Chimera- Chapter Two
Megaman story in two chapters, part of a Megaman series.Summary: Raika experiences a different type of attack from an enemy that he had not expected.First chapter on deviantartStory on fanfiction.net Story on Archive of Our Own Megaman series on Archive of Our Own----------------------------- One uneasy hour later, the scan for the enemy navi was finished. Raika wearily looked at the screen from the chair he was still in; he had declined the offer for him to rest. He was almost offended that no one had proposed the same to the strange youth that had come out of the computer with him. The sullen curly-haired youth was still mutely staring at the wall, his features showing fatigue as he slumped a bit in his chair. Raika then shook the thought off. If the youth was truly supposed to be a part of him, then he would not need to worry about him after they were combined again. It would need to be the same if Searchman were ever divided somehow. He briefly turned his gaze back to another computer monitor, where Searchman was still being scanned. So far, there had been no more results besides that his navi had been somehow completely rendered unable to use any of his default attacks, and surprisingly, battle chips entered into Raika’s PET. He scowled slightly. Not only had the enemy taken away Searchman’s default attacks, but any sort of aided battle power that was common for a net saver. Raika saw Lan, Chaud, and Tory a few feet back crowd around Dr. Hikari. “So, what did you find,” Dad?” Lan asked. “Did you get anything more on that strange navi?” His father nodded, with Famous nearby; Chief Keifer had gone to another part of Sci-lab, overseeing various scans for other strange portals or other such oddities. So far, Raika had not heard of any others. “Well, I found that this navi, Chimeraman, is a combination of six different patterns,” he explained. “None are actually full navis that I can actually tell, but rather enough data to be able to form a navi for each of them.” “How does he even function?” Chaud asked. “I thought that data had to be more aligned for a navi to be more coherent.” Dr. Hikari put a hand on his chin. “I’m actually not sure. But one thing is that the navi was not this way originally. I can even show you the navi’s actual form on another screen, even though I can’t get him to return to that form.” He typed more on the keyboard, and a two-dimensional figure appeared on the monitor left of the one with the captive navi. Raika’s eye’s widened in disbelief. He knew that navi, briefly remembering the net op’s utter scream of despair as the ground beneath the insane accidental chimera cyber being exploded. “That navi was deleted,” he murmured, shaking the years-old memories away. Several faces swerved toward him. “You know that navi?” Famous inquired, his face surprised. Raika nodded. “Not very well,” he responded. “It was from a mission in Sharo, but from what I witnessed and was confirmed afterword by other sources, was that that particular navi was deleted.” “When did you see him?” Lan asked, his face interested. “And who is he, anyway?” Raika shook his head. “I was never told his exact name, but it was a few years ago in Sharo,” he responded. “I assume that with him here now, that he was rebuilt afterword at some point.” Famous raised an eyebrow. “It could even be that his former net op was involved somehow. We can even get more information about him from Sharo, if we need to.” “Can we even get that navi to talk at all?” Lan’ navi, Megaman asked. “I’d like to know what he has to say about all of this.” Famous smiled a bit. “That’s what we were wanting to do. We do have him captured, after all, and even have managed to find a way to temporary block that teleporting and separation abilities of his.” He turned to Dr. Hikari. “Is sooner than later better?” The scientist nodded. “Of course. We need all the information and help we can get, especially with was done to Raika- and Searchman.” Raika scowled, but stayed silent. He watched as not only Chaud, Lan, and Tory jacked in their navis, but Famous summoned a small squad of net police navis to surround the slowly revolving rings that held the multi-colored navi captive. “Now,” Dr. Hikari muttered, pressing a button. The rings kept their steady pace, but Raika saw a line of data surround the navi, to quickly vanish. The eyes under the helmet opened. The navi scowled, turning his head to see the small army of cyber beings around him. He then smiled. “You’re too late,” he said, chuckling a little. “My mission is already over here.” Raika saw Megaman respond, holding his default rifle steady. “You destroyed part of Sci-lab’s new program,” he said angrily. “Why is that?” The navi laughed a bit again. “Oh, you actually want answers?” he sneered. “But I might as well tell you some- and no, I am not undoing anything. But of course, you don’t want me deleted anyway with my unusual abilities, now do you? Your army is practically useless. A navi cannot undo anything while he is mostly destroyed, yes?” Raika seethed inwardly. He utterly despised being so useless, and being part of the reason why the army surrounding the enemy could not outright attack him. “We know who you are,” Protoman spoke up, his voice firm. The navi rolled his eyes. “Of course you do,” he stated mockingly. “What else would be expected by the great Sci-lab, after all? Even Sharian net savers have their uses for discovering things. But I am sure that you or they don’t know other little important details- other ones that no one bothered to discover.” He gave a harsh chuckle, then continued. “I was nearly deleted, mostly unable to grasp a single intelligible thought while combined with data that I did not want, that there were others nearby. But they really didn’t care too much about that- I was just a problem to be fixed, however it would be done. Saving the navi was not a priority. And then of course, the bombs underneath me that were placed so innocently by others before them exploded. “They exploded,” the navi repeated, “but I was never deleted.” “Impossible,” Raika muttered, but let the navi continue. The navi laughed again, but this time with bitterness interlacing his tone. “I was there, trapped underneath the stone, still as helpless as ever,” he continued. “Of course, I could still hear some, including what was around me- or at that point, above me. I was still there, in severe pain, jammed between the rocks that pushed into my data, but the navis above me had the nerve to say that I was deleted. How pathetic! “I could have been rescued right, then, but no, no one bothered to look around. No one bothered to check that someone had tried to hide the poor chimera navi trapped just below them. They just left, without performing a single scan that would have located me easily. There was one navi in particular that could scan things there, of course. But he did not even bother, or his pathetic net op, either. And I thought that the Sharian military was supposed to be thorough!” Raika felt his face redden slightly as a few faces curiously turned his direction. He had no idea if the navi was even telling the truth, though, or if it was even truly the same one from that particular mission a few years ago. After all, if he remembered correctly, the unwilling chimera navi affected then had definitely not been in top condition, to say the least. There was a definitely possibility of his memories could have be even altered by a combination of grief, pain, and rage. Megaman spoke again. “Well, maybe no one really thought that you were still there,” he pointed out. “If you’re actually telling the truth, anyway.” The navi surprisingly did not shout his next response, as Raika had expected. “Of course I’m telling the truth,” he spat. “I was still there, trapping and unexpectedly waiting for the real enemy to capture me. The Sharian military never found out about that!” “Who was that?” The navi rolled his eyes. “Like I’m going to tell. Sharo doesn’t even like navis that have been experimented on, to say the least, including supposedly deleted ones. So they found me, and so-called healed me, telling me about the wondrous acts of the Sharian military that abandoned me there. My former net op could not have a navi that was officially reported as deleted, of course. "They then forced more data inside of me. With the data that had been bound to me through first those excruciating days underneath the rocks- just a mere few feet below the ground, I might add, enough for an able-bodied navi to get me out- and more that was forced into me, I become more of what I am now. I was even shown that my net op soon got a new navi- he did not bother to wait for the real news.” He grinned, a bit savagely. “So you see, I cannot go back. I am and am not the navi I once was. I am not registered since I was made to be something else.” “What does destroying the Sci-lab’s new system have to with any of this?” Lan asked, bewildered. Raika noticed that Chaud also seemed confused, as well as Tory. As for a few words that the navi had said, though . . . “You’re asking why I did that?” the navi stated mockingly. “Really, now, must I have to tell you?” But I may as well. Is not that very same net navi- and net op- somewhere in Sci-lab? My superiors told me of a little revenge. For all missions before this, I had merely done a bit of damage here and there. But for this one- why, the navi that did not bother to perform a simple scan and find the defenseless navi a mere few feet beneath him can now only scan, stripped of everything else he was once able to do. “As for the net op, well, it was quite a coincidence that he was a chimera as I was forced to be, even before being captured by interested parties. I must admit that I did not even believe that such a merge could be done- DNA and data within the same being. Then again, I did not also expect that same human to be not only an accidental chimera, but a natural born one as well. Such is the gold found in lesser guarded military records, yes? Who would expect that someone could make something of a little thing like that?” Raika winced- if the navi was correct, then Tory’s seemingly crazy theory might be correct, somehow . . . Chimeraman smiled. “Such gold indeed. And with my abilities, I was very easily able to pull the two of him apart, so to speak. It was quite easy, really. I was given the task to do it, but it ended up much more easy than I thought when both net op and navi ended up in the cyber world at the same time. They landed a trap for themselves, and in doing that, made it so easy for me to complete my mission. Of course, that was the original mission in itself. The new program, which could, in theory, if developed further, bring them back together again, was just a bonus in that it was going to be destroyed, too.” Raika saw Megaman, as well as the other two custom navis frown- he was purposely not paying attention to the ones in the human realm at the moment. “So you just attacked two innocents just for revenge?” Megaman spat. “How was that going to help anything? Sci-lab could have helped you with your problems, even. You didn’t have to attack anyone!” “Must I answer?” Chimeraman replied, his voice mocking. “Really now. Don’t tell me you never wanted to whack someone for hurting you.” “Not if I didn’t need to!” Raika saw Protoman answer, his voice more controlled. “He was obviously influenced by those who had captured him,” he stated evenly. Megaman’s face was only slightly appeased. “I guess so, but he still didn’t need to do all of this. Revenge is never the answer. It will only hurt others and cause worse things to happen.” Raika looked at the youth behind him for a few brief moments. He was frowning, but nothing worse. Raika scowled inwardly- he had been chased and taunted by many former thieves and otherwise that he had Searchman had attacked during missions, but never affected so much as he was currently. Of course, he wondered about the data inside the youth- and himself. If he himself could still transfer to the cyber world, and the youth, if he was capable of the same and could be convinced of it, then they still might be able to be merge to Raika’s proper form and Searchman’s abilities returned. He frowned a bit. It almost seemed a bit odd for the enemy to go great lengths to pull him apart in two, following information from himself on military files, but managed to forget about his ability for lone internet transfers. Perhaps the enemy- influencing the angered navi that Sci-lab had captured- had only wanted to show what they were capable of doing instead of making sure they effects were long-lasting. (Or it could be that they had actually managed to take away his ability somehow . . .) Raika sighed inwardly. He certainly did not even feel as if he was torn in two, besides his odd appearance. It was almost if that was intentionally done, since it almost seemed that a natural born chimera split into two should have scattered memories in both parts. The enemy navi had been quite deliberate in how the separation had occurred, to say the least. He supposed that there was a small consolation that the navi’s attack had not been provoked by yet something else that had started with another merge effect this time, though. Raika started a bit at the sound of the alarm for intruders. He glanced at the enemy navi as it smirked before Dr. Hikari caused the full capture mode to commence again, and the navi’s eyes closed. The three current battlers were then given their instructions and rushed off to the singular location in Sci-lab for a small darkloid. “Raika, as you or Searchman cannot battle, it is best that you stay here,” Dr. Hikari reminded as he pulled up a screen of the place where the darkloid was. Raika nodded, managing to not frown in sheer regret as he saw the double door close shut behind them- he was to be left out, as useless as the “double” part of him that was less than six feet away. Instead, he focused on watching the screen near him closely. A few minutes later, though, he saw the battlers seemed to not need any suggestions as the battle seemed to disfavor the intruder, who was currently cowering beneath a powered sword from Protoman, while Megaman shot at him from behind. The darkloid was a lower-levelled one that they had fought before, and so he most likely did not need to research anything that would help. He clenched one fist slightly as he turned back around to the small battle, managing to not shout in anger. How useless he was, indeed.--------------------------------- Raika glanced at the sleeping form of the youth on a cot, dimly seen in the dim lighting of the room. The night doctor had just left less than half an hour before, but somehow, the youth had already succumbed to sleep. Of course , he did not have the memories (or so he claimed) of what would trouble himself, such as what he was before the apparent “demerging” of his DNA had taken place. He sighed, purposely turning over to the wall so that he was not facing the strange curly-haired youth. He supposed that it was relatively kind that he had been allowed to have Searchman back in his PET again after nothing else was found wrong besides the obvious missing battle techniques. His speed and thought processing were the same, as everything else, as far as anyone in Sci-lab knew. Raika frowned. He himself had been scanned manually in the human world, and discovered to have just the same half merge that had been before, much to his (and Dr. Hikari’s) surprise. Another scan of the reluctant “new” youth had revealed the same. He sighed aloud, closing his eyes in the dimness of the small room. As Dr. Hikari had said, it had not made much sense, in a way, for both of them to have half DNA and data as the tests had revealed, but somehow, there was. There had been two sets of DNA, apparently, but not two sets of data. Even more strange, was that Raika was found to be unable to transfer to the cyber world as he had after Searchman had done the opposite so to save his life from a collapsing building. (He was glad that Chaud and Lan were not present for that- by then, it was deemed too late for them to be in Sci-lab without any required battles or otherwise.) Nothing seemed to make sense with the split; it was not quite logical, for one thing. Even Famous had mentioned that Raika’s form should not apparently have all of his former memories instead of them being scattered between both of them, as he had thought before. He had apparently been both him and the split youth, after all, before Chimeraman had yanked them apart. Even his chief uncle had confirmed that he indeed was a natural born chimera as his medical records had proved, and as Tory had hypothesized. Raika scowled slightly- he had not wanted a brother of sorts. He was quite fine by himself as the only child of his parents. Of course, there had been a few times that he had somewhat wished that someone else in the family would take the blame for what he parents faulted him for instead, but surely that was not an excuse to actually want a sibling. Certainly, siblings were meant to support each other. He was the only child after several miscarriages, and was still the only one after a few more failures. Of course, he remembered with a frown, that his father, and even his mother had blamed him before for being their only surviving kin. He, apparently, was the reason for an absence of more future heirs to be proud of. Somehow, his own DNA had apparently done something to prevent other children to come in his parents’ family, strange when both of his uncles had at least seven children each. Raika huffed. He had wondered a bit before if he had even a foster brother, if his parents’ negative attention for him would be toned down even slightly. They would have someone else to be with- whether it was positive devotion, or merely more spite. Again, though, who was he wish such negativity on anyone that was innocent? Raika glanced at that other youth again, still slumbering apparently peacefully, perhaps he not fully aware of another monumental problem that he chanced to be a part of. Perhaps the youth- named, of course, as his parents had done for him- would have done better than himself, perhaps even been much more favored and bringing more peace in the small family, as he never had. Then again, if neither of them had not been the “survivor” of being together in the natural chimera merge, then there would have been two of them. The youth would have been his fraternal twin brother, whether he liked it or not. Most of his fellow cadets in his school had at least one sibling. A few seemed to complain about them, including taunting and other forms of unnecessary bullying (if it was not immensely exaggerated; Raika was fairly sure that none of them had a sibling that had actually managed to wreck their parents’ car by driving it into a train and causing a humongous wreckage that included nearly half of a small village, then letting them take the blame). Others seemed to actually like their kin in the same family, and would occasionally receive encouraging letters from them. He sighed a bit. It was almost odd- until earlier that day, he had no idea that he was actually a natural chimera. He had no idea that he was a combination of two sets of DNA- thankfully without any sort of immune issues, or he would not have been able to even apply for the junior military in the first place. Of course, he was quite young when his parents’ had sent in the applications (at their son’s suggestion and to his surprise, their approval), so it did make sense that someone that age would not be told everything that the intense entrance medical exams revealed. Raika frowned intensely as he flipped over again to the wall. He did not need a twin, and not just for the extremely unusual current circumstances. He did not need someone else to compete with. He was not used to family liking him as he was, anyway, and not just the older ones praising him for his cadet accomplishments that he was practically nothing else with. Struck with the sudden urge to talk with his navi despite his weariness, he turned and grasped his PET from the side table and brought the device and his head under the top sheet. Flipping open the top, he noticed that the screen was already darker to compensate for the lack of light, and the note-taking program- the one that he had idiotically absorbed a while ago during yet another mental attack with his and Searchman’s merge- was already up and ready for him to type. Raika smiled slightly, even though he technically was not supposed to be talking at night with anyone, even in Netopia, and especially would not at his military school. Would you know how different it would be if I had a twin? Raika typed as quickly as he could on the small screen. He would have preferred to just say the words, but of course the night doctor might hear their voices (not to mention, the youth just on the other side of the room, weary as they both were). Raika watched as Searchman swiftly typed a response. I don’t know exact.ly. Such things could depend on what each of you would choose to do and other factors, including possible unknown ones. Would I have still gone to the military school, and been with you? Raika frowned at his almost odd question, but hopefully Searchman would not think badly of him for it. You could have done that, Searchman typed, his speed as fast as ever, or you could have chosen another option to avoid your parents if you had still wanted to. Truly? I don’t know. Again, Raika, this would depend on various circumstances. However, I know that even if you had a sibling, I would want you to have what you would feel most comfortable with. Raika smiled slightly. Of course Searchman would say that. However, Searchman know him, but only through being with him through the years after being assigned to him as his net navi. Otherwise, he certainly would not care about him, just like any other civilian, unless to save him from something that he could help with. I would rather be with you, he typed wistfully. Raika watched as his navi typed back. I don’t know what you would want if you did have a sibling, but I know that I want you to be safe. As for your relationship with them, I hope that you both would get along well. Right now, I cannot imagine another net op I would be with, but if you had never gone into the net saver division, I would have been paired with another cadet. I prefer the way that things are now, battling with you as a partner. Raika nodded, even though his navi was most likely looking that the document and not the PET’s camera. The (he paused for a tiny bit; was not sure what to call the youth) other one does not belong here. As we have been told. And he knows it. Searchman responded with another quick response. But somehow he needs to cooperate, or be forced somehow. It seems that the former would be better. Raika sighed slightly before typing. I don’t know how I would be coerced into something like that. But you have the memories, Searchman argued. You have the personality and experience of the net op I know. As far as I know, you are my net op, and not the other, who is a mere framework. He is just a part that needs to be combined again so that you do not be harmed in some way. But he is able to think. Raika stared at his navi’s answer, typed after about a minute’s hesitation. Raika, I have been keeping myself from pondering about this very matter. Who you are, and who the other is- are you now two, or still just one? I do not actually know. It could even be that the other is just a reflection of yourself, but not necessarily exactly how you would actually act in these circumstances. Raika then scowled, but not due to his navi’s words. I wish the enemy had done something else that could be solved much more easily. I know, Searchman responded. I still am not used to how you are a part of the merge and the effects that have arisen from it, but know that it was necessary to save you. However, I still do not blame you for it, nor do I blame you for this, either. He sighed slightly. Only you would say that. He winced a bit at the blunt statement, but was just so tired of the many mistakes that otherwise would not have occurred without the merge. Certainly even Searchman had heard many others, especially in Sharo, that had blamed him, the net op, and no one else for the merge that had not happened to anyone else in perhaps even the entire history of the military school. It was back to himself again- a failure for not preventing the merge, and now a failure again for not preventing a double that had definite possibility of refusing to cooperate with anything that would actually help. Searchman did not instantly respond again, and Raika cringed again at his unneeded retort. However, his navi then typed a response that did not seem to be affected by it. I, if not anyone else, including your own family, know that you are not responsible for some things that you may be blamed for. But surely there is a way to make the current circumstances better, if not solving them completely. The navi’s attack was unusual, but it was able to be done in the first place. Also, you may not be the only one that that navi, or others that he is working with, have done something to someone that would be otherwise considered impossible. Raika nodded. His navi might be correct, or at least he certainly hoped so. He also needed to be able to return to Sharo in a decent amount of time, and definitely could not with a “twin” in tow, as well as a navi that was incapable of executing a single attack. Thank you, Searchman, he typed simply. Of course. He smiled slightly again as he quietly replaced the PET back onto the table. Raika then frowned slightly as he laid back down on the bed. With his current inability to transfer to the cyber world himself, he did not know if he even could “return” to it even with another mental attack; it could even be that he would be forced to attempt it until the sensation passed. Hopefully he would not damage his own PET, and in turn, Searchman . . . Raika glanced that the sleeping youth again, so still and currently seemingly someone that would not cause any trouble. He definitely hoped that their merge would be successful, and soon. ------------------------------------- Raika rose not from the beeping of his PET alarm, but when awakened just by himself. He sat up, frowning at the light shining through the closed blinds- it was much lighter than it should be. Of course, though, even the night doctor at Sci-lab had said to rest as much as he needed after his weakness from the enemy navi’s attack, and nothing less. Raika glanced at the analog clock on the far wall. He was glad that at least apparently he had not required as much sleep as when he idiotically transferred to the cyber realm, claiming that he “needed to be data.” He quickly made his bed, then glanced to his left when he heard the noise of someone moving on the cot nearby. Raika turned to see his “twin” sitting up on the cot’s mattress, his queer curls wildly askew. The youth scowled fiercely when he saw Raika looking at him, and instantly hopped off the cot, making the small bed as fast as he could. Raika frowned, and not just that the youth was wearing another pair of night clothes that he had brought. The youth claimed to not have any memories of anything significant, yet he was swiftly by neatly making the cot as neatly as he or any other Sharian junior cadet would. He quickly turned his attention to dressing and a simple exercise routine, keeping well away from the strange youth. When he returned, the youth was wearing the one civilian outfit that Raika brought for emergencies and was lifting up the blinds to peer out the window. “What are you doing?” Raika asked fiercely. The youth instantly dropped the blinds, his face suddenly enraged. “I wasn’t really doing anything, if you were really looking,” he spat. “It’s just that no one would ever tell me what was outside. There’s no harm in looking out a window, now is there? I doubt that any enemy navis would be there.” Raika scowled but said nothing. If the enemy navi had really split them yesterday, then it truly did not matter what the youth chose to do, as long as he did not manage to severely injure either himself or anyone else. He was supposed to be combined with Raika, and as soon as the enemy navi was somehow convinced to undo the split, or Raika had his ability to transfer to the cyber world returned (and the youth; if he had the ability in the first place), they would be one being as himself, the original Raika again, and nothing else. A part of him was a bit saddened- the “twin” would be gone once they were merged, as if he had never been there in the first place. He knew that he himself would not want to be told that he should not exist, which the “twin” had warned him of the day before just a short while after both had them awakened after the navi had attacked Raika and Searchman in reverse cross fusion form. Then again, he was not the one that was “suddenly there” without memories of anything besides basic things. Searchman could also not be made to stay as he was- stripped of all his abilities besides scanning. “You’re just going to be combined with me later,” Raika spat suddenly. “Any resistance would be useless.” The youth turned around, his face not quite angered, but much more than stoic. “What if I just don’t want to?” he shot back. “I don’t, and shouldn’t be forced into such a thing.” Raika scowled. “Did you not hear what Searchman said yesterday?” he chided him. “Staying apart could be harmful for both of us!” He purposely did not mention Searchman, though he certainly did not want his navi to be weakened or even deleted due to the current situation, to say the least. He was not even sure if the odd youth would even care about his navi. “We were able to be separated in the first place,” came the stoic reply. “If there was a way to do that, then there would most likely be a way to stop any damage from occurring with the separation.” Raika managed to restrain himself from shouting at the delirious youth- keeping his temper was something that was taught in his school, as net savers certainly were not supposed to be seen as ones that would be mere angered ruffians and instead have a proper authority towards any civilians, furious ones of not. “That is not how we are supposed to be,” he insisted. “We are what I was once was-” “What you were?” spat the youth, his face angered again. “What about me?” Raika frowned slightly. “I have the memories. You do not. We are to be together so that nothing will be amiss with the separation. Searchman is supposed to be the navi of our combined natures.” “Do you want my memories, and everything else besides?” Raika blinked a bit confused. “Surely that is not important-” “You just don’t care about anything but what you remember what you were,” the youth stated. “I’m someone else, not just part of you.” Raika frowned a bit more, not truly wanting to continue the extremely odd conversation. He did not truly know if he was conversing with himself, in a way. Even Searchman had not known if him and his other “part” were truly two beings, or one, though. However, he did not desire to consider the situation further. They were supposed to be together, as they were before they were split, and nothing else. Nothing else mattered . . . he hoped. Huffing a bit, he left the room, leaving the youth gazing out the window again. Even though both of them were not to leave the lab, at least they did not always have to remain together in the same room.------------------------------------ Raika was typing on his laptop, when he heard an urgent knock on his door. He opened it to see a Sci-lab employee looking worried. Raika was slightly glad that they were not Chaud, who might be worried that he was using “someone else’s” computer. “The other youth- your other part- has vanished,” the employee quickly explained. “He managed to easily get away from the person that was with him, and we don’t know where he went.” Raika frowned. “How long has he been missing?” “Since about a few hours ago, that I know of,” the man responded. “Several people have searched the lab, but did not see him. There also was nothing on the security cameras near the exits, so it’s thought that he did not go outside the building. Dr. Hikari was wondering if you might know where he might be.” Raika managed to not scowl. The youth was not just himself (he hoped). He certainly did not think exactly like him, nor was he exactly a double of the strange curly haired “twin”, appearances aside. “I am not sure where he would be, if he was not found already,” he stated evenly. “But there must be something that you might know,” the employee insisted. Raika sighed. He knew that telepathy between twins, especially identical twins, was just a myth. It seemed to him that Dr. Hikari and other scientists would already know that, and so asking him about the other “twin’s” location would be useless. Perhaps there might be similarities, but surely everything would not be the same between them. “What about the cyber world?” Searchman then spoke up. Raika frowned, looking at his PET. “That’s impossible,” he said. “Even I cannot go into the cyber realm by myself currently.” “You cannot,” Searchman stated, “but perhaps the ability has not been taken away completely in that the other part of you still can.” Raika blinked. “I did not think about this possibility, especially after I cannot make the transfer currently,” he admitted. “Neither did I, until just now.” Raika looked at the employee, who was looking astonished. “I didn’t think-” he stated. Raika knew that the person most likely knew about him randomly entering the cyber world at times, as most senior employees would be warned that he could. “I have to tell Dr. Hikari about this. Searchman might even be considered useful now.” Raika chose to ignore the “be considered useful” part about his navi and just snodded, wondering about the current abilities of the youth. If his “twin” had his own (and Searchman’s) abilities to enter the cyber world, then it could even be possible that the youth had his navi’s missing battle techniques, as well. Of course, Searchman could use the only ability he had left to discover the missing youth. He closed his lap top, and followed the employee to one of the main labs, where Dr. Hikari was waiting. The employee explained Searchman’s theory. Dr. Hikari’s eyes were wide when he finished. “That actually makes sense,” he said, nodding. “Raika, have Searchman scan for him. We can also send some cyber patrols to look for him if we need to.” Raika nodded, and watched his navi scan, his eyepiece lowered. A few minutes later, the scan was finished. “He’s in Swiftman’s sector,” Searchman’s reported. Raika was instantly surprised. “Why there?” he wondered aloud. “I don’t know, other than that is his current location.” He saw Dr. Hikari put a thoughtful hand on his chin. “I’m wondering if he even has the ability to manipulate things even from the human world, if he has Searchman’s skills.” Raika gasped slightly, knowing what destruction a navi-human could cause, including one with the powerful skills of his own navi. He blanched a bit, almost wishing that he had treated the youth a bit kinder, to say the least, but knew that he had to work with what had already occurred. The Sharian military certainly would not create weak navis, even just for junior cadets. “I can bring it up here,” Dr. Hikari stated. He went toward a computer, and typed readily for short while. The scientist then frowned, as the screen only showed static. “I would assume that he has manipulated the cameras. It will take a bit of finagling, but we should be able to see what is in the sector. Meanwhile, I’ll send some net police navis to check out the situation.” Raika nodded, fervently again wishing that he could just send in Searchman. Of course, the very reason why he could not was the reason that the situation was there in the first place. A few minutes later, though, the sector was revealed on the screen. Raika scowled some as he saw a few net police navis checking the status of Swiftman’s downed guards. He supposed that it was at least positive that they were not deleted. One even had his eyes open as he spoke in a tone too quiet to be picked up by the camera aimed at them. Swiftman himself was standing, his being uninjured, and next to him was what looked to be a smaller version of Searchman, except that Raika could see a wild turquoise curls where straight hair should be, and the stoic face of the “double” of himself. “I’ll have to get the full report later, if Swiftman’s guards remember enough,” Dr. Hikari murmured. Raika heard the double doors behind him open, and turned to see Famous striding in, his face slightly hectic. “I was told that the little double was found, but in the cyber world?” he said, his face a bit baffled. Dr. Hikari nodded. “He is there, in Swiftman’s sector.” Briefly, the scientist explained Searchman’s theory. Raika heard Famous exclaim in surprise, but he hardly heard it as he was watching the screen instead. The other guard now was awake, and shook his head at one of the net police navis. Raika assumed that it had denied any medical assistance of any sort as it stood, wobbling only a little bit. The other was standing firm near Swiftman, who had his arms crossed. Surprisingly, he held out an armed glove toward the current cyber youth, who took it hesitantly before letting go a short bit later Swiftman then turned to the net police navis. “We mean no harm,” he assured them. The net police navi closest scowled. “What about your guards?” he sputtered. “They were certainly attacked.” “That was me,” the youth spoke up. His voice was quiet, but Raika could hear it clearly. “I attacked them, but that was only so I could to talk to Swiftman without being interrupted.” “What about?” the net police navi demanded. “You came here and attacked the guards protecting a prisoner, and admitted conversing with him. Are you planning an attack against Sci-lab?” The youth scowled, and Raika wondered slightly if it was since no one was likely to believe him. Instead, though, Swiftman spoke up. “He was here to talk to me, not to organize an attack strategy,” Swiftman stated. “I hope that you will believe this. I did not run to report my guards since I could tell that they were not severely injured. This human youth just wanted to converse with someone without judgement, and he chose me.” “I don’t believe any of this!” the navi shouted. “What was your real intention?” Thankfully, another net police navi nearby seemed to have more sense. “We can see that both guards are unharmed, that we know of. We need to report, and to get the human youth where he needs to be.” Dr. Hikari pressed a button on the screen, and Raika knew that a two-dimensional screen would be visible to the navis (and human navi) in the sector, with Dr. Hikari, Famous, and himself seen. One of the net police navis turned to face them. ”You see how it is here,” he stated. “Swiftman was caught conversing with the escape human with his guards having been attacked. What are your orders?” Famous spoke up. “We saw the last part of it,” he explained. “Keep a couple of the net police navis there with Swiftman, and leave the guards. We need the other part of Raika to come out of the cyber world, now.” Raika tensed, expecting the youth to resist, or even flee. Swiftman, powerful as he was, could even aid him, though Raika wondered how far either would go before being caught somehow- there were plenty of net police navis, and it would even cause a more powerful cyber being trouble to get through all of them, as well as all of the security walls. Surprisingly, though, the youth glanced at Swiftman, who nodded ever so slightly. The youth then turned his head, and spoke, his voice mostly steady, but Raika could hear it tremble a bit. “I’ll just come out,” he said, frowning a bit. He closed his eyes, and Raika winced as a shower of data pixels swirled in right next to him. Raika had been expected a sort of fade, as he had witnessed with Searchman before when his navi transferred to the human realm, and what had been told about himself for the same. The youth turned to him, his face fairly stoic, though Raika could see what could pass as regret in his light-eyed gaze. Searchman’s armor had disappeared leaving him in his human form that wore Raika’s civilian clothing. “I’m back, obviously,” he said, scowling a bit. He then turned to Dr. Hikari. “I’m not sure who I would really need to speak to, but there might be a way to convince that enemy navi that separated him and me to bring us back together.” “Really?” Famous sounded doubtful, and Raika did not blame him. He was not even sure if anyone else knew about the youth’s determination to stay separate from him, but surely they were as confused as he was about his sudden cooperation to make himself to not exist, in a way. However, the youth was not deterred. “He does not want to say anything, but it seems that he would want his net op,” he said evenly. “He may not ever say that if not asked about that, though.” Famous frowned. “That does sound a bit reasonable, if a bit unprecedented.” The youth shrugged. “It’s worth a try, yes?” He looked up at engineer, his face set in a stubborn stance. “Well, I can’t say that it won’t hurt,” Famous mused, put a hand to his chin. “Something has to be done about that navi, and I for one know that even Dr. Hikari does not want to downright delete him.” Dr. Hikari nodded. “It’s worth trying something that we haven’t done,” he agreed. “I’ll send a message to Chief Keifer.” The chief soon gave permission, and Famous revealed the sector with the enemy navi on the screen, with the enemy navi scowling at them through the revolving holding rings. “I’m still not going to do what you want,” he insisted. The youth took a step forward. “You might, once you hear this,” he stated evenly. “You follow your orders since your superiors are the one that take care of you. But what of your net op? How can you be sure that he does not remember you, or that he would not want to be with you again? What will you do to ensure that you are?” “You want a trade,” the navi stated flatly. “That is irrational. You want to use a human as bait, not knowing the human’s reaction about me in the first place. How thoughtless. I thought that net savers were supposed to care about civilians.” “He cared about you, at one time,” the youth stated. “From what little I have heard, it would seem that he did not want to lose you in the first place. Why would you think that he would not want even the slightest information that you were not truly deleted?” “I’m sure that he would not even care with his own new precious navi,” the capture being spat. “What about you?” the youth insisted. “What would you do to ensure that you were with him if he were the one that was lost somewhere?” The navi scowled. “He had the false deletion message come up on his PET, and the official report of the military themselves,” he stated angrily. “I would also think that he was dead if I received similar reports about him.” “But you know that he is fine, and obviously, you are also,” the youth stated seriously. “With this information, you can give him the knowledge that his former companion- one that cared about him, and him about you- is alive. You cared to know that he had a new navi in the first place.” The navi frowned. “I was just told about the new navi,” he said, but his face showed less anger than before. “I didn’t figure about that himself.” Raika wondered if the youth would actually get the strange rebellious navi to switch allegiances by mere words alone, but did not want to depend on it. Letting down his guard would not help, as he had experience several times before. The youth spoke again, his face still serious. “It may not be that you would be just deleted once you return to Sharo,” he stated. “Obviously, with him there” –he pointed to Raika- “and Searchman, some diversions of usual standards of lone navis and those with unusual things done to them might be dealt with, and not with mere dismissal of merely destroying them. It would also help that the military themselves had made an obvious mistake of leaving you there, not deleted. You might be considered for not being deleted due to that, also. The information that you know about your current superiors could also help in further similar attacks for other targeted navis. Other navis do not need to go through the same thing that you did.” Famous nodded and spoke. “He actually made a few good points that I can see. You can decide what to do, but you need not stay with the group that harmed you in the first place.” The navi frowned, and Raika wondered if he was actually deliberating what had been said. Briefly, he wondered about the intentions of his “twin,” including his sudden, but it seemed that if he spoke against the youth now, it would not help any, especially as he seemed to be helping instead of merely just wanting to stay away from the topic of combining with him again. The navi sighed. “I will say this,” he said firmly. “You want a deal- but I don’t want one. Not with my former ne op. If anyone will talk to him, it will be me, and me alone, without any strange trades of anything else of the sort.” The youth’s light eyes widened. “But-” he started, before he was cut off by the navi. “This crazy place already have the abilities to help you and your other part to get together again. I’ll just do few little other things, and then you can do whatever you want, without using my former net op in any part of it. I’ll be out of here in a bit.” The navi closed his eyes, and Raika winced at a bright glow that emanated from the screen. He heard something shatter, and once the glow dimmed enough for him to see, he opened his eyes to see that the network was empty of anything besides a few remaining remnants of the rings that had formerly caged the navi. “He disappeared again somehow,” Famous stated agitatedly. “I don’t know where he would have gone, but I would assume that he wouldn’t want to stay long in Sci-lab after this.” Raika then squinted as something formed on the screen, a shower of pixels that soon faded into letters for a few seconds, then disappeared. It was long enough for him to know what the navi had written there, though. Famous turned to Dr. Hikari. “I don’t know if your new program is truly working again, or if it is, how well,” he said. “Unfortunately, it still only is connected to scanning abilities, not testing and otherwise. I also don’t know what he meant about another form of his that we had missed, but hopefully we can check that later, if we are able to locate him. Dr. Hikari nodded. “I can check the program, at least, and the net police navis check the other sectors for that navi. We can deal with him later if we need to.” Raika looked toward the youth, his “twin”, suddenly strangely wanting to speak with him again, even though he was not quite sure what to say. Anything that he might state would prove futile and definitely not remembered by the youth- they would be together, and nothing else. He suddenly almost did not want to be combined, and not to have a brother that he had never known that he had sort of always had. They had been the same person, in a way. Now, it was as if they were not, but they would be combined, and nothing would be visible that they were ever anything but one solid being. He was not sure if the youth believed what he had spoken about needing to be together again. He did not know how, but somehow, it almost seemed that Swiftman, of all strange navis, had managed to convince the wayward youth that he needed to be combined with him again. He watched Dr. Hikari type on the computer, glancing at the youth, and wondering if it would be the last time that he would ever see him- in that form. Hopefully, though, it would turn out fine- and Searchman, also.------------------------------------- Raika sighed in the dimness of “his” room in Sci-lab. As usual, the room was not completely dark, as a bit of moonlight, as well as some streetlamp’s rays filtered through the thin blinds on the window. He stared at the other side of the room where a cot had rested just three nights before. His bed was the only one in the room now. The cot had been taken away after the new program had been deemed working as well as it did before. No one, including Dr. Hikari, had known how Chimeraman had managed it, but somehow he had managed to restore the program that had been partially destroyed. He frowned, remembering the earlier events of the day. The enemy navi had not been discovered, but the youth- his “twin” had had the idea to take Raika into in the cyber world himself, as Raika did not have the ability then. Somehow, it had worked. (He had also been glad that some certain others had not seen them there.) He had held onto his arm, and Raika had been transported to not the network where the program was located, but one with a much more powerful scanning area and testing abilities. Raika was not surprised that both of them were both in armored form, similar to Searchman. His navi had been jacked in, and surprisingly, the youth had been still cooperative in letting himself first be scanned, then actually put into the area where he might cease to exist, in a way. Raika flinched, remembering the youth’s stoic face, wondering what he had actually thought. His own thoughts had been cut off, to awaken again many hours later . . . apparently as his natural self, appearances included. Searchman had been the same, also. However, there was one feature with Raika that even Dr. Hikari had been surprised at. Raika sat up, glancing at the door. The night doctor had checked on him just fifteen minutes before, so it was unlikely that he was immediately nearby. He frowned. He did not actually like doing forbidden things such as talking at night, but he wanted to speak with his navi again currently. Raika grasped his PET, flipping open the top. This time, the note-taking program was not open, but there was also no other person on the other side of the room. The person, the “twin”, was now inside Raika, never to be seen or heard from ever again. He managed to not flinch at the top, and merely spoke instead, hoping that his voice sounded steady. “Searchman, why do you think that I do not possess the memories of . .. him?” he asked, knowing that Searchman would know who he was referring to. His navi paused before answering. “I do not know,” he said finally. “I also thought that it was possible that you might have those memories, and was hoping that you would be able to deal with them somehow.” Raika sighed. “I am not actually a navi.” It was almost an odd statement- he was part navi now, with Searchman’s DNA. At time he even insanely thought that he should only be data, as if his combined part of DNA and data were conflicting with each other, with the data winning at times. “You are a human, even with some of my data inside of you,” Searchman stated firmly. “Humans are not used to processing data as navis are through downloads and other such sources.” Raika sighed slightly. “I would not want the memories,” he said. “They are . . . not mine. I would want to only have my own thoughts.” His navi nodded in understanding. “Perhaps it is best that only navis, if they have the rare ability, can read minds, so to speak,” he said. “Even then, they may only gain the raw experiences as seen through the other’s eyes, and not emotions. It may be for the best that you do not have the memories of your other self.” Raika nodded, a bit overwhelmed by the topic. “I kind of . . . want him back, but I know that I am not supposed to,” he whispered. “I also don’t want you harmed or damaged in any way.” “You never had a sibling, and so don’t want your place in your family overshadowed, harsh as it may be in the first place, but also want to have someone that you briefly knew to have the chance to exist,” Searchman stated. Raika nodded. He had hoped that his navi would understand, and he did. Raika gazed as Searchman’s firm features, at his cyber friend. Carrying his PET, he then got out of bed and dressed, then went toward where he had put his chip pouch and pulled out a certain chip. “Raika, what you do want to do?” He flinched at the words, knowing that the next move depended on whether or not Searchman wanted to do it or not. Using as reverse cross fusion chip, or even the regular cross fusion one would never work if either of them forbade the other from utilizing its power. Unlike all of the types of chips, besides program advance combinations, this one solely depended on how well the net op and navi pair depended on one another, and well they trusted the other. Nothing less would suffice. Raika lowered his hand. “I’m not going to attempt to force you to do this, Searchman,” he said. “I want to do it, but it does not mean that you will. I just want to see what Swiftman has to say about when he was visited.” “And no one else could get him to say anything specific,” Searchman finished. “But of course, Raika, I will follow you. You are my net op, not my abductor, or my prison warden. I will trust you in this also.” Raika smiled slightly. “Thank you, Searchman.” Raika was interested that his navi did not mention that he was certainly supposed to be in bed still, not wandering about the cyber world. He could even talk to his Netopian superiors the next day about him possibly conversing with the lone navi. “I don’t know if he would reveal more if I was alone- well, with you, but no one else,” Raika stated. “I am able to transfer to the cyber world be myself again, but there is the weakness to consider, which happens again now with the combination of me and . . . the other one.” “A visit to the cyber world may do more good now with us alone,” Searchman agreed. Raika nodded, knowing full well that he would be reprimanded later, including possibly his Sharian area chief. He then quickly went near the security camera. Unlike the youth that had been torn from him, he did not want to hide the fact that he would be in the cyber realm. Also, he did not want to attack Swiftman’s security guards, either. His net saver status might help some currently, but not for a mission that he was not supposed to be on in the first place. He hoped that he would be even able to reach the lone navi without too much fuss, but knew that Searchman could even help him during the cross fusion if needed. Raika sighed and slot in the single chip in his hand into the PET. Instantly, he saw the blue tinted world of the cyber realm around him, bare of anything human-like. It was truly only meant for data, and he was an intruder, guided there by a chip that would only ever allow a few humans to invade the realm that they would never belong, even if they did initially create it. He could still enter by himself, as he had proved earlier, but he was still a human (and so was the nameless youth that was his “twin” . . . but he attempted to cast that thought aside for now). As he had expected, the security guard turned towards him. “What is your mission?” the uniform navi asked expectantly. Raika grimaced inwardly, knowing full well that he would be taking advantage of every single security guard that he chanced to meet. “I am merely checking on something in the cyber world,” he stated, knowing that it was only part of the truth. The navi nodded, permitting him to pass. The next security guard was easy, and the next . . . Searchman led him on a winding route around the cameras that would be watched by the few humans designated the task in the lab at that time. Of course, the guards in the areas would report that he had passed anyway, just as a security check and full report status, so the humans there would know, anyway. He considered it a bit lucky that no human generally watched the area with Swiftman and his two guards- a few guards had been considered enough, especially after the first few months of inactivity from the prisoner. Raika knew that the two extra navis there, though they looked the same as the other guards earlier, would be different ones from earlier. Even security navis needed charging on a regular basis, just as military navis did. He easily passed through the firewalls with a few codes, and headed toward the three figures there. All three both turned toward him- the security guard’s gazes were suspicious, but Raika could not tell what Swiftman’s face hid. Of course, the guards would have also known of the earlier events concerning their prisoner. Unlike the generic security navis merely watching a certain area of Sci-lab’s network, these navis were to protect something specific- the lone navi who Sci-lab did not trust yet. They would be warned if anyone would be heading toward them. One of the guards stepped forward, with the other one staying protectively near Swiftman. “What is your purpose here?’ he asked. “We were not warned of anyone coming to this sector.” Raika closed his eyes briefly, knowing that the guards could very easily turn him in before they let him approach Swiftman. “I am not here for any assigned mission,” he said carefully. “Simply, I want to ask Swiftman about something. However, whether he releases the information or not is up to him.” The guard frowned. “If the prisoner has information that is needed, he should tell it immediately, not be asked permission to tell it. Your proposal is irrational.” “It may or may not hold any use,” Raika argued. “You see the results of what occurred that had been needed. Clearly, though, the lone navi had aided in helping it to happen earlier, whether intentional or not.” “You want to know what transpired between me and your chimera twin earlier.” Raika swerved at the low voice, steady and certain. The lone navi’s face was not superior, but firmer than he would had expected. “I . . . yes,” he said, frowning a bit. “I would presume you said something that convinced him to give himself up so that he and I could be combined again.” “You wish to speak to him?” the security guard asked. Raika managed to hold back a surprised reaction- he had expected both of the guards to refuse. “Yes, that would be preferable,” he replied. “We will allow it, so as long as no fighting or any sort of damage is done here,” the guard responded, his voice stoic. Raika nodded, and the guard let him pass to stand by the tall lone navi, his yellow armored frame much taller than himself. Both security guards came to either side the navi, clearly not completely trusting him, but apparently respecting Raika’s net saver status, as the other lesser security navis had. He winced a bit at their immediate trust and how he was taking advantage of it, but hoped that at least Swiftman would give him enough information so that his unprecedented mission might even be a little bit worthwhile. Perhaps even the two current guards thought that he might be able to convince the lone navi to give more information, as others had not succeeded. It probably also helped that these guards had not been the ones that his “twin” had attacked. He braced himself, knowing that the lone navi could very well lie, and perhaps convincingly. Whether or not he was believed was something else entirely. “What did you say to him?” Raika asked bluntly. He just wanted answers, not to have to pry at all, and not just since he technically was not supposed to be in the sector or the cyber world currently in the first place. The navi answered, his voice stoic. “I was thinking you would come to me, especially after the other ones that spoke to me were unsatified. I will say this, though: The true answer would be that you are standing right in front of me, in that temporary merged form.” Raika frowned at the round-about answer, then went for another tactic. “Why did he come to you, and why did you accept him?” “He came since he has no one else to go to that he knows,” the lone navi responded firmly. “All around Sci-lab, there are people that know that he is not supposed to be there. He is a part of a chimeric form, one that was wrongfully undone. He knew it, but also heard somewhere of another form that was chimeric, except combined. The question that eventually came up was this: Did he expect to survive by himself, and if he could, what would he do with it, and at what cost?” Raika blinked, confused. The lone navi went on. “Do you still not understand? I would have thought that you would have at least thought of it. He was part of something, but wanted to be himself still, not just to be thrown out of existence and forgotten. There were none that could possibly understand him, but he came up with the idea that he could enter the cyber world and speak with someone that he thought might think otherwise. I did understand of his desire to live still. I recall saying to you before being fully formed that I did not want to harm you any further than I had already. “I said that to him- that I had fully expected to not live beyond my limited form of not even being able to move, but only talk to you and your navi through an unusual method. I did not expect to be able to live in an actual physical form later. Yet, through circumstances that occurred later, I was granted what had seemed impossible. I had fully desired it, but had not dared to hope to obtain it. “As for him, what would his form be, if just to survive while taking life and abilities from others? In this case, it would be yourself and Searchman. You would live in another form, perhaps never trusted to perform anything else in your gained status that you would have worked hard to achieve, even through your unusual appearance alone. Your navi had none of the powers and skills that had aided his net op to a high status, helping many, including lost and injured navis. Without those for both of you, you two also would be virtually prisoners until returned to the familiar forms. I asked him if he truly wanted to take away that from someone- living at the cost of someone else’s freedom.” Raika sighed slightly. “That . . . would be a very odd conversation, especially for one that had not been technically in existence very long.” Swiftman nodded. “I would, except that there was the fact that he truly was able to think for himself- and to decide what he wanted. I merely guided him to a choice that seemed sound. It also helped that I merely did not want to inflict something forcibly onto him- such tactic is not always the best one. I truly wanted him to be able to live, but did not know a way that he could without the drawbacks already mentioned. Fortunately, he was able to sense that I was telling the truth in this. I did not want to force him out of existence merely to fulfill instructions.” “He . . . wanted to sacrifice himself, then,” Raika murmured, looking down from the intense gaze. “Not truly sacrifice- he wanted to return to what once was. He understood that in all actuality, he was not supposed to exist as himself, or even have his own thoughts.” Raika scowled slightly. “I did not even gain his memories. I thought I might- actually I was told that I would, once the merge was complete. He- well, I was not told that he had done anything to disrupt the procedure that would place us back together. I had thought that he would not- not after he had seemed to willingly give himself up.” He glanced at the security navis, knowing that they were not the type to easily forgot anything that the heard, including just one word of the conversation. He winced inwardly, as both the lone navi was seeing his current weakness in being not fully in charge of the situation. It seemed that the lone navi was actually listening to what he said, though, strange as it had seemed. He had come for information, but had managed to be pulled in the queer notion that the lone navi actually cared about what he thought, and was more than someone that just might rebel one day for being taken prisoner. Perhaps the lone navi would never be more than that, but he had managed to help someone else with a conflict (unless he just wanted credit for himself that might eventually lead to his being freed. But that thought was odd in that he had not boasted in how had convinced his wayward “twin” to turn himself in in the first place). Raika frowned slightly, but the lone navi spoke instead next. “I was able to give him something that he wanted. Of course, it might not ever be used, but in it, there is not only a sense of hope, but a sensation of someone trusting him. I did not do this for my own gain, but what he wanted- and to my knowledge, perhaps deserved, in a way.” “What was that?” Raika wished the navi would just state the truth boldly, without all of the extra word usage, but at least he had been able to gain some information, though strange, so far. Swiftman smiled slightly, though it seemed a bit sad. “A name,” he replied simply. “He wanted a name that he could have for himself. He did not just want to be the nameless part of a person that was to be combined with someone else later, but to hold some sort of individuality for himself, and himself alone.” Raika wondered at the possibility of navi-like navis that Swiftman could have come up with. “Whatever did you name him?” he asked, keeping his voice stoic. Swiftman chuckled. “It was not a unique name- I do not have enough knowledge of human names for that. I simply gave him a name that I had chanced to hear as others passed by the sector after battling viruses and otherwise. I gave him the name Dimitri. I had heard that it is from someone in Sharo- where he and you are from- and I knew that it was not yours. I also stated that if he chanced to live beyond your combination, then he would most likely be able to change if it he so desired.” Raika winced a bit. Though there were other possibilities, including the few Sci-lab employees that had Sharian roots, but his “twin’s” name had possibility come from the civilian that he had agreed to help, including discovering more news about his family. Each time he would converse with the civilian and each time the youth would come up, he would be reminded about his lost chimera twin that had sacrificed himself so that he was as he was before. He then wondered at the chance that Swiftman had chosen the name as more than a hint to help the new “Dimitri” live if it was able to, but he was not quite sure. Raika then scowled, though he was not quite sure who exactly he was angered with. “He might never be able to thank you for this.” Swiftman nodded. “Of course. He might or might not- but he is safe, as well as you and your navi, as sure as you are in the same sector that I am in right now.” Raika flinched a bit, as he did not truly want to consider the fact that he was- and always ahd been- more than one set of DNA. Except this time, though, one set of DNA- another mind between the one that had been both of them combined- had been managed to be “awakened,” so to speak . . .) He then wondered about other things he might ask the odd lone navi (such as if he could truly ever be trusted in the first place . . .) but did not want to chance the night doctor discovering that he was missing from his room in Sci-lab. He did have to cross through Sci-lab’s various networks to reach the room again. Instead, he nodded to the tall lone navi, hoping that the entire conversation had been useful in the first place. “I will go now,” he said to the guards hoping that his voice did not betray any strange feelings. He was a survivor, but not one that he actually wanted to win this time, in a way. “I hope that the information was satisfactory,” the guard that had spoken to him earlier stated. Raika nodded, though he wondered about it actually being enough. He then left, not glancing at either of the guards or the lone navi as Searchman again guided him through the easier routes that were void of any gazes that he wanted to elude. In the same sector that he had entered first, he quickly de-cross fused to find that his room was silent as he had left it. Quickly, Raika dressed in his night clothes again and placed his PET on the end table. He slipped under the covers again, and shut his eyes, but wondered if he truly would be able to sleep for the rest of the night. Whether the enemy navi that had caused him to be separated in the first place had actually meant it (or his superiors had), he had triggered a very odd moral dilemma- whether or not his chimera “twin” that had been separated from him, the being that Swiftman had given a name to, deserved to exist beyond his brief presence. Raika huffed, turning away from the empty spot in the other side of the room that would most likely never hold a cot ever again. He then frowned, wondering at his forgetfulness in the entire conversation with the lone navi- he had not asked about the enemy navi, and perhaps that Swiftman had coerced his “twin” to think about his former net op. Perhaps the lone navi had even steered from the topic on purpose. He sighed slightly. He had done what he had done, and certainly was not ready for another excursion in the cyber world that he was not supposed to take. He had been trained to follow orders in his school, after all. Doing more currently would certainly bring guilt and punishment, and even possibly cause something negative to occur, no matter how careful he was. Raika was not certain if anyone in Sci-lab or Sharo would even consider the possibility of seeing the strange curly-haired youth again, or that they should. He was not sure, either. . . . Almost.
Shaminchi
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