and Protoman back to the Undermet area that housed the gate to Naomi's mind world: the Mirror of Truth. We wanted to warn her of what was about to take place. We wanted to find a way to preserve Naomi's mind network. That way, Naomi wouldn't be affected by the Colonel Attack Unit System's protocol. But by the time Megaman and Protoman got there, the mirror was already shattered..."

"So, you're basically saying that Naomi's mind network area is unreachable?" Famous paraphrased.

"Yes. There's no entrance to her mind network area anymore... And we don't know any links or computers that lead to that area. At the very least, she's most likely alive. As for Bass... I don't know..."

Just as Lan finished verbalizing his contemplations, the double doors of the laboratory opened for Patch, Charity and Baritone.

"Hey, you guys. How've you been?" Lan asked.
"We had a lot of fun at the mall!" Patch answered with a big grin.

Baritone was a little rueful about what had happened at the mall, but he was glad to see that Patch was able to get back up at his feet and be his usual self by the end of the day.

"I see... And what about your homework...?" Lan questioned further. He raised an eyebrow mischievously at Patch.

"Urk... Uuuuh... Well, I uhm..." Patch stuttered.
"Told you, Patch." Charity stuck her tongue out and teased Patch. Lan could only chuckle in response.
"Like father, like son they say." Famous remarked.
"True, true..." Lan admitted. "I'll help you on your homework tonight, Patch. But you had better take care of schoolwork first before you do anything else from now on. Alright?"
"OK..." Patch answered.
"And I see that Baritone has gotten rid of the oversized lab coat and wore some real clothing." Lan smiled in satisfaction.

His eyes then widened as he suddenly realized something.

"Wait... Baritone, could you do me a favor?" Lan asked.
"Um, what is it?" Baritone responded.
"...I need you to log into the computer here and try to heal Protoman and Searchman." Lan requested. Lan went to the computer and pulled up the window where Protoman and Searchman were located.

The red and green Navis were in debilitated conditions due to NeoForte's potent bugs. Baritone cringed in disgust as the bug data squirmed around like maggots on Protoman and Searchman's bodies.

"Ew... That's so gross..." Charity shivered and rubbed her arms.
"Ugh..." Patch groaned.

"Baritone," Lan said. "I know this is a big favor to ask, but could you try to heal Protoman and Searchman?"
"Huh? Why me?" Baritone asked. Lan walked up to Baritone and stared at him face to face.
"Remember when you healed Colonel Gamma...?" Lan replied. "My recovery program wasn't able to heal Protoman and Searchman, but if you were able to heal a Clone from NeoForte's bugs... maybe you could do the same for these 2 Navis. Can you help them?"
"Oh... OK!" Baritone answered.
"Alright. Walk over to the Copybot charger platform over there. Stand still as I jack you out of the Copybot, and I'll log you into the computer," Lan instructed.

Baritone did as he was told. A couple seconds later, he was in the cyber world and was standing in front of Protoman and Searchman. A holographic screen depicting Lan materialized next to Baritone.

"OK, Baritone. Try to heal them like you healed the Greek Colonel unit." Lan requested. Baritone nodded in affirmation as he cautiously approached Protoman and Searchman.

Baritone extended his hands outward and performed a Soul Heal on the two infected Navis. The white Navi's hands glowed a bluish-white light. Then, glowing orbs of light poured into Protoman and Searchman. Amazingly, the bug data dissipated and the two Navis recovered. Lan gasped in awe when Baritone finished healing the Navis.

"Unbelievable... Baritone's healing abilities surpass that of an Iris Clone!" Lan exclaimed.
Patch and Charity were also amazed how Baritone was able to heal Protoman and Searchman.

But the three humans quickly noticed that Baritone was panting a bit after he was done.

"You OK, Baritone? How come you suddenly got tired like you ran a marathon?" Patch asked.

Baritone turned his attention to Patch and panted that Soul Heal was a healing move that reinvigorates Navis at the cost of his own energy. The more Soul Heal was performed, the more it drained Baritone.

"So, even great powers have strings attached to them." A familiar person said as he walked in.
"You! Max, what are you doing here?" Patch pointed in disgust. Max glared at Patch.
"Put a sock on it, Band-Aid. I'm not in the mood for Round 2." Max said.
"Hey. Didn't Dex ever teach you manners?" Lan asked sourly.
"...I'm not here to argue about petty matters," Max answered. "Mr. Blaze ordered me to ask you if his Navi, Protoman, has recovered. I happened to be around in the neighborhood, so I decided to come in. Fortunately, it seems you've already done your job."

Max then started at the monitor that portrayed Baritone. He then realize Baritone was the white-haired boy who bumped into him earlier.
"You're the boy who bumped into me at the mall earlier today."
"How... did you know...?" Baritone asked.
"Not many people have blue eyes and white hair. They must be your favorite colors in your wardrobe, so I assumed it would've been you. And you should know that running is prohibited in the mall." Max explained. Baritone cringed a bit at Max's rebuke.

While Max was talking, Lan stared at Max incredulously. Dex really needs to teach his stepson some manners... Chaud may have been annoying as a kid, but this little brat's even more spoiled than him! Lan thought.

"Why would Charity's dad send you of all people to check up on his Navi?" Patch questioned.
"Funny. I thought your friend Charity would've told you a long time ago." Max answered sarcastically.
"Huh?" Patch responded. He stared at Charity as though he was searching for the answers in her eyes.
"Well... I forgot to tell you that Max is one of the top Net Officials... He may be a jerk, but he's a genius in Net Battling. And you know that my dad's the international leader of all Net Officials..." Charity confessed.
"What?" Patched gawked in disbelief.

Max smirked in arrogant triumph – until another person came into the lab. A little 9-year-old girl walked in shyly toward Max.

"Big Brother..." The little girl spoke softly. Max's eyes widened in surprise. He walked towards the little girl.
"Michelle. I thought I told you to stay in the limo." Max said calmly but firmly.
"But... you promised that you would be back in a minute. And... it's been 3 minutes..."
"I tried to tell Ms. Ogreon not to leave, but she insisted to see you, sir. My deepest apologies!" Michelle's Navi, , explained.

Max sighed, but smiled gently. "Alright, I'll be done in 2 minutes. Then... we'll go to the park like I promised."
"OK!" Michelle smiled cheerfully. The little girl then saw Charity and ran to her excitedly.
"Cherry!" Michelle greeted Charity with a hug. Charity was a little miffed that some people called her "Cherry", but in this case she was fine with Michelle's greeting.

"Hi, Michelle!" Charity hugged back. "You're going to the park today?"
"Yeah. It's been a while since I could go outside and play." Michelle replied.
"Don't push yourself too hard. Be careful with your asthma, OK?"
"I know. Ribbon always tells me to be careful. I won't forget!" Michelle giggled. She then glanced at Patch. Michelle briefly introduced herself to him.
"Hello, I'm Michelle – Max's sister."

"Huh..." Patch was a little curious about Max's little sister, Michelle. While Max had a very serious and stiff demeanor, Michelle was more happy and relaxed. They were complete opposites, yet they seemed to have an average – if not good – brother-sister relationship.

"Uh, hey. I'm Patch." Patch introduced himself to Michelle.
"...I'll let Mr. Blaze know that things are going well here." Max told Lan. Max then turned to Michelle.
"Michelle. Time for us to go." Max said. Michelle said her goodbyes to Charity and Patch. She then obediently went to her brother's side and walked with him towards the exit.

There was a bit of awkward silence before Patch made a comment: "I didn't know that Max had a little sister."

"...Well, I'm not really supposed to say this, but... Michelle is actually Max's half-sister. My mom told me that Max is Mary Towa's son." Charity explained. "He was only a toddler when his father died. Later, Mr. Ogreon married Ms. Towa and they had Michelle. I heard that Max doesn't like his stepdad very much, even though his stepdad tries hard to please him."
"Ogreon...? You mean Mayor Dex Ogreon? Seriously?" Patch asked incredulously. "...I can't imagine him marrying Ms. Towa and having a pretty daughter like Michelle..." Patch muttered.
"What?" Charity huffed in jealousy.
"I'm just saying!" Patch said.

Lan watched and smiled while Patch and Charity squabbled.

Looks like I assumed Max too quickly. Chaud would definitely relate to him well... But I wonder how Dad and Dr. Kalinka Cossak are doing? I thought Naomi was the only child that Dr. Mikhail Cossak cared for... Nobody knew that he would actually have a biological daughter. Lan thought.