Loyalty

"Sir, we're almost at the set time." Louige checked his watch and went to Reiko.

"I wonder if they can make it on time."

"Just put the men on stand-by. I'm sure they'll pull this through." Reiko replied. "He's my son anyway."

"Hai. You're right, Reiko-sama"

"Anyway, do we have an update about their whereabouts?" Reiko asked.

"Unfortunately, we don't have anything sir. The system's currently debugging the program update and we're almost done but we can't still get a hold of them. I hope in a few minutes we'll get to hear a word from them already."

"Update, huh?" Reiko sighed. "What's that about?"

"It seems that the program was overwritten. The previous data we have was wiped out and replaced by a new software, Sir."

"What's this new software?"

"It's Synapse, Sir." Louige fell silent.

"What?" Reiko exclaimed. He felt a cold water sipped through his veins. "How could they got their hand on that program? It was banned since it was presented at—"

"It seems someone has that access in our recycle bin, Sir. I was careless."

"No." Reiko lowered his head. "It was my fault. I just can't believe they've got hold of that loathsome software. I never thought they will still use that abominable thing. We didn't even have to debug that program to know it's specs..."

"I know Sir. It was not just meant for discriminating the user by labeling, it also corrupts the mind that is somehow similar to addiction."

"When they use that program, it's like the user has taken a drug. Clearly a manifestation of a virus."

"A drug that will cause apathy."

"That is why it was not approved from the very start. It was not safe."

"But it was used here and now, Sir."

"That's—"

"Not just that..." Louige continued. He showed a tab on his pad. "It was merged with another game. Perhaps the interface was used to add aesthetics but still—"

"The effect is still the same. The kids are all in danger." Reiko's voice dropped deep in the ocean. He felt like suffocated from the fact he's heard. "I'm pretty sure his mom's dead worried right now." Reiko muttered, trying to ease his worries. "Ha-chan.."

"She's always been like that." Louige replied, staring blankly at the screen.

"Ahh. That's what I like about her." He tried to draw a smile on his face "I've gotta prepare myself for a scolding."

"Ahh. You should sir."

A gust of wind entered the window that turned the air heavy. The alarm on their system sounded that send shivers on Reiko's spine.

"What on earth is this all about now?" he exclaimed and jumped from his seat.

...

Hachiro, dressed in fear, froze at the moment as he stared at the screen.

"Good riddance my fellow hacker. Long time no see." A voice from the speaker said with malice. A deep coarse voice with the same ambiance of the one Hachiro fought where he almost died.

Hachiro felt numb.

"I'm glad you're still alive, though I wont be happier to know you're dead..." the voice giggled. "Anyway, we can still play a lot of games, right. Are you ready for the finale?"

"What have you done?" Hachiro muttered. He gripped his fist and gritted his teeth to control his madness. He took a step forward, but his body felt stiff.

"Oh, this one?" the voice nonchalantly replied. "Never mind the codes running in your screen, it's just some kind of a virus." He ended with a mean laugh. "It will damage all your system though."

"How dare you!" Hachiro exclaimed. "You knew our plan from the very start?"

"I can be wherever I want to be. Of course I know your plan. All places inside the AR is in my control. Not a single detail can escape my grasp dear."

"So—"

"I knew from the very start what you've been planning. How you'll wind up the port, get the key from my palace and even the back up you have waiting with their ship." The voice replied. "I laughed on every single detail you use to make an escape. Hahaha! I never expected you'll dance skillfully in the palm of my hands." The voice added. "I can't have enough of your pathetic thoughts as you speak with cautiousness. I can't keep myself not to laugh.."

"You demon! That's—"

"My business dear." The voice immediately turned sinister "Don't worry, I'll give you a chance to fight me one-on-one." Hachiro was stopped of a second. "Struggle to your death boy." The voice continued. "I'll wait for you. Let's settle this fight once and for all. I never admitted my defeat on our previous fight at Numbres that's why I challenged you at Loki. And this time, I'll make you suffer like never before. Hahahahaha!"

"Like I will let you!" Hachiro yelled. "I'll get you for good this time, freak!"

"Oh, scary... well, I do hope you'll give me a good game, Markus." The voice laughed again. "Oh, and one piece of advice..."

"I don't—"

"Just hear me out, okay? The program you'll activate with your watches, it's a virus. I've injected something on your codes and it's dangerous so..." Hachiro fell on his knees as the voice said these words. "Well, I'll wipe half of your friends coz I don't need them anyway. They're just one snap away. Bye!" and the screen turned off.

"No..." Hachiro's voice barely escape from his lips.

....

"You think the guys can keep up, Andra?" Andi asked as he picked his pilot goggles up. "The wind's changing every second."

"Don't tell me you're freaking out, Andi?" Andra flamed her hand, intimidating her cousin.

"Of course I'm not!" Andra complained. "But, in this situation, who wont?" he fell silent.

"Hai, hai..I'm not blaming you. I just—" Andra turned her flame off. "Anyway, your suit looks good on you."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No, I mean it really fits you for good." She smirked.

"You lying.."

"I'm not! You've got that barbaric dress up with a pilot goggles. You look manly for a while." Andra said.

"Well, if that's a compliment.." Andi looked away. "You look good on your red dress, too." He blushed.

"At least don't look away, idiot!" she grabbed his hair and squished it.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!"

Shriek!

"And you have that guy.." Andra pointed on a horse-sized bat with a 4-meter span flying above them.

"But, he wont listen to me.."

"Just like his owner, huh.." Andra smirked again, now with her usual grin.

"What was that about?!" Andi complained. "Anyway, I kinda like the update. It looks cool."

"You bet.." Andra looked around. "Everything changed in a matter of time. Look at Jayson."

Andi did what he's told.

"He's got that blue robe with a golden hood and that gold ball looked interesting."

"I guess he's an intelligence type."

"You guess it right. You can check their specs using the scan in our menu, right?"

"You see Tori on her green cocktail nature themed dress."

"And there's Michiyo. She looks like an ice princess."

"Will she sing 'Let it go'?"

"That's not it, idiot!" Andra poked his temple. "Even Yuri looked cool on his outfit."

"He looks dangerous. That violet robe feels like poison."

"You're imagining things.."

"Sorry." Andi muttered. "Well, Michael looks like a dumb samurai."

"He might hear you, idiot." Andra warned.

"I'll be carefull. But look at his costume. He's like a Shogun in blue flames."

"I think that's cool."

"What?!" Andi pouted. "Well, Sandra looked very cool on her outfit."

"Yeah, I kinda envy that girl. She looks like an Assassin with her black fur robe with an Archer set with her. AHHHHH, I really like that get up!"

"But being the flaming lady suits you well.."

"What did you say?!"

"Nothing!"

"But you see—"

"See what?"

"That Hachiro guy has not changed yet.."

"Ahh. I've noticed."

"What could he look like. If Ned said that our Character was based on our personality and brain wave patterns, I wonder what kind of person will he show this time."

"I guess that's when we'll see who he really is. If there's one good thing about this update, I guess that's it. We'll know the true colors of our company."

"I'm really amazed when you talk with sense every now and then, Andi.."

"That's rude, cousin.." Andi replied. "I always talk with sense.." he said confidently.

"Oh really, since when?"

Their watches sounded.

"Oh, he's done with the update."

"Let's see how things go."

And they pressed the ok button.

...

"Ha-chan!!"

Oh. Why... I guess I'm hearing things again. What am I doing again? I was—

Ha-chan!

There it goes again. Who was yelling my name? I can barely hear you idiot! What's this feeling? I can't move an inch. But, I kinda feel calm. This place is where I cannot feel any problem, distress and--

Ha-ch—

Oh, I remember. It felt like that time. When Flight Loki finally crashed in the ocean. This fells nostalgic. Is this fear? Defeat? I can't even distinguish but it fells so familiar. Ahhhahhh, I've done it gain perhaps. I've—

"Ha-chan! Snap out of it, you idiot!" Shichiro landed his claws on Hachiro's face for the tenth time. "We need to do something now. So you better, stand there and get ready to fight!" the angry fox exclaimed. "There's no time to daydream, idiot!"

"Shi-chan?" Hachiro stared at the fox with blank eyes.

"Yeah, that's my name! So, what?"

"Ahh—" Hachiro stood wobbly. "I'm sorry I lost it for a second."

"That's what I'm here for, idiot. To bring you back like the old times."

"But.. we're all doomed..."

"No, that's not it!" Shichiro exclaimed. "That's not the Hachiro I've known. He will stand no matter how many times he fall. He stayed positive even in the most negative times. He stood and fight even if things are not meant to be won. He is the Hachiro I know and the master I've sworn my loyalty."

"Shi-chan.."

"If you're not that master anymore, I will drag you back for sure."

"You don't have to do that. I'm sorry.."

"Shikari shirou yo...mada mada da ze.." And Shichiro led the way out of the tent. "I wont end it like this.."