Moderator

(12 FXP with BeastKnight)

Continuing along the coastline, on the cliffside as the ocean continued to slowly splash out in the distance, rolling in and out, the sandy beachline below her. Though, of course, mud and grass were the normal where she was, a good deal of sand had been blown up here in one way or another as the wind slowly blew into the navi's body. Though the suit was fairly...well..."thin", she could feel little from the breeze caressing her body, though the suit was certainly "caressing" quite firmly in certain areas.

But those passing thoughts could be put on the back burner at that point, Rogan's PET would pick up a small grouping of viruses towards the north-west, and not before too long, Lyntael would come across a quintet of viruses. A slightly-off color Fishy, the usual hues a little darker than before. A swarm of Skeeto viruses swarming across the top of a small mudhole, as a Muckfeesh would flop out of it happily, and a Fishy2 (in alightly more darker shades of coloring) would be gliding around the eastern area, just above where the cliffside could be seen and the stretch of blue seas off into the horrizon, as a weather damaged rockcube lay near her and a pillar of heavy rock jutted out in the distance in a pool of sand.

Though unfortunately, a NeoMetool would be roaming just out of sight, it's back turned to her and unfortunately, it turned around just in time to catch her gaze, letting out a scared little MEEP, hiding beneath it's helm almost immediately, catching the attention of the other quartet who would, on Rogan's screen, begin battle routines just as Lyntael could see the quartet (and the NeoMet) giving her their full, undevided attention.

-- Viruses --
NeoMetool2NeoMetool2 (NeoMetool)

NeoMetool not currently attacking will guard. Entering guard mode requires an action. Exiting guard mode does not require an action.

Area: ACDC, Electown, Okuden Valley, Kotobuki Town, Dentech, Beach

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 40 Null + Spread 2
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Spits out a bullet that penetrates an enemy to hit up to two other enemies behind and to the side of it, as if forming a V shape.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): V-Gun, HiGuard, Zenny
Special: Can hide in its helmet to negate damage.
Special: If hit while hiding, it will counter with a Microburst effect as a free action. This does not lower its defenses.
Special: Can use Recover50 on itself once.: 100 HP (Guarding) (Grass) (Ahead and to the left of Lyntael, a few feet ahead)
Fishy2 EXFishy2 EX (Fishy)

Area: ACDC, Okuden Valley, Dentech, Beach, NetVegas

HP: 180
Attack Damage/Effect: 60 + Stun 1 + Line Attack(5) + Impact + Piercing
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Flies into a group of enemies and stuns them.
Element: Normal
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): DashAttack2, Zenny
Special: Omnishoes: 180 HP (Above Sand) (Flying by the cliffside, on the east)
Skeeto EXSkeeto EX (Skeeter)

Area: Yoka, Okuden Valley, Beach, Yumland, Netfrica

HP: 120
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 120 Drain (Null)
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: A swarm of Skeeters flies at the target. They will drain HP if they connect.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Drain2, Zenny
Special: Omnishoes: 120 HP (Above Grass) (Near the mudhole)
Shellnerd EXShellnerd EX (ShellGeek)

Shellgeeks alternate actions between attacking and guarding. These are the only actions Shellgeeks may perform, and the first action of every battle is always guarding. Shellgeeks will not break from this pattern unless forced to by status effects. The secondary attack of Shellgeeks can be used to grant an ally of this virus a free movement, or even to knock an ally out of the path of an oncoming attack.

Area: Yoka, Sharo, Beach, Okuden Valley

HP: 160
Primary Attack Damage/Effects: 25 Null x 2 Spears
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: Fires two spears at one target.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effects: 50 Null
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Fires a star tipped arrow. Can be used on an ally to move them. Causes no damage to allies.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): TripleNeedle, StarArrow2 (Rare), Zenny
Special: Attacks every other action. IronBody when not attacking.: 160 HP (Guarding) (Grass) (Off to the west)
MuckfeeshMuckfeesh (Mudfeesh)

This virus looks like a sausage shaped fish with a brown underbelly, a blue/green/red/black back (depending on the version) with a wavy dorsal fin, a mouth that constantly gasps for air, beady little eyes and a large flat tail that it uses to propel itself. It moves by flopping around very erratically, granting the family a passive dodge effect.

Area: Yoka, Okuden Valley, Beach, Yumland

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 45 Wood + Impact + Blind
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: It leaps at its target, attempting to slam into it with its slimy belly.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MudFlop2, Zenny
Special: One passive dodge per turn.
-Creates mud terrain where it moves.: 100 HP (Mud) (Rolling and flopping around the small mudhole)

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 225 HP (Grass) (Around the South-East of the area)

-- Terrain --
35% Sand

• -20% Evasion and reduced movement speed to all.
• Can Burrow as standard action, incurable Blind1 until turn after exiting Burrow.
• Wind attacks: +100% Source Damage + Blind1, change terrain hit to Normal, trigger Sandstorm for 3 turns: Lose 5 HP/action, Blind1, Fire attacks gain Slashing.
• Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Glass.
• Terrain changes between Sand and QuickSand do not inflict damage upon burrowed entities, nor do they eject burrowed entities to the surface.
• PanelShot: Blind1.

(Scattered about, by the edge of the field on the east and near Lyntael)
60% Grass

• Wood Elementals get +5 HP/action.
• Fire attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Soil.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood.

(Majority of the area)
5% Mud

• Non-Wood Elementals get -10% Evasion penalty and reduced movement speed, 25% (+/-25% RP) chance to fall or get stuck (1 action to get free).
• Automatically triggers Aqua Boost for appropriate chip attacks.
• Wood attacks: Change terrain hit to Soil.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood + Slow1.

(About the middle-ish)

-- Objects --
Damaged Rockcube: 40 HP (Grass) (Near Lyntael, about arms length away from her)
Damaged Stone Pillar: 40 HP (Sand) (Hardbody) (Roughly in the

-- Rogue Battle 11 Ready? Start!! --

Flattery and compliments – especially phrased towards beauty, rather than cuteness – were not something she was really used to, and Lyntael let herself smile as she averted her eyes and shrugged. The realisation itself was perhaps worth thinking about, but it was somethings she could set aside for later... as far as it went, she wasn't entirely sure how she felt being looked closely at and complimented when she was wearing a suit that was desperately thin and detailed every curve, contour and groove of her body. The idea of actually modelling the material commercially was probably a non-starter, if Rogan had anything to say, but the first thought that came to her beyond that was that she'd definitely want to be wearing proper undergarments underneath it, next time, if there was a next time... But... a subtle thought wormed its way through her mind underneath everything else... as long as no-one else was around, being dressed securely but feeling nearly naked and distinctly, deliberately sexy was... kind of fun, kind of nice. A little exciting. She let the thought run its course as she waved to the other navi, and listened to Rogan reassuring that they'd make sure the suit got back to them in due course.

By the time the others had gone, Lyntael took an extra moment or two to look around and get her bearings again properly. Unconscious sensation made her realised she was absently running her fingers down her sides and over her hips... and instinctively thinking about what the contact might feel like in other places. She made herself stop before Rogan felt the need to pass comment.

“Alright. Which way for finding the source of these dangerous viruses?” There was a drawn out pause that she felt over the line – not the silence of Rogan checking details, but the more pronounced sensation of him hesitating more actively.

“It's fine, Rogan. Look, I'm dressed and decent now, I'm okay.”
“Lyntael, I'm really not sure I would call that...” He trailed off, and she heard a soft sigh. “Okay. According to the location we were pointed towards earlier, you just need to keep heading in the direction you're facing for now. Either path should be fine, but I suspect you'll need to make your way back towards the shoreline eventually.” The urge to run her hands over the material again was hard to put out of her head. Perhaps it was because she felt practically bare, but still couldn't really feel the movement of the air or the wind on her skin properly. She looked out over the water, turning her face towards the sea breeze; it was stronger up on the cliffs.

“I think I'll stay up here for a bit, take in the view a little more as I go. Even if these are the rogues, the weather is nice, for now. It smells like rain, but it feels like summer.” She began to walks along the upper path at a relaxed pace, strolling slowly and making small skipping jumps from one raised rock to the next as the mood took her. Rogan's voice followed her with a touch of dry humour.

“I'm not sure if you were paying attention, Lyntael, but I suspect that might actually have something to do with you. As far as I'm aware, even the more deprecated sections of the network aren't quite that prone to sudden dramatically timed storms.” His comment was droll, but it made Lyntael frown for a moment and glance towards the sky. She hadn't really thought about it at the time... or any time it happened, now that she focused on remembering. As she lined up the memories though, sure enough – the storms had come and gone as she grew more worked up in the middle of fights, or dangers, even when the weather wasn't supposed to be that way. That was... not something navigators were meant to be able to affect, she was fairly sure. Wind and breezes were one thing, and she could feel the motion of the air all around her, far out almost as far as she could see, if she concentrated... but the rain and the storms, that was something different.

“I don't know, Rogan. It just... seems to happen.”
“As with many of your mysteries, Lyntael.” He didn't sound bothered, or concerned, really... a part of her suspected that others, people more knowledgeable about the net world, might be. She just nodded and pressed onward.

((Ready for Battle 11))

As lyntael and Rogan went over the suit (and removing the various programs meant to service and keep an eye on vitals and the like) the suit would indeed fit as snugly as it could without being distracting, neither navi, nor op, would say a word about what was happening, though the latter did keep an eye on things that didn't specifically monitor things on the network itself. While his implements were impeded, he was fine with this, it was sort of to be expected. Privacy concerns and all that.

But when Lyn gave the all clear, BK would give her a proper smile behind his half-destroyed helm and beam with pride at Lyntael. "My lady, you look quite good in that. I honestly feel like you should model for it on the side once it reaches market!" He exclaimed with a clap of his hands, slowly getting up to his feet well above Lyntael. "Honestly? I quite concour. You'd make a nice little role model for petite girls such as yourself." His op would chime in audiably, the operator would hit a few more buttons before leaving a small data packet near Lyntael, though Rogan would probably be able to download it before long. "Here. Once you're done doing what you're doing out here, not my place to pry, we could meet up again. I don't expect "face to face" in the real world. But the navi caffee would be a good place to send us any details or complaints you may have, as well as a place to give back once you're proper and had a chance to rest." He continued. "Just send me an email to that address and we can coordinate a time to meet up. I'm not TOO overly busy at the moment, we're just...testing the suits and working the kinks out of them. The one you have is a mostly finished product so to speak."

"Don't ya worry, it's not gonna open up or anything. Rodger and me work well with the material you're wearing, I guarentee nothing is gonna tear it...short of a cybeast. There...have been a lot of rumors going around lately, but, I don't see a problem on your end Lyn." BeastKnight would chime in shortly thereafter. "Alright Beast. Suppose you should come back for now, we'll see to fixing you up...again...gods you're lucky you're good with your hands." "HAHAHAHA!"

The navi would give a simple thumbs up to Lyn before jacking out, the field's walls slowly disappearing and a stairwell leading back to the main beachline would appear, two ways to go now at least, above the sealine and on the cliffside, or back down to the sands where her skills would most likely be at their best.

Lyntael/Rogan get: Customizable Navisuit and Rodger's Email (Rodger@Cybertailoring.net)

As much as she was more or less prepared to continue on her own way, the last offer from the other navi's operator was enough to make her pause and glance back towards the new display presented. A soft, thoughtful frown brushed her features as she listened to the explanation and let her eyes take in the peculiar suit with a costume-designer's eye. It looked simple enough, and very thin, though she had to suppose that when it came to designs for material, her habit of following normal physical constraints was just that, really, and the thinness of this material didn't need to be any limitation on its other capabilities. She bit her lip softly as her feet carried her back to the mannequin and her spare hand lifted one of the sleeves, passing the material between her fingers. The inner side almost reminded her of the gel that covered her when her cross with Eternalis and Aurora was active; soft, slippery and hugging, almost like it should be wet or slimy, but it wasn't. It would glide over skin and cling firm to it, yet without undue friction on contact.

At first she caught herself about to voice the idea that she simply couldn't take this, with a half a dozen small explanations about how foreign clothing didn't play well with her crosses, and how she wouldn't be able to preserve it properly going home, either, and... but she closed her mouth again and bit the polite modesty back before giving any of it voice; there was politeness, and there was silly, and she was standing here in nothing but her knickers. Take the clothes.

“It's a fascinating material. I'll... I'll try it on. One minute...” She began slipping it off the mannequin with careful movements, putting her back to the other navi so she could use both hands more freely.

“A moment, Lyntael...” Rogan's voice was cool and serious again; she was actually a little surprised he hadn't objected outright to the idea of her taking on material data from an unknown source, but he was clearly put out by her on-going wardrobe malfunctions, so maybe he was letting himself make a concession or two. A small smirk touched her lip at the thought.

“Alright, it's clean. I hope your new friend does not mind, but they certainly won't be receiving any ongoing biometric data or feedback on you from this gift. I've quarantined and sterilised it for external links and trackers.” The other navi's operator had seemed to mention wanting to find someone to test it for them, and she guessed that having data from such a test probably mattered to them, but there was not going to be any arguing with Rogan on this matter. Instead, she glanced over her shoulder with a quick, apologetic smile.

“I... I can't have that kind of stuff, sorry, but I could send you a message later, let you know how it performed, if you want?” She only spared them a moment for the glance, then turned her focus back towards actually trying on the outfit. It seemed designed to be worn against the skin directly, and after an extra moment or two hesitation, and a second glance back over her shoulder to make sure no-one was peeking, she quickly stripped off her remaining undergarment and folded the scrap of cloth up in one hand before stepping into the suit and pulling it up past her hips. A few tugs and quick adjustments later and she was settling it over her shoulders and pulling the back zipper all the way up.

It really was... very snug. Lyntael felt a soft blush creep across her cheeks as she shifted in the new outfit, her hips unconsciously rolling side to side as she moved from one foot to the other and got used to the press of the material against her body, and the way the silky material really did press in and hug 'everywhere'. Maybe she should have left her panties on after all. Oh well. They weren't wrong about it feeling like she was barely wearing anything at all, either... only the lack of feeling the wind on her skin, and the press of the outfit in certain more sensitive places, were any clues that she was dressed at all, at least as far as physical sensation went. She shifted again, still not quite at home with how much detail and definition the suit traced her figure with. Somehow she felt almost more indecent dressed like this, than she had a minute ago.

She distracted herself by raising the arm that bore the small series of adjustment dials and beginning to fiddle with them, watching the change in hue and tone against her forearm as she tweaked the suit from its default black through towards a softer, more pastel pale yellow. At one point, Rogan cleared his throat and Lyntael blinked; she realised she was seeing the soft hairs on her forearm as she adjusted the colour, and had let it slide all the way through to near transparency in her quest for the right pastel shade. A hot blush plagued her as she pulled the dial back to something safer and cleared her own throat as though nothing untoward had occurred, confirming her selection and locking it to let the controls fade away.

“Ah... right, okay... Umm... I think that's all taken care of? How do I look?” She grinned and glanced down at herself, doing a quick turn about to let others look properly at last. Her own downward glance reminded her again of just how much detail the skin-tight outfit preserved. She was fully covered and somehow felt more naked than before. The part of her that secretly craved more femininity that she had to offer internally bemoaned how slight her hips, behind and chest were, and how the extreme hugging of contours and curves mostly only emphasised how reserved those curves and grooves were. The rest of her fought off the instinct to blush instead.

“Let us hope that you don't encounter any cold breezes...” Rogan's voice sounded flatly unimpressed, though she'd come to think of his nonplussed remarks as compliments in their own right, at least after a fashion – he was only put out because his attention was being drawn to her femininity, and he wasn't comfortable with thinking of her that way... so... it was sort of a compliment, in that sense, wasn't it? She tried to think of it as such. Without thinking about what she was doing, Lyntael reached up to rub briefly at the left side of her chest just to make sure nothing was standing up or sticking out and she heard Rogan cough with a briefly mortified sound.

“If you're done, Lyntael, perhaps you should get moving again, if you're determined to continue.” She nodded, then looked towards BeastKnight once more.

“Thank you, for this. I'll look after it as best I can, I promise.” She grinned, bowing her head in gratitude to the other navi and his operator, then stepped back again and gave him a short wave before getting ready to continue her search.

Beastknight couldn't let out a chuckle followed by a cough and a low groan after. "Hahaha. I'll be fine Lyn. Not the first time a sparring session got too heated." He would simply say, the navi shaking his head, while he could feel the stare of his op on the back of his head regardless. He continued on, making sure to keep his eyes closed for Lyntael's modesty. "Ah, the bounty board I assume?" He asked bluntly, raising his hand up and rolling his wrist a little. "Been a lot of virus uprisings lately, heard it was something about population control. The specifics are a bit over my head, but seems viruses have been "overproducing" lately, so all in all it's a fair deal provided you can handle the work on your usual routes. Which, lets face it, you're in a good spot for that sort of thing, combat oriented or not!" He finished with a hearty laugh and another cough. "Besides, like I said, that was a good fight. I wouldn't mind sitting down sometime and talking some more when you're not busy, think my op wouldn't mind too much...provided it's on a day off of his." He would give her a friendly smile in turn as he finished, rubbing one of those fresh wounds on his chest. "And don't worry. I was looking for an excuse to get a fresh look for battle, saved me the trouble. Hahah!" He would say in addition before giving Lyn a warm, gentle, handshake despite his size and strength.

"You really just invite anyone don't you?" The cool voice came from behind BK and loud enough for Lyntael and Rogan to hear, no face cam, but the op was there at least. "I'm sorry for your garments...Lyntael, was it? I really am, this meat-head here can be a bit overboard with his playing when he likes someone." The voice kept his cool temprement, if not a hint of...annoyance. "Here, let me send you something. You could try it on and see if it fits if nothing else, I assure you, Beast here is not looking...and neither am I." Another sentence came out as the audiable tapping of keys could be heard for a moment, before a garment would materialize next to Lyntael on a maniquin, black in color with some buttons and dials on the sides. "I work with a couple companies and we were looking for a little trial with this new material. It's a type of cyber-rubber for body suits that's rated for military and combat use, there are a number of navis who deal with such "issues" you do. Clothing ripping and being destroyed or being worn down over use. Think of it as an apology for what Beast did. It fits most body types and will stretch and contract based on body type. It may feel as if you're wearing (almost) nothing, but, I assure you it will hold up to even potential cybeast level attacks and damage therein."

The suit was maybe a bit bigger than her, holes for one's head, hands and feet to push through, though despite that it would feel slippery and, more importantly, looked fairly snug. A zipper on the back could be seen, simple, but effective for getting into something like what she was presented even if it could "catch" potentially. Seemed almost like a wetsuit more than anything, but some poking and prodding would give off a proper "rubbery" feel, a stretch here and a snap there. "Oh, and the buttons and dials on the sides there will disappear once you properly wear it, they'll tune to the RGB spectrum to color it as you see fit, though we haven't figured out how to make designs and paterns natively on it. So it's just solid colors you can make." Roger would pipe up for a moment. "But please, take your time adjusting it to your "prefered" colors."

As the other navi groaned and began to rouse himself and recover, Lyntael felt some of her tension relax and she focused on breathing deeply and letting her heart slow to a more reasonable pace. Her body continued to spark faintly in rhythmic pulses and she just watched from her kneeling position for a few extra moments while he sorted himself out.

At his first proper comment, Lyntael looked down at herself with a small start and immediately lifted one arm across her chest. She felt a flush of pink hit her cheeks and her gaze slid away to one side in momentary embarrassment. Covering herself barely made any sense at this point, all things considered, but the principle of the matter was still important, or so her immediate thoughts insisted now that the violence and tension were passed.

“Ah... yeah, um... It's not your fault, I'm sorry, I should have... I thought I had myself better under control than that, really. I can't go lashing out whenever something reminds me of... um... reminds me of other things.” She wasn't about to dive into everything that had happened with a stranger, as much as a part of her did feel like she owed him an explanation for her sudden assault. I'm okay now, I promise... Ah, a little sparky. Maybe keep a little distance.... but I'm okay. I'm glad you're alright.” After a moment, she took a longer breath, lifting her face towards the sky and the still lingering breezes, then sighed and rose smoothly to her feet in a graceful motion. She wanted to stretch out a bit and just loosen up again, but for now keeping one hand across her chest was more important. She glanced down at herself again briefly and offered the other navi a rueful grin.

“The clothing wasn't your fault either... you weren't to know. I know none of this is really a danger for most navis, especially not navis with proper combat systems and all of that... It's all visual overrides, and protection values, and getting to stay right a their best and strongest right until they're down...” She shrugged softly and began to pace, stretching out the parts of her body she could while still keeping herself as close to decent as she could manage. “I'm... I'm not like that. Wasn't made for fighting... My defences, near as I can tell... they're all just instinct, not anything that anyone ever designed or wrote or intended. I've learned to control them, mostly, but...” She shrugged and shook her head. Explaining something that she barely understood herself probably wasn't going to go anywhere meaningful.

“Are you going to be okay?” She glanced back over her shoulder towards the other navi, eyebrows arching with a soft expression. Her efforts to warm down and stretch out had become an unconscious series of graceful motions that seemed to move to their own unheard rhythm, stretching and flexing in ways that would be quite easy to appreciate, save for the arm around her chest. Unconsciously, she changed arms part way through her movements, working out the other arm instead while still keeping herself covered. She spared glances towards him whenever her movements allowed, trying to remain polite as she kept speaking.

“I'm supposed to be taking care of a virus issue in the area – a hostile upsurge, apparently... and I...” she paused with her back to BeastKnight, letting both her arms down so that she could examine the cut down her body more carefully. It didn't really seem that bad, truthfully – it stung, but it was barely skin deep and she'd felt far worse pain many times. “I'm going to keep on, and get to the bottom of it, I think.”

“No you will not, Lyntael. I don't care what follies of ill fortune seem to insist on doing this to you, but you are indecent. We're stopping.” Rogan's voice cut in with a weight of exasperation, but Lyntael paused in her steps, folding both of her arms across her chest how as she frowned.

“I'm okay, Rogan. And I really don't think that anyone we're going to be facing soon is going to stop and wait politely if my clothes gets ripped again.” The unspoken words – that actively cutting them off, purely for the torment of it, had been at least one navi's game of choice – drifted across the line in the silence that followed. Lyntael shook her head. “It's just another kind of training. I need to be ready.” It wasn't fair, she knew that, and she felt as though she could practically feel Rogan's indignant frustration at her making arguments like that. She did feel bad, pushing that particular button just to get her way.

“Look, if you've worked out how to fix the problem without pulling me out, then I'd love that, but you know I'm going to have to start over finding this trail again if I stop here. It will be fine, Rogan, I'm sure it will be.” A frustrated sigh was the only immediate answer and she turned her focus back to the other navi. She shifted her arms until she was covering what passed for her breasts with one arm again and glanced at her other hand carefully before extending it towards him.

“Thank you for being kind. And, um, sorry for getting carried away. It was nice meeting you.” Her charge had calmed enough now that, if he shook her hand the most he would feel would be a warmth and a gentle hum of latent charge. She offered him an encouraging grin before getting ready to continue on the trail again. Other navis were rare in this lower network, surely the chances of her running into anyone else was extremely slim at this point.

A long, loud sigh would ring out as Lyntael had finished apologizing to the barely conscious navi. "Again, Beast?" The voice sounded, short and little aggravated. Clearly was the navi's operator. "Well, good thing I invested in subchips..." He continued, slotting in one almost immediately after, Rogan could see BeastKnight's HP values recovering at a rapid rate. The navi letting out a grunt as he could feel his wounds stitching together rapidly, though that didn't take away from the lack of energy he had after such a shocking encounter.

Slowly he would, ever so carefully, get himself sitting up with his back against the wall, his front scarred and burnt from countless battles...including the fresh electrical burns. Breathing slowly and deeply with his eyes closed, he turned towards Lyn. "Heh. Sorry about that...didn't know your clothing wasn't protected by those defenses of yours." He said simply, before flashing her a playful smile. "Should have gone with the blunt weaponry instead, huh?" He joked, stifling a laugh.

"You know, only you could joke about this sort of thing after nearly getting zapped out of existence." His op interjected with even more exasperation in his voice before letting out another sigh. "Wouldn't be the first time, Roger. Wouldn't be the first time." Beastknight replied in turn. "Anyways, Lyn, that was a great fight all things considered...despite the end there. Again, sorry about that, I didn't mean to send you to such a dark place."

The leftward path that led to the more traditional section of the onsen presented a small landing before the branching stairs descended to the three main pools – beyond, Amy could get a partial glimpse of the relaxation areas beyond, but a haze of steam obscured most of what could be see from here, and even that was mostly blocked by low semi-circular walls that offered pockets of privacy and seclusion throughout the area, with slightly taller divides further marking off the three primary divisions. Between the landing and the pools, however, the party could see that each stairway passed down through neat enclosed rooms made of similar natural materials to the rest of the onsen's decor. Their guide hesitated, a flustered, fraught expression warring on her features.

Ah... I do apologise, ma'am, truly but, ah... Our Traditional Onsen is further divided into sections, you see.” She gestured with a hurried hand to each of the stairs in turn. “For those presenting masculine forms, feminine forms, and the largest area, mixed and open to all. The situation is in—” As she pointed towards the mixed onsen, shouting and clamour could be heard coming from that direction and the caretaker winced. “O-only, ma'am, I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to fully disrobe before passing beyond the change area. I must insist that all obey the rules of the Onsen, please, ma'am, I'm sorry, it's my job.” As the sounds of disquiet rose, the caretaker looked pleading to Amy with an apologetic bow of her head, then glanced nervously towards Sakura.

“If you or the young miss aren't comfortable with her going down there as well, I can keep the little one safe here for you, I promise, only... please hurry, before it gets any more out of hand!”

Despite the flustered caretaker's insistence, Amy probably still had some options here – there seemed to be little that would actually stop her from simply barging in, regardless of the rules of conduct, especially since the caretaker had mentioned more than once that none of the staff or clients were navis suited for conflict... though at the same time, if the situation was already in need of diffusing, it might not be a good start to rush in breaking rules – potentially even breaking more rules than any viruses present, considering that most weren't really the clothing-wearing types to begin with.

Regardless of how Amy decided to proceed, if she did, she'd find the enclosed change area to be small and mostly perfunctory – smooth tiles, and a small handful of digital storage lockers, though not very many; it was probably safe to presume that most navis generally didn't have any need for physical storage for their clothes, after all. The normal fixtures of a traditional onsen pre-bathing area were all present for Amy to avail herself of if she felt so inclined before passing through to the main spring beyond.

Beyond, the steam was a drifting mist, though nowhere near dense enough to properly hide in or even obscure vision, and it would have been a soothing atmosphere is not for the increasing sounds of shouting and panic ahead.

The mixed traditional onsen was comprised of a wide central pool that started shallow at the edge of the tiles, but swiftly became deeper towards the centre, to allow for programs of different heights to find comfortable places to sit and relax. A handful of narrower channels – perhaps a half dozen – fanned out in slightly curving arcs from the main pool, set at regular intervals. Each curved away towards more secluded and private bathing pools, that each in turn were ringed by low curved walls about two feet high, providing some small additional cover from the main pool.

Taller walls, each about six feet high, separated this area from the other two traditional pools, to either side, but there were enough problems to worry about here and now. The Onsen was, if not packed, nevertheless moderately busy. At first glance, Amy wold be able to see more than a dozen other programs of various shapes, sizes and body-types about the spring; here there were several that clearly didn't have anything approaching a humanoid design, but net norms being what they were, most were some variation on human-like, a mix of masculine and feminine forms. Like it or not, this was something Amy had no trouble perceiving, since, at the moment, very few of the navis present were taking the situation sitting down.

Towards the back centre of the area, a section of the pool seemed to house something of a control system, where fresh water flowed in and a console for adjusting small elements of the temperature or atmosphere. There were probably proper controls for actually running the Onsen elsewhere – these ones looked to be just the simpler ones that public clients could access with limited freedom. The problem here was that the steam and mist around the controls was not only particularly dense, but particularly agitated as well. Within the clouds, Amy cold just make out the two shapes, shifting and moving with deliberate life, even though they were just denser patches of steam. Hints of curious and excited expression occasionally showed through in the condensed mist shapes as they curled and drifted around the controls and the water inlet, seemingly revelling in the heat of it and gradually making it hotter and hotter.

Around them, a handful of other navis were standing on the edge of the tiles, out of the water, muttering and talking to each other with a sound of frustration while they tried to get close to the controls, with no luck – they seemed hesitant to get close to the seemingly animate wisps of steam, who in turn turned to face them with warning hisses any time any navi attempted to reach the controls. The two most eager to act, amongst the small crowd of navis clustered about, were a blocky navi with a body that looked more like a centaur made of cinder bricks; four thick limbs and large, blunt feet. Their upper body became more serpentine and narrow - a single flexible, extension with a compact head that clustered most of the features of normal face all into a single narrow cone point. The upper body also had two snake-like arms that were long and had no obvious joints in them, more resembling tendrils or tentacles. They continuously tried to reposition to somewhere where one of their arms might reach a control unnoticed by the steam-beings, in between making side comments to a second navi who was trying to act as flank to their efforts on the other side. She was more humanoid, designed to be what some might call unfairly eye-catching and attractive with a slender and lithe build, with just the ideal average amount of curve and roundness is all of the traditionally desirable locations. Her skin was a dark hazel colour, with hair that was a bright, vibrant blue falling about her neck and shoulders – though the grooming lower down her body showed that this wasn't her natural hair colour.

A short way off, to one side, more of the clients were having a different issue – potentially less dangerous, but with no less shouting about it. One of the side channels appeared to be thick with dark, bubbling mud. It filled the side pool it came from and was slowly spreading out in a widening fan across the central pool as well. Standing near the contaminated pool, three navis were debating with each other; one stood at about six feet, with a toned form, a somewhat etched and well defined chest and light olive skin tone was coated in thick brown mud up to his waist, and had clearly at some point put a very muddy hand to his face, and run it through his otherwise rich black hair. He was in the middle of making an exasperated gesture towards the muddy pool while talking to the second male navi. This one was about five foot tall and also covered in mud to the same height, though this meant it nearly reached his chest. Where he wasn't coated in mud, he bore an orange pattern of diamond-shaped scales. Spined ridges ran down his back and became a thin, sinuous tail that was presently coiled comfortingly around the waist third navi standing between them, who, rather than argue was simply looking on at the mess with an expression of deep disappointment. She stood only about four foot tall, with a very curving and bountiful feminine figure, marred by the mud coating that went all the way up to the top of her rather ample-for-her-size bosom.

Within the side pool, Amy could catch occasional glimpses of two fish-like viruses that seemed to be very happy to enjoy the mud they were making, and were merely amused by other navis' failed attempts to grab or wrangle them out of the spring. All around these two groups, other navis watched on, or called for something to be done in a growing chorus of irritation. Beyond them, there were still quite a few others who were doing their best not to be a part of this whole situation and just keep to themselves in various other places about the spring.

-=Not The Usual Clients=-
MudfeeshMudfeesh (Mudfeesh)

This virus looks like a sausage shaped fish with a brown underbelly, a blue/green/red/black back (depending on the version) with a wavy dorsal fin, a mouth that constantly gasps for air, beady little eyes and a large flat tail that it uses to propel itself. It moves by flopping around very erratically, granting the family a passive dodge effect.

Area: Yoka, Okuden Valley, Beach, Yumland

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Wood + Impact + Slow
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: It leaps at its target, attempting to slam into it with its slimy belly.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MudFlop1, Zenny
Special: One passive dodge per turn.
-Creates mud terrain where it moves. A: 60Hp [Mud][South-Western Pool]
MudfeeshMudfeesh (Mudfeesh)

This virus looks like a sausage shaped fish with a brown underbelly, a blue/green/red/black back (depending on the version) with a wavy dorsal fin, a mouth that constantly gasps for air, beady little eyes and a large flat tail that it uses to propel itself. It moves by flopping around very erratically, granting the family a passive dodge effect.

Area: Yoka, Okuden Valley, Beach, Yumland

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Wood + Impact + Slow
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: It leaps at its target, attempting to slam into it with its slimy belly.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MudFlop1, Zenny
Special: One passive dodge per turn.
-Creates mud terrain where it moves. B: 60Hp [Mud][South-Western Pool]
MistyMisty (Misty)

Misty are essentially blobs of scalding hot steam, with no true form. They use this to their advantage, employing as many ways to cover their victims as the imagination can dream up...and maybe more. Though they are Aqua type viruses, their bodies are so hot they can burn virtually anything just by touching it.

Area: Yoka

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Aqua + Impact + Burn(5)
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Attempts to touch and scald an enemy in any one of a myriad of ways.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MistConvergence1, Zenny
Special: MistBody: Immune to Aqua attacks. If anyone besides another Misty touches this virus without some form of protection (active chip attack, shield, etc.), they are inflicted with Burn(5) status.
Special: Burn(5): Deals 5 Fire damage per action to the victim starting the turn after this attack hits. This effect stacks with other timed damage effects, including other Burn effects. Can be cured with Status Cure. A: 100Hp [Normal][Southern central section]
MistyMisty (Misty)

Misty are essentially blobs of scalding hot steam, with no true form. They use this to their advantage, employing as many ways to cover their victims as the imagination can dream up...and maybe more. Though they are Aqua type viruses, their bodies are so hot they can burn virtually anything just by touching it.

Area: Yoka

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Aqua + Impact + Burn(5)
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Attempts to touch and scald an enemy in any one of a myriad of ways.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MistConvergence1, Zenny
Special: MistBody: Immune to Aqua attacks. If anyone besides another Misty touches this virus without some form of protection (active chip attack, shield, etc.), they are inflicted with Burn(5) status.
Special: Burn(5): Deals 5 Fire damage per action to the victim starting the turn after this attack hits. This effect stacks with other timed damage effects, including other Burn effects. Can be cured with Status Cure. B: 100Hp [Onsen][Southern central section]

-=Not Her Usual Problem=-
Amity.EXE: 230Hp [Normal][Northern end of the are, near the entrance to the spring]
Liliana.SP: 80Hp [Equipped to Amity]

-=Not Sure What's Going On=-
Centaur-Brick Navi: [Normal][Near the southern controls]
Unfairly Attractive Navi: [Onsen][Near the southern controls]
Handsome Muddy Navi: [Normal][Near the Muddy side-pool]
Short Muddy Navi: [Normal][Near the Muddy side-pool]
Scaled Muddy Navi: [Normal][Near the Muddy side-pool]

Other Navis: ??? [Varies][There are numerous other navis present – feel free to define your own NPCs to talk to if you'd like to!]

-=Terrain=-
60% Onsen

• Aqua Elementals gain 3 HP/action partially or fully submerged, Non-Aqua Elementals only when partially submerged.
• If any Sea Terrain exists in an adjacent panel, Onsen panels will change to Sea Terrain, except in Yoka (Sea will convert to Onsen).
• Terrain changes between Sea and Onsen do not inflict damage upon submerged entities, nor do they eject submerged entities to the surface.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• PanelShot: Imbue Aqua + Blast1 Blind.

[Large central pool, about four feet deep at the centre, but shallow around the edges. Five out of six side pools spaced equidistant around the central pool, connected by water channels broad enough for a single navi to wade/swim through]
30% Normal

• No effects.

[Anywhere not in the water is smooth, slightly slick tiled flooring]
10% Mud

• Non-Wood Elementals get -10% Evasion penalty and reduced movement speed, 25% (+/-25% RP) chance to fall or get stuck (1 action to get free).
• Automatically triggers Aqua Boost for appropriate chip attacks.
• Wood attacks: Change terrain hit to Soil.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood + Slow1.

[South-Western of the six side pools, including the channel that connects it and a small spreading semi-circle of mud at the edge of the main pool where it emerges]

Layout: Area is a broad central pool, surrounded by six smaller pools, spaced evenly around the main one. Each side pool is connected by a water channel that a navi could wade or swim though if they wanted. At the far south side, a public access control system for adjusting minor elements of the Onsen is set at the edge of the pool. Each small pool has a low wall half encircling it, to screen it slightly from the central pool. These walls are low, only a couple of feet high; they'll hide a person sitting in the pool, but not someone who stands up, or who stands or sits on the tiles out of the water. A six foot wall to the west separates the mixed traditional onsen from the feminine traditional onsen, while a similar wall on to the east separates it from the masculine traditional onsen. Sounds of surprise and curiosity are also drifting over these walls as others hear the sounds of a ruckus.

-=Objects=-
Onsen Control Unit: 80Hp [Southern central area, at the edge of the main pool]

-=Encounter 2, Resolve!=-

I can see what you're going for with this. The operator element is a bit messy, with the double conversion maths, but I think I understand why you're wanting to do it that way. One thing worth noting is that if you are involving the operators in real time, then, for all formal purposes, they will *NEED* to spend one of their actions to do the operator-side chip slotting, for each chip your navi wants to use... so if they are having to defend themselves, they may have far less time to handle chip support for the navi.

(...and if you are maybe thinking that this element seem to line up all to perfectly with certain elements that are coming to the fore with my own characters, the coincidence and convenience of this is not lost on me either... If you're putting this into the world then I *may* also want to utilise it at some point ^.^ )

I can run this for you when you're ready.

She could feel the wind howling, and the rain clouds overhead; a sudden tempest that had whipped up in answer to the storm in her breast, somehow. Even so, the weather all around paled into faded ephemera against the straining, pulsing beat of her charge and the way it filled her. The net was mutable, barely as real as a canvas for paint, reflecting what was truly real, here and now. The moment crystallised in Lyntael's senses and she grabbed onto it, wrenching control of her rampant charge back from herself and holding it tight. It was hers to control, as much as the winds and the rains, and it would listen. This was not the time or the place, not this time.

In the centre of the battlefield, with another violent static reverb, the young girl's form reappeared in a flash of light. Compared to the overcast, stormy half-light all around them, her body glowed, skin alive with a light that suffused her. She was standing, stance straight and broad with her hands down to either side, palms open and outward while lightning flared and crackled in excess from each of her strikers and her eyes, turned skyward, wept fanning sprays of arcing electricity. Blood sizzled and hissed as sparks filled and danced outward from the open cut down the length of her torso. The fact that she had only a very rain-soaked pair of underpants to even partially preserve some element of decency somewhat detracted from the image.. or possibly added to it, if one was so inclined. Lyntael wasn't really aware of that, so much. She drew a breath and the storm seemed to breath in with her. Then she breathed out, clenching her fists closed and squeezing her eyes shut until the glow faded from her and the wild arcs of lightning shrank, then stopped.

Overhead, the storm rumbled again, but it was the grumble of something settling as the winds grew less wild and the rain rapidly slowed. Lyntael panted a few more quick breaths, staggering a half step as she hugged herself and fought to hold in the weight of charge that wanted out. She could see the other navi, between stinging blinks; she'd gone too far, hurt him. She had to do something, help, but her body wasn't safe... she grit her teeth and stumbled across to her downed opponent, letting herself slump to her knees a few feet from him, leaving him a safe distance away from any errant sparks while her body pulsed with regular beats that shed ripples of excess sparks.

“I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't mean... I shouldn't have let it get that bad... I'm sorry... Are you okay? Please tell me you're okay.” She glanced upwards at the clouds above again.

“Rogan? Rogan is he alright? Can you do anything? I can't... I can't touch anything, not right now... I'll just hurt him more...” She was still aware of the stinging pain down her front, but it was ignorable now that she had herself under control... mostly. The unpleasant memories still lingered, pushing themselves forward for attention, and she could still distantly feel the intrusive way they'd fuelled her instincts and actions in that angry, terrified moment. Wasn't she supposed to be more controlled than that now? Was she meant to be better? She looked on, panting for breath as helpless guilt warred across her worried expression.

“He is stable, as far as I can see, Lyntael... but likely very close to the point where his PET connection will intercede. I'd advise you not get any closer. You are hurt, Lyntael. I think this experiment is done for today. I really don't think you should continue... like that.” There was something else in his words as he spoke, but she brushed them aside, watching the other navi for signs of recovery as she forced her own body to calm down slowly.

“I'm... I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have agreed to this... I thought I had this more under control... I'm sorry.” She had to swallow between heaving breaths and the words made her throat feel hoarse; her heart still hadn't slowed and the hammer of it in her chest wasn't helping.