Chapter Text
From: No Name
Subject: Looking 4 Dark Chips
Message: I'm looking for something to boost my NetBattle skills. I've heard about some powerful chips being sold down here in the Undernet. Any chance someone can hook me up?
From: No Name
Subject: Re: Looking 4 Dark Chips
Message: Nice try officer.
From: No Name
Subject: Dude Seriously?
Message: I am so tired of Dark Chip posts on this board. Don't you addicts have anything better to chat about?
From: No Name
Subject: Something better to chat about
Message: I got into virus breeding recently. These little guys are surprisingly useful as backup in a fight, but have eaten me out of all of my BugFrags :( Anyone know where the best place to get more is?
From: BlkShdw
Subject: Fight me MegaMan.
Message: Meet me in Undernet5 at 6pm. I know you check these boards.
From: No Name
Subject: Re: Something better to chat about
Message: Try busting some weaker viruses. Mettaurs on the surface net are easy enough to counter.
From: BlkShdw
Subject: Fight Me MegaMan!
Message: Respond coward.
From: No Name
Subject: Re: Fight me MegaMan!
Message: Sorry, but tonight is Lan's parent-teacher conference. Let's do tomorrow instead.
From: BlkShdw
Subject: Pathetic
Message: Agreed. If you didn't rely on weak humans this wouldn't be an issue.
From: No Name
Subject: Thank you!
Message: I'll try this out. Stop by Undernet2 sometime and I'll toss you a few chips as a thank you.
From: No Name
Subject: Re: Pathetic
Message: >:(
From: Admin
Subject: Betting Pool
Message: I'm starting a betting pool on the fight between Bass and MegaMan. Anyone else want in on this? If so, reply with your wagers.
From: No Name
Subject: Re: Betting Pool
Message: 800 zenny on Bass!
From: No Name
Subject: I cannot Beat this Navi
Message: I've fought this wind-type navi a few times, but he keeps beating me. I just can't dodge his twisters. Any advice on getting the upper hand?
From: No Name
Subject: Re: Betting Pool
Message: 2500 Zenny on Bass
From: No Name
Subject: Re: Betting Pool
Message: 700 on megaman
From: No Name
Subject: Re: I cannot Beat this Navi
Message: Ugh. THAT guy. Why are there so many copies of him flying around these days? Anyway, wind navis are weak against swords but strong against lock-on blasters. Try reorganizing your folder accordingly. Alternatively, just use Dark Chips >:)
From: BlkShdw
Subject: Re: Betting Pool
Message: Screw you girly-man. Also 2500 Zenny on Bass.
From: No Name
Subject: Re: Betting Pool
Message: 1200 on MegaMan. @BlkShdw, you can't bet on yourself...
From: Admin
Subject: Bass betting on Bass
Message: I'll allow Bass to bet on himself only because it will make things funnier if he loses.
[Admin has promoted NoName4073 to Named User]
[Admin has renamed NoName4073 to BluBombr]
From: Admin
Subject: Account Promotion
Message: MegaMan, I'm promoting your account to make this official. I hope you don't mind the loss of anonymity.
From: BluBombr
Subject: Re: Account Promotion
Message: It's fine :)
From: BlkShdw
Subject: Re: Bass betting on Bass
Message: I won't lose. Changing my bet to 5000 Zenny on principle.
From: CopyKitty
Subject: Re: Betting Pool
Message: 3000 on MegaMan. @BluBombr don't lose or you'll make me look bad. @Admin while you are here, please change my username to something more dignified.
[Admin has renamed CopyKitty to CopyKitten]
From: BlkShdw
Subject: [None]
Message: This place is a circus.
[Admin has renamed BlkShdw to FinHead]
Bass logged out of UnderBBS, only slightly annoyed by Serenade's latest antics. Soon he would be strong enough to challenge the fabled king of the Undernet again, and next time, he would win. Bass was sure of that. Yet, the thought of fighting Serenade brought him little joy. It was only a formality, a test that was needed to prove that he was the strongest in the network. There was no thrill to it, not like fighting MegaMan.
Bass smirked under the cover of his cloak as he remembered the last time they had fought. Even though he had been under Nebula Gray's influence at the time, he could still remember the way his body had moved as he dodged MegaMan's attacks and struck out with his own. The enticing flow of battle had made him completely forget about the circumstances that had brought him there.
MegaMan had not backed down like all of the others that he challenged. Each time the fight knocked him down, MegaMan came back stronger than ever. He was like Bass, fighting was in his code whether he wanted to admit it or not. Perhaps that was why Bass had this incessant itch to fight him again.
When the day of their fight came, Bass couldn't stop himself from arriving early. He studied the soon-to-be battlefield from under the copied effects of an invisibility chip. Someone had managed to set up a small arena at the meeting place. No doubt Serenade was involved, but Bass had to wonder how he had managed to set it up so quickly. Perhaps he had enlisted those 'disciples' of his.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Serenade, taking his place floating above the spectator's seating. Bass watched him shoot a wide smile in his direction. He wasn't even surprised that Serenade could see through his cover. The lord of the Undernet had done more impossible things in the past. At this point, Bass had decided to just write off any oddities as Serenade being Serenade.
When MegaMan arrived to the fight ten minutes early, Bass watched him closely. The blue navi chatted with his fans in the spectator area, cheeks bright red with embarrassment. Bass could hear the faint, disembodied static of his operator's voice as he joined in on the conversation. Unlike MegaMan, Lan eagerly soaked up any and all praise thrown his way. While both NetNavi and operator were proud of their skills, Lan was clearly more ready to admit it. They were an odd pair to say the least, but there was no room for the human in his plans.
Bass let MegaMan wait out the ten minutes before he finally showed himself, removing his invisibility as he gently floated in from above the arena. He was vaguely aware that Serenade was announcing something from above him, but at this moment, his thoughts were only on MegaMan. He had been waiting for this fight for far too long.
When their eyes locked, it was all the signal that Bass needed to begin his attack. He launched forward, firing on MegaMan with his dual busters as a warning that the fight was starting now. He would not be paying attention to Serenade's charade. He was here for MegaMan alone. The rest was background noise.
MegaMan easily dodged the attack and countered with a shot of his own. Bass took it square in the chest. Even though the blast was too weak to do actual damage, he could tell that it was stronger than before. Bass smiled wildly as ripped into MegaMan with an Earthbreaker. Even as his foe cried out in pain, he was preparing his next attack, hitting Bass with a M-Cannon that sent him flying.
Bass grunted under the force of the attack, but held his ground. MegaMan charged forward, Life Sword in hand, as Bass fired upon him with his busters. Once he was within striking distance, Bass answered the Life Sword with his own Dark Arm Blade. When then two attacks connected, a massive blast of energy rocked through the Undernet.
MegaMan lost his focus, looking away from Bass to ensure that the audience hadn't been caught in the crossfire. It was all that Bass needed to press the advantage. His blade pierced MegaMan's side, leaving streams of data flowing from the injury. Idiot. Did he think Serenade would have set this all up only to have the crowd obliterated by one attack? Those eyes should be on him and him alone!
MegaMan staggered backwards, clutching the injury. Bass let his operator load in a recovery chip, resuming his attack as soon as he saw it's soft green glow emanate from MegaMan's body. A bright flash of light burst from his opponent as MegaMan took on his Search Soul. Bass was entirely unprepared for the barrage of cannon fire that descended on him the moment that the transformation ended. It tore straight through his barriers as if they were never there.
Unlike MegaMan, he had no operator to heal his injuries. He didn't need one. Bass welcomed the pain and the focus that it brought him. It was part of the game, and for the first time since Alpha's revival, Bass was having fun. He rushed MegaMan with a Darkness Overload at the ready, only vaguely aware of his own injuries. As MegaMan pointed the barrel of a charged Giga Cannon towards him, Bass could see the confident smile on his face. MegaMan was every bit as into this fight as he was.
The light of the Giga Cannon collected into a single point before ripping through the air. As he rolled out of the way, the heat of the blast singed his cloak and pricked at his skin, but Bass couldn't stop now. He picked up speed, crying out as he collided with his foe.
MegaMan's smile fell as Bass's hand ripped through his chest. His Giga Cannon broke apart into nothing. His Search Soul faded in an instant.
Bass removed his hand from MegaMan's chest and watched him slump to the ground. His operator cried out in panic, though Bass could only barely hear it over the pounding of his ears. A green glow collected around MegaMan as his operator loaded him full of recovery chips. Good. It was less work for him if the human took care of keeping MegaMan in one piece.
Bass tilted his chin up and allowed himself a single second to bask in his victory. He had come here for more than just one fight. There was no point in waiting around and risking someone like Serenade interfering.
He placed his free hand on MegaMan's head. His rival's dazed eyes drifted up to meet his own before Bass gave the command.
“Sleep.” He ordered, forcing MegaMan into standby mode. The unconscious navi fell forward into Bass' chest as he opened a rift in the fabric of cyberspace behind them. Bass grabbed his fallen rival by the armpits and threw him over his shoulder before taking a step back through the rift with MegaMan in tow. The operator's loud voice cut out as the rift snapped shut behind him.