Lan figured he had the perfect excuse to go to the Okuden Valley.
"Camping! Can me and my friends go on a camping trip all by ourselves?" Lan asked, giving his mom puppy-dog eyes. Mama tilted her head.
"Well... You are getting older... Hm, as long as your friends all come, it's fine with me! Just be careful out there, alright, honey?" she asked, giving him a hug. Lan grinned at the agreement, but felt his face flush at the hug.
"Thanks, Mom!" he said, and raced to his room.
'How are you going to get to Aeolus?' Model X asked. Megaman chuckled.
"That's easy. Lan just needs to wander off during a hike and make it back by sundown." he said. Lan glared.
"Hey!" he protested. He wrestled around with the stuff crammed in his closet, trying to find his sleeping bag. "Megaman? Can you email everybody? Even Chaud I guess." he said. Megaman nodded.
"Roger that, Lan!" he said, and started to compose the emails.
Lan struggled with his and Dex's tent. A pole sprung out of the ground and slammed into his chin. Dex started laughing until the tent fell on top of him. Lan mischievously grinned.
"Do you need some help, Dex?" he asked. Dex waved his arms from underneath the tent.
"I'm fine! I'll take of this thing myself!" he exclaimed, throwing the tent off. Lan set down the rock he had been using to pound in the stakes.
"If you say so." he said with a grin, and left. Maylu and Yai had it easy with their tent. It was some kind of big, pre-set tent that had come from Yai's house. It was very, very pink. Maylu was working to grill some fish on the public barbecue. She turned around.
"Lan! Did you bring a knife of any kind?" she asked. Lan shook his head.
"No, I just packed my sleeping bag and some pajamas." he said. Yai glanced over from an inflatable chair she had brought with her.
"Don't look at me." she said.
"Not me either!" Dex called, struggling with the tent. Maylu fidgeted a bit.
"I can't cut the fish without one." she said.
"Maybe some of the other campers will let you borrow one, Maylu!" Roll piped up from her PET. Megaman nodded.
"Good idea, Roll!" he said. Lan turned around.
"Okay. Let's go then!" he said. He skimmed over all the people. There was a big family trying to put their tent together, a couple who looked ready to go birdwatching, and this other guy with a fishing pole. Lan shaded his eyes, and looked to the very back of the grounds. An older man was sitting on a log, staring towards the river. Sunlight shone off what looked like a pair of headphones. Lan's eyes went wide.
"Aeolus!" he whispered. That had to be him! He darted over, Maylu following close behind. "Excuse me mister!" he said. Aeolus raised his head, teal hair looking more white.
"What is it?" he snapped. Lan grinned.
"Do you have a knife we can use?" he asked. Aeolus glared at him.
"You want to borrow a knife?" he asked. Lan wanted to blurt out Aeolus' name, or about Megamerging, but Maylu was right next to him. Maylu nodded.
"Right! I, sorta forgot one." she said. Lan rubbed behind his head.
"We all did." he said. Aeolus raised an eyebrow, teal hair looking more silver in the sunlight.
"Then you're all fools." he snapped. He pushed himself off the log he had been sitting on, wincing a bit. Maylu clasped her hands.
"I didn't mean to upset you, sir! This is the first time any of us have been camping without a grownup!" she said. Dex and Yai came over, nodding in agreement.
"C'mon, please just let us borrow one for a moment, mister." Yai said. Dex bowed.
"We'll be very good with it!" he said. Aeolus' eye twitched.
"Why do you think we even have one?" he asked. Lan blinked.
"We?" he asked. Aeolus blinked back, flinching ever so slightly.
"I'm getting older, I mess up now and again." he said.
'Aeolus, they've asked nicely, and they're simply children. Foolish children, but still children.' the light, airy voice said. Lan wanted to jump, and get excited, but he somehow remained calm. Aeolus sighed.
"I'll lend you a knife. On one condition. I cut what needs cutting." he said. Maylu smiled.
"Thank you, mister!" she said. Aeolus sighed.
"It's Aeolus." he said, and walked past. He was a master at slicing fish. Everyone watched, amazed.
"Woah!"
With a flick of his wrist, Aeolus flipped the sliced pieces of fish onto a sizzling hot grill. He glanced at Lan and his friends.
"By chance did you bring salt?" he asked. Everybody was quiet. He sighed. "Of course." he mumbled. A voice chuckled behind everyone.
"I can't believe you've gone soft, Aeolus!" Aeolus glared at a camper wearing a ballcap.
"Dave." he said. The camper pulled out a small packet from his pocket.
"Here. This is what you want, isn't it?" he asked. Aeolus took it, turning around. He didn't say anything. Lan came up to Dave.
"You know him?" he asked. Dave put his hands into his pockets.
"All regulars to Okuden Valley know about Aeolus. He's lived here for as long as anybody can remember. He knows these mountains like the back of his hand, and even joins in searches when people get lost." he said. He smiled. "Guess how old he is." he said. Dex scratched his head.
"I don't know, forty?" he said. Maylu thought.
"No, he must be older. Fifty-five?" she asked. Dave laughed.
"Nope! He's old enough to be-"
"That's enough!"
Aeolus glared up from the grill, and flinched as a piece of fish sizzled, burning. Dave tilted his head.
"Did I also mention he's a narcissist and a perfectionist?" he said.
'Don't listen to him, Aeolus. You've gotten past your narcissism.' the airy voice said. Aeolus snorted.
"Mostly." he whispered. Yai turned around.
"Did you say something?" she asked. Aeolus glared at her. He took a plate, and flipped the grilled fish on top of it.
"There. I've done the best this grill will allow me. It is not perfect, however." he said, and walked away.
Lan swallowed the last bit of fish.
"Ah, that was so good!" he said. His friends all nodded.
"Uh huh!" they said. Dex glanced around.
"Where'd that Aeolus guy go anyways?" he asked. Maylu started looking around.
"I don't see him." she said. Yai leaned back.
"Oh well. He was kinda rude to us anyways." she said. Lan stood up.
"I'm still gonna find him and thank him." he said, and raced away.
"Was that an excuse not to clean up, or an excuse to find Aeolus?" Megaman asked. Lan took out his PET for a second.
"The second one obviously!" he said. He dashed through the campgrounds, trying to spot Aeolus. He caught up to him just before he vanished into the forest.
"Wait! Aeolus!" he called. Aeolus turned around, glaring.
"What do you want now?" he snapped. Lan motioned to himself.
"I'm a Chosen One too!" he said. Aeolus looked like his heart had stopped for a moment.
"You?" he asked, disbelievingly.
'It's true, Aeolus.' Model X said, floating out of Lan's backpack. A green Biometal that had been lovingly cared for floated out of Aeolus' pocket.
'Model X!' he said, startled. Model X's glow softened.
'It's been too long, Model H.' he said. Aeolus seemed to be in shock. He turned around.
"No! I do not want to have anything else to do with the Game of Destiny! I have found my peace, my perfection. I have nothing to do with the others anymore. I couldn't tolerate them anyways." he said, turning around hastily. Model X floated forward.
'This has nothing to do with the game! Lan and Megaman know nothing about it!' he said. Aeolus stopped. He glanced back.
"Mega... man...?" he said. Lan nodded, and pulled out his PET.
"He's my NetNavi! He's my partner." he said. Megaman waved.
"Hello there!" he said. Aeolus stared. He raised his head slightly.
"Did you acquire him before of after Model X?" he asked. Lan blinked.
"Huh? Before, why?" he asked. Aeolus shared a look with Model H. He nodded, then looked at Lan.
"Do something for me. Something that only a Navi and Operator can do. Then I will decide whether or not to have anything to do with you." he said. Lan nodded.
"Sure! What is it?" he asked. Aeolus' eyes narrowed.
"Stopping the demolition of the Okuden Valley Dam."
It was so close, but Megaman couldn't help but think it might have been closer without Aeolus' warning. Aeolus caught up just as Dave was about to bolt. He grabbed him by the elbow.
"That's enough! Do you think that destruction is the only way to purify a world? I thought that once, and all it brought was pain and sorrow!" he said. Dave was so startled by the tone of Aeolus' voice that he froze. Lan himself was startled. Aeolus' ruby eyes glimmered with anger. "I burned, I hurt, my body felt like it was being torn apart. I hated the optimistic hope of one, dismissed others. That's what it feels like! What it always, always feels like!" he said. Dave's legs gave out from under him by the time Chaud had caught up. Chaud was startled.
"Who are you?" he asked. Aeolus roughly pushed Dave to the ground.
"Somebody who knows the outcome." he said, and turned around. He glanced at Lan. "I saw it. Come visit me another day, one where I've regained my strength." he said. Lan watched him leave.
"Okay..." he said. Dave glared after him.
"Grave will remake the world! One without humans that destroy and pollute nature!" he yelled. Chaud came up, firmly grabbing Dave's elbow.
"That's enough. You're under arrest." he said, flashing his Official badge. Dave glared, his eyes darting over in the direction Aeolus had disappeared in, just to make sure he wasn't coming back.
Lan groaned as he finally made it to the top of the Harpy's Trailhead.
"Why does he live all the way out here?" he complained. Megaman glanced up.
"Maybe he just likes his privacy." he suggested.
'It's probably because he doesn't have much outside interference. He's able to control the things around him.' Model X explained.
"I can hear all three of you. My hearing hasn't gone yet." Lan jumped, seeing Aeolus holding a massive broadsword. He didn't use it like a cane, he held it like a weapon. Model H appeared next to him.
'Megamerge.' he ordered. Aeolus reached out for Model H.
"You don't know the privilege of being a Chosen One yet. The Biometal grants you an ultimate power, one that cannot be duplicated. The Biometals are also choosy about who they connect with." A flash of green light coated Aeolus, and when it cleared, he was wearing green armour, and powerful, slicing wings. He had two swords now, both of them looking like cyber Swords. Lan held onto Model X.
"Alright! Megamerge!" he exclaimed.
'MEGA System online.' Model X said, eyes flashing. Aeolus tilted his head when the Megamerge finished.
"Alright. Come at me!" he said. He didn't look so old anymore. Lan could hardly catch his breath with this new opponent. Megaman was always on alert, calling out sneak attacks before they could hit. It was nearly impossible, no, completely impossible, to land a hit on Aeolus. He flew into the air, raising his sword.
"Behold the power of the Wind Mega Man!" he exclaimed. Lan and Megaman were both stunned.
"Mega Man?" they asked together. It was just at the wrong moment. Lan cried out as the sword slammed into his body. If he hadn't been Megamerged, it would of cut off his arm and thensome. Aeolus landed, and set a hand on a tree. The merge ended, leaving him breathing heavily.
"That... you need to learn your power." he said. He stumbled down, sitting on the ground. Lan stood up shakily.
"Aeolus!" he exclaimed. He gripped his shoulder, wincing. Aeolus looked up at him, panting.
"Do not cancel the Megamerge. Your body would be very hurt if you did." he said. He picked up his broadsword, now using it as a form of support.
Lan was sitting, in his Megamerged form, waiting for Aeolus. Aeolus came back, holding a tea platter. He set it down, and then sat down himself. He motioned to a couple of glimmering crystals next to the tea pot.
"Those are called E-crystals. As Model X, they'll replenish your energy." he said. Lan reached for a crystal, holding it carefully.
"Really?" he asked. Megaman tapped it with his hologram.
"I can feel some kind of energy buzzing in it. I don't think it will hurt." he said. Lan still stared.
"Isn't this a rock?" he asked. Aeolus' eye twitched.
"No. An E-crystal is not a rock. Did Model X tell you anything about our home world?" he asked.
'They're just children! When I want to talk, I speak.' Model X said, sounding a little upset. Model H floated next to Lan. He seemed to smile. 'Try it. They're a little like candy.' he said. Lan perked up a bit.
"Oh, so rock candy!" he said, and bit into it. It instantly turned into liquid in his mouth. Lan swallowed quickly, not sure how to describe the taste. "Can something taste like electricity?" he asked, taking another bite. Megaman smiled.
"That's what energy tastes like. I, guess I haven't tasted it, but my body knows how it feels." he said. Lan reached for another crystal.
"These are really good!" he said. Aeolus relaxed a bit more.
"While you eat, I will tell you more about being a Chosen One. And, what a Mega Man is." he said. He gave Lan a sharp look. "But only if you don't interupt!" he said. Lan nodded, waving a hand.
"I won't!" he said. Aeolus shared at look with Model H.
"I have to wonder..." he mumbled.
"The Biometals were designed by a scientist that we don't know much about. Even the Biometals don't know much about her, since their memories were erased." Aeolus said. Lan opened his mouth to speak, but Megaman shushed him before he could. Even so, Aeolus still seemed irritated. He pulled his cup of tea towards himself. "The Biometals were brought into existence by pure ideals, in hopes they could build a new future, one of peace. There was peace, for a long time. Then," Aeolus' grip on his cup tightened.
"Master Albert, a member of the Sages, decided to use the Biometals for his own end. He was the one who created the Game of Destiny, a game where all the Chosen Ones fought against each other in order to see who was the strongest." Aeolus grimaced. "It was wrong on many levels, levels I have only started to realize. I'm certain that Model X told you the results of the game. The transfer of myself and the other Mega Men to this world." he said.
Lan raised his hand this time, and Aeolus ignored him. He took a sip of his tea. He looked at Lan.
"The term 'Mega Man' refers to a Chosen One when they are Megamerged with their Biometal partner. When I am Megamerged with Model H, I become the Wind Mega Man. You are simply the Blue Mega Man." he said. Lan glared.
"Hey!" he snapped. Aeolus glared back at him.
"I thought I said no talking." he said. Lan grumbled, and sit his chin on his hands. Megaman looked up, meeting Aeolus' gaze. Aeolus nodded slightly at him. "I don't know why you are called Megaman. It could simply a coincidence, or a sign of something greater." he said. Lan felt Model X pulse inside his body.
'Aeolus, while I am grateful that you've explained things in a better way to Lan and Megaman, I have another favour to ask you.' he said. Aeolus glanced up this time. Model H was intrigued too. Lan felt determination swell from Model X. 'Something from our world followed us. Powerful, physical illusions of mechanloids ran rampant through Den Town the other day, and a serpent model Mechanaloid held the generator that powered them.' he said. Model H glowed, seeming upset.
'Model W?' he asked. Model X's power thrummed.
'Even a sliver of Model W's knowledge and power could overwhelm an individual. Please, Model H, Aeolus, have you seen the others? Any of them?' he asked. Aeolus shook his head.
"I'm afraid not. It look me twenty years before I even found Model H." he said. Model H seemed indignant.
'I was put on display in an antique shop! I was there three years before Aeolus found me.' he said. Aeolus nodded.
"The Biometals have fallen mostly inactive without their Chosen Ones. If they are even alive anymore." he said. He grunted. "But's that's enough for now." he said. He stood up. "I expect you back here every weekend to train! If Model W has awakened again, you will need all your power in order to defeat it." he said. Lan nodded.
"I understand." he said.
"Not to mention Grave as well." Megaman added. Lan nodded, and waved at Aeolus.
"We'll be back soon, Aeolus! And next time, we'll be ready." he said. Aeolus flinched, glaring.
"Stop with the optimism." he said. Lan grinned, and Aeolus pinched the bridge of his nose.
Another Time, Another Place...
At home, after returning to normal, Model X finally presented the whole story.
'A long time ago, I existed in another world.' he said. Lan leaned forward.
"Woah! Another world?" he asked. Megaman shushed him.
"Quiet, Lan! Let Model X speak." he said. He was almost certain the blue metal was smiling.
'It's alright, Megaman. Like I said, it was a long time ago. My, my partner and I were pulled into this 'game.' People who had the power to merge with a Biometal were forced to fight one another, in a twisted sense of survival. The game, and it's outcome, were stopped. It was not without a price though.' Model X dipped his 'head' down. 'Reality, the sky itself, shattered. I was sent to this world, alone. I can hear echoes of the other Biometals, but they feel so far away to me. I have no doubt that my partner searched for us for a long time, but,' Model X paused.
'He, he was only human. I'm certain he's died or is at least very, very old by this point. I've still called out, and that's when I discovered a new frequency. A, twin one if you may.' he said. Megaman stiffed, and Lan wasn't sure why. Model X settled himself into Lan's hands. 'I could feel the two of you. Both of you, you are Chosen Ones. Both of you have the ability to Megamerge.' he said. Megaman's face twisted uncomfortably.
"But how? I'm a NetNavi, I'm made out of data." he said. Model X laughed softly.
'And so am I. Do you wish to try?' he asked. Megaman looked unsure, but Lan started bouncing all over the place.
"Yeah! C'mon, Megaman! It feels so amazing!" he said. Megaman gave him a look, but nodded. Model X floated over to the PET, and Megaman pressed his hand against the screen. He took a breath.
"Megamerge!" he called. Model X's power flooded into him. Megaman's breath was caught in the middle of a gasp. He could see armour like his own, he could feel power of many battles. A heart that never stopped beating for other people. He stumbled when coming out, bracing himself against the screen. He yelped as his hand went right through. He found himself staring at Lan. Lan was dumbfounded. Model X seemed a little surprised, but so used to surprises that they didn't bother him anymore.
'Even I don't know everything about Biometal. I do know that we have the ability to turn hopes in reality.' Model X said. Megaman kept looking up at Lan, Lan in the real world.
"Hopes, into reality." he whispered. He was here, he was really here.
AN: I just want to thank everybody who's reviewed so far. Unfortunately, I feel like I can't reply without spoiling the story by accident!