Jazz's backward shouts were met only with the sounds of snapping electricity and discordant, buggy crackling... though to a cynical ear it sounded almost like amused, or possibly curious, laughter. He didn't have time for more than a quip though, dashing on through the bunk rooms and keeping ahead of the on-coming swarm. Shooting on the run was something Jazz was no stranger to, and his pistol shot burst into radiant light down the hallway head of him, vaporising one of the recently turned snoozy viruses; it had tried to pull its pillow over its head, but a pillow was not met helmet. The one beside it, as the light faded, let out a barely audible squeak, flinching back, as suddenly a massive rock cube appeared in front of it, obscuring the virus from Jazz's sight.
Behind him, the swarm twisted around the corridor, sending forward-racing lines of magnetic panels arcing and looping through the mish-mash of other terrain, but the hum and crackle made an appreciate sound for Jazz's light-show. The scarecrow pulses with electricity and blasted a line towards Jazz as he approached, but the hare was faster, dodging under it as he passed the ceiling-mounted virus and keeping his shield ready for the remaining Snoozy instead. Glancing back as he passed it, the virus was forced to realise that its new rocky piece of cover was no use now that Jazz was further ahead. It tried to teleport forward as Jazz sent his own bolt of lighting back towards it, but its timing was poor, and the beam was long enough that it still caught the brunt of the blast, even as it appeared by Jazz, pillow swinging.
Smoking and barely alive, the virus struck, only for its pillow to flop softly against Jazz's waiting shield which glowed briefly before responding with a recoil of energy that obliterated the beleaguered creature. The scarecrow shot again from its anchored position, but Jazz was well past the virus now and the crackling bolt sank into the panels behind him while he prepared more defences on the fly.
In the middle of this hectic running battle, Stephine tapped the small envelope and her PET opened a window in the bottom corner. It looked like a video message. The image showed the figure of Prose, though she seemed to be falling, or perhaps simply drifting downward through black empty space, on her back, curled up slightly. Her wings gave off a soft red glow of light, but they were small again, barely visible at her back. She was holding what looked like a small red data crystal in her hands as her body floated, and the light revealed a mess of tears and wet fur on her cheeks and face. She looked up from the crystal as the message started and the focus pulled in to her face and shoulders more clearly. The bright blue of her eyes looked all the brighter in contrast with the bloodshot red soreness. She opened her mouth the speak, paused, closed it again, then started over.
“Stephine... Sorry's no use right now, I know that. You're smart... I'm... I'm a lot of things, but... but you've probably worked out one of them. I...” she paused and swallowed, struggling for breath. “I didn't want to lie. I tried hard, not to... but now that I'm here, it feels like splitting hairs. I didn't technically lie, but... so what? I still deceived you both, I put Jazz in danger, for selfish reasons. I'm even doing it now, damnit...” She stopped again for a moment and took a longer breath. Whatever black void space she was falling slowly through, dark red crackles laced through it in the background.
“I was even going to send this to you while I was till all banged up and bloodied, because I thought it might sway you... but that was dishonest too. I'm fine. I'm very hard to hurt.” She sniffed and scrubbed at her face again, rubbing her eyes; physically perhaps, but she seemed to be struggling on other levels. After a moment, squared her shoulders and shifted so it seemed like she was floating upright now.
“I'm stealing a moment now... not long, but I needed to say something. I'm going to fix this. I will. I promise you that. I know you can't trust me, but I promise, I will. All of the other stuff... your network pass, the mandated stipend, all of that, it's already done. You got it when you opened this message. It's taken care of. Please... Get Jazz out of there. I have to fix this. I can't get back right away. Asteca is in the facility somewhere, messing everything up and I can't stop her right now... she's a beast, like Cresheth... don't fight her. Don't try. Please keep Jazz safe! You have to! If he gets hurt because of me, I don't...” Her voice wavered and broke as her plea grew more and more tremulous with each word. Her body was tense and her shoulders shook, and her head dropped to hide her eyes. The black void crackled as more lances of red forked across it and a sound like rushing wind and screeching static started to creep in in the background. Prose tensed and her wings pulsed. She didn't look up any more, but her voice was hard as she spoke.
“I'm going to fix this. I'm going to make it right. When it's done... I... I don't know how to face him. Everything changes, now that you've seen. I can't undo it, or put that secret back in the bag. I know he promised, but... but it's a big secret.” Head down, away from the view, it was still clear that she was crying, despite her best efforts. “If he doesn't want to see me... it's my own fault. I know that. I understand. I couldn't ever blame him, not over this. Please keep him safe. He doesn't deserve any of this mess I've dredged up for him. Please look after him, and... even if he's angry, or... or horrified, or... just... tell him I'm sorry, for all of this.” The black void shuddered and Prose flexed her wings. As they burst into full radiance, spreading out dozens of feet in both directions, the black shattered and gave way to a discordant mass of scrambled data, light, colour and sound drawing into a perception of wild rushing that Prose herself looked towards, bloodshot eyes on a tear-streaked face and a grim expression. Her wings beat and the video cut out as her form became a crimson blur of motion, lost in the wild static.
By the time Stephine turned her focus back to the battle that Jazz was facing, he had outpaced the scarecrow, which had itself blinked out of existence on her screen, engulfed by the anomaly that she couldn't see clearly. A side notification claimed that her and Jazz's network access qualifications had been updated, as well as listing a summary reward pay out. [Stephine Received: Rogue Network Access Permit, 6000
z]
Up ahead for Jazz, the hall was joined into by several others, growing into a wider thoroughfare. Just ahead, only a short way now, he could see the square-arched security checkpoint that seemed to indicate a gathering area. Three scanning devices swept the corridor ahead as it came into sight, one on either side of the arch, and one in the ceiling. An errant eleball skittered across the space from aside corridor, crossed one of the sensor beams, and was rapidly rendered down into safe data. The panels under the arch glowed like a welcome beacon, leading into the large, circular chamber beyond. To his right, the walls melted inward, distorting into a transparent slime that split and bubble,d leaving a roaring static of unformed network behind it, uninhabitable for any program, probably. More lances of magnet panelling circled and spiralled up the corridor under his feet and past him, then, with a crackling hiss, the three anti-virus sensors sparked and warped. Behind him, the swarm meandered after him, a screechy giggle echoing through its multitude of motes. The three sensors remained, continuing to sweep, but they looked different now, malformed and with extra, unnecessary pieces of metal and diode sticking out at peculiar angles.
-=In The Way-=Satellite3Satellite3 (Satellite)
Area: Netopia, Sharo, NAXA
HP: 300
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: Trap(Enemy in Targeting Cursor) + Seeking: Movement (High-Alt) + Dodge + Lock-On + Nullify Invis
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Generates a targeting cursor that sweeps back and forth across the field, looking for a target. The cursor ignores decoys, objects, illusions, and invisibility. If the cursor intersects with an actual enemy, Lock-On is achieved, and the virus launches itself into the sky at High Altitude.
Secondary Attack Attack Damage/Effect: (15 Null + Seeking + Enhanced Accuracy) x 10 Shots
Secondary Attack Attack Accuracy: A
Secondary Attack Attack Description: When Lock-On is achieved, this virus fires a barrage of 10 highly accurate shots at its chosen target before landing in its original position. Accuracy debuffs on the Satellite while using this attack are reduced in severity by one rank.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Lock-On3, Zenny
Special: Immobile outside of its primary attack.
Special: This virus will repeat its primary attack until it finds a target, after which it will be able to use its secondary attack once. When it changes targets, either of its own volition or its current target's death, or uses its Secondary Attack and lands in its original position, it must repeat its primary attack until it finds a new target.
Notes: Triggering invisibility or an illusion, or moving the Satellite forcefully after Lock-On is achieved does not allow a target to escape Lock-On. Lock-On is a shift in the Satellite's state, not a status inflicted on its target, and thus cannot be removed. A: 300Hp [Metal] [Left of Checkpoint]
Satellite3Satellite3 (Satellite)
Area: Netopia, Sharo, NAXA
HP: 300
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: Trap(Enemy in Targeting Cursor) + Seeking: Movement (High-Alt) + Dodge + Lock-On + Nullify Invis
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Generates a targeting cursor that sweeps back and forth across the field, looking for a target. The cursor ignores decoys, objects, illusions, and invisibility. If the cursor intersects with an actual enemy, Lock-On is achieved, and the virus launches itself into the sky at High Altitude.
Secondary Attack Attack Damage/Effect: (15 Null + Seeking + Enhanced Accuracy) x 10 Shots
Secondary Attack Attack Accuracy: A
Secondary Attack Attack Description: When Lock-On is achieved, this virus fires a barrage of 10 highly accurate shots at its chosen target before landing in its original position. Accuracy debuffs on the Satellite while using this attack are reduced in severity by one rank.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Lock-On3, Zenny
Special: Immobile outside of its primary attack.
Special: This virus will repeat its primary attack until it finds a target, after which it will be able to use its secondary attack once. When it changes targets, either of its own volition or its current target's death, or uses its Secondary Attack and lands in its original position, it must repeat its primary attack until it finds a new target.
Notes: Triggering invisibility or an illusion, or moving the Satellite forcefully after Lock-On is achieved does not allow a target to escape Lock-On. Lock-On is a shift in the Satellite's state, not a status inflicted on its target, and thus cannot be removed. B: 300Hp [Metal] [Right of Checkpoint]
Satellite3Satellite3 (Satellite)
Area: Netopia, Sharo, NAXA
HP: 300
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: Trap(Enemy in Targeting Cursor) + Seeking: Movement (High-Alt) + Dodge + Lock-On + Nullify Invis
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Generates a targeting cursor that sweeps back and forth across the field, looking for a target. The cursor ignores decoys, objects, illusions, and invisibility. If the cursor intersects with an actual enemy, Lock-On is achieved, and the virus launches itself into the sky at High Altitude.
Secondary Attack Attack Damage/Effect: (15 Null + Seeking + Enhanced Accuracy) x 10 Shots
Secondary Attack Attack Accuracy: A
Secondary Attack Attack Description: When Lock-On is achieved, this virus fires a barrage of 10 highly accurate shots at its chosen target before landing in its original position. Accuracy debuffs on the Satellite while using this attack are reduced in severity by one rank.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Lock-On3, Zenny
Special: Immobile outside of its primary attack.
Special: This virus will repeat its primary attack until it finds a target, after which it will be able to use its secondary attack once. When it changes targets, either of its own volition or its current target's death, or uses its Secondary Attack and lands in its original position, it must repeat its primary attack until it finds a new target.
Notes: Triggering invisibility or an illusion, or moving the Satellite forcefully after Lock-On is achieved does not allow a target to escape Lock-On. Lock-On is a shift in the Satellite's state, not a status inflicted on its target, and thus cannot be removed. C: 300Hp [Metal] [In ceiling above Checkpoint]
-=Getting Out of Here=-Jazz.Exe: 200Hp [Normal][Middle of the main corridor][ProseCross][Casing: 40Hp][Barrier: 40Hp][ImbueWood x3]
-=Compromised Containment=-40%
Metal- Cannot be Broken or Cracked except with Geddon/PanelShot, cannot be Burrowed into.
- Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
- 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Cracked.
- 100 Damage Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Furnace.
- PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Break.
[Around the checkpoint, ahead]
20%
Normal [Corridor that Jazz is running through]
15%
Magnet- Non-Elec Elementals get -30% Evasion, and 50% (+/- 25% RP) chance to fail movement off the panel.
- Only Elec Elementals can burrow.
- Wood attacks: Change terrain hit to Normal.
- PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Seeking.
[Spiralling strips running through the other terrain]
15%
Missing- Permanent bottomless hole.
- Doubles dodge penalties for bad RP.
- EJO if you fall in.
[Large chunks of the right wall and flooring]
10%
Solar- Elec Elementals get +5 HP/action.
- Wood attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Cracked.
- PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Stun1.
[Panels across the checkpoint threshold]
Terrain Quick-Slip: Things mare moving quickly; terrain changes to the area will not last, as the battlefield moves past them.
-=Battle Mode=-Chase:
- Jazz is
Fleeing. Stay ahead of your pursuer for three rounds to get away.
- Dedicating actions to movement is not required, unless you're doing something that would warrant it on a stationary map; you're presumed to be moving forward to the best of your abilities as you fight.
- Each round, the present viruses will have the opportunity to attack as you pass them by, and Jazz will be able to attack them if he wishes.
- These viruses will be left behind at the end of the round, and three new viruses will join the battle instead as you move forward.
- The chase ends early if Jazz is prevented from moving forward or is caught by the pursuer.
- All deleted viruses will give full rewards at battles' end.
-=Virus Delete Count=-DemonEye x2
Snooziest x2