Ch9
Slur's vision was blurry, she couldn't feel anything even as half of her left side was blown out. Damn it that navi was stronger than I expected.
She swore as she slipped in and out of consciousness. She could hear Netto's voice, begging her to wake up as he applied various programs to her. You're a smart boy deep down but even you can't fix me. Her programming was nothing this world had seen and despite being a good kid Netto's skills weren't enough to fix her.
Her body shivered as a familiar presence hit her. "Slur you've disappointed me," Duo said his voice ringing in her head. His voice was cold and hit her like a shock of electricity.
"Forgive me," she muttered half lucid. "I have failed."
"How does it feel to fail? To not even be able to accomplish such a basic task?" Duo asked. "That poor boy who is your operator is working hard to fix what he cannot and yet you stew in your self pity."
"Forgive me," she muttered as numbness spread throughout her body.
"I have every reason to terminate you for your failure and purge this planet," Duo said in a matter of fact tone. "Yet out of the years of service you gave me I'll give you another chance."
She only could nod. Her lord's presence was powerful and cold and shook her to the core. The realization she could be killed was nothing she had experienced before. The dread that knowing no matter what her master's mind would not be changed. A part of her wanted to beg for mercy but her lord wasn't merciful.
Duo chuckled his voice reverberating throughout her head. "Come to me and we'll talk. I'll fix you and if your operator vouches for you then maybe I'll give you another chance."
"Anything," she managed to say.
"In time you'll know what it's like to lose for real," Duo said his voice a mixture of cold amusement and disappointment. "To want to live desperately, to save others but in the end destiny arrives. I hope you don't disappoint me again."
His presence left her and she passed out. Netto-kun.
Netto looked at Slur's programming his head feeling like it was going to explode. How is her programming so advanced? What did dad do to make her? Just looking at it in detail it was unlike anything in the world he had seen. A wave of despair hit him. How can I fix her? What did dad do to make her this is unlike anything I've seen before.
He had tried various recovery programs but none seemed to have an effect since half of her body was blown off.
Normally he would ask Slur about it or maybe his dad but right now his navi was hurt and he needed to help her. "Don't worry Slur I'll do my best to fix you," he said trying to reassure his navi. "If not don't worry dad can do it, I know he can."
"No!" Slur said sharply as she grasped her side. "He can't fix me no one here can."
He recoiled at her tone. "What do you mean? Dad made you so he can fix you too."
Slur avoided his gaze and shook her head. "No he can't." Her voice was soft betraying fear and worry.
He stared at his navi, for a moment it was like looking at a stranger. Her gaze looked otherworldly and kept shifting around as if expecting some sort of attack.
"Slur what is going on," he said softly. His navi didn't say anything she closed her eyes and grasped her wounds. "Slur please tell me how to fix you. I don't want to lose you, we've been through a lot together."
"Netto-kun if you value me as your navi I need to know if you trust me," she said softly. "There are things you should know about me that no one else can know, things people may hurt you for."
He stared at his navi wondering what she could me. "What do you mean?" There was desperation in her voice, something he had heard from him before. She was scared, his navi the strongest he knew was scared.
Slur winced as she sat herself up to look at him. "Promise you won't tell anyone, including your parents." He could hear the worry of voice, whatever it was it was something serious.
"I promise," he said quickly. "Slur what is going on with you?"
Slur took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "I was not the net navi your father sent you. A being who you cannot comprehend sent me, a being from another world created me. I am tasked with being your navi by Lord Duo to examine this world."
"Lord Duo?" He asked rubbing his head. The name darkened the mood in the room. All the things Slur was saying were swimming around his head as he tried to comprehend it.
She nodded. "Lord Duo judges every world and decides if they are worth saving or not. He chose me to be your navi to judge not only myself but you and your world as well." Slur winced and looked up at him her gaze a mixture of anger and sorrow.
"Judge Earth?" He asked. "Are you like some sort of alien navi then?" The idea was pretty cool, a part of him thought she was lying but looking at her programming it was definitely out of this world.
"I am," Slur said softly avoiding his gaze. "I am Lord Duo's messenger, he decides if this world is worth saving based on a variety of things. He sent me to you, a normal boy to decide how I can operate and how things work here on Earth."
"But why choose me?" he asked softly. His mind was spinning as he took it all in. She wouldn't lie about this, a part of him deep down was telling him that she was telling the truth.
Slur shook her head. "I don't know. But he has an interest in you I know that for sure. Netto-kun I cannot and will not be under some microscope by a bunch of scientists to dissect do you understand?" She asked her voice turning cold. "Not only is it degrading but your planet's chances of surviving will be slim. Besides people of this world may use me and my programming for horrible things."
"I understand," he said quickly. He knew some scientists would jump at the opportunity to examine and dissect Slur, he wouldn't allow that. She is a net navi from another planet. The idea seemed far fetched but strangely he believed it, looking into her eyes he knew she was telling the truth. She is still my net navi. "We are partners, I won't allow anyone to hurt you or do anything you aren't comfortable with."
Slur gave him a small smile. "Thank you," she said softly.
"No problem. What happened to the original navi my dad sent me?" he asked out of curiosity.
"I absorbed him and his programming," Slur said. "Ever since then I've been different, I've felt things I've never felt before. "Netto-kun you are the first person in a long time who I cared about."
He felt a pang in his heart. Taking a deep breath he looked up at the trophy from the N1 Grand Prix, despite winning it he did not feel good about Slur getting hurt by Pharaohman.
"Slur how can I fix you," he said quickly. "I don't want you to remain like this, I need to know how to fix you."
Slur took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "Netto-kun only Lord Duo can fix me."
"Great how do I get you to him?" he asked quickly. "I'll do anything to make you better."
His navi took a deep breath. "I'll send a message to him, we have to leave the house though, and go somewhere secluded. No one can know," she said firmly.
"Got it," he said. "Lets go then."
Slur nodded. "We must be cautious, make sure we aren't followed."
"I understand," he said as he got up. After getting his things ready he grabbed his PET and left his house. His mom was on the phone and didn't say anything as they left.
Slur is a net navi from another planet. He still couldn't believe it but it explained how strong she was, a part of him knew something was different about his net navi and now he knew what. When it was time to leave he left the house as discreetly as possible. His heart pounded as he quickly made his way to the outskirts of town and towards a small hill.
"Alright no one is around," he said looking around the abandoned area. There wasn't a person in sight and the cold wind made him shudder.
"He is nearby," Slur said. "Let me do the talking, remember be respectful."
"Got it," he said as he looked up at the sky. He saw a bright light and his vision went white.
He moaned as he felt a powerful sensation around him. His body felt like a shock had been sent through it. Eventually, it passed and when he opened his eyes he looked around and realized he was floating in space in front of a very tall object.
What the hell is that? His body shook at the mere presence of the being. It looked like a giant robot attached to a large asteroid with a pair of large arms.
"Hikari Netto I am Duo," the being said. "Slur come forth."
To his surprise Slur appeared by his side and bowed her injuries causing her body to shake. "My Lord I was injured and request healing."
Duo's eyes glowed. "You are injured because of your arrogance. You think yourself superior to the navis on Earth, you think none could've harmed you now look at you. May your learn from the consequences of your pride."
He noticed Slur flinch her face contorting in anger. "It was a small oversight, it shall not happen again."
"We'll see about that," Duo said his bright eyes turning to him. "Hikari Netto tell me of your experience with Slur, what do you think of her?"
"She is my friend and partner," he said quickly. "She has helped me and many others, please if you can help fix her do it." Looking into Duo's gaze he felt small yet he would beg this entity no matter what if it meant fixing his friend. "We are friends and partners. I want to her to be fixed so she won't in pain anymore."
"I see so you have a bond of some sort with her?" Duo said sounding amused. "Well I shall heal her but in return, I shall test you both soon."
"Test us?" he asked.
"You both will soon have an opponent that shall test this bond," Duo said. "Slur consider this upcoming trial a small test."
"Understood," Slur said with a bow.
A bright light enveloped Slur and when it dissipated she was healed. "Thank you my lord," Slur said with a bow.
"Thank you," he said bowing to the being his body shaking.
"Now then Hikari Netto through you and Slur I shall judge your world," Duo said his voice sounding amused. "Hopefully your world is worth saving."
"It is," he said firmly. "I'll show you that humanity is worth saving."
"We shall see," Duo said sounding amused. "Now go!"
Another flash of light blinded him, his head spun as he suddenly felt himself make contact with the ground.
He moaned as he felt the cold air of his hometown and the grass beneath him. "Th-That was surreal," he said as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He was lying in a pile of dirt on the hill he was just at. A part of him thought it was a dream but he knew it wasn't.
He sat up before slowly getting up. His legs shook as he looked around and then down at his PET. "Slur are you alright?"
Slur looked at him and smiled. "I am Netto-kun thank you."
"Thank god you are ok," he said hugging his PET. Tears welled up in his eyes as he gripped his PET tightly. "Duo was definitely something else."
"He is," Slur admitted. "I'm afraid he may test us in the near future, we'll have to be careful."
"I know. But don't worry I'm sure we can handle it," he said with a smile. "You have a strong navi. I may not be much but I'll do my best to help you."
Slur smiled at him, a genuine smile. "Of course."
"Come on lets rest before figuring out what to do with Pharaohman," he said as he carefully walked down the hill.
"Be careful," Slur said as he made it to the sidewalk. "There may be other things we have to face."
He nodded and headed home, it was getting dark and looked like it would rain. When he made his way home he noticed a familiar car in the driveway. "Uh oh," he said as he froze at the car.
"What is it?" Slur asked.
"My father is here," he said. For once he didn't feel happy his dad was home. Crap how am I going to explain Slur? "Don't worry I won't tell him about your true origins."
Slur looked at him and nodded. "Thank you. What will you say though?"
"I guess I could say you were given to me in a mix up?" It was a long shot but it could work even in these advanced times mail still got mixed up.
"Fine just be careful," Slur said. "Don't do anything to arouse suspicion."
"I won't," he said as he made his way to the front door and opened it.
Inside he found his parents talking in the living room with concerned expressions on their faces. "Hey dad long time no see," he said forcing a smile on his face.
"Hell Netto congratulations on winning your tournament. Have a seat we should talk," his father said.
He swallowed a lump in his throat and sat across from his parents. "What is it?" By the way his parents looked he could tell that something was up. Calm down just play dumb.
His father sighed. "Netto may I see you navi?"
Taking out his PET he did his best to not let his arm shake as he showed his father Slur. His navi remained calm as she bowed to his father.
"I see it is as I feared," His father sighed. "Netto this isn't the net navi I sent you."
"Really? What do you mean?" He asked trying his best to appear surprised. "Slur came to me in the mail."
"I guess it was a mix up," his father said rubbing his head. "I sent you a very special navi named Rockman."
"I see," he said as his father handed Slur back to him. "But me and Slur have been through a lot lately, I don't want to lose her."
His father sighed. "I know son. I won't take her away from you if you like being with her. However, Rockman was a special navi and should also be with you."
"Well if you want me to I don't mind having him," he said. "But I won't leave Slur." He looked his dad firmly in the eyes. Slur was his navi and he would protect her at all costs.
His father raised his hands in defeat. "Fine. The problem is that the backup for this navi is in Scilab which is being held by Pharaohman."
He smiled at his dad. "Don't worry we can take care of him."
Slur nodded form his PET. "The enemy will parish, we'll make sure of it."
"Well just be careful," his father said. "This navi is no easy opponent."
"Don't worry I won't be alone," he said as he went through the messages from his friends. "We have a lot of friends who will help us."
