Ch22
"Hey are you ok?" Netto yelled as he went over to the unconscious boy.
Shun Obihiro lay unconscious on the ground. Pulling away from the window he noticed a notebook on the side. After checking Shun was ok curiosity took hold him and he looked at the notebook. A journal?
He flipped the pages scanning the words in them. His eyes widened as he read the story the journal told. The story of how Shun lost his family in a plane crash and was abused by his relatives and left to fend for himself.
Sadness hit him as he looked at Shun with pity. Poor kid he has been alone all his life. He set the journal down as he heard Shun mutter.
Shun sat up and rubbed his head and turned to look at him and then the journal on the ground. "No," he said softly his body shaking as if his entire world had just crashed down on him. "No.
"Wait it's alright," he said calmly.
"NO!" Shun yelled as he ran for the window.
"Hey wait!" he quickly leapt and tackled Shun to the ground.
They both fell to the ground in a tumble, Shun struggled against him but he wasn't releasing his grip. "I know it must have been hard but I promise I'll help you make it better," He said holding him tightly.
"HOW CAN YOU DO THAT!" Shun yelled his voice almost a sob. "THIS WORLD IS CRUEL AND EVIL. I SHOULD BE DESTROYED!"
"I know you were mistreated badly," he said struggling against Shun's grip. "But trust me there are things worth living for, please give the world another chance."
He could feel tears fall onot his arms as Shun's resistance slowed. "Please let me be your friend," he said softly. "You never had one, let me be that person."
"My friend?" Shun asked softly
He smiled and nodded. "You're still young you don't have to throw everything away now. Please let me help you, I know you can do great things. I promise I can help you." "
Shun's body went limp in his hands as tears fell down his body. "I'm just tired of everything."
"I know life is hard," he said. "But I promise I'll do my best to help you if you let me."
Shun looked up at him and nodded. "Fine."
He released his grip on him and Shun sat up against the wall looking up at the machines. "So what now?"
There was an awkward silence but he looked up at Shun. "Don't worry I'll my best to make sure you are given some leniency."
Shun gave him a small smile as he cleaned his face. "I know did a lot of damage." Shaking his head Shun looked at him his gaze softer than before. "I hope I can make it up to the world one day."
"I'll be there if you want," he said extending an arm.
Shun smiled at him and shook his hand.
The next few weeks were rather hectic as he and his navis helped clean up the Gospel mess. He managed to ask his dad to help Shun get some leniency and eventually the courts allowed him to serve community service as punishment.
"It's nice he is being given a second chance," Rockman said as he sat down on a park bench.
He nodded. "He has only known sadness his entire life. I want to be his friend and help him adjust in this world."
Taking a deep breath he looked up at the sky. "Slur any news from your boss?"
His other navi shook her head. "No I haven't reported to him in a while but he hasn't revealed anything new to me."
He looked at Slur and nodded. "Well if he decides to test us we'll be ready for it. If we need any help our friends can help us."
Slur nodded. "This boy Shun if he does improve it could be beneficial to humanity. My lord likes it when good."
"Well either way we'll show him humanity is worth saving," he said as he noticed Shun walking towards him. He got up and waved. "Hey nice to see you again."
Shun looked up and him and nodded. "H-Hey." The boy seemed different less angry and had an air of optimism to him."
"How have you been?" He asked as Shun sat across from him.
Shun sighed. "Busy. Testifying and doing all sorts of things. Your dad has been very helpful."
"Yeah he is. Don't forget he invited you to have dinner with us sometime," he said with a smile
Shun smiled back. "Thanks. I really appreciate all that you guys are doing for me." Shun then furtively looked around. "Anyway I wanted to tell you something in private. Remember how Wily was manipulating me?"
He nodded. "Yeah what of it? Has he been bothering you?"
"No not that," Shun sighed. "It's just that when he would contact me he would insist on me targeting Slur and only her. Sometimes at the risk of the operation."
He stared at the boy in shock. He wanted to kill Slur? He clenched his fists. No one hurts his navis.
"Strangely it was just her not Rockman. He never insisted on deleting him only her," Shun said. "I don't know why he was so fixated on her. He said she was a threat to mankind or something like that."
Oh god please don't tell me he knows. His blood ran cold, looking down at Slur her face was neutral. "I-I see," he said calmly. "Well thanks for letting me know."
"Did she have something to do with his defeat?" Shun asked.
Looking into his eyes he could tell Shun was being honest. He was a good kid deep down but he couldn't just reveal Slur's origin. "Yeah we defeated him and WWW so maybe that's why he has a vendetta against her," he said.
"Makes sense," Shun said with a shrug.
"Yeah anyway want to go to the arcade?" He asked wanting to change the topic.
"Sure why not," Shun said.
He nodded but despite the smile on his face he couldn't help but feel worried. Could Wily know? Doesn't matter I won't let anyone hurt my net navis.
Dr. Wily clenched his staff as stared at the monitors in front of him. On one was Dr. Regal and on the other Barrel. They were using a secure line of communication to stay in touch as each was in a secure place from prying eyes. "She is stronger than I thought. Nothing Shun is doing can delete her. "
Barrel nodded. The military officer had made a recovery and was now ready to assist them. "Duo will come, she must be taken out no matter what."
He sighed and rubbed his head. "Shun and his Gospel project failed to delete her. My old minions in WWW won't be of any use. Every time they fought her their navis ended up getting close to deleted"
Dr. Regal nodded sitting in his chair. "I have everything ready for Nebula. I'll make sure all units are prepared to take her down."
"You'll have to be prepared," Barrel said. The man sat up his face gaunt. "I doubt I'll have much time left but we have to stop her at all costs. Whatever her plans are they aren't good for mankind."
He nodded clenching his staff tightly. "She is tough. To defeat her we'll have to use all resources available."
"Colonel will," Barrel said firmly. "He has trained and fought against her. I know he can defeat her when the time comes." Barrel took a deep breath and winced. "Also I have some contacts in Sharo there might be a soldier there that can help take her out."
He nodded. "Sounds good. We'll have to be careful, if they found out that you have connections with us it won't end well for you."
Barrel gave him a weak smile. "Don't worry I can be as sly as a fox."
"With the power of dark chips we may be able to overpower her," Dr. Regal said. "We can show her what the power of darkness can do."
"We have to prepare better," he said slamming his walking stick into the ground. "Shun was smart but he was still a child. We'll attack them from all sides in the future and not give them and reprieve. For now lets all prepare and keep in touch."
Regal and Barrel both before their screens went dark. Just what is this navi? He sighed and rubbed his head. He couldn't believe it at first when he heard of Duo and how he took Regal and Yuriko away. He down right thought Barrel was crazy with all of the time travel stuff which he didn't quite comprehend.
Yet despite all that I know Barrel is telling the truth. Whatever that navi is she is no good for this world. He would assist where he could and help take her down using all of his resources available.
Slur stood in her operator's PC next to Rockman. "Do you think he knows about Duo?" Netto asked.
"I don't know," she said. "We have no evidence that he does know of us and he could be after me for a vendetta but still the fact that he used Gospel to come after me means he may know something."
Wily wasn't one of her lord's representatives. She vaguely remembered their faces but since they were humans she didn't pay too much attention. Damn it I should've paid more attention.
"Well it doesn't matter," Netto said firmly. "You're my net navi and partner I'll defend and protect you and Rockman from anyone who would hurt either of you."
Rockman nodded in agreement. "Yeah I'll continue to fight by your side."
She nodded feeling a bit flustered on the inside. "Thank you. I really appreciate both of you. We'll have to be careful to not fall into the enemy's trap."
Netto nodded his eyes fiery with determination. "We won't. I'll make sure to keep you both safe."
She nodded that warm feeling spread through her body. He and Rockman care so much for me. She really was grateful to be Hikari Netto's navi, he honestly cared for her and others.
"Alright anyway guys lets get some rest," Netto said with a yawn.
"Good night," she and Rockman said at the same time.
Just before she retired to her PET Rockman came up to her. "Slur Whatever happens I know we will face it together."
She nodded. "We'll face many trials but I am confident with you are chances are greater."
Rockman's face reddened. "Th-Thanks. Anyway. I'm looking forward to working with you some more."
She nodded. "Me too." Surprisingly she meant it. You are a curious net navi Rockman.
When she arrived at her PET she was about to go into rest mode when she felt a familiar presence.
"Slur how are things?" Duo's voice and presence reverberated throughout her body.
"My lord," she said softly. "All goes well with my observations of this world."
"Good. I see that you are bonding well with your operator and that other navi." Duo's voice was calm but there was a hint of amusement in his words which she could not decern. "Anything worthy of my ears?"
She nodded. "Hikari Netto is giving a boy who lost hope a second chance at life. He also works well with others even if they aren't nice to him."
"I see. Well keep it up. In the future I may test your bonds," Duo said.
She flinched but nodded. "I won't let you down."
Duo laughed. "Something about you has changed Slur."
She frowned. Was he being sarcastic? "Changed?"
"Something about your demeanor and words. They have emotion in them," Duo sounded amused. "Don't worry I haven't decided if that is a bad thing yet. Continue doing your mission."
"Yes sir," she said as she felt the connection end. Changed? She didn't feel different but she had to admit that she did care for Netto and Rockman.
AN: Hoped you all liked it. I know it may feel a bit rushed but I tried my best to flesh things out. I sort of used the Gospel arc as a set up in a way. The next arc will cover Axess and will be longer. Lets just say we haven't seen the last of Shun or Barrel.
I won't update for a while, I still have to edit the next few chapters and rewrite things. Don't worry I'm not abandoning this story.
