Mill followed behind the girls at a snail's pace, as Erin's wheelchair in front of him wasn't exactly built for speed on any terrain, let alone soft sand. After hearing her snide remark about Rania's PET, Mill added, "Well, you never know what could happen. I can't say I was expecting to be pelted by sand balls today, and I'm just lucky that none of it got into my PET." He sounded fairly unconcerned about it, but this was too good of a shot to pass up. "It may seem weird for Rania to have waterproofed her PET, but there's no harm in preparing for the unknown." In effect Mill was lecturing Erin on the matter, and that probably would not prove to be a good idea in the near future...
"Showing off a knowledge of PETs is not how you impress the ladies, Mill." chided Anyis. "... Well, NetBattling isn't exactly high up on the scale either, but it's an improvement. Just jack me in already so we can get this started."
"Fine, fine..." sighed Mill as he pulled up the coordinates Rania had sent. "... Hades? Wasn't expecting to go back there so soon."
"Really? Ha! This is going to be good..." laughed Anyis at the revelation. Hades Net had already suffered through one campaign of the chilly spirit medium recently, and for Anyis to go back there so soon... Well, somehow, somewhere, someone is pitying the firey viruses who call that hellhole home. Mill jacked his Navi into the same port as Rania did, and just like that Anyis was off after her allies.
(Jack In, Hades Net)
Rania Hits the Beach
last edited by
"Y-Yes! That's exactly right. It never hurts to be prepared," Rania blubbered. Again, in spite of her natural attitude of caring, she was happy that she and Mill had managed to get a 2 versus 1 opinion of the non-nerdiness of a waterproofed PET established. "Anyways, let's see how our navis are doing," she muttered, staring down into her PET and resting her sizable buttocks upon a picnic table's hard, wooden bench.
She set her small, sporty exercise bag to the side (what was more assuring of her non-nerdiness than such a bag?) and tried not to stare at it. One corner of the black, dragon print shirt peaked out of the side at her, beckoning her to pull it out and again hide her body in its cozy defense. To her it was almost like a panic button. If operation flaunt-my-adult-body was really working against her, that shirt could provide her the protection she needed against the scorn of others with its universally agreeable coolness. Unfortunately, throwing it on now would be senseless, as a long black tee would not fit well with sitting unshaded in the healthy sun.
Rania decided to set aside her fears and wing it for a little while. "Maybe I've been being too aggressive... I should just be myself," she thought. "Besides, if he's really the guy for me, he'll accept me as I regularly am, right?" Her thoughts were largely fueled by romantic, fantasy-like ambition, but it certainly made them appear appealing to her. Even though she'd never managed to establish a real relationship with a guy before, perhaps this one would be different? He'd agreed with her over the waterproof PET, after all. That had to mean something!
Anyways, things were going to come to a halt if she could not manage to strike up some conversation. "So, while we're waiting on our navis to find this destination, why don't we talk about our navis a little? It'd probably help us coordinate a strategy," she suggested in a friendly way, leaning one elbow against the table and giving a cheery smile. A creeping sense of error had already begun to flash a warning light at the back of her mind, however. "Geez, stupid stupid stupid. If I have to explain or describe MeleeMan to these guys, how in the world am I going to do it?" she groaned within the confines of her mind. The thought nagged at her as she kept her face bright and sunny, waiting for the responses.
She set her small, sporty exercise bag to the side (what was more assuring of her non-nerdiness than such a bag?) and tried not to stare at it. One corner of the black, dragon print shirt peaked out of the side at her, beckoning her to pull it out and again hide her body in its cozy defense. To her it was almost like a panic button. If operation flaunt-my-adult-body was really working against her, that shirt could provide her the protection she needed against the scorn of others with its universally agreeable coolness. Unfortunately, throwing it on now would be senseless, as a long black tee would not fit well with sitting unshaded in the healthy sun.
Rania decided to set aside her fears and wing it for a little while. "Maybe I've been being too aggressive... I should just be myself," she thought. "Besides, if he's really the guy for me, he'll accept me as I regularly am, right?" Her thoughts were largely fueled by romantic, fantasy-like ambition, but it certainly made them appear appealing to her. Even though she'd never managed to establish a real relationship with a guy before, perhaps this one would be different? He'd agreed with her over the waterproof PET, after all. That had to mean something!
Anyways, things were going to come to a halt if she could not manage to strike up some conversation. "So, while we're waiting on our navis to find this destination, why don't we talk about our navis a little? It'd probably help us coordinate a strategy," she suggested in a friendly way, leaning one elbow against the table and giving a cheery smile. A creeping sense of error had already begun to flash a warning light at the back of her mind, however. "Geez, stupid stupid stupid. If I have to explain or describe MeleeMan to these guys, how in the world am I going to do it?" she groaned within the confines of her mind. The thought nagged at her as she kept her face bright and sunny, waiting for the responses.
last edited by
Ugh... She would have to ask that, of all things. "Well, uh... I don't really know Anyis all that well. I've only had her for a few weeks now." explained Mill reluctantly. "The ONB tournament was really the first battle experience I had with her, so that was all really... weird." In retrospect, Mill realized, it was a borderline miracle that they even got to the semifinals as a new Op/Navi pair.
"Her fighting style is pretty strange too, come to think of it." added Mill as an afterthought. "She fights with her fists, ice and water attacks, and... ghosts. I'm not really too sure how to explain the ghost thing, so that's probably better to just see for yourselves." Anyis had really only given him a proper explanation of the digital ghosts earlier today, so Mill was hardly in a position to repeat such a convoluted story to others.
"What about you two, though? I haven't really seen much of either of your Navis." said Mill, looking to Rania and Erin. He paused at the wheelchair-bound girl, though, then realized something: "Actually... I still don't even know your name." said Mill to Erin.
"Her fighting style is pretty strange too, come to think of it." added Mill as an afterthought. "She fights with her fists, ice and water attacks, and... ghosts. I'm not really too sure how to explain the ghost thing, so that's probably better to just see for yourselves." Anyis had really only given him a proper explanation of the digital ghosts earlier today, so Mill was hardly in a position to repeat such a convoluted story to others.
"What about you two, though? I haven't really seen much of either of your Navis." said Mill, looking to Rania and Erin. He paused at the wheelchair-bound girl, though, then realized something: "Actually... I still don't even know your name." said Mill to Erin.
last edited by
"Me? My name is Erin." The girl gave Mill another suspicious glance, as if he was attempting to discern her navi's secrets for some secret evil ulterior motive to later attack Seraphim later on and become his rival. "My navi's name is Seraphim." She said cautiously.
"He's an unusual navi." With that elaboration, Erin fell silent and clamped her mouth shut, looking at Rania. "How is Meleeman, Rania?" her lips pried open long enough for that short sentence, the small girl attempted to redirect the topic toward Rania and keep her nervous, suspicious silence around Mill.
"He's an unusual navi." With that elaboration, Erin fell silent and clamped her mouth shut, looking at Rania. "How is Meleeman, Rania?" her lips pried open long enough for that short sentence, the small girl attempted to redirect the topic toward Rania and keep her nervous, suspicious silence around Mill.
last edited by
Ordinarily Rania would have put on a very nice face and spewed out a very clever knitting of truths and lies to describe her navi in a positive light, but considering he'd just implied that he had more respect for someone he'd known for about 20 minutes than someone he'd known his entire lifetime, she didn't feel particularly gracious towards him. She was also feeling uncharacteristically brash and uncaring of the consequences of revealing what her navi was like. "Oh, you know... He's a meathead, good-for nothing neanderthal. All he does is fight. He degrades women in every way imaginable and also fails to accept men as equals most of the time. He regards his favorite moment of his life as fighting a mafia-produced clone of himself. He's terribly afraid of water so much that swimming in the sea or standing in the rain bothers him. He's also constantly insulting my br... brrr-" she rambled on and on, then slurred to a slow stop.
She stopped herself, realizing that she was about to bring self-insults into what was meant to be a tirade against her navi. "M-My brother. He's constantly insulting my poor little b-brother..." she muttered, looking down at her navi in defeat. He was completely distracted yet had somehow managed to ruin her socially without even opening his mouth.
Rania realized now that the only way to redeem herself by extension was to redeem her navi and make the previous statements seem like a joke. "He has some positive traits too. One time he worked to save a bunch of girls from a mafia attack. He uh... he's helped the Netpolice before by request. He's... very serious about his work and is, to his credit, very good at what he does. He's sort of the rebel that justifies his means by his end result, you know?" she laughed awkwardly, accidentally putting things into very cheesy terms. "B-But anyways, I think we all know plenty about each other's navis by now, right? We ought to move on to something else."
"Something else... Something else..." she thought seriously, her eyebrows perking as she struggled to come up with something. "Oh, I've got it! Did you guys hear about the tournament results? They say the winner was a little girl and that she won a rare chip called 'sanctuary!' That one's so rare that I've never even heard of it before! What do you suppose it does?" she asked Erin and Mill, her eyes shimmering with the thought of such a magnificent chip that they would award it to the winner of a large netbattle tournament.
She stopped herself, realizing that she was about to bring self-insults into what was meant to be a tirade against her navi. "M-My brother. He's constantly insulting my poor little b-brother..." she muttered, looking down at her navi in defeat. He was completely distracted yet had somehow managed to ruin her socially without even opening his mouth.
Rania realized now that the only way to redeem herself by extension was to redeem her navi and make the previous statements seem like a joke. "He has some positive traits too. One time he worked to save a bunch of girls from a mafia attack. He uh... he's helped the Netpolice before by request. He's... very serious about his work and is, to his credit, very good at what he does. He's sort of the rebel that justifies his means by his end result, you know?" she laughed awkwardly, accidentally putting things into very cheesy terms. "B-But anyways, I think we all know plenty about each other's navis by now, right? We ought to move on to something else."
"Something else... Something else..." she thought seriously, her eyebrows perking as she struggled to come up with something. "Oh, I've got it! Did you guys hear about the tournament results? They say the winner was a little girl and that she won a rare chip called 'sanctuary!' That one's so rare that I've never even heard of it before! What do you suppose it does?" she asked Erin and Mill, her eyes shimmering with the thought of such a magnificent chip that they would award it to the winner of a large netbattle tournament.
last edited by
"It's done? So I guess that means Pianissimo lost..." Mill shared Anyis's opinion of "you beat me, so beat everyone", so it was a bit of a disappointment to hear of his defeat. "As for Sanctuary, hold on a moment..." Even while his Navi was battling, there were certain parts of the Net that were always accessible at any given moment. Conveniently, one of those parts was the Battlechip database.
While he was navigating through the pages, Mill came to a realization in the back of his mind. For however reluctant she was willing to admit it, Rania had a problematic Navi in MeleeMan. For better or worse, Anyis wasn't much different to Mill. Her mischievous streak seemed to have no end at times, and more often than not he had to be the one on the receiving of her pranks. However, Mill might have been able to take solace in the fact that he was not alone in his Navi problems.
"... Oh, here it is." announced Mill as his discovery jogged his mind back to reality. "It's a terrain changer, apparently, that creates... Holy panels? Wow, that is rare." Mill slid his PET over to Rania so she could see the info on the screen. Meanwhile, he marveled at the fact that people could hand out stuff like that as prizes.
While he was navigating through the pages, Mill came to a realization in the back of his mind. For however reluctant she was willing to admit it, Rania had a problematic Navi in MeleeMan. For better or worse, Anyis wasn't much different to Mill. Her mischievous streak seemed to have no end at times, and more often than not he had to be the one on the receiving of her pranks. However, Mill might have been able to take solace in the fact that he was not alone in his Navi problems.
"... Oh, here it is." announced Mill as his discovery jogged his mind back to reality. "It's a terrain changer, apparently, that creates... Holy panels? Wow, that is rare." Mill slid his PET over to Rania so she could see the info on the screen. Meanwhile, he marveled at the fact that people could hand out stuff like that as prizes.
last edited by
Sighing and counting her winnings, Rania mused that the venture had been altogether rather successful. Her mind was already abuzz with all sorts of things that would be neat to give MeleeMan as a support program, but she couldn't decide on just one thing... Before she could give the matter any more thought, however, her PET began ringing, indicating that she had a call. Surprised, she answered the PET quickly, not knowing who could be on the other end.
Rania nodded, talking quietly. "Uh, sorry guys, it's Sensei. Er, my grandpa, that is. He says he's got something he needs to show me and that I need to get home immediately. It was lots of fun though! We should hang out and bust again some time," she smiled, getting up from her seat and stretching casually. "I'll send you guys a link with my e-mail in case you ever want to get back together."
MeleeMan, busy communicating with the GNA mission board, looked up at Rania skeptically. "If you can send them the link, doesn't that mean you already have their e-mails?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Nah, we can do it because we're in the area together. Once our navis and PETs all seperate, though, calling or e-mail will be the most efficient way to do it. And uh..." pausing, she bent down to the PET and whispered, looking very silly but accomplishing her goal of making it so that the others couldn't hear. "I don't want to give out my call number unless he asks..." she muttered, hiding her red face as she spoke.
"Oh wow. That's too old-fashioned. I mean it," he scoffed, turning his attention back to the GNA board.
Dismissing her navi's opinion, Rania sent the e-mail link to the others. "Alright. See you later!" she called cheerfully, putting back on her outfit quickly and topping it off with her fabled back-up dragon shirt. She left the sweatshirt off, as it was a little hot for that still. Tying up her sneakers, Rania jogged up the beach to head for the metroline.
((Heading to Electown))
Rania nodded, talking quietly. "Uh, sorry guys, it's Sensei. Er, my grandpa, that is. He says he's got something he needs to show me and that I need to get home immediately. It was lots of fun though! We should hang out and bust again some time," she smiled, getting up from her seat and stretching casually. "I'll send you guys a link with my e-mail in case you ever want to get back together."
MeleeMan, busy communicating with the GNA mission board, looked up at Rania skeptically. "If you can send them the link, doesn't that mean you already have their e-mails?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Nah, we can do it because we're in the area together. Once our navis and PETs all seperate, though, calling or e-mail will be the most efficient way to do it. And uh..." pausing, she bent down to the PET and whispered, looking very silly but accomplishing her goal of making it so that the others couldn't hear. "I don't want to give out my call number unless he asks..." she muttered, hiding her red face as she spoke.
"Oh wow. That's too old-fashioned. I mean it," he scoffed, turning his attention back to the GNA board.
Dismissing her navi's opinion, Rania sent the e-mail link to the others. "Alright. See you later!" she called cheerfully, putting back on her outfit quickly and topping it off with her fabled back-up dragon shirt. She left the sweatshirt off, as it was a little hot for that still. Tying up her sneakers, Rania jogged up the beach to head for the metroline.
((Heading to Electown))
last edited by
However abuzz Rania's mind was, Mill's was fairly blank. The payout for winning the tournament was good, but he really had no clue what they even accepted this mission for. Rania seemed excited, though, so Mill figured it had to be at least somewhat cool. Maybe a new upgrade or something.
As Rania address the phone call she got, Mill got a message from the GNA with the mission reward attached. "Support Program Base?" said Mill curiously as he read the filename.
"It's an SP tool kit, maybe? I've never had an SP before, but after seeing Voulge's, MachMan's, and Seraphim's lately, it could be fun to get one of my own." suggested Anyis as she unpacked the SP Base from the message.
"Yeah, might as well. We've already seen a really wide range of what SPs could be, so I'll need to think for a while before I figure out what to make." replied Mill as he uploaded the program to his PET's harddrive.
"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not have magic clothes like Seraphim does. Something more Navi-ish, like Aera." suggested Anyis in a do-it-or-else type of manner.
"Navi-like..." pondered Mill as his mind fished back to recent memory for inspiration. He thought of the GolemHit he had just received, and something there made it click. "Golem... Hey, Anyis. Do you think if we used the core data you saved, we could...?"
"Core data? You mean... Oh! Maybe? I don't know how well it'd work in something as confined as a PET, but it's worth a try." answered Anyis. "I'll take any chance to pay back that favor I owe."
With the prospect that was now in front of him, Mill was finally excited about this mission reward. He suddenly jumped out of his seat and said, "Sorry, I need to go too! I can go ahead and trade emails, but there's something I absolutely have to do as soon as possible!" As soon as emails were exchanged, Mill dashed off without another word in a mad sprint for the Metroline.
(Moving to ACDC)
As Rania address the phone call she got, Mill got a message from the GNA with the mission reward attached. "Support Program Base?" said Mill curiously as he read the filename.
"It's an SP tool kit, maybe? I've never had an SP before, but after seeing Voulge's, MachMan's, and Seraphim's lately, it could be fun to get one of my own." suggested Anyis as she unpacked the SP Base from the message.
"Yeah, might as well. We've already seen a really wide range of what SPs could be, so I'll need to think for a while before I figure out what to make." replied Mill as he uploaded the program to his PET's harddrive.
"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not have magic clothes like Seraphim does. Something more Navi-ish, like Aera." suggested Anyis in a do-it-or-else type of manner.
"Navi-like..." pondered Mill as his mind fished back to recent memory for inspiration. He thought of the GolemHit he had just received, and something there made it click. "Golem... Hey, Anyis. Do you think if we used the core data you saved, we could...?"
"Core data? You mean... Oh! Maybe? I don't know how well it'd work in something as confined as a PET, but it's worth a try." answered Anyis. "I'll take any chance to pay back that favor I owe."
With the prospect that was now in front of him, Mill was finally excited about this mission reward. He suddenly jumped out of his seat and said, "Sorry, I need to go too! I can go ahead and trade emails, but there's something I absolutely have to do as soon as possible!" As soon as emails were exchanged, Mill dashed off without another word in a mad sprint for the Metroline.
(Moving to ACDC)
last edited by
Erin sat there for a minute, pursing her lips as she looked for something in her chip bag as her rewards came through.
"Ergh. I'm going to need to ask that nurse to get some more stuff for us--- and that means I'll need to promise to behave. For at least a couple days." The small girl shrugged with some mix of frustration and exasperation as she tried to wheel herself further out of the sand. She may have coughed once or twice, but she was fine. at least, that's what she told herself as she rolled into the hospital, whereupon at least three nurses set on her, exclaiming their horror at the sand everywhere on her.
"Did you have fun?" a skeptical voice asked. Erin knew her name, what was it, what was it-
"I suppose you could say that... Janine?" Was that it? It sounded something like that, anyway.
"My name is Jamie. You sound like you're trying to get me to do something for you again. What is it this time?" The nurse groaned, looking at Erin with her head slightly tilted.
"Well, I just did a little thing for some of Seraphim's friends, you know how he is. So they gave him some program for the favor- I was wondering if you could buy some of the stuff he needs in order to install it." Erin said in a voice that she hoped did not betray any of the fun she had with Mill and Rania.
Jamie wasn't fooled in the least. "This time, I want an actual list. Last time your navi went on about upgrades but didn't know what he was supposed to get. It was like he didn't even know about chips or anything."
"Ah, right. Yeah he can be that way." Erin said quickly, cutting off any more conversation as she made some notes and handed over the PET
"Ergh. I'm going to need to ask that nurse to get some more stuff for us--- and that means I'll need to promise to behave. For at least a couple days." The small girl shrugged with some mix of frustration and exasperation as she tried to wheel herself further out of the sand. She may have coughed once or twice, but she was fine. at least, that's what she told herself as she rolled into the hospital, whereupon at least three nurses set on her, exclaiming their horror at the sand everywhere on her.
"Did you have fun?" a skeptical voice asked. Erin knew her name, what was it, what was it-
"I suppose you could say that... Janine?" Was that it? It sounded something like that, anyway.
"My name is Jamie. You sound like you're trying to get me to do something for you again. What is it this time?" The nurse groaned, looking at Erin with her head slightly tilted.
"Well, I just did a little thing for some of Seraphim's friends, you know how he is. So they gave him some program for the favor- I was wondering if you could buy some of the stuff he needs in order to install it." Erin said in a voice that she hoped did not betray any of the fun she had with Mill and Rania.
Jamie wasn't fooled in the least. "This time, I want an actual list. Last time your navi went on about upgrades but didn't know what he was supposed to get. It was like he didn't even know about chips or anything."
"Ah, right. Yeah he can be that way." Erin said quickly, cutting off any more conversation as she made some notes and handed over the PET
