[A/N]: Here we go. Chapter 2!

I actually have the first five or six chapters written down in a notebook, actually, so these next few chapters will go up whenever I'm able to transfer it...after that, it's probably going to be subject to my usual failure at updating. Weh.

Anyways, hope you all enjoy it!

Episode 009 – The Mystery at Dombra Lake!

"Nothing in the pyramids at all, hm?"

"No, Orihime-san…sorry…"

"Very well, then. I'll keep in touch."

The communication screen cut off, and Rockman sighed and stretched.

"Time to go home…we should probably have Amachi-san look at you, War-Rock, after everything that's happened today…"

"If we must…" sighed War-Rock.

"A favor we must ask," interrupted what were becoming some very familiar voices.

"Wha-Berserk? You're still here?"

"Now that we have made ourselves known to you, do you really expect us to remain silent?" The voices of the OOPart almost sounded petulant. "We ask you to invoke more of your compassion: do not report of our presence to anyone."

"Eh?" That was a surprising request. "Why?"

"We do not wish to be spoken of. Having you access our power is enough. Having more humans know of our presence, while we are subjugated by another…it is demeaning to both our pride and safety! We shall not be known to the outside world until we are ready!" hissed the voices.

"Oi oi, Subaru, I don't like this," grumbled War-Rock. "Who knows what they could be planning…? It would help to have more eyes on them…"

"…No, it's fine, War-Rock."

"…Subaru?"

"You asked the same thing of me when we first met, remember?" Rockman smiled slightly. "I said yes back then because I understood the feeling of not wanting to get involved more than was necessary, to want to keep to yourself. Look at what we ended up doing!"

"Subaru…"

"Besides, if they are planning something, we can take care of it. Or are you saying that we're not strong enough?"

As War-Rock spluttered, Rockman began to laugh as he started to head home.

"…We thank you, child."

"Mmn. It's no problem, Berserk!"

0-0-0-0-0

"Well, it seems like War-Rock has successfully assimilated with the Sword of Berserk. You two shouldn't have any more trouble."

"Thanks, Amachi-san. What a relief, right, War-Rock?"

"Yeah," quipped the alien as he transferred back into Subaru's Star Carrier. "It's like the fish bone in my throat is gone."

"I told you, those two situations aren't the same!"

After some more time talking with Amachi, the two began to head home.

"We resent being compared to a mere bone, unearthly one," a multitude of voices suddenly echoed form the Star Carrier, startling both Subaru and War-Rock.

"W-wha? Berserk?" Subaru fumbled for the device on his waist. When he finally got it in his hands, he was surprised to find not only War-Rock, but the very same pillar of light they had fought as Rockman sitting in the screen.

"Wha-how did you get out of War-Rock, Berserk?"

"It is a simple matter to project our consciousness, even if our power is stuck within him still," Berserk grumbled. "This inferior technology is surprisingly comfortable, much more so than your friend's belly. We will reside here for the time being."

"Oi, oi…" Subaru chuckled weakly. "It'll make it harder to hide you, showing yourself like this…"

0-0-0-0-0

"There is something we do not understand about you," Berserk admitted after a surprisingly uneventful evening."

"Huh?" Subaru looked up from his homework and picked up his Star Carrier. It had been the first time he had heard Berserk speak all evening. "What is it, Berserk?"

"The incident this morning, at the drink dispenser. You were not responsible for fixing it, yes?"

"No, I wasn't."

"And you would get little recognition or reward for it, would you?"

"Nothing at all, or at least, I didn't expect to. Why?"

"That's just what we wanted to ask," demanded Berserk. "Why expend your power in such a useless fashion? You have great potential…why do you not use it to further your own interests and desires, to subjugate others to your will?"

"Because, I don't want to," Subaru admitted. "The thought never crossed my mind. The first time I Denpa-Henkaned with War-Rock, it was to protect someone. Ever since then, that's what I've been doing: protecting others. Even if they don't know me….even if they will never know I was there, I want to help them."

"What an unusual child you are…" murmured Berserk. "To be so selfless!"

"Well, that's part of being human, isn't it?" War-Rock quipped. "That was one of the first things being with the kiddo taught me! Humans are naturally empathetic like that!"

"Is that so…" Berserk said. "Our memories…they hold no warm emotions like that."

"I'm not surprised," Subaru interjected, suddenly looking sober. "I heard your voices back then…nothing but screaming and pain and anger. If that is all there is, then there's no wonder that your memories are all bad…"

"It is all that we know," admitted Berserk.

"Well, then." Subaru stretched. "Maybe you can make some happier memories now, Berserk."

"We need nothing of the sort," Berserk snapped irritably. "All we need is our power and our will to use it."

The room was silent after that harsh statement. It was some time before Subaru spoke.

"That's fine, too," Subaru eventually said. "You'll be able to channel your power through us, and we'll be able to keep anyone else from using the power of your people for bad things. That's fine, right?"

Berserk said nothing, only grumbled and disappeared.

0-0-0-0-0

It was a fairly normal day in class. The Class President was being her usual bossy self, Gonta was counting down the minutes until lunch, and Kizamaro was fretting about whatever the newest craze on the television was. Subaru was content with tuning them out, at least until Kizamaro decided to forcefully bring Subaru into the conversation.

"I'm correct, right, Subaru-kun?"

"Heh?"

"Dossy!" the short boy screeched. "She is real, right? There have been sightings of her for several days now!"

"Dossy, huh…" He took the magazine that Kizamaro was trying to shove into everyone's face and began to peruse it, tuning out the others as the Class President began to dissuade Kizamaro yet again.

"Oi, Subaru, you're interested in what he said, aren't you?"

"Un…" After all, hadn't Doctor Orihime said that sightings of mysterious creatures were likely Murian denpa lifeforms? Perhaps there were clues there…

"Okay, we're going!"

"That's what I like to hear!" cheered War-Rock.

"Not now, War-Rock! After school!"

"Child, I fail to see how this 'school' aids you in any way, particularly since you apparently have learned the material…"

"Man, exactly! See, Subaru! Even Berserk here agrees with me that ya study ahead too much, and they're all tiresome old fogeys!"

"We take offense to that, unearthly one."

"Yeah, but ya still agree with me, right? Hey, since ya got the entire tribe in there, that means we outvote the kiddo, right?"

0-0-0-0-0

"I still can't believe you said that, War-Rock…"

"So, you think that's why they got all huffy with me?"

"I'm not even going to answer that."

Such was the dialogue between the two as they found themselves approaching Dombra Lake, where all the sightings of Dossy had been. Untransforming once they approached the docks, Subaru and War-Rock found themselves in the midst of a large crowd. People had crowded around somebody speaking into a video camera-a TV show?

"Heh…so it's attracted this much attention?" Subaru wondered out loud.

"This will make searching for clues tricky…" murmured Berserk, surprising both War-Rock and Subaru.

"Ah, you're back!"

"Hmph. We felt some familiar waves around here. This place definitely has ties to Mu."

"So, there's an OOPart here, then?" War-Rock demanded.

"We did not say that. Restrain that foolhardy mouth of yours, unearthly one, and perhaps you would be able to hear properly."

"Oi, no need to be so harsh…"

"I think Berserk's still mad at you, War-Rock…" Subaru laughed weakly. He was forced to look away from the amusing sight of War-Rock acting offended, however, when a large man in a gaudy pink suit started interrupting the broadcast. At first, he simply seemed to be some sort of eccentric billionaire of sorts, the romantic type who would throw money at whatever passion happened to claim them at the time. But then, Subaru heard the crowd's whisperings, heard him say his name.

"Gori Monjirou? The man who tried to buy the HImanara Ruins had the same name…"

"He stinks of a Murian," the voices of Berserk commented, interrupting Subaru's train of thought.

"W-What?" Subaru yelped. "Mu-Murian?"

"Ah. One of these beastly servants of that savage tribe…one of the Yetis."

"Yeti…Yeti Blizzard? Gori Monjirou is Yeti Blizzard?" Subaru hurriedly inquired, his mind quickly drawing connections.

"That is what we're saying, yes. We can tell that you regard it as likely as us that this particular Yeti is the same one that attacked you in that snowy region."

"The same one? One of the Yeti's? Are you saying that…"

"Sharp, for a non-Murian child. Back in the days of old, many Yetis, as well as others, were born of Ra Mu in order to serve and help defend the Murian people. We could not tell by signature alone one Yeti from another, but if you say that this man was also in that snowy land, then it is likely the same one."

"I…I see…" Subaru blanched slightly, thinking about the possibility of fighting multiple Yeti Blizzards, then drove that thought from his mind.

"Anyways, we should steer clear of him for now. We shouldn't get into a battle over the OOParts in a crowded place like this, it's too dangerous.."

"Why would you worry about mere civilian casualties?" queried Berserk. "They are irrelevant and know nothing of you…what do you have to gain by fearing for their lives?"

"My peace of mind," responded Subaru. "The only reason I'm gathering you and the other OOParts is to keep your power out of the hands of people who would use you for bad things that would put others in danger."

"Ha. A pitiful child like you, protect us and our power? Impossible."

"That's why I'm so lucky to have others to help me. Amachi-san and Utagai-san, the rest of AMAKEN, Misora-chan, Harp, and Cancer, War-Rock…and you too, Berserk."

Berserk was silent and did not respond, so War-Rock took the opportunity to speak as Subaru walked away from the interview.

"So, what are you gonna do, Subaru?"

"I'm gonna find out what Gori Monjirou is doing here. It's strange that he would try to spread rumors about Dossy…why draw attention to what he's doing? There has tob e something else going on…and maybe by observing him, we can see what other leads he has on the OOParts…"

"Geez, that's boring! Can't we just smash through his stuff and find out that way?"

"We concur with the unearthly one. IT does not befit a warrior to go sneaking about like some sort of spy."

"And let him know that Rockman is around? No way, that would put him on guard, and we might not find out more! We can't just wait for Doctor Orihime to give us information-by the time she lets us know about it, either Yeti Blizzard or Phantom Black are already there! We need to get ahead somehow! This is the perfect chance, while they don't realize we're here…"

"Fine, fine, whatever you say, kiddo."

"Hmph!" Berserk began growling to themselves in some sort of foreign tongue, nothing that neither War-Rock nor Subaru could understand. It sounded to Subaru like some sort of cursing, and he felt his guess was more than confirmed upon hearing the exclamation of "son of a shinobi-!"

0-0-0-0-0

By staying out of sensory range of Gori and Yeti themselves, Rockman was able to stay undetected as he observed the construction of…whatever that building was; and by looking at what Gori's personal workers were doing and reporting, he was able to piece something of a plot together.

"So, by increasing attention on Dossy, the value of the land he bought increases?" Rockman murmured.

"Doesn't that mean that this guy's only doing this for the money?!" War-Rock spluttered indignantly. "I told ya there wasn't any point to all this!"

"No, I don't think that's everything. Somebody like him could always get more money. I don't think that he'd forget about the OOPart…."

"You are way too optimistic, kiddo, you know that? Thinking you can avoid fights so easily-"

"Child. What is that device?" Berserk queried, bringing the other two's attention back to the construction site. A large object was being lowered into the lake, and Rockman ventured closer for a better look.

"A submarine! He must want to look inside the lake…."

"Aw yeah! Now we're getting somewhere!" War-Rock cheered, apparently forgetting his previous opposition to the plan. As they got closer, they heard him talk into something that looked like a Star Carrier.

"See, Yeti, I haven't forgotten! With everyone focusing on Dossy, and thinking I'm just cashing in on the craze, I can look around the lake to my heart's content! That OOPart is as good as ours!"

"I knew he was after an OOPart!" Rockman whispered. "Now, all we have to do is follow him…"

Easier said than done. It took several minutes for the submarine to be ready, and while that was happening, Rockman took the time to put forward a question about something that was bothering him.

"Why does Gori Monjirou have a Star Carrier? Burai and Phantom Black…they have one as well…it doesn't make sense. AMAKEN only made enough for their staff, the Satella Police, and my friends and I…Utagai-san's mass-production version isn't complete yet. So how?"

"Silly child…do you really think that your neurotic friend would be the only one to attempt materializing denpa? Or rather, I should say, 'do you really think that he'd be the first?'? Berserk commented.

"Wha-? You mean the Star Carriers they're using…those are Murian inventions?"

"Oh, yes. At our peak, we had done things with denpa that you wouldn't' even imagine, child. Your current technology is infantile, in cmparison."

"Yeah, yeah, we already knew about the whole 'superior technology' bit," War-Rock interrupted. "But it's surprising that they look so similar…" War-Rock interrupted.

"Perhaps not. That man…he said that woman scientist invented the device-that radio composer-that he uses in his device to materialize other denpa beings, correct?"

"Un…that's correct."

"Well, she has already made devices based of the Murian technology that she's researched before. That Jamming Beam, for instance. And then this man uses her studies to explore his theories…do you see the picture?"

"Ah. The similarities would make sense, then."

By the time the conversation had finished, the submarine was ready to sink into the waters. It was now time to follow it. Staying at a safe distance, it was easy for them to follow the bright lights of the submarine. Even so, nothing eventful really happened for a long time, and War-Rock was beginning to get fidgety.

"Man, kiddo, this is ridiculous…I bet we could totally find whatever he's looking for before he does. Let's go look!"

"War-Rock, we don't even know what he's focusing on in this big area here…"

"Whatever it is, he is heading towards that strong energy we sensed before. It is worth following him."

"See, War-Rock-ah! What's that? A…temple?"

Indeed, the submarine was approaching some sort of ruin.

"That's it!" hissed the voices of Berserk. "That ruin…it contains that intense source of energy! There's an OOPart in there!"

"What?" Rockman stopped swimming in shock, which cause War-Rock to lose his temper.

"What are you doing?! Don't stand still-we gotta get there before he does-"

War0Rock was cut off as the submarine was attacked by a large orange being. It was reptilian in appearance, with a long neck and powerful jaws…

"D-Dossy! It's Dossy!"

"That ain't no Dossy, kiddo! It feels like a Mu Denpa lifeform!"

"Mu…so we were right! Dossy is an awakened Denpa lifeform!"

"Whatever you're calling it, child, that lifeform is no Dossy…continuing to call it that will do you no good…" murmured Berserk.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

0-0-0-0-0

Gori Monjirou growled as he found himself being attacked by Dossy. He had projected the image of being a romanticist in order to increase the value of his land, but he had never actually expected Dossy to actually exist! Yeti had pointed out that it was a Murian lifeform, but then why was it so hostile? Yeti was with him, it should have allied itself with him! Instead, he was forced to Denpa-Henkan into Yeti Blizard and attempt to defend himself against the lifeform.

It didn't go well. Not only was that beast powerful in the water, it knew how to shoot lightning from its mouth, which was highly effective against him. It also seemed particularly enraged at him, considering he was the source of all the construction and noise that was apparently annoying it, which made it fight him all the harder.

"Damn it…how are we supposed to get it now…" hissed Gori as he untransformed.

"We'll have to wait and observe…" murmured Yeti as they watched "Dossy" swim off.

0-0-0-0-0

Rockman immediately began swimming upwards once he saw "Dossy" in action.

"What are you doing? This is the perfect opportunity to take the OOPart!" cried Berserk.

"I can't! Do you realize what these two fighting on the surface will cause? People are in danger out there! We know that Gori Monjirou can't get the OOPart like this, so we have to make sure everyone else is safe!"

"You blasted, foolish child!"

By the time Rockman had reached the surface, Yeti Blizzard had been blasted away from the battle field, and "Dossy," was charging towards the spectators that had gathered to watch for "Dossy."

"Oh no…he can't be!" Rockman leapt out of the water just as "Dossy" let out an angered roar.

"You humans are all too noisy! Leave this place!" It slammed down its front flipper onto the water's surface, bringing up a huge tidal wave just as Rockman landed on the rails of the observation docks. He heard people screaming, growled softly under his breath.

"Damn it…any Barrier cards won't help everyone against this…!"

"Use it anyway, child!" Berserk hissed.

"What?!"

"Use it!" Suddenly, Rockman felt a surge of energy course through his body, charging him. He didn't ask, didn't think, just trusted the voices of Berserk ringing in his ears and their electricity surging through his veins.

"Battle Card, Barrier!"

At first, it was merely the same clear, small forcefield surrounding him. But then bolts of electricity jumped out of his body, struck the barrier's surface and forced it outward, stretching it to encompass the entire observation dock. People stopped running, turned to watch the display of light in awe, saw the waves smash against the barrier, some of it hissing and evaporating into hot steam as the lightning's heat broke it apart.

"Berserk…you…"

"We charged your card with some of our power. It was a good way to get that lifeform's attention, see?"

As Rockman turned to the side, he saw that "Dossy" had stopped attacking, staring down at them with an intrigued expression.

"I see…thanks, Berserk."

"If you are thanking us for saving those other humans, save it. That was not our goal."

"…I understand, Berserk."

Rock man leaped up, landing on a Wave Road closer to "Dossy."

"That power…" it grumbled, and its low deep voice intimidated the young boy. Even so, he brought himself to speak.

"Why are you attacking the humans, Brachio?"

0-0-Episode 009 End-0-0

Episode Preview: Since Dossy-I mean-Brachio's a Mu Denpa life form, there must be an OOPart around here…but why is he wreaking so much havoc? And what does Berserk have against him, anyways? Maybe there's a reason…Next time, on Ryuusei no Rockman Tribe: The Truth about Dossy!

[A/N]: review, comment, etc. etc. etc...