Chapter 1, Part 3: Infestation

[Van]

"Yea, yea." Van said as he continued rocking back and forth, watching Thomas leave out the door. Van stopped again and looked towards Luso. "So what is this 'member's dues'?"

[Luso]

"Just money that keeps Weil running. In the mean time...you wanna battle? I mean for fun. We've been fighting each other non stop. Some of us have gotten severed limbs, others have gotten pumped with sleep gas and poison darts. So lets just have a fun battle."

Luso turned to Van, looking for an answer.

"And it might be wise to return to the academy. Now that the Dimensional Area bussiness has been resolved, we might be missed."

Van got up from his chair reluctantly.

"I already called one of my jets."

Just then Luso's guardian, Higgens, came in.

"Are you ready to depart, Monsieur Luso?"

"Yes. Come Van. I think this is the first time we can act like...... 'not' enemies."

With that, the trio was off into the Jet and wisked away half way across the world to the academy.

[Van]

Van was sitting in his pilot's seat with Luso in the co-pilot's seat, all controls disabled of course. Lyn was in the back, napping. "Well then I believe I'd enjoy that battle Luso. What do you think Trance?" Van asked Trance in his PET, which was sitting on the dashboard connected to the control network. "Sounds good." Trance replied. "Then it's a go. But not today, I could use a good nights sleep for once."

Van pressed a blue button on the control panel and said, "Trance you take over for a few minutes." Trance replied, "Roger." Van then took out his wallet and handed Luso a wad of Zenny. Luso stared at it with wide open eyes as Van said, "That ought to cover my 'member's dues'. And yes, I'm filthy rich." With that Van took back control of the plane and said on the jet's intercom, "Attention passengers, we are approaching our destination, The Netbattle Academy, I repeat, we are approaching our destination."

[Ace]

Chris walked into the academy to find everything in ruins. He knew everything that was happening. On the island, at least. He knew Thomas had an Island Base, but he didn't know where that was. The one thing he did know, that was of true importance, was that Van and switched sides. This could be in his favor, unless he was thinking of betrayal. As for himself, he didn't care whose side he was on. Van, Thomas, or Luso could either try to kill or severe him, or make him turn. He would cooperate if they tried to convince him, but he had a plan if they tried the other. His research was complete. He knew that Weil was not his true threat, at least for now. He saw a plane land nearby. He guessed, Van and Luso. Possibly Thomas, although he was informed that his personal satelite was down for now. He continued on his way, ignoring the plane.

[Van]

The jet was landing in a clearing at the academy. As it landed Luso noticed a figure walking off in the distance. "There's Chris." Luso observed. "Irrelevant. Thomas said he'll handle it and I for one am going to leave it at that." Van replied as the jet landed.

"I'll email you tomorrow about that battle. For now I'm going to go clean that room you trashed. And by the way a left a present in yours." Van called to Luso as he began walking back to his dorm with Lyn alongside him. Van chuckled at the thought of Luso's face as he found his room as trashy as his own at the moment.

As the couple walked into the rather messy room Van turned around and said, "Before we get cleaning there's something I wanted to talk to you about." "I'm staying. That's final." Lyn interrupted, stopping Van in his tracks. Van sighed and said, "How on earth do you do that?" Lyn gave out a giggle and replied, "It's not that hard to get in your head, especially with all the time I've know you." Van was simply standing there, mesmerized by her gentle smile and her cute, glistening eyes.

He quickly turned away so he wouldn't get too distracted by her beauty, but was still smiling. It had been awhile since he had a real smile on his face, not just his usual fakes. "Fine, fine. We should get cleaning then." Van said as he began piling the trash. "Alright then. So where will I be sleeping?" Lyn asked as she was sweeping the dust and shattered objects. "Well there's only one bed still intact so I suppose we'll have to share. I've got new furniture, computers, and appliances coming in sometime later today, but I didn't think I'd need a bed." "That's fine." She replied as she dumped the last of the trash into the box.

[Luso]

Luso trudged throught the masses of garbage in his room.

"Present? God, what sense of humor you've got Van. Higgens?" Luso's servant's head popped throught the doorway. "Yes, Master Luso?"

"Please clean this place up."

As his servant began to clean the room, Luso pondered his past.

He had separated himself from his father at a young age, his mother dying long before that. He had rised in the ranks of the underworld of Netopia long before his father had given up trying to find him. He had now created and maintained many successful bussinesses internationally, with the help of crime bosses around the world. Higgens serving as his trusted servant. Higgens also served as the alias he used to front as owner of all the bussinesses, while Luso stuck to the shadows. Luso was the one who made all the genius bussiness decisions. Then he snapped back to reality as his servant said...

"Master Luso, your room is of perfect condition."

Luso feasted his eyes on his room, restored to it's former glory. "Your dismissed, Higgens. I believe there is a bussiness meeting today. In Yumland. I believe your disguise will be the, Chuck a Min Dowe."

Higgens trekked out of the room, trying to recall how to speak Yumlandinese.

Luso looked at the clock. It was extremely late. As he pondered his strategy for fighting Van and Trance, he drifted off to sleep.

[Van]

Van and Lyn had finally been done cleaning and redecorating the room, and had gone to bed. While Lyn was fast asleep Van just lied there, staring at the ceiling. He had observed a few of Luso's battles, and had a strategy worked out for the most part, though a good bit was based on luck.

What he was really thinking about was his history. Something had triggered these thoughts in his mind during the last few days, perhaps the illusion of seeing his loved ones killed. He was about 7 when his village was attacked by bandits. Right in front of his eyes his father was killed by a cheap shot from behind and his mother followed along with his brother as Van watched in horror. The bandit then proceeded to approach Lyn, who was crying in an ally. As soon as he saw the bandit raise his axe Van picked up his fathers sword, charged at the bandit, and blocked the attack. He then proceeded to use his small amount of training to have him drop his axe by cutting off his hand with a quick stroke and stabbed straight through is chest, avenging his parents.

He then fled the village with Lyn, knowing he couldn't defeat the entire gang. After about a week of traveling they came across a village that welcomed them in after hearing their story. There they befriended a quiet genius girl, the green-thumbed daughter of the village's master blacksmith, and the rowdy son of the village's taijutsu master. He lived there for many years, perfecting his swordsmanship and taijutsu, and taking mercenary jobs on occasion. Until he decided to attend the Netbattle Academy with the navi he made from his brother's data.

Lyn had trained to become a great ninja. She excelled in stealth as well as weaponry and assassination. She always had her stealth suit with her, equipped with her tools pouch at her thigh, filled with shuriken, kunai knives, and poison needles, two diamond alloy Katana on her back, and metal plating on her hands and shins, a mask to go over her mouth and nose for gas protection, and a bullet proof vest underneath.

Her custom navi, Fiona, was also a ninja, excelling in many of the things Lyn did. She could also place paper bombs and carried a scythe. She moves at incredible speeds, so fast most navis can't even see her. Sh has long, spiky, pink hair with no helmet. She has red armor as light as Trance's with two pink stripes down her arms and legs, and he symbol was two curved red lines crossing each other. She usually would tease Trance, but also help him out if he was in trouble.

Van let out a sigh and finally closed his eyes. However he was still awake, still thinking. Sometime after midnight he dozed of to sleep while pondering his strategy for battling Luso & Mesmero.

[Luso]

Luso awoke to his alarm, set for a day later. Thomas was supposed to get back to them today. And by now all the necessary repairs should've been made to the academy. He slouched over to the first class he was supposed to take that day: "Netbattling." He noticed Van was already there. "Ready?"

Van looked up from his seat. "

sry gotta finish l8r

[Van]

Van had spent his free time mostly with Lyn, on a picnic, on the net, and doing some training. He also over saw the repairs for Thomas' satillite. He got plenty of rest for the match, as did Trance. Van yawned as he got up from bed and said, "Today is that day." "Morning sleepy. I made breakfast for us." Lyn greeted him from the table as she was eating the breakfast of Orange Juice, Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, and French Toast she had made for Van and herself. "Ahh, the delicous smell of your wonderful French Toast." Van said as he walked over and took a seat at the table. "Eat up." Lyn said as she smiled at him from across the table.

After having his breakfast Van walked off to his first class of the day, Netbattling. "You've got the strategy down right Trance?" Van asked as he took out his PET. As he turned a corner Trance replied, "Yea, think so." "Good."

Van walked into the room and took his seat in the back and said, "Hmm sleeping a bit late, eh Luso?" Van look around at the other people in the room. Thomas usualy would have been there but Van knew he wouldn't be back until late this afternoon. Luso finally walked in about 30 seconds before the bell. Luso immediatly turned to look at Van and said, "Ready?"

[Luso]

"Let's just say, I wish you good luck and hope you do the same for me."

"Well, Good luck Van. Oh, and I think I worked out some kinks that you'll enjoy."
As Mr. Hikuri babbled on about a new student, Lyn something or another, Lyn glided into the room. Van looked astonished.

"I guess this means no more hiding out in your room, huh?"

Van kept the surprised face look for a bit longer than gave Luso a sly smile. "Thanks, Luso."

Then the time came for a demonstration Net battle.

Mr.Hikaru explained...."Today will be a bit different than other days. I can now procture a 3 on 3 Netbattle." He waited for the whoops and hip hip hoorays to start, rise up, slow down, then stop. "So I need 4 students."

Luso and Van stood without thinking, but Lyn was close behind Van. Luso turned and observed Chris in the class, and motioned for him to join them. Mr. Hikuri looked over the student.

"Now please choose your navi data, as your third teammate. We have a fine selection from Megaman's memory data."

Luso didn't wait to talk it out as Van and Lyn did. He immediatly said "Kingman."

From what Luso understood, Van and Lyn both used ninja Navis. He was practicing guessing what they were gonna do, so he could counter it. Blues, he thought.

"Blues." Van and Lyn said together.

"Well then." Mr, Hikaru said jacking his navi in, "I'll referee."

"Gnar!"
"Trance!"
"Mesmero!"
"Fiona!"

"Jack in, execute!"

[Ace]

OOC: Wait, I don't understand. Van and Lyn are on a "team" basically. So what about Chris? I understand that he's either on Luso's side, or solo. I need to know which, though.

[Van]

OOC: It's Van/Trance, Lyn/Fiona, and Blues Vs. Luso/Mesmero, Chris/Gnar, and Kingman. A 3 on 3 match.

[Ace]

OOC: Ah. Well, we're waiting for the next Thread, so...

Chris nodded when Luso suggested Kingman. Mesmero and Kingman would work wonderfully together. Both Navis of strategy, they also inherited similar skills, when Mesmero was in his Ace Tactician Morph.