The hunt is on!

CentaurusMan's entrance came in fits and starts, Zoe's connection being not nearly as strong as it could be, and it took a couple minutes or so to finally come into focus, becoming something other than a vaguely greenish smear on the landscape. Upon landing, he made his best attempt at striking a pose as one could with hooves, but he just didn't have the balance for it. The end result came out looking like he was midway through a seizure, and he quickly straightened himself out after. A quick visual scan of the landscape told him that this, perhaps, was not the kind of place he'd been thinking of when he suggested going busting. He'd come here for challenge, adventure! Not some lackadaisical walk in the park. Lady Goldman was going to hear about this immediately. He didn't want to seem rude, but some matters simply need to be addressed.

"Lady Goldman? Are you quite certain this is the correct network?"

"Yeah, this is the place. I mean, Dentech's technically a suburb, so we can still jack in to the local nets. Why?" Her voice came in at the edge of his hearing, with a vaguely fuzzy quality. Maybe when they were done with this, she'd be able to buy a new PET microphone.

"When you agreed to this venture, I was assuming a more... distinguished setting."

"Oh boy. I knew it was gonna come down to this." The slight, lilting rise in pitch carried over just fine, and he could already tell she was getting ready to explain something. She very much liked to explain things, he could never understand the compulsion. "You're not in the ACDC net because I don't like you. You're there because it's easy." She paused, as if waiting for some confirmation of understanding. "Think of it as like a training ground. I don't want to get down on you, but we're both pretty off our game. We'll just take it slow for now and get down to the real knightly stuff soon, okay?"

A moment of silence. CT was not, on the whole, a very thoughtful Navi, but he had enough sense to get what Zoe was driving at. It had been awhile since their last Netbattle, and he'd been finding himself rather rusty. He nooded, grinning wildly under his helmet. "Understood, m'lady! No time for dilly dallying, then. Onward!"

[Lookin' for trouble]

CentaurusMan walked a few feet and entered a nice park. He had entered in from an area paved with marble tiles with a few benches on the periphery. A marble fountain dominated the middle of this resting place, depicting a Spikey wolf with water coming out of its mouth in a steady stream. Unfortunately, the fountain was haunted! A quartet of ghost viruses floated around the fountain, making disturbing chittering laughs. They looked hungrily at CentaurusMan and extended their long tongues to give him a tongue lashing.

Although a glint of emerald light behind the fountain caught CentaurusMan's eyes. A green crystal was rotating slowly above one of the benches.

-Viruses-
SpookyA: 30HP
SpookyB: 30HP
SpookyC: 30HP
SpookyD: 30HP

-Objects-
Fountain: 100HP [StoneBody]
BenchA: 20HP [Next to CentaurusMan]
BenchB: 20HP [Behind Fountain]
BenchC: 20HP [East of Fountain]
BenchD: 20HP [West of Fountain]
GMD: 20HP [BenchC]

-Terrain-
100% Normal

-Navi-
CentaurusMan.EXE: 100HP

~Battle 1: Start!!~

Considering the general state of the place, he was almost a little surprised coming across them. Not too surprised though. They were viruses, getting into everywhere and everything was what they were for. With a clatter of armor and hooves on stone, CentaurusMan fell into his own idiosyncratic version of a combat stance, crouching forward slightly, legs apart, right hand steadying the shaft of his lance. He was starting to feel relieved already.

"Wow, that was fast." He could almost hear Zoe trying to compose herself on the other end of the PET. "Okay, these guys're tricky, so don't bother lining up a shot yet. Just hit hard and fast, then fall back for defense." CT just nodded. He didn't quite agree to Lady Goldman's choice of tactics some of the time, but she had a good head on her shoulders when it came to matters of war. Also she was his Operator, so he didn't have much choice in the matter either way.

"Chip data's on its way. Get ready." As soon as the words reached him, it was already underway, the laser lance disappearing in a blur of pixels to be replaced by a massive gauntlet forged in a rough imitation of a beast's claw. A wise choice. He could work with this.

Darting towards the bench nearest to him, he reached out and gripped it with his claw hand. He spun, briefly, like an Olympic hammer thrower, letting the weight of the bench and his own momentum carry him, then suddenly let go, sending the whole thing flying towards one of the Spookys. Whether it hit or not, CentaurusMan quickly buckled down, bringing himself into a more defensive stance and letting the Shield alterations do their work, the air around him now suffused with a faint hum.

Of course, far be it from him to resist the opportunity for a quick potshot. Dismissing the claw and leveling his lance, CT squezed off a quick burst of ruby right energy at the Spooky that he'd previously hucked the bench at. It payed to focus on a target at a time, even if they all looked the same.


Fight Log-
1. RageClaw1 tossing Bench A (B Accuracy, 20 Null, Impacting) @ Spooky B
2. Shield NaviCust
3. Buster shot (A accuracy, 10 Null) @Spooky B

CentaurusMan reached over and picked up BenchA with his RageClaw1 and hurled it at SpookyB. The bench smashes into the ghost virus, which was unusually solid for a ghost, and shatters apart. Leaving SpookyB barely standing... er... floating, over the remnants of the smashed bench.

The Navi then hunkered down behind a Shield as the Spookys descended upon him with their long tongues. They lashed about the Navi, but failed to hit anything. Maybe these ghosts weren't that dangerous.

CentaurusMan let the claw disappear and leveled his lance at the injured Spooky. With a blast of energy, the Spooky was deleted. He ain't afraid of no ghost.

-Viruses-
SpookyA: 30HP
SpookyB: GHOST BUSTED!
SpookyC: 30HP
SpookyD: 30HP

-Objects-
Fountain: 100HP [StoneBody]
BenchA: DELETED
BenchB: 20HP [Behind Fountain]
BenchC: 20HP [East of Fountain]
BenchD: 20HP [West of Fountain]
GMD: 20HP [BenchC]

-Terrain-
100% Normal

-Navi-
CentaurusMan.EXE: 100HP [RageClaw1: Dismissed!] [1-Hit Shield]

One down, three to go. CentarusMan grinned with satisfaction under his helmet. Another enemy felled, another portent of battles to come. Surely, this was to be the first of many victories! Still, it seemed a little... hollow. It had fallen so easily, and without a fight. Some "training" this was. Better to get this over quickly and move on to something more challenging.

"Lady Goldman, I believe we're at an advantage! Mayhap we should take a more offensive stance and banish these ruffians on the spot?" He called, practically hollering, from his position behind his trusty shield.

Zoe made a small noise of concern. "Yeah, you like like you're handling yourself. Couple new chips on the way ASAP." It always bugged him a little that she never specified which chips in particular that she was sending, but it mattered not. One trait of a true hero was adaptability, and he had it in spades.

Right on queue, the lance disappeared yet again, changing shape into an utterly massive crossbow, at least the size of one of the viruses if not larger, the bolt primed and ready. Without missing a beat, he took aim and fired, a sharp twang echoing out across the park. Whether or not he hit, the bow then fizzled out of existence, and CentaurusMan brought himself back up to his full height, shield still gripped tight.

By the time the second chip took effect, he was already in motion, pantomiming an exaggerated kick with his right leg. Even after having done this so many times before, he still found himself startled when he met resistance, a rotting old log that had appeared in the path of his hoof. Still, the kick connected, leaving a hoof-shaped imprint on the log's surface, and sent it rolling across the ground at ever-increasing speeds towards the Spookys.

Fight Log Part Dos-
1: Cannon (60 Null, Knockback, A accuracy) @ SpookyA
2: RollingLog1 (50 Wood, Ground Attack, Wide Attack(2), Double Attack, C accuracy) @SpookyC and SpookyD
3: RollingLog1 (50 Wood, Ground Attack, Wide Attack(2), Double Attack, C accuracy) @SpookyC and SpookyD

CentaurusMan makes his move before the laughing ghosts have any chance to react. His crossbow-Cannon fires straight and true, blasting the frontmost Spooky straight out of existence; despite already being a ghost, it's surely finding out about now whether or not there's an afterlife for viruses.

Confident in his trusty shield, the knightly Navi continues his assault even as the two Spookys bear down on him. One of them really does seem to need glasses, as its extend-o-tongue doesn't even come close to striking CentaurusMan. The other has better luck...in that it at least manages to connect with its target. Unfortunately for it (but fortunately for CentaurusMan), a large shield denied it the pleasure of dealing even a shred of damage.

The two viruses stop to stare, a bit dumbfounded, at the Navi's peculiar kick-miming. This ultimately becomes both their undoing, with a series of RollingLogs to squish them flat as pancakes, deletion following seconds later. The battle was won, and without a scratch!

-Viruses-
SpookyA: DELETED
SpookyB: GHOST BUSTED!
SpookyC: SPLAT
SpookyD: SPLAT

-Objects-
Fountain: 100HP [StoneBody]
BenchA: DELETED
BenchB: 20HP [Behind Fountain]
BenchC: 20HP [East of Fountain]
BenchD: 20HP [West of Fountain]
GMD: 20HP [BenchC]

-Terrain-
100% Normal

-Navi-
CentaurusMan.EXE: 100HP [Shield Broken[s], not that it matters[/s]]

=BATTLE #1: VICTORIOUS!!=
Rewards: Invis1, 300z

Quote ()

Invis1
Effect: Invisibility
Accuracy: S
Description: Grants the user invisibility. This reduces the chance of being hit by non-Seeking attacks by 50%.
Duration: One turn
Element: Null

It actually took a couple seconds for CentaurusMan to process his victory, staring dumbfounded at the space where the viruses used to be before riasing both arms above his head in triumph, the shattered remains of the shield scattered at his hooves. Victory at last! And to the victor, as they said, went the spoils. It was a meager haul, all things considered, a handful of Zenny and a single tool of subterfuge, but still. Greater treasures would be within sight soon enough!

"Marvelous!" He bellowed, starting to pace across the former battlefield. "A consumate victory indeed! At this rate, my lady, we won't need this training ground for much longer."

Another one of those noises from Zoe's end of things, occupying that vague sonic landscape between a groan and a grumble. "You did great, CT, but don't let it get to your head okay? "

"Of course not!" He thumped a fist on his breastplate. "Pride goeth before the fall and all that. Now, shall we continue onwards?" He wanted he to say yes. He really, really wanted her to say yes.

"Eh, sure. We've got the time for it. Just go ahead and crack open that mystery data before we move on, alright?" Oh yes. That. He'd been practically ignoring it the whole fight, too wrapped up in the spectacle of it all to pay the hovering green crystal any attention. Well, better late than never. CentaurusMan cantered over, mounting one leg on the bench, and held a hand above the thing, letting invisible strings of data snake downwards and untangle what sweet, juicy mysteries lay underneath the layers of garbled code and junk data. The possibility of traps didn't even enter into his mind. More treasure was always a good thing, right?

Right.

[Openin' up that Mystery Data]

The crystal opens with the eternally satisfying click of a lock opening. Centaurus accesses the data contained within, and withdraws...a most curious Battlechip!

CentaurusMan GET: Needler1

Quote ()

Needler1
HP: 60
Properties: Normal, FloatShoes, Mobile
Object Damage: 60 Null + Impact + Break
Damage Method: Ramming attack, Telekinesis, Throw
Attack Damage: 30 Null x 3 Targets
Accuracy: A
Description: Summons a hovering gun platform that attacks up to 3 separate targets each turn with it's trio of double spike guns.
Duration: Until destroyed.
Element: Null
Special: RP quality does not boost or reduce this chip's accuracy. - This chip's accuracy cannot be boosted or reduced by any means. - This object can dodge once instead of attacking. - This object may ram a target, but is instantly destroyed in exchange.

"Huh."

That was all CentaurusMan got out of Zoe for some time, that awkward few moments of half-silence filled with vague shuffling sounds from the opther end of the PET link, presumably indicating Zoe taking the time to actually look this one up. He certainly hadn't seen a chip like this before, much less used one. It had it uses, he hoped, but it didn't bother him much. Treasure was treasure, after all. As long as you had it, it didn't matter much what you did with it. Chips were, to him, a measure of status rather than prowess, a display of victories past and, hopefully, future.

"Yeah, don't look like we're gonna get much mileage out of this one. Still, pretty decent loot so far. I think we might actually be able to eat out for once." Though 'we' implied that CentaurusMan would be doing any eating whatsoever, which was a little hard when the helmet was practically glued to his neck. "Let's keep pushing this thing. Don't see why we need to stop now."

CT gave an enthusiastic nod and raised his lance high. "Very well, then! Onward! To battle!" With that, he started off, half-marching and half-trotting, in a sort of general virus-ward direction. It's not like they were hard to find or anything. You couldn't swing a dead pixel out here on the Net without hitting a virus of some color.

[Ready for battle 2!]

CentaurusMan continues his search for viruses far and wide, leading himself into a stretch of panels that bear clear signs of past battles: cracks mar the otherwise-pristine landscape here and there. It is here that the Navi simultaneously succeeds and fails in his endeavors. The success is in his having found viruses at all. The failure...is that they appear to have been looking for him.

More specifically, three Metools come running as fast as their tiny little feet can take them towards the behooved knight. One of them turns back briefly, swinging its mattock in an obvious 'come on!' gesture; looking closer, a Fishy approaches from the distance, following obediently. The diminutive trio finally reaches CentaurusMan, stopping a moment to gasp for breath, one leaning on its pickaxe while the other goes to take a breather under its helmet. While they catch their breath, the Fishy catches up, drifting a lazy circle above them as though it doesn't quite grasp the concept of stopping.

But a few seconds later, the three Metools are ready for action again, and brandish their mattocks in a manner that...could possibly be threatening? At any rate, there was battle to be had here!

=Foes=
MetoolA: 40HP
MetoolB: 40HP
MetoolC: 40HP
Fishy: 90HP

=Terrain=
70% Normal
30% Cracked [Scattered patches]

=Navi=
CentaurusMan.EXE: 100HP

=A BELATED RITE OF WELCOME! [PLUS GUEST]=
=BATTLE #2: FIGHT!=

CentaurusMan cocked his head to the side, like a curious puppy. This was more than a little strange, even by his admittedly stringent standards for strangeness. Had they been looking for him? Perhaps they were like him, warriors in search of a challenge befitting their skills. Probably not, because they were viruses, but for the sake of his ego that was what was happening. Well, if it was a battle they wanted, then they'd have it! He made a gesture with his free hand, mimicking the Met's motion of bravado, then fell back into a combat stance, crouched ever so slightly, hand on his lance, careful to keep his hooves away from the cracked and worn tilework. Didn't want to risk an accident.

"Ooookay then." Said Zoe, finally breaking the silence. "Looks like this isn't gonna be quite as easy as the last one. Try and make those Mets your priority for now. Stick to group attacks, and keep your shield up. The fish comes later. Got it?"

CentaurusMan nodded and gave a stiff salute in a vaguely upward direction. He was pretty sure that's where Zoe was, topographically. He was never sure how she saw these things play out. She'd once explained it to him as like watching a game of chess, but the analogy had flown right over his head. He'd always preferred checkers, anyway."Understood, Lady Goldman! We'll have these brutes done and gone in a hurry, you and I!"

"Good. Got a rolling log for you on the way, try and get 'em two by two."

He nodded again, more enthusiastically this time, and extended his right arm, hooking it like he was holding a heavy shield. In a rushing blur of pixels and fragmented data, there it was, a great silver kite shield, rimmed with green around the edges and embossed the Navi's own emblem, a horse's head viewed in profile. It glinted in the artificial sunlight, but he knew it wasn't nearly as hardy as it looked. Just one hit and it would shatter like glass. It was more insurance than defense for him.

Then, he about-faced, turning his back to the viruses, and made that sudden kicking motion again, backwards this time, like a horse bucking at something that had irritated it. Like clockwork, the log appeared mid-swing, taking the hit and tumbling, faster this time, towards a pair of Mets. Then he spun, like an ill-trained ballerina, and booted a second time, aiming to catch a third virus with the second sudden log. Once finished, he twirled again, now back to facing his foes, his stance now more defensive. Legs wide, shield up, low to the ground, lance poking out just behind his fortification.

Battle Log-
1. 1Hit shield on
2. RollingLog1 (50 Wood, Ground Attack, Wide Attack(2), Double Attack, C accuracy) @ MetoolA, MetoolB
3. RollingLog1 (50 Wood, Ground Attack, Wide Attack(2), Double Attack, C accuracy) @ MetoolB, MetoolC

((Sorry for the delay; I'm usually booked up on weekends, and I think many of the others have been temporarily kidnapped by Smash Bros....))

Now that the traditional welcome brigade had finally caught up with CentaurusMan, the battle began in earnest. Eager to show that it wasn't just a hanger-on, the Fishy makes a mad dash at CT as he raises his shield, but it seems that it was all enthusiasm and no accuracy; its charge veers wide by a fair distance.

The metools take a more cautious approach at first, though this only means that CentaurusMan gets the jump on them with his rolling logs. The first bumps and bounces a little as it goes, enough that one end of the log jumps up at just the wrong time; the first metool is crushed, certainly, but the second feels the rush of heavy wooden deletion grazing by just over the top of its helmet. It responds by swinging its pick downward, sending out a shockwave that CT's shield takes the brunt of safely, before disintegrating.

The second log, right behind the first, makes up for the earlier miss, flattening the middle metool with great justice. There's terrified squeak, followed by a solid-sounding bump that makes the other end of it jump up in the air again, but alas, once the log has passed by, the third Metool remains; safely playing at being a speed bump, under its helmet.


=Foes=
MetoolA: DELETED
MetoolB: DELETED
MetoolC: 40HP [Guarding]
Fishy: 90HP [Behind CentaurusMan]

=Terrain=
70% Normal
30% Cracked [Scattered patches]

=Navi=
CentaurusMan.EXE: 100HP [Shield Broken!]

Despite not hitting all of his intended targets, CentaurusMan didn't see it as a failure. No, they were fighting back now, defending themselves! Though meek in comparison to himself they were, at least, worthier opponents than the last. Absolute victory was satisfying and all, but he'd nearly forgotten the sheer thrill of a real fight. Still, better to stay on his toes, or lack thereof, than let his opponents get the better of him. Which, considering the current situation, was exactly what was happening. He'd lost sight of the Fishy, but the Metool was still a priority. Lady Goldman had said so! What she was saying now, though, was a little different.

That being a brief, sharply uttered "Behind you!", like she was barking straight into his ear. He jolted a little, startled, and made an about face for the second time now, coming face to face with his new over-eager foe. Partly out of shock, and partly out of instinct, he swung his lance down in a hammering motion. Thankfully, Zoe had the reflexes and the forethought to transfer him something a little more damaging than a sharp bop on the head. Mid-swing, CT's lance arm blurred out of focus, component data realigning itself into new and novel patterns, and he found himself grateful to find the steely claws of a Raging Claw coming down on the Fishy's head. With a twist of his arm, he took the momentum of the swing, whether it had hit or not, and eased smoothly into a second strike, this time swiping at the thing from the side as he aimed to rake the claws across its scales. Then he swung again, arcing the gauntlet in a forceful backhand and extending the claws fully.

With the reflexes of an over-caffeinated goat, he hopped back, aiming to avoid any retribution from the Fishy or the surviving Met. He'd been out of the game for some time, but not long enough to be called rusty. He still hade some of the old skills in him, etched deep in his code base.

Fight Log part Due-
1. RagingClaw1 (40 Null, Slashing, A Accuracy*) @ Fishy
2. RagingClaw1 (40 Null, Slashing, A Accuracy*) @ Fishy
3. RagingClaw1 (40 Null, Slashing, A Accuracy*) @ Fishy
4. Swordplay (Free dodge)

*with Sword Mastery passive

Not one to be caught off-guard or present his back to a foeman, CentaurusMan wheels on the Fishy and lashes out great alacrity. It's fortunate that he receives the correct chip support from his operator in time. He lands the first blow, and the second, but the Fishy immediately makes another dash at him, unwilling to stay within the clawed barrage. It could probably blame the successive blows as an excuse for missing the navi a second time, but let's be honest; its track record wasn't exactly shining to begin with. As it is, the fish virus shoots past him fast enough that the reaching swipe of CT's third strike just can't get to it to finish it off.

While it missed its target, the poor fishy does end up careening into the hiding metool, bouncing harmlessly off its helmet and going end over end to land slightly dazed behind it. This does cause the little guy to pop up though, and after a quick look around, it strikes the ground, sending a shockwave of its own towards CentaurusMan. Fortunately for CT, he is firmly in the grove and flow of his swordplay, and nimbly swerves out of the way of the attack. The fishy makes an angry sound as it picks itself up, and the metool blinks a few times, now slightly confused by exactly what is going on.


=Foes=
MetoolA: DELETED
MetoolB: DELETED
MetoolC: 40HP
Fishy: 10HP

=Terrain=
70% Normal
30% Cracked [Scattered patches]

=Navi=
CentaurusMan.EXE: 100HP

CentaurusMan shucked his shoulders and placed a hand over where his mouth presumably would be were he not wearing the helmet. It was really all he could do to keep from bursting into laughter. Was this a battle or a simple comedy of errors? Either way, now was not the time for japes. Nay, now was the time to strike! The enemy, off balance and foolish, wouldn't see it coming.

He thrust his arm out and summoned a shield for the second time, though it was more for reassurance than anything else. He likely wouldn't be needing it soon. With a flick of the wrist, he dismissed the Raging Claw in a cloud of pixels, thrusting the resulting lance arm up into the air.

"M'lady! A piercing armament, thank you kindly!" He bellowed. The viruses could probably hear him, and if they understood him or not didn't matter. Not to him, at least.

"Huh? Yeah, uh, alright." She blurted, a little startled. CT wasn't usually so demanding when it came to chips. Maybe it was starting to get to his head a little, and not for the first time so far Zoe considered pulling the plug.

Still, she did as she was told. The lance disappeared, and in its place was that same enormous, barrel-shaped crossbow that had been the Cannon chip. This time, though, the bolt was longer, slimmer, with bright red fletching and a simple, streamlined point for a head. Without missing a beat, he leveled the contraption at the remaining two viruses and loosed an arrow, hoping to snag the both of them with one shot.

=TURN SPLICE!=
Fight Log 3: Virus Eater -

1.1Hit shield up
2. Shotgun (50 Null, Spread 1, A Accuracy) @ Fishy and MetoolC

The Metool is still looking on to see if it had succeeded in 'welcoming' the sort-of-chivalrous navi properly, and the Fishy was shaking itself off and getting ready to see if the third time would be a charm, when CentaurusMan put a swift end to their efforts with a single well-aimed shotgun blast crossbow bolt. It pierces clean through the poor little met, and strikes the Fishy behind before it can get clear. Quiet falls again, and only the sounds of dissipating junk data remain. That, and a modest amount of zenny.

=Foes=
MetoolA: DELETED
MetoolB: DELETED
MetoolC: DELETED
Fishy: DELETED

=Terrain=
70% Normal
30% Cracked [Scattered patches]

=Navi=
CentaurusMan.EXE: 100HP [1-hit Shield]

-=Battle 2 Victory!=-

Spoils: 420z

"Forsooth!" He cheered, punching the air with his shield arm as the remaining two viruses dissolved into meaningless packets of code. The reward this time around wasn't quite as generous, but that was more Lady Goldman's concern than his own. Zenny had never been the object of this jounrey in the first place. Nay, a true knight searched not for gold, but for glory, and so far he had found it in spades.

CentaurusMan, coincidentally, had a much looser definition of "glory" than most people.

"You've really been holdin' that one in, huh?" Zoe droned, right on cue, obviously a little displeased at their meager handful of Zenny. Frankly, she had every right to be, but CentaurusMan still found her attitude towards the proceedings vaguely disappointing. Not that their lack of shared enthusiasm had been an issue before, but it still managed to tug on the nerves some. Or it would, if he had nerves to tug.

"Err, perhaps. Just a little." He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "But 'tis not wholly unjustified! For the second time, we're blessed with victory! Mayhaps we can continue our fruitful ventures?" He was practically pleading at this point.

Another concerned little noise from Zoe's end of things. "I don't know. We made a pretty decent amount of cash so far. I mean, it's enough for food. I think you should go ahead and jack ou-" She didn't even get to finish her sentence before CentaurusMan gazed up at her with a look that would make a puppy green with envy. He didn't have the pride for it most of the time, but the guy really knew how to beg. She thought he might actually start crying if they waited too long. She groaned. "Alright, fine. One more bust, then we're out. I want that paper done today, yeah?"

"Yeah indeed, m'lady! Now, to arms! The game is afoot!" So he strode, or trotted as the case may be, across the broken battlefield, a renewed spring in his step. The plan of action didn't suit him too well, but if it meant another battle then he was all for it.

[Requesting battle 3!]

CentaurusMan came upon a fork in the road. One path lead into a shopping district of the ACDC Net. The other path lead into a park with lots of overgrown grassy fields, attempting to be maintained by a few lawnskeepers, and trees.

Which path does he choose?

Shopping District or Forest Park

As quickly as he'd set off, CentaurusMan came to a sudden, skittering halt. A crossroads! The first real choice in their quest thus far. He'd have to consider their options carefully. The shopping center looked promising, but the park spoke to him a bit more. Maybe that was just his Wood typing, though. Maybe it was better to consult Lady Goldman on this for once.

"Your thoughts, m'lady? Where shall our journey take us now?" He asked, anticipation practically dripping from his voice.

"The shopping district looks promising." She spoke quickly and tersely, critical of any possible decisions made. "I know you like the park, but I think we've got a better chance of running into Elec viruses this way. Better to have that advantage than not, right?"

He nodded once, slowly. He didn't quite agree with her assessment, but there was no point in arguing this. Especially not with the knowledge that she could jack him out and end this whole escapade right then and there. He turned, the back of his hoof scraping hard against the panels, and took a left into the shopping district.

CentaurusMan came upon a busy shopping district. Vehicles of all types were speeding by in a variety of directions on various errands. A few Navis on the sidewalks glanced at the newcomer, but seemed to continue on with whatever they were doing before.

CentaurusMan noticed that a little farther down the street and across a busy intersection, there were a group of Metools digging into the roadway. The other Navis didn't seem to notice them at all, walking right by them as they continued to tear up a section of the road. Thankfully, the cars and trucks that were zipping through the intersection were not turning onto that street.

One of the vehicles, which looked like a futuristic pickup, pulled off the busy thoroughfare and onto the street where CentaurusMan stood. Three sleek silver hoverbikes were chained to the back. The pickup pulled next to him and a Navi in a black biker jacket and skin-tight pants, both with bright yellow reflective stripes, jumped out of the driver's side onto the sidewalk. He was wearing a similarly adorned biker helmet. His head moved up and down, as if he was looking CentaurusMan over. Apparently satisfied, he pointed to the hoverbikes. "You look like you could do for some fun. How about it? I need someone to test out my new design of hoverbikes. We'll take them for a spin around the NETWAY and be back in an hour or two. There is a ramp not too far from here."

He pointed where a few vehicles were turning off the main road onto a ramp, past the intersection, and onto a multi-laned super highway. NETWAY 101 was emblazoned on the entrance of the off-ramp. Would CentaurusMan take up the Navi on his offer? Would he investigate the strangely-ignored Metools? Or would he go somewhere else? Like shopping. There were a few shops and office buildings nearby. He could also do some sightseeing. Or just blow past it all and leave the place and try to find some more viruses to delete elsewhere.

[Choose your path.]
1. Potential battle with Metools.
2. Battles on the NETWAY on a hoverbike (gain Speed Subtype: High Gear while on bike).
3. Cross the town and head out the other side for country battles.
4. Do some shopping without incurring battles or logging out.