Mega Man 1. Prologue: Two Times, One Crisis

Mega Man Star Network

By Kingdom Rider92

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A/N: I know that I'm a horrible person. I know you guys are going to hate me for this and think I should leave the _Battle Network_ and _Star Force_ games alone, since their overall stories are complete (Lan and defeating Wily, WWW, Gospel, Regal, Nebula, and the Cybeasts, the brothers permanently reuniting thanks to the Copy Bots, and Lan FINALLY getting with Mayl in the _Battle Network _era, Geo and Omega-Xis becoming worldwide known heroes, defeating Cepheus and the FM-ians, Vega and Mu, King and Dealer, and Geo finally able to bring his father home in the _Star Force_ era), and not a lot of loose ends are left to tie up for either of them.

However, ever since the original announcement years ago of a _Battle Network _and _Star Force_ crossover, I was ecstatic… and then disappointed when I found it was a Japan-exclusive updated re-release of _Battle Network 1_ with an additional _Star Force_ scenario that more-or-less served as filler. Also, the _Mega Man _series has more or less had its plug pulled at this point, the cancellation of _Legends 3 _being the final nail in the series' coffin. I was kind of ticked off, and originally wrote out plans for a stand-alone crossover that would be an entire game-long one rather than just one scenario.

So, what happened to these plans? The computer that had them on its hard drive died horribly (most likely my fault, viruses and such), and I never put it on Cloud storage, so I completely lost the story. I gave up on it after that, deeming the idea to be a lost cause. This was years ago, by which I was already writing _Sonic Chao Chronicles _here on while I was working on other projects on deviantART. In short, I had left it behind and forgot the story ever existed and became too busy attempting to salvage my other projects.

So what inspired me to revive it? Well, after seeing that Mega Man's Final Smash in _Super Smash Bros. U/3DS_ was summoning the Mega Men from _X, Legends,_ _Battle Network,_ and _Star Force_ to shoot lasers at the opponents, I had gotten into a conversation with someone about whether or not Nintendo should consider talking to Capcom about just buying the Mega Man franchise since they're not really doing anything with the Blue Bomber anymore since the original creator of Mega Man, Keiji Inafune, has left the company, and Mega Man technically made his debut on a Nintendo system.

And thus, I remembered the basics of the original story. Now, I've been watching old YouTube videos and even playing the games to remember the two different times in the Computer Tech Timeline, hoping to pull this off. This is an experiment that I can no longer ignore, so may as well put it somewhere. Who knows? This could be my best work. Or it could suck and we all get a laugh out of it anyway. Heck, the only way I could get away with this in canon is because _Battle Network's_ epilogue is twenty years after the events of 6 (and a lot can happen in one year, so multiple adventures can be in twenty, including this one) and Geo is still technically a superhero (and his life as a hero has never been easy).

Anyway, the reason I'm using the English names for… well, this is not because I hate the Japanese names, but the fact that I've been exposed to the English ones a heck of a lot longer and I can't help but automatically think of _Battle Network's_ human protagonist as "Lan Hikari" rather than "Hikari Netto". It's a personal preference, really.

With that all out of the way, let's get started.

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**DISCLAIMER: **THE FOLLOWING IS A FAN FICTION. MEGA MAN AND ALL OF HIS INCARNATIONS BELONG TO CAPCOM. PLEASE SUPPORT THE OFFICIAL RELEASE SO WE CAN GET MORE MEGA MAN GAMES! THIS DISCLAIMER GOES FOR ALL CHAPTERS SO I DON'T HAVE TO WRITE IT OVER AGAIN.

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**Prologue: Two Times, One Crisis**

_In the Year 20XX, Net technology was continuing its rise. Net Navis, the central artificial intelligence programs of the time period, were continuing development, now being able to come into the real world with the help of Copy Bots, no longer bound by their Personal Terminals, or PETs for short. As Net Technology advanced, so did the people operating it… as did the cyber-crimes committed. The Net Police had their hands full fighting off threats these criminals had on everyday life, the Colonel Program and Iris Program soon in development._

_Net technology could not dominate the world forever, however. By the year 22XX, two centuries later, Net technology gave way to electromagnetic wave technology, which society became dependent upon after rediscovering it from ancient civilizations. Net Navis and PETs soon became things of the past, giving way to EM Beings such as Wizards, artificial beings made from EM Waves that served similar purposes of Net Navis, and systems such as the Hunter VG which used EM Wave technology to hunt down and delete the re-rise of EM viruses. The Net Police, the Official Net Battlers, and NAXA had become the Satellia Police and WAZA, who had to deal with the new type of Wave crime._

_Both times were eras of technological revolution. Both eras had their ups and downs… their heroes and villains… their adventures, their tragedies, and rescues. But these eras share one final thing… a crisis that spans over 200 years. One that if not fixed, one era's progress would seize violently, while the other's era would never exist._

_And both times had a Mega Man to save it._

* * *

**SciLab, Electopia—20XX**

A group of scientists typed away at their stations, monitoring Net activity. "Things sure have been peaceful for nearly the past year."

"You mean with the Cybeasts?" another scientist asked. The first scientist turned to the second.

"Yeah, with those things gone, we're looking at a new age of Net technology," the first answered. "…Still… hard to believe Dr. Wily is now helping the scientific community again. What changed him?"

"No idea, but that's not important," the second scientist brushed off. "For now, we should focus on getting this analysis finished. Once it's done, we can go home. My wife's making her spaghetti."

"Mind if I come over?" the first asked.

"You're not touching a single noodle." He turned back to his station, and said, "Now come on... we're almost done."

_**BRRRRRT! BRRRRRRT!**_

"What's going on, here!?" Dr. Yuichiro Hikari asked as he walked into the conversation. He looked at the monitor to see that an entire section of the Net had begun to shake.

"We have a Class 9 quake in Cyber City's Central Area of the Net!" the first scientist said, getting back to work. "The quake has even spread to Central Town's… Real World!"

"What!?" Dr. Hikari asked. "With the Cybeasts gone, an earthquake originating from the Cyber World spreading into the Real World with that magnitude… that's just not possible! How is that happening!?"

"I don't know, Dr. Hikari," the second scientist said. "Every Navi that was in Central Area and survived the initial quake has been forced to jack out. But… there may be a high deletion toll before the quake stops. We've just sent a mail to the Net Police so any and all Real World casualties can be accounted for."

"I can't believe this happened…!" Dr. Hikari gritted his teeth. "Any signs of the quakes spreading to other areas of Cyber City!? We need to save as much of the town as possible!"

"I don't think we're going to be able to save ANY of Cyber City…" the first replied. The Net Areas of Cyber City continued to shake, only with far more aggression. "Seaside and Wood Towns were just hit! Their Cyber Worlds also suffered from the quakes…!"

"Same with Sky Town…!"

"No…!" Dr. Hikari breathed. "At this rate, all of Cyber City…!" The monitor's image then died. "…What just happened!?"

"…Sir… we just lost all communication with Cyber City," the second scientist said. "The quakes have stopped, but Cyber City... it's gone, sir."

"You mean, Cyber City was destroyed?" Dr. Hikari asked.

"No, sir," the scientist replied. "As far as we know, all communications just severed and the city vanished. It's almost like… Cyber City never existed."

"Oh no," Dr. Hikari breathed. "Lan… he had friends there. I hope they're all okay. The Net Police will hopefully respond with good news. Until then, we have to work around the clock to reestablish communications with someone, anyone in the city. Hopefully, Lan won't do anything risky this time…"

* * *

**National WAZA HQ, Electopia—22XX**

"Ace, you really should not be moving too much," Queen Tia said as she watched Ace punch the giant sandbag he had set up.

"I need to get back in the game, Queen Tia," Ace said. Throwing a few more punches, he explained, "I can't just sit around and do nothing all of the time! Eventually, something big will pop up and if I'm not back in shape, I won't be able to help anyone! Besides, don't pretend like you don't like the show." Tia's blush gave Ace all he needed before throwing two more quick jabs.

"Ace, didn't Dr. Goodall say that this strenuous training would do irreversible damage to your weakened body?" Acid said as he popped out of Ace's Hunter VG. "Besides, the Satellia Police and WAZA ordered Trans-Code 001 Acid Ace to be retired after your reconstruction. We are lucky to be alive, Ace, and we've earned our peace."

"The world's always going to need heroes, Acid," Ace insisted. "Like it or not, we're still heroes."

"Acid is right to be worried, Ace," Tia argued. "You don't have to keep pushing yourself like this, anymore. I'm here, now. Jack and I are safe, and we're done with that. Stop blaming yourself for what happened with Meteor G, Dealer, and Mr. King." Ace punched the bag once more. "You're only going to kill yourself again at this rate."

"She has a point, Arthur," Dr. Goodall spoke up. The old woman walked in, a sad smile on her face. "When reconstructing you, I noticed an incredible amount of damage done to your body. The Noise corruption, the unique damage done by Wave Changing with Acidina corroding your body… and add the wounds received on top of all of that. I had less of a chance at reviving you than I did with Luna: there was a five percent success chance. If you keep Wave Changing and overexerting yourself at this rate, your muscles and vital organs will shut down."

"…So, I guess it's over," Arthur "Ace" C. Eos sighed, stepping away from the sandbag. "Acid Ace is retiring. Well, may as well make it official."

"Official?" Tia asked.

"You know, a retirement party," Ace said with a grin. Pulling out a Mega Snack, he quickly munched it. "If I'm hanging up Trans-Code 001, I'm doing so in a way that's memorable. Acid, e-mail Geo, Bud, Sonia, and their friends and family. Tell them to come to WAZA HQ in a few days. We'll need to buy a few party supplies."

"It's official?" Acid said, surprised it was so easy. "Who will become Trans-Code 001 in your stead?"

"I thought it would be obvious," Ace answered. "Only one person could take over."

"So, now that you're retiring from field work," Goodall asked, "what's next, Arthur? Do you plan to leave the Satellia Police and WAZA?"

"I couldn't stay away if I tried," Ace answered. "But, I have a few plans. For one, pro—"

_**BRRRRRT! BRRRRRRT!**_

"What the!?" Ace asked.

"Dr. Goodall! Ace!" a scientist spoke up as she ran into the room. "We just received word that an unexpected earthquake has just hit a nearby area!"

"What!?" Goodall asked. "What do you mean?"

"The Wave World of Wilshire Hills just went haywire with an EM earthquake!"

"What is the estimated damage report," Tia asked. The scientist looked at her. Silence filled the air. "I know I was the one responsible for much of the destruction of WAZA," Tia said, "but I still feel like we all need to know how bad Wilshire Hills suffered."

"Well, about that," the scientist said. "I wasn't reluctant to tell you because you were once our enemy, but because I don't the true damage caused. When the earthquake happened, the surrounding area of Wilshire Hills… the whole town just up and vanished! We lost all communications with it! We're still trying to trace the epicenter of the earthquake, but… this isn't natural!"

"How in the world…!?" Goodall breathed. "The amount of energy needed to cause an unnatural earthquake effecting both the Wave World and the Real World… that's off the scale!"

"Wait, how much of Wilshire Hills are we talking is now off the radar?" Ace demanded.

"Sir… all of it," the scientist answered.

"This is bad," Acid concluded. "If all of Wilshire Hills is gone, then that would naturally include the IFL Tower."

"Which is the civilian supplier of EM Waves throughout Electopia," Goodall recalled. "If that tower is lost… then the damage it would do to Electopia… an Electopia without EM Wave technology is almost unthinkable!"

"…In that case, it's not time for Acid Ace to retire _**just**_ yet," Ace said, taking out a second Mega Snack. With a munch, he declared, "I'm going to investigate."

"Ace…!" Tia protested.

"I'm the only one here who can investigate this in case there's a big threat!" Ace reasoned. "I'm sorry, Queen Tia, but you lost Virgo, Jack lost Corvus, Harp Note is in Netopia doing a tour, Mega Man and Taurus Fire have their last day of class, and we're not getting in contact with Rogue. While we do have Cygnus Wing and Wolf Woods, they're busy with other problems! I'm literally all we have right now in case this is a huge emergency!"

"I hate to say it, but Ace is right," Acid said, looking at a Browse Screen to show those registered with Project-TC were all occupied. "None of our alternative Wave Changers can be spared right now… but we will take a unit of Satellia Police Commandos to assess the situation. We'll probably need it in case the situation has become even more complex."

"Arthur, this is extremely reckless," Goodall said. "You're not one-hundred percent healed yet. That said, I know there's no stopping you… but you and Acidina are to only Wave Change if given no other option. Now, go investigate what's happening, but be careful."

"…This is your last EM Wave Change, Arthur," Tia warned. "After this, you are never Wave Changing ever again! If you get hurt, I will find a way to reconstruct Virgo and delete you myself! Do you understand me?" Ace stood in shock. Not because of the threat by his girlfriend, but by said girlfriend actually using his real name.

"…Clear as crystal," Ace said. "Acid, let's go."

"Understood." The two ran out, a small box falling out of Ace's pocket. Tia, curious, bent down and picked it up. The woman opened it up… and gasped at the diamond ring with Q.T. engraved in the band.

"Dr. Goodall?" she asked. Showing the box, she asked, "Was Ace…?"

"He was going to propose to you, yes," Goodall smiled. "Congratulations, by the way."

"…I haven't said yes, yet."

"You haven't said no. Anyway, dear, I'll leave you to do some soul searching." Goodall began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Tia demanded from the older woman.

"I'm going to look into the incident myself," the old scientist smiled. "After all, I'm sure Mr. Stelar and Meggars will figure out something is amiss and investigate it, anyway. I want to give them as much help from HQ as I can."

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: And thus, the prologue is finished. What do you all think? Is it awesome and something I should continue? Is this a story I should let die now? Does anyone have ANY suggestions (I still haven't finished _Star Force 3, _so I have no guarantee that I'll get the chracters like Ace and Solo/Rogue completely right, so I will probably need help)?

I know I didn't really show the panic and worry very well in the 22XX time… but I promise that I will show how devastating this all is soon. Now, you're probably wondering who I'll have enter the situation first, Lan and Hub (for instances that I'll have both Mega Men working together, I'll refer to the Navi as Hub) or Geo and Omega-Xis (who is ultimately easier to refer to by name).

Anyway, the answer: I'm sorry, _Star Force_ fans, but the storyline would be easier to establish if we stick with 20XX and Lan for now. So, the first arc will follow Lan and for up to the first boss, and then switch to Geo and Omega-Xis.

Farewell, my subjects!


	2. Chapter 1: Start of a New Journey, 20XX

A/N: Well, let's hope that we can begin the operation. Jack-in, NovelMan, Execute!

NovelMan: _Before you jack me in, shouldn't you let your readers know how communication shall work?_

Good point. Okay, here's a quick run-through:

"Jack-in!"—Normal speak

"_Hey, kid."_—Real-World to Cyber/Wave World communication, TV/Phone speak

'_Dear Geo…'—_Written Information in-story

'(What chips should I use?)'—Thought

"(Here's the plan...)"—Whisper

LH— Lan is the focus

HH— /Hub is the focus

GS—Geo is the focus

003—Geo as Mega Man

That basic enough?

NovelMan: _Hopefully. Now we can jack-in._

* * *

**Chapter 1: Start of a New Journey, 20XX**

-LH-

**Den City, ACDC Town, Electopia—20XX**

"…_Wake up, Lan!"_ MegaMan spoke from the PET on Lan's desk. "Come on, you're running late again!"

"…Ugh, five more minutes… besides, it's Saturday…" Lan muttered.

"_I know it's Saturday!"_ MegaMan said. _"But didn't Mick and Tab say they're coming from Central Town today?"_ Lan's eyes snapped open.

"What…?" he asked his Net Navi.

MegaMan explained, _"Your friends Mick and Tab? From Cyber City's Central Town? The ones you haven't seen in a while since you all were busy with junior high? This is literally the first time in months that you all have had to hang out since school is over for the summer! They're coming to Den City today to hang out!"_

"Oh, right!" Lan said, sitting up. Getting dressed in his usual orange vest over a white shirt and black and yellow shorts, Lan asked, "How did I forget?"

"_Did you plug it into the Digital Calendar Yai bought you?"_ MegaMan asked.

"Well, I did," Lan answered, tying his blue bandana with the Hikari crest around his head.

"_Did you actually INSTALL the Digital Calendar into the PET like Dad asked you to so you can be on time for episode?"_

"You know the answer to that!" Lan said as he pulled on his orange shoes. "You can check it now!" As if on cue, the Digital Calendar popped up next to Lan.

"_Did you actually CHECK the Digital Calendar like Mom and Dad insisted that you do?"_ Lan sheepishly grinned at the remark. _"You forgot you actually have to check this thing regularly to remember what you're supposed to be doing on what day, don't you?"_

"Aw, give me a break, Hub!" Lan groaned, grabbing the attachable skates and strapping them to his backpack. "It's been peaceful for some time now. Especially after the Cybeasts!"

"_Don't remind me,"_ MegaMan said as Lan grabbed his PET and pointed towards the Copy Bot in the room. When MegaMan finished transferring from the PET to the Copy Bot, the blue Navi joked, "If we never see the Life Virus, Gospel, Bass, Alpha, Duo, Nebula Grey, the Dark Chips, Gregar, or Falzar ever again or something as powerful as them, it'll be too soon. Oh, by the way, Lan, I almost forgot to tell you, you have an email from Dad."

"Now who's being forgetful?" Lan teased, checking his PET.

_**Subject: Working Late**_

_**Sender: Dad**_

'_Lan, MegaMan,_

'_Sorry__ if I'm there to greet the two of you this morning. Something big came up at SciLab and I'm going to be terribly busy, even working overnight. Apologize to Mom for me. In the meantime, you two stay out of trouble, okay?_

'_Dad'_

"So Dad's busy?" MegaMan asked.

"Yeah," Lan said. "But you know Dad. If he has to work late, it's gotta be important."

"That's true," MegaMan said. "So, what now?"

"Well, after breakfast, we gather Mayl, Yai, and Dex and head over to the train station. After we pick up Mick and Tab, we'll hang out on the Net a bit."

"Sounds like a plan," MegaMan agreed. "Let's go tell Mom about Dad, though. Do you want me to return to the PET?"

"Nah," Lan waved off. "Chances are Mick and Tab will easily recognize us with you out here in the real world."

Lan and MegaMan headed downstairs to where their mother Haruka was waiting. "Good morning, boys," Haruka greeted.

"Hi, Mom," Lan smiled.

"Hey, Mom," MegaMan spoke up as Lan sat down at the table and began eating. "Dad sent an email saying he was caught up at work."

"Really?" Haruka frowned. "Your father isn't working on another project, is he?"

"Not as far as I know," MegaMan answered. "I'll admit that I'm worried that he's busy."

"He'll no doubt be hungry," Haruka said. "I'll bring him something to eat soon. Do you two have any plans today?" Lan swallowed.

"Yeah," Lan nodded. "Mick and Tab are coming, soon. I'm going to spend time with them, Mayl, Yai, and Dex. I asked Chaud to come, but he hasn't responded yet."

"Your friends from Cyber City?" Haruka recalled. "That's nice to know that you're all getting to spend some time together! Have fun, but be careful!"

"Okay!" Lan nodded. "We should gather up everyone. Bye, Mom!"

"Bye, Mom!" MegaMan waved before the two left.

"Be careful, boys!" Haruka called after them. When they were out of earshot, she sighed to herself. "Yuichiro," she prayed, "please do not be involved in something dangerous. Goodness knows your sons will get involved."

After calling their friends and killing some time waiting at the train station, Mayl arrived first. Not much about his childhood friend changed over the year since graduating elementary school. But then again, despite Yai growing a bit taller, not much had changed about any of his friends. "Hey, Lan! Hi, Hub!"

"Hey, Mayl!" Lan greeted. "Thanks for agreeing to hang out."

"Like Roll and I would miss this chance to talk to old friends," Mayl smiled.

"_Not to mention it's been a while since we've all spent time together,"_ Roll added from Mayl's PET. _"Isn't that right, Mega?"_

"Yeah, Roll," MegaMan chuckled. "I can't wait to see how well Yai, Glyde, Dex, and GutsMan are doing! You guys all had different classes in junior high, and Yai even went to a different school."

"Yeah," Mayl sighed. "I hope they've done well."

"Hey, guys!" Yai spoke up as she walked up. Glyde stood behind her, much to Lan and Mayl's shock.

"Yai, is that…?" Lan asked.

"Greetings, Mr. Lan and Miss Mayl," Glyde said with a polite bow. "As you can see, Miss Yai was able to purchase a Copy Bot similar to yours, MegaMan."

"That's amazing, Yai!" Mayl complimented. "I've heard that personal Copy Bots cost a fortune!"

"Well, to be fair, the Ayanokoji family is rich," Yai said. "Tell you what, Mayl; I think I know just what to get you for your next birthday."

"Really?" Mayl asked.

"Yo, guys!" Dex called as he walked over. "How've you all been?"

"Dex!" Lan grinned, clapping Dex's hand. "Glad you could make it!"

"Like I'd miss an opportunity to rematch Mick and then battle you!" Dex chuckled. "Right, GutsMan?"

"_Guts, Guts! This time, MegaMan won't stand a chance!"_ GutsMan added.

"You two are on anytime!" Lan challenged. Yai and Mayl giggled.

"You boys will never change," Yai teased.

The group took this time waiting to catch up. As they chatted, MegaMan and Glyde kept track of time. About an hour longer than they should have waited passed. Lan frowned in worry.

"This is strange," Lan said. "I was even late waking up, and even then I made it on time. Tab would at least keep Mick on time."

"You don't think something happened to them, do you?" Mayl asked. Lan, curious, dialed Mick's PET.

"…_I'm sorry,"_ a voice spoke as a light blue being popped up on Lan's PET. _"This number is no longer functional. If you dialed this number by accident, please hang up."_

"That's a strange-looking Mr. Prog," MegaMan noticed.

"_I'm a Hertz, actually,"_ the creature corrected. _"Mr. Progs have been decommissioned for some time, now. How could you not know that?"_ The group looked at each other, confused._ "Anyway, I'm sorry your call could not be connected. Goodbye."_ The Hertz disconnected the call, leaving the group stunned.

"How could Mr. Progs be gone without any of us noticing?" Glyde said as Lan hung up. "I just ran into a few the other day on the Net while doing some shopping for Miss Yai."

"More importantly," Mayl said, "Mick's number isn't functional? What does that mean?"

"Well, only one way to find out," Lan said. "Anyone up for a trip to Cyber City?" The group looked at Lan.

"Wait, us going to Cyber City?" Yai asked. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I think Lan's onto something," Dex said. "The train to Cyber City's Central Town is still working. If they're not coming to ACDC, then we'll just go see them!"

"I don't know," MegaMan said. "They wouldn't both be late if something wasn't up. This could mean something big is happening."

"All of the more reason to check it out," Lan answered. "If something is happening in Cyber City, we need to find out what. Maybe it has something to do with the Mr. Progs being decommissioned!"

"Well, we ARE going to see them," Yai agreed. "And we have the whole day. Why not?"

"I suppose," Mayl said. "And Cyber City being a model of a next-gen Net Society means it has more to offer than ACDC and Den City."

"Then it's settled," Lan grinned. "We're off to Central Town!" The group cheered, but MegaMan and Glyde looked mildly worried.

"I have a bad feeling about this, MegaMan," Glyde whispered.

"You're not the only one," the blue Navi agreed. Despite this, the group boarded a train heading straight for Cyber City.

* * *

**Cyber City Outskirts?—Hours Later**

The metro line came to a halt near where the LevBus station should have been. However, when the group left the Metro, they could not help but notice the LevBus that would take them into Central Town was gone.

"Hmm, that's strange," Lan muttered. "The LevBus station was right here the last time."

"Maybe they tore it down?" Dex said. "To be fair, much of Cyber City, Central Town in particular, was destroyed during the Cybeast incident you guys stopped. We'll find another way to get into the city." Before the group could leave, a bus pulled up next to them. While it looked like an ordinary LevBus at first, the group could not help but notice the strange glow and face the bus had.

"Or that could happen," Yai said. "I'll pay the fare for everyone." She was about to enter the bus when it fell to the ground, smoking. The bus opened and the driver stumbled out, panicked.

"Oh man!" he groaned. "Not again! This always happens to you, but why this far from the bus depot!?" A few of the bus riders walked out, offering some mild complaints.

"What's wrong, sir?" Mayl asked. The bus driver turned to the group.

"Oh, customers," the driver chuckled. "I'm sorry, kids, but my bus has broken down. I think there's a virus affecting its Cyber Core. Despite looking high-tech, this thing is an old model based off the old Net society, so it's difficult to repair this far from the Bus Depot." The group looked at each other, but said nothing. "I think I can handle it on my own, but it's going to take me a while. I'm no good at virus busting."

"A virus?" Lan asked. "Well, virus busting is right up our alley! We'll have your bus up and running in no time, sir!" Turning to his brother, he said, "MegaMan, you're going to have to go in."

"Mega Man?" the bus driver asked.

"Roger," the blue Navi agreed. "Transferring back to the PET!" MegaMan faded out of the Copy Bot, returning to Lan's PET. The group missed the bus driver's jump. _"Find a spot to jack me in, Lan!"_

"We'll help too!" Mayl added.

"Yeah!" Dex grinned.

"Glyde, shall we assist?"

"Of course, Miss Yai," Glyde nodded before Yai transferred him out of his own Copy Bot. Lan found a jack on the inside of the bus.

"Here we go!" Lan cheered. "Jack-in, MegaMan, Execute!"

"Jack-in, Roll, Execute!

"Jack-in, GutsMan, Execute!"

"Jack-in, Glyde, Execute!"

-HH-

**Old Bus CC**

MegaMan, Roll, GutsMan, and Glyde all appeared in the Cyber Core, where a group of Mettaur viruses were chipping away at the ground around them.

"That's a lot of Mettaurs," MegaMan said as they approached the collection. "Good thing you guys are all here to help bust them."

"Don't worry, MegaMan!" GutsMan chuckled. "GutsMan bets he'll get more than you!"

"Let's not turn it into a competition, gentlemen," Glyde said.

"I don't know, Glyde," Roll smiled. "It seems like old times since we took on viruses together. Let them have a little fun." The Mettaurs all looked their way, infuriated that they had been interrupted.

"It's been a while since we did this," MegaMan said. "Anybody need a refresher?"

"_Nah, I'm sure we're good,"_ Lan responded. _"We'll brush up as we go."_

"_Alright, guys,"_ Yai smiled, _"let's see how well we've improved since we've been apart! Everyone ready to operate?"_

"_Ready!" _Mayl answered.

"_You bet!"_ Dex nodded.

"_I'm good to go!"_ Lan said. _"MegaMan, let's rock! Battle routine, set!"_

"Execute!" MegaMan responded.

The viruses attacked the Net Navis with their typical shock wave attacks, but the Navis, having endured countless members of their brethren, easily dodged their attacks and counter-attacked. MegaMan, given two Cannon Battle Chips, blasted a few Mettaurs away along with help from his Mega Buster. Roll's arrows shot through the Mettaurs, while GutsMan's Guts Hammer tore through a group and Glyde took out a cluster with a Glyde Flash. The poor viruses did not stand a chance, especially once MegaMan and Lan went into Full Synchro. The viruses were cleared in no time.

"We did it!" MegaMan grinned, pumping his fist. "Lan, is the bus working?"

"_Hold on,"_ Lan said. _"Mr. Bus Driver?"_

"_Yes! This old gal's runnin' again! I can't thank you enough, kids!"_

"_No problem!"_ Lan smiled. _"MegaMan, Roll, GutsMan, Glyde, you guys were awesome!"_

"Mega Man?" a new voice spoke up. The group of Net Navis turned to see a small blue creature, something that looked like the Hertz they saw before, floating over to them. "No way! It's really Mega Man?"

"You know who I am?" MegaMan asked.

"Of course!" the Hertz answered, bouncing up and down. "Everyone in the world knows about you! The legendary world-saving hero!"

"MegaMan's a hero?" GutsMan asked. "Well, he has saved us a few times, guts."

"Not to mention he has averted six world-ending crises like the Life Virus, Gospel, Bass and the Alpha program, Duo's Comet, the Dark Chip syndicate Nebula, and the Cybeasts," Glyde added. "Seven if you count the second Life Virus and the Zero Virus."

"You guys…" MegaMan blushed. "I can't believe we're bringing up all of those again."

"Wait, six or seven?" the Hertz said. "I thought he saved the world three times—the FM-ian invasion, the Neo Mu Empire attack, and Dealer's plan to use Meteor G. When did those incidents happen?" The group of Net Navis looked at each other and then at the Hertz. "Come to think of it, Mega Man, your armor and design… it looks a bit different from what I've seen in the Air Displays. Kind of retro… almost two-hundred years old retro."

MegaMan looked up to the real world, and asked, "Lan, are you all getting this?"

"_Yeah,"_ Lan nodded. _"It's pretty strange. I don't remember FM-ians or a Neo Mu Empire. Duo's hard to forget, but I'm pretty sure that was a comet instead of a Meteor, and we faced Nebula and Dr. Regal. Not some group called Dealer."_

"Maybe you're remembering everything wrong," the Hertz suggested. "I've been a Bus Hertz for some time now, and those incidents aren't in my memory bank."

"Um, excuse me," Roll interrupted. "Exactly what year do you think it is?"

"Isn't that obvious?" the Hertz answered. "It's 22XX!"

"_22XX?"_ Yai asked. _"That's impossible… that would be..."_

"_200 years from now!"_ Mayl concluded.

"_So, what, did we step into the future or something?"_ Dex asked.

"_I don't think so,"_ Lan said. _"I'm actually using my Calendar, and its 20XX. All I know is that we're not in Cyber City."_ Turning back to MegaMan, he said, _"Let's jack-out for now. We've got a mystery to solve, and the only way to solve it is by exploring this new town."_

"Roger!" MegaMan nodded before jacking out, the other three Navis following suit.

"…So that _wasn't_ the Mega Man that I've heard of?" the Hertz asked aloud. "Well, it was still pretty cool to have been saved by a new Mega Man. I wonder why he and his friends looked so retro, though. Almost like the old Net Navis?"

-LH-

**Not-Cyber City Outskirts**

After transferring MegaMan and Glyde back into their Copy Bot forms, the other bus riders applauded Lan's group. "That was really impressive, young man!" an old man commented. "You and your friends sure know how to use your Wizards!"

"Wizards?" Mayl asked.

"You know," a young woman answered, pointing to MegaMan and Glyde. "EM Wave beings designed to help us in our daily tasks? They usually live in the Hunter-VGs that everyone has nowadays. We can also materialize them into the real world. You may have forgotten it while in school. For example…" She turned to the side, holding out a pink device, and called, "Wizard On!"

A pink, female humanoid being digitally manifested in front of Lan's group, floating next to the woman. Energy was coming from where her legs should have been, but she looked otherwise normal. "Hello!" the being known as a Wizard waved. "How are you doing?"

"That's amazing!" Dex said. He then asked, "(GutsMan, why can't you do that?)"

"_(Because I'm not a Wizard, guts?)"_ GutsMan offered. _"(Though now, GutsMan kind of wishes he was, guts!)"_

"Wizard Off!" the woman showing off her Wizard called, the being returning to her Hunter-VG. Turning back to the group, she continued, "Like yours, Wizards can also be used for virus busting. Though I'm surprised to see you all have rather old models for your Hunter-VGs."

"I think I read up on those models," a young man said as he looked at Lan's PET. "They kind of look like PETs…"

"PETs?" a girl asked. "You mean like what people had way before Transers and Star Carriers?"

"That's exactly it!" Yai interjected, stepping forward.

"Miss Yai?" Glyde asked.

"(Play along,)" Yai whispered to the group before turning back to the curious crowd. She then did what any good future CEO would do when it came to a situation: handle it. "You see, my father's company, AyanoTech, is currently researching ways to improve upon the current Hunter-VG system. You see, in other parts of the world, there is so much old technology like this bus that the ordinary Hunter-VGs are incompatible with it, causing incidents like this to happen. The reason for the PET design is that the PETs were compatible with much of the technological upgrades before the shift to Transers. However, these are prototypes tested by myself and my friends, and cannot really have all the functions a normal Hunter-VG the power to manifest our Wizards into the real world on our own."

"Then how are those two Wizards able to show up in the real world?" a boy asked, pointing to MegaMan and Glyde. Glyde decided to step forward.

"That is an easy question, young man," he smiled. "We are simply using an additional old device known as the Copy Bot. Developed in Cyber City, the Copy Bots can allow beings such as I to manifest into the real world at all times, even with older model Hunter-VGs such as the ones Miss Yai and Mr. Lan are using now."

"We're still in the testing phase and working out any bugs in the system," Yai concluded, "so these PET-like Hunter-VGs won't be hitting the store shelves anytime soon. However, once we've ironed everything out, you can bet AyanoTech will be mass-producing these!" The crowd clapped in approval. Glyde bowed at the praise while Yai did a mild curtsy.

"Anyway," the bus driver said, "since you kids took the time to help me out, how about I give you all a bus ride for free? I won't need to see your Link Power for this one."

'(We're going to have a lot of questions to answer,)' Lan thought to himself. "So, does this bus go into the city?"

"Sure does!" the bus driver answered. "We've delayed long enough! All aboard!" The group boarded the bus, followed by the rest of the crowd. "Next stop, Wilshire Hills!" The bus pulled away, heading into the city.

Inside, Lan's group thought about what they've learned. First, Cyber City had somehow disappeared overnight, being replaced by this new town they were heading to—Wilshire Hills. Second, Mr. Progs were replaced by these Hertz creatures, and everything with a jack is considered rather old. Third, there was apparently someone else using the name "Mega Man" running around, and had saved the world three times. Fourth, PETs were virtually replaced by these Hunter-VG devices, and almost nobody said anything about Net Navis, instead having Wizards. But the most prominent thing that unsettled them was that this town and the people around them who acted like none of this was unusual were all from two-hundred years into the future. They all had so many questions about this development, but one question they all could agree on:

What could this sudden development mean for Cyber City?

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: Yeah, I could not keep this cat in the bag for a long time. May as well get it out there that I swapped the towns.

Edge's Corner: That escalated quickly.

Kingdom Rider92: Edge, what are you doing here?

Edge: We've been working together for the past five years. Why do you keep being surprised that I hijack your reviews when I'm bored and waiting for _Sonic Chao Chronicles_?

Kingdom Rider92: I'm going to be working on _Sonic Chao Chronicles_ soon enough!

Edge: Don't care, review answering!

**blee7442:** Well, as you can see, Lan and his friends were curious as to what happened to Mick and Tab as well as the rest of Cyber City (because honestly that city has a lot to offer the _Battle Network _era), a Calendar function was added to the PETs, making it—if this story was a _Nintendo 3DS_ game since Nintendo seems to have a good majority of the _Battle Network _and _Star Force _era games on their handheld systems—a very useful tool for keeping the era and current objectives as well as keeping track of side missions, discovered that Cyber City and Wilshire Hills were completely swapped by some unknown entity, and Yai took complete advantage of vital information that is general knowledge of the future to possibly use to help her father's company because Kingdom here likes making guile heroes out of children. It's a problem. It's a very serious problem.

Kingdom Rider92: Wait, the story's overall conflict I've been working on almost a month now, or that I keep taking young characters and making them somewhat magnificent bastards?

Edge: Yes.

**Devil's Den:** As you can see, we are working on it. Not going to lie, we really want the main characters to meet. That's our primary goal right now—getting Geo and Lan in the same room as each other and talking, as well as addressing the main plot. Anyway, we've been doing a heck of a lot of research into both settings in our attempts to keep the characters, places, and terminology consistent. As for POV, Kingdom wanted to be completely clear. When it comes to fight scenes, though… I'm not going to lie, viruses are really hard to write action scenes for since a majority of viruses in both the Net era and Wave era lack the sentience of the Net Navis and EM Beings we're going to be seeing in this story. I swear, I cannot wait for the first boss, because then Kingdom can let loose.

NovelMan: I'm glad I'm not a real character in this story, especially as a villain. I'd hate to be deleted by MegaMan.

Edge: NovelMan aside, about the names. Yeah, we understand that the Japanese names are a heck of a lot cooler for some characters more than others. We're sorry for anyone who prefers them like you, but like you said, everyone has their own opinion. Feel free to call them however you want in the reviews, we'll study up on our Japanese names to satisfy others.

**Guest:** I'm going to assume you attempted to make one post but it split into two. Anyway, thanks! We hope this story gets read, too. As for romance… not going to lie, there may be some slight romance, but not enough to completely overtake the adventure and time traveling elements. We're not going to completely resolve the Sonia-Geo-Luna love triangle or anything really major like that. Yeah, Kingdom prefers Bud on the beach scenario because it's funnier to see both girls angry and pigging out (also Bud Wave Changes for the first time on his own, signifying that it has a better plot point).

Kingdom Rider92: Are you done?

Edge: Yep! Farewell, subjects!

Kingdom Rider92: Hey!


	3. Chapter 2: Wilshire Hills, ToT

A/N: There was a mild rant here, but I didn't want it interfering with the story. Here's Chapter 2!

* * *

**Chapter 2: Wilshire Hills, the Town of Tomorrow**

* * *

**SciLab**

Dr. Yuichiro Hikari stared at the collection of static monitors. "What could have happened to Cyber City? What caused that earthquake if both Cybeasts were deleted by MegaMan along with Colonel and Iris' sacrifice?"

"There you are!" Haruka smiled as she came in, carrying a boxed lunch. "Lan and Hub told me that you spent the night here working, so I figured you'd be hungry."

"Oh, Haruka," Yuichiro greeted. "I'm sorry I didn't come home last night… again. Are Lan and Hub okay?"

"Yes," Haruka answered. "However, Yuichiro… I have to admit I'm curious. The last time you've had to work this late—"

"I know, Hub installed a legendary monster into his body in an attempt to prevent it from going on a destructive rampage throughout the Net," Yuichiro said. "It's partially my fault that happened, since Lan and Hub overheard me talking about how to seal away Cybeasts. But right now? I fear something much, much worse is happening to Cyber City."

"Cyber City?" Haruka asked. "Why? What's wrong with it?" She looked at the wall of static monitors, many of which were labeled with names of towns and parts of the Cyber World that were parts of Cyber City and it's Net. "…What happened, Yuichiro?"

"I don't know," Yuichiro answered. "One minute, everything was fine, I was about to clock out early. The next, a Class 9 earthquake originating from the Net strikes and spreads into the real world, doing untold damage… and then this."

"Dr. Hikari!" someone said as she walked in. She was a young woman in her early-mid twenties with wavy, golden blond hair tied in a short ponytail, light blue eyes, a beauty mark on her right cheek, and a slim figure. She was dressed in a white lab coat covering much of her body, save for a pair of faded jeans.

"Oh, you're Akiko, right?" Yuichiro remembered. "Haruka, this is Akiko. She's an intern from Cyber City. She has yet to earn her doctorate, but she's a prodigy with electronics and can recreate programs very well."

"…Yes," Akiko sighed. She looked at Haruka, and asked, "You're Dr. Hikari's wife, aren't you?"

"I am," Haruka said. "And I'm sorry about Cyber City. We used to live in Central Town for some time before moving back to ACDC. Our sons have friends from there."

Akiko confessed, "I grew up in Central Town as a little girl. To see it suddenly vanish and then change…"

"Wait, suddenly change?" Yuichiro asked. Akiko blinked, looking at the monitors. To her surprise, they were blank.

"You haven't seen it yet?" she asked. She walked to a nearby computer, and typed something. "This should be the footage that the Net Police have captured while investigating." Eventually, the monitors all regained their view, showing a town… but it was vastly different. While Cyber City was one of the highest technological cities in Electopia, the technology that this town was far beyond what they had at the present. Holographic screens, highly advanced vehicles that did not run on any known fuel sources, Navi-like creatures that manifested in the real world without Copy Bots, and that was just the tip of the iceberg.

The most impressive thing in the new city, however, was the colossal tower in the center of town that seemed to have an energy reading far off the charts. The energy flowing from the tower seemed to be powering the city, enabling all of these advancements. The scientist in Yuichiro Hikari had to admit that he was impressed.

"How did this happen overnight?" Yuichiro asked.

"We're still trying to figure that out," Akiko answered. "However, that's not the only thing… Net Police Navis have managed to jack in at the few accessible locations in the town, and this is what they've seen." When she typed it in, the footage showed a collection of orange pathways above the actual town, some even extending low enough to touch down on the ground. "This isn't the Cyber World we're used to, Dr. Hikari. This town has technology that doesn't exist in anywhere else in the world, and is far more advanced than anything we've ever seen. When questioning civilians in the town, they said something about '22XX'. This town, if I'm right… is from two-hundred years in the future."

"What!?" Yuichiro asked. "Are you saying that a town built two centuries from now somehow switched itself with Cyber City?"

"That is my theory, yes," Akiko answered. "So far, nothing's happened save for minor confusion on everyone's part. How long this lasts, however, depends on everyone. We have no idea what the future can hold, so we should approach this with caution."

"But what about Cyber City itself?" Haruka asked. "Lan and Hub have friends there… are they alright?"

"Save for those who have been out of town like me for the past 12-18 hours," Akiko explained as she turned to Haruka, "we've failed to account for any of Cyber City's residents. Every resident of this Future Town most likely is from the future as well. This only leads to one conclusion…"

"That the citizens of Cyber City have been transported with it as well to whatever time and place that this town is from," Yuichiro finished. "Well, that solves the problem of the missing people. Hopefully, they're okay… but we should get to work on rescuing them."

"Understood," Akiko nodded. "And sir? I must say that even though this is a crisis, it's an honor working alongside one of the five leading scientists in the world." Akiko left the Hikaris alone, who turned to each other.

"We should call Lan and Hub," Haruka said aloud. "Get them to come home and hope they stay out of trouble."

"It's a little too late for that," Yuichiro said as he looked at the screen. Haruka joined him looking at the screen, and spotted Lan, MegaMan, and their friends exiting a bus, and looking around. "They must have noticed Mick and Tab didn't come to visit, and headed to that Future Town."

"Oh no," Haruka breathed in shock.

-LH-

**Wilshire Hills**

"And this is just the bus stop?" Dex asked as they looked around. They were not even five minutes downtown and already the group was overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of what this glimpse of the future had in store. Futuristic hover cars, cool hover bikes, actual hover boards, and more zoomed down the streets. There were also plenty of Wizards roaming around town.

"I can't believe how advanced this place is," Lan said, looking at a floating screen. It was showing an advertisement for a movie: _'The Shooting Star',_ a science-fiction action movie where aliens invade Earth to try to eat all humans, only for one human to suddenly gain superpowers and fight the alien menace.

"Hey, guys," Yai spoke up. "I've been thinking on the bus ride over… why don't we get our hands on some of those Hunter-VGs?" The group looked at her. "Come on, don't tell me you're not curious. If I can figure out the right upgrades, I'm sure my father's company's success will skyrocket in the future!"

"Is it okay for us to possess technology two-hundred years ahead of us, though?" Mayl asked. "Sure, they seem safe, but wouldn't it cause some serious damage to the time stream?"

"She has a point, Miss Yai," Glyde agreed. "There is no telling what obtaining technology from the future could do to it. Furthermore, there is no doubt by now that the authorities have caught wind of Cyber City's disappearance. If the Net Police and the Officials caught us with this advanced technology, we would most likely suffer dire consequences."

"I don't know how we'll be able to explain it to Mom and Dad that we got caught sneaking around with potentially illegal technology from the future," MegaMan added.

"It does seem like we'd be grounded for the entire summer when you put it like that," Lan admitted.

"Oh, where's your sense of adventure, Lan?" Yai asked. "We've been through worse. Besides, if we don't blend in a little better, we'll be suspicious to these people from the future. I can only fast talk us out of so many scenarios! We'll never get to the bottom of what happened to Cyber City if we stop, here."

"Not to mention I want to see if we could make GutsMan a Wizard!" Dex agreed with Yai.

"Come on, Lan," Yai grinned. "Isn't the future scientist in you curious about what the future holds?"

"Alright," Lan admitted. "I want to see what these Hunter-VGs are about!"

"Lan, are you sure this is a good idea?" MegaMan asked.

"It won't hurt to take a peek," Lan justified. "We'll just look around a little bit. No harm done, right?"

"Oh, alright," MegaMan sighed in defeat.

"_Come on, Mega!"_ Roll smiled. _"It'll be fun!"_

"You too, Roll?" Mayl asked. "…Okay, we'll go get one."

The group found out from locals that this was just the Street Level of Wilshire Hills, and much of the town was actually built up high, reminding Lan and MegaMan of Cyber City's Sky Town. They needed to go to the Financial District for shopping. One elevator ride later, they found themselves in the Financial District of Wilshire Hills, where they were immediately swamped with the advertisements literally flying up to their face.

"_Feeling hungry on the go?"_ one of the ads spoke up. _"Try a Mega Snack! Now in 50 different flavors!"_

"_Looking for a new dress or fancy a new suit?" _a second ad asked. _"Wilshire Hills' New Shopping Plaza now has a new Nacy's department store!"_

"_Coming soon to Electopia Theaters: _'The Shooting Star'! _Loosely based on the original story of the hero 'Mega Man'!"_ Lan and MegaMan raised their eyebrows at the advertisement. The fourth advertisement further confused them.

"_Soon to debut in Wilshire Hills: 'Cyber Legacy'! Come see the remnants of Net Society and look at the work of Dr. Hikari, the man who laid the groundwork for the EM Wave technology we use today!"_

"Dad helped make all of this?" MegaMan asked.

"Looks like it," Lan said. "I wouldn't put it past him to help found this technology. I hope to help this one day!"

"_New Hunter-VGs are for sale in the new Shopping Plaza's second floor,"_ a fifth advertisement offered. Just the one Yai needed.

"Perfect!" Yai smiled. The advertisements flew away from them. "So, how do we get to the Shopping Plaza from here?"

"Um… are you new to Wilshire Hills?" a new voice spoke up. They turned to see a green-haired, brown-eyed boy around their age walking up to them. He was wearing a short purple jacket over a sleeveless white shirt, dark purple pants, a yellow pouch on his hip, and a purple clip in his hair.

"Oh, um, yes," Mayl answered. "We're a little lost…"

"I know that feeling," the boy said. "I've been trying to find myself for some time, now. But enough about me. I'm Patrick Sprigs… you can call me Pat."

"Nice to meet you, Pat!" Lan nodded. "I'm Lan Hikari."

"Hikari?" Pat mused. "I think I've heard that name before. I'm not sure where, though… anyway, what brings you here?"

"We were looking to see if we can buy Hunter-VGs," Yai answered. "The problem is, we're lost."

"That's easy to fix," Pat smiled. Turning to a set of nearby stairs, he explained, "Head up there, and take an immediate left. The Shopping Plaza should be that way. However, the Security Wizards have blocked it off for right now. They're inspecting it for damage due to a sudden earthquake that hit last night."

"An earthquake?" Dex asked. "You'd think quake damage would be noticeable."

"They're just making sure," Pat said. "The Shopping Plaza and the IFL Tower are major tourist attractions here, the Tower especially."

"The IFL Tower?" Lan asked.

"It's the tallest building in Electopia," Pat explained. "It also transmits EM Waves throughout Electopia."

"Um, remind us," Yai said, taking charge. "EM Waves stand for…?"

"Electromagnetic Waves," Pat answered. "They have made society comfortable for a long time, now and power several electronics. While before, most have been invisible to the naked human eye, current developments in EM technology have made EM Waves solid, allowing the creation of devices made of waves like Matter and eventually Real Waves and even Wizards. I have a pretty unique Battle Wizard, myself."

"Really?" Dex asked. "Can we see it?"

"I don't know," Pat said. "He's calm right now, but he can be pretty dangerous. I prefer not to show him off in public… at least not until I can find myself."

"Oh," Dex sighed. "Sorry, man."

"Not a problem," Pat insisted. "I wouldn't want anyone getting hurt because he got out of control. I hope you guys can get your Hunters-VGs, though."

"Thanks for your help!" Lan nodded.

"By the way," Pat pointed out, looking at MegaMan, "these are pretty unique Wizards. Not too many Wizards look fully human like these ones do… they almost look like Net Navis." He then walked into the elevator, leaving Lan's group stunned.

"Do you think he was onto us, Miss Yai?" Glyde asked.

"I'm not sure," Yai answered. "Though I do know something… the future has some cute guys."

"Yai!" Mayl giggled.

"What?" Lan asked.

"_Boys will be dense," _Roll said as they wandered throughout the town. True to Pat's word, there were two dog-like Wizards blocking off the Shopping Plaza.

"Sorry, kids," one told them, "but we're still sniffin' around for trouble. We'll be announcin' when we're finished our inspection via email."

"Um, Mr. Wizard," Lan asked, "will this email work on our devices? We kind of don't have Hunter-VGs…"

"I can tell you're usin' an old model terminal," the Wizard answered as he looked at Lan's PET, "but emails are still universal. Still, a check wouldn't hurt. Sendin' a test email."

_**BEEP-A-BEEP! _**BEEP-A-BEEP!**_**_

Lan looked down at his PET that buzzed. Two emails showed up.

_**Subject: Test Mail**_

_**Sender: Security**_

'_Okay, if the test worked, you should have received this! If it worked, let me know!'_

"Alright, it worked!"

"Yeah, that is definitely an old terminal," the Security Wizard nodded. "You should upgrade. I'll put in a good word for ya when the Shopping Plaza reopens!"

"Lan, what's the second email?" MegaMan asked.

_**Subject: We're coming!**_

_**Sender: Mom**_

'_Lan,_

'_We just found out about what happened to Cyber City and how it's been… replaced. We also found out that you and your friends have entered the town. Dad and I are on our way now. Please don't do anything dangerous before we get there, okay?_

'_Mom'_

"Mom and Dad are on their way now?" Lan asked as soon as they were out of earshot of the Security Wizards.

"I told you we'd get in trouble for this!" MegaMan scolded.

"To be completely fair," Lan argued, "Mom never said we were in trouble!"

"We're going to be when they get here!"

"Those two really have their brotherly fights," Yai commented.

"But at the same time," Dex said from experience, "it goes to show that they care for each other like real brothers do. Chisao and I may not get along at times, but I'd go through anything to make sure he's safe."

"_If anyone wants to get to Chisao, GutsMan will crush them!"_ GutsMan agreed.

"Anyway," Mayl said, walking forward and stopping the argument between the Hikari brothers, "they won't be here in Wilshire Hills so soon. We should find someplace to wait for them and figure out how to apologize."

"But first," Yai said, "we may as well look around. If they're not here before the Shopping Plaza reopens, then it won't hurt to do that, right?"

"You really want one of those Hunter-VGs, don't you?" Dex asked.

"Like you don't?"

The group, remembering what Pat said about the IFL Tower, headed over there, and spotted the large building easily enough. A building that was over a hundred stories with a giant satellite on top of it was kind of hard to miss. The only place that Lan had seen that tall would be Mt. Belenus back during Nebula and Dr. Regal's kidnapping of his father. According to Pat, this building was extremely significant to the people of 22XX.

However, they could not enter the building with more Security Wizards standing in the way.

"Sorry, kids," one of the Wizards said. "No civilians are allowed in here right now."

"Because the earthquake earlier, right?" Glyde asked. "Terribly sorry, sir."

"Not exactly," the Security Wizard answered. "Sure, the earthquake that started from the Wave World and leaked into the real world was bad, but despite this place being at the epicenter, no significant damage was done. The reason the building's blocked off to civilians right now is because we're still going under renovations. This is where the Cyber Legacy exhibit is going to be held."

"Wouldn't a museum be a better place to have an exhibit?" Mayl asked.

"The IFL Tower has an entire section dedicated to a museum," the Security Wizard explained. "But the Cyber Legacy exhibit is so huge, we're dedicating quite a bit of the IFL Tower to it. Only certain people have the kind of access needed to enter here. Sorry for any inconvenience."

"That's alright," Lan nodded. "We just wanted to look around Wilshire Hills. Thanks for answering our questions!"

"No problem, sir," the Security Wizard nodded. "Have a nice day!" The group walked away.

_**BEEP-A-BEEP! _**BEEP-A-BEEP!**_**_

"Lan, new mail," MegaMan detected. Lan checked his PET.

_**Subject: Shopping Plaza Open!**_

_**Sender: Security**_

'_Good news, ladies and gentlemen! The Shopping Plaza has cleared all inspections. You can now feel free to enter and shop to your hearts' content! Furthermore, we just received word that there is also a display that will be presented later this afternoon! Enjoy yourselves!'_

"Finally!" Yai beamed. "Come on, guys! We still have time to obtain Hunter-VGs!"

"Miss Yai, wait!" Glyde yelled, but she was already off.

"Man, Yai's been off the wall," Lan said. "What happened to her while she was at school?"

"My apologies," Glyde bowed. "While separated from you all, Miss Yai has begun taking her duty as future CEO of AyanoTech very seriously. If she thinks she can help the company in any way, she'll do so. This opportunity to obtain technology from the future, while potentially dangerous, is once-in-a-lifetime."

"I can understand that!" Dex said as he followed Yai's general direction. The others followed him.

When the group arrived at the Shopping Plaza, they saw that the mall was crowded with plenty of people. Multiple shops and cafés were filled to the brim, making it hard for them to find what they want. It did not help part of the Shopping Plaza was blocked off by a few security Wizards, saying that the display that will be presented later. However, that was when they remembered that the shop they needed was on the second floor. One trip up a nearby set of stairs later, they found a shop advertising Hunter-VGs. MegaMan and Glyde decided to wait outside.

"Hello," the shopkeeper greeted as they entered his store. "Are you here for the newest Hunter-VG models?"

"Yep!" Yai answered. "These are our first Hunter-VGs, so we're pretty excited!"

"I understand the excitement," the shopkeeper answered. "You all can pick out a color, and I'll instruct you on how to use it." After Yai purchased them, the group did not take long to pick out a Hunter-VG—Lan had a classic blue, Mayl preferred a pink one, Dex took a green Hunter-VG (although GutsMan initially complained), and Yai took a yellow one. "I see you've all picked out a Hunter-VG. Now, you're probably wondering why it's called 'Hunter'?"

"That thought DID cross my mind," Dex confessed.

"Well, you may have noticed," the shopkeeper explained, "but with the increase of Wave technology development, there's the sole negative aspect of the increase in virus-related problems. The Hunter-VG, in response, was created to make the process of virus-busting much easier. Hence the name."

"So we could finally compete with Lan in virus-busting," Dex commented.

"Or I could be a much better virus buster than before," Lan offered in contrast.

"That's it?" Yai asked, looking at her Hunter-VG. '(You'd think the future would have something better to offer than that… I better not have spent all of that Zenny on something I'd probably never use.)'

"That's not all the Hunter-VG has to offer," the shopkeeper explained. "It has several different functions besides dealing with viruses. First, Codenames: they're nicknames you use to access the upgraded network. You don't have to decide that, now, but having one will help. Next, the pop-up system."

"Pop-up system?" Mayl asked.

"With so many advancements in technology, there has been an increase in information. In fact, too much information for normal humans to sift through at times."

"Kind of sounds like someone I know," Yai mused, looking at Dex.

"Hey! I've been trying to clean my room!" Dex scowled.

"That's a pretty good analogy," the shopkeeper pointed out. "When we need to find something quickly, there's no time to waste. And it's hard when information is buried in a ton of data. Hence the new pop-up system: it makes things so much easier. Try talking to the person in front you."

"Okay," Lan nodded. "Hey, Mayl…" When Lan looked at his new Hunter-VG, something popped up on his screen: _'Mayl Sakurai',_ her family symbol of the pink heart over a yellow circle, Roll's face with the label '_Net Navi',_ and the symbol of ACDC—the pink squirrel.

"Whoa!" Mayl yelped. "Lan… your name, family crest, MegaMan, and the ACDC symbol appeared!"

"That's a pop-up," the shopkeeper continued. "It shows important information. For instance, the person you're talking to right now. Try touching the symbol for your town." Lan did so: _'A small community part of Den City in 20XX.'_ "As you can see, even if you just met for the first time, you would know key details about each other. But these aren't the only pop-ups. If you'd stand in front of an elevator, such as the one leading into the financial area of Wilshire Hills we're in now, you'd probably get a selection of choices to go to in order to make travel easier."

"This is all pretty confusing," Dex said. "But I think we'll get the hang of it!"

"That's basically all for my explanation," the shopkeeper finished. "My mentor, Aaron Boreal, didn't come in, but he knows a lot more than I do."

"Thanks so much for these Hunter-VGs, sir!" Lan said.

"No problem, kids," the shopkeeper smiled. "Have a great day!" The group walked out, and then he realized something. "Wait… did they say something about 'Mega Man'? Oh, wait… I forgot to tell them to reform any Brother Bands they had before upgrading!"

Outside, the two Copy Bot Navis met up with their operators. "So, how did it go?" MegaMan asked.

"Pretty good, all things considered," Yai said. "We haven't figured everything out, but I'm sure we can find a way to work it alongside PET technology."

"We best be careful about who we show these to outside of this city, Miss Yai," Glyde advised. "We have no idea what damage could potentially be caused to time."

"We'll be careful!" Dex assured Yai's Navi.

"_Just don't forget about us Net Navis in PETs with these Hunter-VGs, Dex, guts!" _GutsMan told him.

"Like I could ever forget about you, GutsMan!" Dex said.

"I'm glad you all got what you wanted," MegaMan said, "but aren't you all forgetting something?" The group of kids looked at each other, but jumped when they remembered what it was MegaMan was referring to.

"WE FORGOT ABOUT FIGURING OUT WHAT'S GOING ON!" Lan yelled. "How could I have forgotten!?"

"Well, there's that," MegaMan said. "I was referring to Mom and Dad coming. We should probably return to the street level of town so we can meet them there."

"Oh, that too," Lan sheepishly admitted. Mayl and Yai giggled.

"This trip is totally worth being in trouble for," Yai mused. "Come on, let's go home. We got something out of this trip, even though we didn't see Mick or Tab."

"They and Iris were Lan's first friends in Cyber City when he moved," Mayl said. "They're part of the group… I have to admit I'm worried about them and the rest of Cyber City."

"_We should go meet up with Lan's parents, though,"_ Roll sighed. _"They're going to be pretty mad if we're late."_

Lan's group left the Shopping Plaza, and headed straight for the elevator. There, they saw the pop-up system actually occur, giving them the choice between the Financial District (although, judging by the option being grayed out, that was where they were now), the Residential Area, and the Street Level. Lan, curious, pressed the street level button, where the elevator immediately took them down to Street Level.

"So," Yai said, "while we wait, what did you guys think up for in terms of CodeNames. I'm Ms. Y20XX."

"ACDCGuts for me!" Dex answered.

"I just went with PianoBear," Mayl said, looking at her Hunter-VG.

"Just call me HikariBN," Lan said. "So, we should probably write these down..."

"Already did," Yai said. "I'll send you an e-mail later." Pulling up in a car were Lan and MegaMan's parents.

"There you are!" Haruka said to them as she got out of the vehicle to hug her boys.

"Sorry for making you worry, Mom," MegaMan apologized. "When we noticed Mick and Tab were late, we decided to go figure out what was going on…"

"About that," Yuichiro began as he came over. He motioned them to follow somewhere private. When he was sure nobody else was around to hear them, Dr. Hikari began his explanation. "I figured you would have found this out eventually, so may as well tell you all, now. This town is from 200 years into the future."

"We know that from talking to some of the people here, Dr. Hikari," Mayl confessed. "However… how did this happen? Where's Cyber City? What's going to become of the population here? And what happened to Lan's friends from Central Town?"

"We still don't know the cause ourselves," Yuichiro answered. "Last night, there was a huge earthquake that affected Cyber City that originated from the Net…"

"Dad, how's that possible!?" Lan asked. "The Cybeasts that caused those earthquakes on the Net were deleted by Colonel and Iris! We watched them all die!"

"I know," Yuichiro answered. "Honestly, I had never been prouder of either of you for helping stop those Cybeasts, even though it was extremely dangerous."

"Thanks, Dad," Lan smiled.

"Back on track, however," Yuichiro said. "One of my interns, Miss Akiko, hypothesized that the earthquake that hit Cyber City last night had somehow taken Cyber City and replaced it with… this Future Town."

"Wilshire Hills," Yai corrected. Yuichiro and Haruka looked at the youngest member of the group. "If we're going to refer to this town in conversation, we may as well call it by its proper name."

"…So, Dad, how grounded are we?" Lan asked.

"I'm not thinking punishment yet, since you all had good intentions of seeing your friends this summer," Yuichiro said. "We're still going to talk to your parents about this, however, but that's for later. Right now, since we're here, we may talk about what you've seen and heard before the Net Police and Officials finish their reports. I'd like to have confirmation from someone who's experienced this city."

"Well, pops," Dex explained, "technology here is WAY beyond what we have right now! There's something called EM Waves that power everything in the future!"

"Electromagnetic Waves as an energy source?" Yuichiro said. "I'll have to write that down… it's impossible today, but give us around fifty or so years, it could be a viable source of energy."

"According to the Security Wizards," Glyde added, "Wilshire Hills was also subject to an earthquake."

"Wizards?" Haruka said.

"They're beings made up of EM Waves," MegaMan answered. "They seem to serve the same purpose as Net Navis in the future. EM Wave technology is so advanced, that are even vehicles made up of them. I have to admit, they're pretty powerful, and my processing power's even feeling them."

"They're affecting you, MegaMan?" Yuichiro asked.

"Why didn't you tell me that was happening?" Lan asked.

"I didn't want anyone worrying about a tingling sensation that seems to be making me more powerful," MegaMan explained. "Glyde?"

"I must confess that my systems have improved as well," Glyde said.

"Anyway, so this town was also affected by an earthquake as well?" Haruka asked. "I'm not a scientist like Dad is, but… these can't be coincidences that both Cyber City and Wilshire Hills were hit by earthquakes, right?"

"They're not coincidences," Yuichiro said. "That further supports Akiko's hypothesis—that Cyber City and Wilshire Hills were somehow swapped between times. These quakes must have been caused by a rift in space-time opening up, and the result was two cities in different locations. Hopefully the people of Cyber City made it to the future with it, but this is still a dire situation. We have an entire population believing they're still in future 22XX, and we have been exposed to technology that we're not ready for, yet."

"And I think we have the future's power source," MegaMan added. "Dad, there's a huge tower on top of the city that transmits the largest supply of EM Waves throughout Electopia, and the people of the future are dependent on EM Wave technology."

"That makes the disappearance of Cyber City even worse," Yuichiro grimaced. "Cyber City was home to several projects that would further the development of Net technology—the kind that would most likely make places like Wilshire Hills possible by their time. We don't know if the EM Wave technology of the future has negative side effects, but even if they don't we can't keep this town if we want the world of tomorrow running. Without that tower, they may not have their EM Waves."

"Oh no!" Yai said. "Then we have to get this city and these people back to the future, pronto!"

"Hold on, kids," Yuichiro interrupted. "We have no idea how or why the cities somehow shifted between time periods, and none of the technology we have today at SciLab is capable of repeating the process that caused this to happen. Even if we drop all of our projects we have now—including the one I'm working on that I was hoping to share with all in a week's time since it's almost finished—and we collaborated with every branch of SciLab in the world, by the time we could rectify this development, who knows how much damage would have been done to the time stream. In fact, us being here talking about what we've learned from the future could have done some damage."

"Sorry, Dad," Lan sighed. "Still, we need to find a way to save Cyber City, even if it's easier said than done!"

"I'm glad to see you show enthusiasm for this," Yuichiro complimented. "If only you could take that same enthusiasm for school work."

"I've been trying that for years, Dad," MegaMan pointed out.

"MegaMan!" Lan groaned.

"Alright, kids," Haruka interjected, "we should head home, now. We'll focus on solving this starting tomorrow."

"Hey, it's starting!" a boy yelled. The group turned to see a group of people crowded around a large floating screen.

"What's starting?" Yuichiro asked.

"You haven't heard?" a young man asked. "There's going to be a preview of what the new Cyber Legacy exhibit has to offer at the Shopping Plaza in a few moments!"

"(Cyber Legacy?)" Yuichiro asked Lan.

"(No spoilers, but you had a big impact on the future,)" Lan answered.

"But the mall can't accommodate everyone in Wilshire Hills," the man continued, "so the benefactor of the Cyber Legacy exhibit has all of the Air Displays in town set to broadcast the exhibit. You don't want to miss this!"

The group, although they wanted to go and figure out how to resolve their immediate crisis, could not help but look at the screen. They saw a giant red curtain covering a colossal stage and a black coffin standing up in front of the stage.

"_Heh, heh, heh… ladies and gentlemen of Wilshire Hills and Electopia! Thank you all for coming out to see today's latest performance, despite last night's earthquake and your… unexpected trip!"_

Everyone stared at the coffin as it opened, dark fog covering the stage. Out of the smoky coffin emerged a man with long, blonde hair in multiple braids beneath his purple bowler hat. He wore a purple longcoat with a white ascot sticking out, white show gloves, and green striped pants with brown shoes. In his left hand was a black cane with a bird shaped handle.

"What an overly dramatic entrance," Yai commented. However, the group noticed the confusion and concern of the crowd.

"Unexpected trip?" a girl asked. "I know its summer vacation time, but I didn't hear about going on a trip? Grandma?"

"No, I don't remember planning a trip for you," the girl's grandmother answered. "What is that eccentric man raving about?"

Yuichiro scowled as he listened to the man's words while Lan clenched his fist around his PET as he watched this man parade in front of the stage like he owned the place. Mayl noticed this. "(Lan, Dr. Hikari,)" Mayl asked, "(you don't think he knows about the cities being swapped in time, do you?)"

"(I think he does,)" Lan answered. "(What other unexpected trip could he be talking about?)"

"(Definitely,)" Yuichiro said. "(He knows… but he's not part of the Net Police, Officials, or SciLab, and we're literally all who know right now.)"

"_You all seem so confused,"_ the man taunted. _"So lost. So unaware. Humans are always curious, foolish creatures, aren't we? Well, alas, I will not spoil the surprise. Instead, I'll let the benefactor explain."_ With a laugh, he said, _"Presenting the benefactor of the Cyber Legacy exhibit: Mr. Cain!"_

"…Cain?" Yuichiro asked aloud.

The stage curtain unveiled, leaving a colossal Copy Bot beneath a collection of hourglasses and a large digital clock counting the days, hours, minutes, and seconds left before the exhibit. But what interested everyone was the man standing in front of the Copy Bot. The man had shiny, medium length gray hair. He was wearing a black business suit with a notable hourglass pin on his jacket, an orange, stylized Σ highlighting the left side of the pin.

"_Forgive my colleague's… eccentric personality," _Cain began. _"But yes, I'm the mysterious benefactor of the Cyber Legacy exhibit. I welcome you all to this sneak preview."_

"What the… what's he doing here?" Haruka asked aloud. Dex, Yai, Mayl, and Glyde looked at the Hikaris.

"Lan," Mayl asked, "what's going on?"

"Cain was the former mayor of Cyber City," Lan answered, "and the principal of Cyber Academy, where I went for school when I moved to Central Town. However, that was his public face. He was really the benefactor of WWW's Cybeast plan!"

"What!?" Dex asked. "You mean he supported WWW!?"

"Exactly," Yuichiro answered. "I forgot you all were never in Cyber City until the Expo and the Cybeast attack. The reason he did so was because he wanted revenge on society for demonizing his grandfather, the creator of Falzar, the Cybeast created to destroy Gregar, the Cybeast made of Bug Frags. However, Cain secretly was planning to betray Dr. Wily and take the Cybeasts for himself. Of course, that plan was foiled when he was forced out of office."

Haruka added, "When Lan exposed him, Cain was arrested by the Net Police and was impeached as Mayor of Cyber City. I thought that would be the last time we would ever see him."

"I thought so, too," Yuichiro recalled. "However, after the Cybeasts' roars destroyed several powerful systems in Cyber City, he escaped Green Town's Punishment Room during the chaos, only to never be seen for an entire year! For him to come back now… he must have something up his sleeve."

Lan scowled, "And chances are… if anyone knows what happened to Cyber City, it's him! Come on, MegaMan! We have to question Ex-Mayor Cain!" Lan strapped his roller blades on, and skated towards Wilshire Hills.

"Lan, wait!" MegaMan said, running after him.

"Boys!" Haruka yelled. However, it was already too late, as they boarded the elevator. "Why do those two always run headfirst into trouble?"

"Lan does have a point, though," Yuichiro scowled. "Mayor Cain being here when the rest of Cyber City is somewhere in time? That cannot be a coincidence. Let's hope this isn't a trap."

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: Well, this escalated quickly. So, you're probably looking at this, then back to me, then back to this chapter, and then back to me. Now you probably gonna ask yourself, "How can this guy JUSTIFY Hyde and Cain?"

Simple: Their fates were basically left unknown by the end of the last game of _Star Force _and _Battle Network,_ respectively and both could be in positions to be major villains later on. Hyde a.k.a. Dark Phantom was believed by Geo and Omega-Xis that he'll come back. As for Cain, yes, he was arrested. But considering the chaos wrecked by the Cybeasts, it's not impossible for him to have escaped when the Cybeast roars hit Green Town and the Judge Tree. If anyone was expecting the undying Dr. Wily or evil for evil's sake Dr. Regal, don't forget Wily's turned over a new leaf while in prison, and Wily himself is responsible for Regal's reform. Sean's been out since the end of _Battle Network 2._ And _Network Transmission's _Professor (who really needs a freaking name) is out because he's been in prison for some time now and was never heard from again.

The thing I was really shocked about was so many people thought I had already sent Lan's group to 22XX. I'm sorry guys, but the trip to 22XX has yet to happen. You see, instead of the group going to 22XX, Wilshire Hills came to 20XX. This will be explained later.

Anyway, Pat Sprigs! You know, I was disappointed that Pat didn't return for _Star Force 3._ He was going on a walkabout the last time we saw him in _Star Force 2, _trying to gain control over Rey and (apparently) Gemini. In this case, Pat sadly was caught in the time swap upon returning to Electopia. However, he may be of help…

Finally, getting these guys Hunter-VGs… I wanted to do something with the Hunters, so if it feels tutorial-ish, I borrowed the basic Hunter tutorial from the start of _Star Force 3._ Anyway, reviews.

**Ghost501:** Holy crap, the author of many _Battle Network_ fics commenting! I feel honored. I would like to consult you on Navi ideas, such as the one that will be showing up very soon. You don't have to say yes, but I'd appreciate it.

**Devil's Den:** Fair warning in advance: I may have just graduated college, but I am still job hunting for something after the summer. I also have other stories as well… so I'm not saying there won't be times I take a break from this, but I have to juggle things.

**Lyres:** Thank you!

**reppuzan:** Thanks so much! Keeping these guys in-character is what requires the most research. Well, that and the chips, attacks, and merging the two series without creating a mess, like you said. I went with the space-time quake since it seemed really creative. Anyway, sad to say, Lan and Geo aren't meeting face-to-face JUST yet. Though when they do meet, I feel like I have to work that angle. Also, thanks for pointing out errors!

**blee7442:** Well, they have a glimpse of the future. The only reason the EM Wave technology still works at this moment is because the IFL Tower is still transmitting EM Waves, so as long as they stay within the city limits for NOW (it may spread to the rest of Electopia later), those who rely on EM Waves will be fine. As for telling them apart, that'll be easy when they're together. Since they have canon names besides the obvious (Hub for , Geo for SS Mega Man), I won't have too much difficulty if I refer to them as such when in the same area. Boring, yes, but practical in the long run.

**No. XIII:** Well, thank you very much. Sad news is they're still in 20XX. Anyway, are you talking about the scene where Zack thought Bud was on a diet? Well, I suppose I can work some comedy into this fic.

**SubaruTC003:** Wow. That is pretty dang thorough. Thank you! We may talk EM Beings.

Well, that's all I have for now. Hope you have a good day! Farewell my subjects!


	4. Chapter 3: Cain and the Great Clock CC

A/N: Well, I'd say something witty here, but I have nothing. I'm sorry for the delay; I've been playing _Star Wars: The Old Republic. _Anyway, this is Chapter 3, in which we'll tackle the first… well, dungeon!

* * *

**Chapter 3: Cain and the Great Clock CC**

* * *

**Wilshire Hills**

"_Citizens of Wilshire Hills,"_ Cain's voice said while the lift zipped up the elevator. _"As you all know, EM Wave technology has made daily life far convenient nowadays. We use them in several devices: our electronics, the Air Displays you watching from home are viewing now, the Hunter-VGs you most likely carry… even this stage I am on is a Real Wave.'_

Lan and MegaMan ran (or in Lan's case, skated) out of the elevator as fast as they could. "What could Cain be after!?" Lan asked as he headed inside the Shopping Plaza.

_**BEEP-BA-BEEP! BEEP-BA-BEEP!**_

"Lan, you have mail again," MegaMan said as Lan stopped. Lan looked at his PET.

_**Subject: Just in Case**_

_**Sender: Mayl**_

'_Lan, you're always running off into trouble… you know I worry about you. Thank goodness I have this. You can borrow Roll's power for now. Still, we're on our way, so be careful at least until we get there!'_

'_Mayl'_

"Roll's Mega Chip?" MegaMan asked as Lan installed a blank Battle Chip into his PET and began downloading the code Mayl sent him.

"Yep," Lan said after he pulled it out. "This always comes in handy."

"_But we as a people cannot forget what life was like before EM Waves. Once upon a time, there was the Net, and all electronics were connected to it. Before Wizards, people had Net Navis as companions. But Navis did not join us in the real world like our Wizards could. At least, at first…"_

The two brothers headed to the Plaza Stage, which was pretty crowded. By the time they arrived, Cain was pointing to the giant Copy Bot. "Ladies and gentlemen, this plain old figure behind me is not a statue. It is a Copy Bot, a machine that by 20XX allowed Net Navis and other cybernetic creatures to manifest themselves into the real world. Behold this video of a Copy Bot from two hundred years ago!"

Cain then pressed a button that summoned a holographic screen (that Lan now knew as an Air Display). On it was footage of his first day at Cyber Academy where he inserted MegaMan into a Copy Bot, reuniting the Hikari Brothers in the real world for the first time in their lives. The people in the crowd awed.

Cain continued, "My colleague, Mr. Hyde, and I rediscovered it with the help of our young, lovely assistant from YumLand. She would demonstrate the technology for you all today… but alas, she had to cancel at the last minute and neither Mr. Hyde nor I have a Navi. It's sad to say that even though they once could come into our world and aid us in tasks, they are now obsolete and are hardly around anymore."

If Lan's blood could turn cold at those words, MegaMan's processes almost froze. "What?" the Navi asked. "Net Navis… we're obsolete in the future!?"

"I can't believe this!" Lan breathed. "Wizards… they replace Net Navis! That's why we didn't hear too much about them!" Cain looked up at Lan and MegaMan, offering a silent smirk before turning to the rest of the crowd.

"But do not frown in disappointment, ladies and gentlemen!" Cain concluded. "For right now, we here at Chromos are developing the ultimate Net Navi with which to demonstrate the power of the Copy Bots, as well as several Net Navis to show you around the Cyber Legacy exhibit once it opens!" The crowd clapped, now more excited to see what the world of 20XX and the technology that Lan's time had to offer.

"I can't believe Cain's rubbing Dad's work and our time's technology in our faces!" Lan scowled. "He's lying to these people about 'rediscovering' Net tech! We have to expose him!"

"Lan, wait!" MegaMan stopped him. "(Who are these people going to believe more? Cain, who had once fooled all of Cyber City and managed to demonize us when the ex-WWW members kidnapped me, or two kids who start pointing fingers like idiots? Besides, we need to avoid a riot!)"

"(But MegaMan…)" Lan started.

"(Think about it, Lan,)" MegaMan said. "(If we tell these people they've all been transported two hundred years into the past, there will be a mass panic. Also, technically, he's not lying about the exhibit, so we'll come across as crazy if we try to expose him and nobody believes us. I hate to say it, but… Cain has us in a no-win situation. Let's play along, and try to question him later—)"

_**BZZT! BZZT!**_

"What in the world?" Cain asked. The giant digital clock above the stage began to actually spark with electricity.

"Are we having a bit of technical difficulties?" the man known as Hyde asked. "Perhaps someone should have a look…"

That was when the hourglasses exploded, flooding the area around the Plaza Stage with sand. "Is this the work of viruses!?" a woman shrieked.

"This is bad," Cain announced. "The sand will get into the Great Copy Bot's circuitry and corrode it. It's also getting into the Great Clock as well, and with that sparking electricity… it may explode, taking the Great Copy Bot with it… and the explosion from that will destroy the Shopping Plaza, doing untold damage to the rest of the city!"

"What!?" a man asked. "We have to get out of here!" Much of the audience fled, leaving soon only Lan and MegaMan.

"Why is it that wherever we go," MegaMan asked, "trouble follows? You have to jack me in, Lan!"

"MegaMan, aren't you worried?" Lan said. "Your Copy Bot will get damaged by the sand as well! We need to get you out of here and transfer you back into my PET before you corrode!"

"But Lan, if we leave now, we may have trouble getting back in with all of the sand in the way! And who knows what will happen to the Copy Bot when I'm out of it!"

"In that case, I'll find a way to clear out the sand, and let Mom and Dad know where your Copy Bot is! Now come on! It's starting to fill up!"

MegaMan reluctantly followed Lan out of the filling Plaza Stage, and looked back to see the exit was barred off by several feet of sand. Lan, meanwhile, looked around and found a good spot to store the Copy Bot—nearby a bench. He transferred Mega Man out of the Copy Bot and back into his PET, storing that away for now.

"_I'll send Dad an e-mail," _MegaMan solemnly said. Lan looked down at his PET. It did not take Lan long to realize that MegaMan was worried about something.

"MegaMan…"

"_Lan," _the Navi said, _"I think I know why that Hertz on the bus confused me for another Mega Man. It's because we're obsolete by their time. We're just a collector's item by 22XX, and despite this exhibit Cain is putting on—ulterior evil plan or no—we'll just be forgotten in time. Even if we stop him, this will change nothing for Navis…"_

"Not if I can help it," Lan scowled. "Not if WE can help it, MegaMan. The future's not set in stone just yet." MegaMan looked up at Lan as he pulled out his PET. "I can't count the many tight spots I wouldn't have gotten out of without you—and we both know it has nothing to do with my math grade, so don't even start. Meanwhile, whenever you're in trouble, you know that I'd take on the world if there was even a slight chance at saving you. But when we work together, we're virtually unstoppable. Hub… we're brothers, right? And brothers look out for each other." MegaMan said nothing. "Come on, Hub. We have to save Wilshire Hills. Hopefully then, Net Navis will get the attention and appreciation they really deserve." While Lan skated off in search of something to clear the way, Pat walked to where they were standing.

"Net Navi?" Pat whispered.

Meanwhile, Lan looked around, eventually spotting a backpack-shaped green vacuum lying around on an abandoned janitor's cart. The vacuum had a face on it and even chubby cheeks. According to his Hunter-VG, the vacuum was made up of EM Waves. Now that he thought about it, the Hunter-VG pointed out that the Plaza Stage had plenty of EM Waves solidified into its current form. Cain called it a "Real Wave".

"I'll just borrow that," Lan said, grabbing the vacuum's nozzle.

"Hey!" the vacuum yelled.

"What the!?" Lan asked, looking at the device. It looked pretty angry. "Is this thing… alive?"

"Who do you think you are, pulling on my nose like that!?" the vacuum demanded. "And what do you mean, 'Is this thing alive?' You act like you haven't seen a Matter Wave object before!"

"Um, actually, I haven't," Lan said. "So, you're a Matter Wave Vacuum?"

"Call me Vic-Vac!" the vacuum answered. "So, this is your first time talking to a Matter Wave, huh? Well, as you know, EM Wave technology has vastly improved to the point that humans can make solid and sometimes sentient objects out of them. But before everyone got Wizards, we Matter Waves came first. I'll have you know that I was based off the vacuum from the horror _Ghost Crisis II: Spectre Status! _Now, here I am, stuck on janitorial duty… I went from being a collector's item to this because Wizards are all the rage."

"_Yeah,"_ MegaMan sighed from his PET. _"I know how it is to find out that you're suddenly considered obsolete."_

"Whoa," Vic-Vac beeped. "Are you… a Net Navi?"

"_Yeah, I am,"_ MegaMan said. _"Why?"_

"Oh, man, my kind replaced you guys!" Vic-Vac apologized. "Net Navis were still around, but they were reduced to collectable cards that people could use for daily tasks. Then we Matter Waves showed up. Then Real Waves and Wizards, and we Matter Waves just fade into the background. Now I know how you guys feel. Okay, tell you what, I'll help you out!"

"Really?" Lan asked.

"Anything to get out of this mall and be useful again!" Vic-Vac answered. "I'll be your first Matter Wave! Though I should probably explain how this works. Do you have a Hunter-VG?" Lan showed his. "Perfect! I'll just hop into this…" Vic-Vac then digitized himself, reappearing as a pop-up in the Hunter-VG. _"Okay, kid, how familiar are you with the pop-up system?"_

"I just learned it today," Lan confessed.

"_I see,"_ the vacuum Matter Wave replied. _"Well, lucky for you, this is real simple. Just touch my pop-up, and I'll auto-materialize on your back, where you can suck up just about anything in front of you. Dust, loose change, ghosts…"_

"Even that big mound of sand?" Lan asked, looking at the sand in the way of the Plaza Stage.

"_Sure, why not?"_ Vic-Vac shrugged. _"Fair warning though… I get full pretty easy. You may need to empty me out at times, but it's not too much of a hassle."_

"Thanks, Vic-Vac!" Lan grinned. "Alright, let's go!" He turned around and activated the pop-up, Vic-Vac appearing on his back before he sucked up as much sand as he could. Vic-Vac coughed a bit, but grinned.

"You just got dusted!" Vic-Vac quipped. Lan looked at the Matter Wave, confused. "Sorry, that's… the catch phrase from _Ghost Crisis."_

"_It's actually pretty nice,"_ MegaMan said.

Lan walked into the Plaza Stage area, where Cain and Hyde were standing. "Mayor Cain!" Lan yelled. "What are you doing here!?"

"Lan Hikari," Cain greeted. "It's been some time since you and I fought over the Cybeasts."

"You know him?" Hyde asked.

"Yes," Cain answered. "He is the son of Dr. Hikari, who moved to Cyber City at my request. Lan, however, has a knack for sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. I'm not surprised he showed up, here."

"What did you do to Cyber City!?" Lan demanded. "Where is it!? Where are Mick and Tab!?"

"He seems angry," Hyde said. "Young man, are you perhaps here to play the role of the hero?"

"Role of the hero?" Lan asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, every story needs a hero," Hyde explained. "And you're just in time for auditions."

"What Mr. Hyde means to say is we have a more immediate crisis on our hands," Cain said. "Cyber City can wait… 200 years. Right now, we have the potential for a massive explosion. You and MegaMan are our only hope in saving Wilshire Hills. I had this clock equipped with a jack. Perhaps you can send your Net Navi inside?"

"…I don't know," Lan scowled. "How do I know this isn't a trap? You tried to take control of MegaMan and the Cybeasts before!"

"_We don't have time to debate about whether or not it's a trap,"_ MegaMan replied. _"The threat's very real! I can tell that the electricity going through that is building up… if we don't do something, this city will be destroyed!"_

"Lan," Cain said, "I take it you want to know what happened to Cyber City? If you do this for me, I'll tell you EVERYTHING you need to know! Besides, it's not like you to turn away from a crisis!" Lan scowled, but looked at the clock. "Please, Lan… you have to help me."

"…Fine!" Lan said. "Come on, MegaMan!" Lan ran up the stairs onto the stage, and found a place to jack in. "Jack-in, MegaMan, Execute!"

-HH-

**Great Clock CC**

When MegaMan touched down in the Cyber Core, he found himself staring at a Mr. Prog neck-deep in sand. In fact, much of the area was flooded with sand that kept flowing off into the bottomless chasms of the Cyber World. As usual, there was a security gate keeping him from going into the next area.

"Oh, please tell me you're here to save us!" the Prog said.

"There are Mr. Progs here?" MegaMan asked. "After everything else today, I was worried I'd never see one of you again. But yeah, I'm here to help! What happened?"

"Oh, it's horrible!" the Prog explained. "The Great Clock has been flooded with cyber-sand, courtesy of some robed Net Navi—at least, I think it was! Many of my friends are trapped like this! Please tell me you can fix this!"

"I don't know, actually," MegaMan confessed. "I don't have a program that's capable of blowing away or sucking up sand."

"_I think I can help!"_ Vic-Vac spoke up. He then digitized next to MegaMan. "Surprised to see me, MegaMan?"

"_Vic-Vac?"_ Lan asked from the real world. _"How'd you get in the Cyber Core?"_

"I came from your Hunter-VG, Lan," Vic-Vac answered. "Remember, I'm an EM Wave being. I can enter and exit the Wave World, and with it, Cyber Cores! Even though this place is based off old tech, I can help MegaMan the same way I helped you in the real world—my pop-up. However, since you're using both hands in the real world, I can only be used when MegaMan's not moving and only in the direction he's facing. Let's try this out with this program here."

When Lan touched the pop-up, Vic-Vac appeared on MegaMan's back and sucked up the sand burying the Prog, freeing him. Vic-Vac then disappeared.

"Hey, I'm free!" the Prog cheered. "Thank you! I'll tell you about the changes made to this area. The jerk responsible for this has sand wave pathways that push you back, potentially into a quicksand trap. Don't worry, the quicksand won't delete you… it'll just drop you off back here. Some sand wave paths move faster than others… but not to fear! Before I got buried, I managed to find a flaw in his new security. There are hourglasses spread through here. If flipped over, they'll stop all of the sand waves for ten seconds, allowing you to just run through those trapped areas!"

"So, we need to find the other Progs and get them free?" MegaMan asked. "You'll be able to override the gate together, right?"

"Yep," the Prog answered. "There are three more of my friends in this area. If you need help cleaning out your vacuum friend, come to me and I'll do that for you! The sand also buried up some data! But it may have buried a few viruses who may be really mad about the sand. Be careful!"

"Thanks!" MegaMan said before rushing off. True to the Prog's word, there were sand waves all over, slowing him down as he ran against their currents. Of course, there were also viruses, but they only slowed MegaMan down. Eventually, MegaMan found the second Prog buried up to his neck in sand.

"Help!" the Prog begged. "Please tell me you're here to help!"

"Hold on!" MegaMan said as Lan summoned Vic-Vac, who sucked in all of that sand from MegaMan's back.

"Oh, thank you!" the Prog cheered. "I'll head back to the entrance to work on the gate! Can you find the rest of my friends?"

"I'll look for them!"

Throughout the rest of the area, MegaMan had to be very careful to avoid falling into the quicksand traps, and Lan had to strategize his uses of Vic-Vac. MegaMan found one of the hourglasses, and flipped it over, allowing MegaMan to quickly run down a path that had a long sand wave and get to another Mr. Prog, finding a few new Battle Chips along the way such as Sand Wave (a blast that did damage and briefly blinded the foe). Eventually, MegaMan had freed the last of the Mr. Progs in Great Clock CC 1. The Mr. Progs wasted no time in opening the gate to the next area, which MegaMan ran into.

When MegaMan entered Great Clock CC 2, he saw far more sand in the area than the previous one. _"Wow… how much cyber-sand is in here!?"_ Lan asked. _"It this the work of DesertMan or what?"_

"I don't think so," MegaMan answered. "Still, I think I can sense a powerful being not too far from here…" Before he could go any further, however, the cyber-sand beneath his feet gave out, trapping MegaMan up to his neck in sand. "What the…!?"

"I'm afraid I can't let you go any further, MegaMan," a new voice spoke up. "I am still not yet done with my preparations. Let my Sand Trap hold you."

"_Wait… who are you!?" _Lan asked.

"I am simply known as ChronoMan," the voice answered. "A Net Navi of time. I have been waiting for you two, Lan and Hub Hikari. How have you enjoyed your glimpse into the future?" MegaMan stopped struggling with the sand, and looked up.

"How did you know my real name?" MegaMan asked.

"_And why are you doing all of this!?"_ Lan demanded.

"How I know your name is irrelevant, MegaMan," ChronoMan replied. "But as for why I've chosen to attack the Great Clock… I plan on avenging Net society, of course. By 22XX, the world has all but forgotten us! Don't you fear becoming obsolete, MegaMan?" MegaMan said nothing. "To think, all of your accomplishments will be long forgotten in two hundred years time. You'll soon just be a thrown away footnote in history."

"_MegaMan, don't let him get to you!"_ Lan told him. _"He's going to destroy Wilshire Hills! And remember, we're looking for a way to save Cyber City!"_

"Ah, Cyber City," ChronoMan said. "It was tragic that I had to send that city, our beacon of promise, into a tragic future in order to bring this town here, but I had to get your attention somehow."

"_Wait, you're the one responsible for all of this!?"_ Lan realized. _"Why!? Why did you want to get our attention!?"_

"To lure MegaMan here to delete him, of course," ChronoMan answered. "As sad as it is, I cannot allow you Hikaris to interfere with my organization's plans. I will come for you, shortly, so take this moment to say goodbye to each other."

"_MegaMan,"_ Lan scowled, _"I'm getting you out of there!"_ He tried to jack out, but to no avail. _"What… why isn't the jack out command working!?"_

"Lan, I'm trapped in here!" MegaMan said. "The sand is somehow keeping me locked in place! Unless I'm pulled out, I'm done for!"

"_Hold on… Vic-Vac!"_ Lan remembered. _"He could get you out!"_ Lan pressed the pop-up, and Vic-Vac appeared, beginning to suck up the sand, freeing up MegaMan's right arm before stopping to cough.

"Sorry, but I'm too full," Vic-Vac apologized. "I can't suck up any more sand!"

"I'm sure… I can try to get out…" MegaMan grunted as he tried to pull his left arm free.

"Maybe we can help," a familiar voice spoke up. Vic-Vac turned around to see two Navis approaching. The Navis could have been identical twins if not for the color of their suits—one was dressed in all black, the other was in white—and the fact that the golden arm each of them was on a different side—the right side for the black Navi, and the left side for the white Navi. Other than that, they both had dark green skin, lines on their faces, and orange hair sticking out of their horned helmets. The white one had a calm, sincere face, while the black Navi scowled in contempt.

"Are you sure you wanna waste time saving this Mega Man?" the black one asked. "We could come back for him, later."

"Rey, you promised to help," the white Navi reminded him. "Lan, can you hear me?"

"_That voice… Pat!?"_ Lan asked. In the real world, Lan couldn't see him. _"Where are you? Is this your Navi?"_

"Right here, actually," the white Navi answered. "I… didn't want to reveal myself like this. And not this early. However, things look bad, and you could use the help."

"_Pat?"_ Lan asked. _"You're a Net Navi?"_

"The correct term is actually EM Wave Being," the black being known as Rey answered. "In this form, the kid you know as Pat and I are known as Gemini Spark. Call me Gemini Black. White is Pat. Don't worry… we're not here to fight you… yet."

"I promised him a little bit more control in our relationship," Pat, or rather Gemini White—explained. "He likes fighting and hates humanity. Anyway, let's get MegaMan out of here…" He grabbed MegaMan by the arm and pulled, freeing the blue Navi.

"Thanks," MegaMan said.

"Don't thank us yet," Gemini Black said. "We're stopping that guy, and we may come after you one day! Come watch if you feel like it!" Black then zipped off, turning into electricity.

"Rey!" Gemini White yelled before turning into electricity and following him.

"_An EM Being?"_ Lan said. _"Well, whatever Pat is, we should still help! MegaMan, let's hurry! I don't know how much more electricity the clock can take!"_

"Roger!" MegaMan nodded as Vic-Vac returned to the Hunter-VG.

MegaMan found a Prog who emptied Vic-Vac for him, and found out there were four other Progs who needed rescue. After using the hourglasses to stop the sand waves and rescue the Progs, they opened the gate where ChronoMan waited along with the Great Clock's power control system. Gemini Spark's ability to turn into solidified electricity benefited him, as it allowed him to just move by the security, and the two sides of him were already fighting the intruder.

MegaMan headed up to his location, finding a robed figure blocking two Elec Swords with a large scythe. The robed Navi pushed back both halves of Gemini Spark before trying to slash them, but both were quick enough to dodge the wide slash. The two aimed together and yelled, "Gemini Thunder!" From their massive gold hands a large lightning bolt shot out, blasting the robed Navi.

"You two are certainly strong," the old Navi said, standing up from the electricity. "However… my fight is not with you." He then slashed the ground with the scythe, causing sand to fly upwards. The robed figure held out his hand and yelled, "Stop!" The sand stopped in midair before forming small pellets of sand.

"Is that supposed to scare us?" Gemini Black asked.

"It should," the cloaked figure answered. "Why are you interfering with my fight against MegaMan?"

"Because you trapped us in the past!" Gemini Black answered. "And while I'm glad to not be in 22XX anymore, I'd rather not risk exploring the past with someone as dangerous as you running around going to try to stop me!"

"Meanwhile, I'd rather not you destroy Wilshire Hills!" Gemini White replied.

"Very well," the cloaked figure said. "The white warrior's goals are noble. But I'm afraid you two will only just stand in the way of my goals, and must be moved. Sands of Time Rain!" The rain fell down, striking Gemini Spark. They did not do a lot of damage.

"Is that the… best… you… got…?" Gemini Black asked. However, when Rey tried to attack, he moved slowly. He then stopped moving, much to the concern of Gemini White.

"Rey…?" Gemini White demanded. "What's… going… on…?"

"That would be your bodies slowing down," the robed figure said. "My Sands of Time can slow down, speed up, or reverse basic motor functions of anyone on the sand. It won't last forever, but the time it gives me is more than enough to attain victory. With enough power concentrated into my scythe, I can even cut space-time… like this! Time Wave Slice!" He then stabbed the ground with his scythe and yanked it, creating a hole of blue-green energy that looked like a clock. "This is nothing personal. I just can't have anyone else interfering. Enjoy your trip." MegaMan watched in horror as Gemini Black was slowly sucked towards the portal, helpless but to watch his fate. Gemini White was soon joining him. Both halves of Gemini Spark soon were sucked into the blue-green energy hole. The hole closed shut, leaving MegaMan no way of saving them.

"_What just… happened to Pat!?"_ Lan yelled.

"I sent those two… away," the robed figure said. "Even I have no idea wherever or whenever they ended up. But alas, I wasted too much energy with dealing with them. I cannot open another Time Wave for right now. I suppose I'll have to delete you with actual effort."

MegaMan looked at his foe. It was an old-looking Net Navi with a full white beard. His green eyes appeared dim with age. He wore bright white armor that appeared to be shaped partly like a tunic, a white hood over his head and brown gauntlets and boots. His Navi symbol was an hourglass, the symbol worn like a badge on his robe like armor.

"I take it you're ChronoMan?" MegaMan asked.

"Yes," the old Navi answered, shouldering his scythe. "We meet in person, MegaMan."

"Why did you attack Wilshire Hills and Cyber City!?" MegaMan demanded.

"Like I said, it was to lure you out," ChronoMan answered. "You and your brother never turn away from danger. This was all to get your attention. And now that I have it… I need something from you. Your data."

"My… data?" MegaMan said.

"MegaMan, although the future has long forgotten the contributions and sacrifices you and Lan have given them," ChronoMan said, "we Net Navis have not. As a Navi of Time, I know that you have fought more enemies and been exposed to more phenomena to consider you an ordinary Navi. You have conquered the Life Virus, slew Gospel, defeated Alpha, saved the planet from Duo, been exposed to the Dark Chips and survived Nebula Grey, and even once installed a Cybeast inside you—those last two cannot be pleasant experiences. There is also the Cross System and your Double Soul system, both of which grant you the powers of other Navis. Your data is far more valuable than you realize, MegaMan. You are basically a god in the body of a child, and a hero several times over. And you're wasted by humans failing to remember you. That potential is something I wish to obtain, to study… to add its power to my organization's purposes!

"Sadly, as does preventing you from interfering with our objectives, obtaining the data you hold also requires your deletion." Twirling his scythe, he then pointed it at MegaMan. "Your time has come to an end, MegaMan. Your hourglass runs out!"

"_Here he comes, MegaMan!"_ Lan yelled. _"Battle routine, set!"_

MegaMan yelled, "Execute!"

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: Well, we're ending this chapter here. Why? Because I want the boss fight and what comes after to be utterly awesome and shocking.

Sorry if I made Pat and Rey, two of the strongest EM Wave Changers (next to freaking SF Mega Man, Rogue, Acid Ace, Harp Note, and Taurus Fire), go down like that. Don't worry, these two will be seen again… and fought. Well, either that, or part of a side campaign (that would also feature Chaud and ProtoMan).

Anyway, Cain and Hyde are up to something, and ChronoMan is a threat… but first, reviews!

**Devil's Den:** I've been on an update spree for some reason. Really should be working on my other projects. I also suck at the liberation missions—how the heck do they expect us to clear a "defeat the enemy in X number phases or less to win a Special Chip" on our first run of the area when there's a bunch of Dark Panels in the way, the Darkloids have barriers powered by those monster spewing holes, and we have to suddenly get used to a new playable character on the fly in a three-turn battle!? I could never do that, and the only battle I could was the first Darkloid after leveling up a lot and just plowing through the area.

And while we're on the subject of BN5, am I the only one who finds it absurdly stupid that Dr. Regal had Mayl, Yai, and Dex's PETs stolen at the beginning of the game—Roll, Glyde, and GutsMan included—yet he never looked at these Navis he kidnapped and said, "How do I really upset MegaMan into probably not fighting me? I know! I'll turn his beloved comrades into Darkloids!" Seriously, considering what Regal does to MegaMan and ProtoMan/Colonel (the latter character most likely being the canon version since Lan clearly remembers interacting with Colonel and Baryl enough to be completely thrown off guard in BN6), you'd think he'd do something to Roll, GutsMan, and Glyde, and we'd finally have an excuse to battle Glyde (and also face Roll DS and GutsMan DS). Instead, nothing comes out of it, save for Regal just dumping them in a hole, and that backfired _**spectacularly**_ when GutsMan Guts Punched BlizzardMan in the face and he, Roll, and Glyde deleted BlizzardMan off screen for the third time while your teammates dealt with the other three Darkloids. All Regal accomplished by kidnapping Roll, GutsMan, and Glyde was removing them from the game's story so Capcom didn't have to think of anything for these guys to do and unintentionally screwing himself over. I cannot be the only person who thought this would be a good idea for boss fights. Geez, no wonder why he stopped being a villain after this game.

…I forgot where I was going with this.

**Ghost501: **_Star Force 3_ had some good ideas at least (the concept of Wizards, introducing the Noise Changes since the AM Sages and the OOPArt were gone, give Bud Taurus so he can finally fight alongside us, have Geo actually going into outer space again, Ace being freaking awesome, some emotional depth, wrapping up the Kelvin Stelar plotline, and some pretty sweet bosses, two of which had some back story to Omega-Xis). The bad things it did, though (completely forget about Pat, never giving Luna or Mr. Shepar their wave forms again (the former being especially inexcusable as Luna briefly Wave Changed in _Star Force 2, _and having Ophiuca would allow her to be less of a frequent victim), and the Warning siren that plays EVERY time Giant enemies or V3 Bosses show up that makes my heart stop) are memorable, however.

And thanks for helping me with ChronoMan.

**blee7442:** Yep… and Pat is gone, again. Don't worry, he'll be back!

As for Cain, yeah, he's kind of obscure—he's barely even mentioned on TV Tropes, and what's even mentioned about him is mildly wrong (he never created or controlled Falzar, that was his grandfather). It's a shame, too! Before Dr. Wily was known to have somehow survived being both nommed by Alpha and an active volcano that was in the middle of an explosion and Baryl came into the picture as the leader of WWW's field agents, Cain was looking to be the main antagonist, and has the most personal motive for wanting to control the Cybeasts (seriously, Wily lacks the history with them, meanwhile the Cybeasts were Cain's territory since his grandfather lost everything to them and he had to live with the harsh memory of his grandfather being ruined for most of his life, and became Mayor of the City where these two monsters were buried over for the sole purpose of revenge). Then, once Baryl and Wily come in, he's overshadowed and quickly disposed of by the writers. I managed to get him written in as a villain through the realistic fact that the Cybeasts—just by roaring—managed to do incredible damage throughout Cyber City, so he could escape during the chaos (since the Judge Tree seemingly controls everything in Green Town's Courthouse, including the poor prison that is the Punishment Room)… and while Wily and the WWW defectors were arrested at the end of the game, Cain and at least one WWW defector who is still evil could be on the loose...

**SubaruTC003:** Ha-ha, no. I have standards, dang it, and throwing a Cybeast (or something of that equivalent) at them _**this**_ early? Dude, we're on the first boss, we're not going to make it a giant freaking monster. That's last boss tier in every single _Battle Network _and/or _Star Force _game, and I'm not tradition now.

Sorry, you'll have to wait a little bit longer to see Geo's reaction to …

**reppuzan:** Yep, Hyde's back. And don't worry, he's still insane… you'll just have to wait to see how insane he really is. I can actually use him, since neither Geo nor Omega-Xis thought he'd be dead, and something happened that makes him technically useable.

As for Cain, thank you for thinking he'd be awesome! I figured with Wily and the Professor (from _Network Transmission)_ both in jail, Regal having amnesia while working at SciLab, Baryl reformed himself, and Sean not evil anymore, there aren't too many major villains left that can be heavy hitters in the _Battle Network _era… while with Cepheus and Vega giving up their goals (Cepheus learning that Earth wanted friendship rather than war and Vega motivated by Altair to NOT continue with her global conquest plans) and King actually dead (in a satisfactory sense that this is the first time in the BN/SF timeline you get to directly kill the villain), the only villain that could possibly work was Hyde. And if you're going to complain, "what, no other major Big Bad? Not even an OC?", I think I've already hinted at a great one.

**Kameo1:** Well, I'm not the first writer to cross over _Battle Network _and _Star Force… _trust me, I've checked. Anyway, I'm not going to lie when I say I grew up with _Battle Network_ and I like it and its sequel series. In fact, I didn't play _ZX _or _Zero_ until recently...

**Guest:** Cross Fusion? Hmm... I'm sorry when I say I refuse to comment on whether or not I'll use it. I love the concept of Cross Fusion (and I believe the team that worked on _Star Force_ saw the _NT Warrior _anime and was like, "Yeah, that'll work"), and while it's awesome in theory to fuse the powers of Net Navis with humans to allow for the cool super hero things Lan and later Geo pull off, it was drastically limited in the places that you can use it in Lan's time (Dimensional Areas, and honestly only the villains and Electopia's SciLab had access to that technology) and it was basically the anime's ideal of the game's Full Synchro. For now, Lan won't have that power and if I ever let him get to use it, I will only do so on the final boss since it would become a Godzilla Threshold... it would reasonably cause some strain on the human body, no matter how powerful Lan and Hub would be, but that power would have to require a great threat that Lan couldn't solve as just a human...

And that's all I've got! The next chapter will contain the battle against ChronoMan, and end the 20XX arc. Farewell, my subjects!


	5. Chapter 4: VS ChronoMan

A/N: Well, here is Chapter 4, the last of the 20XX focus before we switch to Geo and Omega-Xis. You'll see why, soon enough.

* * *

**Chapter 4: VS ChronoMan**

* * *

**Great Clock CC**

"Temporal Scythe!"

ChronoMan rushed forward, prepared to strike with his scythe. Luckily for MegaMan, Lan yelled, _"Sword Battle Chip in, download!"_ MegaMan's right arm turned into the traditional blue Cyber Sword he was used to, allowing him to block the scythe pushing down on him.

"MegaMan, even you cannot fight fate!" ChronoMan said. "Death is inevitable for all life forms, even us Net Navis. And even if you delete me, MegaMan, you'll only delay the inevitable! In the end, you'll only be forgotten by an ungrateful world!" MegaMan pushed back and slashed ChronoMan away his arm returning to its original form. ChronoMan slashed up the sand again and stopped it.

"_Like I told MegaMan and I'll tell you,"_ Lan replied, holding up two Vulcan 1 chips, _"not if we can help it! Vulcan 1 Battle Chip in, double download!"_

MegaMan's arm turned into a machine gun, and fired upon ChronoMan a few times, piercing the sand. The old Navi growled in pain after being countered, but noticed Lan and MegaMan were in Full Synchro. Before he could move, a second barrage of Vulcan fire hit him, doing more damage.

"You are strong, MegaMan," ChronoMan said. "But you will have to do better to have any hope in defeating me. Sand Panels!" MegaMan noticed that three Sand Panels appeared on each area of the field, both sets in no particular order. ChronoMan then slashed the sand beneath him, disappearing under it. MegaMan looked around, trying to find his opponent.

"Where did he go…?" the blue Navi asked.

"Temporal Upper!"

The ground beneath MegaMan burst open, and the blue Navi was sent flying by ChronoMan's upwards scythe slash. When MegaMan sat back up, ChronoMan raised his arm, summoning a large hourglass. He then threw it over MegaMan, where it stopped in midair and the sand began trickling down to the bottom.

"_Get out of there, MegaMan!"_ Lan ordered. The blue Navi nodded, getting from where the aged Navi had set up his trap. Meanwhile, ChronoMan drew his scythe and rushed with a Wide Sword ranged Temporal Scythe. MegaMan moved out of the way while Lan pulled out a Cannon Chip. _"Cannon Battle Chip in, download!"_ A green cannon manifested on MegaMan's right arm, and he blasted ChronoMan back. The hourglass, now out of sand at the top, fell down, harmlessly shattering on the ground and spreading the sand.

"Had enough, yet?" MegaMan asked. Charging up his Mega Buster, he warned, "I don't want to have to delete you if I don't have to! Just surrender, shut down the clock's power, return Wilshire Hills to 22XX, and bring Cyber City back!"

"I'll shut down the clock, alright," ChronoMan agreed. "I have no intentions of destroying the city. But surrender and return Wilshire Hills and Cyber City? I'm afraid I can't do either of those! Sand Wave!" He then shot out his own Sand Wave from the sand hitting MegaMan and blinding him. "Now, Sand Rain!" The time slowing sand pelted MegaMan from above.

"Processes… slowing… down…" MegaMan said before freezing.

"And now, to finish this," ChronoMan's voice declared. "Hourglass Drop!"

While his vision returned, MegaMan watched helplessly as ChronoMan summoned an hourglass above him. When the sand ran out, the blue Navi was crushed under the weight of the hourglass. MegaMan, once his processes returned to normal, managed to free his right arm, but the old Navi stepped on it before it could become a Buster. ChronoMan held his scythe to MegaMan's neck, the blade gleaming.

"Well, I must confess that I underestimated you," ChronoMan said. "But, in the end, we all are mortal. Any last words before I delete you? I'll be sure that they are recorded in history."

"_I have some,"_ Lan spoke up, holding up a Mega Chip. _"Roll Mega Chip in, download!" _A copy of Roll appeared next to ChronoMan, and slapped him with her energy ribbon antennas before healing MegaMan. Lan then held out three familiar looking Battle Chips. _"Sword, Wide Sword, and Long Sword Battle Chips in, download!"_

"Wait, isn't that the formula for the Life Sword Program Advance?" ChronoMan asked. He was answered by a bright light piercing the hourglass pinning MegaMan down, and a huge blade of energy overtaking MegaMan's right arm. The older Navi was blown back a few feet, allowing MegaMan to get up with no problems.

"Yes," the blue Navi answered, his mask forming over the bottom half of his face. ChronoMan readied his scythe.

"Settling this with one final attack?" the old Navi asked. "Very well… I'd rather not delay this for much longer. Farewell, MegaMan! Temporal Scythe!"

"Life Sword!"

Both Navis ran at each other and slashed past each other. Both of them looked back at each other. MegaMan collapsed onto one knee, exhausted. However, it was ChronoMan who collapsed in defeat, sparking with electricity from where he was slashed: his chest.

"We… we did it!" MegaMan breathed, surprised that he managed to beat a Navi that could control time.

"_Yeah, but you're not looking so good,"_ Lan said. _"Still, good job, MegaMan… now stop the Great Clock!"_ MegaMan got up and pressed a button that deactivated the Great Clock.

"It's off… the Great Clock is no longer in danger of overloading."

All of the sudden, a round of applause flooded the air. _"What's that…?"_ Lan asked.

"_Such heroics!"_ Hyde's voice said. _"Such bravery! That was truly amazing! You played the role perfectly! And we caught it all on film!"_

"_Wait, what?"_ Lan asked. _"You mean this whole thing… was televised?"_

"_Exactly!"_ Hyde answered.

-LH-

**Wilshire Hills**

Lan looked to see Hyde and Cain, the former with a wide grin, the latter standing in front of a smaller Copy Bot. "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for your heroes!" Hyde said. "Lan Hikari and MegaMan… of 20XX!" Throughout the city, the applause died, and the townspeople looked confused while Lan's friends and family all stopped outside the Shopping Plaza.

"Where do we go from here?" Yuichiro asked the kids.

_**BEEP-BA-BEEP! BEEP-BA-BEEP!**_

"_Mayl,"_ Roll said, _"you have an e-mail, but I don't know who the sender is!"_

"_So do you, Dex!"_ GutsMan added. _"Roll, does your e-mail say something like 'Please come to the Plaza Stage', guts?"_

"I sense that's also the e-mail Miss Yai received," Glyde agreed. The group all looked at each other.

Looking at a nearby Air Display, Yuichiro spotted Lan confronting Cain and Hyde. "That is where we need to go. Let's go!"

Meanwhile, Lan looked at the two adults, confused. "How did you know about what happened to Wilshire Hills?" Lan asked.

"Well, I don't want to spoil the surprise until all of the players are present," Hyde answered.

"But you promised you'd tell us what you know!" Lan demanded.

"Ah, ah, ah, hero," Hyde declined. "The exact script was that _Cain_ promised to tell you what he knew. I was never cast in an expository role!"

"Lan!" Mayl called. Lan turned to see his friends and parents running into the Plaza Stage.

"Mayl, Yai, Dex, Mom, Dad," Lan breathed. "Are you guys alright? MegaMan and I stopped ChronoMan!"

"Wilshire Hills is alright," Yuichiro told his son. "You two did very well."

Haruka chided, "But you shouldn't have run off like that, Lan. You could have been hurt!"

"Thank goodness you and MegaMan are alright!" Mayl smiled.

"Mayl," Dex said, "It's Lan and MegaMan. Those two handle big things like this all of the time!"

"Still, Mayl has all right to worry," Yai said. "Lan, it's really rude to make ladies like Mayl and I this concerned!"

"You guys…" Lan chuckled.

"And here is the rest of the cast," Cain smiled. "Cut the feed." All of the cameras in the Plaza Stage turned off, leaving Cain and Hyde with the group. "And close the doors." The Plaza Stage's entrances suddenly sealed. Haruka turned towards the doors. As much as she pulled, they would not open again.

"It's no good," she said. "We're trapped in here!" Yuichiro joined her in pulling, but neither adult could open it.

"You're right… we're stuck in here!"

"I'm so glad everyone could make it," Hyde chuckled. "This next scene is an exclusive performance with a special cast… it's not for the public to see."

"So this _was_ a trap!" Lan accused.

Cain ignored him and pulled out a black and red Hunter-VG, and looked at it. "Wish Genie, for my next wish: restore ChronoMan to his full vitality. He's weak, but with the Oasis Water you've provided us, he should recover."

"_Understood, Master Cain,"_ a female voice spoke up.

-HH-

**Great Clock CC**

MegaMan looked behind him in time to see a purple light touch down next to ChronoMan. The light faded, revealing a dark brown skinned female Navi… at least, MegaMan thought it was. She appeared to be about Roll's height and around his age. Her hair was dark red in a long, thin ponytail, and her eyes were a chocolate brown. A purple veil covered her mouth, but he could make out the shy frown. She was dressed in a purple top-like chest armor that would have exposed her midriff if not for the gold wrap around her left shoulder and right hip, a long open purple skirt over a pair of white harem pants, gold gauntlets, and a pair of gold pointy shoes. Around her neck was a gold collar that had a purple Ν tag hanging from it. In her gold gloved hands was a purple and gold pillow with a pair of golden goblets and a fancy clear bottle containing water on top.

"Hello, MegaMan," the female figure bowed. "It's an honor to meet the legend of 20XX. I just wish it were under better circumstances…"

"Who are you!?" MegaMan asked. The girl knelt down, gently placing the pillow down before removing the goblets and setting them aside. She then grabbed the bottle of water and opened it, pouring it into the goblets.

"Genie," she whispered, "come forth, please." A purple and gold energy creature manifested itself next to her. It looked like her, only with a white energy-like body where the purple and gold clothing didn't cover and a wispy tail. As MegaMan stared at the creature, the girl picked up one of the goblets and presented it to him. "Here… take this Oasis Water."

"Oasis Water?" MegaMan asked. "Aren't you here to fight?"

"No," the girl answered while the being next to her flipped over ChronoMan. "I do not want to fight you. I have only been called to heal ChronoMan. I have not been wished by Master Cain to fight you, but Master Cain never wished for me to not heal you, as well. This water is from an oasis in YumLand's Desert Ruins that will heal grievous injuries and purify the body of any unnatural threats." As if to prove her trustworthiness, she held up ChronoMan's head and poured the water down his throat. ChronoMan's injuries healed, allowing the old Navi to awaken. He coughed at the water going down his throat, but he seemed to be no worse for wear.

"I was careless…" the old Navi said. "I shouldn't have engaged in a Net Battle immediately after disposing of those two intruders… MegaMan wouldn't have defeated me so easily."

"_Nonsense, ChronoMan!" _Hyde said from the real world. _"You performed spectacularly! You may not have defeated MegaMan, but you certainly put on a show as the villain!"_

"_You should jack out, ChronoMan,"_ Cain advised. _"I have plans for you."_

"…Very well…" the old Navi said before disappearing in a flash.

The girl once again offered MegaMan the Oasis Water, who took it. "Um… thanks…?"

"I'm sorry that we have to be enemies, MegaMan," the girl said as her companion disappeared in the same digital way she appeared in. "You are a good Navi, I can tell… that's why I'm a fan of you."

"A fan?" MegaMan asked.

"However, I have my reasons for following Master Cain." She then looked up, and said, "Master, I have done as you have requested."

"_Thank you, Wish Genie. That will be all for today. You may return to what you were doing until I call on you again."_

"Take care, MegaMan," the girl known as Wish Genie said to MegaMan. "I have a feeling we'll meet again…" She then disappeared in a purple flash.

"What is a nice girl like her doing with Cain?" MegaMan asked.

"_MegaMan," _Lan yelled, getting his brother's attention. _"we're trapped! Jack out, we may need you!"_

"Roger!" MegaMan said before jacking out.

-LH-

**Wilshire Hills**

When MegaMan returned to the PET, he found that his and Lan's friends and family were all locked in the Plaza Stage room with Cain and Hyde, the latter applauding.

"Bravo, bravo!" Hyde declared, clapping loudly. "You all make excellent actors! You followed the script exactly as I wrote it—more so than those lousy 22XX cast members! I mean, just look at what happened when ONE of them showed up—the plot nearly unraveled, and ChronoMan was forced to expose his powers early to return the show to its script!"

"Script?" Yai asked. "Is this whole thing a play or movie stunt?"

"Perhaps I should explain since you'll never be able to stop me," Cain said, dropping his smile. "Mr. Hyde, while not in the proper mentality, is a director… an excellent director who helped plan my return, to a time that has no record of the Cain legacy. You've probably guessed by now, but ChronoMan… is my Net Navi."

"ChronoMan is your Net Navi!?" Yuichiro asked. "Then that means you attacked your own presentation on top of faking your rediscovery of Net society!"

"And don't forget my favorite part," Hyde said. "After all, it's not every day that a Navi equipped with EM Wave technology and powered with enough Crimson can control his powers enough to actually rip open distortions in space-time, allowing us to replace cities!"

"Cain, what do you get out of switching a city from the present with a city of the future!?" Yuichiro asked. "I know you wouldn't act without a goal in mind… just like how you tricked me into giving you the ExaMem program you used to modify CircusMan to capture the Cybeasts!"

"Simple, Dr. Hikari," Cain answered. "As you know, I am a vengeful man. Your sons Lan and MegaMan understand that better than anyone, and you know my grandfather went down in infamy because of the Cybeasts. Using the technology of the future—courtesy of Mr. Hyde, here—and my own political knowledge, I will have my revenge on both Cyber City, the next-generation society that rejected my family's right to be heroes… and you, the Hikaris, for dooming my family to becoming villains for generations! And once I have finished my revenge and my feud with the Hikaris has come to an end, I will use the power of ChronoMan and his ability to manipulate time as EM Wave Navi to establish Chromos as a superpower organization and rule the world for all of time."

"Rule the world for all of time!?" Mayl asked.

"You guys at Chromos are crazy!" Yai declared. "It's one thing to try to take over the world, but try to rule for all time!? Nobody can rule the world forever!"

"True, humans are mortal," Cain realized. "But once I've exacted my revenge, I will look into finding a way to surpass that…"

"If you want revenge on someone," Lan scowled, "then it's me who you want! Leave Mayl, Dex, Yai, and my parents out of this!"

"But it's the ENTIRE Hikari family who has wronged me," Cain answered. "You, Lan, exposed me as a criminal in an attempt to save MegaMan before I could get my hands on him and his Cybeast. MegaMan, it was you who helped delete both of them before I could escape from custody and take my birthright back from Wily! Dr. Hikari, it was you who foiled my plans to obtain the Cybeasts from the beginning by allowing MegaMan to have the capabilities to seal a Cybeast inside of him. And it was Dr. Tadashi Hikari who created the Underground which buried my grandfather as a devil by an ungrateful society!" Composing himself, Cain continued, "I've already gotten my revenge on Cyber City by abandoning it in a time where its technology is obsolete. All that's left is you all."

"You won't get away with this!" Dex scowled. "We'll stop you!"

"Ah, you are so naïve in your role in this script," Hyde said. "You are not the hero of this story. And even if you were… you cannot save the day."

"What Mr. Hyde means to say is no matter what you do or what you know, it doesn't matter to me," Cain said. Looking at the normal-sized Copy Bot next to him, he asked, "I'm sure you're all familiar with the Copy Bots?"

"Wait… that's MegaMan's Copy Bot!" Lan realized. "Give it back!"

"If I did, Lan," Cain said, "then ChronoMan wouldn't be able to do this." ChronoMan's form overtook the Copy Bot, scythe and all.

"Lan Hikari," the old Navi breathed. "We meet in person. You, your family, your friends… and the person you could not live without."

"That Copy Bot has been customized for power use, ChronoMan. Freeze them."

"Very well!" ChronoMan yelled, slashing the sand on the ground, and forming the rain. "Sand Rain!" He launched the first collection of sand at Yai, but Glyde blocked it, getting the sand on him.

"Glyde, are you okay!?" Yai asked.

"Yes… Miss… Yai…" Glyde said as his processes slowed. Yai activated her PET, and returned Glyde to it, leaving her Copy Bot empty. When she checked on him, he was still partially frozen.

"What did you do to Glyde!?" Yai demanded. "His movement processes are frozen!"

"He won't be deleted by that," ChronoMan answered. "I've only slowed down his body… just like you will be!" He launched a second Sand Rain at her, this time slowing her down.

"Can't… move…" Yai whispered.

"Guys, don't let the sand get on you!" Lan yelled. However, Dex was hit with the time-slowing sand.

"Too… late… for that…" Dex groaned.

Yuichiro blocked a sand rain meant for Haruka, but she too was hit. This only left Lan and Mayl as the ones who weren't frozen.

"Ah, the hero and his lovely heroine," Hyde chuckled. "Quite romantic." While Lan scowled, Mayl could not help but blush by Hyde's comment. ChronoMan turned his attention to her, and prepared to slice the ground again for his sand. "The last two left standing. What will you do hero? Will you attempt to save yourself, leaving the lady to her doom? Or will you sacrifice yourself to buy the heroine time? Either way makes a good tragic ending to this script!"

"…Lan…" Mayl breathed. Despite being scared of the Navi, she tried to stand strong. "Forget about me, Lan! Save yourself and MegaMan!"

"I'm afraid that you won't escape," ChronoMan said. "Sand Rain!" Mayl closed her eyes as the sand storm began to fall—

Only for a sudden weight to push her out of the way. She looked up to see Lan, his arms extended, standing in front of her. He was covered in sand.

"Lan, no!" Mayl cried.

"Mayl…" Lan told her, his body slowing down because of the sand's effects. "Get… out of here…"

"Ah, so the hero DOES care about his heroine," Hyde chuckled. "And here you told me he was dense."

"He still is," Cain said. "His grades, if I remember from being his principal, were lackluster. However, he does care for his friends… her in particular. Behind MegaMan and his parents, he goes the farthest for her, if studying his past adventures has served me well." He noticed ChronoMan walking over with his scythe, prepared to start with the reaping process. "ChronoMan, stay your blade. I want Lan Hikari to watch what we'll do to his loved ones, and her fear will be greatest."

"If you do not wish for me to destroy them," ChronoMan asked, "then what do you wish for me to do?"

"You should have fully recovered from last night's move and your battles with those two intruders and MegaMan thanks to the Oasis Water that Wish Genie gave you," Cain said. "I'm sure you're capable of opening Time Waves?"

"…Very well," ChronoMan said. "Time Wave Slice!" His body then shone bright green before slashing the air several times, opening several clock-shaped Time Waves.

"Lan, I know you can hear me," Cain taunted. "Watch what we do to your loved ones." Turning to ChronoMan, he ordered, "Send them away."

"Understood." ChronoMan then snapped his fingers, and Dex began being pulled towards one of the Time Waves.

"No… don't…" Lan begged. "Don't… hurt them…"

"It's far too late, Lan," Cain said. "This is my revenge on you: making you live with the fact that your friends and family are gone, and there's nothing you can do to bring them back!"

"GUUUUUYYYYSSS…!" Dex yelled, falling into the Time Wave.

"DEX…!" Yai, Mayl, and Lan yelled. Dex's Time Wave closed.

"Please… stop… Cain!" Yuichiro pleaded.

"Don't… do this…" Hakura begged. "They're… only children…"

"I… can't stop… moving…" Yai breathed. Being smaller and lighter than the rest of the group, she was pulled to a Time Wave faster. She managed to gain control of her arms, pressed a button on her PET with her right hand, and reached out to Lan and Mayl with her left… but to no avail as she fell into her Time Wave.

"CHECK YOUR PETs—!" were Yai's last words before the Time Wave slammed shut.

"Yai, no…!" Mayl breathed. She turned to Cain, Hyde, and ChronoMan, enraged tears in her eyes. "You monsters! You… you killed Dex and Yai! What did they ever do to you!?"

"You should not worry about them," Cain said. "I can assure you from experience that death is not immediate upon entering a Time Wave. How long they survive in their new locations, however, well… that depends on them."

"The script may call on them again," Hyde added. "So they've just been… misplaced for now."

"Please…" Haruka called. "Bring… those children… back!"

"No can do," Hyde wagged his finger. "They're already gone, recast by history. Even we have no clue wherever and whenever they will act out their new roles, but they'll never be seen or heard from again! And soon, so will you!" Haruka was about to ask what that meant when she felt her body moving backwards, being pulled in by the next Time Wave.

"Mom…!" Lan cried out.

"Ha… Haruka…" Yuichiro breathed. He managed to regain control over his limbs in time to run over to his wife, embracing her. However, he realized that he too was being sucked into the Time Wave and was too close to resist the pull. "Lan, MegaMan… no, Hub!" he yelled at his sons. "We'll find a way back to each other, I promise! No matter what happens, we'll get through this! Until then, Lan, Hub… take care of yourselves!"

"Lan… Hub…" Haruka whispered, tears running down her face. "Watch over Mayl and Roll, okay?"

Lan watched in horror as Yuichiro and Haruka stopped resisting the Time Wave and allowed themselves to be sucked in together. The Time Wave slammed shut, leaving Lan and MegaMan's parents' lives in the hands of fate.

"This script's tragedy writes itself," Hyde laughed. "Such sad final words between parents and children!"

"Goodbye, Dr. Yuichiro Hikari," Cain commented. "You were quite the worthy adversary in terms of the sciences, even if you did not know my skill with technology. It's a shame that I knew that you would never agree to help control the Cybeasts… otherwise I would be reluctant to have disposed of you. If only you lacked the morals that held you back, then I could actually see us being friends."

"Please, enough!" Mayl demanded from Cain. "Haven't you caused enough pain!? Can't you bring them back!?"

"Like I said," Cain replied, "this is my revenge to Lan Hikari for what he's done. He exposed my ties to the WWW, cost me my control over Cyber City, destroyed the Cybeasts, and ruined any chance at restoring my family's honor. Those four were to bloody him. Now, I will break him, ending with you... Miss Mayl Sakurai."

Mayl gasped, surprised that Cain actually KNEW her name. He knew Lan and Yuichiro's, but he never implied that he knew HER. And he just mentioned that he was going to make Lan finish suffering with her. Who knows what these monsters would do to her.

"No…" Mayl heard Lan whisper. "No!" Lan broke free of the sand's effects, and rounded towards Hyde, Cain, and ChronoMan. "I don't care how strong you are, Mayor Cain! You're not laying a finger on Mayl or anyone else! You will bring Dex, Yai, and my parents back right now!"

"He's not the one you should worry about, Lan Hikari," Hyde grinned, stepping in front of Cain and ChronoMan and pulling out a black Hunter-VG that looked rather old. "While in the Cyber World, you and MegaMan are virtually unstoppable… in the real world, you are nothing compared to me! Wizard On!" A red EM Being appeared in front of Hyde, looking somewhat like a ghost with a white smiling mask and a large black collar.

"Is it our time to shine, Hyde?" the ghostly Wizard asked.

"Yes it is, Phantom," Hyde grinned. "EM Wave Change! Hyde, On the Air!"

Hyde raised his Hunter-VG in the air with his left hand, and slammed his cane down with his right while Phantom flew at him, entering his body with a red flash. Hyde's Hunter-VG disappeared, allowing him to place his left hand to his face, which seemed to be gaining Phantom's mask. His body was enveloped in red flames before dying down, revealing his new form. His face had turned dark green under the white mask while his eyes became a sinister red. His blonde braids of hair turned wild. Beneath the black and red cape his clothes became a dark tuxedo-like armor, and his white cotton gloves turned silver and metallic. Completing his ensemble was a black top hat and his trademark cane, which had a sleeker bird head.

"What the…!?" Lan asked.

"He transformed…?" Mayl questioned. "By… merging with his Wizard!?"

"Yes," Hyde answered. "Just like the interfering fool who was quickly removed from the stage, I too can EM Wave Change with the help of my ally, Phantom, the last UMA of his kind! But in this form, I am known as the Dark Phantom! And considering how limited your technology in the past is… you have no means of countering my power in the real world!" As if to prove his point, a group of witch hat wearing ghosts popped up next to Lan and Mayl, causing both to scream in fear and Mayl to unconsciously grasp Lan's arm.

"Where did these ghosts come from!?" Mayl asked.

"I don't know," Lan answered, "but for them to have come up here… is this that Dark Phantom guy's doing!?"

"_These aren't any ordinary ghosts, Lan!"_ Vic-Vac said from Lan's Hunter-VG. _"They're EM Viruses based off ghosts!"_

"Who was that!?" Mayl asked.

"Oh, Vic-Vac!" Lan remembered, holding out his Hunter-VG. He pressed Vic-Vac's pop-up, allowing the Matter Wave vacuum to digitize in the real world, on Lan's back. "Mayl, this is my Matter Wave friend, Vic-Vac!"

"Charmed, miss!" Vic-Vac breathed. "So, Lan, is this your girlfriend or what?"

"Vic-Vac, not now!" Lan scowled, ignorant of Mayl's blush. However, he was blushing himself.

"Sorry, sorry," Vic-Vac chuckled. "She just seems close to you, Lan. So, we should probably stop gawking and start dusting to save her, huh? Don't worry, these viruses have two fatal flaws on them… they're EM Wave beings, which I can handle, and they're ghosts. And before all of this… I was a ghost duster! This is right up my alley!"

"Alright, then," Lan grinned, "let's dust these ghosts!" Lan turned on Vic-Vac's suction abilities, absorbing the ghost viruses… but Dark Phantom was unaffected.

"Is that really the best defense you have against me?" Dark Phantom laughed. "A full Matter Wave Vacuum?"

"Full?" Lan asked, looking at Vic-Vac. Indeed, the vacuum was overstuffed thanks to the EM Viruses. Vic-Vac stopped, too exhausted to continue, and returned to the Hunter-VG.

"_No can do, kid,"_ Vic-Vac apologized. _"While I am a ghost duster vacuum, I don't think I can dust THAT ghost! After that Cyber Core and those last ghosts, I'm way too weak…"_

"Oh no…" Lan breathed, realizing that without Vic-Vac, as long as Dark Phantom and ChronoMan were both in the real world, he was defenseless. He stood in front of Mayl, determined to at least prevent her from being hurt. "Let Mayl and Roll go, at least! It's me and MegaMan you want, right?"

"He has a point, Master Cain," ChronoMan admitted. "We're only here for MegaMan. The girl and her Navi are not important…"

"Ah, but ChronoMan," Cain replied, "if we let Mayl Sakurai go now, there is no telling what she'll do. She may attempt to expose us to the Net Police and the Officials. I cannot risk the idea of them actually believing her, no matter how powerful you are and how impossible this situation would sound."

"Not to mention that she makes for an excellent leading lady!" Dark Phantom grinned. "Don't you Miss Sakurai?" Lan still stood in front of Mayl, not letting Phantom get near her. "Are you sure you wish to challenge me, hero? This particular scene won't call for a happy ending for you."

"I don't care!" Lan scowled. "Leave her alone!"

"Very well, hero," Dark Phantom shrugged. "But don't say I didn't warn you! Phantom Claw!" All of the sudden, a dark hand rushed out from Dark Phantom's chest and punched Lan in the face, knocking him on his back. Before Lan could move, the same dark claw grabbed him, and slammed him into the ground twice before coming in front of a semi-conscious Lan, and smacking him with his cane, sending the boy to the ground.

"Lan!" Mayl breathed, rushing to his side and kneeling down. "You… you didn't have to do that…!"

"_Mega,"_ Roll asked, _"are you and Lan alright!?"_

"_Mayl,"_ MegaMan advised from Lan's PET, _"watch out!" _Before Mayl could react, Dark Phantom disappeared, reappearing behind her and grabbing her by the back of her blue vest with his cane. Mayl screamed.

"Are you watching, Lan Hikari?" Dark Phantom asked, holding the girl in front of a recovering Lan, almost taunting Lan with her safety. "The poor heroine is screaming out for you. What will you do next, hero?" Despite his injuries, Lan sat up, holding his side. Mayl's face was full of tears. Whether they were for him being hurt over her, the realization that she was being held hostage by a dangerous monster like Dark Phantom and there was nothing she could do, or the fear that just about everyone she cared for was gone and she would soon share their fate, Lan did not know nor care. He couldn't lose her… he shouldn't have to lose her.

"Let… her go...!" Lan demanded once again. Dark Phantom seemed to comply, leaning Mayl down in front of him. Lan and Mayl reached out for each other… only for Dark Phantom's face twisted into a crazed, sadistic grin. He pulled Mayl back mere seconds before their fingers could connect.

"Very poor choice of words, hero," he answered before whipping around and throwing Mayl, her hand reaching out for Lan, into a nearby Time Wave.

"LAAAAAAAAAAANNN!" she yelled right before entering it. The last thing Lan saw before the Time Wave slammed shut was the fear and tears adorning Mayl's otherwise innocent face.

"Mayl…" Lan breathed, collapsing in shock.

"_Roll…"_ MegaMan added.

"And exits the heroine, thus breaking the hero in a way he's never been broken," Dark Phantom said. "And thus concludes the tragedy of Lan Hikari. Although, to be fair, he never specified where I was to let her go."

"_First Pat… then Dex and GutsMan,"_ MegaMan recalled. _"Then Yai and Glyde. Then Mom and Dad… and now Mayl… and Roll."_ MegaMan scowled from the PET. _"Mayor Cain, I knew you were rotten, but this was all too far!"_

"I told you that I would take my revenge," Cain said. "And now, it's all but complete."

"_If you want revenge, I'm right here in Lan's PET!"_ MegaMan said. _"Take me in their place! Do whatever you want with me, but have ChronoMan bring them back!"_

"MegaMan…" Lan gasped.

"_Lan, our friends and family are worth more than ten—no, a thousand of me!"_ MegaMan answered. _"If I have to be deleted just to save the world, then you'd know I would sacrifice myself to do it to save all of you!"_ ChronoMan walked forward, grasping Lan's PET and shutting it off.

"It's about time we finish this," ChronoMan said. "We'll talk again when it's time for your execution, MegaMan."

"You're powerless to make any demands in exchange for your life, MegaMan, anyway," Cain said. "Seeing how defeated Lan is, however, you are no longer useful to me."

"I was told his data was essential to the plans of Chromos!" ChronoMan recalled, turning to his Net Op. Cain shook his head.

"I thought so, too, until I remembered something," Cain replied. "MegaMan, despite all of his power, is but one young Navi. The data we're looking for in him would more than likely be in several places around the world throughout the next two hundred years, and there are parts of our plan for which his data is useless at best. While it would be even more convenient to harvest what we need from him right now, the data we would obtain from him that would be essential to us is too weak to follow through with our final plan. And considering how dangerous I just proved that I am when I have nothing left to lose, destroying MegaMan at this point would only encourage Lan Hikari to meddle even more just to stop us, and we would risk exposure."

"Besides," Dark Phantom said, "why not let our fellow Chromos members have some fun throughout time? I have several scripts written for them, and it would be a waste if I didn't get to at least try them out. It'll give us more time to prepare the grand finale."

"Excellent point, Hyde," Cain said. ChronoMan scowled, but stood down, throwing the PET back to Lan. "You're in luck, Lan Hikari and MegaMan. We've come to the agreement on letting you live… for now. A word of advice, however: do not attempt to interfere with my plans. Do not attempt to find your way back here—stay where you're sent and let me reshape the world. If you do, you may find yourself without a future, and your loved ones—wherever and whenever they are—will suffer the consequences." A final Time Wave appeared behind Lan, dragging him and MegaMan towards it. "Farewell, Dr. Lan Hikari."

Lan entered the Time Wave, which slammed shut.

"Annnnnnnnnnnnnd cut!" Dark Phantom grinned, clapping his hands. "That was a wonderful performance, Mr. Cain! The actors were great, the emotion was superb, the cameo by Wish Genie could not have been better timed, and we have actually defeated MegaMan! But that final line you gave… 'Farewell, Dr. Lan Hikari'! That was brilliant, especially considering who he was to become! Well, it looks like we'll have to recast the man who established EM Wave society… and right now, you're the perfect candidate."

"Yes, yes," Cain chuckled. "But it was thanks to you and ChronoMan that this was all possible, Hyde. Your EM Wave technology has made ChronoMan capable of such power, and we've crushed my enemies and have all but taken control of the most important city in Electopia's future that easily. Thanks to you, I now have one of the most powerful Net Navis in the next two hundred years… and all of the time in the world to plan our next move."

"Speaking of which," ChronoMan asked, "what shall we do now that our enemies are scattered throughout time? They may find a way back to 20XX to stop us. No doubt the amount of Time Waves I've opened has done so throughout the rest of time. They may attempt to open them and use them to return here. If we don't do something about them…"

"You have a point, ChronoMan," Cain said. "We're risking a lot with this, even if it buys us more time to perfect our final plan. And its doubtful Lan will heed my warning."

"Not to worry, Mr. Cain," Dark Phantom said. "I've actually thought ahead in case you'd ever enact this script, and I've cast the role of 'the hunter'. The hunter is currently collecting Crimson to help increase ChronoMan's power and fuel our grand finale, but he's willing to take a second role. Also, the scientist, the captain, the doctor, and Wish Genie are all on standby waiting for their next task… as is the commander."

"Very well," Cain nodded. "Tell the commander he is to remain on standby and command our Navi and Wizard forces with their missions. The scientist is to prepare for work, as we'll be gathering the necessary components for the master plan in the long-term. As for 'the hunter', tell him I have his first mission: we don't know if the Hikaris will heed my warning. In the realistic chance that they don't, he is to briefly stop his Crimson hunt and eliminate MegaMan."

"And the other actors, Wish Genie, the doctor, and the captain?"

"I plan on informing them myself," Cain finished. "In the mean time, we should clean this up… and continue our plans." ChronoMan knelt down, exhausted. Looking at ChronoMan, Cain asked, "How much Noise built up in you?"

"Quite a bit, actually," ChronoMan said. "As an EM Wave Navi, I'm more suspect to it than ordinary EM Wave Beings like Dark Phantom."

"Ah, the fallback with being an EM Wave Navi," Dark Phantom sighed. "You're incredibly powerful since all Navis have combat capabilities to start with—how much depends on the Navi's customizations—but your old technology cannot adapt to the new concept of Noise very well."

"If I keep using my power to create Time Waves like this... even with Wish Genie's healing Oasis Water, I fear I'll self-delete before we see our plan bear fruit."

"We'll get our hands on the Noise Control Program that Dark Phantom talked about, I promise," Cain said. "When we do, we'll be able to use your powers far more freely… and you'll become strong enough to enact our master plan."

"Indeed," Dark Phantom said. "So, while we send the hunter after MegaMan, what scripts should we put in action?"

"Do you have one for the Noise Control Program?" Cain mused. "I need to know the components for it so our scientist can construct it. Who knows? With the right tools, the scientist can also work the Noise Control Program on our final plan... help me succeed where my grandfather failed."

"Why, what a coincidence," Dark Phantom smirked. "I do have a new script just for obtaining the blueprints for it. I even know where to get them! And I also know the time…"

* * *

**Unknown Location**

Lan's vision blurred as he lied on the ground. His body was in so much pain from his beating at the hands of Dark Phantom and being thrown through time, he couldn't tell which was up or down. MegaMan being trapped in a shut off PET also didn't help. Floating in and out of consciousness, he could barely make out the figure of a girl around his age walking towards him. The girl gently knelt down, looking at Lan with sad brown eyes.

"You must press on, Lan Hikari," she whispered, placing her dark brown skinned hands on his chest. A bright blue light shined from his chest, while seven other lights—one pink, one green, one yellow, one black, one white, one brown, and one purple—shined in the distance before fading. The pink one notably lingered the longest. "Your loved ones… you must find them before its too late, Lan and MegaMan. I cannot protect them… but I can protect the two of you." A purple figure manifested itself next to her.

"When and where are we going to take them…?" the other person asked.

"…Our time," the girl answered. "They will have better luck there. And I know where help for these two lost souls will find them… let's hope that it's not too late."

"…But… our enemy is…"

"I know," the girl said. "And I know that our Master will not like it, but we have no choice. Time has already been damaged by a dangerous man because of a Navi. If Lan Hikari and MegaMan are not reunited with their loved ones, NO one will have a future… not even us. Please… call her… she's the only one we can trust."

As two set of hands grabbed him, Lan's world turned dark.

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: And thus ends the Wilshire Hills chapter of this, and with a "grim dark as heck" ending.

Before anyone comments, saying that I cheated Lan there at the end, I'm going to be honest… yes, I did. I couldn't spring the heroes out of defeat as long as Dark Phantom was around in the real world, since the technology capable of defeating him doesn't exist yet and I had to get rid of Pat and Rey in order to get away with this. I just wanted to establish that no matter how skilled of a Net Battler Lan is (and why the heck are he and MegaMan not Officials yet? Look at how many criminal plots they've thwarted!), he is still a kid and has very little if any real life combat training in the real world, so he'd be powerless against the EM Wave Change beings like Dark Phantom if he was facing them in the real world at this point. In fact, at this point, they'd be more-or-less outside-context villains for Lan and company.

As for Wish Genie… I'm going to be honest; I really, really, REALLY need help naming her properly. I feel that "Wish Genie" is bland. Her name would have been "Ring Genie", but there is the Navi known as "Ring" from _Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge,_ and I didn't want them being confused… and "Bottle Genie" was kind of weird and despite the Oasis Water, she doesn't use just water attacks…

**Ghost501:** So, humanoid final bosses like Duo (hard as hell guy), and Le/Ra Mu (seriously, screw that god of EM Waves), huh? …I'm not saying much more about the final bosses (and yes, there is more than one) other than you would slightly hate me... but I'm not doing .

**SubaruTC003:** I'm going to talk about this for everyone so we don't have to go through the process of answering "when Lan and Geo will meet". In Chapter 8, Geo will meet , a.k.a. "Hub". Lan and Geo will actually have a full conversation, however, for the first time in Chapter 9. With that said, ladies and gentlemen, please do not ask this question, I'm building a plot.

**Matteso585:** I was just going to have to remember that when there are chapters that both Mega Men are involved, I'd call the SF Mega Man "Geo", and BN MegaMan "Hub". Your option is also noted, however. So, by default, Geo would be called "Mega-Star" by Hub?

**Devil's Den:** That's exactly my point with why Regal dropped the ball in kidnapping MegaMan's friends in BN5—MegaMan is more reluctant to seriously battle GutsMan, Glyde, and especially Roll than he would be ProtoMan, and Roll as Empress proved to be dangerous and memorable with the fans. I know the anime is an adaptation of the games, but Roll DS would have been an emotional boss fight and would have pumped the player up to "I'm going to freaking _**kill**_ Regal" levels. But then again, Capcom would have been forced to kill him at that point since sparing Regal after forcing you to fight and possibly delete Roll, GutsMan, and Glyde would have been a massive middle finger.

And don't remind me of the 100 Warriors… while an awesome concept of Lan wielding a wooden katana and defeating 100 warrior dolls, it's not exactly the best level in practice... and this is from someone who just recently did it. However it gives me a great idea of a Matter Wave item… now, it's just a matter of how to implement it.

Oh, and speaking of the Matter Wave items, I know nobody has mentioned it so far, but I feel I need to explain why I chose to bring them back. I felt they were underused in _Star Force 2_ (The Sky Board could have been useful for fast travel- especially in the Sky Waves. I think I showed how the Vacuum could have been used in the dungeon-crawling. The Skis were used to get around Grizzly Peak's ski slopes and in that dungeon, showing it could be done. The Dive Machine was great for an underwater level, making Loch Mess one of the very few water levels I LIKED. However, I can't really think of how the Eating Machine, the Cooking Machine, or the Projector could have been better used other than one-off items unless a dungeon required you feeding a hungry security guard and requiring you to use the Cooking Machine to fix a dish for them and then use the Eating Machine to help them eat it. Projector is still useless unless a dungeon required you to use it to memorize a certain pattern. The Guide, however, would have opened a dungeon map so you could at least have some way of knowing where to go. Did I miss any of the Matter Waves?

**Ryuuto Raizel:** Thank you very much!

**Kameo1:** I really regret doing that to Pat and Rey. However, the plot required me to prevent them from saving the team… but Gemini Spark will be back and they will have revenge on Chromos. Also, as for the bad guys leaving him alone, MegaMan is a trouble magnet. Geo, too. No matter where Lan and Geo go, villains seem to pop up. The fact that Cain wanted revenge on Lan in this case scenario doesn't help… and Hyde has some motivations, but they're unknown for now...

And that's it! So, we're ready to move play from Lan and Hub to Geo and Omega-Xis! Well, actually, I'm going to update my other stories first, then come back to this. Oh, and if you're wondering about the lack of Chaud and ProtoMan, we'll see them eventually... just not right now.

Farewell, my subjects!


	6. Chapter 5: Start of a New Journey, 22XX

A/N: And now for someone 200 years in the future.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Start of a New Journey, 22XX**

-GS-

**Echo Ridge Elementary, Electopia—22XX**

_**DING-DONG-DING-DONG!**_

"It looks like class is over for the day," Mr. Mitch Shepar said to his class. "I must say, you all have been a great class this year. I've heard you all have great summer vacation plans. Luna, you, Bud, Zack, Jack, and Geo all have really great plans out of everyone."

"I'm still trying to figure out how she roped me into all of it," Jack asked himself aloud.

"Excuse me, Jack?" Luna scowled from her seat.

"Uh-oh," Bud gulped.

"Um, Prez, Jack," Zack said, trying to prevent a fight, "you two really should calm down… you don't want to get detention on the last day of school, do you?" Both of them broke off their glares, and turned away from each other. Geo and Bud looked at each other, both mildly worried.

"(Should we do something later…)?" Bud whispered.

"(We probably should,)" Geo replied. "(I'll talk to Jack, but do you and Zack have Prez?)"

"(Can do,)" Bud nodded. "(We'll meet up at the snack bar.)"

"(Okay,)" Geo smiled.

Mr. Shepar, if he heard Bud and Geo whispering, did not make it clear. "I want you all to have a great and safe summer!"

"Yes, sir!" the class all smiled.

With class finished for the day, Geo looked at his Hunter-VG, where a bored Omega-Xis stared up at him. _"Finally,"_ the AM-ian said. _"I didn't think school would ever end!"_

"Don't say that, Mega," Geo said. He turned to see Jack approaching him.

"Did you want to talk, Geo?" he asked.

"Yeah, we need to talk," Geo said. "Meet me on the roof, okay?"

"…This had better be important," Jack grumbled before leaving the classroom. Luna sighed.

"I NEVER thought he would leave," Luna said. "Geo, why do we put up with him?"

"_That's a question I've been asking myself ever since he and his sister were released from jail on probation,"_ Omega-Xis said.

"Prez," Geo argued, "he doesn't have a lot of friends his age, and I've been down his road before. Besides, this issue between you and Jack—whatever it is—has to stop."

"We don't have an issue!" Luna insisted.

"Um, Prez," Bud nervously pointed out, "ever since Jack came back to school, you and he butt heads constantly…"

"And how is that an issue!?" Luna huffed at Bud and Zack. Geo and Omega-Xis decided to take this time to bail the heck out of an earful from the student body president, heading for the roof.

Once Geo made it to the roof, he saw Jack looking up at the sky, an irritated expression on his face. "Jack," he started, causing the fallen prince to turn to him.

"If this is about Luna," Jack scowled, "then forget it. She and I will never be friends. The only person I like out of our group is you. I can tolerate Bud and Zack, but Luna? I don't think she and I can get along."

"Yeah, I know," Geo sighed. "Look, Jack… I know how you feel. At first, I had difficulty with Luna, Bud, and Zack too. In fact, for a while, they kept following me to try to get me to go to school for the first time in three years."

"You didn't go to school?" Jack asked.

"_I thought you read our dossier,"_ Omega-Xis before materializing in the real world. "After all, you and your sister figured out who we were in no time, and you and Corvus gave us a heck of a first run."

"I only read your name and studied your fighting style by making you fight Bud, Ice, and Strong," Jack corrected. "Also, Magnes, but that was before I knew you'd interfere with Dealer's plans. Back then, I was just thinking of taking you two out."

"How about we don't start a fight?" Geo interrupted. "Look, Jack, my point here is that you need to give the others—and especially Prez, as she cares about you in her own way—a chance. Remember how much fun we had at Alohaha?"

"Yeah," Jack smiled. "It was actually kind of fun… too bad that things had to go the way they did, especially when Joker showed up." With a frown at the memory, he added, "I'm still trying to wrap my head around how you brought Luna back after Joker…"

"So you _do_ care about Luna!" Omega-Xis chuckled, causing Jack to look up at the Wizard. "So is this whole antagonistic behavior some kind of flirting with each other or what? Now that I think about it, back on Alohaha, when Prez first saw you in Wave Change form, you had a mild freak out. You know, you're both awfully stubborn and bossy…"

"Shut-up, Omega-Xis!" Jack scowled. "Geo, he's your Wizard! Deal with him!"

"Even down to butting heads with me," Omega-Xis pointed out. "You and Prez have far more in common than you think, Jack."

"You don't know that!" Jack brushed off.

"Sorry, Mega," Geo interrupted, pointing his Hunter-VG at the AM-ian. "Wizard Off!" Omega-Xis returned to the device, leaving Geo and Jack alone. "…Was he right, though?"

"If I say that I'll apologize to her and try to get along with Luna this summer," Jack asked, "will you NEVER bring this conversation up ever again!?"

"Um sure," Geo nodded. "So, we do have a few plans for the summer… want to talk about them?"

"Let's start with Bud's idea," Jack suggested. "I'm a bit surprised that he came up with this one: Grizzly Peaks? Isn't that Electopia's sole ski resort?"

"Yep," Geo nodded. "We plan on going there in a few weeks."

"You'd think he'd want to go back to Alohaha and eat barbeque like we did before," Jack said. "I still have to apologize to Strong… he's gotten everything together again, right?"

"Yeah, he has," Geo answered.

"Still, why would Bud want to go to a ski resort?" Jack asked. "Wouldn't that be more appropriate for a winter trip rather than in the summer?"

"He has a Brother there," Geo replied.

"Really?" Jack asked, surprised. "I can't believe he has one there…"

"Also, there's Foodtopia."

"That right there makes sense. Now, what about Zack's location? We're going to Netopia's Loch Mess, right?"

"_I'm still surprised that he wants to go back, considering he got stuck in a submarine there,"_ Omega-Xis said.

"So that's where he got his fear of water."

"He wants to do a little more research in the UMAs of Mu," Geo explained. "They're the first EM Beings on Earth, technically, so they're something to look into, and the Satellia Police wants more information on them. This is also why we're heading back to Whazzap, at Prez' suggestion."

"Those spare ribs I keep hearing Bud and Zack talking about better be good," Jack said. "Then, Sonia has a concert in late summer?"

"Oh, that," Geo recalled. "Yeah, she said she's holding one for her return to Electopia as soon as her return from her international tour is finished. The last time we talked, she was in Netopia."

"Then there's going to be my sister and Ace's wedding," Jack mused. "Man, I can't believe he's finally going to propose to her."

"Wait," Geo asked, "Ace is going to propose to Miss Tia!?"

"Oh, right, he only told me," Jack replied. "Seeing as Sis and I only have each other, Ace asked for my approval. Honestly, if he was weak, there'd be no way that I'd let him even near my sister. However, seeing as he's strong enough to keep going through with fighting and he makes Sis happy, he's got my approval. Don't tell Ace I told you, however."

"_Congrats on becoming a brother-in-law!" _Omega-Xis commented.

"So, I've heard a lot about everyone else's contribution plans for the summer," Jack said. "But I never heard yours, Geo."

"Oh, right," Geo sheepishly said. "Well, I want it to be a surprise for everyone."

_**RRRRRRRINGGG!**_

"_Phone, kid,"_ Omega-Xis said. _"It's Prez."_

"Got it," Geo said before pressing the button. Luna's face popped up on the Air Display.

"_Geo, where did you go!?"_ Luna demanded.

"Chill out, Luna," Jack said, walking in front of the Air Display. "He and I were just having a bit of guy talk."

"_Oh… it's you,"_ Luna huffed. _"Well, you two could at least have the decency to include us in on your conversations."_

"Sorry, Prez," Geo apologized. "Bud, Zack, and I just thought you two needed some time away from each other to calm down… you have been fighting a lot ever since the Meteor G scenario died down."

"_Well, if Jack listened to me some more and stopped worrying me, then he wouldn't drive me up the wall like this!"_ Luna argued.

"Well if you weren't so bossy and acting like a mother hen to everyone around you," Jack snapped right back, "then maybe you wouldn't get under my skin like this!"

"_I cannot be the only one here who can see the writing on the wall between these two,"_ Omega-Xis said. _"There is clearly something between the two of you, but nobody else but me is willing to talk about it."_

"_OMEGA-XIS!"_ Luna scowled. _"BUTT OUT OF THIS!"_

"Man, she's stubborn," Jack scowled, "but she has a point. This isn't your fight, Omega-Xis!"

"_Again, I emphasize that you two aren't so different," _Omega-Xis pointed out. Luna sighed.

"_Geo,"_ she said, _"I'll tell you what. We're waiting downstairs by the Snack Shop. When you two are done, and Jack feels like apologizing, please meet us there."_ She hung up before Jack could say another word.

"Man," Jack groaned. "Why do I have to go to school with you guys again, even after the Dealer incident?"

"To atone and have a happy childhood?" Geo offered.

"_There's also the fact that Geo and I are your probation officers,"_ Omega-Xis added as if he just remembered why HE tolerated Jack. _"Like it or not, Jack, you're stuck with us for some time. Besides, it's either this or juvie."_

"Man…"

After Geo and Jack were done talking, the two headed downstairs to meet up with Luna, Bud, and Zack. "So," Luna smiled, feeling better, "now that we're all here, I have a suggestion. The last time we were on a Team together, Geo, was during the student body election. And since we have the entire summer to do whatever we want, I think I have the perfect Team Name and Purpose for us."

"Wait a second," Jack asked. "You mean you called us here to form a new Purpose and form a Team?"

"Yep," Luna smiled. Jack groaned. Meanwhile, Luna's Wizard Vogue came out of her Hunter-VG.

"Don't worry, everyone!" the bunny-like Wizard assured the group. "I worked with Luna on naming the Team!"

"So, what's our Purpose before we get to the Team name?" Zack asked.

"Simple, Zack," Luna smiled. "Since we're spending the summer together, the Purpose is 'Have a Memorable Summer'."

"Yeah, that sounds like something we could do," Zack agreed. "Geo, Bud, Jack?" The three had to admit it was a decent-sounding Purpose—Jack begrudgingly so.

"Glad you like it, boys, because that's just the Purpose," Luna grinned. "And now, for our Team name: …'Luna's Vacationers'!" Geo, Bud, Zack, and Jack all stared blankly at the blonde girl.

"…_Okay, nobody else is going to say it?"_ Taurus asked from Bud's Hunter-VG. Digitizing in the real world, he asked, "How long did you take to think up that?"

"Oh, about all night!" Luna said. "I could barely sleep at all!"

Zack turned to his Hunter-VG, and whispered, "(Pedia, browse for several better-sounding names, please.)"

"_(Understood,)"_ the brainy Wizard replied.

"So, Geo," Luna interrupted, "you said you had something to contribute to the summer itinerary. Are you going to finally tell us?"

"Oh, right!" Bud remembered. "You did say that! Is it something edible?"

"Um, no," Geo answered. "In fact, I'm a little reluctant to tell you guys… it's something only Zack, Dad, Mom, and I—and possibly Sonia—would enjoy."

"Geo, we're Brothers," Luna assured him. "Sure, I wish you'd be Mega Man all of the time, but I'm sure whatever idea you have, it'll be fine with the rest of us. What is it."

"Well," Geo confessed, "at Wilshire Hills in some time, there's going to be—"

"The _Shooting Star _movie!?" Luna gasped. "The story of Mega Man and his fight against the invading aliens! Oh my gosh, that movie looks sooo romantic! I could barely get a ticket to see your film debut because everyone was in line for it!" Geo blinked. He looked at Omega-Xis in his Hunter-VG, and then back at Luna. "…That's what you were talking about, right…?"

"Um, no," Geo answered. "…I'm still a little embarrassed that people are making a loose movie adaptation of Mega and my battles with the FM-ians."

"And I find that movie mildly racist," Taurus added. "Don't forget that I'm an FM-ian."

"Oh," Luna said. "So, if you weren't talking about the movie… then what?"

"The Cyber Legacy exhibit," a new voice spoke up. Geo's group looked to see Kelvin Stelar, former astronaut, now EM Being, approaching them followed by his wife and Geo's mother, Hope. "How was your last day, kids?"

"Good, Mr. Stelar!" Luna greeted. "So, what's this 'Cyber Legacy' exhibit you're talking about?"

"It's a museum exhibit about the society before our Wave society," Hope explained. "Before we had today's EM Waves, there was something called 'the Net'."

"The Net?" Bud asked. "Did they catch and eat lots of fish back then?"

"Um, no," Kelvin chuckled. "The Net is short-term for the 'Internet'. Back then, all of our technology was connected online. Do you remember those old Navi Cards you used to have back before I left Earth?"

"Oh, those!" Zack remembered. "Back before and during the FM-ian incident, people used Navi Cards to power certain machines. After the FM-ian's superweapon, Andromeda, was destroyed by Mega Man, people just stopped using them, preferring the Matter Waves. Those, of course, fell into disuse after the Mu invasion, and people just had pop-ups and Wizards."

"It's sad to see that all of this technology, in around four years' time, became obsolete," Kelvin said. "However, back in the age of the Net, Navis were more common and served the same purpose as… well, we Wizards."

"Oh, right," Geo remembered. "Dad, you're Mom's Wizard now, right?"

"Yeah, I am," Kelvin said. "Keeping Meteor G and the Crimson Dragon from impacting Earth for so long has made me an EM Being. However, if it means that I can finally be with you, Omega-Xis, and your mother again, it's a price I'll gladly pay."

"Though I'm still worried," Hope said. "You two both being able to travel into the Wave World like you do, Kelvin and Geo means that anything can happen to you."

"_Don't worry, Hope,"_ Omega-Xis assured her. _"I'm taking good care of the kid whenever we Wave Change… and even though the Noise Control Program we used to have didn't survive the destruction of Meteor G, there's been less Noise problems now that the Crimson Dragon's kaput."_

"Anyway," Kelvin said, "we've gotten off topic. The Cyber Legacy exhibit reminds us of life before the EM Waves we use today… and the scientist family that ultimately made our EM Wave technology possible, the Hikaris."

"The Hikaris?" Jack asked. "Who were they?" Geo grinned.

"_Jack,"_ Omega-Xis said, _"you just HAD to ask, didn't you?"_

"What?" the former prince asked. "What did I do wrong?"

"_You activated Geo's explanatory quirk," _Pedia off-handedly remarked. _"When he knows about something, he KNOWS it."_

"The Hikari family was the family who laid out the groundwork for both the old Net society and our current Wave society," Geo explained. "The main aspects of Net society were founded in 19XX by the combination of Dr. Wily and Dr. Tadashi Hikari. They were later expanded upon by the latter's son, Yuichiro Hikari, in 20XX."

"Wait," Luna interrupted. "I thought that whole Mu business we unfortunately went through last summer was hundreds, if not thousands of years old. Wouldn't that predate this Net society?"

"While it's true EM Waves were around in the age of Mu which predates Net society, they were not rediscovered as a source of technology for some time before Dr. Lan Hikari and his older brother Hub—Yuichiro's twin sons. It's also believed that Lan based the Brother Band system we use today on his relationship with his brother."

"Dr. Lan Hikari had a brother?" Zack asked. "Well, on one hand that explains why it's called the 'Brother Band', even if one person in a pair of Brothers is a girl, I've researched Dr. Hikari's contributions to the science community, but never did I hear about that."

"Most people wouldn't know about it," Geo answered. "Because, technically… Hub died as a baby."

"Wait, what!?" Jack interrupted. "You can't be serious… Hub died as a baby!? Then how did he have a bond with this Lan!?"

"Oh, that's a little hard to explain," Geo nervously chuckled. "Hub was diagnosed with HBD as an infant, and because of medical care at the time he couldn't survive… as a human, anyway. Yuichiro, determined to save his son in any way that he could, used Hub's DNA to create a Navi… a Navi who I based my name off of, alongside part of Mega's name."

"You mean that there was a Mega Man before you?" Luna asked. "And he was… a Navi?"

"Sorry, but yeah," Geo said. "But don't tell anyone, okay. I'm still a bit embarrassed that the world knows who I am."

"Right, a secret," Luna promised.

"Although the name 'Hikari' no longer exists," Geo finished, "there are survivors of Lan Hikari's legacy here in Electopia."

"So, why did you think we wouldn't be interested?" Bud asked.

"Well," Geo explained, "considering we're tackling the UMAs this summer, I figured that Net society wouldn't be as interesting to everyone else."

"…It wouldn't hurt to look," Luna admitted with a blush. "So, when is it? Maybe we could set up a time when you and I could go… together…?" Bud and Zack both gaped in shock that Luna basically asked Geo out. Jack turned away from the scene, though he had a notable scowl—whether it was out of annoyance or jealousy, no one could be sure. Hope let out a girlish giggle at her son's expense. Geo's face turned bright red, embarrassed and caught off guard, wondering why Sonia and Luna both could do this to him. Omega-Xis snickered from the safety of Geo's Hunter-VG. Kelvin decided to save Geo from any further embarrassment.

"So, kids," he said, "do you have any plans for this afternoon?"

"Well," Luna said, "speaking of Wilshire Hills, there was a new Hunter-VG upgrade I was hoping to get there… a Calendar pop-up. It will allow me to keep the summer itinerary we have organized."

"In order to fill that new Purpose you were talking about?" Kelvin asked, buying himself a carrot-flavored Mega Snack (despite being an EM Being, he could still eat human food). "To 'Have a Memorable Summer', right?"

"That's it!" Luna beamed. "So, boys, I think a trip to Wilshire Hills is in order."

"What!?" Bud asked. "Right now?"

"Yes, right now!" Luna answered. "Bud… you could use a Calendar application so you're not late for our trips. Sure, you're more responsible now that you have Taurus, but there are still times you struggle with being on time."

"S-Sorry Prez," Bud blushed.

"As for you, Jack," Luna said, causing the former prince to look at her. "…Consider this my apology for all of the fights we've been having."

"…Apology accepted," Jack said. "For now. I'll email Sis, letting her know we'll be back late."

"Be safe, dear," Hope advised. "Don't stay out too long, okay?"

"We won't," Geo promised. "Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!" The five kids—now Luna's Vacationers—walked out of Echo Ridge Elementary, leaving the two adults by themselves. Kelvin sighed.

"I'm glad he's gotten better," he told his wife. "I was worried about him during the years I was lost in space. He's grown into a strong young man."

"That he has," Hope replied. "Although, it's a little shocking that our son would become a superhero."

_**RRRRRRRINGGG!**_

Kelvin looked at Hope's Hunter-VG as she pulled it out. Hope gasped when she saw who it was. "It's for you," she whispered, pressing the button.

"Hello?" Kelvin said. When he saw who it was, he slightly smiled. "So, what's the new codename?"

"_Your son knows me as 'Heartless',"_ the woman on the other end replied. _"Speaking of Geo, we at WAZA may have a situation that could require Mega Man…"_

* * *

**Wilshire Hills Outskirts… An Hour Later**

The Wave Liner pulled up to the bus stop that would take them into the city. Bud and Zack both found it mildly annoying that they didn't just put a Wave Liner stop in the city itself, but people said it was to reduce traffic. "So," Jack asked, "why didn't we just go to Spica Mall, again?"

"After the King Foundation was revealed as the Wave crime syndicate Dealer," Geo answered, "a lot of things with Mr. King's name on it were closed for search in case Mr. King had any back-up plans."

"Trust me," Jack said, "as a former member of Dealer I can assure you that idiot King put everything in on his ability to control Meteor G. We all know how that ended up."

"Yeah," Geo said. "Still, Spica Mall is closed until further notice, so Wilshire Hills is literally one of the only places we can get this upgrade."

"Hey, guys," Zack spoke up as they spotted the bus stop. "Is it just me… or does the bus stop look different, somehow?" Indeed, instead of a simple sign, there was a huge tower with four entrances and exits. There was also the fact that there was a bus floating above them, trying to get in, only to be pushed back by a sudden force.

"Looks like that bus is having some problems," Bud said.

"_Bud!"_ Taurus spoke up. _"Check your Hunter-VG! I'm detecting viruses!"_ The kids all held up their Hunters, and indeed, viruses were inside the Cyber Core of the Bus Stop.

"_Hey, kid,"_ Omega-Xis spoke up. _"It's been a long time since we got to go buck wild on viruses. So, you want to go get 'em?"_

"…Sure," Geo nodded. "But first, let me see if I can find a way into the Cyber Core." He then placed his Visualizer down, and while his human friends were obscured, the Wave World became clear. Lucky for Geo, there was a Wave Station nearby the stop, allowing him access up to the top of the tower, where he could connect to the Cyber Core. "Got it!"

Geo raised his sunglasses, and began walking over to the Wave Station when Luna yelled, "Geo!" Geo turned to her. "Be careful, okay? You haven't become Mega Man since Meteor G… why don't you take Bud with you?"

"Wait, me?" Bud asked.

"Yeah, you," Luna said. "Jack lost Corvus—who was a bad influence on him, so not a total loss—"

"Hey!" Jack scowled.

"And as much as I dislike admitting it, neither Pedia nor Vogue are Battle Wizards like Taurus and Omega-Xis."

"But Prez," Bud insisted, "I've only kept up Taurus Fire to protect you and Zack… especially after what happened at Alohaha…"

"Don't worry about what happened," Luna insisted with a sincere smile. "I'm still not sure what happened at Alohaha, but what did happen made you guys worry. I know that it won't happen again with both you and Geo around, Bud. And besides… you could protect me better with experience."

"_She has a point, Bud,"_ Taurus said. _"We could use the practice ourselves. Let's go!"_

"…Okay," Bud nodded. "Geo, we'll follow you!"

"Okay, you remember your Trans-Code number?" Geo asked.

"005," Bud answered. "You ready?"

"Ready! Let's rock! Trans-Code #003! Mega Man!"

"Trans-Code #005! Taurus Fire!"

-003-

**Bus Stop CC**

Mega Man and Taurus Fire, after Wave Changing and heading up on the Wave Road, accessed the Cyber Core. When they touched down, they were greeted by a rather retro area, looking almost 200 years old. Perhaps that was the reason that a group of Mettenas were casually picking away at the Bus Stop's gate controls.

"So, those are the viruses causing the gate problems?" Taurus Fire asked.

"Yep," Mega Man said. "Bud… I mean, Taurus Fire. You'll take the half on the right. Mega and I will deal with the other half, okay."

"Can do!" Taurus Fire agreed. "Hey, virus guys!" The Mettenas stopped what they were doing, and turned towards the two EM Wave Changers. The viruses, irritated that their playtime was disturbed, prepared to charge. "…Well, we got their attention, at least."

"_Yeah,"_ Omega-Xis said from Geo's Hunter-VG. _"Mettenas aren't exactly the smartest viruses in the world. Hey, kids… need some reminders about Wave Battles?"_

"I'll be fine, Mega!" Mega Man insisted. "Bud?"

"I'll be okay!" Taurus Fire answered.

"Here we go, then!" Mega Man nodded. "Wave Battle! Ride on!"

The battle was rather easy and more of a refresher for Geo and Bud than anything else. While Taurus Fire preferred straight-up melee, he certainly was used to fighting a ranged battle, as he used his Fire Breath to roast a group of Mettenas before charging through another with his Ox Tackle. Mega Man, meanwhile, made use of his Battle Cards, busting out his Cannons and blowing Mettenas away before making use of the Mega Attack with Swords. Eventually, the Mettenas were deleted, leaving the Bus Stop controls alone.

"_Ah, to flex the old muscles!" _Omega-Xis chuckled after the battle was over. _"Well, that was easy."_

"_For once, we agree,"_ Taurus said. The two alien Wizards appeared next to Mega Man and Taurus Fire. "It's been quite a bit. That battle has me fired up!"

"We'll spar later, Taurus!" Taurus Fire promised. "Right now, we should focus on fixing the bus stop!"

"Leave that to me," a voice told them from behind. A green creature, almost similar to a Hertz, floated up next to them. "Thanks again for deleting those viruses… I was so scared when those guys popped out of nowhere, I ran to the back of the area. Sorry about leaving my post!" The creature floated up to the controls, and activated them. "Attention passengers, we're sorry for the delay! The LevBus from Cyber City's Sky Town can now enter!" Mega Man and Taurus Fire both looked at each other, while Omega-Xis and Taurus blinked.

"Um, Cyber City?" Omega-Xis asked.

"Sky Town?" Taurus questioned.

"You DO mean Wilshire Hills, right?" Mega Man asked.

"Wilshire Hills?" the creature asked as the monitor showed the bus pulling safely into the Bus Stop. "Where the heck is that!? I've been this site's Mr. Prog for some time now, and I've never been given an update about any Wilshire Hills stop."

"And how long has that been?" Omega-Xis asked.

"Well, let's see," the creature—known as a Mr. Prog, apparently—thought. "It's 20XX, right? I'd say about three or four years."

Both Taurus Fire and Mega Man blinked in surprise. "(Um, Geo…)" Taurus Fire whispered. "(Did that guy just say… 20XX?)"

"(Yeah, he did,)" Mega Man replied.

"(Um, I'm not good at math,)" Taurus Fire continued, "(but that's… around 200 years ago, right?)"

"(Yes.)"

"(…So, what's going on?)"

"(I don't know,)" Mega Man answered. "(I… just don't know.)"

"What's wrong with you Navis?" the Mr. Prog asked, looking at them. "You look really confused."

"…Um, yeah," Mega Man nervously chuckled. "So, if this Bus stop doesn't go to Wilshire Hills… where can it go?"

"Well," the Mr. Prog said, "you're new to Cyber City, right? Well, let me explain. Cyber City is split into four—soon to be five—towns: Central, Seaside, Green, and Sky are the ones accessible right now. Sky Town, where the bus just came from, is a town suspended high above the rest of the city and is researching weather phenomena for future generations. Green Town is a natural location where its people are studying the balance between man and nature, as well as looking into law and order, with it being home of the Judge Tree. Seaside Town has a similar focus in nature, but focusing with the man and the sea, and is also home to the Seaside Aquarium. The fifth town hasn't been finished yet, but will be soon. Finally, there's Central Town, the heart of Cyber City. Much of it was destroyed during the rampage of the Cybeasts one year ago, but it has recovered and has continued its work in studying next-gen Net society!"

Mega Man and Taurus Fire looked at each other again. "(He said 'next-gen Net society',)" the fire-Elemental EM Wave being said. "(As in that stuff you talked about before we left school.)"

"(I know,)" Mega Man confirmed. "(If I'm right… this place is 200 years from the past!)"

"(So… did we just step in the past or…?)"

"(No, I'm pretty sure we aren't,)" Mega Man answered.

"Argh," Taurus Fire groaned aloud. "This is making my head hurt… and when my head hurts, I get really hungry."

"Same old Bud," Mega Man chuckled. "Alright, we'll pulse out and tell the others." After Omega-Xis and Taurus returned to their Hunters, The two EM Wave Beings flashed out, leaving behind a confused Prog.

"Those were some very confusing Navis," the little Program said. "And what was with those monsters next to them? Well, if they're controlled, that doesn't really bother me. Although that blue Navi looked like MegaMan…"

-GS-

**Not-Wilshire Hills Outskirts**

"WHAT!?" Luna asked after Geo and Bud told her what they saw. "Are you saying that Wilshire Hills is gone!?"

"Shh!" Geo whispered as people came off the bus. "(Not so loud, Prez!)"

"(Yeah, we don't want people catching on,)" Zack added. "(Still… what IS going on?)"

"Well, aren't you all a sight for sore eyes!" a familiar voice spoke up. The group turned to see A. C. Eos, also known as "Ace", walking out of the Bus Stop. "I knew something was up when the bus couldn't pull in, and look who solved it. Nice work, Geo and Bud."

"Ace!?" Geo asked. "What are you doing in the field!? I thought you were on medical leave!"

"I couldn't stay in a hospital bed forever," Ace said. "So, Jack, how have you been?"

"I haven't done anything bad," Jack scowled. "Ask Geo."

"Has he?" Ace asked.

"Well, he and Prez have been getting into fights every so often," Geo answered, "but other than that, no."

"_I swear, they're flirting,"_ Omega-Xis said.

"Omega-Xis," Jack and Luna both scowled, "shut-up!"

"Those two do have a bit in common," Ace chuckled. "But we have bigger problems." Leading the group away from the Bus Stop, he asked, "I take it you all know that Wilshire Hills has somehow disappeared?"

"Well, we just found that out," Luna answered. "And I was hoping to get an update for my Hunter-VG, too!"

"I know," Ace nodded. "We can fix that at WAZA, however—Aaron Boreal is there, no doubt helping Dr. Goodall. But the other crisis is that during my patrol around this new city, this Past City—"

"_Cyber City,"_ Pedia corrected. The smart, gold Wizard explained, _"Cyber City was a town that was researching major updates in Net technology, the types that would help Dr. Lan Hikari develop the changes needed for EM Wave technology we use today. If we're calling it something, we should be accurate."_

"Thank you, Pedia," Zack said.

"Ah, so that explains why the town looks so old by today's standards and why everyone thinks its 20XX," Ace realized. "Well, we can't just let everyone know they're 200 years into the future."

"Why not?" Jack asked.

"Jack, you're talking about mass panic," Ace answered. "The Satellia Police has their hands full as it is investigating the disappearance of Wilshire Hills and its entire population. The last thing anyone needs is a full-blown riot."

"So, you're doing a patrol?" Geo asked. "Trying to find out what caused this to happen?"

"Hopefully," Ace said. "Acid is analyzing the data from our reconnaissance since I'm not really allowed to Wave Change anymore. Also, I'm looking for signs of trouble, since whomever and whatever did this has to be unimaginably powerful. Tell you what, Geo… why don't you all join me for the last part of my patrol since you and your friends came all of this way?" The group looked at each other.

"One moment, Ace," Luna told him.

"You have a few minutes," Ace said. Luna looked at her group, and motioned them in.

"(I don't know if I like this,)" Zack whispered. "(There's a chance by interacting with these people from two hundred years ago we'll damage the timeline and may accidentally wipe ourselves out of existence. I mean, what if I meet my ancestor by accident?)"

"(Well, there's the possibility that we could cause a time paradox,)" Geo said.

"(A 'pair of socks'?)" Bud repeated.

"(No, a paradox,)" Luna corrected. "(It's when someone does something that would damage the fabric of time, resulting in people or things becoming nonexistent. For instance, if we traveled in time, and we cause something bad to happen to our grandparents before they have our parents… we as a result wouldn't exist.)"

"(Oh,)" Bud realized. "(So we should stay away, right?)"

Geo continued, "(However, we have to help. Do you guys remember a year ago, when we first went to Wilshire Hills together?)"

"(I don't,)" Jack scowled. "(I wasn't part of your group then.)"

"(I sort of remember,)" Luna said. "(Wait… are you talking about when I got kidnapped!? Twice!?)"

"(Yeah, both by Dark Phantom, also known as Hyde,)" Geo replied. "(I'm not saying he was responsible for this, though. The last time Mega and I saw him was when he fell off the Wave Road in the WAZA Main Computer. But that's not the point. The point here is remember what Hyde said before he kidnapped you the first time? He said the IFL Tower was the most important building in the country… as it functioned as a colossal EM Wave transmitter. If something happened to Wilshire Hills, then that would include…)"

"(The IFL Tower!)" Zack realized. "(That means that soon, Electopia will run out of EM Waves!)"

"(But what about the Wave Stations all around Electopia?)" Luna asked. "(They were all built to improve EM Wave traffic, right? They emit EM Waves.)"

Geo answered, "(Sure, we have Wave Stations, but… they can only provide EM Waves for so long. They're essentially backup generators—the type that can't run forever, and were only established because Dark Phantom's first attack on the IFL Tower proved that it could be really easy for someone to take over the country. If we don't do anything, Electopia is eventually going to be powerless… and defenseless. That means no vacation, no electronics, no Wizards, no Battle Cards… no EM Wave Changes.)"

"_(No Mega Man,)" _Omega-Xis added. _"(We wouldn't have met… or worse, Earth would never have survived Andromeda, let alone Mu or Meteor G.)"_

"(And no Grizzly Peaks, no Foodtopia, and no Amy!)" Bud realized. "(And no Whazzap Spare Ribs!)"

"(Wait,)" Jack asked. "(Bud, your mysterious Brother at Grizzly Peaks is a chick!?)"

"(Jack, focus,)" Luna said. "(Yes, Bud has Amy Gelande, the 'Skiing Angel', as a Brother. She's a nice girl once you get to know her. Anyway, back to the task at hand: Zack, have Pedia run an analysis of how long Electopia would reasonably have power for without the IFL Tower.)"

"_(Right away,)"_ Pedia nodded. He then ran the numbers before gasping. _"(At the rate today's energy consumption is, there is a 92 percent chance that Electopia would run out of power by the end of the summer! The remaining eight percent is a little longer than that.)"_

"(So, we have that long to fulfill our new Purpose.)"

"(A new Purpose?)" Bud asked.

"(We're going to 'Save Wilshire Hills',)" Luna explained. "(Besides the fact that Geo may be right that Wilshire Hills being gone means we'll soon no longer have EM Waves, there's thousands of innocent people trapped in the past with no idea what's going on. Geo, we're going to start by helping Ace's patrol.)"

"Really?" Geo grinned aloud.

"_(Looks like we're back in the SP Commandos, Detective Stelar,)"_ Omega-Xis chuckled.

"(Well, it'll make up for leaving the SP Commandos after the school election,)" Bud nervously answered.

"(Will this get me off the rest of my probation?)" Jack asked.

"(Not sure,)" Zack said. "(But we better get started.)" Geo's group turned to Ace, who was casually munching on a Mega Snack.

"You can count us in!" Geo announced.

"Glad to see you're so eager," Ace said. "And I'm glad to be working with you again. I don't think we'll have time for an official ceremony right now, but you are all now part of the SP Commandos Investigation Squad. On our way to our last stop, I'll brief you in on what we know at WAZA."

"Where are we going?" Luna asked as she set Team _"Luna's Investigators" _new Purpose: _"Save Wilshire Hills"._

"Well, the one place I haven't checked is Central Town," Ace explained. "I'm going to contact the other detective on this case, and figure out what they know. Meanwhile, you guys are going to blend in with the kids there, okay?"

"Can do," Bud said. "Hopefully there's something that tastes good there!"

"Man, you should have caught me and Acid when we went to Seaside Town," Ace said. "There was some pretty good sushi and corn dogs."

The group headed onto a bus heading towards Central Town, but could not help but worry. Geo especially, as he had not dealt with something like this… he destroyed a world-eating monster from outer space that was activated by a paranoid alien king who misinterpreted Earth's intentions, slew the ancient God of Earth's EM Waves, preventing a heartbroken scientist who hated war from repeating the disaster that destroyed the first three societies that used EM Waves, and stopped a meteor literally made of solidified Noise from crashing into the planet by obliterating a two-headed dragon made by absorbing his father and a psychopath who planned to control the meteor, but he never dealt with something that could take an entire city and replace it with something two centuries ago… a being that could manipulate time. While there was the possibility that it would be a breeze against Andromeda, Le Mu, and the Crimson Dragon, there was the equal possibility that he could be facing something much, much worse.

What was it that Mega Man had to fight now, and what did it do to Wilshire Hills?

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: I'm back! Sorry for the month-long hiatus, I was busy working.

So, I should probably do these reviews.

**Matteso585:** Mayl and Roll did not end up in 22XX, as much as people wanted them to. As for ChronoMan... he could be planning on betraying Hyde and Cain.

**Ghost501:** That's true. Lan was devastated when he found out that he helped hospitalize his Dad. So, imagine what must be going through his head when he realizes that the bad guys hurt his family and friends because the Big Bad wanted revenge and to take everything Lan ever cared about away from him. He'll be devastated... and possibly vengeful.

**Devil's Den**: Something I've noticed in the _Battle Network _and _Star Force _games... nobody ever expands the drama of going after the heroes' loved ones. Whenever they're in trouble or kidnapped, they all happen at the exact same time. I never figured why, but I figured it was because these games are directed towards children, so it would be too scary or too saddening to watch each of the kids and two concerned parents be thrown through time and space... and keep in mind a chapter earlier, Pat and Rey just suffered this same fate. Adult fear, FTW.

As for Hyde's "script talk," it's more of his character personality in _Star Force 2_ and _3._ Throughout the second game, he calls his plans "scripts", and is frustrated to the point of insanity that Mega Man foils his scripts and plans. That's why I felt that "If I'm going to legitimately make Hyde a threat this time around, I'd need to make him have a story-long script". As you can see, this was only step one.

As for BN5, I finally got to the first part of the endgame. This makes me think that if I had the ability to make my own mix-and-max team, I'd have ProtoMan, KnightMan, ShadowMan, NaplamMan, SearchMan, and Meddy.

"Genie" is a hard word to work with, since everyone automatically thinks of _Aladdin_. The problem is that she is supposed to have a genie motif, so I had to work with it. Aurum Genie, huh? Not a bad suggestion, though.

**gh152 the 2nd:** Interesting concept, I must say. As for what she did, Wish Genie did NOT give anything related to Cross Fusion. Look back to the lights you saw at the end of the chapter besides Lan. Keep in mind the signature colors of the people who were just sent through time by ChronoMan... yeah, it connects them.

Now, I suppose I should probably explain my stance on Cross Fusion. I like the concept of Cross Fusion, I must confess. The ability to fuse Navi and operator to do battle against threats in the real world is amazing... in fact, if I was to wager a guess, I'd say the people behind _Star Force_ saw this concept, and was like, "heck yeah, let's run with this for our new Mega Man". However... I don't think I'm going to be having Lan do direct battle until towards the end of the story, if at all. I feel that he'll just find real-world solutions for real-world problems.

** :** Everyone hopes they're alright. And Geo and Omega-Xis will help save them.

**Misfortuned Checkmate:** Has anyone ever you that your penname is very appropriate for bleak scenarios? And I'm hurrying so everyone can see them meet.

Well, that's it. Sorry for the delay, again. Farewell, my subjects!


	7. Chapter 6: Central Town, CoY

A/N: And now, we head into Central Town… and the future characters sort of figure out what's going on. If you're wondering why the chapter titles seem to repeat… yeah, I'll stop after this chapter, I swear.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Central Town, City of Yesterday**

* * *

**National WAZA HQ**

Heartless stood next to Dr. Goodall, both looking at an Air Display with Kelvin and Hope Stelar looking at them. _"…What?"_ Kelvin asked. _"Are you saying that Wilshire Hills just vanished overnight?"_

"According to Ace's reports, yes," Heartless answered. "Wilshire Hills has entirely vanished."

"_And here I was hoping to do some shopping tomorrow there,"_ Hope said. _"I was going to make a carrot casserole. So, what exactly happened?"_

"Some time earlier, Wilshire Hills' Wave World was subjected to the equivalent of an earthquake," Goodall explained. "Before we could figure out what was happening, that earthquake came into the real world… and then the entire city went dark. I have spent some time analyzing the situation here… and nothing. There are very few signs Wilshire Hills ever existed, and that's bad for all of Electopia."

"_I know,"_ Kelvin agreed. _"No Wilshire Hills, no IFL Tower… and no IFL Tower, very few EM Waves, if any at all. The entire country is literally on backup power. We'll eventually be defenseless."_

"That's not all," Heartless said. Pressing a button, she turned the Air Display so the two could look at the Satellia Police's supercomputer. As Dr. Goodall typed in a few keys, Heartless continued, "With Satellia Police investigations, we've found something really interesting. Wilshire Hills wasn't just stolen… it's been replaced."

The four looked to see the footage of a new town, which had rather low technology compared to the stuff they had before—no Wizards, no Air Displays, but plenty of people, plenty of electronics, and they were all enjoying themselves. There were also robots around, an artificially upgraded tree, a colossal city in the sky, blank-looking dolls, and overall healthy-looking environments. In the middle of the town was a blue bird statue.

"_What is this…?"_ Kelvin asked.

"Oh, you've seen nothing YET, Kelvin," Dr. Goodall smirked. With a few keystrokes, she added, "Here's something the Satellia Police Wizards found when conducting their more personal search with the electronics." The Stelars were greeted with the site of an entire other world, where human-like (and some non-humanlike) beings walked around and explored. "Apparently, according to the patrols, this is called 'the Net'."

"_The Net?"_ Kelvin gasped. _"…How is it possible!?"_

"I'm still trying to figure it out," Dr. Goodall confessed. "I'm doing the best as I can, but I don't know how this happened."

"Furthermore," Heartless added, "when asked about the era, these people said 20XX… in short, two hundred years ago."

Hope gasped. _"Two hundred years!? Oh, those poor people! They have no idea they're 200 years in the future! So, you need Geo and Omega-Xis to investigate?"_ Hope asked.

"I figured he would be interested," Heartless said. "But Hope, Kelvin… he's your son. If you don't want him to risk endangering himself for a fourth time, I will do everything in my power to prevent him from becoming involved and see if we can resolve this crisis ourselves before we lose all of our EM Wave technology. However, if there's no other option, we may request his help."

Kelvin sadly smiled. _"A little too late for that… Geo and Omega-Xis already on their way to this new city."_ Goodall and Heartless looked up to see in part of the city, Luna's Rescue Squad—and Ace—getting off a bus.

-GS-

**Cyber City—Central Town**

Geo's group looked around the city. Despite the Prog telling them that was damage done to the Central Town area a year prior, there weren't a lot of signs indicating the damage. In fact, the only places that were showing mild signs were scorch signs around the northwest part of town, but that area was still accessible. There were child-sized robots patrolling the streets, doing some casual cleaning.

"Actual robots?" Zack said. "You know, now that I think about it, back in 19XX, there was a debate about whether robotics or electronics technology should have been further researched into for future generations. I guess that although Net society had won over the robotics, there still were some robots left. We don't have too many of those in our time."

"True," Ace confessed. "Considering the fact that we can make sentient EM Beings, robotics just died out completely... a shame, too."

"So, how do these robots run?" Jack asked, looking at a nearby one."

"If I had to guess," Zack said, "I figured that they have either their own mini networks, or there is a master computer whose Cyber Core controls much of their movements. If the latter is the case, then chances are there is a place in Central Town controlling their main network."

The group decided to keep exploring. They eventually stopped at a notable shop in town, one that was labeled _'AsterLand Chip Shop'._

"Chips?" Luna asked Geo and Zack. "As in snacks? That's quite a large shop for a candy store..."

"No it's not!" Bud argued. "It's the perfect size!"

"I don't think it's talking about chips as in food, guys," Zack corrected, looking at a poster on the outside of the shop. The six spotted a collection of memory card-like objects with various weapons on them, from Cannons to Swords to even a Vulcan. "These look just like..."

"Battle Chips," Geo finished.

"Battle Chips?" Luna asked.

"Before the Battle Cards we use today," Geo explained, "there were a lot of viruses back in 20XX. However, by 21XX, most virus-related problems had been dealt with by a pair of programs known as 'Colonel' and 'Iris'. Colonel hunted down and deleted them, while Iris repaired damaged programs."

"Not that I'm complaining, but haven't we learned about these in school?" Bud asked.

"That's because they've been decommissioned years ago," Ace interjected. "With no virus-related problems, Colonel and Iris were no longer necessary, and we then removed knowledge about them from the basic curriculum."

"In fact," Zack added, "before the FM-ians, there weren't any virus outbreaks for years. With our conflict with Planet FM and the remnants of the Mu Empire, we were reintroduced to virus problems. Before that, Battle Cards were just a collectible card game featuring prototype Real Waves. Now, they and the Hunter-VGs are our best defenses against EM Virus problems."

"Okay, but where do Chips fit in?" Luna explained her question.

"Before Battle Cards," Geo explained, "there were Battle Chips. They were a bit more complicated to use than our Battle Card system, but they were better designed to work together with the Navis and PETs."

"Yeah, the Hunters were ultimately designed to work with the Battle Cards," Ace confessed. "The past thought ahead when it came to virus-busting and made the Battle Chips to work hand-in-hand with the Navis and PETs. Especially considering that even though plenty of Navis weren't combat-specialists, they were now better-equipped for fighting virus-related problems."

_"At least until AM-ians and FM-ians decided to make our debut on Earth,"_ Omega-Xis proudly refuted.

"Chips also made Net Battles popular," Geo added.

"Net Battles?" Luna asked. "What were those?"

"They were battles between two or more Navis controlled by their operators," Geo explained. "Usually held in controlled enviornments, these battles were fought until one of the Navis was defeated. It took both strategy and strong chips to win these battles. They even held tournaments..."

"How barbaric!" Luna gasped. "What happens to the losing Navis?"

"They survived," Geo assured her. "Like I said, these battles usually happened in controlled enviornments, like designated stadiums. Although, I've heard that Net Battles outside of these stadium fights were usually more dangerous... without the proper restraints, there was no guarantee that both Navis would walk away alive..."

"Man," Jack groaned, looking at the shop and ending the conversation. "They're closed for restocking!" Indeed, the shop was closed.

"Hey, you guys!" a voice said from behind them. Geo's group looked to see a kid their age (well, Ace was older but that was beside the point) with dark skin, dark brown shoulder-length hair (with a cowlick) and an X-shaped scar on his left cheek walking up to them, holding a box. He was wearing a light blue jacket with yellow cuffs, darker blue shorts, and black shoes. "Do ya mind movin' out of the way? I kind of need the door open."

"I thought this shop was closed, though," Bud said, looking at it.

"Yeah, it is," the boy said. "But I know the kid who lives and works here. Speaking of which… hey, Tab!"

"Yeah?" a voice from inside the shop asked.

"It's Mick! I finally picked up that order you made! Open up!"

"Mick, I asked you to pick that up for me two hours ago! It was a ten-minute walk!"

"I got… distracted," Mick confessed. The chip shop opened up, revealing another boy around Geo's age with short brown hair and brown eyes behind a pair of glasses. Beneath his green apron marked with a six petal orange flower he wore a white shirt and red shorts. On his feet were green sandals over a pair of gray socks. Finally, resting on his head was a green and orange visor with the same flower symbol on his apron.

"Mick, did you forget we were supposed to go to ACDC Town?" Tab chided him. "Lan and the others are waiting… now we've missed the last bus for the day that goes out that far!"

"I know, I know!" Mick groaned. "We'll make it up to them, later! However, I heard about a new Net Battle Tournament made by the new mayor that will be held at the end of summer, and my useless Navi and I decided to sign up for it. I tried to mail Lan and Dex about it since they're both Net Battlers, but I couldn't get through…"

"_Did that kid say 'tournament'?"_ Omega-Xis asked. This was noticed by Mick and Tab.

"Oh, you guys are still here," Mick said. "Yeah, Cyber City is going to have a Net Battle tournament at the end of the summer. Prelims aren't for a few days, but registration started today. Are you guys gonna compete? That's just more opponents for me and my Navi to crush!"

"Um, I don't really have too many plans for that…" Geo said. "I'm not really a fan of fighting…"

"That's strange," Mick said. "You were talking about Net Battles earlier, right?" Geo nearly jumped.

"Well, I was just explaining them to a friend... I research from time to time outside of school..."

"Why don't you at least check it out, Geo?" Ace spoke up. Geo turned to Ace, surprised he suggested that. "Considering you missed the last tournament you were invited to, you could make up for it by competing here."

"Um, uh… okay…"

"Well, if you're gonna compete," Tab said, "the best place to get more information would most likely be in Central Square's Battle BBS. There was an access point in Central Area 3's Net the last time I checked."

"My Navi will be in that tournament ready to own you!" Mick said before heading inside with the box.

"Sorry about him," Tab said. "Mick's improving, but he's still… immature at times."

"So how do we get to this Central Area we've heard about?" Luna asked. "We're kind of new in town."

"Well," Tab suggested, "You can jack in from a few areas in town. One of them is the bird statue in the middle of town." Geo's group looked at the blue bird statue in town, its wings spread. "That should take you to the Home Page of Central Area."

"Well, thanks!" Luna smiled. "It was nice to meet you… Tab, right?"

"Right!" Tab said. "If you guys ever need Battle Chips for the tournament, can I ask you to come down to AsterLand? We're not going to be open now, but in a few days, we'll be ready for all of your Battle Chip needs!"

"We'll remember it," Luna nodded. "Come on, guys. We better get going!" The group walked away from the Chip shop, Geo having mild concern on his face.

"Ace…" he said, "why did you have me agree to that!?"

"You may look a little suspicious, Geo," Ace explained. "Besides, we could use someone exploring the Net… it can hold more information about what happened last night."

"But… I can't 'jack-in'. I can 'pulse-in' and 'trans-in', but not 'jack-in'."

"That is a problem," Ace realized.

"_If I may interject,"_ Acid spoke up from Ace's Hunter. _"I'm detecting that there is the possibility that you can access the Net Area from the Wave World. If you EM Wave Change, you can perhaps follow the remnants of the Wave World that was in Wilshire Hills and access the Net from the Bird statue."_

"_Wow, really?"_ Omega-Xis said. _"You think we can pull it off, Acid?"_

"_You did the same back in the Bus Stop,"_ Acid reminded him. _"It should not be difficult to access the Net."_

"Whoa," Bud said. "Hard to believe we did that without even really thinking about it."

"Okay," Geo nodded. "Since nobody here knows about the future's technology, I'll have to Wave Change away from people, but once I do, I'll begin my search for Central Square's BBS."

"What's a BBS, anyway?" Bud asked. "Is it like barbeque?"

"That's ridiculous!" Jack scoffed. "It would obviously be some time of arena!"

"You two are half right... sort of," Zack answered both of them. "A BBS is a type of forum service used back in the Net era."

"_A forum?" _Vogue asked. _"You mean people exchange information and chat on them?"_

"That's it," Geo said. "They used to share information and offer advice publically."

"Wow," Luna breathed. "Why don't we have those today? That would actually make information exchanging so much easier! I could keep up with the latest trends way easier that way!"

"_As well as sharing battle tips!"_ Omega-Xis grinned. _"Everyone should be able to go buck wild on viruses!"_

"Omega-Xis, you're a savage brute," Luna said. "However, that would make virus busting much easier if everyone had places to share tips like that."

"Alright," Geo said. "I'll pulse in and see if I can investigate the Net. You guys can check around the northwest part of town?"

"We'll see what we can do," Ace promised. "Good luck, Geo."

"Alright, now where's a good place to pulse in without being seen…?" Geo spotted an area nearby—an area beside a somewhat new-looking house that had a "For Sale" sign. Geo quickly ducked beside it, and pulled out his Hunter-VG. "Trans-Code #003! Mega Man!"

-003-

**Central Area**

While invisible in the Wave World, Mega Man easily managed to sneak around the town before accessing the Bird Statue. When he landed, Mega Man found himself in a new world, reminded of all of the Comp Spaces and Cyber Cores he's explored. As he walked down the Cyber Road, he found that he was in Central Area 1. However, despite minor viruses that popped up to hinder him, it wasn't too hard to find Central Area 2 and navigate from there to Central Area 3.

But once he arrived and headed up the stairs leading into the main part of Central Area 3, Mega Man and Omega-Xis were shocked to see the massive pit that took up most of the area. _"That is a BIG hole, kid,"_ Omega-Xis said.

"What happened here?" Mega Man asked. "I know more about the Net than almost anyone else, but I've never heard of this hole."

"You've never heard of the Legend of the Cybeasts?" a voice asked. Mega Man turned to see a female Navi walking up next to him. She had blue hair in a sort of ponytail with long bangs and brown eyes beneath her pink visor. Her armor looked to be in a nurse motif, a white dress with pink lines running down the front, blue under armor on her arms and legs covered by white gloves and boots, and a white cap with a symbol on it—a purple circle surrounding four orange half-ovals aligned in an X pattern, almost looking like pills.

"Cybeasts?" Mega Man asked. "They caused this?"

"Well, my operator and I may not be from around here," the Navi explained, "but we've heard of Cyber City's legendary monsters. The legend goes that this pit you see here in Central Area 3 was built in the early age of Net society. There's even a group of statues in the back of this area next to the entrance of Central Square. They'll probably tell the story a lot better than I can."

"You're not from Central Town?" Mega Man asked.

"We're actually from Choina," the Navi replied. "We came to Electopia's Cyber City to study the healing properties of Seaside Area's Healing Water and revitalizing damaged Navis. But nowadays, a lot of people talk about how the Cybeasts were destroyed by a blue Navi…"

"_Meddy, we really should hurry up to Seaside Area 3,"_ a female voice spoke up.

"Alright, Jasmine!" the Navi—apparently named Meddy—spoke up. She handed him some type of data labeled "Meddy". No doubt with some patience, he could make a Mega Card with her power. "Well, here's hoping I'll you later!" The female Navi ran off, leaving Mega Man alone.

"A blue Navi?" Mega Man asked. "You don't think she was talking about me, do you?"

"_Well, those statues are back where we need to go, anyway,"_ Omega-Xis said. _"We may as well look."_ When they reached the back of the area, they spotted a group of giant statues. One of the statues was a large, fierce looking wolf, the name _'Gregar'_ marked on it. There was a huge bird as the second statue, labeled _'Falzar'._ Two more statues were marked, one being a tall male figure with a sword for an arm called _'Colonel',_ and the other a girl around Geo's age with long hair and butterfly clips called _'Iris'._

"Here it is," Mega Man breathed. "Let's see here…"

'_Long ago, there were two Beasts with great power on the Net. These two Beasts were not friendly to each other, rather they fought each other again and again. They fought fiercely and greatly changed the face of the Net. People feared these two beasts and called them… Cybeasts…_

'_One of the Cybeasts was shaped like a great wolf: Cybeast Gregar. Its roar was enough to cause the whole Net to shake, and it devoured many Navis with its sharp fangs…_

'_The other Cybeast was a giant bird-like beast: Cybeast Falzar. With its huge wings, it scattered objects all over the Net, and with its razor-sharp claws, it shredded many programs…_

'_This is where the two Cybeasts' reign of terror ended—where they fought each other to the end… The chasm in this area was born from their clash, and the bottom of this pit is known as the Underground. The Cybeasts once rested here until a sinister organization revived them._

_"The organization managed to capture one Cybeast, but the other was captured by a blue hero. The hero defeated the organization, but the Cybeast escaped from the hero. The hero, joined by these two brave Navis, 'Colonel' and 'Iris', fought and slain the Cybeasts, but Colonel and Iris sacrificed their lives in the process. The blue hero was known as 'MegaMan'."_

"Wow," Omega-Xis said after digitizing next to Mega Man. "These two Cybeasts would have been tough, kid. Glad they're already dead… otherwise; we'd have a very powerful pair of enemies."

"It says that 'MegaMan' helped destroy the Cybeasts," Mega Man said. "But Mega… we've fought powerful monsters before, yet never a Cybeast. This means one thing… Mega, this was the original MegaMan's work."

"So your famous Hikaris had something to do with the Cybeasts as well as making us possible?" Omega-Xis said. "Sheesh, when you named us 'Mega Man', kid, you sure know how to pick a legacy."

"I guess," Mega Man confessed. "We've wasted too much time, here. We should head into Central Square and see if we can gather any clues." After Omega-Xis returned to the Hunter, Mega Man turned to see an access panel that warped them into the Square.

Upon arrival, Mega Man was greeted to the sight of many Navis chatting away and going about doing some shopping online. He himself even found a Merchant Hertz had opened his business right in the Square. Ignoring the strange sight, he found two bulletin boards next to each other, one labeled _'Chat BBS'_ and the other labeled _'Battle BBS'._ He scanned through the Battle BBS first, finding what Mick and Tab were talking about.

_**Poster: Mayor Prairie**_

_**Subject: Cyber City Net Battle Tourney!**_

'_Come one, come all, to the Cyber City End of Summer Net Battle Tournament! Sponsored by the mysterious Chromos Organization, competitors will experience some of the best Net Battling for all time! The Navi who is crowned Champion will receive a fabulous prize: the Key to the City, the honor of being the Cyber City Expo Operator Navi for next year, and 1,000,000 Zenny! If that's not enough to whet your whistle, the Operator of the Navi who wins the tournament will receive the fabled OOPArt, the Paradox Crown! Signups are held at Central Town's Event Arena in the northwest part of town, where the Expo Site used to be!'_

"_OOPArt?"_ Omega-Xis asked. _"You mean like the type that we fought against Dr. Vega over during the Neo Mu Empire incident?"_

"It sounds like it," Mega Man said. "I'd hate to see a repeat of that."

"_In that case, kid,"_ Omega-Xis said, _"then we have to nab that thing just to make sure it's safe!"_

"So, we should enter the tournament?" Mega Man asked. "I don't know… it would look suspicious if I came in under the name 'Mega Man' when this city clearly has history with him. And before you even suggest the idea, you'd look like a monster."

"_Aw, you're no fun, kid!"_ Omega-Xis teased. _"Alright, we'll let Ace know that, see if we can find a loophole. Still doesn't give us any information as to what happened to Wilshire Hills and Cyber City."_

"Maybe someone talked about it," Mega Man said before walking over to the Chat BBS. "…I think I found something."

_**Poster: Sagittarius**_

_**Subject: Quake**_

'_Did anybody feel last night's earthquake? It was pretty shocking! The Net and the real world both shook! You all don't think this means something bad is about to happen, do you?'_

"_Sagittarius?"_ Omega-Xis asked himself. _"…Could it be…?"_

"What?" Mega Man asked.

"_Kid, there was someone back on Planet FM I could call a mentor,"_ Omega-Xis confessed. _"His name was Sagittarius, one of the greatest combat specialists on the planet. He's a noble warrior, through and through. Back when I was growing up after the destruction of Planet AM, he was the one who took me in, taught me how to fight... even taught me about the Mega Buster. This was in spite of the AM-ians he supposedly deleted in the war between our worlds that Gemini started. But the old centaur had been retired after the Destruction of Planet AM. I didn't see him during my runaway from Planet FM when we first met… but if he's here, he can't be taken too lightly."_

"What would he be doing in the past?" Mega Man asked.

"_Kid, there's a response to the post,"_ Omega-Xis noted.

_**Poster: Tab**_

_**Subject: RE: Quake**_

'_That quake originated from the Net!? How is that possible!? I know the guy who beat the Cybeasts—Lan Hikari and his Navi, MegaMan! If the Cybeasts were responsible for quakes that big before, we shouldn't be having them! The quake was so bad that my family's shop suffered merchandise damage! Does this mean something?'_

_**Poster: Mick**_

_**Subject: RE: Quake**_

'_Tab, you need to stop worrying! So we had another quake! Tell you what… if the damage is that bad, I'll come help you with fixing up your family's shop!'_

"Mick kind of reminds me of Jack in a way," Mega Man said.

"_Yeah, I guess,"_ Omega-Xis said. _"So, are we done here? I'm sure if we pulse out while in the Net like this, we'll pulse completely out and return to the real world."_

"Wow, really?" Mega Man asked. "Alright, well that makes Wave Changing back into human a lot easier." He was interrupted by a call, which an Air Display revealed it was Luna.

"_So Geo, I mean, Mega Man,"_ Luna asked, _"how is the Net?"_

"It's amazing," Mega Man said. "Did something happen, Prez?"

"_Well, there's going to be some kind of announcement here in the real world. Come on back whenever you can!"_

"Okay, we'll be there," Mega Man nodded. Mega Man pulsed out, ignorant of the green and brown being that was watching him. Said being had a brown lower body that was pure energy, yet in the shape of a horse, while his upper body had a humanoid appearance and was covered with silver armor. In his left hand was a huge hunting bow, while on his back was a quiver full of arrows.

"So that's what's become of Omega-Xis," the being mused. "…He's grown strong."

"_Are ya done scouting out the target?" _a voice asked. _"We gotta get ready to take him out."_

"Yes, I'm done," the being answered. "I'm mentally prepared for battle… but I cannot say the same for you."

"_What are you talkin' about?"_ the other voice replied. _"Ya say that like you can't trust me!"_

"I don't care if you're my Operator," the being replied. "You're a terrible human being… and I refuse to work with you unless you promise no civilians will be hurt."

"_You're awfully soft for a warrior from Planet FM!"_ the human laughed. _"Did all of the aggression your species have rust off with age!? You're not too afraid to fight a kid!?"_

"Orion," the FM-ian warned, "you don't want to go there. My prime was not a peaceful time period, nor is it something I'd wish on anyone. Besides, child or not, that is one of the first people who has ever Wave Changed on this planet in centuries… you are a fool to underestimate Mega Man."

"_What's a boy going to do with two warriors like us, Sagittarius?"_ Orion asked.

"That 'boy' has saved this planet three times now," Sagittarius responded. "You shouldn't underestimate any opponent, Orion. Remember, no civilian casualties. Mega Man will be our most dangerous hunt." Sagittarius pulsed out.

-GS-

**Central Town**

Geo reunited with his friends, all eager to hear about his experience. "So, what was the Net like?" Ace asked. "It seems like you found some information out."

"There was apparently an earthquake in Cyber City last night," Geo explained. "One that started in Central Area's Net and spread through there. Looking around, the area connects to a few other parts of Cyber City, so it hit the whole town, both Net and real world."

"Whoa, whoa!" Luna breathed. "An earthquake that spread from one world and to another!? That's… is that possible!?"

"Pedia?" Zack asked.

"_Calculating the odds,"_ Pedia said. _"…Estimates of earthquake from Wave-slash-Cyber World spreading to real world… 10 percent likelihood. However, it has to come from a powerful source…"_

"_A powerful source?" _Omega-Xis mused. _"Such as a Cybeast?"_ Ace gasped.

"Cybeasts!?" he questioned. "…I thought they were destroyed two hundred years ago… could they have come back!?"

"Cybeasts?" Bud asked. "What are those?"

"Powerful monsters that once terrorized early Net society," Geo answered with a scowl. "These monsters, in their battles against each other, nearly destroyed the Net. They were apparently defeated by the first MegaMan, and destroyed by the original Colonel and Iris."

"The first MegaMan helped destroy the Cybeasts?" Jack asked. "Man… I would have loved to see those monsters."

"We should be glad they're gone, Jack," Luna huffed. "Powerful monsters like those Cybeasts were no doubt a threat to society! Still, if they did exist today, I'd know who could stop them… Mega Man!"

"Prez!" Geo nearly yelled. "These people don't…!"

"Oh, right," Luna remembered. "Sorry…"

"Anyway, Geo," Zack said, "we should hurry. That announcement is starting, soon. We should get over there." A brisk walk over to the Event Arena later, Geo's group found themselves standing among a crowd of people, all curious to know what was going on.

Soon enough, a young woman with bright blue eyes, long blonde hair in a ponytail, and a passionate smile wearing a bright pink suit walked out onto the stage. People couldn't help but noticed a white cat pin attached to her suit. "Hello, one and all!" the woman greeted. "Once again, I'd like to thank you all for your support! You've made my time in office as your mayor splendid, all of you."

"I love you, Mayor Prairie!" a boy yelled. The mayor giggled.

"Alright, alright," Prairie said. "I know you're all wondering what I have in store for you all. Well, for those not in the know, at the end of this summer, there will be a Net Battle Tournament held in the newest district of Cyber City, Battle Town. For all of you Net Battlers, there, Battle Town is looking into next-generation Net Battling experience and elite virus-busting tactics. I would like to let you know all know that as of tomorrow, Battle Town will be officially open to the public!"

Everyone roared in applause. "Oh, I see," Geo realized.

"See what?" Jack asked.

"(Remember when I told you guys that Colonel and Iris made virus-related problems non-existent until the EM Viruses came to Earth? If Battle Town was researching virus-busting techniques, it would help successfully apply Colonel's anti-virus capabilities that would lead to a Net society free of virus-related problems and would make EM Wave society successful.)"

"(In that case, we better get Cyber City back to the past,)" Ace said. "(Our time may depend on it.)"

"Furthermore," Mayor Prairie continued, "we will have a demonstration of the new Net Battling we're looking into, the type we're planning to use in the tournament! We'll have two pre-chosen Net Battlers duke it out for the honor of becoming the man to beat for the grand prize of the tournament: the Paradox Crown! Everyone who wishes to take part in the Net Battle Tournament should come to Battle Town for a demonstration!"

"(And that's where we're going tomorrow,)" Ace said. "(If I know bad guys like I think I do, every time something important shows up, bad guys show their face. Hopefully the bad guy responsible for this will show as well.)"

"_(And we'll get to go buck wild on them!)"_ Omega-Xis grinned. _"(Besides, I want to see these new battling techniques!)"_

"That is all I wish to announce, ladies and gentlemen!" Mayor Prairie concluded her speech. "Once again, thank you all for coming out for this, and I hope to see you all in Battle Town!" The Mayor curtsied at the applause before walking away.

* * *

**Echo Ridge—Hours Later**

"I sure hope she's my ancestor," Luna smiled after the group got off the Wave Liner they took home. With nothing else they could do in Cyber City, Ace and Luna's Rescue Squad decided to call it a day, and Luna spent the ride home gushing over Mayor Prairie. "Mayor Prairie was so cool-looking!"

"Well, we've seen all we're going to right now," Ace said. "We'll have to investigate this Battle Town tomorrow and make sure it's covered."

"Oh, Ace," Geo spoke up. "Could you see about getting us Calendar Applications to the Hunter-VGs? Prez was initially disappointed, after all."

"Sure," Ace said. "I'll make sure to bring some tomorrow if you guys come. Speaking of which, Jack… I think your sister will want to talk to you about your grades." Jack's face turned pale.

"Aw, man!"

"I told you to study," Luna sighed. "Anyway, we should head back to Echo Ridge. We'll all agree to meet up at the Wave Liner Station tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, Prez!" Geo, Bud, and Zack immediately agreed.

"Geo, make sure that if you head up to either the roof of the school or over to Vista Point, you stay warm."

"I will," Geo promised.

"Bud, don't spend all night playing video games, okay?"

"Okay, Prez!"

"Zack, relax on trying to make your taller for one night."

"Got it, Prez."

"And Jack, don't give your sister a hard time tonight!"

"I promise," Jack groaned.

"You have these boys whipped," Ace commented. "Did you ever think about becoming a drill sergeant for the Satellia Police?"

"Nope," Luna answered. The group, with nothing else to say, went their separate ways, Ace taking Jack with him to file his report to WAZA while Geo and Omega-Xis went back to the Stelar residence.

* * *

**Cyber City—Central Town**

In the dead of night, a blue-green clock formed in the air near a house not too far from the LevBus station. Two cloaked figures emerged from the clock, each holding onto part of an orange vest wearing young boy. "Are you sure about this?" one of the figures asked. "You know you're risking a lot."

"I know," the second cloaked figure answered. "But I'm sure we won't be caught… at least, not now."

"We won't, ever, as long as we don't talk about it," the first said. "We could strike it up as sheer chance that he ended up in this era right here. You have a huge heart, dear… can't say who we're working with shares that big-heartedness, but I know now that I'm not the only girl here with a conscience. Regardless, he broke your deal with him that no innocents would be hurt. Are you going to try to find the others?"

"I'm afraid that's beyond my power, right now," the second girl replied. "Navigating the maze of Time Waves is taxing… I could barely lead us this far. And even if it wasn't, if I was caught assisting him directly by attempting to reunite them all—"

"You're worried about what those monsters we're both stuck working with would do. Especially the commander…" The second girl said nothing in response. "Listen, you can still tear into him… I know you hate it when innocent people get hurt. But right now, we should focus on saving your idol, here… and then get back to work. We have a lot to do."

"…Thank you…" the second girl whispered.

"Don't mention it," the first girl said. "Really. By the way, do you have the key to this vacant house, because I don't know how to get in?"

"Don't worry, she's already on it." The two heard the door click open. "There we are. Let's hurry and put him in bed…" They then dragged the unconscious boy into the house.

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Note: I really hate myself for making a tournament announcement. Tournament arcs are ridiculous to write… good thing I've decided that we're not focusing on that... I've had enough of tournaments by BN4.

Anyway, for those of you wondering why I wrote in Meddy and Jasmine from BN5's _Team ProtoMan _even though general consensus (and the fact that Colonel had a major role in the plot of BN6 regardless of version) considers _Team Colonel _as the canon version of the game, I got bored and figured those two would help with a story arc I'm thinking about doing.

So, we should probably go through reviews.

**Ghost501: **You know, it's disturbing how right you are. The games make it very darn clear that a society that has everything connected to the internet and a strong dependence on it (i.e., OUR current society) should have better network security. Approximately how many security breeches resulted in near disaster in the original BN games? At least twice WWW agents caused dangerous animals to be released from their cages at a zoo or an aquarium and cause havoc. How many people could have died because of those?

As for Luna and Jack... it's kind of very loosely based off an alternate character interpretation that Jack has an unrequited crush on Luna (which seems to be the case as well as Zack and Bud, since I'm really wondering what other reason they hang out with Luna as her yes men prior to SF2 and 3). Geo and Jack aren't exactly very different when it comes to the Prez, especially their inital reactions to meeting Luna (borderline antagonistic, with Geo annoyed about Luna's attempts to get him to come to school, and Jack running away from her and telling her to leave him alone). However, as Jack bonds with the group during the Alohaha episode, he seems to have a good time, and seems shocked and horrified about Luna discovering his secret identity by accident (similar to Geo when Luna discovered his... also by accident). When Luna was "killed" by Joker, Jack was really thrown off his game... sure, Geo had a freak out and collapsed in shock, but King had to pull Jack away from active duty from Dealer and sent Tia on a solo mission because Jack was that affected by Luna's "death". And when he came to Echo Ridge Elementary to fight Geo, he was shocked to all heck to find Luna alive and well after watching Joker kill her in extremely cold blood. He also even shot down Corvus' remark about how Jack only cares about destruction when Luna asked. The reason I have Jack and Luna going through this whole "slap-slap-compliment" thing going on is that it still feels like these two would butt heads because they have far stronger personality clashes than Geo would with either of them. Also, if I WAS going down the romance road and I went with GeoXSonia (I'm not saying I will), Luna would at least have Jack...

**Matteso585:** Great... now I can't get the guy who voices Brock Samson and some other guys out of my head as a talking fire cow. And also, Omega-Xis sounds like a deeper Jack Fenton. Thanks for that.

**Guest:** Yeah, I bet a lot of people were waiting for this.

**ig1712mgj:** Well, I'm keeping you half happy. Now, I understand everyone's want for me to make Cross Fusion happen, but I thought I addressed this last chapter. Perhaps I wasn't clear... the reason that Cross Fusion would most likely not happen until very late into the story (if at all) is because I feel that Cross Fusion would just completely overshadow the _Star Force_ characters. Keep in mind that the EM Wave Changes you see in the SF games seem to be a recently rediscovered phenonmenon, and I'm assuming a lot of the research on Cross Fusion, Dimensional Areas, Synchro Chips, and whether or not they ever existed has perhaps been lost in 200 years... and even if the research did exist, where it would be hidden and exactly how powerful would it be in comparison to the average EM Wave Changer (who judging by the fact they DON'T need the technological constraints of the Dimensional Areas to act are much stronger). That kind of information would be something the Hikaris, assuming that they were the ones who invented this technology, would take to the grave. Also, where would the Hikaris have come up with the technology? The answer would probably be Mu.

Before anyone calls "bullcrap" on this theory, hear me out. It's established that _Battle Network _and _Star Force_ share a timeline. While I'll admit I'm skeptical that ancient Earth had armored knights, sentinent dinosaurs, and master ninjas fighting each other over a floating contenient and had Electromagnetic Wave technology so advanced that they essentially ruled Earth, it technically happened if the Ancient Star Carriers and UMAs are proof. Furthermore, Cross Fusion and EM Wave Change work almost exactly the same way, and who on Earth mastered it first if Mu was the ancient society that ruled Earth prior to the _Battle Network_ games? Judging by the boss rush at the end of _Star Force 2,_ I'd say the Murians... in short, Solo's ancestors, the warrior people of Mu who threw away bonds. So, it's possible that if the Hikaris researched Cross Fusion, they would need a source like Mu to find that technology...

Furthermore, this story series is based almost _**exclusively**_ on the game universes... with very few direct ties to the animes of either series. As much as I like Cross Fusion, this is where the BN games and the NT Warrior anime split almost completely apart. That is why I'm still trying to find ways for Lan to do his thing despite the technological constraints so he's not completely helpless, and Lan has proven time and again he is a quick thinker when it comes to figuring out real world solutions to a problem. He just has to keep his foes from leaving the Cyber/Wave Worlds, and he and Hub can clean their clocks. Not hard to do for some of them.

**Emerald Pichu:** Glad you like. I try to appeal with people by using continuity. This is especially so since these two series have essentially reached a climax for both series and this story is a timeline exploration/add-on for both series. I'm using a lot of creative liberties with the timeline, however, since there's 200 years between the two series and anyone can make up some seriously crazy stuff that happens in 200 years... like a ship battle in Choinese waters, a new drought in the Netfrica's desert driving the animals mad, Creamland being invaded, just to name a few things. Of course, while I have a few ideas, I'm always open to new suggestions, here about when and where I should take this adventure.

**Guest:** Thank you.


	8. Chapter 7: The Battle Stadium CC

A/N: Welcome back to _Mega Man Star Network. _We now come into the part where we tackle the next dungeon. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Awakening and the Battle Stadium CC**

-LH-

**ACDC Town?**

Lan looked around, finding himself in ACDC Town. In the park, he spotted his friends and family, enjoying a group picnic, Hub included in his actual human form. In fact, Roll, GutsMan, and Glyde also joined them, Roll affectionately holding onto Hub's arm. Mayl noticed him, and waved him over.

"Guys…" Lan breathed, relieved to see them. He skated towards them, only to notice the sky becoming dark. "What the…?" When he turned to the group, they were all looking behind him in fear. Lan turned to see a colossal ChronoMan and Dark Phantom, the former brandishing his sinister scythe and the latter twirling his cane.

"Hello, hero," Dark Phantom taunted, his Phantom Claw shooting out past him. His friends and family started to run, but Mayl wasn't fast enough. The Phantom Claw grasped Mayl, who yelped in agony and fear as she was grabbed.

"Mayl!" Roll yelled, turning her arm into the Roll Arrow and shooting it a few times, only for Dark Phantom to brush the arrows away with his cape.

"Lan, help!" Mayl screamed.

"MAYL!" Lan yelled, moving as fast as he could. As he did, his clothes became an orange suit of armor, almost like an orange MegaMan. He reached out to grab her hand, which was extended. Right before their fingers could make contact, Lan felt his backpack yanked by a pair of fingers. He turned his head to see a colossal green-clad figure with purple scars over his sinister blue eyes, and a yellow-orange Σ over a red background as his emblem.

"Let him go!" Hub yelled before his body became encased in blue armor, becoming MegaMan again. MegaMan charged up his Buster, and unleashed a Charged Shot. Although the massive figure holding Lan took a direct hit, it did nothing to him. All it did was turn his attention to the older Hikari twin, grabbing him as well. While the two struggled, Dark Phantom bent down and plucked Roll from the ground, taunting the two with her and her Net Op.

"You two make poor heroes if you can't even so much as make him flinch," Dark Phantom remarked. "Too bad this script calls for you to watch!"

And watch the two did. ChronoMan raised his scythe and slashed through Higsby's Chip Shop, scattering rubble everywhere. The Number Trader's head was all that was left of the shop before ChronoMan brought his foot down on it, making a sickening crunch. ChronoMan turned towards both Yai's mansion and ACDC Junior High, ripping through both with his scythe. The giant Navi then destroyed Dex's house by summoning an hourglass and then dropping it on the house. The old Navi, deciding that he was done messing around, turned his attention to Lan and Mayl's homes—the only two hiding spots left in suburban ACDC.

"No!" Lan yelled, his arm turning into a Mega Buster. He then shot a few blasts from his buster to damage ChronoMan, his brother joining in. This caused the massive figure holding them to squeeze them harder, making them stop. "Don't do this…!"

"You brought this chaos on yourselves, Hikaris," the figure answered. "Every time you two stick your noses into someone else's affairs, you only succeed in endangering the people you care about. This is the reason it's risky climbing to the top—the more power, fame, and people you have around you, the more you risk losing. Eventually, someone like us would have come along and took it all away. Just like this."

ChronoMan slashed through both houses, leaving Lan, Mayl, Roll, and MegaMan speechless. Dark Phantom broke into laughter that shook Lan to the core right before holding Mayl and Roll above his open mouth… and then dropping the two.

"No… no…"

* * *

**Cyber City—Central Town—22XX**

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Lan yelled, sitting up in a bed. His hard breathing echoed throughout the room. He then looked around. He appeared to be in a bedroom, only without any of the decorations.

"…What in the world…?" Lan asked himself. "Where am I…?" He then gasped when he looked around. He found his PET, safe and sound. "Was that all a nightmare…?" He turned on the PET, awakening MegaMan.

"_Ugh, Lan… good morning," _MegaMan spoke up. _"What happened…?"_

"I don't know," Lan said. Wait… MegaMan would know if it was a dream. "MegaMan… did you dream that we went to Cyber City, only for it to have disappeared and been replaced by a town from the future?"

"…_I think I remember that,"_ MegaMan recalled. _"There was also the battle against former Mayor Cain and his Navi ChronoMan… there was also that crazy guy who turned into a monster and everyone… Mom, Dad, Mayl, Roll, Dex, GutsMan, Yai, and Glyde… they're all gone…"_

"…Yeah, I… I remember that," Lan confessed. He then reached into his nearby pocket, pulling out the Hunter-VG. This confirmed his worst fear: all of it wasn't a cruel nightmare, that it all did happen… that just about everyone was gone. "…Vic-Vac…?"

The Matter Wave materialized in the real world next to the bed. "Morning, boys… that wasn't a dream, I'm afraid…"

"…So, everyone is literally… gone…" Lan said, mainly to himself. "…It's all my fault. I knew it was a possible trap, but I went in anyway! If it wasn't for me, then everyone could have…"

"Kid, it's not your fault," Vic-Vac said. "Chances are, even if you didn't show up, the Great Clock could have exploded and thousands of people could have been killed. You did the right thing, even if that 'right thing' turned out to be a trap. Now that I know you're from the past, I can say that you would have never been prepared for those guys. Let me tell you something about the future: That Hyde guy was an EM Wave Changer. Just like that Pat kid. EM Wave Changers are a dime a dozen, and can be good or really bad. The Mega Man who I've heard of from is also an EM Wave Changer."

"_What exactly are EM Wave Changers?"_ MegaMan asked. _"That Hyde guy turned into 'Dark Phantom' by fusing with his Wizard, right? And Pat did so, too."_

"Yeah," Vic-Vac nodded. "EM Wave Changers are basically humans who can merge with an EM Body like that Phantom Wizard. If I had been a few seconds earlier, I could have dusted regular Phantom. But once he merged with Hyde to form Dark Phantom, his power was way beyond my league. In the real world, EM Wave Changers are much stronger than normal humans, since they gain supernatural or at least superhuman abilities… almost like Navis."

"_Yeah,"_ MegaMan said. _"Dark Phantom… he could summon ghosts and had ghostly powers."_

"If he was in the Cyber World or Wave World, we could have taken him," Vic-Vac reasoned. "But with him in the real world, he wiped the floor with us. Well, you… I was full, but even if I wasn't, I wouldn't have been much help, anyway. My point here, Lan, is there was nothing you could have done, so don't blame yourself for this. Besides, ChronoMan could have destroyed Wilshire Hills… the fact that you stopped him still means you're a hero."

"Some hero I am if I can't protect everyone I care about," Lan groaned. "My parents are gone, Dex and Yai are who knows where, I was too late to help my new friend Pat, and Mayl… where did she go!? The fact that Cain went after all of them was because he wanted to hurt me! And now, I don't know where I am, or how to get any of them back!"

"I know, I heard, kid," Vic-Vac said. "Look, Lan… you and your brother here may have been out cold during our little trip through time, but… I wasn't. We appear to be in some place called Central Town." Lan and MegaMan blinked.

"What!?" Lan asked. "…Central Town… as in, Cyber City!?"

"_Wow,"_ MegaMan breathed. _"We somehow ended up in Cyber City…"_

"A cute girl around your age brought us here," Vic-Vac said. "I think she was that Wish Genie from the Great Clock CC…"

"_Wish Genie?"_ MegaMan repeated. _"So, she's another EM Wave Changer? That's the second time she helped, despite being with Cain."_

"Why is she helping us, then?" Lan asked. "If she's the enemy, she's having a very difficult time convincing us."

_**BEEP-BA-BEEP! BEEP-BA-BEEP!**_

"_Lan, we have two e-mails,"_ MegaMan changed the subject. _"One is from the Net Police… and the other is… from Yai…"_

"From Yai?"

_**Subject: Friends Forever**_

_**Sender: Yai**_

'_Lan, Mayl, Dex,_

'_I quickly wrote this email during the elevator ride up to the Shopping Plaza. This__ is just in case we ever get separated. Our codenames for our new Hunter-VGs, so we can stay connected to each other, no matter where or when we are._

'_Lan: HikariBN_

'_Mayl: PianoBear_

'_Dex: ACDCGuts_

'_Yours truly: Y20XX_

'_Remember them, and remember our bond!_

'_Yai'_

"Yai, remembered," Lan smiled. He then turned to his Hunter-VG, and typed those in. Suddenly, a number popped up on his Hunter, being labeled _'LP'._ The number was at zero, but then rocketed up to 120.

"_Three Brother Bands confirmed,"_ the Hunter-VG spoke up.

"Brother Bands?" Lan asked. "…Huh…"

"Don't ask me, kid," Vic-Vac said. "I'm not very savvy when it comes to Brother Bands, only that I know those are rather close connections between close friends and even family members. I don't know how, but those bonds of your seem to extend beyond the boundaries of time and space. As long as those Brother Bands exist, your friends are still alive… even in different places in time. What about that other e-mail?"

_**Subject: Battle Town Demonstration**_

_**Sender: Net Police**_

'_Ladies and gentlemen of Cyber City, we would like to remind everyone that Battle Town is officially open to the public. If you are interested in the upcoming End of Summer Tournament, Mayor Prairie would like you give a demonstration of the new Battle System today in Battle Town.'_

"A Net Battle Tournament?" Lan asked. "…I think I'll pass."

"_Pass!?"_ MegaMan asked. _"But Lan… you love Net Battling!"_

"Net Battling cost me everyone I care about, Hub," Lan scowled. "If I didn't take up Net Battling, I wouldn't have made the enemies that took everyone away! And we have no idea where they ended up. I've lost everyone I've fought for…"

"…_Then let's fight to get it back,"_ MegaMan said. _"If we're in Cyber City, then we were sent wherever and whenever ChronoMan and Cain sent it… 22XX. If I know Cain like I think I know bad guys like him, there's no way he wouldn't just leave Cyber City alone. He has to have others working for him here. And if they were going to try anything, it would be at…"_

"Battle Town?" Lan asked.

"_There you go, Lan!" _MegaMan grinned. _"We're finally using the fact that we can't help but attract trouble wherever we go to our advantage. And if we catch them, we can figure out how to travel through time like ChronoMan and Cain, which could help us reunite with our friends, Mom, and Dad! Lan, come on… like you encouraged me, I'm encouraging you. We need to do this… besides, remember the last thing Dad said. We'll find a way through this… and we just realized we have one."_

"…Thanks, Hub," Lan smiled. He then climbed out of the bed, returning Vic-Vac to the Hunter-VG. Lan Hikari was shaken and bruised, but if there was some way to save his parents, Mayl, Yai, and Dex, he would find it. "Looks like we're really earning our title as Hikaris."

_"And this is definitely a job for a Hikari,"_ MegaMan agreed. _"Figuring out how time-travel works? Grandpa would be proud."_

"By the way," Lan asked while looking around, "is it just me, or does it look like we're in our old house? We haven't really been here in over a year."

"_We're definitely in our old house,"_ MegaMan noticed. _"If Central Town hasn't changed much, we shouldn't have too much trouble getting around. Let's go."_

-GS-

**Echo Ridge**

Geo got out of bed, and headed downstairs to see his parents. "Hi, Mom, Dad."

"Geo, Mega," Kelvin nodded. Omega-Xis materialized next to Geo. "Listen, we already know you're investigating the Wilshire Hills incident…"

"…You already know?" Geo asked.

"Geo, you're my son," Kelvin smiled. "How you managed to hide the fact that you're Mega Man from your mother for around a year, I'll never know. Though if I've heard correctly, you have two little girlfriends… that Platz girl from yesterday, and if I've read those tabloids right, Harp Note?"

"Dad!" Geo blushed. If there was one thing Geo hated, it was being talked about by the media. Prior to the world discovering his secret identity, Geo was pretty shy about being "Mega Man". He only started being a hero to protect his mother from the very real threat the FM-ians had on Earth, but when Luna Platz and Harp Note, a.k.a. Sonia Strumm, entered his life, he decided to really get serious about protecting people close to him. Of course, the media had to blow up the issue and publish as many stories as possible about Mega Man as they could get, including the tabloids. There were articles about whether Mega Man was dating or-even more ridulous-engaged to Harp Note. While he was embarrassed about these stories (as was Sonia when she found out, although becoming very quiet when she read them), Luna took this is somewhat casual stride.

That was for all of five minutes before buying every copy of this particular tabloid in town, calling someone in Netopia named Kidd Gruff (who was apparently on Project-TC with Geo and Sonia which left Geo wondering how she even GOT her hands on his number), and got him to agree to let his Wizard Goat **EAT** each of the tabloids she ripped up while she recorded it.

"Anyway, Geo," Hope said, bringing her son back to reality. "I'm not going to stop you. If anyone can figure out what happened to Wilshire Hills and how to save it, it's you and Omega-Xis. Just… be careful. Every time you do something dangerous, Geo, you barely come home."

"I know," Geo confessed. "I'm really sorry that I worry you every time I go face something huge. But this time, we really don't have much of a choice… if we don't get IFL Tower back…"

"We know," Kelvin nodded. "Our EM Wave technology will be powerless, you and I won't have our own powers… and we'll be defenseless from anything else time throws at us. Geo, its times like this I wish I could help more… but you've become a bigger hero on your own. Still, be careful."

"I will, Dad," Geo nodded. "I promise."

"And I'll make sure he keeps it," Omega-Xis nodded. "See ya, Kelvin and Hope."

"Bye, Geo, and Omega-Xis!" Hope waved as the two headed out. "...Good luck."

Outside, Geo's friends were all gathered out at the Wave Liner. "Morning, Geo!" Luna waved. "So, today's the day of that demonstration in Battle Town, right?"

"Yeah, that's it," Geo said.

"So, why again was Net Battling so popular two-hundred years ago?" Luna asked. "It seems a little barbaric to have Net Navis fight each other?"

"It's true that Net Battling had two Net Navis fighting each other," Geo recalled, "but it was a competitive sport and many were controlled, friendly battles where no permanent damage was done to the Navis. Considering that Navis were programs, they could be safely jacked out and repaired in their PETs."

"And also backed up in case of deletion," Zack added. Bud and Luna looked at him, surprised. "I researched Net Battling before I went to bed. Pedia and I couldn't do it, but Geo and Omega-Xis could…"

"Hey, the train's here!" Bud said. Sure enough, the Real Waves that were the bridges of Echo Ridge disappeared, and the Wave Liner pulled up. The group boarded the train, heading for Cyber City once more.

* * *

**Cyber City—Battle Town**

Upon arriving in Battle Town, they saw the massive stadium that was in the center of town. They also saw so many billboards and even a huge holographic screen showing two Navis duking it out. However, four people were noticeable—Ace, Jack, Tia, and, surprisingly, Bob Copper.

"Detective Copper?" Geo asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I'd ask you the same," Copper chuckled, "but we all know why we're here."

"Copper insisted on coming onto the case, and Tia insisted on joining us here," Ace elaborated.

"And someone here seriously needs tutoring if he's going to pass the next grade," Tia added, looking at her brother. "Just because it's a convienent cover doesn't mean I spent my time actually getting my elementary teaching degree for you to not get a somewhat formal education."

"Man, really?" Jack groaned.

"So, we're studying the history of Net Battling in exchange for his cooperation with actually studying," Tia said.

"Anyway," Copper spoke up holding his Hunter-VG, "we're detecting two unregistered EM Wave Changers in the area."

"Two unregistered EM Wave Changers!?" Geo asked.

"Um," Luna spoke up, "as someone here who hasn't willingly Wave Changed, what does that mean?"

"Right, civilians," Copper explained. "We refer to those who aren't registered under Arthur and Goodall's Project Trans-Code as unregistered Wave Changers, or UWCs for short. As you kids already know, Project Trans-Code registers people capable of performing an EM Wave Change in order to better monitor and control the chaos and damage such people make, especially after the UMAs and the Neo Mu Empire. Anyone registered in the system is officially affiliated with the Satellia Police so we can track them down and arrest them if they go rogue much easier. However, the restraints of a Hunter-VG are sometimes circumvented by certain people, allowing them to Wave Change without being in the system. Those who aren't registered cannot be trusted at best and are considered hostile at worst. In short, they're illegal EM Wave Changers and must be either registered or arrested immediately or we risk chaos."

"Whoa," Zack said. "So, these guys could be dangerous? What do they look like?"

"Well, as a side effect of UWCs not being registered, we don't know what they look like," Ace pointed out. "Geo, Bud, could you guys keep an eye out for any EM Wave Beings?"

"Can do!" Geo nodded.

"We'll look around for anyone suspicious," Bud promised.

"Okay, look around and we'll meet inside the Battle Stadium," Ace said.

Geo's group looked at each other. Luna requested, "Okay, Geo, you talk to people outside the Stadium, see if you find anyone suspicious. We'll check inside, okay?"

"Um, fine," Geo nodded. He looked around the building, seeing if anyone was standing out. Of all of the people in Battle Town, there was a noticeable tall man. It was a fiery red-haired man with a red pointed beard, wearing a red suit with a flame emblem embedded on his jacket.

"FireMan," the man chuckled, "ya ready to light this place up?"

"_Let's do this," _a deep voice answered.

"_Well, if that guy ain't suspicious, then I honestly don't know the meaning of the word," _Omega-Xis quipped.

Before Geo could attempt to walk over to him, a girl's voice spoke up, "Um, excuse me…" Geo turned to see a girl with dark brown skin, brown eyes, and a shy smile on her face. Her hair was brown and free down to her mid back. In her ears was a pair of gold earrings with an amethyst in them. She was wearing a purple and red dress that cut off just below her knees, and a pair of purple sandals was resting on her feet.

"Oh, um, hi…" Geo greeted.

"I couldn't help but notice you were looking around," the girl said. "Are you new here, too?"

"Yeah, actually," Geo confessed. "Are you?"

"I am," the girl sighed. "I really don't know my way around town… but I think I heard your name before. Geo, right?"

"…Wait, you know me!?" Geo asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the girl said. "I overheard your friends saying your name. Anyway, I'm Asha… I was kind of hoping to talk…"

"Really, about what?" Geo asked.

"There was somebody looking for you, if I remember correctly," Asha said.

"Someone's looking for me?" Geo repeated.

"Geo!" a familiar voice spoke up. Geo turned around, seeing Mick walking up to him. "I take it you're just as interested as well? This tournament's gonna be awesome!"

"Um, yeah," Geo said. He turned around, only to see the girl he was talking to had disappeared. "…Where did she go…?" He also noticed the suspicious man had also vanished. "Where did that guy go?"

"What guy?" Mick asked.

"Some redheaded guy," Geo answered.

"Oh, Mr. Match!" Mick realized. "He and Miss Shuko are two Link Navi Teachers in Cyber City. Mr. Match uses fire-type Navis, kind of like my worthless old man elementary teacher Mr. Mach. I wonder if he's gonna be a part of the demonstration."

"There you are, Geo!" Luna spoke up. She walked over to them. "Oh, and Mick's here, too."

"Of course I'm here," Mick said. "I really want to see this new Net Battling arena!"

"Prez, when did you get out here?" Geo asked.

"Well, I wanted to check up on you," Luna answered. "Now come on, the demonstration is starting. It's supposed to be in the Center Arena." Luna grabbed Geo's wrist, dragging him along. Mick, confused, followed the two, though he had to admit that he was kind of jealous that his new friend had a cute girl like Luna attached to him.

Asha, meanwhile, walked from behind a nearby hotdog stand, looking onward.

As they walked through the stadium, they couldn't help but notice a collection of odd dolls throughout the stadium in action poses. Mick explained they were Copy Bots, part of Cyber City's next-gen Net society research, though he had no idea why those were there.

Eventually, the three joined Bud, Zack, and Jack in the huge spectator's stands. It was easy finding Bud because of the huge pile of snacks in his arms, though Mick sat away from them. While the Stadium was surprisingly large on the outside, the stands were jam packed with a crowd that had to at least number 500,000 people. That, combined with the huge selection of odd machines Geo's group had never seen before displaying holographic images, made this place amazing. Mayor Prairie was standing in the middle of the Center Arena next to one of these machines.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the mayor called out, "I'm so glad everyone's here today! We can now begin with the End of Summer Tournament Demonstration. If I may direct everyone's attention to the Battle Stadium CC…" The machine she was standing next to seemed to light up in response. "Notice that this looks like an ordinary Net Battle Machine. However, as many travelers will note, not all Net Battles will take place on a simple grid and combat between two Navis has more than just the other Navi to worry about… That's why this Battle Stadium CC has randomized the environments, forcing both Navi and Operators to think on their feet in the heat of battle! Mastering your surroundings and taking on your opponent full throttle despite your surroundings will be key to become the winner of this tourney!"

The crowd went wild at the mayor's announcement. _"Now I really wish we were in this!" _Omega-Xis said. _"It would make all of our battles against those strong foes look like child's play!"_

"Alright, then," Prairie continued. "We will now really begin the demonstration. And what better way to begin this by having two pre-selected operators come into the arena! Our first operator is a handsome fellow from Den City who had but a year ago joined the teaching staff of Cyber Academy. He's got a burning spirit and a collection of the hottest Navis—and I mean literally hot—that anyone has seen! Introducing Mr. Match!" The crowd went wild as the red-headed man Geo spotted before walked in, grinning at the applause.

"Thank you, Miss Mayor," he grinned. "Now, hope you don't mind that I brought some heat into this affair."

"Not at all," Mayor Prairie giggled. "So, care to introduce your Navi?"

"Gladly," Match grinned. "Jack-in, FireMan, Execute!" Sure enough, a tall red Navi with two burners for arms and a flame spouting from his head appeared.

"_Bring on the competition," _FireMan challenged. _"I'll roast them!"_

"Well, looks like you two are more than willing to get this party started," Prairie noted. "So, without ado, let's introduce the challenger. He's certainly keeping his past mysterious other than the fact that he's ex-military! He says he has a Navi that's out of this world and a warrior, through and through! Here comes the mysterious Orion Vile!"

The crowd applauded as a tall man came into the arena. He was a short haired man with dark brown, almost black curly hair, dark green eyes, and a noticeable scar running across his exposed neck towards his right shoulder. He was wearing a dark green camo shirt under his open blue jacket, and a pair of baggy jeans.

"You look like ya been through a lot," Match noticed.

"And you haven't, Mr. Ex-WWW?" Orion replied. Match scowled, but said nothing as the man pulled out a device. Geo's group noticed what it was right away.

"A Hunter-VG!?" Geo asked. However, he was ignored as a centaur-like creature appeared from across FireMan.

"This guy is known as Sagittarius," Orion said. "He'll be deleting your Navi very soon, Match. Take these last few moments before the battle starts to say goodbye."

"_Sagittarius is here!?"_ Omega-Xis asked. _"…Kid, I think we just found one of the illegal Wave Changers… and if he's as strong as ever, we're gonna be in for a heck of a fight."_

"…_So, you're my opponent," _Sagittarius spoke up. _"Not to be insulting, but when I heard 'FireMan', I was honestly expecting a water-type user."_

"_Why would you say that?"_ FireMan demanded.

"_Well, a fireman's job is to fight fires, right?"_ Sagittarius answered. _"However, nobody seems to remember that fact… still, let's have a clean match, you and I. I have no real quarrel with you. I only hope my student is watching."_

"_You better hope not, horsey,"_ FireMan scowled. _"Because tonight, you're on the barbeque list!"_

"_I yield that you have better banter,"_ Sagittarius bowed. _"Now, shall we duel?"_

"_We shall."_

"Wow, the match hasn't even started yet," Prairie said, "and shots have already been fired between Net Ops and Navis! Before we begin, I'd just like to remind everyone that the winner of this battle will be given the Paradox Crown until the End of Summer Tournament, where they will face the winner of the Tournament in a full-on battle!"

As if on cue, a pillar was adored with a spotlight. On this pillar contained a gold and silver crown with a black and white clock symbol embedded on the front of it. No doubt was it the OOPArt that Geo read about on the BBS yesterday. Just to check, Geo flipped down his Visualizer, and saw the EM Waves radiating off of the crown in the shape of what appeared to be some type of white angel holding a huge bow.

Geo knew, right then and there, that the Paradox Crown needed to be destroyed.

"Let's get started! Match and FireMan vs. Orion and Sagittarius! Battle routine, set!"

"_Execute!"_ FireMan yelled.

"_Ride on!"_ Sagittarius called back. The FM-ian rushed towards FireMan, arrow drawn while FireMan raised his arms to shoot out a Fire Arm. The environment soon changed from a normal arena to a factory, where the two used the machinery as cover while trading blows. While the two duked it out, Geo looked at Omega-Xis in his Hunter.

"Are you absolutely sure THAT'S the illegal EM-Wave Changer?" Geo asked Omega-Xis.

"_It has to be him,"_ Omega-Xis said. _"An FM-ian like Sagittarius, no matter how powerful they are, is greatly limited on Earth. In order to use his full power, Sagittarius needs a partner… and an ex-military guy like that Orion guy is just the human he would need. We have to stop this match before it gets too out of control!"_

"Mega, you forget that we're from the future," Geo whispered. "These people don't know anything about EM Wave Changes… and there isn't really a place I can get to the Wave Road from here."

"_Dang, you're right…"_ Omega-Xis realized.

Meanwhile, in the battle, Sagittarius' next volley of arrows was burned away by FireMan. FireMan had been dominating the fight, Sagittarius being unable to land a real hit on him. The fact that the environment turned into a cyber volcano and they were on a collection of stone platforms over magna did not help. _"Are those arrows the best you have?"_ the fire Navi asked.

"_Not quite, but I wanted to analyze your moves,"_ Sagittarius confessed. _"Now that I have…"_ Sagittarius grabbed his bow, and broke it in half to reveal it was a pair of large hunting knives. _"I won't hold back, anymore. Hunter's Blade!"_ The FM-ian rushed FireMan, slashing him.

"_What the…?" _FireMan growled in pain. _"You… that was fast…"_

"_We FM-ians do travel through the Wave Roads at a quick pace,"_ Sagittarius answered. _"I'll return you to your PET soon, but I need just one thing from you first…"_

"_What...?"_ FireMan growled in agony.

"_This."_ The FM-ian grabbed FireMan's Navi's symbol, and his eyes glowed bright. _"Downloading Fire Historic… now."_ FireMan growled in pain for a moment, but then grew limp before Sagittarius pulled away… but not without something that wowed the audience. A holographic copy of FireMan was floating in front of Sagittarius, before disappearing and surrounding him. When the holographic FireMan was gone, Sagittarius' armor was red, his waves turned an orange hue, and his tail was a bright blue flame.

"_Was that… my soul!?"_ FireMan demanded.

"_No, that was just a copy of your powers,"_ Sagittarius replied. _"I wished it was less painful for you, but I have just started experimenting with it. I am merely borrowing your ancient ways of fire before I face Mega Man."_

"MegaMan!?" Match asked, looking at Orion. "You mean, you're after Lan and his Navi?"

"Who the heck is Lan?" Orion asked. "I'm after a kid named Geo Stelar! Still, your Navi and you have outlived your usefulness, now that we have your power of fire… so I'm gonna have to delete you."

"_Orion!" _Sagittarius scowled. _"We said no civilian casualties!"_

"Correction," Orion sneered. "YOU said no civilian casualties. I simply didn't care. Wizard Off!" Before Sagittarius could protest, he disappeared from the Battle Machine, returning to Orion's Hunter-VG. "And now, the hunt really begins…"

"Wait, I don't get it," Prairie spoke up. "We have one Navi who is unable to battle anymore, and the other one jacked out before I could call it. So, who really won…?"

"I did, Miss Mayor," Orion sneered. "For I now control this whole City, starting with Battle Town's Stadium! Boys!" All of the sudden, a group of purple Heel Navis burst through the doors to the arena, surrounding the Mayor and Match. Orion, meanwhile, picked up the Parodox Crown.

"What in the blazes!?" Match scowled. "Copy Bots!?"

"Indeed," Orion answered. "They're fellow hunters of Mega Man… and now, we've taken Mayor Prairie and this whole crowd hostage. If anyone tries to leave the stadium, it won't end well for the Mayor… unless, of course, Mega Man surrenders himself to me within the next hour."

"And how do you plan on controlling the Stadium if ya don't have your Navi jacked in!?" Match asked.

"I suppose I'll just have to trans in myself and make my demands to the Net Police from there," Orion grinned. He threw his jacket off, revealing his right arm was completely mechanical, and there was a Hunter-VG-shaped slot. "EM Wave Change! Orion Vile, On the Air!" He placed his Hunter-VG into the artificial arm's slot, triggering his Wave Change. His upper body was encased in silver combat armor with an entire helmet encasing his head. His lower body, however, became that of a horse's, being dark brown with a white energy tail.

"Oh my," Prairie breathed. She was much more curious than scared. "How did he do that?"

"Shut up, lady!" one of the Heel Navis scowled. "We're running the show, now! Why aren't you scared!?"

"Because someone has to be strong for her people," Prairie said, closing her eyes. "I'm perfectly willing to die for them, sir. The question, though, is your boss?"

"Why you…!" the Heel Navi growled. "I obey nobody!"

"Really?" Prairie asked. "Because Mr. Vile here seems to be calling the shots." The Navi would have struck her if he wasn't shot in the back by one of Sagittarius Arrow's arrows. The Copy Bot returned to normal, though it had an arrow sticking out of it.

"Boys, don't rough the poor girl up," Orion said. "Not until I say so, at least." He then turned into a ball of energy and then disappeared into the battle machine, where he appeared in his holographic form. Clearing his throat, he said, _"Ladies and gentlemen! This is your new Mayor, Sagittarius Arrow! I would like to let you know that Miss Prairie is now in the care of my fellow Hunters. Any attempts to enter or exit Battle Stadium will result in the Mayor's immediate execution. Now, unless Mega Man surrenders himself to me in the next sixty minutes, I'll kill the Mayor, anyway. And from that point, I'll have a person killed every ten minutes he doesn't surrender himself."_

"Even I didn't do that during my bad days!" Match scowled. "You're scum!"

"_Scum I am,"_ Sagittarius Arrow said, _"but I know how to get my foe's attention. Better hurry, Mega Man… I know you're here! This can end very quickly if you give yourself up!"_

"Oh no!" Luna breathed. "Geo, they have the Mayor! We have to save her, somehow!"

"Yeah, I know," Geo scowled. "But if I fight him, he'll just kill the Mayor…"

"Glad that I'm here, then," Ace said as he and Tia walked up. "Bud, you and I will be running interference with the enemy… you go Taurus Fire, I think Acid can handle anyone you miss with my operation. I don't want to use my last Wave Change just yet…"

"Got it!" Bud said. "Wish I had more time to eat my popcorn." He gave the treat to Zack, and cracked his knuckles.

"Geo, find a way into the system and shut down that Sagittarius Arrow," Ace said. "Copper will call the police."

"Pedia, odds of success?" Zack asked.

"_93 percent,"_ Pedia answered. _"We're good to go!"_

"Hey," Mick spoke up, noticing that Geo, Bud, and Ace were leaving. "Where are ya going?"

"We're going to figure out a way to stop that guy," Geo answered. "Don't worry about us… just stay put!"

"No way!" Mick scowled. "I'm gonna help somehow!" He then turned to the Net Battle Machine, and yelled, "Jack-in, you useless Navi!" A light shot out from his PET, and entered the machine. "My Navi's now in there… he may be lousy, but he's gonna help."

"_No thanks to you, probably!"_ Mick's Navi shot back. _"Just operate me properly, and maybe you'd have a chance at beating Lan and MegaMan!"_

"I guess you have an ally in the Cyber World," Ace realized. "Okay, back to our strategy. Bud and I will clear the room of those Hunters… when that happens, Geo, you hit the Cyber Core and stop Sagittarius Arrow. Luna, Zack, Jack, and Tia, can you guys get the Mayor and find a way to get her to safety?" Luna, Zack, Tia, and Jack nodded. "Let's move!" Geo, Bud, and Ace headed out of the stands, and turned their Wizards on.

"Ready, kid?" Omega-Xis said. "Although that Orion guy's calling the shots, Sagittarius isn't a pushover."

"Let's rock, Mega!" Geo answered. "Trans-Code #003! Mega Man!"

As Geo transformed, Taurus said, "Sagittarius… a powerful warrior, definitely. Let's try to minimize the damage, Bud."

"Got it! Trans-Code #005! Taurus Fire!" As they ran towards the battle, a kid wearing a blue bandana limped towards a location where he could jack in from a distance.

-003-

Mega Man and Taurus Fire headed into the arena, surprising the Heel Navis. "What the!?" one of them asked. "I thought we hijacked all of the Copy Bots in this dump!"

"We did!" another answered. "Where did these two come from!?"

"We're not Copy Bot Navis!" Taurus Fire answered. "We're EM Wave Changers!"

"Oh!" a third Heel Navi nodded. "Wait… what the heck is an EM Wave Changer?"

"I think it's what Saggitarius Arrow is," the first answered.

"Taurus Fire, do you have this?" Mega Man asked. "Because we really should go stop Sagittarius Arrow."

"Go ahead," Ace said as he ran in. "We've got this. Acid?" Acid appeared near the Heel Navis near Match, claws ready.

"Guilty Slash!" Acid yelled, slashing through the Heel Navis.

"Ox Tackle!" Taurus Fire added, ramming the Heel Navis away from Mayor Prairie. They returned to ordinary Copy Bots.

"Miss Mayor," Tia said as she, Jack, Luna, and Zack came up to her. "These three are professionals. We will escort you to your security detail in the mean time!"

"Come on!" Jack ordered as he dragged the Mayor away.

"Go, Mega Man!" Luna said.

"Right!" Mega Man said, turning to the Battle Machine and flying inside. Match, meanwhile, looked at Taurus Fire.

"Ya sure have some fire in ya," Match grinned. "I don't know how ya can do that, but I approve, kid."

* * *

**Battle Stadium CC**

Mega Man touched down next to the wounded FireMan, who was being tended to by an orange Navi. "Hey, you alright?" the Navi asked.

"I'll be fine," FireMan groaned. "When I get my hands on that guy, though, he won't be… argh!" FireMan collapsed on one knee. "Those Navis…"

"Save your breath, hothead," Omega-Xis said as he popped out of Geo's Hunter-VG. "You're hurt. I don't know where Sagittarius got that power to absorb your powers, but his Operator is crazy and needs to be stopped. We're Satellia Police, and we specialize in going buck wild on EM Wave threats like that guy. We'll handle it from here."

"These latest wounds aren't from that Sagittarius guy!" the Navi next to FireMan spoke up. "Other Navis were in wait inside this CC!"

"I managed to fight them off," FireMan said, "but they're still hiding in this area, the cowards." Mega Man looked around, noticing the stage had changed into a forest.

"When did this happen?" Mega Man asked.

"Right after that Sagittarius' Operator went crazy!" FireMan said. "This forest is thick with danger for those Navis to hide in. One of them has the key to the next area… delete that one, ya got yourself into the next area. But they're going to be taking shots at you from those trees." He looked up, and said, "Take me with you… I'll burn them alive!"

"Well normally I'd say no," Omega-Xis said, "but this place is way too thick."

"_FireMan, I don't know what's going on," _Match said from the real world, _"but do you think you can work with that blue Navi for now? Just pretend that he looks nothing like MegaMan, and focus on burning down the rest of the competition…"_

"Can do," FireMan said. Mega Man, although reluctant, held up his Hunter-VG, and FireMan transferred into it.

"Are you okay?" Mega Man asked.

"_I'll be fine!" _FireMan said, appearing as a pop-up. _"Though this is kind of odd. I guess if you touch my pop-up, I'll come out, Fire Arm burning. If we light a tree where a hunter Navi is hiding, you'll get them. However, you should watch my fire meter... I'll recharge on my own, but if I use too much fire, I won't be able to light for a while."_

"Okay, let's go!"

"What am I supposed to do!?" Mick's Navi asked.

"_We'll see if we can find the key!" _Mick suggested.

Mega Man began his search, avoiding the arrows that the Navis were shooting at him from the trees. If anything, the arrows gave their positions away easier, and FireMan burned down their hiding spots. After defeating the Navis, he found the first key and headed through the next area. Mega Man couldn't help but notice Mick's Navi had already gotten to the next area, and was trying to get the door open.

"Darn… it's another locked door," the Navi groaned. "Which, of course, means more archers. Man, this and being kidnapped by a Cybeast-worshiping cult is why I hate Heel Navis. They always make things so complicated!"

"_I'm not even gonna respond to that,"_ Omega-Xis said as Geo turned away to hunt down the Navi with the key. After getting the key with FireMan's help and unlocking the door, they found out that there was another area to go through.

"This is getting ridiculous," Mega Man groaned. His Hunter-VG then rang, causing Mega Man to stop and answer it. "Prez?"

"_(Mega Man,)"_ Prez whispered. _"(We managed to get the Mayor away, but Bud and Ace can't keep it up forever and more of them are after US now. I had to split up from everyone else, but it's only a matter of time before they find me. We need you to hurry!)"_

"Alright, got it!" Mega Man said.

"MegaMan?" Mick's Navi asked. "You don't really look like the MegaMan I know."

"I'm not going to lie," Mega Man said, "but I'm not exactly the Mega Man you probably know. It's a long story that I'll tell you later." Looking back at his Hunter-VG, he said, "Don't worry, Prez… we have Sagittarius trapped. If we beat him that should stop the Navis."

"_Hurry,"_ Luna pleaded. _"Bud's not used to prolonged fights like this!"_ The phone hung up, leaving Geo and Mick's Navi to look at each other.

"_Ready for one more round of turning the hunters into the hunted?"_ Omega-Xis asked.

"We'll find it, I promise!" Mick's Navi answered. Mega Man eventually found the key, but also found a new Battle Card—Aqua Tower 1 and Fire Arm 1. After breaking down the door, Mega Man and Mick's Navi confronted Sagittarius Arrow.

"So, you came, Mega Man," Sagittarius Arrow said. "You know my real name, right?"

"Orion Vile?" Mega Man repeated.

"Yep," Sagittarius Arrow answered. Omega-Xis and Sagittarius appeared next to their partners.

"It's been a while, teach," Omega-Xis said. "What attracted you to this scumbag?"

"I once saw a young soldier who was alone," Sagittarius answered. "I didn't expect, however, for Orion to be a sociopath who was dishonorably discharged by the military for sheer brutality. You must be ashamed of me, Omega-Xis, for falling so low."

"I have to admit, the disappointment is there," Omega-Xis confessed. "However, you still have your standards, old man. It's just that your human partner doesn't have them."

"You still are a sharp tongued young warrior," Sagittarius chuckled. "I always admired that about you. I have to admit… when you jumped ship and the FM King ordered your execution for treason during our war against Earth, I couldn't bring myself to join in… you were like a son to me. To defeat all of those FM-ians and destroy Andromeda… I have to say you avenged Planet AM proudly."

"Wait," Omega-Xis gasped. "You KNEW I was an AM-ian, the race you helped destroy years ago!?"

"You're probably wondering why I didn't delete if I knew the whole time, aren't you?" Sagittarius pondered. "I wish I could tell you... but I made a promise to someone I respected that I would not tell you, yet. For now, however... we must fight. It's a shame we have to fight under these circumstances, Omega-Xis… I would have loved for this first battle to have been a friendly duel."

"Are we seriously doing this sentimental garbage!?" Sagittarius Arrow asked. "Mega Man, you really should surrender!"

"Why?" Mega Man asked.

"Oh, right. That reason should pop up right about… now," Sagittarius Arrow answered.

"_H-Hey!"_ Luna's voice spoke up, causing Mega Man to look up at a monitor. Sure enough, one of the Heel Navis had captured her.

"_What are you doing!?"_ Mick called out. Mick was also captured.

"Mayor Prairie's security was a bit difficult to hack for an ordinary Navi," Sagittarius Arrow explained. "However, as an EM Wave Being, the technology's old enough that with a few keystrokes, and I can control everything from this CC. Security cameras being one of them… Copy Bots being another. As long as this computer is on, the Copy Bots' batteries are fully charged within the stadium and I can have my army of boys swarm down on your friends. If you care about them, you'll get on your hands and knees and surrender."

"You rotten…!" Mick's Navi scowled.

"Take that boy's PET and jack this Navi out," Sagittarius Arrow demanded. Mick's Navi disappeared in a blue light, leaving Mega Man and Sagittarius Arrow.

"I don't get it!" Mega Man said. "What are you doing all of this to come after me for!?"

"Two reasons, mainly," Sagittarius Arrow confessed. "Reason one: you have no right to Wave Change. You have all of these powers, all of these skills, have fought and defeated all of these foes… yet you use this power to PROTECT people when you could CONQUER! We're gods to these mere humans who can barely comprehend the Wave World! We should be ruling them, not protecting these morons! Once I delete you, I'll be the Mega Man that the world deserves. And for the second reason: Cain, Hyde, and Chromos want you gone."

"Hyde!?" Omega-Xis asked. "…I'm not surprised he's still alive, but he's behind this!?"

"Yes, and he offered a generous bounty for your deletion," Sagittarius Arrow answered. "Enough for all of those Hunters you defeated. I'm sure we can cash in on Taurus Fire and the leader of the Satellia Police Commandos as well. With you out of the way, I'll have nobody to stand in my way of becoming a new Mega Man, and Chromos will be free to rule! So, any last words before I destroy you?"

"You're not going to get away with this!" Mega Man scowled. "Wave Battle! Ride On!"

"Prepare to feel my arrows strike you down!" Sagittarius Arrow laughed. "Die!"

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: Ladies and gentlemen, I am glad that this one is done. Because now, we're one chapter away from the meeting.

**Ghost501:** Man, you're right. Net Navis are a double-edged sword... on one hand, they'd be incredibly useful for combating computer viruses, browsing the web at incredible speeds (I have no idea how quickly Navis would move in real-life, but given how quickly search engines find results and how Lan and MegaMan very frequently stopped threats, I'd say pretty darn fast), and entertainment. However, given the fact that they have caused just about as many problems as they have solved in this series and there have been some really dangerous ones in the games, I see exactly where you're coming from.

**Matteso585:** Excellent question! Honest answer: yes, Prairie is actually from the games. Specifically, _Mega Man ZX, _where she is the Commander of the Guardians. For those of you who have never played _ZX,_ Prairie is the mission control of the game, being the woman who the player character(s) Aile/Vent report to while fighting the villain of the game, Serpent. Players of the _Mega Man Zero_ series may be aware of how her design, backstory, and prized possession (a stuffed white cat) are similar to Alouette, the little sister Reploid sidekick to Ciel, another major character in the _Zero _series. The game all but says Prairie and Alouette are the same person, Prairie being the all-grown-up version of Alouette. What does ANY of this have to do with this story? You'll see!

**Guest 1:** Thank you!

**Plasma57:** Good news: I did!

**Rekxyen:** I'm glad it feels like a game. Because that is exactly what I'm aiming for. I was inspired to make this feel game-like as an ode to my other stories, particularly _Paper Mario: The Land of Harmony._ Since I'm focusing primarliy on the game universe for this fic, I felt making it feel like we're playing a game is what makes this story work well.

**Nightfrightpony:** Well, I have updated again. So everyone gets what they wanted!

**Guest 2:** Here you go!

And that is all I have to say. Farewell, my subjects!


	9. Chapter 8: VS Sagittarius Arrow

A/N: I'm really sorry this has taken so long. I've been working on a bunch of things. So, without further ado, we get to the next boss fight!

* * *

**Chapter 8: VS Sagittarius Arrow**

* * *

**Battle Town**

Acid, Ace, and Taurus Fire were all exhausted after clearing another wave of Heel Navis. "They just keep coming!" Taurus Fire panted. "I'm getting really hungry, here…"

"I could use a Mega Snack myself," Ace added.

"If you two are done complaining about food-based exhaustion," Acid interrupted, "we have a new problem."

"Help!" Luna yelled as she and Mick were both held by the Heel Navis.

"Prez…!" Taurus Fire scowled. "Come on, Mega Man… hurry up and clobber that guy! We can't keep fighting these guys forever…"

"This is looking pretty bad," Match said, looking for a free Copy Bot. He saw the one with an arrow embedded in its body. "Good thing I have more than one Fire Navi…" He pulled the arrow out and activated the Copy Bot, producing a Navi that looked like a lighter but had plenty of fire.

"Man, things are getting hot here," the Navi said. "Now it's HeatMan's time to burn!"

"I couldn't help but agree with you there!" Match grinned. "Burn these lousy punks!"

"I thought Copy Bots couldn't use weapons or powers!?" Taurus Fire asked.

"That's true for normal Navis," Match conceited. "However, for a Navi that's already on fire…"

"Heat Wave!" HeatMan yelled out, burning all of the Heel Navis, destroying their Copy Bots as well.

"He can do that," Match grinned.

"Whoa… can you teach me to do that?" Taurus Fire asked.

"Taurus Fire, focus!" Ace called. "We have to get those hostages free!"

"Right," Taurus Fire nodded, heading towards Luna and Mick. He looked at the Battle Stadium CC, where Mega Man and Sagittarius Arrow were fighting. "Geo… hurry…!" However, he never saw the blue light shooting from the stands on the opposite side of the arena, as he was too busy fighting the next group of Heel Navis.

-003-

**Battle Stadium CC**

Mega Man dodged out of the way of Sagittarius Arrow's Arrow Volley. "Battle Card, Cannon!" His left arm turned into a Cannon, and blasted Sagittarius in the face.

"…So, that's what that feels like," Sagittarius Arrow said while adjusting his helmet. "Mega Man, you'll have to do much better than that! Centaur Gallop!" He charged Mega Man, ramming him into a nearby wall. He held his bow to Mega Man's face, an arrow loaded.

"No you don't… Battle Card, Beast Slap 1!" Omega-Xis manifested above Mega Man, and slashed Sagittarius Arrow with full force, knocking him off Mega Man and allowing him to pull out a new Battle Card—Gatling 1. He fired a few times before firing a fully charged Mega Buster into Sagittarius Arrow, knocking him back.

"Okay, that was a pretty good combo," Sagittarius groaned. "Now to get serious. Arrow Rain!" He then shot several arrows straight up.

"_Kid, above you!"_ Omega-Xis called. _"Mega Shield, kid!"_ Mega Man looked up to see the rain of arrows coming down. He summoned the shield, blocking quite a few of them, one actually piercing the shield and poking at his face, but he was distracted by the arrows. He didn't notice Sagittarius Arrow had stood in front of him and turned around. When he dropped his shield, he was greeted by a kick to the face by two hooves.

"Keep your guard up, Mega Man!" Sagittarius Arrow taunted, breaking his bow into two arrows. "Bow Blade!" Mega Man barely dodged the sword, and unleashed a Mega Buster again. "Do you have anything else besides that lousy Buster?"

"Battle Card, Fire Arm 1!"

"Fire Arm?" Sagittarius Arrow asked. He then was answered by Mega Man blasting him with a stream of fire that would make FireMan proud, knocking him back and making him slump.

"We got him," Mega Man said.

"_Yeah, I guess we did,"_ Omega-Xis said. He then manifested himself next to Mega Man. "Hey, Sagittarius… were you holding back?" An exhausted Sagittarius answered him by appearing next to his partner.

"To keep Orion in check, yes," Sagittarius said. "Quickly, while he's unconscious… you need to arrest him. He's absolutely insane and we have knowledge of what happened to your precious Wilshire Hills. Our only alternative, however, is deletion."

"What!?" Mega Man asked. "You know about Wilshire Hills!?"

"Yes," Sagittarius answered. "You see… it was sent two hundred years into the past by your enemies, the Chromos Organization led by Cain and Hyde."

"Hyde I understand," Omega-Xis answered. "That director whack-job is just a glutton for punishment. But who the heck is Cain?"

"A wealthy billionaire, great politician, and an expert in technology," Sagittarius replied. "He owns a powerful Navi named ChronoMan... a Navi that can cut holes in time and space. He was the one who swapped the cities."

"What?" Mega Man asked. "A Navi did all of this!? How!?" However, Sagittarius disappeared, and Sagittarius Arrow stood back up. All of the sudden, Noise began gathering around them, and it began crystallizing into red orbs he was far too familiar with. "Crimson…!?"

"I really hate it when he starts talking," Sagittarius Arrow growled before holding out a crystal, which attracted the Crimson inside of it. "Okay, so you got a few licks in. I'll give you that. You even helped me in my Crimson-gathering quest… our battle produced a lot of it. I was just going to delete you normally, but you're forcing me to use my trump card a little early. Time for you to enjoy a blast from the past!" He flashed his artificial arm, and pressed a button. "Historic Wave! FireMan, On the Air!" His body then erupted into flames. When the fires died down, Sagittarius Arrow's armor turned bright red, his arms turning into the burners and a flame spouting from his head. There was even FireMan's symbol on his chest. His lower horse half had a flaming tail and a white body.

"What the…!?" Mega Man asked.

"Fire Arm!" Sagittarius Arrow returned the fire blast that he received from Mega Man with full force, knocking him for a loop.

"Kid!" Omega-Xis yelled.

Sagittarius Arrow then grabbed Mega Man by the neck with his right hand and placed his left on the shooting star pendant on the blue Wave Being's chest. "Downloading Mega Man data… now." Mega Man yelled in agony, as a holographic copy of Omega-Xis pulled out of him. Once it was done, Sagittarius Arrow threw him to the ground, leaving Mega Man in a semi-conscious heap. Omega-Xis returned to Geo's Hunter-VG, leaving Geo alone.

"Ugh… so strong…" Mega Man groaned from the floor. The flames then surrounded him, leaving him trapped. "Ugh… this heat…"

"You didn't have too much trouble burning through my forest!" Sagittarius Arrow grinned. "Can't take the heat!? Well, don't worry; you'll burn up soon enough. But I want you to watch. Arrow Trap!" Mega Man soon found four arrows shooting down, but rather than simply impale him, they turned into electronic snares that kept him pinned by his wrists and ankles. Sagittarious Arrow turned to the monitor. "Hey, boys… I want Mega Man to suffer a little bit. Bring the blonde girl up towards the Net Battle Machine… and then destroy her."

"_Got it, boss!"_ the Navi holding Luna said. _"Come on!"_

"_Let me go!" _Luna protested, trying to claw and bite her out. _"Put me down! Mega Man! Taurus Fire! Help!"_

"_Prez!"_ Taurus Fire yelled from outside. When he tried to reach her, a group of Heel Navis dog-piled on top of him. _"Get off!"_

"_Shut-up!" _a Heel Navi replied.

"No…" Mega Man said.

"_Kid, come on…"_ FireMan scowled from the Hunter-VG. _"If you're a Mega Man, then you wouldn't just lie there and take it! You can't lose to some poser who took my powers!"_

_"Kid,"_ Omega-Xis growled, _"we have to get out of here! Pulse out!"_

"I'm... trying..." Mega Man replied. "But I'm... pinned..."

"_Now, MegaMan!"_

"Mega Buster!"

Sagittarius Arrow took a blast to the face one last time, knocking him back and the flames died down. "…Who did—!?"

"_Bubbler Battle Chip in, download! Vulcan 1 Battle Chip in, download!"_

A bunch of bubbles and a series of rapid fire blasts hit Sagittarius Arrow, taking him down. Mega Man's retraints were shot through as well, allowing him to get up. When Mega Man looked back at his savior, he was surprised to see a blue Navi standing there, a scowl on his face while holding his right arm as a bubble gun and the left as a machine gun.

"Got him," the blue Navi said, his guns returning to arm form. He then walked past the group and looked at the monitor. "Let's see here… ah! Here's the Copy Bot controls! Shutting it off and draining the batteries!"

The Copy Bots all shut down at the press of the button, freezing the Navis in them in place. Eventually, all of the Navis jacked out to escape the sealed Copy Bots.

"_We made it, MegaMan!" _a male voice spoke up.

"…MegaMan?" Geo asked while looking at the blue Navi. The blue Navi turned around, revealing that he had the Hikari symbol. "No… way…"

"Are you alright?" the Navi asked.

"I'm fine… sort of…" Geo said. "Just… feeling woozy…"

"_There's the MegaMan I know!"_ FireMan said. He manifested next to Geo. "Long time no see, MegaMan."

"FireMan?" the blue Navi said. "You're here?"

"Yeah," FireMan said. "Don't worry, I'm not here to cause trouble." Turning to Sagittarius Arrow struggling to get up, he said, "But that guy… he's the one you should be after."

"…For once, I guess we're on the same side," the blue Navi agreed, his arm turning into a buster while FireMan pointed his burners at Sagittarius Arrow. "So, you work for Chromos?"

"What's it to you!?" the centaur EM Wave Being groaned. "And why am I seeing double…? Two Mega Men… I didn't know that was the case."

"Your bosses can manipulate time, right?" the Navi asked. "How did they do that!? We have friends who need our help!"

"Like I'd tell you that!" Sagittarius laughed. "Fire Eruption!" The flames erupted around him, obstructing the trio's view, and pressed a button on his arm. A Time Wave opened up behind him. "I'll let you live for now, Mega Men! But the next time we meet, you won't be so lucky!" He jumped in, dropping a small red crystal that turned blue-green.

"Shoot!" the blue Navi breathed as the flames died down and the portal vanished. "Lan… he got away."

"_Darn!"_ a voice spoke from outside. _"We almost had him!"_ The blue Navi turned to FireMan and Geo.

"Are you guys going to be okay…?"

"A bit in the PET, and I'll be fine," FireMan said. "I'd love to duke it out with you, but I'm not feeling it today. Match, it's okay, right?"

"_No problem, FireMan,"_ Match said. _"Things got a little hectic out here, but we're no worse for wear. Your little brother HeatMan's beat up, though. We should take it easy for now. Jack out."_

"Understood," FireMan nodded. "Delete you later, MegaMan." FireMan jacked out, leaving the two Mega Men.

"Glad to see FireMan hasn't changed that much," the Navi said to himself. "He's still as hotheaded as ever."

"So," Geo asked, "are you really MegaMan, the Navi…?"

"Yeah," the blue Navi said. "Who are you?"

"Well… Mega Man… with a space."

"Another Mega Man?" the Navi asked. "Wait… you're the other Mega Man I've heard about in Wilshire Hills!"

"And you must be the MegaMan who was made famous in Cyber City," Geo realized. "What are you… doing… here…?"

Omega-Xis appeared next to Geo, worried. "Kid… are you okay?" Geo knelt down in agony. "Oh man… is this because of the Noise on top of him draining our data!? Darn, without that Noise Control Program, and with what he did… we're just as affected as everyone else."

"Noise?" the Navi asked.

"It's a recently discovered phenomenon here that can cause EM Bodies like us to malfuction and either go nuts or weaken severely," Omega-Xis said. "We once had a Noise Control Program to counter it, but it was destroyed. We're in no position to pursue Sagittarius with the kid like this."

"Can you guys jack out?" the Navi asked.

"I can try," Omega-Xis said. "Come on, kid." Omega-Xis grabbed Geo, and both of them pulsed out.

-LH-

**Battle Town**

Lan leaned out from his position in the stands, surprised that he found the other Mega Man by accident. "I can't believe that we ran into him, MegaMan."

"_Yeah,"_ Hub nodded as he returned to the PET. _"It's too bad we couldn't get the information we needed… still, we helped save the other Mega Man and the people in the stadium."_

"Yeah, we did," Lan said. "We still have to find a way to find our friends."

"So you're the guy who saved Mega Man?" a voice spoke up. Lan looked up to see a dark blue haired young man wearing a black jumpsuit over a white jacket with a police badge adorned on it. "Not bad, kid. Don't you think, Copper?"

"Yeah, not bad," a second officer, much older wearing a brown jacket and had an antenna sticking out of his hair. "That was some quick skill…"

"I… picked it up from a friend," Lan confessed. "Are you two Net Police?"

"Net Police, no," the younger officer answered. "We are Satellia Police… and we need you to come with us to answer a few questions."

"What happened to that other Mega Man?" Lan asked.

"He must be facing some exhaustion because of the Noise," the older officer, Copper, said. "He'll be fine, but he's weak right now. We have someone taking care of him."

"What about that cow guy and the dog?" Lan remembered.

"Taurus Fire's a bit beat up, but he'll be fine," the younger officer said. "As for Acid… Wizard On!" Acid appeared next to him. "How are you, Acid?"

"I'll recover from my injuries," Acid assured Lan. "The damage is minimal. Luckily no civilians were hurt in the battle. Ace, we should find Tia, Jack, and the Mayor…"

"_Don't worry, Acid,"_ a woman's voice spoke up. Ace pulled out his Hunter-VG and an Air Display manifested itself, showing a woman with dark long hair next to Mayor Prairie. _"She's safe. We're going to drop her off with her security detail before letting local authorities handle everything else."_

"_Wow, this is really impressive,"_ Prairie said, poking the screen with the most curious expression on her face. _"So, I have a question: you guys are from the future? And what exactly is going on, here?"_

"Um, we'll explain everything later, Miss Mayor," Copper said. "Tia, could you go find that Match guy? We need to question him."

"_Very well,"_ Tia said. _"Should I also find Jack's new friend?"_

"_He's not my friend; he's just a kid that I ran into, Sis!"_

"_Jack,"_ Tia said, _"just find that Mick kid you were talking about."_

"Mick and Match, too," Lan recalled. "This is getting more complicated…" Ace looked at Lan, raising an eyebrow. "So, are we in trouble?" Lan asked.

"No, you're not," Ace assured him. "I would just like to question everyone involved. Maybe get a Mega Snack or two."

"Those things are gonna rot your teeth," Copper said while leading Lan and Ace away.

* * *

**Unknown Location—20XX**

"I thought when Hyde recommended an ex-soldier from Nation Z capable of Wave Changing as our professional Crimson gatherer and fighter," Cain scowled, "you'd be capable of getting rid of a twelve-year-old boy and his Navi…"

"What!?" Orion asked, holding his side. "A boy and his Navi? I thought I was getting rid of that Stelar kid and his alien partner Omega-Xis!" Cain blinked, thrown off guard.

"I'm sorry, but what?" he asked.

"You put a bounty on 'Mega Man', that Wave Changing Electopian brat from my time," Orion explained. "I would have had him if I didn't get shot by that blue Navi… that Charge Shot was tough."

"That 'blue Navi' was your target," Cain corrected. "I'm disappointed that you didn't take him out. Though, I have to admit, now that you've explained it more… I wasn't aware of another Mega Man. Hyde never told me that he had a Mega Man as well. This could be troublesome."

"Nothing to worry about," Orion waved off. "I just need to find a few strong Navis, harness their powers, and I'll destroy them both with just a whisper."

"The last time I underestimated that blue bandana boy," Cain warned, "I was thrown in prison. Do not underestimate Lan Hikari… especially now that he has nothing left to lose."

"Now you're just paranoid!" Orion laughed. "You Electopians are way too soft! Especially so 200 years from now!" Sagittarius manifested himself, and politely bowed.

"Forgive my partner," the centaur FM-ian apologized. "I take full responsibility for the failure. As a result, our enemies in 22XX now know of Chromos' intentions."

"Relax," Cain said, holding a disc that had some data on it. "This… oversight can be forgiven." Looking at the crown floating in a secure container and leaking EM Waves, he added, "Especially now that we have this data on this apparent future Mega Man and this OOPArt. The Paradox Crown… one part of the three ancient 'traitor tribes' is sealed within this object: the Angel. They had their fellow tribe design it for them in exchange for protection… the Chronicler tribe. But if my research is correct… these were the scholars and strategists of the Angel tribe sealed within this OOPArt, and not the warriors."

"So we have the minds," Orion shrugged. "What else do I have to look for? The body?"

"My grandfather's research of ancient societies indicated that the Angels sealed their people in two objects to seal their destroyer," Cain said. "However, never in his work did he indicate that we're looking for a body… we're looking for a weapon. The crown is not invincible without it." The crown's container was lowered into the ground, and sealed away. Cain turned to Orion, and explained, "Now that I know there are two Mega Men, we have to play smart for our next plans and we have to get our hands on that Noise Control Program soon. If we do that, ChronoMan is free to use his powers. We also need to be careful when selecting who will use the Paradox Crown for the final plan."

"Leave that to me," Hyde's voice spoke up. Dark Phantom appeared next to Orion before returning to normal. "While I'm going to cast auditions for the Paradox Crown, I have perfected the final draft on the script where we obtain the Noise Control Program. However, I will need a powerful computer to serve as the stage. ChronoMan is a required player, and I need two certain players to pull it off."

"Who else do you have in mind?" Orion grinned. "I'm sure it's me… I will gladly tear that computer to pieces!"

"I have a different role for you, actually," Hyde said. "I need you to play against type and act as the savior for a few individuals who once attempted to join our star in his proper spotlight and would LOVE a shot at revenge."

"So I gotta play prison-break!?" Orion scowled. "Come on!"

"Consider this your bonus," Cain replied. "Help my allies, and I'll reward you."

"As for who I have in mind for the main performance," Hyde continued, "I have a feeling she will be here, soon." Soon enough, Wish Genie appeared between Hyde and Cain, tears in her eyes.

"Ah, Wish Genie," Cain smiled. "You're back, early."

"…Why?" she asked. "Why did you hurt those people? They were innocent!"

"Um, is she talking about me?" Orion asked. "Look, kiddy… you can't get what you want in life without breakin' someone. You're just asking people to step all over you! Or does someone already own you, little genie?"

"I… I was talking to Master Cain…" Wish Genie replied.

"Oh," Orion said. "Well, I'm pretty sure it's the same reason."

"Lan and Yuichiro Hikari are hardly innocent men," Cain shot back. "They ruined me, so I destroyed them in return. This was merely revenge, Wish Genie."

"But what about the others!?" Wish Genie asked. "What about Mayl Sakurai, the girl whose only crime was being their neighbor and friend of Lan!? Whose only crime was being in LOVE with him!? Master Cain… have you no heart!?"

"You have such a big heart, little Wish Genie," Hyde said. "You sure bring out humanity and gentleness in people. Is it because you legitimately care about those people or you remember the struggle that your people have gone through?"

"Master Cain," Wish Genie pleaded, "you promised no innocents will be hurt in exchange for my help! So why hurt them!?"

"Wish Genie," Cain said, "every war has casualties. The Hikaris are our enemies, and we have to do anything to win. Although, now, we must approach Lan Hikari with caution… after all, 'Fear the man who has nothing to lose'." Wish Genie looked away from Cain.

"I don't want to harm innocent civilians," she said aloud. "We should stop, Master Cain… nothing is worth the damage we're causing. You've defeated the Hikaris, so we don't have to go and destroy the entire timeline."

"Don't you wish for your freedom, Wish Genie?" Cain asked. "The freedom for you and your precious items?" Wish Genie gasped. "I haven't forgotten my promise, Wish Genie. You assist me, and I will grant you your wish of saving them all."

"…Yes, Master," Wish Genie nodded, bowing her head. "I will work with you…"

Cain smiled. "I thought so… now, onto my next wish. You will assist Hyde with his latest script."

"Yes, Master," Wish Genie said with a polite bow. She then walked over to Hyde. "Master Hyde, your wish is my command… as long as no innocents are hurt."

"Don't worry, my little supporting star," Hyde grinned. "I assure you, it's just a simple script. We just need one more actor… or rather, two more actors… the scientist and her Navi."

"You want Circuit on this job!?" Orion scowled. "You've gotta be joking! That fuzz-ball isn't a fighter! Heck, she's weaker than Wish Genie!"

"Her role is only to hack," Hyde elaborated. "And do not underestimate the power of ancient civilizations, hunter… I've seen its power firsthand, only to be stripped of it, barely clinging onto a fragment of its power in Phantom. Wish Genie may be stronger than both ChronoMan and the commander… she just keeps it hidden." Orion looked at Wish Genie in complete shock.

"That little pipsqueak!?" Orion scowled. "No way she's strong! She's only around to keep that old scythe swinger functioning! Once we get this Noise Control Program for ChronoMan, what good is she for!?"

"Wish Genie is an excellent secretary and historian," Cain said. "Or, in my case, knowledgeable of the next 200 years, allowing me to keep up with you and Mr. Hyde. She can find anything we need and has proven more than capable of navigating the deeper Time Waves to find what we need to enact our final plan. This all from a 'little pipsqueak'. Not to mention I made her a promise in exchange for her power being mine to control." Orion's scowl deepened. "If you're done, Orion, go see to my followers. If they're still loyal to me, free them and bring them here. If not, well… use your imagination for what is to be done." Orion grinned.

"Now you speak my language," he said. "I'll deliver them. By the way, when I destroy both Mega Men, I want double the bounty."

"One last thing before you go," Cain interrupted. "There should be an old man, a scientist. No matter what the other three say, bring him here ALIVE. I wish for him to watch my rise to power, the power that he took from me and should have been rightfully mine from the beginning."

"An old man?" Orion asked. "Fine… I'll bring the old geezer." He then walked out, Sagittarius following him. This left Cain, Hyde, and Wish Genie alone.

"So, you wish for the scientist to help?" Cain asked. "Anyway, accessing a powerful computer isn't exactly easy, but I'm sure she can manage. With my less than stellar reputation in the outside world, I'm afraid that I cannot publically enter the area I assume we both have in mind. However, I'm sure I can think of a way."

"Any other wishes, Master Cain?" Wish Genie asked.

"Not for now, dear," Cain smiled. "Don't worry… I'm working on making sure what you care for is safe. Just follow Hyde's orders."

"Heh, heh, heh," Hyde said. "We'll begin the show shortly. Wish Genie, you may want to fix your make-up, and Mr. Cain, you may ask to ChronoMan to sharpen his scythe. Curtain call will be on the morrow!"

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: And that's how the Mega Men met. Now, I really have to And I figured putting in the villain HQ because we always need a meeting between the bad guys in these games.

Anyway, shall we get to the reviews?

**Ghost501:** You have a point. Hyde has survived three fights with Mega Man (rarely any minor villain survives ONE fight with him, let alone two), being slashed by Rogue (who had deleted two FM-ians in one attack EACH), being electrocuted by Hollow, and falling off a Wave Road into an abyss at this point. It's a miracle he's still alive for someone who was demoted to a one-shot filler villain in _Star Force 3, _because he has been through a well-deserved hell.

**Matteso585:** Um... nope. Sorry, Mayl and Roll will be lost in a plot hole for a bit, but Lan will be pretty desperate in trying to find her. And don't worry, it's kind of funny.

**Rekxyen:** Thank you! I was aiming for a "game" feel. If I had to put a gameplay style for this, it would play like a third person shooter/platformer similar to _Transformers: Fall of Cybertron,_ where your Battle Chips/Cards would have "ammo" similar to _Network Transmission _rather than one-use like the normal variations of these games. It would just make combat and exploration faster.

**Guest:** Thank you!

**RedemptionWarrior: **Crap... I forgot to change that. Oh well, stuck with it. It was supposed to be a different tribe that will ALSO be important (the Chronicler). The reason I chose a crown is because angels do have kings, and it's not even the main part of the Angel Tribe's. You know, I'm now making those MacGuffins that the villains and heroes will be competing for later, since this allows me to actually put the unused Tribes to good use as well my own special one that will be used for this story, too. You'll see why they considered "traitors" later, but it was implied by late-_SF2_ puzzles.

As for Orion... yeah, I based him off of Sigma/Weil/Serpent/Master Albert. Sigma in that he's a ruthless soldier, Weil in the fact that he refuses to let people live in peace and wants war and destruction, Serpent in that he believes Mega Men are entitled to rule the world, and Albert in that he's willing to make an equivalent of a "Game of Destiny" to accomplish said thing, and they all kind of have god complexes. So, the attack on Prairie is COMPLETELY intentional, as is his last name.

**Plasma57:** Your wish has been granted!

And that is my update. Farewell, my subjects!


	10. Chapter 9: The Two Heroes Meet

A/N: ...Hello. So, it's March 17, 2015. Happy St. Patrick's Day. I haven't updated in... about three-to-five months. I'm not going to lie to you all... I'm sorry.

But before anyone calls me out on being terrible with updates, hear me out.

Back about... December of last year, my paternal grandmother, who had been diagnosed with cancer, had been admitted to the hospital. My dad, seeing as I was the only one of his kids home with 1) anything really important going on 2) not really having any real life friends I hang out with, and 3) could help him seeing as with his diabetes he is a slow recoverer and needs help with bum shoulder, dragged me on a six hour car ride to check up on her/bring her home for Christmas. However, because my grandmother is too stubborn to listen to the hospital staff, she did not get cleared for a visit, and we (as in my Dad and I) went home without her. That was December 21-23. When I woke up on December 24, my aunt (my dad's younger sister) calls us, saying something went wrong. My parents canceled Christmas plans (including their own anniversary), gathered all of us including our two dogs, and we went back to see my grandmother on Christmas Day and proceeded to spend two more days there. Needless to say, I was not in _**any**_ mood to update then, even though I had this chapter ready to go a long time.

In January, it became pretty clear that my grandmother was beginning to get on her last legs, and my dad told everyone to be on standby... and he also signed me up for spring classes to get my teacher certification since I still have yet to get a job. So, yes, I've been working on classes and worried about my grandmother. Then came February, which involved the big announcement. My grandmother's stay at the hospital expired and she now needed hospice care.

Seeing as my household has four people to care for her and a bedroom-sized area when can put her in, my dad volunteered us to take her in until the inevitable happens. She came here approximately February 7, and has been living here since. However, she's not expected to be very long at this point... she has said to my dad that she will see his 50th birthday to pay him back for a prank on her 50th, but I'm still concerned.

So, yeah... but you're probably wondering if I've had any other excuses. Well, I've been kicking back-and-forth a _RWBY_ and _Star Wars_ crossover that would, rather than the age of the movies (because, honestly, anything I could come up with would _**PALE**_ in comparison to what J.J. Abrams could do), take place in the now Legends timeline of the Old Republic era, probably around 2500 Before the Battle of Yavin (BBY) where none of the books, video games, or movies have touched upon... Disney may have made the Expanded Universe non-canon, but that will not stop anyone from enjoying it and having a little fun. If you're interested (or not), there's a poll on my profile... which I should really update.

Of course, though, none of you really care about _Star Wars. _You're here for _Star Force._ Oh, and _Battle Network._ It's time for more Mega Man to get me off of depressing tangents!

* * *

**Chapter 9: The Four Heroes Meet**

-GS-

**Echo Ridge—22XX**

Geo groaned as he woke up. "Ow… my head…"

"_You alright kid?"_ Omega-Xis said from the Hunter-VG. _"Because I wasn't feeling so good after pulsing you out, there. Thank goodness Bud and Prez managed to get us out of Battle Town."_

"What happened, Mega?" Geo asked.

"_Noise, kid,"_ Omega-Xis answered. _"We got wrecked by it, and that was on top of most of our abilities being drained from us and the beating we took. I saved as much as I could, but it wasn't enough. Sagittarius' partner deliberately fought us to build up Noise, which formed Crimson. And as we know, Crimson can power stuff if properly handled. If Sagittarius and that Orion guy are gathering Crimson, especially as part of one of Hyde's scripts, then that means something big is happening…"_

"Geo, are you awake?" Kelvin asked from outside the door.

"Yeah, Dad," Geo said. "Sorry for causing you and Mom to worry." Hope and Kelvin walked in, the former furious.

"Geo!" she said. "You looked awful when Omega-Xis and your friends brought you in! What happened!?" Omega-Xis manifested.

"Hope," Omega-Xis confessed, "you and Kelvin remember how I'm an AM-ian raised on Planet FM?"

"And here I thought for the past four years you were just an FM-ian who developed a conscience when it came to humanity's plight," Kelvin chuckled. "Anyway, what does that have to do with what happened?"

"My mentor was partially responsible for why the kid and I came back in so beat up," Omega-Xis said. "Sagittarius, the FM-ian soldier who fought and deleted more AM-ians personally than anyone else during the war between FM and AM… before Andromeda. He took me in, raised me, and taught me how to fight… and now, he's here. I have no idea why, but he's here."

"…Your mentor," Kelvin asked. "Hard to believe a savage fighter like you has a mentor, Omega-Xis. I thought you were mainly self-taught. But you have to respect this guy a lot if you talk about him so highly, despite being partially responsible for what happened to your planet." Turning to Geo, he said, "By the way, Geo… I don't know if Omega-Xis told you this, but you have a new e-mail." Geo looked at his Hunter-VG, spotting Ace's face on the Messages pop-up.

_**Sender: Ace**_

_**Subject: Need help**_

'_Geo, I hope you're feeling better. I hate it when Noise build-up happens like it did to you. Don't worry; we're going to put out an alert to WAZA HQs all around the world for Orion Vile. They've been reformed after the Meteor G incident, but they're a lot weaker than we are right now._

'_Anyway, we need a little help at HQ. We have a few people involved in resolving the incident in our custody, and we feel they need to be debriefed. I'm attaching the new WAZA Key Card to this e-mail. After the Dealer and Meteor G incident and we made serious repairs to WAZA, we had to redo everything to boost security so a full-scale assault on our headquarters doesn't result in that many causalities again. This pass should allow you to access a Wave Liner straight to HQ. Also, we may need Kelvin's help, so, if he and your Mom could come, that would be great.'_

"Us, too?" Hope asked. "Isn't WAZA's National headquarters in Mt. Belenus?"

"Yep," Geo answered. "Tallest point in Electopia… especially so since the IFL Tower is missing."

"Yeah, that's bad," Kelvin agreed. "We should probably get moving."

The Stelars headed outside, where Geo's friends awaited them. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Stelar!" Luna greeted.

"Morning, kids," Kelvin smiled. "Are you guys okay?"

"I'm a little sore," Bud answered, "but I'm not gonna let myself be taken down by those Navi punks."

"What Navi punks?" Hope repeated. "We really didn't hear what happened yesterday other than Omega-Xis' mentor being involved."

"_Sagittarius!?"_ Taurus asked. _"That was really him!? He was definitely back!? Oh man, I remember that guy! He was the war hero during the AM-FM War!"_

"_Yes, Taurus, he's back,"_ Omega-Xis answered. _"And he's a threat. Sort of… he tried to help us, but the human he's with shut him up. It's rare to see the alien being controlled in the Wave Change, but… Sagittarius' partner is stronger than he looks and he looked tough to start."_

"But what about those Navis?" Hope recalled.

"Oh, right," Zack answered. "Sagittarius' Operator attacked Battle Town with a bunch of bad Navis by using these odd machines called Copy Bots, and they took the Mayor and Prez hostage."

"I thought I was a goner," Luna added. "But guess who saved me!" Looking at Geo, she answered, "Mega Man!" Geo looked away with a frown. "Huh… Geo? What's wrong?"

"Prez… I wasn't the Mega Man who saved you," Geo confessed. Luna gasped.

"What!?" she asked. "You mean you didn't stop that Orion guy who was controlling Omega-Xis' mentor!?"

"No," Geo apologized. "I collapsed because of the Noise build-up, and that Orion guy surprised me with a technique I didn't really see before… he took on the powers of a Navi. He had me caught off guard, and copied a lot of my and Mega's data. But then another Mega Man came up… and I think it was MegaMan the Navi." Luna, Bud, and Zack all stared in shock.

"MegaMan…?" Luna asked.

"The…?" Bud continued.

"Navi!?" Zack asked. "You mean while Prez had gotten grabbed and we saved the Mayor, a Navi named MegaMan showed up and took down that guy!?"

"Yeah, I'm just as surprised," Geo said. "…Guys, we should head to National WAZA HQ. Maybe we'll get some answers." Geo lead most of the group away, but Luna stayed behind, a little stunned.

"A second Mega Man…!?" she breathed. "And this one only in the Cyber World? Could this mean that the one who saved me… was Dr. Hikari?"

"Prez, are you coming!" Zack asked. Luna jumped, but followed them.

-LH-

**National WAZA HQ**

"And that's basically everything, guys," Lan said. He and Mick were sharing a room, the latter being completely surprised by Lan's sudden unannounced arrival. Match came over at Lan's request. Sure, he didn't exactly trust the former WWW firebrand, but since Match had gotten involved, MegaMan insisted that Match knew what was happening.

"So, let me get this straight," Match said, looking at the Calendar app on Lan's PET. "Because the former principal of Cyber Academy has a grudge against you Hikaris and Cyber City, he decided to team up with a _Phantom of the Opera_ reject, design a Navi with this electro-magnetic wave technology from the future, send Cyber City 200 years into the future where this Wave technology comes from, and he sent you, your friends, your family, and your girlfriend through time?"

"Um, Yai's not my girlfriend," Lan corrected.

"I was talking about the pinkette who lives next door to you," Match answered. "What was her name, again? Mayl Sakurai, right?"

"Mayl?" Lan asked. "She's just a girl who's my best friend and next-door neighbor."

"You two STILL aren't dating!?" Mick asked. Lan raised an eyebrow at this comment. "What, I thought it was obvious since Iris is no longer around."

"I know, right?" Match added. "She clearly likes you, kid. You've been saving her multiple times over the years. That is clearly brownie-points, and girls do like heroes and nice guys. If there's one thing your better at than me, it's being both. Cain took advantage of that 'girl-next-door' thing you have." Lan shot both of them a stunned look.

"_If you guys are done picking on Lan,"_ MegaMan said, _"we still have the problem of Chromos being free to do what they want and damaging the timeline."_

"_Oh, give them a moment,"_ Mick's Navi said. _"We get it, it's bad. But we can't do anything about it from a prison cell."_

"_Yeah,"_ FireMan agreed. _"Even if we weren't stuck in here, what can we do? We can't travel through time."_

"_Which really burns me up!"_ HeatMan added. _"How are we gonna retaliate for Cain giving ex-WWW members a bad name!?"_

"FireMan has a point, HeatMan," Match said. "We're trapped in the future, boys. And it doesn't look like we're going anywhere anytime soon."

"Argh!" Lan scowled. "There has to be a way to get back to 20XX!"

"…_Hey, Lan,"_ MegaMan spoke up. _"Remember that red crystal Sagittarius Arrow dropped before he escaped? Maybe when we talk to someone here, we can give it to them."_

"Yeah," Lan shrugged, looking at the red-crystal in his Hunter-VG as a pop-up, bringing up the Air Display that Match and Mick looked at. It once again turned blue-green. "He dropped it right before entering one of those Time Waves. Apparently it's called a Crimson Crystal or something like that. But if that Sagittarius Arrow is working with ChronoMan and could travel through Time Waves, then maybe we can find a way through them."

"Boy," Match asked, "not that I care too much about what happens to you, but wouldn't time traveling be dangerous even if you could travel through it? You don't want to be stuck between two times."

"Match, I know we'll probably never get along," Lan shot back, "but we have to try to travel back in time! If Cain can do it, so can we!"

"I like your enthusiasm," Ace's voice spoke up. The three looked at the open door to see Ace standing there, munching on some type of treat—most likely those Mega Snacks that were apparently so popular in the future. "You know, we Satellia Police officers have been so busy running around tracking Orion Vile that we never actually questioned you guys."

"Ace!" Lan recalled. Ace walked in, but he wasn't alone. A bow with brown spiky hair walked in behind him. The boy wore a red long-sleeved shirt, dark blue shorts, red boots, and a pair of light blue sunglasses, and a shooting-star pendant hanging from his neck. While Lan and Match were confused, Mick gasped behind them.

"Who's this kid?" Match asked.

"Wait… Geo!?" Mick asked. "You're an Official!?"

"Um, not exactly," the boy known as Geo confessed. "The Official Net Battlers aren't here in 22XX. Since Net Crime became at an all-time low, they disbanded about fifty years ago. I'm actually a Satellia Police Commando—Detective Geo Stelar."

"Is that what we agreed your rank was?" Ace asked. "You should totally be a Captain. We've got to take this up with Copper."

"Satellia Police Commando?" Lan asked. "What's the Satellia Police, anyway?"

"Like your Officials dealt with Net Crime," Ace explained, "we deal with cyber-terrorism of our own… Wave Crime. This place right here is our headquarters, more or less. And Geo here is one of the best heroes out there."

"Ace," Geo nervously chuckled.

"_Lighten up, kid,"_ a voice spoke up from nowhere. Soon enough, a blue and green beastly EM Being popped up next to Geo. "You and I saved the world three times!"

"A Wizard!" Lan gapped. "The one that showed up in the Battle Stadium yesterday… Man, now that I see it, this one looks like Acid!"

"Don't compare me to that man-made Wizard!" the blue Wizard snapped. "I'm an alien!"

"_An alien!?"_ Hub asked. _"They have aliens in the future!? Like Duo!?"_

"Duo, huh?" the alien said. "I think I heard of him on Planet FM… guy is extreme in his hunting of evil. How did he miss Gemini, Virgo, and Corvus?"

"Mega," Geo asked, "who is Duo?"

"Nobody we should be concerned about unless he decides to come to Earth during our timeline," the being said. Turning to Lan, Mick, and Match, he introduced, "Anyway, I'm Omega-Xis. I'm Geo's Battle Wizard… and the one who can help him Wave Change."

"You're a Wave Changer!?" Lan scowled. "You can turn into some kind of super-powered monster!?"

"You mean like that Orion guy!?" Match asked.

"Yeah," Lan answered.

"Whoa, there, kid," Ace said. "Yeah, Geo can Wave Change, but he's no monster. Why do you look so concerned?"

"A Wave Changer helped scatter my friends, Mom, and Dad through time and space," Lan answered. Geo and Ace gasped in shock, but Geo scowled when he remembered Orion talking about someone.

"…That Wave Changer," Geo asked. "Was he wearing black and had a top hat, calling himself 'Dark Phantom'?"

"That's the one!" Lan answered. "Wait… how do you know him?"

"Let's just say he's the closest thing to an arch nemesis we have," Omega-Xis answered. "I mean, there's Rogue, but he's more of a rival than legitimately evil like Hyde is. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he managed to escape to 200 years in the past."

"Um, could you explain everything to me?" Geo asked.

-GS-

**One Explanation Later…**

"Wow," Geo said. During the blue bandana kid's explanation, Luna, Bud, and Zack had all come in, and introduced themselves.

"And that's what happened before I jacked MegaMan in to help out that blue armored guy," the kid finished.

"Wait," Omega-Xis said. "You said 'MegaMan', as in a Net Navi!?" Omega-Xis disappeared into Lan's PET, where he spotted the Navi. _"Yep… blue Navi… you're the one from the Battle Stadium."_

"Really?" Luna asked, looking at the PET.

"_Um, not to be rude,"_ the Navi spoke up, _"but it's kind of cramped in here. Though it's nice to meet you."_ Omega-Xis then returned to the real world and Luna backed up.

"Yeah," the blue bandana boy said. "He's my Navi, and my older brother. His real name is Hub, but I call him MegaMan… why?"

"Well," Geo explained, "it's just that… I'm better off showing you." He then held his Hunter-VG out, and yelled, "Trans-Code #003! Mega Man!"

-003-

Geo stood in the room as the blue bomber once again. Needless to say, Mick, Match, and the blue bandana boy all gaped in awe.

"Whoa," Match said. "FireMan, why can't we do that?"

"_Probably because we don't have that kind of technology in the past,"_ FireMan answered.

"No way…" the bandana kid said. "You're the other Mega Man!?"

"Yeah," Geo said. "So, you have a Navi named 'MegaMan', right?"

"Yep," the kid said.

"This just confirms everything," Geo nodded.

"But, Geo," Zack asked, "didn't you say that the MegaMan who was a Navi was operated by Dr. Hikari!? The one who made Wave society possible!?"

"…Yeah," Geo answered. "I did…"

"Dr. Hikari?" the bandana boy asked. "Are you guys talking about Dr. Yuichiro Hikari? He's our dad, but I don't think he's ever operated MegaMan."

"Actually," Geo corrected, "I was referring to… how do I put this in a way without causing a time paradox?"

"_A little too late for that, kid,"_ Omega-Xis said. _"Time's already kind of jacked up, and he has a Hunter-VG when that type of technology shouldn't even be available to him, yet. So letting him know what the future holds a bit more isn't going to make things much worse at this point. We may as well go all the way."_

"Wait," Lan asked. "Does… does something happen to my Dad? Or me?" Geo shook his head. "Then what?"

Geo turned to the bandana kid. "While Dr. Yuichiro Hikari helps get it started in the right direction, I was talking about Dr. LAN Hikari. He's the one who ultimately laid the groundwork for Wave society." Match and Mick both looked at Lan, stunned.

"WHAT!?" the boy asked. "…I do all of this…!?" The group of kids sans Geo and even Ace stared in shock.

"Wait, wait, wait," Luna said. "This… kid… is Dr. Hikari back when he was in junior high!?"

"Hold on, Prez," Zack said. "Pedia?" The Wizard popped up. "Could you run a fingerprint analysis?"

"Right away, Zack," Pedia said. An Air Display manifested in front of Pedia, and he began searching in the historical database. "Found Dr. Hikari's fingerprints." A second Air Display popped up right in front of the boy. "Could you please press your hand to the screen, please?"

The boy blinked in confusion. "You mean we can actually touch this? It's not a hologram, but some kind of Matter Wave?"

"Wave technology has improved greatly, sir," Pedia explained. "Air Displays are just a basic type of Matter Wave. Anyway, sir, this is a simple fingerprint analysis. If you are the real Dr. Hikari, this will confirm it."

"And if I'm not?" the boy asked.

"Nothing," the intelligent Wizard said. "Except we'll be wondering who you really are and how you ended up with that Navi." Lan nervously did so. "Hold still… scanning…" The Air Display glowed for a few seconds. The Air Display moved from Lan, and back to Pedia. "Comparing to historical database…" Pedia gasped in shock.

Vogue manifested next to Pedia. "What's wrong?" the rabbit Wizard asked.

"…100 percent match," Pedia answered. "…This is Dr. Lan Hikari." Just to be sure, he found an image search of Lan back in junior high, finding Lan's middle school yearbook picture—a perfect match.

"Wow," Bud said, looking at the image and back at the bandana boy. "That's this kid, down to the bandana." He walked up to Lan and scooped him up in a bear-hug. "I can't believe we're meeting the guy who made our lifestyle! You and I have to go get some ginger beef—no, scratch that! We're getting filet minion, man!"

"As hungry as I am," Lan said "I'm still trying to understand this. I know I want to be a scientist like Dad when I grow up, but I lay the groundwork out for an entire society before I die!? I'm really following in Gramps' footsteps!? How did I do all of this!?"

"_Well, if you actually did your schoolwork,"_ Hub added, _"it'd be a little more believable."_

"I can't believe this!" Mick breathed. "You invent EM Waves!? This on top of your Net Battle skills!?"

"Before we make a bigger time paradox out of this legendary meeting," Dr. Goodall's voice spoke up, "we should change topics." Geo turned to see Dr. Goodall waiting at the door. "Hello, young Lan Hikari… I'm Dr. Goodall. You do some great work in your lifetime, young man. Now come on, everyone. Now that we know young Lan's story, we should probably talk about this in the new Meeting Hall."

"Hey, Dr. Goodall," Geo said. "Glad to see you again."

"So am I, Geo," Dr. Goodall said. "It's good working with you and Meggars again. By the way, you may want to change back. As much as people respect Mega Man, you shouldn't go around all of the time as Mega Man."

"Right," Geo said. "Let's go after I pulse out."

-GS-

A bit of a walk later (Lan handing over the strange Crimson Crystal to Dr. Goodall while they did so), Geo's group, joined by Lan, Mick, and Match, arrived in a large room where several personal—including Hope, Kelvin, Tia, Jack, Copper, Tom Dubius, and a certain Aaron Boreal, who was warmly greeting his lost Brother Kelvin with a hug.

"It's good to finally see you again, Kelvin," Aaron smiled. "I've been keeping an eye on Geo for you."

"Yeah, he's told me he really respects you," Kelvin said. "He never admitted it, but he saw you like a second father. Whenever Mega wasn't around, of course." He then turned to Tom. "Tom Dubius, right? I've heard about you… you're one of Aaron's Brothers, right?"

"Um, yeah," Tom nodded. "He speaks highly of you, Mr. Stelar."

"Arthur Eos, Geo Stelar, Bud Bison, and Dr. Goodall reporting for duty," Ace spoke up as he and Geo's group entered the room. "Oh, and we brought the heroes from yesterday's incident as well."

"I wouldn't me call me a 'hero'," Match said. "But yeah, we helped."

"Good to see everyone is here," the WAZA Chief spoke up. "Now, then, I assume the three of you have been briefed on your situation?"

"Yeah," Lan said. "We're 200 years into the future, and I somehow manage to found an entire new lifestyle."

"That is an adequate summary of your scenario," the WAZA Chief answered. "And Acid has already sent me a brief report of what has happened to you… Dr. Lan Hikari."

"Um, can we just call me 'Lan'?" Lan requested. "I'm not a scientist yet, but I want to be one. When somebody says 'Dr. Hikari', I can't help but think of Dad…" Lan looked away at that, remembering the last words his father said before he and his mother were sucked into a Time Wave together.

"Very well," the Chief nodded, seeing how hurt Lan was by the event. "My condolences for your missing loved ones, Lan. While I must confess we cannot make any promises that we will reunite you, we will do everything within our power to TRY. After all, we are just as affected by this crisis as you are… and we owe you a great debt that we cannot even come near repaying, but this will be a start. Now, onto business." Clearing his throat, he began, "According to the report, Wilshire Hills, IFL Tower and all, is trapped in 20XX. Is this true?"

"I saw it myself!" Lan answered. "My friends, Hub and I were looking into why our friends from Cyber City didn't show up, and we ended up in Wilshire Hills. That's where that Hyde guy and Cain were!"

"And you were defeated by Dark Phantom and this Cain's Navi, ChronoMan," Tia said as she looked at the report. "ChronoMan… a combat Navi equipped with EM Wave technology. It… just doesn't seem possible."

"Why?" Mick asked.

"You all probably don't know this," Kelvin said, "but there aren't a lot of Navis around anymore."

"I found that out," Lan recalled. "It was shocking to know Navis were obsolete by Wilshire Hills' time period. What happened?"

"Technological advances," Aaron said. "With the development of Wave technology, as an unexpected side effect, Net society began falling to the wayside, and Net maintenance was neglected… as was the technology that depended upon it. You probably didn't mean for this to happen, but it did. Net Navis, sadly, were included, but were among the last traces to go. Most Navis couldn't really survive the complete conversion to Wave technology… especially with the concept of Noise. Too much Noise built up in them, and they self-deleted much faster than Wizards. Your Navi's expanded memory makes Noise corruption less bothersome for him, but there's no telling what could happen to him."

"As most Navis were better equipped for combat than most Wizards," Tia continued, "they build up Noise incredibly fast, faster than Battle Wizards like Acid and Omega-Xis. That Noise becomes Crimson upon crystalization, which, when harnessed, can become a great power source. A Navi equipped with EM Wave technology like this ChronoMan would be incredibly powerful, but the Noise he would build up would be incredibly vast in order to max out his combat capabilities and his powers to affect the real world. If he builds up too much, he will begin to slow down like he probably did in your battle with him and there is no doubt that he'll delete himself if he builds up too much."

"So if ChronoMan is the one responsible for Wilshire Hills and Cyber City playing time swap and scattering Lan's friends," Omega-Xis asked as he appeared next to Geo, "then would deleting him fix it? Seems the simplest solution."

"_Huh,"_ Hub shrugged. _"That… is usually how we solve most of our crises, anyway."_

"That's too risky, Omega-Xis," Aaron interrupted. "We don't know if ChronoMan's work is permanent since the switch has already happened. If we deleted him now, we could permanently lose the IFL Tower AND Lan's loved ones could forever be trapped in other time periods, and Lan would be trapped in our time… since Wave society depends on him growing up in his time, we could lose it forever and time will collapse. As much as we shouldn't let this Chromos organization have a powerful Navi like ChronoMan at their disposal, he may be the only thing giving us a slight chance at figuring out how to get to Wilshire Hills two hundred years in the past."

"And that's not even tackling the bigger issue of actually traveling BACK in time," Tom added. "We don't really have a time machine here at WAZA." Lan looked down in frustration.

"So… there's nothing we can do!?"

"Now, hold on, there," Tom said. "I know I just said 'we don't have a time machine'… but you've described the phenomenon of Time Waves, and judging from watching Geo's past experiences, they sound similar to the Noise Waves he's traveled before."

"Noise Waves?" Mick asked.

"They're basically sections of the Wave World corrupted by high levels of Noise," Geo answered. "I could travel through them, but they were highly dangerous and escaping them was difficult… but I got the hang of it." Turning to Tom, he asked, "So, Mr. Dubius, does this mean that Time Waves would possibly be hidden to the naked human eye, and Hunter-VGs would respond to them?"

"Um, well… when you put it that way, it COULD be possible to find one if this ChronoMan opened so many," Tom confessed.

"Nobody ever really thought of it that way, did they?" Aaron nervously chuckled.

"To be completely fair," Geo said, "Mega and I found out that Noise Waves seemed to fade away after he and I destroyed Meteor G. However, I suppose a Hunter-VG, already equipped with this technology, could detect these Time Waves."

"Well, we figured out a potential way how to locate them," Ace said. "Now, all that's left is figuring out the best location of where to look… I'm thinking about bothering HER about this, what with her power and all."

"Her?" Lan asked. Omega-Xis and Luna both looked at each other, and then both looked at Ace.

"No!" Omega-Xis groaned. "She'll only bring you-know-who with her, Ace, and I can barely stand you-know-who!"

"And do we really have to bother her?" Luna added. "I mean, she's supposed in Netopia until the end of summer, and we shouldn't interrupt her for something as simple as holding up a Hunter-VG and walking around until we detect the Time Waves."

"We may have to," Ace confessed. "She has the ability to detect EM-Waves too high and low for normal human ears, so she'd easily detect the Time Waves. And if navigating Time Waves proves extremely complicated, we could use her. Geo confirmed her abilities himself when he explained their adventures in the Bermuda Maze."

"Who are you guys talking about?" Lan asked.

"Well," Luna answered, "she's a friend of Geo's… and two certain somebodies here like her." She glared at Bud and Zack, who immediately adopted innocent poses. "Like Geo and Bud, she can Wave Change at will. Her name is—"

_**BRRRRRT! BRRRRRRT!**_

"What's that!?" Match asked.

"Sir, we have a security breach!" a scientist spoke up.

"What!?" the Chief demanded. "From which entrance!?"

"Sir… it's not from any of the outside entrances!" the scientist explained. "It's from the inside of the Central Computer's CC!" Everyone but Lan stared in shock.

"How is that even possible…!?" Jack asked. "Even I couldn't pull that off when I had Corvus!"

"_Lan,_" Hub spoke up, _"are you thinking what I'm thinking?"_

"ChronoMan…" Lan scowled. "He can make Time Waves in both the real world with a Copy Bot and the Cyber World… why couldn't he just cut a huge hole from the inside of one computer and come to the Central Computer?"

"Wait," Zack asked. "You mean the guy who sent you here could be responsible for hacking into WAZA's main Computer by literally slicing through time at most 200 years ago!?"

"Looks like it," Lan said. "Where's the Central Computer!?"

"In the back to the left," Goodall answered. "And before you ask, yes, we've equipped it with a jack for emergency situations like this. Be careful, Lan… you may be our last hope in fixing this. Don't get your brother deleted." Lan nodded before skating off.

"Dr. Goodall…!" the Chief gasped.

"Please, sir," Goodall smiled, "young Lan here may be a headstrong child now, but one has to remember that he is a Hikari and he's determined to reclaim what he had lost. But just in case, his Navi won't be going alone… will he, Geo?"

"No, he won't," Geo said. "Bud, we have to go after him! Trans-Code #003! Mega Man!"

"Trans-Code #005! Taurus Fire!"

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: So, I've finally updated. Now, we're going to see a new character next chapter! She'll be a ball through this story... I hope.

Now, I have a ton of reviews I should probably answer. Let's get started.

**Ghost501:** I am completely sorry for the delay. And now, Geo and Lan have met in person! Mega Men are joining forces and shenanigans are beginning!

**Lucario:** Whoa, a Pokemon is viewing this story? Now, before you go Mega... come on, it's _Battle Network_ meets _Star Force. _ Of course there will be a Bass boss fight that is pretty much Bonus Boss material! Heck, I WAS going to make a spin-off story where Bass and Solo team up, but 1) it would be OOC for BOTH characters since they both hate working with others and 2) they would be more likely to try to kill each other as much as (if not more than) them trying to kill the villains.

Also, good question I've thought about. The only thing I could think of is nothing. The way that the Hunter-VG is designed, as well as its predecessors (the Star Carrier and Transer), Battle Chips are too small and/or bulky to properly insert into a Hunter-VG, so Geo would never have a reason to try.

**Plasma57:** Right.

**Rekxyen:** I really can't help but think of this as a 3rd-person shooter ala _Kid Icarus Uprising,_ _Star Fox Assault,_ and/or _Transformers: War for Cybertron,_ because as much as I love the turn-and-Card-based RPG battle system, it would just flow better/feel better as either that or a 2.5-D platform game similar to _Network Transmission_.

**My friend:** Hi, friend! Well, to be fair, it's the prologue. I have to do SOMETHING to get the story started!

**Recovery Zero:** ...You know, I've thought about making a memory Life Virus/Andromeda as bosses...

**EngiZer:** Well, you know why I stopped for a bit. As for that game... glad you brought that up! Hold that thought for a long time.

**takedigi:** I'm glad you're enjoying yourself.

Well, that's everything I got so far. I'll talk to you all, later. Farewell, my subjects!


	11. Chapter 10: The Attack on WAZA

A/N: Guess what, guys? It's my birthday! So, guess what that means! An update! Oh, and maybe a second update, too. I mean, Chapter 11 is also done.

* * *

**Chapter 10: The Attack on WAZA**

-HH-

**WAZA Main Computer CC**

"_Jack-in, MegaMan! Execute!"_

Hub touched down in the main computer, where he was greeted with the sight of a Hertz frantically banging on an electronic door. "Oh, come on!" the Hertz begged. "Open up!"

"Nope!" a female voice replied from the other side. "I'm sorry, cutie, but I just can't do that for a few minutes, if only for your own protection. I swear we'll be out of your hair by then! Don't worry, though, I don't plan on doing anything TOO bad!"

"Huh?" Hub asked. He looked behind the door and blinked when he saw a female, humanoid Navi in white armor. She had light blonde hair peeking out from under her helmet, which had cat ears sticking from the top of it. She also had a long white tail which had a plug on the back. Her face had noticeable whiskers, and her white gloved hands had noticeable pink paw pads claw-like plugs. Her armor was white, and she had gold, feline eyes. Her Navi symbol was what looked to be a ball of yellow yarn, but the plugs revealed it to be a ball of yellow wires.

"Uh-oh!" the female Navi gasped. "Um, Dark Phantom, I told you that you and ChronoMan should have waited until I cased the security! You guys just aren't as stealthy as Wish Genie and I are! Now look who showed up!" Dark Phantom appeared next to the girl. "It's MegaMan… my time's MegaMan!"

"_Dark Phantom!?"_ Lan scowled. _"And ChronoMan, too!"_

ChronoMan appeared next to Dark Phantom, scythe ready. "I may as well show myself. It's not like Lan and MegaMan are surprised I have a hand in this," the old Navi said. "Perhaps now I will finish what I started."

"Oh, dear," Dark Phantom chuckled. "It seems that a hero has arrived… just like the script intended."

"Wait, you mean you tipped the future's police off on PURPOSE!?" the cat-girl Navi demanded, her tail noticeably standing up. "You know I'm not as strong as you and ChronoMan are! And tired or not, MegaMan beat ChronoMan before and now he's really mad because what you guys did in 20XX! He has no reason to hold back against us! I'm going to be deleted…!"

"Relax, Circuit," Dark Phantom snapped. "You're ruining my big entrance! I was going to announce myself to WAZA, but you started the security hack before I could finish rehearsing."

"We can't afford to go public right now!" the Navi known as Circuit said. "While the Time Wave is closed, I can't jack out. That means facing MegaMan right now is death for me! I've heard of all of the Navis he's deleted, and I don't want to join them!"

"Aren't you a cat?" ChronoMan asked. "You have nine lives, don't you?"

"That's a lie!" Circuit answered. "Cyber-dogs made it up so they were encouraged to hunt us cyber-cats!"

"Um, are we interrupting something?" Taurus Fire spoke up. Sure enough, the large fire bull and Geo appeared next to Hub.

"Just an argument between these guys," Hub said, pointing to ChronoMan, Dark Phantom, and Circuit, the latter especially panicking. "She's apparently been informed of my reputation on battling bad Navis really ends with them being deleted."

"And there's three of them," the cat-girl Navi said. "I'm going to die. I am going to DIE! I'm going to DIE, and it's your fault, Dark Phantom, for showing off."

"Um, Circuit," Wish Genie spoke up. The female Wave Being walked up next to Circuit, and gently gave her a hug, causing the cat Navi to gasp. "You need to calm down… besides, don't you have that ability…?"

"That ability?" Circuit repeated. "Oh, right! I can rewrite the security system!" She turned to a nearby monitor and her tail plugged into it. "Rewire Tail!" The Navi then started typing on it, and the gate's defenses fortified. After she was done, Circuit turned around and picked a startled Wish Genie up into a hug. "Oh, thanks, Wish Genie! You saved my whiskers there!"

"Not a problem, Circuit," Wish Genie smiled, hugging back.

"Well," ChronoMan said, "those two certainly get along very nicely."

"Indeed," Dark Phantom said. "If it wasn't for the fact that they have sorts like you and I as co-stars, ChronoMan, you could write those two and Circuit's operator off as just innocent girls being friends. Too bad that I don't write chick flicks. I never was a fan of those friendship movies."

Looking at the three from across the side after she put Wish Genie down, Circuit asked, "Um, could you guys totally not blow through this new security system for like… five minutes? I'd appreciate doing what I need to and leaving." She turned to the others, and said, "Come on! What we need is in the back!" Circuit rushed straight for the rear of the Cyber Core, ChronoMan following her. Meanwhile, Dark Phantom walked in front of the heroes, Wish Genie staying.

"Welcome, Mega Men, to the beginning of the latest film written by yours truly and produced by the organization Chromos!" Dark Phantom grinned. "However, we are without the proper props for the final act… such as a Noise Control Program?"

"The Noise Control Program!?" Geo asked. "You're still after it, Dark Phantom!?"

"Indeed," Dark Phantom nodded. "But this isn't for me… this is for our major actor ChronoMan! This shall make him even more powerful and allow him to fulfill his role in our goals without the fear that he will delete himself."

"And that would be taking over the world, right?" Geo asked.

"Did your Navi counterpart already tell you what happened 200 years ago when he and his operator, while able to defeat ChronoMan, failed to defeat me and lost their close friends and leading ladies sweet Mayl Sakurai and innocent Roll?" Dark Phantom asked. "Oh, the tears our leading lady Mayl shed right before she was banished by yours truly personally from space and time… who knows where she ended up. I certainly don't!"

"_You rotten ghost…!"_ Lan scowled.

"Lan," Geo said, "don't let Dark Phantom get to you!"

"_Yeah,"_ Omega-Xis agreed. _"He's just a subpar B-movie director!"_

"B-movie director!?" Dark Phantom asked. "I'm not a B-movie director! I'm primetime blockbuster, at least! And this time around, Geo Stelar and Omega-Xis, I came quite prepared for you! I vastly underestimated you and your friends' will during our last encounter, Geo, and I had lost quite a bit of my sanity… but this very computer's cyber-core served as the stage for Act One of my rebirth! And now… it will serve as Act One of your beloved society's destruction!"

"Act One of your rebirth!?" Taurus Fire asked. Dark Phantom answered him by retreating, leaving only Wish Genie. "Come back!"

"It's of no use to call him," Wish Genie said. "He's already heading back there, and I should soon go, as well. But… it's nice to see both Mega Men alive and well, working together. I just wish we had better circumstances to meet."

"You said that the last time we saw each other," Hub noticed. "Wish Genie, why are you working for Cain and Hyde like this?"

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you, right now," Wish Genie answered. "Please, do not hate Circuit. She has her own reasons for following Master Cain, and wishes you no harm, heroes. If anything, she's scared of you." She pulled something out of her pocket, and clenched it in her hands, which had a golden glow for a moment before Taurus Fire's left horn shined bright for a second. "Goodbye, Geo Stelar and Hub Hikari. We'll only be a moment in the back." Wish Genie then ran towards the back, desperate to catch up to her allies.

"What did she do?" Taurus Fire asked.

"What's that stuck to your horn, Bud?" Geo asked. Taurus Fire looked to see a piece of paper stuck onto there by the corner. Hub pulled it off, making sure to avoid Taurus Fire's flames, and looked at it.

"It must be a note of some kind, written in some weird language," Hub asked. "I don't recognize it."

"I do," the Hertz spoke up. "It's in a language of the ancient Wave World… in short, Murian. Mu was the ancient society dominating the world's technology before its fall and the old Net society where you're from popped up."

"I thought the script looked familiar," Geo said. "But, how do you know it?"

"While I'm the security Hertz here in WAZA's main computer," the Hertz explained, "I'm also trained in ancient languages as part of my job to decode data. Dr. Goodall programmed me in case she needed to analyze data of ancient societies."

"Good, we could use that," Hub said. "So, what does it say?"

"Hmm…" the Hertz mused. "Ah! This must be the new password! That Circuit girl who locked me out must have quickly made the password, and—for some reason—gave it to that Wish Genie girl, who gave it to you!"

"She helped us?" Geo asked.

"She's certainly odd," Hub confessed. "But Wish Genie seems more friend than foe. Anyway, we should follow her advice!"

"If you want me to translate," the Hertz said, "ask me! Here's the first password hint: 'This town's park is marked by a pink squirrel'."

"A squirrel?" Taurus Fire asked. "I don't know anything about squirrels!"

"I do," Hub said, walking towards the door. "A-C-D-C." The gate opened, revealing a new path.

"_Good thing our hometown has a squirrel statue," _Lan chuckled. _"Are you guys going to be okay?"_

"_We should be asking you that question,"_ Luna said from behind Lan. _"You… you seemed so angry there…"_

"Sorry, Luna," Hub said, "it's just that Roll and Mayl are very close to us. They were the last ones who were taken away, Mom and Dad being second to last. I mean, Roll and Mayl have been in danger in the past, but… we at least knew where to look. Now, with this Time Wave stuff…" Looking up at Lan, he said, "We'll get them back, Lan… I promise. ChronoMan is up ahead. If we catch him, we'll get him to tell us how to open one. For now, let's focus on catching him before they get away."

"_Right,"_ Lan agreed. _"Let's go."_

"I'll meet you guys ahead," the Hertz said before floating towards the next gate. Hub, Geo, and Taurus Fire followed him, where the Hertz gave the next clue: "'The home country of Princess Pride and her guardian KnightMan…'"

"Who's Princess Pride!?" Taurus Fire asked.

"_She was a member of a crime syndicate known as Gospel because her home country was being passed by in power despite it being one of the first known countries to have a Net,"_ Lan answered. _"She reformed later on, becoming a fair ruler… and an ally. Anyway, this one I know."_

"Got it," Hub grinned. "C-R-E-A-M-L-A-N-D." The door once again opened, and the Hertz moved on ahead. "Are these clues Circuit gave us have anything to do with our history?"

"_It looks like it,"_ Lan answered. _"First our town, then an enemy turned ally. Now what?"_ The trio moved on, eventually coming to another door.

"Okay, this door's password has something to do with an old man… 'a foe of the Hikaris and Net society since his youth, where his robotics research was passed by, and sealed in the trees for his crimes'."

"That's a no-brainer," Hub grinned. "W-I-L-Y." The door passed on, leaving Geo and Taurus Fire standing there in shock. "I guess this is easier for us since we've faced Wily three times."

"_That reminds me,"_ Lan asked, _"Ace, did you guys ever talk to the Mayor about getting access to Green Town's Courthouse to find out if Wily's still serving time for his actions?"_

"_I honestly did not know he was there,"_ Ace answered. _"Is he that dangerous?"_

"_Not anymore, but I can't help but worry."_

"Lan, let's focus on right now," Hub said. "There are two more doors." The group headed up to the next door, where the Hertz was waiting for them.

"You guys may not like this next one," the Hertz warned.

"Why?" Taurus Fire said. "Something bad in history?"

"No, but it's asking you to fight three rounds of viruses… each of you."

"Well, here we go!" Hub said. "Lan?"

"_On it! Battle routine, set!"_

"Execute!" Three virus battles later, the door opened, but the three were getting exhausted. They were surprised to see Wish Genie was on the other side.

"Wish Genie?" Circuit yelled from the back, "did they just break through the virus door?"

"Yes, they did," Wish Genie said.

"Okay, I'll just hack faster," Circuit said. "Come back!"

"Don't worry, Circuit," Wish Genie assured her friend. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"Um, hate to break it to you," Taurus Fire pointed out, "but it's three against one."

"True," Wish Genie agreed. "But I am not planning to fight you. Just give your two friends something." Her hands glowed, and Hub and Geo's chest symbols began to glow.

"What did she just do!?" Taurus Fire questioned. When the glowing of their symbols stopped, the three looked up… only to see Wish Genie had vanished, most likely heading towards the back.

"_Hub,"_ Lan asked, _"do you feel any different?"_

"Um, not really," Hub said. "My systems are alright. My symbol is strange. We'll have to analyze what she installed later."

"_Geo?" _Luna asked. _"Are you okay?"_

"I don't feel anything," Geo said. "But my pendant seems strange… somewhat altered. I'll have to look into it as well… maybe Dad will know."

"If you guys wanna get out of here and let me take care of things," Taurus Fire said, "I'll be fine. I still have to get that jerk back for what he did to Zack when we were trying to save Prez."

"What happened?" Hub asked.

"_Yeah, what happened?"_ Luna asked. _"Was this the time I died?"_

"_You died once?"_ Lan questioned.

"Hey, I died twice," Hub commented. "One in the real world, and I sacrificed myself to save you from Alpha."

"_Long story we can go over later,"_ Dr. Goodall said. _"For now, they're almost done with the hack!"_

"Let's go!" Hub said. They found the last gate right in front of the data storage center.

"Here it is," the Hertz said. "But after this, I'm afraid this is as far as I go. I'm not battle capable!"

"It's alright," Omega-Xis said. "Just translate, and we'll take it from there."

"Got it," the Hertz nodded. "Alright… 'the virus that drove Navis insane and was reborn as a Navi himself."

"Z-E-R-O," Hub nodded. "Remember facing that guy… one of the toughest fights of my life. I'm glad he joined our side." The door opened, allowing them access to see the Chromos group, Circuit's tail plugged into the system.

"They're already here, aren't they?" Circuit asked, looking at the reflections on the screen. She looked behind her, still typing. "Well, I liked living…"

"Don't consider you out of lives just yet," Dark Phantom said. "Remember, it's three against four. Isn't that right, ChronoMan?"

"An excellent chance to take on the Mega Men," ChronoMan nodded, brandishing his weapon.

"I don't need you to win," Circuit told him. "I have the program at approximately… 95 percent. I just need a couple minutes from you. Can you do that, ChronoMan? I promise I will get you that program as soon as possible. Orion already has the Paradox Crown."

"_So,"_ Omega-Xis asked, _"you're the old Navi who caused all of our latest problems?"_ Omega-Xis asked, Geo facing ChronoMan. _"For an old guy who fancies himself a reaper, you don't look so tough."_

"You have no idea just how powerful the force of time really is," ChronoMan said, brandishing his scythe. "And your time has approached."

"So," Hub asked, looking at Dark Phantom, "I guess that means I'm facing you?"

"Perhaps," Dark Phantom said. "Are you still mad about your loved ones? Or are you mad with despair about the fact that you will never see them again?"

"We WILL see them again!" Hub shot back.

"So that means I'll just stop the download!" Taurus Fire said. He then charged past both Mega Men, avoiding ChronoMan's Temporal Slash and Dark Phantom's Phantom Claw. Wish Genie could barely dodge out of the way of the Ox Tackle.

"Circuit, look out!" Wish Genie yelled, throwing her wrap straight off. "Battle Card, Sticky Web!" Her left arm turned into a cannon, which shot out a spider web. Taurus Fire turned around and burned the web away with ease before resuming his run. Circuit, noticing the charging bull, screamed in fear, raising her hands in defense—

_**PEWT!**_

Everyone looked at Circuit, whose left hand had the claws shooting out with cords, embedding themselves in Taurus Fire, who was mere inches from her. "…Huh?" Circuit asked.

"Bud!" Geo yelled. "Are you okay!?"

"…I feel funny," Taurus Fire confessed. "Also… I can't really move?"

"Did I do this?" Circuit asked, moving her hand, retracting the wires, but the claws stayed in Taurus Fire. Taurus Fire's arms fell limp. Circuit clenched her hand, and Taurus Fire did the same with his own, the claws sparking up with electricity in order to force him to do so. "What the heck?" She then waved, and Taurus Fire waved. "Say apple."

"Steak," Taurus Fire answered.

"Oh, so it looks like I just took over your motor functions, and not your consciousness?" the cat girl Navi asked herself. "If I did, nod your head." Taurus Fire did so. "Oh my goodness, I did!"

"This isn't good," Taurus Fire groaned.

"Well, for you, at least," Circuit answered. "I guess Wave Changers have some type of immunity to hypnotism. It doesn't stop me from controlling your movements, however. Hey, I just had a crazy idea! Could YOU buy me a few moments, please? Just long enough for me to get the code." Taurus Fire turned to the Mega Men.

"Geo," Taurus Fire begged, "don't hold back on me! Give me everything you've got… I don't think I'll be able to hold back!"

"Bud, wait!" Geo said.

"Temporal Slash!" ChronoMan yelled, slicing at Geo. "Your battle is with me!"

"My, what a plot twist!" Dark Phantom chuckled. "Through sheer accident, our little star Circuit had managed to force Taurus Fire on our side for just this performance only! The only way this could have been better is if I had written it! This is a scene I'll gladly have to throw in!"

"Looks like we'll have to face Taurus Fire," Hub said, realizing that in order to buy Geo some time from two opponents, he'd have to stay his revenge on Dark Phantom for another day. "Lan?"

"…_Bud, I'm sorry about this!"_ Lan apologized. _"We'll try to just knock you out! Battle routine, set!"_

"Execute!"

"Don't hold back!" Taurus Fire instructed before rushing towards Hub. Hub, after a bit of battling large opponents like GutsMan, instinctively dodged to the right, avoiding the punch.

"Good things we have tons of Net Battles under our belt," Hub said. "Lan?"

"_Found something,"_ Lan answered. _"Bubbler Battle Chip in, Download!"_ Hub's arm turned into a Bubbler gun, which he blasted Taurus Fire with in the face. After Taurus Fire took the attack, Hub took to going on the offense, landing a few blows with the Mega Buster.

"_Don't hurt Bud too badly!"_ Luna yelled at Lan.

"Prez, its fine!" Taurus Fire called, barely avoiding landing an Ox Tackle on Hub. "I'll be okay… Taurus and I can take it! I think of this like training! Only, well, I'm sort of attacking against my will."

"Look, I'm trying to figure out how I'm doing that, and I have no clue!" Circuit said.

_**BEEP-BEEP!**_

"_COPYING OF DATA COMPLETE."_

"Oh, it's done!" Circuit smiled, unplugging her tail as an Air Display showing the Noise Control Program manifested itself. The Air Display shrunk down into a standard Battle Chip size. She looked at ChronoMan, who was slashing at Geo, the latter barely blocking any of the attacks. "Okay, ChronoMan, we're good to go! Quit your fight with the future Mega Man, and please open a Time Wave that gets us out of here!"

"A copy!?" Dark Phantom asked. "Circuit, the script called for you to steal the whole program!"

"Well, my original plan called to make a copy anyway!" Circuit said, focusing on controlling Taurus Fire. "There's only data, here! The Noise Control Program isn't something the future's defense forces wouldn't miss! I wanted to make this subtle, but you and ChronoMan don't care about a quick and quiet job!"

"You know I love the spotlight!" Dark Phantom scolded her. Circuit rolled her eyes.

"You would make a terrible spy film," the cat Navi said. Looking at Wish Genie, she asked, "You're ready to go, aren't you?"

"I am, but you should probably get your claws back?" Wish Genie asked.

"Oh, right," Circuit said. Meanwhile, Taurus Fire managed to land a Fire Breath on Hub, which did massive damage since he did not have a lot of room to avoid it.

"Bud's pretty tough," Hub groaned. He then took a few shots with the Mega Buster. Even though the Buster rarely caused enemies to flinch, Taurus Fire didn't even wince as the shots hit home. "How do I deal with that fire?"

"_That's a good question," _Lan noticed. _"How do we get past that Fire Breath of Taurus'?"_

"You should try firing a Water attack whenever I'm building up my firepower!" Taurus Fire suggested. "I'll get stunned!"

"Oh, right, that's a thing we really take advantage of," Hub remembered. "Lan, Battle Chip?"

"_Okay, here goes! Aqua Tower 1 Battle Chip in, Download!"_ Hub's right arm turned from a Buster to a water geyser, which he began charging up. The moment Taurus Fire got ready for a Fire Breath, Hub slammed it down, sprouting a Aqua Tower that slammed into Taurus Fire, countering the attack. _"Alright, sorry Bud, but we're ending this! Yoyo 1 Battle Chip in, Download!"_ Hub's arm turned from the geyser to the yoyo launcher, which—combined with Full Synchro- was used to knock over Taurus Fire, taking him down. The claws Circuit used to control him popped out, and broke down. Circuit's hand, meanwhile, regained her claws.

"Well, that was certainly a thing," Circuit said. "Not sure I'll be able to get that off, twice."

"Bud!" Geo said, running over. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Ugh," Bud groaned. "That wasn't pleasant… sorry I messed up."

"_It's okay," _Lan said. _"Not even Circuit knew she could do that… but that was kind of weird."_

"Glad to see you're okay," Geo said, grabbing Taurus Fire's arm… only for his pendant and Taurus Fire's horns begin flashing bright.

"Huh!?" Hub asked, looking at the two.

"What's going on!?" Geo asked. He then suddenly gasped as a selection of memories began playing.

-GS-

_Geo looked at three kids around his age: a girl with blonde hair tied in two huge pigtails with a school uniform, a short brown haired boy wearing glasses with his shirt and tie outfit, and a big, heavy-looking kid with blue hair sticking out of his unique orange headgear, a brown vest over a yellow shirt with a fork and knife crossing over each other, and brown shorts._

_Geo did not know it at the time, but this was the day that he met three of his closest friends: Luna Platz, Zack Temple, and Bud Bison._

"…_The big guy behind me is Bud Bison…" Luna introduced._

* * *

"_Hey, jerk!" Bud snapped when Geo didn't introduce himself right away. "Don't just stand there! Say something!"_

_Geo, after meeting Omega-Xis, Luna's trio, Bud included, had followed him home, trying to get him to come to school. However, Geo was not interested at this point in his life. Luna decided to employ Bud's muscle and get him to intimidate Geo into complying… which wouldn't have been a problem for him had Omega-Xis not decided to make his house in Geo's Transer arm._

"_Look, jerk," Bud insisted, unaware of Geo's arm moving out of control. "Just be good and come to school! It's for your own good, anyway."_

_**WHAM!**_

_Geo, forced by Omega-Xis hijacking his left arm, gave Bud a surprise uppercut that reduced Bud to an unconscious heap on his front lawn._

"_Ugh… little… creep," Bud muttered before passing out._

* * *

_Bud, after his defeat, was approached by Taurus. The fiery FM-ian detected his loneliness when Luna threatened to cut off their Brother Band in response to the embarrassment of watching him get laid out like that. Since Taurus lacked access to his full powers on Earth, wanted to make a deal with Bud that would allow him to take the Andromeda Key back._

"_Bud, you are a smart boy," the bull FM-ian complimented. "If you allow me to occupy the crevice in your heart, I could give you power… and if you were to show that power to the Prez… Let's just say you wouldn't be alone again."_

"_Show her the power?" Bud asked. "How do I do that?"_

_Taurus laughed. "Don't worry," he promised, "leave everything to me. Unless you would rather return to loneliness?"_

_Bud thought about his past, how kids stayed away from him because he was bigger than most people his age, how he wasn't the smartest person, and how scary he looked. His only comfort was when this pretty blond haired girl with two pigtails—Luna Platz, he later found out—and this short smart kid who was basically his counterpart in every way—Zack Temple. And now, they were on the verge of leaving him all because this Geo kid was being ungrateful and made a fool of him._

_He would not forgive him._

"_I don't want to be left alone," Bud answered Taurus. The bull, if he could smile, would have grinned._

* * *

_The colossal bull that was Taurus Fire stood in front of the unconscious Luna and Zack while Mega Man stood across from him. "Take a good look at Taurus Fire," Taurus himself taunted Geo. "Seem familiar?"_

_Geo gasped in shock, realizing just who it was from an earlier clue Luna gave him. "I can't believe it… Bud?"_

"_Yup," Taurus Fire confirmed, "you picked a real winner there, Omega-Xis! I'm gonna mow you down, and take back the Andromeda Key!"_

"_So, you really do plan to attack this planet!" Omega-Xis confirmed. His secret AM-ian desire for revenge was beginning to boil. He wouldn't let what happened to AM happen to Earth, even if it was pretty boring._

"_The king's commands are absolute!" Taurus declared. "Using Bud's body, the destruction of this town will signal the attack on Earth!" To his host, he ordered, "Bud… no, Taurus Fire! Destroy them! If you do, the Prez will also appreciate you!"_

_Geo looked at Taurus Fire approaching him, clenching his massive fists._

* * *

"_What would I do if the people who are supposed to protect me couldn't?" Luna asked Bud and Zack. While the latter was a bit on the embarrassed side, the former felt even guiltier than before. He didn't really pay too much attention to his times as Taurus Fire, but… Luna and Zack could have been hurt or worse during his attempts to get revenge on Geo. It wasn't fair to involve them in his feud._

"_Prez…" he confessed. "I… I've been hiding things from you. You know about all of those things getting broken?" Luna nodded, looking at the mailbox near her apartment complex that had a massive dent in it. Part of the reason that she dragged Zack and Bud into doing these patrols was to find out who vandalized that mailbox. "I think I'm the one doing it…"_

_Luna gasped. Was Bud really doing all of these crimes? Why!?_

"_After I got mad at you that one time," Bud continued, "I saw the strangest thing. There was a cow monster guy, and he told me he'd give me powers." While Luna and Zack were still stunned by Bud's confession, he continued, "He said if I wanted to keep you as a Brother, I had to show you my power." Looking down, he added, "Then you'd appreciate me…"_

_Luna didn't show it, but she felt terrible for threatening to cut off their Brother Band. She knew that without Bud or Zack, she'd probably be just as alone as Bud probably felt before she picked him up as a Brother. She knew he had self-esteem issues just like she did... after all, her parents were hardly ever home enough to spend time with her. Bud was ignored and even feared because he was bigger and scary-looking compared to most kids their age. Yet when Geo knocked him out, it made her feel that she herself was weak because he made her look pretty bad. She had to start treating her friends better._

_Bud meanwhile continued his story. "After that, every night I'd get restless. I'd go outside, but when I'd see something red, I'd blank out… and then wake up in my own room. I thought it was all a dream, but… car pieces, or bricks, would be all around me…" Bud looked down, tears flowing from his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said after a bit. "I'll apologize to everyone."_

_Luna turned around from Bud, hmphing as she did so. "Prez…" Zack spoke up, worried that Luna was about to do what she threatened several days ago as she held up her Transer. However, he then heard a few beeping noises, almost like she was scheduling something in her digital planner._

"_Bud! Zack!" she ordered. "I want you back here at 6:30 AM! We have to fix all the things Bud destroyed! Don't be late or else!" Bud looked up, wiping tears out of his eyes as he looked at Luna. She turned her head, and offered him a smile. Although Luna was never vocal with apologies or forgiveness, this was her way of saying that she forgave him before slipping back into her usual mode and turning back so she was facing away from him. She shrugged as she added, "Sometimes, having Brothers just makes a girl's harder than it needs to be." She began walking towards her apartment when she stopped._

"_Oh, and Bud…" Bud straightened up, expecting a scolding. What he got instead was, "Make sure from now on you use your strength to do things more useful to me, OK?"_

"_P-Prez…" Bud nearly cried. But Luna continued walking towards her apartment. How far she got before Bud and Zack, both still crying, hugged her, well, she wasn't sure. But Geo and Omega-Xis saw the whole scenario._

* * *

Geo and Taurus Fire knelt down, holding their heads. "Whoa… what was that?" Geo asked.

"_Is it just me, or was that how we first really got acquainted with Bud?"_ Omega-Xis asked. Meanwhile, Dark Phantom was preparing his attack while ChronoMan was being held off by Hub.

"ChronoMan, we really should be going," Wish Genie said, looking up and sensing something.

"Yeah," Circuit added. "We're here a lot longer than planned."

ChronoMan broke off his attack, and sighed. "Very well. We shall retreat for now… Time Wave Slice!" He then cut a Time Wave, allowing them an escape route.

"Circuit, you go first," Wish Genie said. "I will cover you if we need to."

"You're a life-saver, Wish Genie!" Circuit smiled, hugging her female ally. "Oh home, here I come!" Circuit ran into the Time Wave, leaving ChronoMan, Wish Genie, and Dark Phantom.

"Well, it appears Mega Man is suddenly weak," Dark Phantom grinned to himself. "I should probably write him out of the script… and what better way than this?" His Phantom Claw suddenly began to shine with a blue-green hue. "Phantom Claw!"

"Look out!"

Geo looked up just in time to be pushed out of the way by an orange figure, which took on the attack head on. Even Hub stopped his attack to look to see what had happened… Mick's Navi had taken the Phantom Claw straight in the chest.

"_M-Mick!?"_ Lan asked.

"_Glad to see me?" _Mick asked. _"Hey, how are you hanging in there?"_

"I'm… I'm… it hurts…" Mick's Navi answered. Dark Phantom ripped out his Phantom Claw, and Mick's Navi collapsed. There was a massive wound on his chest, but it was glowing blue and green, similar to that of the Time Waves.

"Well… that wasn't something I planned in my script!" the black-clad Wave Being scowled.

"_Mick, jack your Navi out!" _Lan said. _"Something's wrong with him!"_ The constant pressing of a button echoed.

"_Darn it…!"_ Mick growled. _"He's not responding to the command!"_

Geo and Taurus Fire stood up. "He's not looking so good," Taurus Fire said. "I can probably carry him back to the access point… maybe he could get out from that way?"

"Oh no you don't!" ChronoMan scowled. "Sand—!"

"Pulse Song!"

ChronoMan flinched as a large heart-shaped blast hit him with full force, and he collapsed on the ground. This combined with the wounds from the two Mega Men, and he was down.

Geo, Taurus Fire, and Hub all looked to see a pink-clad blonde girl about Geo's age. She wore a pink helmet with a light pink heart on the forehead and a blue clear visor and white head phones, a dark pink dress with a heart-shaped breastplate over a black shirt, black tights, pink-and-white striped long-sleeved gloves, with gold bracelets, pink boots that reached her knees, and a long white scarf. In her hand was a blue guitar with a microphone attached to the handle and a harp theme for the strings, the guitar's handle having a face.

"I leave for a few weeks to go on tour," the girl sighed, "and all of this happens. Can we really not get pulled into crises like this, Geo?"

"Harp Note?" Geo asked as the girl pulled him up, and offered him a smile. Meanwhile, Omega-Xis manifested as well as a harp-shaped being, with pink flames on the top, green eyes, and a pink heart on the side of the harp.

"Aw, Mega," the harp giggled, "you didn't invite us to this little party? I'm insulted."

"And you have to show up?" Omega-Xis groaned. "How did you guys even get here so fast from Netopia!?"

"Sky Wave after hearing about the strange incident from Ace," the girl known as Harp Note confessed. "I had to stop by Loch Mess, then Echo Ridge, hit the Astro Wave, and it got complicated from there. The point is we're here!" She turned her attention back to Dark Phantom, and ChronoMan being tended to by Wish Genie. "Okay, I don't know who two of you guys are, but I do know Dark Phantom. Remember how you hurt Geo really badly right in front of me… twice?"

"Oh yes," Dark Phantom chuckled. "Ripped the OOPArt right out of his second mouth after Solo and he nearly tore each other apart, and when he wouldn't give me the Noise Control Program the first time…"

"Good, we're in agreement," Harp Note said. "You deserve this! Machine Gun String!" She then launched a musical line out of her guitar, which wrapped around Dark Phantom. She then raised a guitar and played several notes, which shocked Dark Phantom. "That was for Geo!" She then strapped her guitar on her back, and held out a Battle Card with a rifle on it, and a fiery explosion on the other end. "Battle Card, Magma Launcher!" She then swiped the card, and her right hand turned into a large gun. She fired the gun just as Wish Genie stepped in front of the stunned Dark Phantom.

"Battle Card, Barrier 100!" Wish Genie summoned a yellow barrier that soaked up the massive shot and explosion. When the smoke cleared, Wish Genie was completely fine, but her barrier was destroyed. "Battle Guard, Invisible!" Wish Genie grabbed Dark Phantom, and she and he both vanished in thin air. Suddenly, ChronoMan vanished as well. "Farewell, for now…"

"Wait!" Harp Note yelled, but the Time Wave closed. "…They got away…"

"How can you tell?" Hub asked, aiming his buster around. The female Wave Being poked her headphones.

"I can hear waves higher and lower than normal hearing," Harp Note answered. "It even allows me to hear invisible enemies' footsteps too… it really helps to avoid sneak attacks." She then got a good look at the blue Navi. "…Huh? Geo, why are there two of you?"

"Um, that's a good question," Geo said. "But we have to get this Navi back to his PET… Bud, do you have this?"

"Right," Taurus Fire said, picking up Mick's Navi and carrying him towards the entrance to the CC.

"Navi?" Harp Note asked. "As in, the old Navis that are no longer around anymore? What's going on, here?"

Meanwhile, Geo turned to Harp Note. "Hey, Sonia, can you pulse out? I promise I'll explain things in a bit after I check on things, here."

"Okay," Harp Note said. "Lyra, you ready?"

"Yeah," the harp nodded. She turned to Omega-Xis, and said, "See you in a bit!" The harp disappeared, and Harp Note then pulsed out, leaving the two Mega Men.

"You should check on Mick's Navi," Geo suggested. "Omega-Xis and I have this."

"Are you sure?" Hub asked. Geo nodded.

"…Yeah," he answered. "I… I don't know where that memory to when Bud and I first met came from, but somebody needs to make sure they didn't download just the Noise Control Program. Besides, Mick is Lan's friend first."

"_You know, we should probably check on Mick," _Lan spoke up. _"Jack out, Hub. We have a lot to discuss."_

"Okay," Hub nodded before turning to Geo. "Be out soon, okay?" Hub disappeared in a flash, leaving Geo and Omega-Xis.

"Well, that was a thing," Omega-Xis groaned. "Those memories… it felt like that one time you upgraded you OS to the Hunter-VG, shoving all of that data down my throat."

"And I have a nasty headache," Geo added while an Air Display popped up in front of him. "Running the diagnostic for any missing files… huh? None are missing?"

"But I thought she stole the Noise Control Program?" Omega-Xis said. "That doesn't make any sense that no data is missing if that cat snuck it out!"

"…Wait," Geo remembered. "During the fight, she said something about a copy… which means that the real Noise Control Program, although that is what they were after, couldn't have been stolen!"

"_Allow me to explain that,"_ Acid's voice said before appearing next to Geo. "You were given the sole Noise Control Program in existence in order to keep it from falling into Dealer's hands in case something happened to Ace and I. After all, who better to handle one of the most dangerous programs in the world than the one person who has used the power of the Satellite Admins of Planet AM and the OOPArt containing the power of one of the ancient Tribes of Mu and survived both experiences, using their respective power to save Earth twice?"

"You gave us the only Noise Control Program to work with that looks like it costs more Zenny than I'll ever see in my life?" Geo asked. "That had to be pretty expensive…"

"Oh trust me, it was," Acid recalled. "Which was why we were hoping to—after the destruction of Meteor G—be able to have it back and study its data. However, it didn't survive the overload of Noise plus your finalization and the explosion of the meteor. Not completely your fault, but we decided ultimately to not use it again if something like Meteor G wasn't being detected anywhere near our solar system. However, it COULD be copied and reproduced. If the thief didn't want to completely steal the data, it would be faster and less traceable of a hack to simply copy it."

"_Add that to a particular hack that is at least 200 years old in origin and she's untraceable,"_ Omega-Xis scowled.

"_Even if we had the ability to travel through time,"_ Ace added, _"we'd have a difficult time figuring out where they came from. Chromos is pretty clever."_

"Argh," Geo growled. "They beat us without beating us!"

"_Well, you can't win them all,"_ Ace said. _"Pulse out, and we're done for the day. We need to check on you guys, anyway. See what Wish Genie did."_

"Okay," Geo sighed. "Sorry I failed."

"It's not your fault, Geo," Acid answered before pulsing out himself. Geo and Omega-Xis did the same.

* * *

**Green Town—Court House**

A Punishment Bot was doing a patrol of the courthouse. However, as it was nearing the front, the alarm began beeping. The robot looked just in time to see an arrow flying at its head. Needless to say, it didn't survive having an arrow shot through its head, but it did catch a glimpse of who shot it. Sagittarius Arrow.

As the Punishment Bot fell, Sagittarius Arrow trotted over its metallic frame. A few more Punishment Bots responded to the alarm. "INTRUDER DETECTED. INTRUDER DETECTED. NOBODY WITHOUT THE PROPER AUTHORIZATION IS ALLOWED IN THE COURTHOUSE. YOU ARE HEREBY UNDER ARREST. PLEASE CEASE AND DISSEST."

"Oh, please," the EM Wave Changer laughed. "No amount of you weak bots will stop me." The robots were soon destroyed, but Sagittarius Arrow was bored. "This is nowhere near as exciting as hacking into a super-computer and just going buck-wild on said computer," the soldier complained. "These criminals I'm busting out better be worth it."

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: So, this was a thing. We now know Harp Note has come all the way from Netopia to lay a two-game overdue smack down on Hyde's face! Oh, and she sniped ChronoMan, too. Sonia is my favorite character in the _Star Force _trilogy. The funny part about this update is it's on my birthday… so yeah, Happy Birthday to me courtesy of Sonia finally hitting Dark Phantom.

But my real favorite characters here are Wish Genie and Circuit. Circuit is one of the few characters that, unlike previous _Battle Network/Star Force_ villain Navis/Wave Beings, KNOWS she wouldn't stand a chance against MegaMan if she and he were to come to blows and does everything in her super-hacker powers to prevent MegaMan from catching her. Unfortunately for her, EM Wave Changers and combat-ready Net Navis tend to be a bit of blood knights, and she works with two of them. However, she doesn't know it yet, but has a bit of combat capabilities… and the ability to do something BEYOND the impossible and controlling Taurus Fire.

Yeah, so this was a twist on the obligatory Taurus Fire boss fight in that you're playing as Hub (or MegaMan from the _Battle Network_ series) to fight him. Yes, I went there. Hence this is the reason why Circuit herself is a major character. Because the other version of how this would have played out—Bud jealous of the attention Luna was giving Lan, and challenging Lan to a fight—would be slightly out of character since his character arc in _Star Force 3_ was him gaining full control of Taurus and Wave Changing on his own.

…You guys have probably figured out how I'm doing GUTSMAN now since we have to find him. So, I'm just gonna work on the reviews.

**Ghost501:** Yeah, I figured that would be the only reason this all makes sense. As technology advances, a lot of things we take for granted now start becoming obsolete and fade away due to negligence. That is going to be a theme in this story. What if the technology we had now suddenly was not functioning and we now had to rely on older ways? How many people would be lost as a result? Honestly, a LOT of our youth would be panicking and even several adults would be lost. On the opposite side, what if you woke up one day to go to your computer and check your e-mail, only to find out that your computer doesn't work anymore because the rest of the world doesn't use ordinary computers anymore but some complicated handheld device that requires you months or years of training to use but kids can master it in a mere five minutes? It's kind of scary and/or frustrating on both thoughts.

**Matteso585:** Okay, "fell in a plothole" is a simple term for "Mayl and Roll are not in 22XX, Lan and Hub are the only members of the separated group that made it there, but we'll get to what Mayl and Roll are doing after the next major boss fight". I do love the idea that Mayl and Sonia getting along, but that won't happen for a while.

The second question, I feel that if Hyde and Cain were to be betrayed by ChronoMan, it would be after they had outlived their usefulness to him/gave him what exactly he wants. I'm not saying when that will occur or what that is, however.

The last question, I… I'm going to be honest, that's a decent idea. However, I'm not sure when MegaMan, GutsMan, or ProtoMan will be traveling the Wave Roads.

**Recovery Zero:** Yeah, Rogue will be here sometime soon. He's kind of pissed off. You'll see why.

**Mysterious Mr M:** Yeah, Geo would be absolutely livid about that guy, but King is more than likely dead since he technically became the Crimson Dragon (and Geo killed that). Just like how Lan still wouldn't trust Regal, mind wipe or no, because Regal did the most direct personal damage to Lan's loved ones.

**Plasma57:** Thank you very much!

**Rekxyen:** Yeah, you hit this in one. I'm glad you're so excited about the chapter. As for my grandmother, she's doing somewhat better. As I'm typing this, she and I are watching the news.

**blee7442:** You were guessing Sonia, weren't you? Because it was Sonia. Oh, and ChronoMan was partially responsible.

**Lucario:** Yes, Bass is a secret boss. He always is a secret boss. As for that combo… Whoa. That is pretty overkill.

**Guest:** Thank you!

Okay, that is all that I have. Oh, and look out for _Sonic Chao Chronicles,_ _Ace Attorney,_ and RWBY X Star Wars! Farewell, my subjects!


	12. Chapter 11: The Bonds Going Beyond Time

A/N: So, you guys may recall about... two updates ago, that I was having family-related problems involving my grandmother and her lung cancer. Well, as of last night, she passed away. On the plus she lasted longer than her original prognosis... literally 3 months longer.

So this chapter goes to the memory of Carolyn Ethel Brown, April 23, 1943-May 11, 2015. May she rest in peace. And how appropriate of a title.

* * *

**Chapter 11: The Bonds Going Beyond Time**

-LH-

**National WAZA HQ**

"Hey, guys!" a girl's voice spoke up. Lan looked behind him to see a pink-haired girl walking up to them.

"…Mayl?" Lan asked. "Is that you!?"

"Mayl?" the girl asked. "Who is that?" Lan blinked, and looked again, noticing that the hair was similar, but that was where the similarities ended. She was wearing a pink bear hoodie, and light green short shorts. She also had a yellow electric guitar strapped to her back, further detracting from Mayl's look.

"Sonia Strum!" Zack breathed. "I thought that it was you who helped Geo and Bud in there!"

"Yeah," the girl known as Sonia said. "Is that Navi that got hurt going to be alright?"

"_I don't know,"_ Hub said. _"Mick's Navi suffered a great deal of damage… in Mick's PET, he'll stay intact for a bit more, but if he's not repaired soon…"_

"Oh, was that the Navi that looked like Geo does when he's Mega Man?" Sonia asked, looking over Lan's shoulder. "Wow, what happened while I was in Netopia on tour? All I was told was that things got weird in Electopia."

"That's a bit of a story," Luna said. "When Geo and Bud come back, we'll tell you."

An explanation later, Sonia was sitting down, reflecting on what she heard. "So, these Chromos guys have damaged the timeline, threw a young Lan Hikari and his friends and family through time, captured Wilshire Hills and the IFL Tower, and now they have a copy of the Noise Control Program's blueprints, and are free to do whatever they want with history?"

"Yeah," Geo said. "It's really bad, Sonia. Soon, ChronoMan will become all powerful, and Chromos will do who knows what."

"Could be worse," Ace said. "We could have lost the program altogether. Here, we have a chance… and not all Chromos members are completely loyal or in agreement with Hyde and Cain. It's like King and Dealer all over again."

"Yeah," Sonia agreed. "It seemed like that Circuit and Wish Genie girl were just following orders… kind of like how I was when I was a part of the Neo Mu Empire Vega and Hollow were forming." She sighed in frustration. "Too bad we can't thwart them, right now…"

"We need to find a way to travel through time," Lan scowled. "If we had a Time Wave, we could follow them through it."

"Time Wave?" Sonia asked. "Lyra?" The harp-like Wizard appeared next to her. "Do you think that blue-green clock EM Wave cluster we saw in Netopia's Colosseum Avenue and Neo Vista Point…?"

"Could be," Lyra said. "They were a little funny when I sensed them…" Lan looked at Sonia and Lyra, his eyes wide. "What?"

"Colosseum Avenue and Neo Vista Point?" Lan asked. "Where are they!?"

"Well, Colosseum Avenue is all of the way in Netopia, named after this big Colosseum where warriors of the ancient world did battle," Sonia said. "I first saw it right after my concert there, where I ran into a strange boy. I don't know if he's part of Chromos, but he told me to stay away or he'll be forced to deal with me… whatever that meant. However, I sensed that he had a lot of skill and power for a boy our age."

"That boy could be part of Chromos," Ace scowled. "How many agents do they have?"

"I don't think he was a part of Chromos," Sonia said. "He said that something serious was going down, and that he was going to crush the enemy. He was wearing a hood, so I couldn't really tell what he looked like, but I could sense a lot of skill from him. The only other boys I could sense that from in our age were Solo—who is who knows where—Jack—and he can't Wave Change anymore—and Geo… who was in Electopia. I suppose we could use that if we travel to Netopia."

"That reminds me," Luna said. "Geo, did you ever get a passport?"

"…I KNEW I forgot something!" Geo groaned.

"We should get on that for things like this," Hope confessed.

"So, we're stuck with Neo Vista Point, then," Geo said. "It's nearby Echo Ridge Elementary, but it's been under construction for a year now. It just finished. Although Dad's back home from space, I still plan to go there from time-to-time to gaze at stars."

"_So THAT'S why we haven't gone for like two adventures and you've been using the roof of the school as a hangout!"_ Omega-Xis realized.

"You just now noticed this, Mega?" Geo asked.

"Well, we'll head there!" Lan said.

"Lan, stop," Kelvin spoke up. "Think about this: we have no idea just what these Time Waves are capable of. First off, we have no guarantee we can use these Time Waves. Second… even if we can use the Time Waves, we have no idea where or when we'll end up, or if we can use them again. Lan… you could be lost a whole new time period, and you're the one person who we have to hold in regard to everything we hold dear. Are you sure you wish to do this?"

"_He has a point, Lan,"_ Hub said. _"We're pretty much winging it if we go exploring the Time Waves… and if you set up all of this, we're taking a big risk by time traveling."_

"I know," Lan said. "But… if we don't do anything, we'll never be able to save Mom, Dad, Dex, Yai, or Mayl!"

"_Yeah,"_ Hub nodded. _"We won't be able to save GutsMan, Glyde, or Roll, either. Or Pat…"_

"Right," Geo recalled. "Pat's in trouble, too."

"I see," Kelvin said. "Your resolve is very formidable, Lan. If anything, you remind me of Geo's. I can see why our society owes a lot to you."

"Thanks, Mr. Stelar," Lan nodded. "Alright, MegaMan… I mean, Hub! Let's go!"

"Wait," Dr. Goodall said. "Lan, we've all had it a little tough, and we still need time to analyze what happened to Hubby's Navi's emblem and Geo's pendant." Geo thought back to when he touched Bud's hand, and all of those memories flooding back… his brief fight with Bud, the Taurus Fire car-jacking, the Grizzly Resort adventure, Budicus in Whazzap, Bud finally gaining Taurus as a Wizard and their help against Diamond Ice, and Queen Virgo's attack on WAZA. What was all of that…?

"_Hubby?"_ Hub asked, bringing Geo back into reality.

"_Long story short," _Omega-Xis said, _"she likes to nickname us."_

"If I could suggest leaving them with Aaron," Goodall continued, "we could figure out whether or not Wish Genie's actions were helpful or harmful. That said, boys, if you could hand your Wizards and Hubby in for analysis…"

"Wait, you want my PET?" Lan asked.

"I'm afraid so," Dr. Goodall answered. "Your Hunter-VG, too, just in case we may have to transfer him. We're also scanning Bud and Geo's Hunters. Don't worry, it'll only be for about an day, tops."

"_That's one less day we have to getting back at those guys," _Taurus groaned.

"_Taurus, Omega-Xis,"_ Lyra chided, _"it's just a check-up."_

"Besides, Lan," Aaron added, "I think I could upgrade your PET and your Hunter-VG into something that combines both technologies."

"Really!?" Geo asked. "You can do that, Mr. Boreal?"

"Your dad and I worked with PETs when we were coming up with the Transer system," Aaron confessed. "I feel like we are the only experts alive in Electopia who know what we're doing when it comes to both the Wave World and old Net technology. Well, the ones willing to help you, anyway."

"_I'll be okay, Lan,"_ Hub insisted. _"Anyway, you should probably check on Mick…"_

"…Yeah," Lan agreed. "Mick is probably worried about his Navi. Without any Navi experts in this time, I don't know if we can really save him…"

"What about Cyber City?" Luna suggested. "There may be someone in Cyber City who can fix that poor Navi, right?"

"Someone in Cyber City?" Lan repeated. "…That's a good idea! I'll tell Mick about that! Thanks, Luna!"

"Not a problem, Lan," Luna answered. "Hey, by the way… since you have a Hunter-VG, do you have any Brothers?"

"Brothers?" Lan said. "Now that you mention it, Vic-Vac said something about it, but we didn't really understand."

"Vic-Vac?" Geo said. "Is that a Matter Wave?" Vic-Vac popped up next to Lan. "Yep, Matter Wave."

"Pleasure to meet everyone," the vacuum cleaner greeted. "I'm one of Lan's Matter Waves, and I was based off _Ghost Crisis II."_

"I thought he looked familiar," Geo realized. "I used to have a Matter Wave just like that."

"Anyway," Luna said, "so you don't really understand the Brother Bands, right?"

"Not exactly," Lan said. "I mean, Mayl, Yai, and Dex are apparently my Brothers… even though two of them are girls."

"That's just a term we use for very close friends who are like family," Luna explained. "For instance, Geo, Bud, Zack, and I are Brothers. I'm not really that close to Jack, yet. Anyway, since you and your brother Hub helped save me, and you're going to be here for a while, how about we form one right now?"

"What?" Lan asked. Geo, Bud, Zack, and Jack all gapped in complete shock.

"P-Prez!?" Bud asked. "You're forming a Brother Band with him!?"

"Why not?" Luna grinned. "We have a similar Purpose, now… to 'Find Lan's Loved Ones'. Besides, it'll be easier for me to explain by example."

"That's the third time in forty-eight hours you've changed our Purpose," Zack pointed out. Luna rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, just humor me, Lan," she pleaded. Lan reluctantly nodded, holding out his Hunter-VG. Luna pressed a button, and a pop-up appeared on Lan's Hunter, showing that Luna wished to form a Brother Band. He accepted it.

"_Brother Band confirmed,"_ their Hunters both said, and Luna grinned. The LP on Lan's Hunter went from 120 to 160.

"So, what did this do, exactly?" Lan asked. "I understand that it's a bond, but…" Luna sighed.

"I understand that you're a kid at this point," the blond girl sighed, "but you're pretty dense."

"I barely comprehend the fact that I designed this at all, and I still think you're all mistaking me for Dad," Lan confessed. "However, while I don't have the best GPA… I'm willing to learn."

"Good, because you'll probably need to know this from now on if you're going to design it," Luna smiled. "As you know, Brother Bands are a special bond between people—from close friends—" she looked at Bud and Zack for that statement. "—to family members—" she looked at Hope and Kelvin and even Jack and Tia, the latter affectionately rubbing the former on the back. "to even co-workers." Luna spotted Aaron and Tom looking over Lan's PET while Hub was loaded onto a computer screen.

"It actually is kind of nice to know these close bonds exist," Lan admitted. "Kind of reminds me of the old days on the Net."

"What you probably don't understand," Luna continued, "is that the bond you share with your close friends now is connected through EM Waves to the point that you're still connected through beyond distance. I suppose with the Time Waves—and this is just my theory, calling dibs—is that the bonds you share with your Brothers in different time periods is still there, as EM Waves can connect Brothers through huge distances as long as their hearts beat."

"Vic-Vac did mention that as long as my bonds with Dex, Yai, and Mayl exist," Lan said, "there was a good chance they, Mom, Dad, and Pat are all still alive. However, how is it that they're connected even through that?"

"Oh, because apparently I nearly died once," Luna confessed, "and apparently my Brother Bands with Geo, Bud, and Zack stuck."

"Keep reminding everyone that Joker blew you up and you were some revived," Jack grumbled.

"There's also the two times Geo went deep into outer space and into the depths of the Bermuda Maze which people don't usually return from," Sonia added, "and his Brother Bands with us stayed active."

"You went into outer space?" Lan asked Geo, who sheepishly blushed.

"If we could stay on topic," Luna interrupted. "Anyway, Lan, the point here is they're still alive, and you can use your connection with them to check on their current states. My parents, who are both really busy people, keep each other and me updated through the Brother Band system. The bonds formed by it are above all most important… and we learned that from you, Lan."

"She has a romanticized way of putting it," Ace chuckled, "but you inspired this and Link Power."

"Link Power?" Lan asked.

"Link Power, or 'LP'," Luna continued, "lets people know just how much they are trusted by their Brothers. The stronger the bond between two particular Brothers, the greater the Link Power. A lot of things and responsibility are highly dependent on Link Power. Helping and deepening the bond between Brothers can also boost it. Apparently, this bond has helped Geo equip several unique abilities to Omega-Xis that he can use for battle. Link Power seems to also be connected to one's strength as well."

"Kind of sounds like the Navi Customizer Hub and I are used to, but with it depending on both the quantity and quality of close friends I have just to make it work," Lan noted. "That's pretty cool." He then looked up, spotting Luna playing with an Air Display on her Hunter. "What's up?"

"I'm sorry," Luna said, "but I'm having a hard time seeing your Message and Secret. Did you ever actually set these?"

"…No," Lan confessed. "I didn't even realize they were a thing."

"Oh," Luna sighed. "Don't worry too much. The 'Message' can be a normal greeting that ordinary people can see. As for the 'Secret', well… that's for your Brothers' eyes, only. You'll have time to set those up. But for now, that's about it." She exhaled. "So, did it help?'

"Yeah," Lan said. "It did. Thanks, Luna."

"Don't mention it," Luna said while the bandana-wearing boy handed his PET and Hunter to Aaron. "So, what do we do, now, while we wait for your brother to finish being checked up on?"

"We were talking about checking up on Mick and then seeing if we can find anyone in Cyber City who could repair his Navi," Lan answered. "While I don't have my PET anymore, I can remind myself of that."

"_I'll be fine,"_ Hub said. _"Go on, Lan, and we'll see what we can do."_ Lan reluctantly headed towards his room, leaving the others.

"So," Sonia breathed, "that really was Dr. Hikari, right?"

"Yeah," Luna nodded.

"Prez, it's a little hard to believe someone like him becomes the person who builds EM Wave society," Zack said.

"_Lan may not be good with schoolwork, trust me," _Hub spoke up. _"But he's a lot stronger than he looks. He and I have been through a lot at this point. I don't know what you guys have been through here in 22XX, but I know Lan, if given enough time and more of a nudge, will become great, one day. You just have to give him a chance."_

"Yeah," Geo said, handing over his Hunter-VG and pendant, Bud handing his Hunter as well. "But still… we need to find the Time Wave in Neo Vista Point."

Meanwhile, with Lan, he walked into his and Mick's room, seeing Mick hold his PET while Match scanned his two fire Navis on a nearby computer. "Hey, Mick… how is he?"

"…Not doing too good," Mick confessed. "My PET is keeping him stable, for now… However, you know what they said… Navi technology is obsolete by this point! Anything these future guys had for fixing him is gone!"

"…Not exactly," Match answered, looking behind him at the two boys. "We still have Cyber City. If we could get back to there, we'll be able to find my office back in Cyber Academy in Central Town. I have a list of repair programs I usually use to repair my Navis. You're probably not going to be using all of the programs on the list, however… they are mainly for Fire-type Navis. You may need an expert on Navis, however. I think I spotted Famous in Seaside Town the other day, but I'm not sure where he is, now."

"I was thinking I'd have to head back to Cyber City," Lan grinned. "Alright, I'll head to Central as soon as I can!"

"You're going to need this to get into the school during summer, however," Match said, handing Lan a Teacher ID. "Also, you'll need to sneak around the school and avoid the Security Bots… they've been upgraded since you left Cyber City a year ago, so the ID will only get you in through the front door and into the teacher's longue."

"Alright," Lan said. "As soon as I'm able to get out of here, I'll see if I can sneak in!"

"Wait, Mr. Match," Mick interrupted. "Why don't you do this?"

"Well, while Lan and you were fighting those intruders, that Ace guy pulled me aside to talk about something," Match confessed. "I'm going to be pretty busy for a while at least until mess blows over… if this mess blows over."

"You're actually doing something good for a change?" Lan asked.

"Hey!" Match scowled. "I'm not a complete bad guy anymore! Besides, do you think I like this arrangement of being stuck in a future where the only person I can rely on to fix this scenario and I can trust happens to be my arch-rival? I respect you, kid, but you have to respect me!"

"Wow," Lan gasped. "You respect me? That's… mildly shocking."

"Zap's not here to make that pun," Match groaned. "Still, Lan… Whether I like it or not, you've foiled three WWW plots more-or-less effectively by yourself, two of which I was involved in. You also helped me leave Net crime and start over for good. However, you're still a stubborn kid! So, that's why I want you to hurry up and do this before I change my mind."

"…Mr. Match," Lan said, pocketing the Teacher ID. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet," Match said. "Wait until this whole crisis is handled, then you can thank me. Oh… and don't mention this EVER. I still have a reputation to uphold, Lan." Looking at the PC, he said, "If you ever get the urge to take on HeatMan in a Net Battle once you get your Navi back, jack into this computer. I've fired it up so it's a safe place for you two. Meanwhile, give this chip a look over." He then handed Lan a FireMan Mega Chip.

Lan left the room, just in time to see Geo being flanked by Luna and Sonia, the two girls talking about something. "Oh, Lan!" Geo said. "How is Mick's Navi?"

"Stable for now," Lan said, "but we need to go to Central Town's Cyber Academy. Mr. Match has a list of repair programs we'll need to repair him."

"Well, that's a good idea," Sonia said. "We'll go right now!"

"Huh?" Lan and Geo asked, looking at Sonia.

"Boys, without your Hunter-VGs, you don't have an access card to WAZA HQ," Sonia explained. "How do you plan on getting back in through conventional means, especially considering that the only other way is inaccessible without Wave Changing?"

"Are you sure you don't wanna rest?" Geo asked.

"_Aw, how cute it is that Geo's worried about us,"_ Lyra teased. _"Don't worry about your little tabloid girlfriend, Geo. We're more than capable of keeping up with you and that brute of an AM-ian of yours."_

"Lyra!" the pink-haired pop star blushed, while Luna huffed. Turning back to Geo, she insisted, "I'm fine. But if you're worried, I'll check in." Looking at Lan, she said, "So, where to, again? We're going somewhere in Cyber City, right?"

"Um, Central Town?" Lan asked.

"Well, it's about time we saw it," Sonia said. "It's not like anyone from the past will recognize me. And chances are, you'll need someone who can access the Cyber World or Wave World. I'm the only one of us with a Battle Wizard right now that can afford to leave the base for a bit."

"Why would recognition be a problem?" Lan asked.

"Lan," Luna said, "since you're from 200 years ago and mistook Sonia for your best friend, I'll let it slide for now. But Sonia is more than just a Wave Changer like Geo and Bud. She's also a famous pop singer who has fans all around the world. In fact, save for Cyber City, I don't think there's a person alive who hasn't heard of her."

"It's a little frustrating at times," Sonia confessed, "but I manage. Geo, how have you been handling your fame?"

"It's kind of tough and irritating to remind everyone that I just finished 5th grade," Geo said. "Lan, how did you handle fame 200 years ago?"

"It was surprisingly hard to convince people that a sixth grader and his Navi who is actually his twin brother reincarnated into a cybernetic form stopped groups of cyber-terrorists around seven times more or less by himself," Lan pointed out. "Anyway, Sonia… I could probably use the company. However, the fact that you kind of look like my best friend and neighbor, there are a few people you may confuse."

"If anyone asks," Sonia waved off, "I'll just say I'm her cousin. Now come on, let's go!" She grabbed his wrist and dragged him away. Meanwhile, Luna smirked while looking at Geo, who was scratching his head.

"Huh… is that what Mom sees whenever you or Sonia does that, Prez?" Geo asked.

"More or less," Hope said as she walked up, having witnessed the scene. "I'm glad to see you're getting along with such cute girls, Geo." Luna blushed at the compliment, while Geo's face reddened with embarrassment.

"Mom…!" Geo yelled.

"Don't worry, sweetheart… I'm sure Dr. Hikari has no intentions of stealing your other girlfriend."

"MOM!"

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: And with that, Sonia and Lan set off on a mini-adventure! What will that entail? You'll find out next time.

But now, reviews, because, well... I can't forget about you guys.

**Matteso585:** I'm saving that one for latter. You know, so Hyde REALLY ticks her off.

**Ghost501:** I can already tell that as far as the OC Navis are concerned, she's going to be my favorite villain to write for. She's trying to be the token good teammate in a group of super-powerful psychos, she is a worrywart who is completely justified in her panic attacks about MegaMan, and her and Wish Genie's sisterhood is amazingly sweet. And Wish Genie is already going to be my favorite Wave Changing OC.

Dang, computer science? I'm just a Child Development &amp; Family Studies major who is interested in either substitute teaching or being a school counselor!

**Plasma57:** May as well say it now. Yes. Just not sure when she'll pop up. I feel Luna was cheated in _Star Force 3_ by NOT having Ophica become her Wizard and her just sticking to the sidelines. Come to think of it, ZACK is cheated by not having a Wave Change. I'm not going to say I'm thinking about killing off Mode before anyone brings that up, it's just that Luna was given a powerful Wave Change in the first games, said Wave Change makes a minor cameo right before you unlock the game transformations in the second games, and when Omega-Xis and Lyra were made Geo and Sonia's respective Wizards, you'd think this would be a perfect opportunity for the game designers to have Ophica make a surprise Heel-Face Turn back from the dead, and Luna becoming Trans-Code 005 instead of Bud (or at least Trans-Code 006). But no, we get a rabbit in a hat, and Ophica becomes a Noise Change.

My main complaint about Mode and the lack of Ophica is that while Mode fits Luna's "bunny theme", it's a wasted opportunity to grow her character as no longer the damsel in distress and start her becoming just as independent as Sonia. Despite Ophica representing Luna's anger and jealousy, she would have given Luna an opportunity to fight alongside Geo and Bud and stop worrying about being protected.

Meanwhile, for Zack, unless another FM-ian came for him or the Noise Control Program and some other technology could be equipped to Pedia that would allow him to do something similar to Ace, I can't think of him Wave-Changing.

**Rekxyen:** That is exactly what I was thinking of when I made that line for Circuit. Puss-in-Boots reference aside, about the Satellite Admins, a.k.a. the AM Sages... honestly, I'm having a difficult time justifying their return.

In the first game, they were there working alongside Kelvin, being among the few remaining AM-ians left in the known galaxy after the AM-FM war ended with Andromeda eating Planet AM. Their whole purpose was to serve as the Big Good in Kelvin's stead and monitor and protect Earth from the FM-ians, giving Geo and Omega-Xis their season one power-ups. After King Cepheus and Geo made peace and Geo was pretty much declared humanity's protector, there was no need for them to continue watching over the planet and Cepheus even agreed to help rebuild Planet AM... though one could argue the Admins' assistance with Mu and Meteor G would have been appreciated.

This story is going to run on the fact that they'll be too busy to return right now or everyone forgets that Planet FM could help with the crisis until late in the story.

**Mysterious Mr M:** King's not dead!? ...Can I just avoid writing him in the story and not get flamed for it?

**Lucario:** Circuit is a very smart character... and she's also not a very skilled fighter. She knows of MegaMan's reputation, and is like, "Nope!"

About Team ProtoMan/Colonel, and why calling them is not going to work. I thought I established as early as Chapter 1 that Lan cannot directly communicate with people outside of his immediate time zone. I will try to work around that flaw, but know that there will be limits to how far it goes. Second, any call to Baryl would be next to impossible since as far as Lan knows, Baryl hasn't been seen since Colonel and Iris' deaths at the end of _Battle Network 6._ Chaud, meanwhile, as far as Lan knows, is also in 20XX. That's not even getting into the other ten characters.

Tesla/Pride: Tesla would resume running her father's company after Nebula fell for good. Pride, meanwhile, is the rule of a nation, no matter how small, and is obligated to help her citizens first.

Charlie/Mr. Dark: Charlie doesn't seem to be the type who stays in one spot all the time and has probably resumed his piloting. Dark, however, is a MERCENARY, and only worked with Team Colonel not out of loyalty or care for the safety of the Net but because he and ShadowMan were PAID to help defeat Nebula.

Fyrefox/Dingo: Surely, Fyrefox is perfecting his craft at making fireworks. Meanwhile, Dingo COULD be in Cyber City, but he's continuing teaching students about how to be one with nature.

Raika/Higsby: Raika is a soldier from Sharo, and surely would be continuing his work even after Nebula is toast. Higsby, meanwhile, is working on improving his Chip shop business and is most likely in 20XX.

Jasmine/Ribbita: I've already established that Jasmine is in 22XX in Cyber City, so she and possibly Dingo are honestly the only Team recruits we know that are immediately available, and Lan's not even thinking about getting them involved right now. However, Ribbita is a reporter in Den City, so she'd be safely in 20XX.

**Recovery Zero:** Yeah, I'm glad I'm not alone that the Noise Control Program was difficult to master and I'm glad I'm not doing that. We'll explore what this new power truly is when we really start time traveling. As for that program advance, give me some time to think about that.

**captain M:** Um, were you trying to leave a comment or are you being smart with me? Either way, I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you.

**Judy the Sylveon:** I'm not going to ask how a Sylveon can use a computer, but you're the second Pokemon who has commented on this story! Oh, and as for the power... you'll see what it really is.

Okay, that's everyone, right? Okay, I'm going to take a bit off. Farewell, subjects.


	13. Chapter 12: Mending More than a Navi

A/N: And now, I'm going to finally do something in this story I've been dying to do for some time: have a playable character from the _Star Force _era and NOT be Geo!

…Yep, you've read that right. Sonia Strum, a.k.a. Harp Note, is among the few people that, if this was a real game, have been promoted to a playable character. I have a feeling that if _Mega Man Star Force _did not end its storyline at the third game, we'd eventually hit a part where Geo would probably be forced to rely on someone beside himself and Omega-Xis to actually do stuff and the player would be able to control them. Think _Battle Network 5 _and _6 _(because _5_ involved forming a team with specialists designed to counteract Nebula's latest defense and while _6 _had the extra Navis besides the first one you obtain optional they open up a lot of the exploration, and it was actually fun to play as Navis other than MegaMan for a brief change).

So, shall we get started with the chapter of adventure?

* * *

**Chapter 12: Mending More Than a Navi**

* * *

**Cyber City—Central Town**

Lan got off the bus, Sonia following. "Ah, Air Buses," the pop star sighed. "May be slower than a Wave Liner, but they're a lot more comfortable." Lan didn't bother to correct her, as he was still recovering from how quickly the Wave Liners moved. Looking around, she breathed, "So, this is Cyber City?"

"Uh, part of it," Lan answered. "This is Central Town, the main hub of Cyber City." He turned towards a schoolhouse. "Okay, it'll be too complicated trying to sneak in two people, Sonia, so you wait here in town. I'm going to get the list, and I'll figure something out from there."

"Do you normally do stuff like this?" Sonia asked.

"You'd be surprised what kind of crazy things my friends and I got involved in without superpowers on our side."

"Considering the fact that I'm standing in the middle of a town where about a year ago I spotted an advertisement for an energy drink with my face on it," Sonia giggled, "I'd believe you." She then gave Lan her Hunter-VG. "I'm letting you borrow Lyra for a bit. She'll help you if things get a bit complicated."

"_Don't worry,"_ the harp FM-ian smiled. _"I'm more than capable of getting us out of a hairy situation. Check this out…"_ She then focused for a bit before becoming a replica of Harp Note. _"It's a lot weaker than actually becoming Harp Note, but this form will allow me the full combat abilities I'd have with Sonia. Oh, and our deck is loaded already, Lan. You won't be able to edit it. And if you need to call Sonia, don't worry… we still have a few pieces of old tech that allows contact with her."_

"Don't worry, it won't stop me," Lan assured them. "Alright, let's go."

Lan then turned to the school, leaving Sonia by herself. The pinkette pop star decided to unstrap her guitar from her back, and began to play a gentle song. '(I hope I can help him find his friends and family,)' Sonia mused. '(After all, if this Mayl girl is who I think it is… I only hope we can find her, soon.)'

* * *

**Cyber Academy**

Lan's borrowed Teacher ID allowed him to get pass the school's front gate with no problems. A few things Lan hated about Cyber City during the latter half of his sixth grade school year was that every part of his new home had boosted security that made getting around hard. Sure, Lan no longer had to worry about that high level of security for the past year (up until having his friends and family scattered throughout time by a group of madmen bent on becoming immortal kings), but the fact that he had to sneak around the academy in order to avoid the Security Bots' line-of-sight slightly irritated him.

Lan eventually made his way into Match's office—again, thanks to Match's Teacher ID that the fiery ex-WWW operative lent him—where he found Match's personal computer next to a white cat doll… for some reason, he couldn't help but think of Circuit.

"Let's see, here…" Lan said, swiping the card to bypass Match's security. "Hm… it looks like the data is in the computer."

"_Let me see,"_ Lyra said. _"…Of course! This teacher of yours has a virus firewall!"_

"Shoot, and no time to counter it," Lan scowled, pointing Sonia's Hunter-VG at Match's com. "We have no choice but to break through! Alright, Lyra! Battle routine, set!"

"…_What?"_ Lyra asked. _"What's this 'Battle routine' you're talking about?"_

"Um, that's not a thing anymore?" Lan asked. "Well, what do you guys say when you fight viruses or these Wave beings?"

"_Oh, that's what we're doing!"_ Lyra giggled. _"In that case… let me just load up Sonia's Card Folder… and there! Now, Lan… it's similar to your Battle Chip system, with a few key differences. You can pick two cards in the same column, the same Battle Cards regardless of position, and I have a unique card while as Harp Note. Mine is Pulse Song, an attack that will do massive damage for two rows that are two rows in front of me, and can pierce Invisible enemies! However, I can only use that Card once at a time, so you have to make sure you don't waste it. My Charge Shot is a Machine Gun String. If I can connect with my attack, it'll chain with a paralysis five-hit combo down the whole row! So… You ready?"_

"Yeah," Lan said.

"_Okay, then, here we go! Wave Battle! Ride on!"_

In Match's computer, Lyra—in her copied form of Harp Note—started out with a Gatling Gun against the Old Stoves before they could set her on fire, but she realized it was not enough when they tried burning her. She used a Barrier to block one's fire attack, by which her Machine Gun String was ready. She shot it out, grabbing the two Old Stoves before playing five notes, deleting them both.

"_Okay, done," _Lyra sighed before returning to her normal appearance, looking at the data. _"Hm… ah-ha! This list is designed for repairing damaged Navis! Downloading now! This will take a bit."_

"Good work, Lyra," Lan grinned. He then recalled something. "So, Lyra… you, Omega-Xis, and Taurus… you guys are all aliens?"

"_Yeah,"_ Lyra said. _"It was over four years ago when our war with your planet began. Through our king's right-hand man, we discovered a message from another planet trying to contact us. It was… the second time this happened. And like our first time, we were led to believe that this was a declaration of war. We attacked the facility who tried to contact us, and captured some humans—one of which was Geo's father, Kelvin Stelar."_

"You mean Mr. Stelar?" Lan asked. "He was a prisoner?"

"_Yes," _Lyra said. _"For three years, we spent grilling the humans—astronauts and scientists, we ultimately discovered—about everything we could. 'Where is your planet?' 'What are your plans of attack?' 'What are your defenses?' 'Why are you going after Planet FM?' 'How did you discover us?'"_

"Wow," Lan noted, "it sounds like you guys were pretty paranoid."

"_To be fair,"_ Lyra said, _"our king was paranoid, too. Being the crowned ruler of a warrior culture isn't exactly the safest job in the world… what with everyone in Planet FM's nobility trying to delete you, you tend to sleep with one eye open at night."_ Getting back on topic, Lyra continued, _"Anyway, on the third year, Omega-Xis was the one in charge of the prisoners. One of them—Kelvin—convinced Omega-Xis that this was not helping anyone, and mentioned his son. That's when we found out where Earth was, and the king ordered the preparation of our greatest weapon: an EM Wave eating monster called Andromeda. Our plan was to radiate the entire Earth with our unique Zeta Waves—the very special brand of EM Waves that allow EM-Wave Changes to be possible— and have Andromeda literally eat your planet. Omega-Xis decided to betray Planet FM, stole the Andromeda Key—which was required to activate Andromeda—and fled to Earth, where he met Geo."_

"He met Geo like that!?" Lan asked.

"_Well, to be fair,"_ Lyra said, _"we FM-ians—and AM-ians, in Omega-Xis' case—are attracted to waves of loneliness. Geo had spent three years in solitude, not going to school because he was too afraid to be close to anyone because what happened to Kelvin. I don't know how those two became this time period's Mega Man after that, but Geo and Omega-Xis managed to beat both Taurus—Bud was once worried that he'll lose his friendship with that Luna girl and Zack—and Cygnus—you didn't meet him, but he's actually Tom Dubius' partner—before I met Sonia."_

"So if you guys are attracted to loneliness," Lan asked, "what brought you to Sonia? She's a pop star, right?"

"_Sonia herself has lost her mother… she's an orphan."_ Lan's eyes widened. _"She and Geo both bonded over their missing parents and her old manager only cared about money rather than her physical and mental well-being. I sensed this and tried to use her in an admittedly pathetic attempt to beat Omega-Xis and get the Andromeda Key. You see, due to the fact that Earth is a solid planet and lacks the extreme amount of EM Waves FM has, we FM-ians are too weak to use our full powers independently… hence the reason we have to use human partners to access our full arsenal. So, with Sonia, I kind of went on a mini-rampage in Echo Ridge… but Mega Man fought and beat us, too. Truth be told, I was on the outs with the rest of the FM-ians, and I couldn't go back to FM without the key, so Geo and Omega-Xis were convinced to spare me by Sonia's request as long as I didn't attack innocent civilians again."_

"Whoa," Lan said, again.

"_I'm just saying that Sonia and Geo know what your situation is like," _Lyra answered. _"They know what it feels like to be alone… but don't let your desire for revenge get in the way of doing what's right. We'll save your family, Lan. I promise."_ Sonia's Hunter-VG beeped. _"Download complete. Come on, let's go."_

"Hey," Lan smiled. "Thanks."

"_Don't mention it,"_ Lyra replied. _"Really, don't. I'm not sure Sonia will appreciate us peeking into her past like that."_

Lan snuck out of the school, unaware that minutes later, Mayor Prairie walked into the room. She spotted the cat doll, and picked it up, giving it a hug.

"There you are, Miss Meow!" she giggled. "I have got to stop leaving you in random spots. After all, Auntie always wanted me to keep you close." She then spotted the elephant in the room… the computer that was still on from Lan's visit. "I wonder what happened, here."

"_Mayor Prairie,"_ a male voice spoke up, _"I'm willing to bet HE is involved."_

"He?" she asked, holding up a light blue PET with a red stripe on the side. "Are you talking about your partner's old friend?"

"…_Yes,"_ the person on the other side said. _"It wouldn't be beyond him. It explains the sighting you saw yesterday."_

"Oh," Prairie said. "So… the boy with the bandana… that's HIM?"

"_Yes,"_ a female voice answered. _"Shall I pursue him, Miss Prairie?"_

"Nah," Prairie said. "If a Hikari is involved, it's probably beyond us, anyway. You know how these guys are. However, we should observe. Just what did Lan Hikari come here for? And who are those future police guys? And what about that quake that happened in the Cyber World and spread into the real world? I have a few questions, but we're not going to get answers sitting behind a desk. However, we can't risk getting too close, A."

"_Understood, Miss Prairie,"_ the female voice nodded.

"_And what of me?"_ the male voice asked.

"The last time I checked, V," Prairie smiled, "Officials don't work under my jurisdiction."

"_My partner is no longer an Official Net Battler, and we're working for you as a favor to an old friend,"_ the male voice answered. _"We just happened to be in Cyber City once again when the quake hit. So… what are my orders?"_

"Hm," Prairie mused. "You said that your partner was looking into the odd blue-green distortions that have been spotted lately. You could always see if they are in Cyber City's Net as well. Tell you what… I'll give you access to Battle Area, since you have proven very capable of doing so. I know it's under construction, but your partner was an Official, and you and he could more than handle yourselves. Just… do me one little favor while you're there?"

"_What?"_ the male voice said.

"Could you look for Zero?" she asked. The female voice gasped.

"…_You think he may be there?"_ the male voice said.

"A said it was possible before," Prairie said. "He's working at Cyber City's SciLab, so he could have been here when the quake hit. Zero mentored both of you, right? He once saved me… and you guys, too. I want to know if he's okay…"

"…_As you wish, Miss Prairie,"_ the male voice said. Prairie sighed.

"_Miss Prairie,"_ the female voice said, _"are you okay?"_

"No, A, I'm not," Prairie answered. "I knew being Mayor of Cyber City, especially with my condition, would be hard. It's that the old mayor—Cain—made my job a lot harder by making me clear through a lot of corruption just to actually do my job. However, I have to keep my citizens upbeat, especially considering this crisis… it's draining, though! I should probably get back to my office. I want to take a nap."

"_Okay,"_ the female voice said. _"Should I jack in when we get there?"_

"Probably," Prairie yawned. "Promise you'll tell me anything you find later?"

"_Yeah, I will,"_ the female voice answered. _"You take a nap… but you have a lot of paperwork to finish when you wake up."_

"Understood," Prairie giggled. "Let's go, A." Prairie, with a smile on her face, turned off Match's computer and walked away, leaving the room clear. However, she then gasped when her PET alerted her. "…Uh-oh. A, I'm not going to get that nap…"

* * *

**Central Town**

Lan walked out of the school, meeting Sonia, who was just finishing a song. "I hope you liked it, Momma," Sonia smiled to the sky, a tear shed. "Don't worry… I'm helping keep the world safe with your song. That I promise." She then spotted Lan, and put her guitar away. "Oh, Lan… sorry, didn't see you there?"

"You know," Lan smiled, "my best friend, Mayl… she played piano. I bet she'd like that song."

"Thanks," Sonia said. "But that will probably not mean anything if we can't find a way to reunite you, your friends, and your family. But we should probably fix Mick's Navi… did you get the list?"

"Yeah," Geo said, handing Sonia back her Hunter-VG.

"You know," she said, "you didn't have to just give it back so quickly. You could just use the Air Display button."

"Um, we don't exactly have that technology in the past," Lan reminded her. "We're going to have to be discreet."

"Well, out here is too big," Sonia said, referring to the town square. "Where to?"

"I have an idea," Lan said, looking towards his old house. He walked towards the house, and opened the door, leading Sonia inside to an empty living room. "Okay, this place is good."

"Lan, are we allowed in here?" Sonia asked. "That had a 'For Sale' Sign in front of it."

"Yeah," Lan said, "but the door was open when I first woke up here after being thrown through time and space."

"Okay," Sonia shrugged. She pulled her Hunter out, and activated the Air Display. "Here we go: we need to find these Navi Repair Parts from a store in Seaside Area 2, and use Heal Water that's in Seaside Area 3! Perfect! Where's Seaside Area?"

"That's on the Net," Lan answered. "You can access Seaside Area from the southeast part of Central Area 3, if memory serves. You'll know you're in the right place if in Central Area you see a giant pit."

"Okay, I guess I'll just have to pulse in and head there," Sonia said. "Now… how do I access the Net?"

"Well, the Bird Statue in Central Park will have to do," Lan said. "I don't have a PC here in town, so I can't make this quicker."

"It's alright," Sonia said. "So… Bird Statue, head to Central Area 3, and head southeast to find the access point to Seaside Area, right?"

"Yeah," Lan said. "But these parts are pretty expensive… 2500 Zenny."

"Don't worry, I can earn some money battling viruses," Sonia assured him. "I also believe that I can trade any unequipped Cards in at a store now for Zenny."

"That would have been useful in the past," Lan pointed out. "Okay, but be careful… I have no way of contacting you from the real world, right now."

"…Perhaps you do," Sonia said, pulling out an older looking handheld device. "This was my old Star Carrier. It got busted back during an incident, but I got Mr. Boreal to fix it for sentimental purposes before I upgraded to my Hunter-VG. It's still compatible with the Air Display system we use with the Hunter, so if you need to call me, I'm here." She handed it to Lan. "Okay, you ready?"

"Yeah, go ahead," Lan said. "Good luck!"

"Alright," Sonia said as she held up her guitar. "Trans-Code #004! Harp Note!" A beam of light shot up towards the ceiling before Sonia herself performed a back flip, her guitar disappearing in that light. The light bounced off the ceiling and hit Sonia was hit in the chest, soon taking on the mantle of Harp Note as she landed next to Lan. Lyra once again became Harp Note's guitar.

"Whoa, what's with these transformations?" Lan said.

"While Geo and Bud's are more practical," Harp Note confessed, "I kind of like how amazing it is to go from pop star to hero in less than ten seconds. Besides, you have never seen Rogue's Wave Change."

"Who is Rogue?" Lan asked.

"Hopefully someone you'll never meet," Harp Note answered. "Alright, I'm gonna head to the Net. Wish me luck!"

-004-

**Central Area**

Harp Note had to admit, she was amazed that this entire Cyber World existed. Sure, she had been in her fair share of CCs, but never an entire world dedicated to exploring these where Navis—as in actual humanoid creatures rather than Hertzes and Wizards. Sure she had viruses to contend with, but she could handle herself.

Eventually, she passed into Central Area 3, where she spotted Lan's giant pit. "Whoa," the pop star breathed. "What did this!?"

"I for one don't want to know," Lyra answered from Harp Note's back. "Anyway, we're almost in Seaside Area."

"Right," Harp Note said, looking towards the south-eastern entrance that was marked by a yellow road. "So, that's the way, right?" She then began to walk towards that entrance when she stopped. She saw a nurse-like Navi on the road being blocked by two Heel Navis.

"Hey, creeps!" the Navi said, "what gives!? This is a public road!"

"Oh, we know," one of the Heel Navis said. "However, nobody's getting in or out of Seaside Area! Not with the bounty in place!"

"Bounty!?" the Navi asked, puffing her cheeks. "What bounty!?"

"Oh, like you don't know?" the second Heel Navi scoffed. "Rumor on the Net has it that a group of criminals had just escaped Green Town's Punishment Room, and are planning to send their Navis into Seaside Area! To do what, I'm not being paid enough to care! All I know is that our boys are inside setting up for those Navis and we plan to cash in on them! Sorry, but any errands you had, you ain't doing them!"

"But my research on the Heal Water isn't done yet!" the Navi insisted. "Please, make an exception!"

"Sorry, but you're not getting past us!" the first Heel Navi said. "It's for your own good! Besides, you don't look very tough."

"Excuse me!" Harp Note said, walking over. "Did I overhear you all right that you're not allowing people in or out of Seaside Area because cyber criminals are planning on breaking into it?"

"Yeah, what's it to you!?" the second Heel Navi asked.

"It's just that I need in there," Harp Note explained, bringing out her Hunter-VG and flashing her Satellia Police badge rather quickly before returning it to her side. "You see, I have… Official business, and—"

"Wait, you're a cop!?" the first Heel Navi asked.

"Um, sort of, but—"

"Quick, delete her!" the second Heel Navi yelled.

"We don't have time for this," Lyra groaned. "Sonia, we should probably use… that."

"Oh, you mean my Knockout Song?" Harp Note asked. She grabbed Lyra, and quickly strummed a few chords, sending notes towards the two Heel Navis who were about to shoot her with Cannons, sending them sprawling over the ground. "Well, I should probably be more careful next time… make sure I'm not spotted before doing that."

"Wow," the female Navi said as she walked towards Harp Note. "That was some quick thinking! How did you do that?"

"It's a long story," Harp Note said. "So, you've been to Seaside Area recently, Miss…?"

"Meddy," the Navi greeted. "And yeah. My Operator Jasmine and I have been researching the effects of Heal Water for a bit, now. We're working on helping injured Navis recover from the quake a few days ago before we take a sample to study, and it's been phenomenal! Hmm… perhaps those escaped Navis are after it?"

"Could be," Harp Note nodded. "Can you show me where it is when I'm done with my other business in Seaside Area 2?"

"Sure," Meddy said. "Follow me." As the two began to walk towards Seaside Area, she asked, "By the way, who are you?"

"Call me Harp Note," the blonde haired girl said.

"That's an odd name for an Official, if you don't mind me saying," Meddy pointed out.

Meanwhile, a bit away, another female Navi walked in, wearing blue body armor that stopped at her mid-thigh with red streaks on the sides, a long brown ponytail flowing out of the back of her blue helmet, and green eyes under a red visor. Her Navi symbol, a blue A next to a red X over a yellow background, was placed on her chest.

"That Navi," the blue Navi breathed as she walked into the area. "She looks familiar… but why?"

* * *

**Seaside Area**

Harp Note had to say that Seaside Area was rather pretty. Sure, she hated the fact that she had to contend with Aqua-type viruses more often (she didn't equip Elec-type Cards), but that was alright. At least they weren't overly powerful, and Meddy and her Operator Jasmine were more than capable of holding their own, even healing Harp Note. As she walked through the area with Meddy, she found the Shop being run by an orange Navi.

"Ah, customers!" he said as Harp Note walked up. "I haven't really gotten any all afternoon ever since those creepy-looking Navis showed up."

"We know," Meddy sighed. "A couple tried cutting off access to this part of the Net."

"Anyway, sir," Harp Note continued, "a friend of mine has gotten himself really hurt. I heard I can buy some Navi Parts here to repair him…"

"You've come to the right part of the Net, then!" the shopkeeper said. "What do you need?" Harp Note flashed the list of parts in front of the shopkeeper, and paid him for the parts.

"Thank you for this!" Harp Note smiled. "Now, one more stop!"

"Right," Meddy said. "Let's find the pump for the Heal Water. It should be in the next Area."

The two girls headed towards Seaside Area 3, where in the back of it they saw a large pump with flowing Cyber Water. As the two walked towards the pump, Meddy pulled out her medicine bag and searched it. She found a pair of empty bottles, handing one to Harp Note.

"This is it?" Harp Note asked as she looked at it.

"I know, it doesn't look impressive at first glance for water that once supposedly weakened a Cybeast to the point that it could be tamed," Meddy said. "At least, that's what the year-old legend says. However, it does have healing properties. This is one of the very few places in the world I know has water like this… another being rumored to be in YumLand." The two continued to walk towards the water—

"Hold it right there!" a male voice spoke up. The two looked behind them to see a group of Heel Navis, all armed to the teeth, their weapons pointed at them. "Well, well… it looks like the scum showed themselves after all. I knew you couldn't resist messing with the Heal Water!"

"What are you talking about?" Harp Note asked.

"These guys must be the bounty hunters who were looking for the escaped criminals!" Meddy recalled. "And they think WE'RE the escaped criminals!"

"It's not like anyone else would come all of this way here after the criminals escaped!" the leader of the Heel Navis said. "Though, if I'm right, there should be three of you?"

"Three of us?" Harp Note said. "But we're the only two here other than you guys…"

"That's a REALLY good point there, little lady!" a female voice spoke up. The group of Heel Navis, Harp Note, and Meddy all looked around. All of the sudden, a flash of blue light came down, and formed into the strangest-looking humanoid creature Harp Note had seen in person. It looked like a mix-and-match version of a carnival freak show, having the muscles of a strong man, a womanly face with a thick brown beard, and a long neck wearing the clothes that resembled a harlequin, and had two masks at her hips—one smiling, the other crying.

"What the heck are you!?" the Heel Navi leader demanded.

"Oh, little old me?" the freaky-looking Navi said. "I'm the opening act in this little attraction, Carnie! And I'm also your deletion!" A pair of knives digitized in her hands before fanning out to reveal several more. "Knife Throwing Act!" Harp Note and Meddy were treated to the rather grizzly act of several Heel Navis being deleted in mere seconds by a bunch of throwing knives.

"That was so fast," Harp Note breathed. "She's no ordinary Navi."

Carnie, meanwhile, laughed wearing the happy mask. "Oh, that's SO satisfying! I finally get to show off this amazing power I have!"

"Okay, that was interesting," Meddy said. "Well, you saved us from the bounty hunters, so I guess we can thank you…"

"Oh, don't thank me yet," Carnie laughed. "After all, the main attraction isn't here, yet, and you two will be key to bringing him here."

"Main attraction?" Harp Note asked. "Who are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about this blue Navi who deleted my predecessor, CircusMan," Carnie said. She then switched to the sad mask, and cried, "Oh, how I never met the sweet chaotic nature of that clown who was destroyed by MegaMan! All he, JudgeMan, and ElementMan wanted was the Cybeast that MegaMan stole from them! Is that so wrong!?"

"You're after MegaMan!?" Harp Note asked.

"Indeed," Carnie answered. "And you two look like just the helpless hostages we need to get a goody-two-shoes like him to show up!" Soon enough, two more lights jacked in behind her. One was another bearded Navi wearing black robes as armor and his entire right arm was a giant wooden hammer, a gavel hitting a bench being his Navi symbol. The other was a shinobi-looking Navi with blue-and-black attire and with a grey, cloudlike scarf flowing behind him. "Oh, GavelMan and WeatherMan! Wasn't expecting you to join me, but I've got this!"

"Your objection to us being here is noted, Carnie," the judge-like GavelMan said. "However, we too wish to judge MegaMan for his crimes against WWW and Chromos, even if WeatherMan doesn't say much."

"_Besides, Yukia," _a male voice spoke up, _"he DID delete ElementMan and JudgeMan on top of CircusMan."_

"_Are we seriously arguing about who's going to destroy MegaMan right after we've just escaped prison?"_ another male voice said. _"We don't even know he's still in Cyber City! We should probably get as much Heal Water as we can secure, and get out of here."_

"_Shut-up, Ito!"_ the first male voice said. _"We don't need these brats hearing our plans!"_

"_You both shut-up, Vic!"_ a female voice said. _"We all agreed I'm in charge!"_

"_We never agreed who's in charge, Yukia,"_ Ito argued.

"(Want to see if we can just get the water and leave?)" Lyra asked while an argument broke out with the three mysterious operators over who was running their group. "(They seem distracted.)"

"(Yeah, we should grab it and go,)" Harp Note said. Turning to Meddy, she asked, "(How quickly do you think your operator can jack you out if we grab the Heal Water and leave?)"

"(Pretty quickly,)" Meddy said. "(But… why? Sure, we're outnumbered, but that's not a good reason to cut and run. I've taken on some Nebula Navis once upon a time and I've gotten pretty far in the Undernet on my own.)"

"(While I have no doubt about your abilities, it's because I'm sensing some serious power from these guys,)" Harp Note answered. "(One of them managed to delete an entire squad of normal Navis in seconds. I'm sensing almost high levels of EM Waves… beyond the abilities of a normal Navi. I could probably take one of them, but all three at the same time? That's a little beyond me. If my friends were here, maybe, but… I'm not risking it.)"

"(Now that you mention it, these three seem… off,)" Meddy said, pressing the side of her visor. She then gasped when she saw the energy readings. "(What… is this!? Electromagnetic Waves?)"

"(That's what I'm worried about,)" Harp Note answered. "(Come on, let's grab the water and go.)" The two began backing up, trying to look inconspicuous. However, WeatherMan looked up, and held his hand out.

"Cloud Smokescreen!" he yelled before throwing it down, disappearing in a puff of clouds. Carnie and GavelMan both looked up to see WeatherMan forming behind Harp Note, holding an lightning-bolt shaped sword. Harp Note grabbed Lyra, and quickly blocked his swing with her. While Lyra prevented a stronger attack, she still felt a little numb by the electricity in the sword.

"Almost forgot these girls were here!" Carnie laughed, wearing the happy mask. "Nice save, WeatherMan!" WeatherMan answered with silence. "And you still don't talk when I'd want you two. Lovely." Turning to Meddy and Harp Note while putting her masks down, she asked, "Now what, might I ask, do you two think you're doing with that Heal Water?"

"Please, don't attack!" Meddy said. "I'm a medic! And we only want the Heal Water to heal an injured Navi and research purposes!"

"A likely story," GavelMan nodded. "This Heal Water is accessible to all Navis in Cyber City's Net. That is allowed. However, how do we know that you would not immediately tamper with Cyber City's water supply?"

"Huh!?" Harp Note asked. "W-W-What purpose would we have to damaging the water system?"

"Again, I must stress that this is a likely possibility," GavelMan explained. "However, you two could after securing the last of the Heal Water immediately tamper with the water system for Cyber City, and unleash chaos. What is the defendants' plea?"

"Not guilty!" Harp Note answered, pushing WeatherMan back before turning to GavelMan and Carnie. "Please, let us go!"

"I'm afraid your request is overruled," GavelMan said.

"Okay, bored of the courtroom banter," Carnie said. "We can't have you taking the Heal Water, sweetheart, that's all. I don't care who you're planning on taking it to, but—"

"Snowball Shuriken!" WeatherMan yelled, throwing a bunch of snowballs that turned razor sharp past Carnie and GavelMan.

"Laplace!" a male voice yelled.

_**CLASH!**_

Harp Note and Meddy both looked behind the two EM Navis to see a face Harp Note hoped to avoid. White hair spiked up, wearing a black suit that had a red crest, his left arm glowing with purple energy, his cold eyes hidden behind a purple visor. In his hand was a massive black sword made of pure EM Waves, icy shuriken harmlessly melting away from the blade.

"From out of the frying pan and the fire and into the flames of heck," Harp Note breathed as the masked man looked at the three EM Wave Navis.

"Something tells me THAT guy is worse than these three Navis," Meddy breathed. "Could this be the legendary Navi who haunts the Undernet?"

"And I thought I was the only freak here," Carnie said. "You have EM Waves beyond what I thought possible save for ChronoMan! Are you a Wave Navi, too?"

"ChronoMan, huh?" the white-haired warrior asked. "Is he a creation of the Chroniclers, too? Or is that just the girl?"

"Girl?" Harp Note said. "What girl?"

"I'll deal with you in a moment," the white-haired person said to Harp Note. Turning to the Wave Navis, he said, "Answer me. Is ChronoMan a creation of the Chroniclers?"

"You're out of order, young man!" GavelMan scowled. "You will hold your tongue, or be held in contempt of court!"

"GavelMan, relax," Carnie laughed, wearing her happy mask. "Anyway, to answer your question, little boy… who the heck are the Chroniclers? And who are you, anyway?" The white-haired warrior scowled before releasing his sword, allowing it to become a spiritual creature next to him.

"My name is Solo," he answered. "But in this form, I am Rogue. I am the last true descendant of the civilization of Mu—the civilization that your kind, 200 years ago, was built over!" Meddy blinked in confusion.

"200 years ago?" she asked. "What do you mean 200 years ago? Back in 18XX?"

"No, 20XX," Rogue answered the medic Navi. "This is the year 22XX… you and this entire city have been transported 200 years into my future!"

"_What!?" _Jasmine's voice spoke up. _"200 years!? You mean, that earthquake…!"_

"It was the sign that your city has been transported that far in time and space," Rogue answered. "I'm surprised your Satellia Police girl hasn't told you, yet." Meddy turned to Harp Note, who was sweating.

"Is… is it true?" Meddy asked. "Did we really get sent 200 years into the future!?"

"…Yes," Harp Note said. "I hate coming clean like this, really I do. As far as I know, you're a civilian, so you shouldn't have to deal with this kind of problem, but here it is. You and the rest of Cyber City have been abducted by an organization bent on altering the time stream in their favor and abandoned in a time that your technology is relatively obsolete—hence my reason for saving a damaged Navi involves going this far. As for these three Navis… they are enhanced by our time's technology, making them far more dangerous."

"So… you're… are you even a Navi or an Official!?" Meddy asked.

"I am a member of the police, yes," Harp Note said. "But… as for being a Navi, no. I too am granted abilities by EM Waves, thanks to my partner here, Lyra."

"Finally can stop pretending to be an ordinary guitar!" Lyra sighed. "Anyway, don't be mad at us… we appreciate your help, but we just chose to omit things since we didn't know how much of a problem things were until now." Meddy was still downtrodden.

"Oh, the look of despair on your face!" Carnie laughed, the happy mask on her face. "I'm going to enjoy destroying you, little girls!"

"You still have yet to answer my question!" Rogue scowled.

"I almost forgot you were here!" Carnie said. "Very well, looks like we have a volunteer to go first. I'll make your screams echo through the whole Net! That'll get MegaMan's attention!"

"I'd like to see you try," Rogue scowled.

"It seems we have an unruly infiltrator here," GavelMan said. "Very well, I give my verdict. I hereby sentence this infiltrator to deletion!" Meddy and Harp Note sank into combat stances as well. It would be a hard fight, but they were certain they could stop these three.

"Cross Shot!" a female voice rang out. Carnie barely avoided being hit by a pair of beams as the female Navi that was watching Harp Note and Meddy before walked in. "Seems like everybody's gathering around Seaside's favorite watering hole," she quipped, holding a pair of pistols. "You know, we have a Square in Seaside Area 2. I can give you guys the Pass Code if it prevents troubles like this from getting taken on the rest of the Net."

"And who are you to interfere with this court, madam?" GavelMan asked. The blue Navi smiled, unleashing a surprisingly large amount of power in the air. Rogue raised an eyebrow.

"I'm Aile, Mayor Prairie's personal assistant Navi… and Chief of Cyber City's Net Police. I'm sure you've heard of my big brother, Vent… former Official Net Battler Navi, just as skilled as me?" Carnie and GavelMan were stunned, while WeatherMan scowled. "You three Navis happen to be operated by three ex-WWW members, right? The ones who just escaped prison, and made me work on my day off? I'm not exactly too happy about that."

"Well, this just went disappointing," Carnie frowned, wearing her sad mask. "I wasn't expecting four opponents… and these two don't look anywhere near weak. In fact, they're on the same level as MegaMan…"

"Looks like we'll have to adjourn our plans," GavelMan said. "Jacking out!" He and Carnie disappeared, leaving WeatherMan. The Wave Navi turned to Harp Note, and slashed at her again. Harp Note jumped away, firing a Machine Gun String. WeatherMan dodged out of the way, and held a hand to the Heal Water pump right behind him.

"Evaporate!" he yelled, and the water began to drain from the pump, becoming steam. "Condensate!" The steam then began forming a cloud above the pump.

"He's stealing the Heal Water!" Meddy said. "Quick, we have to destroy the cloud! Meddy Capsule!" She threw two capsules out towards the cloud.

"Rainbow Image!" WeatherMan declared. A Technicolor copy of WeatherMan formed in front of the cloud, and slashed both capsules in half, sending them harmlessly exploding elsewhere.

"A clone?" Meddy asked. Harp Note jumped next to her.

"We have to get past him somehow!" the pink Wave Changer said. "Wave Battle! Ride on!" The two girls rushed towards the Rainbow Image WeatherMan, ready to fight.

"Saber Stance!" Aile yelled before her right arm began a glowing yellow sword. She then jumped at WeatherMan, who countered with his lightning sword. The two began a lightning fast sword fight that was made more complicated when Rogue nodded to Laplace, who became a sword again and Rogue joined in, blocking one of WeatherMan's attacks meant for Aile, who broke off the attack to rush towards the cloud. The two male Wave Beings clashed with such ferocity that Harp Note almost took her eyes off her opponent to spot that WeatherMan was going toe-to-toe with Rogue—a Wave Being that goes toe-to-toe with Mega Man and could survive exposure to high levels of Noise without using a Noise Control Program—and not losing any ground. She however returned to the fight, and captured WeatherMan's Rainbow Image with a Machine Gun String.

"Now!" she yelled at her two allies. Both Navis nodded.

"Gun Stance," Aile said, switching from her sword to two blasters.

"Meddy Capsule!" Meddy yelled again, throwing two capsules right beside the image. Aile aimed her guns at them.

"Cross Shot!" Aile's shots blew up both capsules at the same, destroying WeatherMan's clone. "Nice moves, girls." Aile grinned.

Meanwhile, Rogue was wildly attacking WeatherMan, trying to get something out of him. "You're going to answer me about the Chroniclers and ChronoMan's origins, Ninja," Rogue growled. "Is he a Chronicler!? Why is your organization using their technology!? Why are you working alongside them!?" Rogue's last slash was answered by a one-handed sword slash blocking it.

"…Of course you would like to know, Zerker," WeatherMan answered. "Cloud Smokescreen!" He then threw down another cloud smokescreen, letting Rogue slash down on air before he reappeared on top of the cloud, summoning lightning in his hands. "Storm Down!" The four had barely avoided being hit by the attack while WeatherMan jacked out, taking the cloud with him.

"No!" Aile yelled. "He got away with all of that Heal Water!" She turned to the others, and asked, "…Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," Harp Note said, strapping Lyra to her back. "Thank you, Miss."

"Not a problem," Aile said. She then frowned. "Still… we're 200 years in the future? How?"

"This is the Chroniclers' fault," Rogue said, Laplace returning to normal. "The people of Mu—the Zerkers, the Saurians, and the Ninjas—were said to have destroyed them, the Angels, and the Pirates, and yet their ancient technology is somehow being used to cause this mess. No matter, though… I will fix it and deal with the scum who dare to unbury those traitors' legacy." Rogue then began to walk away, Laplace returning to his Hunter-VG.

"Rogue," Harp Note said, stopping him in his tracks. "I know asking for your help is out of the question, but I have a different one. What are you even doing here in Cyber City!?"

"Looking for the Chroniclers," Rogue answered. "It's my job as the last true descendant of Mu to finish what Mu started and destroy the last of the Chroniclers. Take this message to Mega Man and the rest of the Satellia Police… Don't get in my way, and we won't have a problem." He then pulsed out.

"Well," Meddy said, "he seems angry." Turning to Harp Note, she asked, "So, we're in the middle of something big, aren't we?"

"Unfortunately," Harp Note answered. She then looked at the Heal Water. Sure, the pump was working, but there was not a lot left in the stream. "Well, it could have been worse if Rogue didn't show up… and you too, Aile."

"Not a problem," Aile said as Harp Note and Meddy each collected Heal Water. "Alright, I need to report to Mayor Prairie about this incident. The criminals have escaped and we can't trace them, and they stole a lot of Heal Water for who knows what. I hope no other Navis need this more than you all. Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Harp Note, Miss Meddy. Oh, and I have a message for Lan Hikari if you could give it to him."

"Lan Hikari?" Harp Note asked. "How do you know he's involved?"

"Mayor Prairie saw him during the Stadium Incident," Aile explained. "Anyway, the message is this: Check your e-mail when available. She has a request." Aile then jacked out, leaving Meddy and Harp Note alone.

"…So, Lan Hikari and MegaMan are in on this, too," Meddy smiled. "I've heard of them, and how they've infiltrated the Undernet several times, dealing with things beyond impossible for anyone else."

"Yeah, and the bad guys are getting stronger," Lyra agreed. "What does Chromos want with Heal Water and what are these Chroniclers that Rogue was talking about?"

"I don't have any idea," Harp Note said. Turning to Meddy, she asked, "So, what are you going to do, now?"

"_Help, of course!" _Jasmine's voice said from the real world. Harp Note was stunned. _"Meddy and I may not be the strongest team, but we can still help! Something tells me that this is the beginning of something bigger than spending my summer vacation studying foreign medicines! And I'd feel awful if I sat by and did nothing."_

"You do realize that I'm about to go up against all kinds of powerful foes, including ones that can manipulate time."

"Yeah, and we don't care!" Meddy argued. "Consider us an ally in the battle against these Chromos guys!"

"…Okay, I will," Harp Note said. "Thanks Meddy, Jasmine. I'll talk to you later." Harp Note pulsed out, and Meddy smiled before jacking out herself.

-LH-

**Cyber City—Central Town**

Lan looked to see Sonia walking into the abandoned house, holding her Hunter-VG in triumph. "You have it?" Lan asked. Sonia pressed a button on her Hunter-VG, showing the Heal Water on a pop-up. "Alright, so we have everything needed to fix Mick's Navi!"

"Except for someone who can treat Navis," Sonia said. "I met someone who was a medic while online, but I have no idea where she'd be in real life. Also, I need to submit a truly stunning mission report… and I have a message for you from Mayor Prairie."

"Mayor Prairie?" Lan asked. "What does she want?"

"For you to check your e-mail," Sonia answered.

"Oh well," Lan shrugged. "Back to WAZA, I suppose." The two walked out of the house, and spotted a Choinese girl holding up her PET in Central Park. She had black hair tied in two buns adorned with flowers, and was wearing a white and red dress.

"I still can't believe we're 200 years in the future," the girl said. "I thought the Calendar App was glitching!"

"_Nope, no glitch,"_ a familiar female voice spoke up. _"We're in 22XX… which means everyone we know in Choina…"_

"Oh, Meddy," the girl sighed. "There… there has to be a way back, somehow! Harp Note promised we could help! Surely, we could find a way back to 20XX to help Grandpa!"

"That I did, didn't I?" Sonia asked. The girl looked to see Sonia smiling at her. "Jasmine, I assume? I'm Sonia Strum… my Wave Name being Harp Note." She flashed her Hunter-VG, showing the same SP Commando badge she showed the bounty hunters.

"Wow… you're younger than I expected," Jasmine said.

"Well, I'm not in high school yet, but I am skilled at helping save the world," Sonia said. "Welcome to 22XX, by the way."

Jasmine then spotted Lan. "Wait… aren't you Lan Hikari, the boy who defeated Dr. Regal and slew the Cybeasts with his Navi MegaMan!?"

"Jasmine?" Lan asked. "I think you were a medic who also fought Nebula Navis, right?"

"Yeah, that was me and Meddy!" Jasmine nodded. "I can't believe we're all meeting each other like this. I'd love to meet MegaMan!"

"Unfortunately," Sonia said, "he's being checked up on right now. We have to go see if he's ready and fix another Navi that's injured."

"Perhaps I can help," Jasmine said. "Meddy's good at helping broken Navis. We can see what we can do!"

"Wait, you're helping?" Lan asked. "But what about—!?"

"Don't worry," Jasmine said. "I know about the 22XX thing, now. I'm still not over the shock that we've been sent two centuries in the future, but I'm not going to let that stop me from helping the sick and injured."

"Alright, follow me," Sonia said, leading them to the LevBus station.

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: And that was the Harp Note chapter! And we got to meet Rogue pluse three villains, and a potential ally. But what is the mayor up to? You'll have to find out later. Because now, reviews!

**Ghost501:** Thank you for your sympathy. And that's a bit of a neat job. But I'm gonna admit, I'm impressed with your spotting of what's possibly going to happen.

**RedemptionWarrior:** You see the love triangle, too, right? It's actually kind of nice.

**Matteso585:** Now Lyra sounds like _Flapjack's _whale of a mom, Bubby! Imagine that sassy black lady voice coming out of a harp!

Sorry to dissapoint you about Solo. But it makes sense that he's being chaotic neutral here. Solo's character is primarily about him not really taking sides but his own and him let anything get in the way of his goals, no matter the costs. But here, Solo has a goal: destroy the Chroniclers. Is he the complete moral wrong or being a well-intended extremist this time around? You'll have to find out.

That is true.

**Mysterious Mr M:** Maybe... but that will be decided later.

**Lucario: **Thank you for your concern. And it's totally okay if you forgot that phone calls can't travel through time. It's been a bit.

**Plasma57:** I neither confirm nor deny Lan and Geo's connection.

**Rekxyen:** I have something very unique planned for Lan and Geo's new transformations/powers. It may surprise people. And thank you for your concern.

**takedigi:** Oh, thank you for your concern. Anyway, it's okay if you had a bit of trouble. So, you've been seeing the EXE/Battle Network games? That's neat to know! Glad I spiked your curiosity. As for Lan and Hub doing a Wave Change... well, I've thought about it, and I'm not sure. I'll think about it some more.

Well, that SHOULD be everything. Farewell, my subjects!


	14. Chapter 13: Reports and Plans

A/N: Now we have a new chapter of Mega Man. In where we finally get a new PET upgrade that will work well for Lan for the remainder of the story.

* * *

**Chapter 13: "Reports and Plans"**

* * *

**National WAZA HQ**

It was starting to get rather late in the day as Lan, Sonia, and Jasmine walked back into the base, just as Dr. Goodall looked away from her computer. "There you are, Sonia. You and Lan hadn't called in at all letting us know where you were."

"Sorry," Sonia said. "But we have what we need to help Mick and his Navi! Oh, and we made a new friend!"

"Um… hi," Jasmine greeted. "I accidentally found out that we're in the future, and I want to help…" Goodall kindly smiled.

"Have you been informed about our crisis very well?" she asked. "You're awfully young."

"I sort of filled her in," Lan confessed. "It was the least I could do." He then looked around. "Hey… where's Geo and Hub?"

"_Your Navi's on standby,"_ Omega-Xis' voice said. He then digitized next to Jasmine, causing her to jump back.

"AH! M-M-Monster!" Omega-Xis chuckled.

"Yep, I'm a monster to you 20XX people!" he laughed. "But I'm actually worse… I'm an alien!"

"Aliens!?" Jasmine questioned. "We seriously have those…!?"

"Meggars," Goodall scowled. The AM-ian frowned. Turning back to the three kids, particularly Jasmine, she explained, "Don't mind him, he's friendly… to a certain degree. He won't harm anyone." Turning to Lan and Sonia, she answered, "As for Geo, he and the others wanted to talk to Match and Mick about a few things about the past. If we're really going to be sending people back in time, we need to know as much as we can to fit in." Soon enough, Geo, Bud, Zack, Luna, Jack, Mick, and Match all walked over.

"Hey, Sonia!" Geo waved. "Did you guys get everything you need for fixing Mick's Navi?"

"Yeah," Sonia said. She presented the pop-ups that had the Navi Repair Parts and the Heal Water. "These should do it."

"Always hated that Heal Water," Match grumbled. "Sure, it helps purify data corruption, but could they use something that wouldn't hurt Fire-type Navis?"

Mick, ignoring Match's complaints, asked, "So, does this mean that we can save him!?"

"Yeah," Lan said.

"Alright," Jasmine smiled, "let's get ready. If Meddy and I are going to help heal your Navi, we're going to need a free PC, these materials, and some time!"

"Sending you the materials via an e-mail now," Sonia said, typing it in her Hunter-VG.

"Alright," Dr. Goodall nodded. "I'll help you with that, young lady. What's your name again?"

"Jasmine," the Choinese girl smiled. She then looked at Mick, grabbed his hand, and said, "Come on! We have to jack your Navi in immediately!" Mick, blushing at this action, was led by Dr. Goodall and Jasmine to help heal his Navi.

"Well," Match chuckled, "she sure seems to take charge quickly."

"Yeah," Bud said. "Kind of like Prez." Taurus appeared next to him.

"So?" the fire-cow FM-ian asked. "Have you given him it, yet?"

"It?" Lan asked. "Wait, Omega-Xis, Taurus, weren't you two being checked up on?"

"Yeah, nothing was wrong with either of them," Zack answered. "Whatever Wish Genie did, it wasn't harmful. Geo even has his pendant back, too." As if on cue, Geo pulled his pendant out and put it back on. "We just don't know what caused those memories of Geo and Bud's bonding."

"Oh well," Jack said with a shrug.

"Anyway," Luna smiled, "we have something to show you…" She then pulled out a blue device that had a sleek design, wrist-strap on the back, the Hikari crest as a button, and was labeled "SN-PET". "Say hello to the world's first Star Network Personal Terminal… or SN-PET for short. I would have named it LMOS or 'Luna's Mega Operating System', but everyone said no, and Omega-Xis said something about 'working the title in somewhere', whatever that meant."

"(Prez may be smart enough to run an elementary school student body,)" Zack whispered to Lan, "(but she is terrible with names.)"

"(And a bit egotistical, too)," Jack added. Luna scowled at both of them.

"It's designed to keep the functions of your PET, such as your Battle Chips and ability to jack into objects from your time, with the upgraded operating system of the Hunter-VG, including the storage system for your Matter Waves and use of the Air Display system and scanning for high-levels of EM Waves," Ace said while walking in. "Aaron and Kelvin, between the two of them, managed to plug those two together quickly. Unfortunately, we can't use the Wizard system to get your brother into the real world."

"Wow," Lan said, taking the device and strapping it onto his right wrist. He then pressed the Hikari button, and a small Air Display popped up from it, with Hub beginning to reboot himself. Once he was activated, Hub stretched out. "Glad you're back, Hub."

"_Ugh… good morning, Lan,"_ the blue Navi groaned. _"Whoa, it's roomy in here, and Vic-Vac is on another level. What did I miss?"_

"Only something completely awesome!" Lan grinned. "I can't wait to really put the SN-PET to good use!"

"Well, it'll have to wait," Luna said. "My parents are probably wondering where I've been all day, and we're not going to be able to get much work done on stopping Chromos if we're all tired! Tomorrow, we're going to Neo Vista Point to observe these Time Waves, remember?"

"Oh, right," Lan recalled. "And I have an e-mail to read."

"Before you all go," Sonia interrupted, "I have something to report about my mission that you all might want to hear." Sonia then explained her encounter with the three Wave Navis working for Chromos, and mentioning their apparent Operators' names. Lan scowled at the Operators—it was bad enough Cain was out causing trouble again, but those three as well!?

Yukia and CircusMan awoke the Cybeasts, leading to the Cybeast crisis, kidnapped Hub and turned him loose on Cyber City in his Cybeast Form. Ito and JudgeMan tried to frame his father for hijacking the Judge Tree in Green Town and almost got him tortured for twenty hours. Vic once threatened to drop all of Sky Town into the ocean when he went after Mr. Weather. But the three also kidnapped his good friend Iris, badly beat up Baryl—a man who he still somewhat considers a friend even if he worked for WWW—and nearly killed him and his friends multiple times over. He could never forgive those three for what they did.

But Lan couldn't help but notice that Geo himself was stunned by the mention of Rogue. "Hey, guys… who is Rogue?"

"Rogue," Ace solemnly smiled. "He's Trans-Code #002, and his real name is Solo. I wanted him to be the number two of the SP Commandos, but he gave us a very firm rejection. He's also Geo's equal in combat…"

"That's not a good sign if he's involved," Omega-Xis said. "If this is Mu-related, he'll only complicate things. We should probably treat him as a wild card at best, outright threat at worst."

"_What does this Mu have to do with anything?"_ Hub asked.

"Well," Geo explained, "before your time, Lan and Hub, there was an ancient civilization that used EM Waves. That civilization was the Mu Empire, which effectively ruled the world until their mistrust of each other caused them to break their bonds and destroy themselves. Now, Solo is the only remaining direct descendant of Mu. Until now, we've only thought that there were three tribes: The knight-like Zerker, the stealthy Ninja, and the fearsome Saurian. However, if there is another tribe, where are they in history? I've been to Whazzap, who actually worships Mu's culture, and I never saw any signs."

"I have no idea," Kelvin answered as he and Hope walked in on the conversation. "Mu wasn't really very well taught back when I was growing up."

"Perhaps Mu's people, before they destroyed their society, erased all traces of them," Zack suggested. "History is usually written by the victors to make their side look good and the others as evil… maybe this other tribe, these Chronicler, were erased by Mu. Perhaps they were assimilated. Perhaps they were destroyed. Who knows? Pedia and I will conduct a search on the side."

"As for Solo," Omega-Xis continued, "since he's the last descendant of Mu, he feels obligated to protect it and its lore. That said, he hates people who use its technology for their own selfish desires and hunts them down with extreme prejudice. And Hyde is one creep that uses Mu for power almost constantly. That Wizard of his, Phantom? He's a Mu-created EM Wave weapon. And I'm using the word 'weapon' as that's all the people of Mu thought their Wave Beings were."

"So who's side is he on?" Lan asked. Sonia shook her head.

"He's on nobody's side but his own and Mu's," she answered. "He works alone save for his Wizard, Laplace, which can become a huge sword. And if he ever found his target, they're in for a world of hurt. And right now, he's looking at Chromos… specifically a girl."

"If he gets his hands on Chromos, he'll destroy them," Tia said. "Under normal circumstances, this would be a good thing since we could let him do a lot of damage. Unfortunately, we need Chromos around long enough to figure out their technology so we can reverse the damage to the timeline they've done. We have no choice but to consider Solo an enemy due to conflicting interests."

Geo advised, "He's very dangerous, Lan… we should only fight him if absolutely necessary. He even warned us to stay out of his way."

"_Why do I sense a familiarity coming on?"_ Hub asked.

"Alright, since we know Solo is now involved in the situation and Mick's Navi is being treated," Ace said, "we are effectively done for the day. Lan, Match, you're free to stay here until we have finished your Passes." Both nodded. "As for the rest of you, a word of advice… be careful if you're going to explore the Time Wave tomorrow."

"We will," Bud promised.

"We'll be watching them," Hope added. "Hopefully nothing bad will happen."

"Alright," Ace nodded, "you all are dismissed!" The group pretty much went their separate ways for the night, Lan looking at his SN-PET. He then saw he had a couple e-mails that he missed.

_**Subject: 'WARNING!'**_

_**Sender: Net Police**_

'_This is an official warning from Cyber City's Net Police. Three elite criminals had been broken out of Green Town's Punishment Room by what appears to be the culprit behind the Battle Stadium incident yesterday. Be advised that criminals are to be treated as very dangerous, and are to be approached with caution. If you see any strange-looking Navis on the Net, do not under any circumstances engage. Jack out immediately!'_

"So, Chromos DOES have a hand in this," Lan growled.

"_Well, that now is clear," _Hub agreed. _"It seems like Cain was using the crisis here at WAZA for two things—one to break out his old allies, and two to steal the Noise Control Program. Both of which he succeeded."_

Lan, frustrated with this development, checked the next e-mail… and blinked in surprise.

_**Subject: 'A Thank You'**_

_**Sender: Mayor Prairie**_

'_Is this Lan Hikari, son of Dr. Yuichiro Hikari? Allow me to introduce myself: I am Mayor Prairie, Cain's replacement after his arrest and subsequent impeachment. I wish to thank you for your assistance in resolving the past crises in Cyber City with your Net Battling skills, the crisis at Battle Town's Stadium, as well as your allies' assistance._

'_As a reward for your efforts, I have attached the Link Banner for Central Square. I'm not sure how this will help you given the fact that I am aware of us being in 22XX, but you can now immediately warp to Central Square while exploring the main hub of the Net.'_

'_Anyway, I have a request for you: If you can, please find a way to bring us home to our time. I have no idea how to explain to the citizens of Cyber City that we have been misplaced in time and space, and I don't know how long we can stay online when disconnected from everyone else. Please, Lan… I hate to put pressure on you, but I've heard of your reputation. If anyone can save us, it's you.'_

'_Prairie'_

Lan smirked at Mayor Prairie's request. "Well, saving Cyber City was among our many goals, after all. We have to save this time, too!"

"_Alright,"_ Hub said. _"We should get to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow."_ Neither of the Hikari Brothers wanted to go to sleep knowing that their enemies were gathering together, but they knew that if they wanted any chance to stop villainous plans and rescue their friends and parents, they needed to be rested.

* * *

**Unknown Location—20XX**

Hyde and Cain looked at the data in front of them. "Ah, the blueprints to the Noise Control Program," Hyde grinned, looking at it. "A shame we couldn't get the real deal. Oh well. To have this ultimate power to harvest and manipulate Noise within my grasp... perhaps we can make two, one for ChronoMan and the other for me?"

"Perhaps," Cain said. He then looked at the data that had Heal Water from Cyber City. "Though I must say that I'm surprised by our three newest members joining us. This is really a gift." Looking behind him at three people, he smiled, "I'm impressed, you three, that you went out of your way to do this. You could have just come back with Orion, but you insisted on bringing this back for study. What do you think, Hyde?"

"They'll do just nicely," Hyde smiled. "I enjoyed their performance… even though it was improvised."

One of the trio was a black-haired woman wearing her hair in pigtails, a red open ringmaster's jacket over a white blouse and a black miniskirt, and red thigh-high boots, and a red top hat with two masked-shaped charms—one happy, one sad—clipped to the side. On her face was heart-shaped makeup. "Thank you, Cain, for being kind enough to not forget about us! We were trying to work with you, anyway."

A black-haired man with his eyes closed, wearing what appeared to be judge robes, bowed. "You didn't have to save us, but you did. You forgave us even after we lost the Cybeast! Thank you for showing mercy!"

"And you're even giving us another chance at showing that Hikari brat and his Navi MegaMan what for!" a blue haired man wearing a black shirt that had a white cloud on it, black jeans, and a gray scarf that looked rather fluffy. "I've seen WeatherMan in action, and he was amazing! Now, we can truly crush them!"

"Don't thank us just yet," Cain warned. "You three have shown loyalty, and for that, Orion was ordered to let you live. I am only saying this once, you three: do not betray that trust. Bear in mind that compared to Hyde, Orion, Wish Genie, the Captain, the Doctor, our newest ally the Knight, and the General, you all are ordinary humans."

"Wish Genie?" the woman asked. Sure enough, a purple light appeared in front of the three, forming the aforementioned Wave Being.

"Did you call, Master Cain?" Wish Genie asked, bowing her head.

"A child?" the black-haired man asked. "She's a member of Chromos?" The blue-haired man laughed.

"Is this some kind of joke?" he asked. "She looks like she'd barely hurt a fly!"

"Oh, I assure you," Cain smiled, "Wish Genie is no joke. She is more powerful than you can imagine. Wish Genie, for my next wish… show them your power."

"How shall I do that, Master Cain?" Wish Genie asked. Cain pressed a button as a Net Battle Machine came from the ground next to him.

"We have detected a few Mal Wizards attempting to hack into our systems," Cain smiled. "I've redirected their attempts into this server. If you would be so kind as to show them the door or—if they refuse… make them regret it."

"…Understood, Master Cain," Wish Genie said. She tapped her wrist, which created an Air Display where she showed her Battle Card Folder. She had it set to her "Infiltrator" Deck before she swapped to her "Huntress" Deck, threw off her sash, which was caught by the judge, and jumped into the Net Battle Machine. When the holographic image showed the trio of humans, a group of six purple Mal Wizards looking around, confused… right before Wish Genie touched down, a pair of scimitars in her hands.

"_Who are you!?"_ one of the Mal Wizards asked.

"_You are trespassing,"_ Wish Genie warned. _"You have one chance to leave Chromos' systems before you will dealt with. I do not wish to delete you all, but I am authorized to use lethal force if necessary."_

"_Hah!"_ the Mal Wizard laughed. _"You, delete us!? As if! You look more like a secretary than a warrior!"_

"_I am warning you one more time,"_ Wish Genie said, sinking into a combat stance. _"Leave now, or face me." _She spotted the Mal Wizards arming themselves with Mini Bombs, Gatlings, or Swords. She sighed. _"Very well, I will grant your wish to fight."_ Taking a serious expression, she yelled, _"Genie Vanish!"_ She disappeared in a purple puff of smoke as the attacks fired at her previous location. The Mal Wizards looked around, trying to find Wish Genie.

"_Where did she go!?"_ one of the Wizards asked. He was answered by Wish Genie appearing behind him.

"_Battle Card, Wide Sword!"_ Wish Genie's right arm turned into a sword, and she slashed through the Mal Wizard. She then disappeared in another Genie Vanish, reappearing a distance away with both scimitars in her hand. She then countered a few Mal Wizards' Swords, blocking each slice and redirecting a few. The group had to admit, Wish Genie's movements were fluid, energetic, and graceful. Almost like she was as much of a dancer as her belly dancing outfit made her look. She countered one more attack, and without missing a beat, used another Genie Vanish. _"Battle Card, Fire Ring!"_ A flaming ring shot out to the side and rolled over one Mal Wizard, deleting him and burning away his data completely.

And that was only the beginning of the slaughter.

Wish Genie reappeared next to one of the Mal Wizards, both of her Scimitars glowing. _"Genie's Blade!"_ she yelled before slashing with both swords, deleting him. She then dodged out of the way of an explosion before using another Battle Card—this time something called Ice Cube—to block a series of Gatling Gun attacks. When the block was destroyed, Wish Genie rushed out, another Battle Card loaded. _"Battle Card, Harpoon Gun!"_ Her arm turned into a harpoon launcher that, when she was sure that she was far enough away from the Mal Wizards, she launched. Instead of one harpoon, however, a pair of Mal Wizards were skewered by five total.

Three down, three to go.

Wish Genie vanished with another Genie Vanish, but she looked like she was getting tired. However, a particular card loaded, and she smiled. Hyde and Cain, in the real world, could only grin. This was not lost by their three allies.

"And what is going on?" the woman said. "I don't like being left in the dark, Cain!"

"Relax, Yukia," Cain smiled. "You, Ito, and Vic, are about to witness something I really hoped to occur. Now, Wish Genie will activate it." Wish Genie summoned the card, and loaded it into her Hunter-VG.

"_Historic Wave! IceMan, On the Air!"_ Wish Genie said before her body began to glow bright blue before she was adorned in what could be considered an armored purple and gold parka, and her once red hair dyed a bright blue peaking out of the front as a snowflake symbol adorned her chest.

"Wait," the dark-haired man said, "I've seen that symbol before. There was this one Operator, Froid, who Lord Wily forced to work for us. He had a Navi called IceMan… and you've said this girl is from 22XX?"

"So you've noticed, Ito!" Cain smirked. "Because by all rights, Navi technology in the future is obsolete. However, as a member of the Chroniclers, Wish Genie is obligated to record and preserve history. But that does not mean she cannot also take advantage of its legacy and use it to face down great foes. That is the Historic Program in the nutshell: borrowing powers from beings in history and weaponizing them against her enemies. In short… she could be considered a temporal Mega Woman."

"Mega Woman!?" Yukia, Vic, and Ito all asked.

"And now, you're all treated to a live performance," Hyde grinned.

"_So you destroy three of us and put on a winter coat," _a Mal Wizard scoffed. _"Well, we have more."_ Sure enough, several Mal Wizards showed up. _"We can do this all day, but we're gonna delete you."_

"_Master Cain,"_ Wish Genie breathed, _"I'm sorry in advance for freezing this Cyber Core for a while."_

"It is forgivable," Cain answered. Wish Genie avoided a Mal Wizard attacking, and held up another Battle Card.

"_Battle Card, Ice Bomb!"_ She then threw out a blue, capsule-like bomb. When it exploded, in the middle of one Wizard's Gatling attacks, freezing a few. However, that wasn't all. She sharply inhaled, and blew a freezing chill at the Mal Wizards, freezing them in a giant ice block.

"_Temporal Big Bang,"_ Wish Genie gently breathed. _"Shatter Heart!"_ She then punched the ice block with one gloved hand. All of the sudden, the ice began to crack until it exploded, deleting every single Mal Wizard trapped inside of it, and covering the ground around the server with ice. Wish Genie then collapsed onto her knees, returning to normal as she breathed in and out, her breath visible. _"…Forgive me, Master Cain,"_ Wish Genie sighed in exhaustion. _"I… I have used too much energy with that attack."_

"There is no need for that," Cain said. "You performed admirably. Perhaps some time off will allow you to recover. Now, hurry up… you don't wish to catch cold." Wish Genie nodded before returning to the real world, grabbing her sash with a polite bow to Ito before walking away. The blue-haired man looked stunned, but turned to Cain.

"How the heck did you manage to get control of a girl as powerful as THAT!?" he asked.

"Simple, Vic," Cain answered. "Promise her something she wants but cannot receive on her own since they no longer exist in 22XX: sanctuary for the Chroniclers' legacy." He then turned to a figure in the shadows, and asked, "So, tell me… how did you like Wish Genie's dance of destruction?" The three and Hyde all turned to see an old man bound in an electronic cage. He had a skull-headed cane in his left hand, his right hand covering his right eye, and a dark gray lab coat with a red high collar.

"I say you Cains are once again messing with forces you have no hope to control," the man answered. "Just like your grandfather failed to keep that monster Falzar in check, that little girl will be your downfall, but not your destruction. Though to answer your exact question: I would say her dance was lovely for a young girl."

"Wish Genie may have her goals," Cain said, "but we have made a contract. As long as I provide my end of the bargain, she cannot personally stop my plans. And even if she turned against me, by the time she would be in a position to do so, it will be far too late to try. I will succeed where you failed, Dr. Wily."

"Ugh, Wily," Yukia said as she walked over. "Why did we have to bring THIS guy with us? Couldn't we have left him in prison? Or better yet, make him tell us where Baryl is and then get rid of him right here and now before hunting down Baryl?"

"And have him not witness my triumph before I killed him?" Cain asked. "I'm afraid not. After all, I have a few… questions for him." He then walked towards Wily. "If Wish Genie's historical accuracy is correct, you have been given a deal by my replacement in office in exchange for an early parole, just to have proven that you've changed for the better. There have been two programs you have no doubt been working on for a year: the virus-purging Colonel and the data-reconstructing Iris, both based off two of your favorite Navis you have ever created. These programs would have made Net society reach its peak with viruses being extinct by somewhere in the 22nd century before Wave society set in and the FM-ian War brought viruses back to the world. Before Orion managed to grab you, he said that you had hidden the data for the programs."

"Let me guess," Wily asked. "This Noise Control Program, these 'Wave Navis' powered by futuristic electromagnetic waves, that crown that was stolen from Battle Town, hiring my old traitors, teaming up with people beyond human, this ChronoMan I keep hearing about… you plan to make your own immortal monster that will allow you to become some type of god that changes all of time? And you want Colonel and Iris—two Navis I practically consider my children, even if I horribly mistreated their past selves as weapons—to be a part of it. One to control the weaponry, Iris, and the other to serve as the combat basis… Colonel. It's pretty genius."

"You are perspective," Cain said. "You've figured my entire master plan in the blink of an eye. So, you know what I want from you. Now, where is it?"

"I have no clue," Wily answered. Cain frowned before Wily lowered his right hand from his eye… revealing there was nothing there. "After all, I dropped a few things while that wild horse was dragging me through time, including my good cybernetic eye. So, even I have no idea where the data could have ended up."

"I should have known that stupid thing was not a monocle," Cain groaned. "Why did you have a synthetic eye in the first place?"

"Well, when your headquarters explodes around you," Wily explained, "you're really lucky to get out alive. Uninjured, well, that's just realistically asking for too much. One of the times, well, a loose piece of shrapnel can do that to you. So, I built myself replacement body parts just in case something like that happened."

"That's impressive," Cain said. "But no matter. If you've lost the data, I'll have people look into it. In the meantime, you can enjoy your stay here in Chromos, but I'll have **both** of my eyes on you." He then pressed a button, and Wily's cage lowered into the floor. Cain turned to his three new recruits. "So, now that you have seen what I've done with Dr. Wily and the type of people I have on my side, I can formally welcome you to the organization. Feel free to relax, as I won't call on you three for a bit."

"You don't have anything for us to do?" Yukia asked. "Boring! I want to go after MegaMan!"

"Mega Men," Hyde corrected. "There are two we have to worry about."

"What!?" Ito asked. "It's bad enough when there was only one! Why is there a second Mega Man!?"

"My time has this pesky child named Geo Stelar," Hyde answered, pulling up a file showing the boy. "The whole world knows he's Mega Man in 22XX… except for those in Cyber City. He is capable of Wave Changing just like yours truly, Orion, and Wish Genie… just to name a few. He's just as much of a threat as your time's MegaMan… but he has never fought EM Wave Navis. I'll send these little research folders to you all so you can research your roles."

_**BEEP! BEEP!**_

"_Hey, is this a bad time?"_ a female voice asked over an intercom. _"I have something I need to talk about."_

"Oh, it's you," Cain said. "Come in." Sure enough, a cloaked woman walked in the room. "You seem flustered."

"Hyde, I thought I told you that Circuit doesn't respond well to pressure like facing MegaMan, let alone two!" the woman said, turning to the top-hat wearing man. "Next time she's on an operation, let her handle things her way! Since I was cut off here in 20XX, I can't reach her! Thanks goodness Wish Genie was there, because she kept Circuit from flying into a panic attack, and she could have been deleted!"

"You have a big heart for your Navi," Hyde said. "And she was never in any real danger…"

"Try telling her that again when she's facing down two Mega Men and giant bull that was on FIRE!" the woman scolded. "You know that Circuit isn't exactly built like the rest of your Wave Navis! She's designed for quiet hacking and programming, not for overt combat! If you bring her along, it's a stealth mission because people aren't supposed to know who she is outside of work! Also, my niece loves her, and so do I! It's bad enough that Circuit and I can't see her or Joe, but—!"

"Calm down," Cain said. "After all, your next mission will require your patience, if you will." The woman looked at Cain.

"Master Cain, you have a mission for me?" she said.

"And hopefully it will remain silent," he said. "So, I've looked over a lot of the Noise Control Program so far. A lot of the parts I can replicate… except for one. Are you familiar with the Booster System?" The woman blinked under her cloak.

"Booster System," she said. "A powerful program that could theoretically enhance a Navi's strength just by being in the presence of it, equipping a Navi could significantly make them ten times stronger than an ordinary Navi. Side effects would be burning off a ton of energy at once and it does nothing to boost a Navi's endurance, but the brief power gain makes a long fight an almost laughable thought. It's also useful to enhance other programs… such as the Noise Control Program, turning the dangerous Noise into basic fuel, which explains why Noise decreases steadily when the conditions to boost Noise are being met. Oh my God, I just figured out a piece of technology that is two-hundred years beyond me."

"This is why she is the Scientist," Cain smiled to the three other members of Chromos that weren't him and Hyde. "She may be in 20XX, but she is a true genius." Turning to the cloaked woman, he asked "So, do you think you can build a Booster System?"

"Unfortunately, no," the woman said. "Not without seeing one, first, but they aren't easy to get a peek at, though. Hmm… I guess they may be more available in the future."

"Consult with Wish Genie about the date," Cain suggested. "She'll be taking some time off, anyway. When you're ready, let me know and I'll send ChronoMan to deploy you to acquire the Booster System."

"Understood," the woman said. "But… remember our deal. I do this, and you-know-who gets better."

"Very well," Hyde said. The woman walked out, briefly nodding to the three. "…That was quite the performance, Mr. Cain. You kept well under pressure."

"She has a point that you endangered the mission, Hyde," Cain said. "I know and understand your desire for the spotlight, but we don't need our enemies knowing what we are after. I request that you respect your team's request to work in silence."

"Very well," Hyde said with a roll of his eyes. "So, while she and Circuit run the role of data hunting, we do we do about the Mega Men? They're no doubt going to come into play soon."

"Yes," Cain agreed. "It's a shame we can't really predict what they are doing 200 years from now… but we may be able to keep them busy. After all, we just need the right bait that Lan will not be able to turn down."

"You mean the heroine?" Hyde asked. "Have you found her while I was in the future, Mr. Cain? I'm sure the hero would appreciate it."

"I haven't," Cain corrected. "The Knight, however, has." Yukia, Ito, and Vic looked at each other.

"Wait a minute," Yukia spoke up. "You're talking about Lan Hikari and his friends, right? What happened?"

"Short version of Mr. Hyde's little performance," Cain said, "ChronoMan sent all of Lan's loved ones throughout time and space. They're still alive, apparently, and Lan is desperately trying to find them. But… we've managed to locate one individual." An image appeared on screen of a certain pink-haired girl. "Does she look familiar to you all?"

"I'd never forget a pink-haired brat like that!" Vic said. "She's one of his two girlfriends, isn't she? That Iris girl that Wily made being the other."

"Yes," Ito said. "Before Lan first came to Cyber City and ruined our plans to get the Cybeasts, there was a girl mentioned on his background check that he was neighbors to and was pretty close with, being friends since they were infants. What was her name… oh, yes! Mayl Sakurai!"

"Oh, so Lan is close to a girl like that, huh?" Yukia smiled. "Cain… do you mind if we lure him out?"

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: So, Lan now has the SN-PET, and with it, an easier time operating Wave technology. And he now knows about Solo and his vengeful personality.

But, of course, we have Wish Genie. I'm sorry about making her this powerful, but Mal Wizards aren't exactly the most powerful enemies and Wish Genie is a Wave Changer... and a Chronicler. Hence, she's being pursued by Rogue so she has to be strong.

And finally, we have Wily. I HAD to put him in the story. Being the overall Big Bad of the _Battle Network_ series (while _Star Force_ is the first series in the _Mega Man_ franchise without an overarching Big Bad), Wily has an influence on everyone, heroes and villains alike. And Cain, having been betrayed by Wily, would want him to witness his ultimate triumph. So, what does Chromos have planned? You'll find out.

But first, reviews!

**Matteso585:** Huh. Well, Praire DOES have a secret...

**blee7442:** Bass? You know, I'm having a REALLY difficult time justifying bringing him into the plot. Perhaps, during his search, Rogue runs into Bass, and the two tear up the Undernet. Although they both vehemently refuse to work with each other (Rogue hates cooperation, and Bass was designed to be a solo Navi and doesn't trust humans), they will realize they both have a score to settle with the Mega Men and the people at Chromos... which means they will be working "parallel" to each other, but totally expecting the other to try to delete them once this is over.

**Plasma57:** Libra will probably show up. I'll have Mr. Shepar have him as a Wizard, but not exactly sure how to Wave Change.

**takedigi:** Yeah, expect characters from both eras and my OCs. And yeah, we'll be encountering those who will give Geo and Lan some major upgrades.

**Lucario:** Hey, we have to build the team SOMEHOW. Best to recruit skilled people on the street. And for the _Star Force _games. As for the Heal Water, I think it was explained in-game that the water has unique spiritual properties that, while not able to completely purify the Cybeasts, were able to help MegaMan conquer the beast within him just enough to harnass the power of Beast Out.

**Rekxyen:** Playing as more than one character was my real appeal to _Battle Network 5_ and _6_ (and not just the Double Souls/Crosses), because it gave more than just MegaMan a chance to shine. As for Harp Note, it makes sense that SHE'D be the first non-Mega Man character of her generation to be playable. Harp Note has been on the heroic side for the majority of the three _Star Force_ games.

Alright, I didn't want to make it FULLY about Teams ProtoMan and Colonel, but yeah, some of them will show up at some point or another. Not guaranteeing anyone right now. But however, since there is no way to say Lan worked with them all at the same time, I've made a Schrodengier's list of saying they've all combatted Nebula at some point during its time active in the Net and Lan was keeping tabs on who was fighting them.

Solo's backstory and affiliation with Mu is what drove him in the second game to be an antagonist. In the third game, his protective nature of Mu's lore and how Dealer was using its technology continued that push, and it was added to the Bonus Chapter of 3 and how Solo didn't care much for Planet FM, but was willing to fight Sirius to get the Mu Metal from Sirius when it was most vulnerable (which required waiting and he was willing to fight Geo to stop him from taking his chance). Here in _Star Network?_ He's continuing his defense of Mu's legacy by executing the last of the known traitors of Mu.

For those of you who are curious, in _Star Force 2_, Mu's history in the final dungeon (I'm talking about main story) is key to how you moved forward. In the text, starting at Ebesh, the people of Mu were at peace thanks to the power of EM Waves they got from the Great Being (or Le Mu or Ra Mu or whatever the name of the final boss of SF2 is, I'm too lazy to look it up right now). However, the next stanza says that the Mu were suddenly invaded... this could be talking about the Saurian tribe or not, but it doesn't really make it completely clear of who was responsible. Then, the next line onwards is where I get the opportunity to create the Chroniclers as well as use the two unused tribes that did not make the final cuts of SF2 (Pirate and Angel): _"After the appearance of the invaders, the Mu were divided into those who embraced war and those who rejected it. Humans who rejected war, forsook their land and scattered across the Earth... And those who embraced war, used the power of EM Waves to raise their land into the sky. Those Mu who left Earth used EM warriors to wipe out the invaders. The Mu in the sky conquered all of the peoples on the ground and ruled the Earth..."_ To me, this is huge. That means there was a split in beliefs in response to the invasion, and the Mu that stayed on Mu considered those who left during the war as traitors. Treason, being a capital crime in any society, is usually met with execution... so, it's safe to assume that during their conquering of the people on the ground, the Mu began finding those who abandoned their country and began eliminating them on the grounds of treason and desertion. Solo/Rogue is continuing his people's work.

I think I've already answered your question about Bass and Solo. Both of these guys hate cooperation and have no reason to LIKE the Mega Men. So, yeah, no real team-up expected. And if you think you write long reviews, I wrote an even longer REPLY.

**Ghost501:** Thank you for being considerate about your guess! And I will try to keep the characters balanced, but they may be a while before I use them. No promises when a certain character is doing something important. And true, Meddy and Jasmine don't really serve much purpose in _Battle Network 5_ apart from kicking off the obligatory Undernet arc... and saving ProtoMan... and being a support character in a game that's combat doesn't really have room for a support style of combat. It was actually kind of disappointing that the healer was not only the last character we recruited (you'd think we'd immediately get that after we get the tank rather than the speed/stealth fighter who is kind of a jerk), but you only needed them for one liberation mission and part four of the final dungeon. That was my only real irritation with Meddy and Jasmine (how last minute they were and we didn't get much about them since they didn't show up in the sequel). I mean, if this story was a third-person shooter style of game, then hell yes, Meddy would be useful. That's probably going to be the reason I don't use Jasmine and Meddy for anything outside of healing Mick's Navi until I get to a certain arc.

**RedemptionWarrior:** Of course! Mega Man shouldn't have to fight alone in these games. He's actually with more people supporting him in the _Battle Network_ and _Star Force_ games than in his other incarnations. It's just this would be the first time playing as someone other than Geo.

Alright, that's my time! I will see everyone later! Enjoy 7-11 day and get a free slushie! Farewell, subjects!


	15. Chapter 14: An Unexpected Return

A/N: Ladies and gentlemen, I am sorry for the delay! Due to personal reasons, I have been unable to update _Mega Man Star Network_ for some time. However, there is hope! For we are now going to have a chapter started in three, two, one...

* * *

**Chapter 14: "An Unexpected Return"**

-LH-

**National WAZA HQ**

When Lan woke up the following morning, MegaMan pointed out, "_Mick never came back to the room last night."_

"I guess he never left his Navi's side," Lan said. "I don't blame him… if you ever were in trouble, Hub, I'd stay up, too."

"_You did,"_ MegaMan recounted. "_The Cybeast, remember? Dad said you spent a whole night staying up monitoring my recovery progress. I never really thanked you for that."_

When he walked out to the hallway, he spotted Jasmine walking to his room, a cup of tea in her hand. "Oh, Lan… good morning."

"Morning, Jasmine," Lan nodded. "How are Mick and his Navi?"

"_Mick's finally asleep,"_ Meddy spoke up while Jasmine took a sip of her tea. "_The poor guy spent literally all night by his Navi's side… he's probably exhausted."_

"Good news is Mick's Navi is stable," Jasmine said. "Meddy wasted no time in getting repairs on the way. I know Navis are usually supposed to automatically repair themselves while returned to their PETs unless they take significant damage to their main programs. Being attacked by that odd being—you said he was called Dark Phantom, right?" Lan nodded. "Dark Phantom's attack pierced and nearly aged large chunks of Mick's Navi's data away… those parts are the ones that really needed replacement recovery, hence why the parts were needed. However, since Mick's Navi is a differently colored variation of a Normal Navi, he needs even more repaired before he's really recovered, since the attack was designed for Navis and those odd creatures—Wizards, I think— with a more customized build like MegaMan."

"How is MegaMan's custom design a lot worse for Mick?" Lan asked.

"Well," Jasmine explained, "most people in our time use Normal Navis with no real customizations aside from a personality program. They have set health outside HP Memories, set strengths and weaknesses… pretty much ordinary, and serve any purpose we desire. That's why they're so many of those because they're built for universal purposes. Your Navi and mine, however, are what people refer to as 'customized' because they have more than just health fluctuations, busters, and different body types than a Normal Navi, but they are designed for very specific jobs. Your MegaMan, for instance, is a fighter and seeker type, pretty much perfect for your virus-busting and counter-hacking. Meddy, on the other hand, is a healer and support Navi, and while she is good at virus-busting, she's much better helping others do the hard work and keeping them from being deleted. Attacks or abilities to counter our customizations would be devastating to a custom Navi, but to a Normal Navi… Mick's Navi is lucky to have been damaged that badly and still cling to life. A lot of his battle subroutines, however, didn't survive the attack, and the parts we bought yesterday weren't really designed to replace the battle subroutines. Not many of those exist, because Navis with those damaged usually end up being deleted since they're built so deeply into a Navi—think of them like vital human organs. Don't tell Mick this, yet, but… I don't think his Navi will ever be Net Battle operational ever again, even if the operation is a success."

"_But Mick loves Net Battling,"_ MegaMan pointed out. "_His Navi does, too! There's no way either of them will take that! Is there anything we can do?"_

"_Short of sucking up all of his data and somehow stuffing it all in a new body?"_ Vic-Vac asked. "_Probably not."_

"_I keep forgetting you're still here, Vic-Vac,"_ MegaMan said.

"Wait," Jasmine said. "Vic-Vac, right?" the Matter Wave appeared on Lan's back. "Repeat what you just said."

"What, about sucking up all his data and stuffing it into a new body?" Vic-Vac asked. "Yeah, impossible, right?"

"Not exactly," Jasmine said. "There have been stories that Navis being remade into different Navis by recovering their data and reconstructing it into a new frame. They can theoretically come back stronger. However, it's risky, and I'm a little on the young side to actually do that specific type of surgery. Meddy and I have already used the extent of our combined medical knowledge to do what we can… we would need a Navi customizing expert. The problem is I don't know any famous Navi experts other than Dr. Hikari…" Lan frowned while Vic-Vac returned to his SN-PET, remembering that his father would have an idea of how to reconstruct Mick's Navi, but he and his mother were lost in time.

"Navi reconstruction expert, huh?" Match asked as he walked in, wearing his own red SN-PET. "How about Mr. Famous? I'm not sure he's in Cyber City, but I guess I could have a look in my free time."

"Mr. Match?" Lan asked. "You have an SN-PET, too?"

"Yep," Match grinned, pressing a button to make an Air Display showing his collection of Fire Navis and a couple of pop-ups. "Part of that business arrangement I made with Ace. Oh, that reminds me… the WAZA Commander wanted you to have this so next you wander off, you have access to here on your own." He gave Lan a WAZA Pass, which appeared on Lan's SN-PET. "There, now you can come here on that Wave Liner without anyone escorting you. Anyway, Lan, you don't need to worry about things, here. I won't be burning WAZA down while you're gone."

"You really have changed, Mr. Match," Lan said. "We used to be at each other's throats."

"I guess it goes to show that even we can get past destroying each other when given the incentive of saving the world so we can destroy each other in our own time." Match then walked away, leaving Jasmine and Lan to themselves.

"So, what about you, Jasmine? What are you going to do?"

"Me?" Jasmine asked. "I'm going to help Mick and his Navi, of course. He's a nice guy… a bit mouthy, but nice nonetheless. He got really quiet before passing out as he watched Meddy and I work. Speaking of which, I better go check on them. Dr. Goodall has been covering me… she's a nice lady, and even offered to form a Brother Band with me. Whatever that is." Jasmine looked at Lan, and said, "Be careful, okay? I have no idea if this whole time-travel thing will work out for the best. The last place I want to see either of you Hikaris is on an operating table, alright? After all, you're pretty much our timeline's last hope,"

"Okay," Lan nodded. "See you, Jasmine!" He then skated out, determined to help save everyone he could and the only way he knew how was to explore the Time Waves.

-GS-

**Echo Ridge**

After a rather uneventful morning, Geo and his family met Bud, Zack, Luna, and Sonia outside. "So," Kelvin asked, "we're going to see this Neo Vista Point I keep hearing about. Geo, didn't you used to hang out there?"

"Yeah," Geo replied. "I used to look up there all the time for any sign of you… and then Omega-Xis crashed into my life."

"_And it all went downhill from there!"_ Omega-Xis chuckled. "_So, we get to see these Time Waves up close. How are they, Lyra?"_

"_Fair warning, Omega-Xis… they're pretty weird,"_ Lyra answered. "_They look like clocks that are floating in the air, an odd blue-green. They just feel… off."_

"Are you all sure that you want to do this?" Hope asked.

"Unfortunately, we have to do this," Luna answered. "Sorry, Mrs. Stelar, but as student body president, I have to help everyone, including Lan."

"Wow, Prez," Bud said, "you've gotten really into this role."

"I have no idea what a student body president has to do with helping me time travel," Lan's voice said as he and Jack walked up, "but thanks, Luna, everyone." Luna jumped, turning around. Sonia giggled at Luna's reaction, but the blonde smiled. Lan looked around, and asked, "So, this is Echo Ridge, right? I really didn't get to see much of it the first time I came through here while I was being taken to WAZA."

"It's really not impressive," Jack scoffed.

"Jack, please," Zack said. "Anyway, Lan… indeed, this is Echo Ridge. It's a small town—kind of how I'm on the small side—but it's home. Let's show you to Neo Vista Point, shall we?" The group walked to the edge of town where they came to the side of the school, and a path that led to a nearby hillside. There was a worn-out old train painted with a picture of the solar system, a series of water fountains, a flyer featuring a phoenix with a notable cowlick and a hawk with a black and white striped bandana, chalk outlines of an eastern dragon, a lion, and a pegasus on the ground, and a metallic observation platform. When they walked up the platform, the group was treated to the sight of multiple telescopes that were designed to see into outer space.

"So this is Neo Vista Point," Lan breathed. "It's amazing."

"I haven't been here for a while," Geo said, "but I used to go here all the time before Omega-Xis and I met." He then pointed to a particular telescope. "Over a year ago, Mega and I met… right there. Literally electrocuted me because he was in that much of a rush."

"_Well, you try fleeing from your former allies turned enemies after you stole the key to their greatest weapon without bumping into anyone!"_ Omega-Xis said. "_Anyway, kid, I'm starting to get a little fuzzy."_

"_Come to think of it,"_ Hub said, "_the SN-PET is starting to detect… something."_

"I hear it, too," Sonia said. "Not as well as I would if I was Harp Note, but… I'm sensing some odd Waves. It was right before I first saw a Time Wave." Geo started looking around the area, looking at his Hunter-VG to keep a track of Omega-Xis' status. He remembered how Wave detection worked—the closer he was to an anomaly, the more distorted Omega-Xis' image would get. Such as when he was near the farthest telescope to the right, which was a familiar spot to him—the first spot he ever became Mega Man in.

Geo walked up, and held up his Hunter-VG, which was detecting some type of unfamiliar wave. He then flipped down his Visualizer, and gasped when he saw a blue-green clock floating in the air. "Guys… I think I found it!" He then touched the clock, which caused it to spring to life and form a blue-green vortex in the visible plane of reality.

"Yeah, that was it!" Sonia said. "Good job, Geo!"

"Score one for him!" Luna grinned. "Okay, Luna's Time Travelers, let's do this!" Lan looked at Luna, confused.

"Uh, 'Luna's Time Travelers'? What is that supposed to be?"

"Our new Team name?" Luna answered. "What do you think?" Zack mouthed, 'Don't comment on the name', but it was ignored for a different question.

"Team?" Lan asked. Luna gasped.

"Oh, right! You don't really know Teams or Purposes, yet, do you?" Luna pressed her Hunter-VG, and showed an Air Display to Lan. "Basically, a Purpose is a set goal that someone makes that can something short-term like baking a cake or something far more long-term—like you wanting to save your loved ones. When a group of Brothers have a common Purpose, they often come together to help fulfill that Purpose as a Team. Of course, there are rules to Teams. One rule is there has to be at least three people on a Team. Second is that an outsider can be a part of the Team as long as they have a Brother inside the group. Lan, you would be the outsider in this case since you didn't have any Brothers within our group until yesterday—yours truly. As for Jack and Sonia, well… Geo somehow managed to get them each to be his Brother."

"Well, Geo is my first ever friend," Sonia blushed. Jack looked the other way.

"He and I are rivals, so I have to keep up with him until when I get Corvus back…" Jack said.

"Okay, I think I get it," Lan said. "Well, I have been on a sort of team before when dealing with Nebula. But that was literally a long time ago, and I was the Team's Operator, the guy who oversaw combat in Nebula controlled areas of the Net."

"Well, just know that we're working together to fulfill our new Purpose," Luna grinned. "And that's 'Save Lan's Loved Ones'!"

"You don't really have to come with me," Lan said. "Not that I don't appreciate friends having my back, but this is pretty risky."

"He has a point, Prez," Bud said. "This isn't like anything we've ever done before. Lan's only doing this to see if he can find his friends and family… who knows if we'll even survive in there."

"Are you kidding, Bud?" Luna asked. "You and Geo will be there to protect me… and besides, this is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore different periods in time in person!"

"Pedia," Zack asked, looking at the Time Wave, "can you estimate the probability of our survival? I want to know if Prez and Lan should be a bit more worried…" Pedia popped out and began scanning the Time Wave.

"Considering the fact that Lan was directly exposed to the Time Wave and his condition proved stable, it should be alright. However, I'm picking up strange fluctuations. I have no 100 percent guarantee that we will be safe traveling through this… I recommend treating this with extreme caution."

"Okay," Zack said. "Well, we should be careful with this, at least."

"Don't worry, we're here," Kelvin said, holding up a bunch of rope. "I've seen this in multiple movies… if you ever need help, just tug and we'll pull you right out."

"Really, dear?" Hope asked. "You know that doesn't really work… and besides, who'd try that?"

"I'll go," Lan said. Everyone looked at Lan. "I've been in one of these Time Waves before, right? Besides, I have to do this…" Kelvin sighed, before tying the rope to Lan's waist with Hope's help. Soon, the two adults and Bud all held the rope. However, Lan then surprised them by putting on his skates.

"Are those really necessary?" Geo asked while Lan backed up.

"I wanted to get a quick start just in case it takes speed," Lan answered.

"Before we really get started," Luna said. She then called Lan, who pressed a button on his SN-PET. An Air Display popped up next to him, showing Luna, while hers showed him. "Hold onto your Air Display, Lan. We're gonna try something."

"Huh?" Lan asked, grabbing his screen as instructed. "Wow... not only can you touch these things, but you can hold them. Awesome!" Zack realized it right away.

"I get it," the short genius grinned. "Lan, you said that you couldn't call Mick from 20XX when this all started! Prez is trying to get around that by starting a call here before you time-travel and keeping the Time Wave open! That way, we can see if the Time Waves can work!"

"It's genius," Lan acknowledged. Turning to the Time Wave, his Air Display in hand, he said, "Alright, here goes…" He then skated as fast as he could and jumped straight into the blue-green vortex.

"Wow," Jack said. "What Dr. Hikari lacked in common sense when he was a kid he sure made up for in bravery." Luna shot Jack a look. "Oh, like anyone else was thinking something different!" Luna quickly turned to her Air Display, which was fuzzy.

"Lan?" she asked, looking at her Hunter-VG. "Are you okay in there? Come on, answer me…!"

"…_Luna?"_ Lan's voice asked. Soon enough, Lan's face appeared, and he was surrounded by an oddly green universe with the entrance to the Time Wave right behind him. "_I haven't even gotten five feet from the portal yet."_

"You're surviving in there?" Zack said. "I'm impressed. Are you sure you're not feeling anything similar to radiation poisoning or a need to breathe oxygen, or… I don't know, something…?"

"_Zack, there was one time I was trapped in a room where I was exposed to somewhere about 200 percent radiation,"_ Lan recalled. "_It is admittedly not my smartest decision and I'm still over two years later wondering HOW I survived. I know from personal experience that I somehow survived one of these before, so it couldn't have killed me from a second time. This is far from the stupidest thing I've ever done."_

"Wait, you were exposed to radiation once!?" Bud asked.

"_I have faced worse things,"_ Lan said.

"How did he have a son?" Zack muttered, looking at an Air Display about Lan Hikari's life. He noticed something weird, though—Lan's disappearance from 20XX was mentioned. '(Is this... an anomaly caused by recent events!?)'

"_Anyway, don't worry… I'm not in any danger, yet. I'll be fine."_ Lan began walking, and some of the Stelars' rope began to pull away from Kelvin. "_I have to say, though… the road looks kind of odd. Orange, almost see-through… and the sky is one of the oddest greens I've ever seen."_

"Sounds like the Wave Roads," Sonia said. "You're somehow standing on solidified EM Waves without being a Wave Being. I guess the Time Waves do have some kind of effect on people. So far, no radiation, no need for oxygen, and you're surviving walking on something that is normally invisible to the naked human eye."

"_If this is the world between times, I can't help but wonder what I'll find when I reach the other side of the road,"_ Lan noted.

"We should probably stop treating this like a science experiment," Hope pointed out. "Lan, navigate through the maze of time, safely. However, Kelvin only has so much rope, so if you need to backtrack a little, signal us and we'll pull you as far as needed. Geo and the others will see if they can find more rope!"

Things went surprisingly well. Eventually, as the rope was beginning to run thin, the silence was broken. "_This is pretty surprising,"_ Hub said. "_I don't see any signs of life… not even viruses."_

"_That's because viruses do not really exist between Time Waves,"_ a female voice spoke up. Lan looked up, and gasped.

"_Y-You!"_

"Lan, who is it!?" Luna asked. Lan then swished his side of the Air Display around to reveal Wish Genie. "Oh no! It's one of those Chromos guys!"

"Lan, we're pulling you out!" Kelvin yelled, getting ready to pull.

"_Genie?"_ Wish Genie asked. The purple Wizard appeared behind Lan, and snapped her fingers, causing the rope to snap right as Kelvin pulled. "_Sorry about that, but… I didn't want everyone jumping to conclusions, and I wished to simply talk to you, Lan Hikari."_

"_What!?"_ Lan asked.

"We have to get in there," Geo said. He then said, "Trans-Code #003! Mega Man!"

Geo jumped into the portal right as he became the blue bomber of the future.

-003-

**Time Wave 1—20XX—22XX**

When Geo landed on the other side of the Time Wave, he saw that the trail of the rope that was still left when his father pulled. "_So… this is the area between time?"_ Omega-Xis asked. "_Let's keep frosty. Wish Genie's here. I have no idea why, though."_

Geo followed the rope all of the way to the end, where he saw Lan facing Wish Genie. "Ah, the other Mega Man," Wish Genie smiled. "I'm glad you two have found each other."

"I don't get it," Lan said. "Why did you bring us to 22XX if you knew another Mega Man was there? Why save me and Hub?"

"Because I respect everything you have done, both of you," Wish Genie answered. "Furthermore, Lan, you would need help saving those you care for, even with my gift to you…"

"Your gift?" Lan asked. Soon enough, a bright blue glow erupted from Lan's chest. "H-Huh? What is this?"

"Once I realized what Master Cain intended for your loved ones," Wish Genie explained, "I tried to save them. But I was too slow reaching a Time Wave, and they were being pulled through time too quickly for me to stop. I could only put a Time Stamp on them, but I managed to save you."

"A Time Stamp?" Lan asked. "Is… is that was this is?" Lan then spotted multiple lights in various directions—one of them being bright pink. "Why does that feel familiar to me?"

"It was my last one before I marked you," Wish Genie explained, a purple and gold glow on her left hand. "Time Stamps allow people like myself—and you, Lan—to detect others with Time Stamps and sense wherever and whenever they are. That one… you sense her, don't you?"

"M…Mayl?" Lan asked, looking at the pink light. "You mean… is she close!?"

"_That means Roll is there, too!"_ Hub said.

Lan started running towards where he was sensing Mayl, only to stop when he saw a broken pathway that was too far to jump across even with a running start. "…No! I can't… I can't reach her!"

"Unfortunately, this Time Wave's particular Wave Road doesn't connect to that Time Wave Hole anymore," Wish Genie said while Lan collapsed on his knees in anger. "Something happened, and I can't fix it, yet. I… I'm sorry, Lan… I want to help, but when time is altered in a drastic way like it has been thanks to Master Cain, some roads become damaged, risk even being permanently broken. That will be because time itself is trying to decide which version of the timeline should be first. It's a recent consequence of his actions… particularly, the break-out of certain criminals from Green Town's Punishment Room, including a certain Lord Wily."

"Wily's out of jail!?" Lan asked. "And that did this!?"

"Yes, because Lord Wily's imprisonment was unintentionally responsible for the reduction of virus-related problems in the future," Wish Genie answered. "Lord Wily was to remain in prison for the next twenty years for his multiple crimes against humanity, during which he would create programs that would counter virus threats, making the transition from Net technology to Wave technology possible and a new Mega Man to rise. Thanks to you, Lord Wily did turn over a new leaf. However, because of Lord Wily's… early release and subsequent loss of the prototypes for the program, the time stream has been altered and damaged. Master Cain has him in our grasp, in case you were wondering Dr. Wily's fate. I can create a temporary fixture for this pathway, but… it will take time, and I'd have to alter another time to counteract this."

"…Is… is there anyone I can save now, at least?" Lan asked. "If I can't reach Mayl, what about the others!?"

"I'm not sure from this particular Time Wave path it's possible to rescue them," Wish Genie answered. "However, Lan… you can at least continue down this path. You will find something you've been missing for a while."

"_I don't get it,"_ Omega-Xis said to her. "_Why help Cain and Hyde if you're this big-hearted?"_

"I'm afraid that I can't tell you," Wish Genie said. "I should go. Take care, Mega Men." She and Genie then pulsed out, leaving Geo and Lan stunned.

"Why is it that nice people like her have to be criminals?" Lan asked himself.

"Geo! Lan!" Harp Note and Taurus Fire ran up to them, only to see Wish Genie had disappeared. "Where did she go!?" Taurus Fire asked.

"She vanished," Lan answered. "But that's not important. What is important…" Lan concentrated. Soon enough, his Time Stamp activated, and he saw Mayl's pink one activated as well. "Is that I can do that. It allows me to sense anyone else lost in time."

"Over that way?" Harp Note asked, looking at the broken path. "Aw man, we can't reach it from over here."

"What we need is something that could float," Lan said. "Do you guys have anything?"

"I don't have a Sky Board anymore," Geo said. "I got rid of most of my Matter Waves before I upgraded my OS to the Hunter-VG."

"And I could get over there if I could just recreate my ability to make floating notes again," Harp Note groaned. "We're stuck here."

"_So, we don't have any way of getting to Mayl and Roll right now,"_ Hub said. "_At least from this particular Time Wave Road. Hmm… I wonder if there is another one connected to that area at the end of this Time Wave Road?"_

"Oh, right," Lan recalled. He looked at the road he had left to explore. "Wish Genie did say there was something I've been missing for a while. What could she have possibly meant by that?"

"_There's only one way to find out,"_ Hub said. Geo's Hunter-VG then rang, and he pressed the Air Display to reveal a concerned Luna.

"_Guys, are you okay?"_ she asked. "_Wish Genie didn't hurt anyone, did she?"_

"Surprisingly not, Prez," Taurus Fire said. "Anyway, we're almost to the end of the Time Wave Road."

"_Okay! Zack, Jack, and I will be on our way!"_

"Wait, you're coming, Prez?" Geo asked. However, he was answered by Luna turning off the Air Display. "I'm going to take that as a yes." Soon enough, Luna, Zack, and Jack walked up to them.

"Thanks for waiting up," Luna said. "So, this is what it's like to be in a Time Wave?"

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Zack said, looking around with his Hunter-VG out. "This whole place is completely distorted, and yet… here we are, perfectly safe!"

"Where are Mom and Dad?" Geo asked.

"They stayed behind to monitor things in 22XX," Jack answered. "Can we get out of here?"

"Yeah," Lan nodded, turning towards the end of the Time Wave Road. "I was just about to. Let's get going." Lan lead the group of kids towards what appeared to be another vortex. "This must be it… I have no idea what's on the other side."

"_Neither do I,"_ Hub said. "_For all we know, it could be some kind of war between 20XX and 22XX."_

"So the nervous feeling isn't just me?" Taurus Fire asked. "Oh thank goodness."

"_Quit being a baby, Bud,"_ Taurus scolded. "_We've got a whole new time to explore!"_

"Alright," Luna said, looking around. "So, do we go through or go back?"

"Hold on," Lan spoke up when the blue light in his chest began to activate. His Time Stamp began to glow again, and the Time Wave Vortex stopped swirling for a moment to show him an incredible sight. It was his hometown—ACDC, from Higsby's shop to the pink squirrel statue, to even his and Mayl's houses quaintly sitting side-by-side. Lan smiled at the sight, and held up his SN-PET. It said on the Calendar app: '_ACDC Town, Electopia—20XX'_. It was only a few days since he left it, but his home town was on the other side of this portal.

"What is it?" Harp Note asked, noticing Lan's twitching hand.

"It's… it's my home town. I'm finally home!"

"Really!?" Zack asked. "That's 20XX?"

"Yep!" Lan grinned. "Thank you, everyone, for helping me! Now, we just need to exit and I'll be home again! Who knows, maybe we can think of a plan to get back at Cain while we're there! I know just the person to call for help!"

"Uh-huh," Luna nodded.

"Hey, Lan, question," Jack interrupted. "Do you have any idea as to where this Time Wave will put us when we pop out? I mean, we could end up in the middle of the sky, or a public bathroom, or worse, a school!"

"A café wouldn't be too bad," Taurus Fire said. "I'd love some ice cream!"

"Me too," Lan grinned. "I haven't really eaten anything really good for like the past three days! I know this one girl—Sal—who makes some really good boxed lunches. You guys would love her!"

"Lan, Bud, focus on your stomachs later," Luna said. "I can't wait to see the past!" She then pushed Lan and Geo towards the Time Wave, and she then shoved them through it. She and Harp Note both giggled before they followed. Zack and Taurus Fire exchanged looks while Jack casually entered the portal, before deciding it was best to not question it and walked through the portal as well.

* * *

**ACDC Town, Electopia—20XX**

Lan and Geo, when they first emerged on the opposite side, stumbled out and tripped in front of a familiar doghouse. Of course, the doghouse, being Lan's home's security system, began immediately barking in response. Lan quickly got up to deal with it as Luna and Sonia—still in her Harp Note form—emerged from the portal, followed by Jack, Zack, and Bud—who was still Taurus Fire. The Time Wave closed behind the group, while Lan quickly jacked in Hub and had him convince the green Prog to turn off the alarm.

"So," Harp Note asked, "this is 20XX?"

"Um can you guys turn back to normal?" Lan asked, looking at them. "You're still in your Wave Forms!" Harp Note, Geo, and Taurus Fire all gasped.

"He's right, we're still in Wave Forms," Geo said.

"_Well, I'm sure this is easy," _Omega-Xis said. "_We'll just pulse out… wait a second. We Wave Changed on the other side of the Time Wave, didn't we?"_

"_Yeah,"_ Taurus recalled. "_Why does it matter?"_

"_Because knowing our luck if we pulse out here normally, we'll be taken back to 22XX! We have to find something else, then!"_

"_What something else?"_ Mode asked.

"_Oh right,"_ Omega-Xis said. "_This was before you normal Wizards. Basically, back in the early days of Geo and my Wave Changes, we didn't have the technology that allowed us to Wave Change anywhere we wanted. We had to go to orange circles of distorted space called 'Wave Holes' to Wave Change… like that one over there in the park."_ Sure enough, Geo spotted something he thought he'd never have to rely on again—a Wave Hole.

"Right," Geo said. "All we have to do is go over to it and we're back to being Geo Stelar, Sonia Strum, and Bud Bison. Though I have to ask why Wave Holes are in 20XX?"

"My guess is the fact that your guys' IFL Tower is in my time and it is an EM Wave Transmitter," Lan recalled his time with Pat. "It's already starting spreading EM Waves around Electopia. Give it a few years, and I'm betting we'll have EM Waves all around the world before we're ready for that technology here in the present."

"It's the past to us," Zack pointed out while Geo, Harp Note, and Taurus Fire quickly went over to the Wave Hole. The three returned to normal while the others began talking.

-GS-

Geo had to admit, now that he was able to be in human form, he had to appreciate Lan's hometown. It was quaint like Echo Ridge, but seemed to have an adventurous feel to it as well. Speaking of the future Dr. Hikari, Lan was the genuinely happiest he had been since they met. It was hard to believe that Lan had been that incredibly angry at Hyde.

"So, what now?" Bud asked after they walked over to Lan.

"Well," Lan said, "I guess I call him…"

"Who is 'him', by the way?" Luna asked. "Can he even be trusted?"

"Chaud?" Lan answered. "He's just as skilled of a Net Battler as I am, and he's an Official. He's a little rough around the edges, though…" He pressed a button on his SN-PET—

"Lan!" a young voice spoke up. Lan looked up in time to see a young boy with brown hair that went up in a single spike, wearing an orange t-shirt that had a green plus symbol and brown shorts. "Finally! I finally run into one of big brudder's friends!"

"Oh, Chisao!" Lan grinned. "Long time no see! I take it you came home from Netopia for the summer?"

"Yeah!" the young boy—Chisao—grinned. "I wanted to see big brudder beat you and MegaMan, Lan!" Lan rolled his eyes, but didn't let Chisao see him. However, the young boy looked at the group from the future. "Who are you guys?"

"Manners, Lan," Luna spoke up. "Who is this?"

"Oh, right, I never really told you about my friends' families," Lan nervously chuckled. "Guys, this is Chisao, my friend Dex's younger brother. Chisao, these are my pen pals that I made while in… Cyber City. This is Geo Stelar, Sonia Strumm, Luna Platz, Zack Temple, Bud Bison, and Jack… what did you say your last name was?"

"King," Jack answered. "Though just call me 'Jack'."

"Yeah, that," Lan nodded.

"Hi!" Sonia smiled, kneeling down to Chisao's level. "It's nice to meet you, Chisao!"

"So, you guys are from Cyber City?" Chisao asked. "I bet my big brudder would love to Net Battle you guys… if he was here. But you better be warned! He's one of the best Net Battlers in ACDC—no! Electopia!"

"Well, I'm not really much of a Battler," Luna nervously laughed. "Anyway, we won't be here too long."

"Okay," Chisao sighed. He then sparked up. "Oh, Lan! I almost forgot! Mr. Higsby was looking for you. What happened to you, Mayl, Yai, and big brother?" Lan nervously looked away.

"Uh, nothing you should worry too much about," Lan answered. "But don't worry, you'll see Dex soon." Chisao nodded while Lan looked around. "So, Higsby was looking for me? Does that mean he's finally back in Electopia after that Chip hunt in Netopia?"

"Yeah, something like that," Chisao nodded. "He just got back, too, like me!"

"Alright, I'll head over to see him," Lan nodded. "Who knows, he may know something?"

"But Lan," Sonia asked, "what about your friend Chaud?"

"He's not going anywhere anytime soon," Lan answered. "At least, I hope not. Besides, Higsby is a good starting point as any for anything Battle Chip and Net-related since he's right in town."

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: Well, that went well. I know not a whole lot happened... except we finally started time-traveling. Next time, we'll do a bit of exploration of the Net, reunite with Higsby, and find our next heading. But before we go, we have a few reviews/comments to answer.

**Ghost501:** Shoot, I looked at Mayl again, and yeah... she is a redhead. Crap, I'm going to have to go change that. Also, good point for the Heal Water since Gregar required you to use HeatMan to get it. But while Heal Water has no side-effects on Fire Navis, it's in an area that is heavily populated with Water-type viruses, so getting to it may be the bigger pain.

**Matteso585:** Exactly the type of fear you should be feeling. Mayl and Roll are in danger and they even know it, yet.

**Rekxyen:** I try my best with the villains I'm given. As for the Satellite Admins, they're kind of too busy rounding out the AM-ian survivors from the AM-FM War and rebuilding their planet to actually be of any feasible help. Also, I have a power already set, so...

**RedemptionWarrior:** I really ran out of ideas when naming it. It shows.

**Lucario:** You have a point. They could, after beating the everloving snot out of each other, become allies of mutual interest and hunt down their foes. After all, they could delete each other later...

**Crimson Striker GunFire:** Great, now I'm going to be curious as to what you had to say!

**infinitestories:** Solar Boy Django? Maybe, but I'm not actually familiar with that series, and MegaMan and Django only teamed up to shoot ShadeMan in the face. As for the other two, I don't think I've ever played _Lunar Knights._ I literally just looked this up, and if you could figure out a way that either of these two scenarios could work, let me know. However, I'm just gonna keep this focused on the Mega Men teaming up.

Well, that is done. Hopefully, the next update will be sooner than later! Farewell, subjects!


	16. Chapter 15: A Favor in SciLab Area

Hey, guys. Sorry for the delay. A lot of stuff happened these past few months, and I wanted to make sure the next story arc was ready in its entirety before I unleash it. I'm actually pretty content with it, save for one thing, but that's a few chapters from now. Once I am, you'll all be in the know. With that said, let's get started.

* * *

**Chapter 15: "A Favor in SciLab Area"**

-LH-

**ACDC Town**

If there was one place in ACDC that Lan loved more than anywhere else besides his kitchen table (Haruka's cooking was just that good), it was Higsby's_._ Lan's main supplier of Battle Chips from the standard issue to the rare and powerful, Higsby had made quite a friend in Lan… in fact, Lan found it hard to believe Higsby and his Navi NumberMan were once members of WWW like Match.

Well, his connections did explain how he managed to obtain such rare Chips, but Higsby was willing to sell them. He also had a plethora of information on Net activity despite not being an Official. If Lan couldn't get to Chaud, Higsby was pretty close.

"Oh, Lan! Long time no see, huh!" Higsby greeted as Lan entered the shop with Chisao. Geo's group came in afterwards, stunning the Chip salesman. "What the… new customers, huh? Welcome to Higsby's!"

"Hey, Higsby!" Lan grinned. "These are some of my friends from Cyber City."

"How do you do, sir?" Zack asked as he looked around the shop. "Wow… this is quite the collection."

"Well," Higsby chuckled, "I'm one of the number one Chip collectors in Electopia… so, Lan, what brings you over, huh? Interested in seeing my new stock, huh?"

"Well," Lan answered, "Chisao said you wanted to see me?"

"Oh, right!" Higsby answered. "I almost forgot. Anyway, you remember NumberMan, right?"

"Yeah," Lan recalled. "What's up?"

"Perhaps your Cyber City friends could help, huh," Higsby answered. "Well, ever since the Nebula incident was resolved and we were among the people who fought them, we've been busier than ever. Kind of the reason we went to Netopia right before you transferred to Cyber City last year was because of this type of business, huh. People wanted my Chips all over the world, and… well, Higsby's became an international franchise."

"Whoa, really!?" Lan grinned.

"Of sorts, huh," Higsby corrected. "I only just established a Higsby's in Netopia on Coliseum Avenue. But who knows? Maybe it will become a big international franchise, huh! Anyway, I one customer in Netopia has ordered a rare Chip that you can't simply obtain on the Net there. Problem is, my supplier in Cyber City isn't answering my calls… and there's a weird town where it once was."

"Um, yeah," Lan nervously chuckled. "I have no idea how that happened…" Whether or not Higsby could see through the ruse, he didn't say anything.

"Well, anyway," the Chip merchant explained, "I guess my call to send NumberMan to Den City's SciLab Area was a good idea, then. Problem is, he hasn't really gotten back to me, yet, and he normally doesn't take this long, even with viruses, huh."

"Well, I guess I could check up on him," Lan said. "Last time I checked, you could access SciLab Area from ACDC Area 2."

"Excuse me, Mr. Higsby," Luna spoke up. "What do you know about that strange city that showed up? We... can't get home anymore because of the town disappearing."

"Yeah, huh," Higsby said. "I suppose I could tell you what I know. It's a place called 'Wilshire Hills', and there's some odd technology I've never seen before."

"_(So… Wilshire Hills IS here!)"_ Omega-Xis grinned. "_(Man, how strong is ChronoMan that he could move two whole cities through time?)"_

"(I don't really know,)" Geo answered.

"However, Officials are still investigating it, huh," Higsby said. "They're trying to limit the amount of people that come in and out of the city… and SciLab has been closed off to the public for some reason."

"I see," Luna said. "Well, thank you very much, Mr. Higsby!"

"No problem," Higsby said. "Do you need anything else, huh?"

"Nah, I'll just head to SciLab Area," Lan answered. "Come on, MegaMan, we've got to head home and jack in. Let's see if we can find NumberMan."

"_Roger!"_ Hub nodded. "_Bye, Higsby!"_ The group of kids walked out, leaving Higsby to himself.

"Now, is it just me, or are those friends of Lan's dressed rather oddly by Cyber City standards?" Higsby pondered. "Oh well, huh. I guess it was my imagination."

Outside the shop, Lan headed towards his home, since Mayl, Dex, and Yai were all gone, their houses were more or less locked. Chisao had once again wandered off, probably to go play. Lan's place was made to more or less their makeshift base of operations in this time period. "So," Sonia asked as they all sat down in Lan's house around the kitchen table (Lan pulled out the guest chairs usually reserved for Mayl, Dex, and Yai), "what's the plan? Now that we know Wilshire Hills is in fact in 20XX, particularly the time of this year's summer?"

"Well, we head there, of course!" Bud answered, looking up from watching television... the cartoons of 20XX being rather subpar quality compared to the 22XX fare. "We'll get some really good grub, see some old sights again, and then smash up that Dark Phantom jerk in the face and get him to give our time Wilshire Hills!"

"_Yeah, let's punch him in the face!"_ Omega-Xis agreed.

"_For once, we agree,"_ Taurus noted. "_That guy needs to be decked… really hard."_

"I'm one for punching him," Jack said.

"Ditto," Sonia agreed. "Preferably in the face."

"It's not that simple," Zack said, looking at his Hunter-VG. "The time stream has already begun to adapt appropriately in response to Wilshire Hills and Cyber City's switch, thus somewhat altering the timeline. Where things were supposed to be calm during this summer, Officials—the closest thing to the Satellia Police—from all around Electopia have come together and blocked off most access to Wilshire Hills in response to the sudden change. Luckily the change hasn't become permanent, yet, but it's only a matter of time before our history books are rewritten."

"Ugh, that means even MORE studying!" Bud grimaced. "And my grades are already really bad!"

"My grades suck, too, and you don't hear me complaining," Jack added.

"And yet, you both should really study," Luna chided.

"Anyway, my point here is we can't get to Wilshire Hills like this," Zack said. "So, what do we do?"

"Well," Lan answered, "first up, I'm going to find NumberMan. Then I'll see if I can get in contact with Chaud like we talked about… hopefully, his Navi is in SciLab Area, anyway. If anyone can get the Officials to let us into Wilshire Hills, it'll probably be Chaud."

"Well, what are we supposed to do until then?" Luna asked. "Sit here in your living room?"

"…Good point," Lan said. He then looked around his kitchen, and found something. "Aha! This may hold you guys over for a bit…" He then handed Luna a magazine about tourist attractions in Den City. Luna curiously opened it, and began browsing it. "Since we're probably going to be here for a bit, these are a few places I have been throughout Den City. I know this isn't anywhere as exciting as what you guys may have as fun in your timeline, but…"

"Wait, an amusement park?" Sonia asked, leaning over one of the magazine pages. "Oh… my… gosh. Castillo? That place EXISTS in this time period!? Oh, I thought they closed it down back in 21XX+87! There was an incident with the animatronics going nuts, a kid getting bitten, and things went downhill from there. My Mama loved that place… and she never got to take me there."

"That sounds like the Toybots," Lan recalled. "I always hated Dracky since that incident where Mayl and I went there… still love Solar Boy Django, though." Sonia, meanwhile, began jotting something in her digital Calendar.

"Sonia?" Geo asked. "What are you doing?" He looked at his Hunter-VG getting a message that had an invite from her to go to Castillo sometime over the summer. "Sonia..."

"Come on, guys, please?" Sonia pouted. "It'll be fun to go to an amusement park! Rides! Cotton candy! Cute toys! Random cook-offs! Climbing a castle!"

Lan took this wise moment while everyone was debating what to do to slip away. Heading up to his room, he turned on his PC. "Ah, good to be home, huh, MegaMan?"

"_Yeah, it feels like a lifetime," _Hub grinned. "_So, let's get to SciLab Area. It should still be near ACDC Area 2, right? Kind of wish we had Mayl, Dex, and Yai's Pass-Codes."_

"I'd settle for them being here," Lan replied.

"_Me too, Lan,"_ Hub agreed. "_When this is over and we can get them, Roll, GutsMan, and Glyde back, let's just have a good old day on the Net. No Net Battles, no virus-busting, no crisis… just have a good old chat like we used to."_

"Alright, enough reminiscing," Lan spoke up. "Let's get to it. Jack-in, MegaMan! Execute!"

-HH-

**ACDC Area**

When Hub entered the Cyber World after leaving Lan's homepage, he smiled. ACDC Area was always home to him, even as he strolled through the Net and had to deal with viruses. Luckily, they weren't anything to write home about… considering the fact that he very frequently cleaned up this part of the Net. This explained why the walk between ACDC Area 1 and Area 2 was more or less uneventful, save for when he stopped by the Security Cube that belonged to Mayl… he knew it was hers when he saw the pink teddy bear. Even Lan, knowing that they needed to get to NumberMan, gave Hub a few moments to think about Roll and Mayl.

In ACDC Area 2, Hub spotted a shogi piece on another Security Cube. He couldn't help but remember all of his Net Battles with GutsMan at this moment, and all of the crazy adventures Lan and Dex had. It took him all he had to hold back tears.

"Is this place one of your friends'?" a male voice spoke up. Hub turned to see Taurus Fire looking at the Security Cube.

"Bud?" he asked. "What are you doing here? And how?"

"Wave World," Taurus Fire said. "Long story. I just wanted to see if I could find any place that had some really good grub on the Net, but I just remembered I don't really have half a clue as to what I'm doing compared to Geo or Sonia…"

"_It's cool,"_ Lan said. "_There should be some information in ACDC Square—it's in ACDC Area 3, by the way—or SciLab Square."_

"Oh, I tried to go to what ACDC Area 3," Taurus Fire confessed, "but they're doing some reconstruction work in response to… what did Zack call it?"

"_The temporal anomaly of Wilshire Hills being where Cyber City used to be, resulting in it being cut off?"_ Taurus offered.

"Yeah, that," Taurus Fire nodded. "Until that is taken care of, nobody is allowed in ACDC Area 3 for a bit."

"Well, that's not helping us out," Hub said. "We should get to SciLab Area soon, anyway."

As Hub began walking, Taurus Fire asked, "So, what's this Dex guy like?" Hub stopped. "His little brother is worried for him, and this cube thingy says 'Dex Oyama'. Lan mentioned he's one of your friends, right?"

"...Yeah," Hub answered. "He and Lan are what you'd call rivals, just like me and Dex's Navi, GutsMan. GutsMan's not the smartest Navi, but he's certainly physically stronger than me. Dex himself isn't much smarter in terms of grades than Lan, but he's a good guy nonetheless."

"Kind of sounds like me," Taurus Fire said. If he was smiling, the bull Wave Being didn't show it… not that he could. "I'd like to meet this guy, someday. Alright, let's get to SciLab Area!" Hub and Taurus Fire headed towards the advanced part of the Net, ready to deal with the threats there. Oh, and find NumberMan.

* * *

**SciLab Area**

Hub and Taurus Fire walked into the area, not at all surprised by how busy it was. Lan and Hub, having been involved several times with their father's work (and a couple times with their grandfather's work) was aware that SciLab Area was arguably one of the most important areas of the Net. So, it should come to no surprise that several Navis and Progs were running around taking care of things. No doubt trying to restore some semblance of order within the Cyber World as a result of ChronoMan.

"Whoa, this place is pretty high-tech," Taurus Fire breathed. "Well, for 20XX, I think."

"I've seen your Wave technology, but yeah, SciLab Area is pretty neat," Hub said. "However… yeah, a lot of the problems Lan and I have dealt with that made us famous came from things related to here."

"_We should hurry up and find NumberMan,"_ Lan said. "_I'm kind of getting hungry, too."_

"Me too," Taurus Fire groaned. "I don't know how Geo and Sonia do it, but I can only keep this Wave Changing up by eating large amounts of food…"

"_Is… is that how it works?"_ Lan asked. "_Calories?"_

"Considering Ace used to Wave Change and he eats so many of those Mega Snacks," Taurus Fire said, "I'm not surprised. Also, apparently Sonia can eat just as much as me, and I've treated Geo to some serious restaurants."

"_Come to think of it," _Luna's voice spoke up, "_they do all kind of eat a lot. I guess saving the world does work up an appetite."_

"_Luna!?"_ Lan asked.

"Prez?" Bud asked.

"_I kind of got bored and decided to come up," _Luna said. "_Good thing, too, as the others also got bored. Seriously, Lan, does your mother get on your case for not cleaning your room?"_

"_Um, that's not really important,"_ Lan stammered. Luna responded by grabbing a bottle of air freshener, and spraying around the room. "_Anyway, MegaMan, let's look around for NumberMan. He should be here."_

"Roger," Hub agreed. It took Hub some time to get passed the admittedly somewhat tougher viruses to get to SciLab Area 2, especially considering some were Aqua-type viruses that slowed down Taurus Fire. However, most were Elec-type to fit the scientific theme, so they weren't too bad. But with the lack of Wood-type Chips or Cards between the two of them, it took much longer than they would have liked.

Anyway, they found SciLab Area 2, which was the location of SciLab Square on the home page. After accessing the Square, the two looked around, spotting a tall, thin green Navi with a light-bulb shaped head that had a series of glowing marks staring at a Chat BBS board. Hub walked towards the Navi. "NumberMan?" The Navi turned around, and gasped.

"MegaMan! Long time no see!" the Navi—NumberMan—exclaimed. "What brings you here?"

"Higsby was wondering what happened to you?" Hub explained. "You hadn't checked back in."

"Oh, right, right!" NumberMan nervously chuckled. "Well, I have the Chip picked up, but then I heard the rumor wheel spinning here in SciLab Area about that new town. You know, the town that's replaced Cyber City? I figured since, well, you used to live there for even a few months, it would be important to look into."

"Yeah," Hub sighed.

"Anyway," NumberMan said, "I should probably get back to work. I know Higsby will need me at the shop!" NumberMan jacked out, leaving the errand complete.

Hub looked at the Chat BBS, and scanned the posts for anything new. However, he spotted an anonymous post. "What's this?"

_**Poster: Guest**_

_**Subject: Missing Person?**_

'_Hey, has anyone seen Dr. Hikari recently? I was told that he worked at SciLab, but he wasn't there, and hasn't been for the past few days. His intern, Akiko, mentioned he spotted something in that new town that popped up and stormed off, and hasn't been seen since.'_

_**Poster: Guest**_

_**Subject: RE: Missing Person?**_

'_While I have no idea about Dr. Hikari, I have seen this cute red-haired girl hanging around the docks near SciLab. She was talking to this strange dancer girl…'_

"Huh!?" Hub asked, re-reading this post. "Lan, did you see this?"

"_Let me see…"_ Lan said. "_No way! Could it be…? Did Wish Genie appear in the real world and did she have Mayl!?"_

"It looks like it," Hub said. "However, this can easily be a trap. Think about it, Lan, this response post was only a few minutes ago, and it's anonymous about who set it up. Also, it's information about two people we know, which is pretty much bait… this is starting to smell really fishy."

"_I know,"_ Lan nodded. "…_It's more likely a trap by Chromos. But what if it's true? That means Chromos has her, and we still have to go save her. We have no choice but to spring the trap. Again."_

"…Fine," Hub said in defeat. Lan had a point, though. Wish Genie was a far more experienced time traveler, and had the ability of being a Wave Being, so she could easily have found another way to reach Mayl. As much as he hated risking walking into an enemy's clutches with nothing resembling a plan, Hub had to admit they had little choice if they wanted any information. Also, they could at least call Chaud.

"_What are you guys talking about?" _Luna asked. Lan showed her the post. Luna scratched her head. "…_Yeah, I've been in a bind enough times to know that even this is a trap…"_

"_How many times?"_ Lan asked. Luna rolled her eyes.

"_Enough,"_ she answered. "_Anyway, if you're going to be doing this, at least take someone with you. That way, if something happens to you, we can at least get you out of the problem."_

"_Fine,"_ Lan nodded. "_Jack out, MegaMan. We've got to be ready!" _He then realized something. "_Hey, Bud, are you gonna be okay?"_

"Huh?" Taurus Fire looked up from the BBS on places to eat. "Oh, sorry… I wasn't really paying too much attention, but yeah…"

-LH-

**ACDC Town**

"You've got to be kidding me," Zack said after looking at the message. "This is definitely—"

"A trap," Lan recalled. "Yeah, I know. But… I have to risk it. What if Wish Genie actually did find Mayl or even anyone else I care about? Before I was thrown in time, Cain warned me that if I look into trying to find a way back to 20XX, he'll go after them. And, as far as I know, he has no reasons to keep any of them alive…"

"Don't think like that," Sonia spoke up. "…I have this feeling that Mayl is still okay."

"What makes you say that?" Jack asked.

"Girl's intuition," Sonia said.

"Anyway," Lan said, "I'm well aware of Chromos having their hands on this… but at the same time, I'm worried."

"In that case," Geo suggested, "I know it's crazy, but I'll go with you. I'll stay hidden, and be ready to help you in case."

"Okay," Lan nodded.

"I'll come, too," Jack shrugged. "It's kind of boring here." The three began walking towards the door, but Luna raised her hand.

"All three of you better be careful," she warned. "Remember, you're walking into a trap… and you're my Brothers. Well, except for Jack, but you better not get hurt, either!"

"Don't worry about me," Jack scowled. "I'll keep your boyfriends here safe." Geo himself flushed while Lan looked confused. Luna, meanwhile, puffed her cheeks and turned away in anger.

"You are so incredibly rude, jerk!" she huffed.

"Yo, Lan," Omega-Xis asked, "is flirting anything like this in your time period? I'm not a human history buff…"

"Um, can we just get going?" Geo asked, dragging Jack and Lan out of the house. As they went, Chisao spotted them.

"Hey, where's Lan going?" The young boy asked as they headed for the subway station. "Is he heading for SciLab? I wonder why?"

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: And thus, we're back in action. I know it's an incredibly short chapter, but this was meant to be a filler, anyway. And also, we get to see what the trap is next chapter.

Now, it's time for reviews!

**Matteso585:** Now I can't help but imagine Pedia as a German duck! What next?

**Ghost501:** I am a troll at this... and I'm not even done screwing with Lan, yet. And good luck keeping track of things... I'll need it, too.

**Rekxyen:** One of my personal favorite episodes right there. It was also the first (if not only) Double Soul that didn't completely fuse MegaMan with the Navi he was powered up by. And I'm glad I made it to your favorite list. Here's hoping I can keep it up.

As for Boktai and Lunar Knights, did I ever say that I have little to no idea how to work those in? Sorry...

**RedemptionWarrior:** I really wanted to nail that video game feeling home.

**Crimson Striker Gunfire:** Awesome McCoolName! Don't worry, though, Time Waves have a funny way of being random with how they connect to each other.

**Lucario:** Unfortunately, as will be covered later, Chaud's... not here. We'll run into him eventually.

**TheSuperMario:** Mario? How'd you get here? Well, anyway, I'm glad to make lemonade out of the end of at least these two incarnations of Mega Man. Capcom is really dropping the ball with some of their franchises _(__Mega Man, Devil May Cry, Power Stone... _that was a good fighting game, I don't care what people say). I know we're soon having _Mighty Number 9,_ but I really want to see people do something with _Mega Man._ I really do like that format you mentioned, though.

As for the crossover, that's what I plan to do. New and old friends and foes throughout time. Also, I felt the ZX era of the Robot Timeline wasn't represented in the Net timeline, so having Prairie serve as a Big Good in Cyber City seemed like a good idea, and having Vent and Aile as Navis seemed like a good idea. As for Ashe, I haven't used her, yet... but thank you for giving me a good idea!

**BlackRainStar:** Wait, they're actually localizing it!? Awesome! You know, I have a plan...

**ADUAN II:** Yep. Ophiuca will return. As for Virgo and Corvus, I realized that I've written myself into a corner, and now have to do something with them to give the good guys a bit more edge/challenge.

I'm glad you find this story interesting, though. I'll see how you like the updates.

**Jackpot 2:** When did I hit Jackpot 1? Okay, in all seriousness, thanks for the review. Anyway, the group finds it quaint and retro. They're going to be slightly disappointed in how their tech is very limited, here, but only because Wave tech is basically in Electopia at this point. Come the first major time jumps, they'll appreciate history a bit more.

I had completely forgotten about that bonus scenario when I writing this story until you reminded me. I had no idea how I was going to use it, but then you inspired me. So, as a thank you, I will implement the Mu Medal in the story.

Jack and Tia will eventually get their Wave Changes back. However, they will have something similar to Bud's Wave Change: initial difficulty controlling it. Keep in mind Corvus and Virgo were evil by Planet FM's standards (and arguably in _Star Force 1,_ they were a bunch of well-intended extremists who were led by a paranoid king who thought the Brother Band was a declaration of war by the misgivings of Gemini, who was a really nasty piece of work in a kid's game who caused the genocide of the AM-ians and nearly the human race), and wanted to make sure Earth was destroyed no matter what the costs. If not for Rogue killing them, they would have killed their own human partners. That's why Geo and Ace are both extremely worried/reluctant to bring either of them back, as they have no guarantees the two FM-ians will try to cause Jack and Tia to either betray WAZA or try to kill them again.

That said, it's a bit of a Godzilla Threshold even trusting the two. We'll see what happens... but not in the immediate arc that's going to begin, soon.

Okay, so that's all the reviews for now. Get ready for the new arc? Can you guess where we're heading? I'll give you a hint: It's been mentioned in this story before. We've seen a person who has come from this country in _Battle Network 2._ And we've seen them do a sudden 180 in personality in the games, but they were always good in the anime.

With that said, farewell my subjects!


	17. Chapter 16: Escape to a New Time

A/N: Guess who has two thumbs and is on Spring Break! This guy! So, have fun with a new chapter!

* * *

Chapter 16: The Escape to a New Time

-LH-

**SciLab**

Once the three arrived, Lan stopped to look at his father's workplace. It was busy, especially without Dr. Yuichiro Hikari. They were doing their best without him to look into returning Wilshire Hills. "So, this is where the magic happened," Jack mused, looking at the building. "Where the Hikari legacy that shaped our world began. And then orphaned me."

"You're an orphan?" Lan asked. "Wow, Jack… and I thought I had problems. Sorry to hear about that."

"Don't," Jack said. "Truth is, my and Tia's parents were royalty, and our country was taken over and destroyed because of war for technological advances. Something beyond your control, Lan. Of course, our parents didn't survive… we did because their murderers didn't want children's blood on their hands. We then ran into someone named Mr. King… and Geo and Ace know the rest."

"So," Geo said, desperate to change the subject, "This is SciLab?"

"Yeah," Lan answered. "My grandfather worked here. My Dad currently does. Well, did until ChronoMan. I'm surprised you guys don't have one in 22XX?"

"Well," Geo confessed, "SciLab ultimately merged with NAXA, and that became WAZA. So, technically, we work for the future of SciLab. Anyway, speaking of SciLab… well, the you that you're supposed to become was a scientist here, too."

"Makes sense, actually," Lan reasoned. "I've been wanting to be a scientist since I first saw Dad create things, and he gave me MegaMan… or rather, Hub."

"_Yeah," _Hub smiled. "_Dad did bring me back, but he made me promise to not tell who I was until you were ready."_

"And it's been quite the ride ever since," Lan agreed. "Hard to believe all we have accomplished has been because this building and our Dad." He looked down at that confession. "I wonder if he and Mom are still together? I wonder if they're figuring a way to use the Time Waves, too? Hope they can find a SciLab that knows about the Hikaris wherever they ended up… whenever they ended up."

"We'll help you find them," Geo said. "But right now, we have to see if we can figure out what's going on at the docks."

"Alright, but first, let me call Chaud," Lan said. He then pulled out his SN-PET, and dialed the number. However, on the screen was none other…

Than a Hertz. "_I'm sorry," _the Hertz replied. "_This number is no longer functional. If you dialed this number by accident, please hang up."_

"What!?" Lan asked. "Chaud's not available!?"

"_I'm afraid not,"_ the Hertz replied. "_Eugene Chaud's PET has been disconnected. Goodbye!"_

As the call ended, Lan groaned. "Oh no… did Chromos get to Chaud, too!?"

"I don't know why they would go after a random Official," Geo shrugged.

"_Actually, Chaud and ProtoMan aren't some random officials,"_ Hub explained. "_Chaud was the arresting officer of Mayor Cain and those three ex-WWW agents that attacked Sonia and Jasmine back in 22XX. Chaud and ProtoMan are just as skilled Operators as Lan and I, so there's that, too. If they got him, we're on our own."_

"_Then we spring the trap and ambush them!" _Omega-Xis reasoned. "_You be bait, and then we'll rush in, go buck wild on them, and make them tell us where to find your friends!"_

"Good idea, Omega-Xis," Jack grinned. "So, the docks, right?"

Lan led them towards the eastern part of the docks. Soon enough, Lan looked around, and had Jack and Geo remain by the stairs to the lower levels while Lan approached the edge of the pier. As Lan looked around, he couldn't help but recall the craziness of this boat ride… how he accidentally recruited his team's offensive powerhouse, and how they contributed to saving Hub from Nebula.

Other than his new 22XX friends in hiding, however, there was nobody there.

"Hello?" Lan called, walking towards the pier. "Mayl? Wish Genie? Anybody?" He then looked around, and said, "Come on! Mayl, please be alright!" He pulled out his SN-PET, and called Mayl. To nobody's surprise, the call couldn't be connected. After the standard Hertz apology, he nearly swore, "Darn it…!"

"So, you showed up?" a female voice taunted him. Lan looked to see Yukia, Vic, and Ito standing behind him. "Long time no see, Lan Hikari. You know, you took a year from my life, rotting away like trash in that prison!"

"I'm not sorry about that," Lan scowled. "You three caused so much chaos in Cyber City! Who knows how many innocent people could have been hurt or worse!?"

"Oh, it's always about the 'innocent people'!" Vic gagged. "You always have to play the goody two-shoes who just has to stick his nose where it doesn't belong, do you?"

"You tried to drop a town out of the sky!" Lan said. "And that's not even touching what the rest of you guys did! Yukia and CircusMan awakening the Cybeasts and Prosecutor Ito framing Dad!" Looking at them, he asked, "So, I'm going to go on the assumption that you made up the article about Wish Genie?"

"Perhaps," Ito said. "But… you don't have evidence supporting your claim, Mr. Hikari. Besides, we aren't the ones on trial, right now."

"Trial?" Lan asked. "What trial?"

"You are the defendant in this trial," Ito explained. "And you have been indicted of interfering with Chromos activity, and violating the terms of your agreement with Master Cain."

"My agreement?" Lan questioned. He then remembered Cain's warning. "…No!"

"Master Cain warned you to not come back to 20XX," Vic answered. "And, well… you're back. You know what this means."

"Your friends and family's lives are forfeit," Yukia grinned. Lan growled. "And guess who one of our allies found, first… I'll give you a hint. It's a girl your age, redhead, and you've lived next to her almost your whole life!"

"Mayl!" he breathed. "Where is she!? Where do you have her!?"

"The problem is we don't exactly 'have her' have her," Ito explained. "But… we just recently found her exact year. Oddly, she didn't travel far in time like we all did. Try 20XX+20—or twenty years from today, to be precise."

"Mayl's twenty years in the future?" Lan asked. "How do you know this!?"

"Chromos has their ways," Yukia shrugged. "But this doesn't matter to you, Lan… because you're gonna die right here and now. Carnie?"

"_Finally!"_ the female Wave Navi cheered. Lan looked to see a shipping container open up next to him, revealing a Copy Bot. Soon enough, the doll became Carnie. With her happy mask, she grinned, "I get to do my act!"

"Huh?" Lan asked. "What the heck is that!?"

"Since you deleted CircusMan, I needed a new partner," Yukia grinned. "Meet Carnie… my Wave Navi, and Wave Navis has less restrictions on them than ordinary Net Navis. She'll be destroying you. So, where's your Copy Bot? Oh, that's right… Master Cain took it from you and gave it to ChronoMan!"

"Looks like this is your final performance!" Carnie giggled while Lan growled. Meanwhile, Geo flipped on his Visualizer, trying to find a Wave Hole… but didn't. He did, however, notice a Time Wave next floating above the water.

"A Time Wave?" Geo asked. "Well, that's cool, but… how do we save Lan if I can't pulse in!?"

Lan stepped back, but a blue line shined from his chest—

…And the whole world turned gray. He looked at Carnie, who was in mid-lunge… but standing still. "Huh?" Lan asked. "Did… did time just stop?" He looked in his SN-PET at Hub, who was just as frozen, and was about to say something. He looked behind him, spotting a Time Wave.

"…_Lan…"_ a female voice spoke up.

"That voice," Lan breathed. "Wish Genie, is that…"

"_Hurry, Lan!"_ Wish Genie's voice spoke up. "_Your new power is not unlimited… time will only be frozen for a few more seconds! You have to escape into the Time Wave!"_

"Wish Genie?" Lan asked. "How are you… nevermind!" Looking at the Time Wave, he skated towards it… and jumped.

-GS-

When Geo looked on, Lan suddenly disappeared as Carnie stabbed where he was. "…Did I get him?" the freak show Navi asked.

"Uh, Carnie," Yukia said, looking around, "he's not here, anymore."

"How did he do that?" Ito asked. "That HAS to be illegal."

"Stop your court talk for a moment," Vic scowled. "No way did that brat, in a year, learn how to be a ninja! That's my shtick! He was right here and he can't have gotten that far!" Turning to the two, he ordered, "Spread out and find him!"

"I'll do it," Yukia said, "because I want Lan as gone as you do. However, you're NOT in charge of this group. I am!"

"Who salvaged our theft of the Heal Water?" Vic asked. While they were arguing about who was in charge, Geo and Zack peeked out from their hiding spots.

"Did Lan vanish?" Jack asked Geo.

"Yeah, he did," Geo answered. But where did he go?"

"Yeah, where did Lan go?" Chisao asked. The two boys looked behind them to see Chisao standing behind them.

"…We need to get out of here," Jack said. "If those guys find us, we're done!" Geo and Jack wasted no time running away, grabbing Chisao by the wrists, before Ito walked over.

"Huh… I could have sworn I heard voices this way," the former prosecutor mused. "Oh well… where did Lan go?"

* * *

**ACDC Town**

"How could you lose Lan!?" Luna scowled at the two. Geo flinched, while Jack rolled his eyes. After the incident on the docks, the trio returned to Lan's House, and explained the situation. Luna did not take it very well. "Seriously, we all knew this was a trap, and you didn't think to locate a Wave Hole BEFORE going in and springing it, Geo!? I expect this from Jack, but you!? You're better than this!" Looking at Chisao, she added, "Not to mention you guys brought him into this..."

"Prez, calm down," Zack said. "Remember, you promised to adhere to those anger management lessons Mode scheduled…"

"_She didn't go,"_ Mode quipped.

"Not now, Mode," Luna snapped at the Wizard.

"So, what's going on, here?" Chisao asked, looking at the Hunter-VGs the group had. "Are you... time travelers?"

"Um... if we say 'yes', would you tell anyone?" Bud asked.

"Whoa," Chisao gasped. "I get to meet real time travelers! I can't wait to show big brudder this!"

"Now, listen here—!" Luna said, walking over to Chisao.

"Luna, please," Sonia said, putting her hands on her fellow girl. "He's innocent, remember? Now let me handle this." Luna breathed and calmed down, though her scowl was still present. Sonia then turned to Geo with a smile on her face… before turning angry. Grabbing a nearby pillow, she proceeded to hit Geo over the head with it. "You had one job, Geo! Keep an eye out for Lan!"

"Whoa, Sonia," Bud gasped. "Where did that come from!?"

"Geo, Luna and I trusted you to keep Lan safe!" Sonia said. "Now, we have no idea where he is or when he is…!"

"Whoa, whoa," Omega-Xis spoke up as he came out of Geo's Hunter-VG.

"And you have neat Navis!" Chisao beamed, looking at Omega-Xis.

"Thank you," Omega-Xis said. "Not a Navi, though. I'm an alien."

"Even cooler!"

Turning back to Sonia, still hitting Geo, Omega-Xis said, "Now, before you get angry at us, we didn't have time to find a Wave Hole and pulse in. The closest one is right near SciLab's entrance. However, that's not what's important. We also detected a Time Wave near Lan's last location."

"Huh?" Sonia asked, having stopped beating Geo with the pillow.

"You mean it's likely he somehow escaped into a Time Wave?" Zack concluded. "Well, where does it lead?"

"Uh… no idea," Geo answered. "We didn't get a chance to see where it goes since we were almost caught spying."

"Figures," Luna groaned. "Boys, what are we going to do with them, Sonia?"

"I don't know," Sonia answered, shooting a knowing look at her fellow girl. Geo was completely confused. "Well, chances are Lan's attackers already gave up and left the dock, since they're normal humans from this time period. We can use this time to head to the Time Wave and follow Lan. Easy, right?"

"I was going to suggest something like that!" Geo defended himself.

"Then why didn't you already do it BEFORE coming all of the way back here since in the Wave World, without special equipment to detect you like our Hunter-VGs and Lan's SN-PET, you're mostly invisible!?" Luna shot back. Geo hung his head in shame, not really having a comeback for that one. Luna took Sonia's pillow, and whacked Geo on the head one last time.

"_Mega, that is check and mate, I believe,"_ Lyra quipped.

"Okay, we're idiots," the AM-ian admitted. "Happy now?"

"_Quite!"_ Mode smiled. "_Now get back to SciLab and bring us back Lan!"_

"Move it, boys!" Luna and Sonia said, pushing Geo and Omega-Xis out of the door.

"Is it just me, or is Sonia ticked all of the sudden?" Bud asked. "Is she hungry? I bet she's hungry. We should get some grub before we go time traveling, anyway. Chisao, do you know any places we can get good grub cheap?"

"…If you weren't right we're kind of overdue for lunch," Zack said as he, Chisao and Jack walked out the door, "I'd hit you with the same pillow Sonia and Prez just used. But yeah, Sonia seems a little more on edge about Lan than Prez is about Lan. Wonder why?"

"Can you tell me why you're time traveling?" Chisao asked. "Is it because something I did in the future?"

* * *

**SciLab**

After a brief lunch and explanation to Chisao (that no, him borrowing his brother's latest game system without permission did not result in a future where aliens invaded the Earth and enslaved most of the human race), Sonia and Luna had calmed down enough that they weren't livid at Geo and Jack for losing their only hope for restoring the timeline. The girls were still mad at the two boys—Geo in particular since he was supposed to be more responsible than Jack—but they were at least on speaking terms.

"I don't know how you reasoned food was a good idea," Jack said as they walked towards the dock. "But I'm glad it worked."

"Trust me, food can calm down anyone," Bud said. "Now, where was this Time Wave?" Geo lowered his Visualizer, and where the people once were was the beginnings of a new Wave World being constructed, Hertz running about to help wherever they needed to be. He then spotted it—a blue-green portal near the water.

"History really is beginning to change," Geo muttered. "We have to set things right." He walked over towards the Time Wave.

"Wait," Zack gulped. "It's… underwater!?"

"Whoa, so we have to swim?" Chisao asked. "Maybe I should go home and get my swim trunks. It's a good thing big brudder taught me how to swim."

"No… try right above it," Geo answered, taking his Visualizer off. Zack held up his Hunter-VG, spotting the Time Wave through it. Geo touched the Time Wave, revealing it to the world. "It's open, too… I'd hate to be anyone from 20XX who thought this is the perfect jumping point for a swim, only to land face-first on a holographic road in the middle of nowhere."

"How do we even know that's going to be the case?" Luna asked.

"One way to find out," Sonia said, backing up. "Geronimo!" Before anyone could stop her, she jumped straight into the Time Wave. Only a small splash came out of it.

"Huh?" everyone asked. Sonia poked her head out of the Time Wave, her hair dripping.

"Prepare to get your feet wet on this one!" she smiled. "Good thing Hunter-VGs and my guitar are waterproof." With that, she inhaled and quickly dived back into the Time Wave. Chisao jumped in afterwards. Geo looked at Zack and Luna, who seemed a bit more reluctant.

"What's wrong?" Geo asked.

"Um, did everyone forget that I can barely swim?" Zack asked.

Luna added, "And I didn't really pack my swimsuit for this trip since nobody said we'd be swimming this adventure—"

"Whoops!" Jack said, pushing both Luna and Zack into the Time Wave. "My hand slipped, and pushed them into the convenient Time Wave. Maybe we should hurry and save them." Looking at Bud and Geo, he said, "Alright, let's go." Before either of them could ask him to explain himself, Jack jumped into the Time Wave. Geo and Bud looked at each other, shrugged, inhaled, and jumped into the Time Wave.

* * *

**Time Wave 2—20XX-20XX+20**

When Geo entered, he was instantly submerged in water. He spotted Sonia and Chisao's retreating forms swim towards the surface. However, he spotted Zack struggling while Luna, her hair no longer in its large pigtails but in a long golden strand, grabbed him. Bud was surprisingly agile underwater, and Jack was right behind Sonia. Geo swam through the water, glad that he trained with the Diving Machine before. As he swam, he helped Luna rescue Zack. However, he noticed the beeping noise echoing from his Hunter-VG.

Geo eventually broke the surface, releasing his held breath while Zack and Luna gasped, the former coughing a storm. He soon spotted a Wave Road that Sonia, Bud, and Jack were approaching.

"I… am going… to hurt you, Jack!" Luna sputtered. "Geo, help me get Zack to safety so I can strangle Jack." Geo didn't argue with her, because honestly, Jack deserved this one. Once they got to shore, Luna began chasing the exiled prince.

"Look, you guys wanted to hurry this up!" Jack called back to Luna.

"This was my favorite dress!" Luna yelled. "And do you have ANY idea how long it's going to take me to get my hair back to its usual style AND dry my dress!?"

"Save some of him for me, Prez!" Zack added, drying his glasses. "Jack… you know I can barely swim!"

"We didn't have time for your fear of water!" Jack justified.

Geo, meanwhile, held up his Hunter-VG, spotting an e-mail. "Hey, this is from Lan!"

_**Subject: I'm Okay**_

_**Sender: Lan**_

'_Guys,_

'_I don't know if you'll get this outside of a Time Wave, but I somehow have the temporary ability to stop time. Sounds crazy, but it seems like this Time Stamp allows me to do more than just sense others with Time Stamps. I sense something beyond the Time Wave here, and I want to see what's up. Perhaps this was the Time Wave Wish Genie was talking about…'_

"Wish Genie's the lady who tried to save Lan and big brudder, right?" Chisao recalled as he rung his shirt.

"I hope he hasn't gotten too far," Sonia said, grabbing the bottom of her soaking sweatshirt. She pulled it off, revealing a green tank-top… with a Hikari symbol on it.

"Isn't that Lan's family crest?" Luna asked, looking up from the headlock she had Jack in.

"Um, well… I have a few Hikari-themed shirts," Sonia said. "Doesn't your mom have a bag with a Hikari symbol, Geo?"

"…She does," Geo recalled. '(Though that was a little quick,)' he said to himself.

"It's just many people in our time, prior to the announcement of the Cyber Legacy exhibit, didn't have much idea of who Lan Hikari is," Sonia answered. "I was one of the few who did. Anyway, my sweatshirt's going to take a while to dry, though. We should probably figure out where Lan is in the meantime."

"Which would be easier if any of us had a Time Stamp, but we don't," Luna reminded, letting go of Jack. "We'll just have to do this the old fashioned way." Looking around, she said, "I volunteer Jack as scouting party."

"I second the motion," Zack added.

"I'm not going against Prez on this one," Bud said, ringing out his favorite shirt.

"Aw man," Jack groaned. "Well, fine… but Geo, you're coming with."

"Wait, what?" Geo asked.

"You're just as guilty we're even here!" Jack replied. "I'm not taking the full blame!" Jack and Geo walked down the Time Wave Road. Once they were far away from the others, Jack turned to Geo, and asked, "Remind me again how you tolerate those losers?"

"Well, I disliked them all except Sonia at first, but they grew on me," Geo confessed. "Prez tried desperately to drag me to school, Bud and I actually came to blows, Zack was annoyingly a know-it-all. They kind of stalked me, even following me to AMAKEN when I was visiting Mr. Boreal. Sure, I saved them a couple times when I was starting out as Mega Man, but that was it. Then I met Sonia, and she eventually got me to open up more. Soon, I started tolerating them, and the next thing I knew, we were all friends."

"Well, I'll give you one thing," Jack said. "They are annoying. As soon as my probation is up and can get Corvus back, do you think they'll mind if I take off?"

"Well… that's what happened to another friend of mine," Geo said. "I wonder where Pat is… he was sucked in a Time Wave, too, right?"

"That guy was the one chosen by Gemini, right?" Jack asked. "You know, I'm betting he's really skilled."

"He is," Geo answered. "Other than Solo, he's one of the most powerful male young Wave Changers I know that's not you. But about Corvus… you've been obsessed with getting him back, haven't you? Didn't he try to kill you?"

"Yeah, I know," Jack remembered. "After I 'outlived my usefulness' to Corvus and wasn't going along with the 'destroy Earth's technology and rule what's left of it' plan anymore, yeah, I thought it was a bad idea. But then I remembered your friend Bud and his Wizard, Taurus. Taurus was a bad guy before, but has reformed, right? So has Gemini. What if the same can be said about Corvus and Virgo? We won't know until we try." As Jack moved forward, Geo stopped and thought about what Jack said.

"…But Gemini's still deleted," Geo muttered. "Pat still has his Wave Change because Gemini struck him with enough lightning to infuse him with his power as a back-up. And his Wizard is… Rey."

* * *

**Time Wave 1—20XX-22XX**

Geo eventually caught up to Jack, discovering a familiar spot. "Hey, is that…?"

"The path that was broken off according to that Wish Genie girl," Jack finished. "You know, she has a funny way of being a bad guy."

"I'm willing to bet she'd join Satella Police if she wasn't," Geo said. "Anyway, if this is the area that Lan wanted to go is this way to begin with… then we could easily find him AND Mayl!"

"Oh, so we're finally meeting one of Lan's closest friends," Jack said. "Alright, you go back and get the others. I'll stay here for now…" After Geo did so and they were caught up, Sonia was delighted.

"I can't believe we're finally meeting one of Lan's friends!" she cheered. "We've only heard stories about them, but we've never really met them!"

"I know!" Luna said. "So, we just need to find the new Time Wave, and we're there! It's about time! Alright, Luna's Time Travelers, we're one step closer to fulfilling our Purpose! Let's go!" After a bit of a walk, they found a new Time Wave Hole. Geo opened it while Luna held up her Hunter-VG, selecting the Calendar App.

In the image of the time period they were about to enter, they saw a giant stone castle, a giant clock tower, several robotic horse-drawn carriages, guards with red uniforms and funny hats. In short, imagine for a minute London, but with a bit more advanced technology. That was pretty much what the team was witnessing.

"20XX+20… Creamland?" Chisao read from Luna's device. "I've never been to Creamland, before! Do we need passports?"

"Pedia," Zack said, "run a background check on Creamland. We only heard about it from Lan, so…"

"_Understood,"_ Pedia nodded. "_Creamland: A small island nation off the coast of Electopia. Prior to 20XX, it was one of the first countries in the world to use and establish a Net society, gaining quite the political power. However, many larger nations such as Electopia soon followed in its wake, soon surpassing Creamland. In 20XX, Creamland's ruler briefly joined the terrorist syndicate Gospel for power, but was thwarted by MegaMan and Lan Hikari."_

"Wait, so Creamland's an enemy!?" Luna asked. "We have to get in there and get Lan now!"

"Prez, wait—!" Zack said, only to fall on deaf ears when she grabbed Zack, Jack, and Sonia, and dragged them through the Time Wave Hole. Chisao ran after them.

"…Pedia didn't finish about the fact that Lan and the ruler of Creamland patched things up when she started fighting Nebula, did he?" Geo asked Bud.

"I forgot about that, honestly," Bud said. "So, do we go in?"

"Well we have to," Geo shrugged. "Let's hope Prez didn't get very far." The two jumped through the Time Wave Hole.

* * *

**Pride Castle, Creamland—20XX+20**

_**BRRT! BRRT! BRRT! BRRT!**_

When Geo and Bud landed in the new time period, they found themselves in some type of giant pink bedroom designed for a girl. They saw Sonia and Luna consoling a young girl with shoulder-length green hair, no more than seven years old, that whose big sea green eyes watered up in her fluffy princess bed, Zack and Jack looking scared, and alarms blaring, while Chisao was covering his ears.

"Don't cry, don't cry," Sonia said. "We're sorry… we didn't even know we'd end up… here."

"SearchMan," the little girl cried, "there are even more strange people in my room!"

"And she cried," Jack deadpanned. The alarms stopped blaring.

"Why do I feel that's bad?" Chisao asked.

"_Understood,"_ a male voice spoke up. All of the sudden, the closet opened up, revealing a bunch of princess-like dresses, only to turn around, revealing a Copy Bot. That Copy Bot soon took the shape of a green, soldier-like Navi with orange hair, a blue scouter, and brandishing a giant sniper rifle for a right arm. That, and his emblem was a crosshair. He instantly pointed his rifle at Geo.

"Where did you come from!?" Luna asked.

"I was made in Sharo," the Navi said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Now, hands-up. You're all under arrest."

"…Um, okay," Zack said, complying with Chisao. "But under what charges, if I may ask?"

"Breaking into the room of Princess Cherri Victoria!" the Navi, SearchMan, answered while the little girl got behind him. "Come quietly, or I will use force!"

"Um, is that possible?" Bud asked. He was then answered when the rifle then shot a laser beam through the slightly open window… and hit a random crow, which fell stunned.

"Okay, okay!" Luna said. "We're sorry! We didn't even know we'd end up here!"

"Tell that to the Queen tomorrow morning at your interrogation," SearchMan said. "Come along." With that, several guards walked in, restraining all six of them, and lead them out of the room. As they were escorted from the room, SearchMan turned to Cherri. "Did they hurt you?"

"N-no," the little girl said, shaking her head. "But SearchMan…this is the second time this evening that somebody broke in here. Are you sure Mommy's right that there's nothing to worry about? That they're not with the dragon attacking the Net?"

"Your mother will deal with those criminals, trust me," SearchMan assured the girl. "However, I'm still worried about the FIRST intruder. He got away quickly, but hasn't left the Castle, yet. We're still searching for him. Until then, we'll secure your room so he can't get back in."

"T-Thank you, SearchMan," the princess nodded. The Navi walked back towards the closet, and the Copy Bot returned to normal before the closet turned around, back to the dresses. The little girl picked up a plush doll that looked like MegaMan, and hugged it. "I know he hasn't been seen in twenty years," Cherri said, looking at the doll. "But with everything going on… I'd like the real MegaMan to show up right now…"

-LH-

As Geo's group was being escorted by the red-clad guards, none of them noticed a particular suit of silver knight armor, or the person hiding behind it. Lan Hikari peeked his head out of the armor at the retreating forms of everyone. He recalled the awkward situation that lead to his predicament.

After plunging into the Time Wave, he found himself submerged underwater… more than likely pouring from Den Harbor. After managing to get to the surface and drying his clothes, MegaMan had recovered from the time stop, finishing his warning only to be confused as to why they weren't being attacked by a carnival freak Navi. Lan explained he had somehow stopped time. He didn't know how he did it, but wasn't complaining that he got away from Yukia, Ito, and Vic. He decided to follow the Time Wave until he was certain he lost them. He then wrote an email to Geo explaining he was okay, hoping Geo would follow him soon enough.

After a bit of traveling, he found himself back in the first crossroads he had been in earlier that day, and was stunned to find himself on the other side of the broken path. Lan knew he should have returned to 20XX since it had been long enough for those three ex-WWW villains to have reasonably given up the search, but he'd never get another opportunity like this to find Mayl before Chromos did.

Using his Time Stamp to find a Time Wave Hole was easy enough. However, when he ended up in a little girl's bedroom, where said little girl, revealed to be some kind of princess, was awaken from her sleep by him popping in. Needless to say, she screamed for help. Lan, having mastered his Time Stamp ability rather quickly, stopped time again before the guards could grab him. Lan managed to sneak away, and resorted to hiding for the past several hours until Geo's group was captured.

"…I guess they got my message," Lan said.

"_Yeah, but they got captured with Chisao,"_ MegaMan said. "_We'll have to rescue them."_

"Never thought I'd go against the Creamland Royal Guard, though," Lan mused. "Alright, let's go. We'll probably need to find a place to jack-in. We find that, we can find out more about what's going on Creamland and how to save Geo, Sonia, Luna, Bud, Zack, and Jack."

"_Well, a search of the Net here would do us some good,"_ MegaMan agreed. "_So, are we jacking into a new time period's Net?"_

"Oh yeah," Lan grinned.

* * *

**Cream Square**

In the center of Cream Square was an unassuming blue payphone booth. Sitting inside of it was a boy around eight years old, charging an advanced-looking PET. The boy had bright brown hair, almost dark red, with a short ponytail. He wore a hooded blue jacket over an orange t-shirt, black pants, red sneakers, and a pink scarf with a familiar-looking symbol on it.

"So, you're sure," the boy said to the PET. "Now I know how Dad felt when he was a kid."

"_Pretty sure Dad and Uncle Lan were older than us, Pats," _the Navi inside the PET answered. _"Anyway, I'm sure. __This is SIMILAR to our Creamland, but different. I don't know what Sigma did when he escaped through that portal, but… we're in some alternate dimension where… she doesn't even know we exist. IF we exist. Lucky for us, we chased him and his Copy Bot through that portal, but… it's like our parents never got together, and our existence has been erased."_

"Could it be like Dad said, Megs?" Pats questioned, worry reflecting in his bright brown eyes. "Could Sigma really have traveled through time, and helped set about events where we were never born? I know Dad's looked into the possibility that time travel exists, but… an alternate 20XX+20? We stepped into a different timeline? Oh man, Dad would flip."

"_Speaking of Uncle Lan," _Megs mused, "_do you feel something, Pats?"_

"...Yeah," the boy nodded. "Mom and Dad… I don't know how, but… they're here, aren't they?"

"_Perhaps,"_ Megs said. "_That latest search of the Net we did? That was Mom and Aunt Mayl, wasn't it?"_

"I think so," the boy nodded. "But they sound in trouble. And if that dragon's threats are real, they're not the only ones who are in trouble in this alternate Creamland. We need to keep an eye out for that dragon. For Mom, Dad, Aunt Roll, Uncle Hub… and for Cherri."

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: It was at this moment, that everyone reading this knew: I threw a curve ball.

So, we have a few things to talk about. Fun fact, first draft of this arc, I forgot about Chisao and how he was waiting in 20XX for something to do. So, considering the fact that he's back in Electopia, I figured, "may as well make use of the little squirt and have him be the tagalong kid"! I know, he's not gonna contribute much other than another opinion, but I need someone to be the one who gets the exposition.

Next, Lan's new power. Since Geo can SEE the Wave World with his sunglasses, I needed something besides Lan's skates to make him unique in the real world. Enter the Time Stamps! Lan can turn a second real time into a minute for him, literally being one place and another in the blink of an eye. Imagine the puzzle solving this would bring... as well as the damage.

I'm weird. I know.

Anyway, so we're in 20XX+20 Creamland. Now you're asking yourselves, "Kingdom, why the hell is it called 20XX+20?" Well, simple. The "XX" part of "20XX" could literally be any pair of numbers as long as it is clear we are in the 21st century, and that's where our _Battle Network _games take place. The plus-20 means "20 years after the _Battle Network _series". Oddly enough, the epilogue of _Battle Network 6_ would probably be happening had Chromos not screwed up the timeline. As for the Creamland, part, I think that can explain itself, but Creamland is one of the many, many areas we've heard about in both _Battle Network_ and _Star Force_ series, but have never really explored. Sure, the anime showed its counterpart, Brightland, but I wanted to actually use the game location.

Finally, we have SearchMan. Why is he, the guy who's Operator is a Sharo counter-terrorist soldier, here in Creamland on guard duty? You'll find out, later. Because now, I have reviews...

**Crimson-Sorcerer:** I honestly forgot where I put Pat and Rey. Chances are, they're gonna be someplace stupid, like Venetzuela... yep, it's a pun on Venezuela. Either that, or possibly Rio. You know what? Thanks to you, they're in Brazil, as soon as I can find a creative fictional name for Brazil.

**Matteso585:** You'll have to remind me why Sonia would fear Wilshire Hills. If anyone, it would be Luna since she got kidnapped by Dark Phantom twice there. And not, more images of a bull with that voice have flooded my head!

**Ghost501:** Raoul!? You mean ThunderMan's Operator? Dang, I should have thought of that. Thanks for giving me an idea, however...

**Rockster:** A lot of things happened since I last updated. The most recent being my older dog passing away... may Woody rest in peace. Anyway, yeah, this crossover exists because, as far as I, that remake has yet to be localized in the US, and until it does, I can't play it. However, I have an idea involving some events in that remake. Anyway, good job calling out who I planned to feature in this arc, even though she and her Navi haven't shown up, yet. As for Dark, why is it that the best ideas come from the readers?

**RedemptionWarrior:** I'm sorry, but I had no choice but to move the plot along by bait. Also, it happens pretty often in the games, so I figured here was okay.

**Matt:** Hi, Matt! Anyway, this is the only time I will ever make a reference to _Five Nights at Freddy's._ Mainly because I'm a wimp to the horror genre flinching to jump scares. Heck, I can barely play _Luigi's Mansion_ without getting scared, and that's aimed at a young audience.

**Rekxyen:** Glad I made your day. And yes, Solar Boy Django got a mention. I am sorry I couldn't make your crossover cameo happen, but it's mainly because I haven't ever played those games, I'm afraid.

**strato-abyss17:** Must have been quite the long ride. And yeah, I'm aware that the crossover is basically one scenario long and it's a filler for a remake. I'm trying to keep this up, though. I already have this story arc set. And we're just getting started.

Alright, that's everything! Next time, we see if Lan can save his companions! Will we figure out who that mysterious duo at the end of the chapter is? Who am I kidding, it's Patch. Farewell, my subjects!


	18. Chapter 17: Pride Castle Hijinks

A/N: The following takes place between 5:00 AM and 6:00AM. And if you're wondering why the _24_ reference, well... guess who's 24 today?

* * *

Chapter 17: Pride Castle Hijinks

-GS-

**Pride Castle**

"So," Geo asked, "is this is what being captured or arrested feels like?"

"Not funny, Geo!" everyone but Geo and Chisao scowled. After being arrested, Luna's Time Travelers (and Chisao) were searched and their Hunter-VGs and Geo's Visualizer were confiscated—but not before Geo spotted his cell containing a Wave Hole and enough of a Wave Road to allow him a way to escape. So, even though Geo saw the Wave Hole, he couldn't use it. What was worse was that they were all put in separate cells. Whoever SearchMan's Operator was, he was clearly knowledgeable of how to keep someone locked up.

"Sorry," Geo breathed. "It's just… this has never happened to me. I've been the savior so long, I've never really been the 'guy in distress'. I probably should have Waved Changed before we stepped in."

"You mean like that fairy tale about a princess with an axe that goes through a forest to save her prince?" Chisao asked.

"Kind of reminds me of the story of 'Halberd Princess' when you put it like that," Sonia mused. "Still, we have to get out of here!"

"How?" Zack asked. "You guys can't Wave Change, there are guards outside, and we have no idea how to convince this 'Queen' to spare us for spooking her daughter. If she wasn't a good person before, she has no reason to merciful now."

"Well, does anybody have anything to pick a lock with?" Sonia asked.

"Yeah, no," Zack answered.

"I don't have a bobby pin," Luna added.

"No way my dad's pendant will fit," Geo said.

"Bud, can't you just smash the door open?"

"Haven't tried, yet," Bud replied. He backed up to the edge of his cell, and then charged it with his shoulder—

_**BZAAAP!**_

"Ow…" Bud groaned from the floor on his cell, his hair frazzled.

"Electrified barrier, really?" Zack asked. "Wait… that's a bit of Real Wave technology! Who designed these cells?"

"Apparently Sharo," Geo read on a nearby panel. "It says this security system was designed in Sharo."

"And Sharo is one of the leading countries in terms of security," Zack recalled from his classes. "Wonder what Creamland is doing with a Sharo-based security system?"

"It doesn't matter what it's doing here," Luna said, "but its keeping us trapped!"

"You know, Lan's not here," Jack pointed out. "This was the only Time Wave Hole we had access to, right? So, how did he escape from meeting us here?"

"If he's even in the castle," Zack argued.

"I don't think that will be a problem for Lan," Geo said.

-LH-

Lan snuck through the castle, being wary of the guards that were on high alert. Lan was getting exhausted of stopping time to sneak by security. "_(Anything, yet?)"_ MegaMan asked his brother.

"(No, not yet, MegaMan,)" Lan said. "(I'm still looking, though…)"

"_(So, if this is 20 years in the future,)"_ MegaMan recalled, "_(what do you think Creamland's like?)"_

"(I don't know,)" Lan shrugged. "(But we need to find a way to get to the rest of the gang, and then we need to get out of here. Maybe someone on the Net knows a way to get people busy.)" We'll also have to figure a way to travel through time outside of that girl's bedroom, though.)"

"_(Yeah, that's weird,)"_ MegaMan agreed.

He then spotted a large painting of an old enemy-turned-friend of his, Princess Pride. However, that was not what got his attention. No, what got his attention was a jack on the bottom of the picture. And a jack meant access to the Net. "(Found one!)" Pointing the SN-PET at thejack, he quietly said, "(Jack-in, MegaMan! Execute!)"

-HH-

**Pride Castle HP**

When MegaMan touched down, he had to admit that he liked the castle's 20XX+20 wallpaper. KnightMan pictured holding up a giant clock tower on a blue background. The road was also reminiscent of a stone-paved road. The floor of the main HP was a castle courtyard.

However, as the blue Navi wandered through the HP, he noticed the large amount of Navis standing around. "And sold!" an orange Navi at the front of the crowd said. "Sold to the kitty for 200,000 Zenny!"

"Alright!" a familiar voice cheered. As if on cue, Circuit walked to the front of the crowd, where she was given a blue program with two pyramids connected by a yellow tube. "This is purr-fect! Sorry, cat pun. Anyway, the Zenny will be transferred to your account."

"Pleasure doing business with you," the dealer Navi nodded. "You enjoy that Booster System." Circuit put it away, and began walking towards the exit to the Net.

"_Was that Circuit?"_ Lan asked. "_As in 'Chromos' hacker Navi'?"_

"Yeah, it was," MegaMan answered. "Looks like she just bought something called the Booster System. Wonder what that does?"

"_It boosts a Navi's strength just by being near it, but equipping it boosts it tenfold!"_ Lan answered.

"Wait how do you know that?" MegaMan questioned. "You don't exactly have the best grades…"

"_Oh right, you were kidnapped and brainwashed by Nebula during this time,"_ Lan remembered. "_Long-story short, I ran into that program before. Nebula was after it, but I didn't battle a Nebula Navi for it… I battled a recruit. The one right before we rescued you."_

"Oh," MegaMan said. "So, we can assume that her plus that Booster System equals bad."

The dealer looked over at MegaMan, and asked, "Are you here for the Booster System? Sorry, but we just sold our last for this month, and that cat just walked away with it, most likely heading for Creamland Area 2."

"So, the auction's over?" MegaMan concluded.

"No, it's not. We DO have other materials. Take, for instance, the Pass Code for Pride Castle's HP. I take it you don't have that and somehow accessed the Net from inside the castle? I can give you the code for the small price of 500 Zenny!"

* * *

**Creamland Area**

500 Zenny and a bit of walking later, MegaMan found himself in Creamland Area 1. The viruses were a bit on the tougher side—most likely because of the edit to the timeline that Wily was kidnapped from prison before finishing the Colonel and Iris Programs—but nothing he couldn't handle. Eventually, though, he reached Creamland Area 2, where he found Circuit admiring her recent purchase in the middle of Creamland Square.

"I can't believe we got this cheap here in 20XX+20!" the cat Navi smirked. "Well, it's still expensive in this era, but cheaper than my time! Oh well, time to jack-out and head back twenty years!"

"And what exactly are you doing here?" MegaMan called. Circuit's tail stood up, and she slowly turned around, spotting MegaMan, drawing out his buster. "Circuit!"

"I'm not even going to question what you're doing here because I already know you're a time traveler," Circuit said, "but we've got to stop meeting like this! You know, with you here to delete me. I totally got this legally!"

"Well, you ARE with Chromos," MegaMan pointed out.

"Yeah, we are unfortunately on opposite sides of this conflict and I did accidentally hijack your friend's body," Circuit remembered. "I'm not doing myself favors, though."

"And what were you buying that Booster System for?" MegaMan demanded.

"It's a requirement for the Noise Control Program," Circuit confessed. "No sense in lying to you because I know you'd beat it out of me and you already saw me make a copy of that data."

"You give yourself very little credit for a master hacker," MegaMan commented.

"That's because hacking and programming are what I'm really programmed for," Circuit stated. "I'm not a fighter! I barely am a spec on your threat radar! That's ChronoMan or DragoMan's area of expertise!"

"DragoMan?" MegaMan asked.

"He's another Navi working for Chromos," Circuit answered. "He's WAY more powerful than me… but I'm not going to introduce you. Too dangerous for us both!"

"Figures you're a coward," MegaMan groaned.

"And darn proud of being one!" Circuit said. "It keeps me alive!"

"_Really?"_ Lan said. Circuit then looked past MegaMan.

"By the way," the Cat Navi said, "You jacked-in at Pride Castle, right? How did you get past security this early in the morning?"

"_H-Huh!?"_ Lan asked.

"As a hacker, I have an ability to retrace Navi steps, and I thought I spotted blue back there at the auction," Circuit said. "Don't tell me you guys took a Time Wave straight into the castle?"

"_Um…"_

"You did!" Circuit realized. "And I thought I was in trouble. Wow… this means if you guys decided to let the local authorities try to deal with me, I can expose you guys, too!"

"You wouldn't!" MegaMan scowled.

"Hey, if I don't have something that would prevent you from attacking me, what's stopping you from blasting me to oblivion?" Circuit said. "I can easily call Creamland's Officials. If you didn't delete me in one-shot, they'll arrest us both and find your Operator in real life. That is if you do really not want to calm down and put the Mega Buster away."

"…Fine," MegaMan said, turning his arm to normal. "But you better not cause any more trouble!"

"Trust me, trouble is the last thing I WANT to cause knowing you're around," Circuit said. "I see you again, I'll run!"

"Before you go, though," MegaMan said, "you're a silent hacker, right? How would I proverbially get someone out of the royal dungeon?"

"Ooh, hard one," Circuit answered. "Well, if I know Pride Castle Security like I think I do, there is a guard usually stationed outside of the royal dungeon. To get them to leave their posts, something would have to happen… and for some reason, security has been boosted up, lately. Something about two fierce battlers wreaking havoc on the Net in this country, lately."

"Two fierce battlers?" MegaMan asked.

_**BOOOOOOOOOOOOMM!**_

"What the heck was that!?"

"I think it was the two battlers," Circuit said. All of the sudden, a yellow and red blur slammed down not too far from them. The dust soon settled, revealing GutsMan locked in combat with a giant red humanoid lizard with huge leathery wings, a long tail, black armor, and his Navi symbol was a yellow reptilian eye. "DragoMan!?"

"That's DragoMan!?" MegaMan asked. "He's… huge! But the guy with him… is that…!?"

"_GutsMan, you have to hold him!"_ Dex's voice called. "_This guy is the only lead we have on everyone else!"_

"On it, Guts!" GutsMan said, throwing DragoMan to the side. "Yeehaw! You're going down! Dex?"

"_Right! Ice Punch Battle Chip in, Download!"_ GutsMan's giant yellow right fist was engulfed in ice, which he was directing at DragoMan. However, the dragon Navi got up and his left hand claws were engulfed in fire.

"Flame Claw!" he roared, bringing it in contact with the Ice Punch. With a guttural tone, he scoffed, "Fool… you cannot match the fierce power of a Wave Navi warrior with a simple attack like that!"

"Ya have no idea who you're messing with, Guts!"

"GutsMan!" MegaMan called, running over to the battle.

"And that's my cue to get out of here before the Officials pop up," Circuit said. "I'm going to jack out. Okay? Thanks, MegaMan!" Circuit jacked out, leaving MegaMan stunned.

"Aw, come on!" the blue Navi groaned. GutsMan looked over at his old rival.

"MegaMan?" GutsMan asked. "I've never been gladder to see you! Help me take care of this, guts!"

"_Dex, where are you!?"_ Lan asked. "_Are you in Creamland of 20XX+20?"_

"_Lan!?"_ Dex asked. "…_Heh! I knew you'd still be alive! You always did pull through! What time period did you end up in? GutsMan and I wound up in 20XX+70 in Sharo where there were villages being burned down during a fifty-year world war! However, with my Hunter-VG, I somehow found one of that ChronoMan guy's portals, but not before this guy attacked me in a Copy Bot! I escaped to this time period, but turns out this guy found Mayl in this country and time period! He's after her!"_

"_Mayl's here, too!?"_ Lan asked. "_Did you find her?"_

"_Not yet!"_ Dex answered. "_We've been looking between Net Battles! This guy may be tough, but he keeps getting away!"_

Eventually, DragoMan pushed back GutsMan, knocking him and MegaMan to the ground. "Ah, MegaMan, we finally meet," DragoMan greeted with a bow. "I'm DragoMan, Knight of Chromos. I suggest you do not interfere with my duel with your friend, but please, do wait."

"He really enjoys fighting, Guts," GutsMan stood up, adjusting his jaw.

_**BEEP! BEEP!**_

"Ah, the Officials are arriving," DragoMan scowled. "I'm afraid our duel will once again be delayed. But we will fight again, you two. But know this: you cannot protect the maiden!" With that, he jacked out.

"Darn!" MegaMan groaned. "He got away… and he's probably going after Mayl and Roll!"

"_Alright, then, we'll meet up in the real world!"_ Dex called. "_GutsMan—"_

"_Dex, wait!"_ Lan called. "_I'm not exactly in the best position to meet you right now. You see, I came with some others to this time period... one of them being Chisao."_

"_Chisao!?"_ Dex asked. "_He's here!? Is he okay!?"_

"_For now," _Lan answered. "_We ended up in a castle when we came here, but I got separated… and now, I'm kind of being hunted by the Royal Guard while the others were arrested. I kind of need a distraction to save them."_

"_Say no more,"_ Dex said. "_We'll swap adventures later! Save Chisao! One distraction coming right up! Ready, GutsMan?"_

"Ready!" GutsMan said. GutsMan then brought a GutsHammer down, shaking the Net. "Come on, knight guys! Give me your best shot!" As if on cue, Officials began swarming the Square while MegaMan jacked out.

-LH-

**Pride Castle**

While the Royal Guard swarmed to various stations (to stop GutsMan, no doubt), Lan took advantage of the chaos Dex was causing to sneak around the castle. He also had a bit of a time to think about Dex being here.

'(Dex used to be a bully back when MegaMan and I were starting out. Always picking fights, and he had worse grades than I did. He and GutsMan were so full of themselves. He's mellowed out since then, and he shows his sensitive side around Chisao. Sure, we're still rivals, and we have each other's backs, but for him to figure out how to travel through time before I did? Well, he had a bit of a head-start… and I guess it was before Wily was kidnapped by Chromos, altering the time-stream… still I'm kind of jealous. Oh well, nice to have him by my side for the rest of this for once. I hope he's okay… I'll make sure I use my Time Stamp later to find him.)'

He soon found an unguarded door, which he entered… discovering a dungeon. "H-Hey… is someone there!?" Chisao's voice asked. Lan skated over, seeing the six from 22XX and Chisao.

"Hey, guys!" Lan grinned. "You found me, and I have—"

"Lan, you dummy!" Luna snapped at him. "We TOLD you it was a trap, and you sprung it anyway without having Geo Wave Change! And we got arrested looking for you!"

"…Okay, nevermind," Lan finished. "Well, anyway… I'm here, now. But why didn't Geo, Sonia, and Bud just Wave Change as soon as they came into this time period?" Geo nervously rubbed his head.

"Yeah, about that," Geo said. "I know I do it all of the time back in 22XX, but this is a world when Wave Changing doesn't exist yet. Also, I… don't really like showing off my secret identity as Mega Man, especially to an already traumatized little girl."

"Ditto for me," Sonia said. "Not a lot of people know I'm Harp Note in the future."

"And Taurus Fire is just plain scary," Bud finished.

"That's the reason why you three didn't just break us out?" Jack asked.

"So you guys really can change into superheroes?" Chisao asked.

"Well, anyway," Lan said, "where do I need to jack-in to get you guys free, because these cells look like they're on an electronic-lock?"

"There should be a panel behind you," Geo said, pointing to the panel explaining the security system. "It's a Sharo system."

"_Creamland AND Sharo?"_ Hub asked. "_What happened in the future that those two names are associated with each other and Dex just escaped a war zone from the future?"_

"Dex?" Zack asked.

"You found big brudder!?" Chisao asked. "He's okay!?"

"Long story," Lan said, looking at the control panel, spotting a jack. "Jack-in, MegaMan! Execute!"

-HH-

**Cell Control Panel CC**

Hub entered the cyber-core, finding it to be relatively straightforward with the control switch in the back. "Finally, an easy area of the Net." He began running forward—

_**BANG!**_

Only to dodge a powerful sniper shot that blew a hole in the ground. "What in the world!?"

"Don't move," a male voice spoke up. Soon enough, SearchMan appeared in front of Hub. "By the order of—MegaMan?"

"_Hey, I know you!"_ Lan said. "_You were an anti-Nebula Navi, right? SearchMan?"_

"_Wait, you KNOW that guy?"_ Luna asked in the background.

"…This is impossible," SearchMan said, shaking his head. "Lan Hikari and MegaMan disappeared twenty years ago! There's no way they'd just show up right here and now causing trouble!"

"Twenty years ago…?" Hub asked. "Lan, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"_That SearchMan isn't going to stand down?"_ Lan asked. "_MegaMan, we have no choice but to knock some sense into him! Battle routine, set!"_

"Um, no, that's not what I was thinking at all," Hub corrected. "I was thinking that when ChronoMan—"

"_Battle routine, SET!"_ Lan emphasized, causing Hub to realize that SearchMan was ready to shoot again.

"…Exe—"

"_STOP!"_ a female voice interrupted. A holographic screen displayed in the Cyber World, revealing a tired looking blonde woman wearing a light brown nightgown over a swelling belly, and a slightly annoyed gleam in her blue eyes. "_If you all are quite finished making a mess of things around the castle for like the third time this morning, I'd like to interject within all of this chaos. SearchMan, please stand down."_

"Yes, Your Majesty," SearchMan said, standing down. The blonde woman smiled before turning to MegaMan.

"_I must say that SearchMan has a point,"_ the queen spoke up. "_You certainly look like MegaMan, and I wouldn't put it beneath Lan for going through all of this trouble. But are you REALLY Lan and MegaMan?"_

"_You wouldn't put it beneath me?"_ Lan asked, almost half-insulted.

The woman yawned, and said, "_Forgive me, I'm rather tired and cranky. I've had to comfort my daughter twice this evening about random older children suddenly appearing and breaking into her room, the Net has a huge fight break out once again, and now I have to deal with this situation, and this is all on top of running a country and being pregnant with my second child who seems to be kicking a lot lately."_ As if to prove her point, she winced while rubbing her bloated stomach. With a nervous laugh, the woman pleaded, "_Calm down, little one… please… Mommy haven't really slept properly in the past few days…"_

"Ooh, sorry to hear about that, Your Majesty," Hub nervously chuckled.

"_So, I will give you one chance to prove to me with no more violence that you two are the real Lan and MegaMan. Answer my question correctly, and I will have SearchMan here release your friends. Answer wrong, and expect a painful Net Battle. If you two are the real deal, you'd be able to prove it there. Do you agree to the terms?"_

Hub looked up towards the real world. "Lan, what do you say?"

"_Well,"_ Lan shrugged, "_it will resolve this whole thing if we do it. Sure, Your Majesty."_

"_Very well,"_ the Queen nodded. "_The question is this: We have fought against each other and in a way, fought alongside each other. What organization did we all mutually fight, however?"_

"We mutually fought an organization?" Hub asked. He thought about everything, but Lan had an answer.

"_The Dark Chip Syndacite, Nebula!"_ Lan answered. "…_Is that you, Princess Pride?"_

"…_It's been too long, Lan Hikari,"_ Pride smiled. "_At least, long enough for me to become a queen and a mother. SearchMan, please release Lan's friends. These are the real Lan Hikari and MegaMan."_

"Understood, my lady," SearchMan said. He walked over to the control panel, and shut down the force field, opening the cells. "Alright, your group is free to leave their cells, but we still have a few questions for you."

"_True, you DID just make fools of the entire Pride Castle Guard,"_ Pride giggled. "_And I want to talk to you all anyway. I'll have someone pick you all up."_ The screen faded away, and SearchMan nodded at MegaMan.

"Sorry about all of this, old friend," SearchMan nodded. He then jacked out.

"_Alright, jack-out, MegaMan,"_ Lan said. "_We have a bit of explaining to do."_

-LH-

**Pride Castle**

"Well," Luna said after she exited her cell while Hub returned to Lan's SN-PET, "as far as being captured was concerned, that was the least unpleasant."

"Y-yeah, sorry," Lan apologized. "Who put a Time Wave Hole in a little girl's bedroom?"

"Who puts a Time Wave Hole in any girl's bedroom?" Sonia asked. "That's an invasion of privacy!" Looking at Lan, she said, "Anyway, Lan… thanks for talking down that queen."

"Yeah, I thought she hated you," Luna nervously giggled.

"That was awesome!" Chisao beamed.

"It wasn't too difficult," Lan nervously chuckled. "Sure, Pride started out mean, but that was because she was frustrated that the world didn't acknowledge Creamland despite it being the first nation to have a legitimate Net. After the fall of the Net Mafia Gospel, she realized quickly that respect has to be earned, and she made a lot of effort with international politics to reform. Eventually, she saw Nebula for the very real threat they represented, and helped deal with them, proving she did change."

"_SearchMan, too,"_ Hub added. "_He and his Operator were as cold as the country they're from—Sharo—but they warmed up to us when they saw how capable we were against Nebula."_

"You did prove useful in the effort to take them down," a male voice spoke up. The seven kids looked to see the door to the dungeon opened up, and a man with green hair, blue eyes, and a green suit with a red beret standing there. His face had a bit of stubble and he was taller, but Lan knew who it was. "Lan Hikari… it's been twenty years, and you barely look a day over 13."

"Raika,"Lan greeted his old rival from Sharo. "What the heck are you and SearchMan doing in Creamland? And what do you and everyone else mean it's been twenty years?"

"_I was trying to tell you, Lan,"_ Hub explained. "_Because we were thrown through time by ChronoMan back in 20XX and the city switch occurred between 20XX and 22XX, history as far as Geo's group knows has the potential to have been altered. We may be a timeline where Chromos' city switch has become permanent since Geo's group said we had until the end of the summer of those two years."_

"Okay, so we really have a lot to talk about," Raika said as a guard walked in with everyone's Hunter-VGs and Geo's Visualizer. Everyone reclaimed their possessions. "As for 'what' SearchMan and I are doing here in Creamland…"

"Daddy?" a little girl's voice spoke up. Raika looked to see the young Cherri sleepily walking up to him, wearing a light blue shirt and matching pants, and holding her MegaMan plushie. Clinging to Raika's leg, she asked, "You know these people?"

"I know one, sweetie," Raika said. Pointing to Lan, he said, "That guy whose Navi you have as a teddy bear. I told you the stories of Lan Hikari, right?"

"…Wait, did she just call you 'Daddy'?" Lan asked.

"_Does this mean what I think it means?"_ Hub asked.

"If you're asking that in your twenty-year absence, I married Pride, you traumatized our daughter, threw this entire castle in disarray, are more than likely indirectly responsible for the large Navi causing a scene on the Net, upset my pregnant wife, and I'm expecting one heck of an apology before this is all over," Raika answered, placing a comforting hand on Cherri's head, "then you are correct."

_"Wait, SearchMan's operator is not just head of security,"_ Hub asked, _"but he's the King of Creamland?"_

"King Consort, really," Raika corrected. "It's not as big of a deal as everyone implies it to be. Pride's in charge of the politics, I'm in charge of keeping people safe."

"You know, in hindsight," Lan groaned to himself while Raika stared him down, "I should have looked before I leapt into that Time Wave. Also, I probably should have paid more attention in biology, because her hair is kind of a dead giveaway."

"Why do I feel like this guy is a drill sergeant that's gonna make me work for my food?" Bud asked.

"Ah, I remember those days," Raika mused. "Back when I was in the academy. Were I on active duty, however, I'd be a general. But still, if you're insisting on it…" He gave them a look. "Drop and give me twenty, maggots. All of you."

"Sir, yes, sir!" Lan, Geo, and Bud instantly complied, getting on the ground. Sonia shrugged and began doing push-ups as well. Luna, Zack, and Jack were about to protest, but one look from Raika made Luna and Zack drop as well. Jack only did so when Luna shot him a look.

"See Cherri?" Raika smiled at the curious princess. "I told you one day you'd see what Daddy used to do."

"I wonder what Mommy would say about this?" Cherri asked.

"She probably would get a laugh and call me 'scruffy'," Raika answered. "And then for humor, she'd add another thirty."

"_Good to know Pride developed a sense of humor in the past twenty years..." _Hub replied.

"When we get back to the future," Jack told Luna, who was surprisingly doing one handed push-ups to show she was in good shape, "we better never talk about this part of the adventure."

"Yeah, Mode will delete this from the digital scrapbook I'm making," Luna assured him. "Mode?"

"_Yes, Miss Luna!"_ Mode agreed.

"Why are you making a scrapbook?" Jack asked.

"Why WOULDN'T you make a scrapbook of your time travel adventures?"

"Do I hear two volunteers for twenty crunches?" Raika asked.

"No, sir!" Luna squeaked out. Cherri giggled at her father putting fear into those who scared her.

* * *

Kingdom Rider92's Notes: We found Dex! Oh, and we know Mayl's somewhere in this time period and country. Just a matter of where.

Now, I know it's a short chapter. But I'm saving the stuff for later. Anyway, yep, Raika, in this variation of the timeline (at least), married Pride. It's loosely based off the anime, but I will provide a decent explanation why and how these two became a couple in the past twenty years next chapter.

Anyway, Circuit once again steps into play. By the way, has anybody figured out who her Operator is? If so, please PM your guess. I don't want to spoil it. In the meantime, though, DragoMan! Yes, his name WAS going to be "DragonMan", but "Drago" works just as well. We'll get to some serious stuff later.

Now, to address the last chapter since it came up SO many times in the reviews. Yes, that is Patch. I was trying to keep it hidden but noticeable, but everyone blew up. He has his own adventures going on while the protagonists have theirs. This will all be explained later.

But for now, I tackle the reviews before going to celebrate my birthday.

**Ghost501:** I'm sorry, but I figured I'd do Creamland, first. But tell you what. Raoul will show up eventually in this story. I just need to get to a place where he will. As for the Time Vision, I'm going to go back a few chapters, see if I can foreshadow that better. It's not limitless, and Lan can only stop time for a second real-time, a minute for him to get to where he needs to go. It's my answer to Geo's ability to see the Wave World in the real world, and I'm not going to make it the be-all end-all answer to every problem. There will still be moments Geo does better than Lan.

**V01dSw0rd:** Thanks for the suggestion! I've been looking into it, but I realize it is a fan project that was cancelled. It still could have happened. Remember, these time Waves aren't all set in stone.

**Matteso585: **Oh, the Bermuda Maze! I thought that was near Whazzap. My memory's fuzzy of _Star Force 2._ As for Corvus, well... Jack wants to be useful and back in the fight more than he's sure he can trust Corvus.

**Prowlfan1011:** Yep, Patch is here. As for Sigma, well... you'll see what he's up to. But you can bet it's bad.

**reppuzan:** Yeah, Patch is a prodigy. You'll hear his story about why he's stepping into his father's shoes of being a hero earlier than his Dad started, and why he's worried about Sigma later. Oh, and thanks for giving me a better nickname, it's just that with Pat Sprigs, I didn't want to confuse readers. That's the only reason I went with "P".

Yeah, Lan's kind of freaking out... and doing push-ups. He'll get back to you on the confusion of Raika's position.

Thanks for the suggestion of going back to foreshadow the Time Stamp power. I will do that here, soon. I did put limits in it, so Lan can't just break the story. Also, thanks for pointing out the errors, I've gone back and fixed them. And since we're dropping the pretenses of me trying to keep Patch's identity a secret, I'll put the names in, now.

As for why Geo's getting a power decrease, it was mainly a balancing issue that makes sort of sense in the context, but only in times prior to 21XX. Think of it this way: in 20XX, the only real-world source of EM-Waves available to the public is trapped exclusively in Electopia. It would, realistically, take the people of Wilshire Hills YEARS to effectively recreate the technology for the whole world to experience, but even longer for the tech to be on the level 22XX is at now. I know technology moves rather quickly in the _Star Force _games (to the point that the OS seems to change every other month), Geo and Omega-Xis would be limited to where they could transform. Don't worry, though. He'll get a chance to show off his stuff, again, and remind the world why he's the Mega Man of the future.

**Rekxyen:** Thanks for letting me know about these games, and you can feel free to make a scenario where it happens. I won't even be mad. And thank you for pointing out my frequent error with her name. I got those letters backwards. As for why I don't have the villains do something simple like what you just suggested, well... someone's probably thinking it, but Cain would rather go with the "immortal god" thing and Hyde likes the idea, and these two are in charge of Chromos... so far. As for why neither of the two villains bring in the past villains, Wily's not trusted by Cain for "stealing his birthright", Regal got mind wiped and reprogramed at the end of _Battle Network 5_ by Wily (and considering Regal is Wily's biological son and Cain hates Wily, he's not touching his son), Vega's to parts unknown (and she did basically send Hollow to do a "you've failed me/outlived your usefulness" to Hyde) so Hyde wouldn't trust her, and neither really knows King enough to trust him, and he's-for all intents and purposes in this story-dead.

**RedemptionWarrior:** Time-hopping shenanigans are the best shenanigans, aren't they? As for Raika and Pride having babies, who would you have had them have kids with? Yes, this is a serious question.

**Mega float guest:** Nice name. Anyway, yep, that's Lan's son Patch! Also, the only reason I'm going with "Megs" instead of "Stream" is because of canon, where Patch's Navi name is "MegaManJr." But, you do have a good idea. His "real world" name will be "Stream", now. Thank you!

**Rockster:** Sorry about your aunt. And congrats on your 3rd place. Now, Pride and Raika are taking care of Creamland. It's a small concept I took from the anime. Lan's time stop was something I figured I could give him, because while he has the Matter Waves, he needed something else that could help solve problems since he's not a superhero like Geo. It also allows him to get people and himself out of sticky situations. Geo will eventually even the score, though.

As for why I included Chisao in this arc, it's just as a guest party member, and he was an afterthought that I wasn't even using a whole lot. Yes, I'm completely aware of the faking his kidnapping arc in _Battle Network 4 _and how whiny he is in the games. He's had a bit of a chance to mature a little, though, and he can be a decent friend to Cherri for this arc.

That's the ultimate tragedy, here. Nobody in 22XX, not even Geo himself (at first), knew who Lan was. But now that he does, he's a fan. Sonia was one of the few people that know what Lan has done without having to look it up. Still, it hurts that Lan his brother Hub were forgotten to history, and save for a few cameos, didn't really get much mention in the _Star Force _games despite them being sequels.

And yes... due to an incident in their timeline, Patch and MegaManJr were exposed to the Time Waves along with... something else. They're now trapped in an alternate timeline where they were never born, and are still pursuing their foe because of how dangerous he is. That foe being Sigma. This isn't the Reploid Sigma from the _Mega Man X_ games, however. Keep in mind, though, the origins of Sigma in the _Mega Man X_ games, though. This will be similar, but slightly different.

Wait, are we talking about Dark Miyabi? The mercenary guy who has ShadowMan as a Navi? That guy? Well, tempting to make use of him... I'll see what I can do. Him and Raoul are now in the running for most requested cameos. NapalmMan does sort of count as a villain, though.

And yeah, Geo did grab the idiot ball at the end of the last chapter, here, but to be fair, you don't exactly have a lot of time to stop and think with blaring sirens, a professional soldier drawing a gun at you, and a crying little girl all at once.

**Guest:** Why can't they? They may be made of electromagnetic waves, but they're still living creatures, and they had to have been made somehow prior to mankind just inventing Wizards.

Alright, that's all for now! I'm gonna go watch a movie. Farewell, my subjects!


End file.

Mega Man, Adventure, Sci-Fi