Casual busting and Catching up

Despite being pushed away, Eternalis stood between Aurora and Lyntael. Of course, any attempt at pulling her down when she was determined like this was going to result in this reaction. Was there any reason why he had pointed out Lyntael's state to her? Surely, the more prudent way was to appeal Aurora's current state, which was more evidently in need of attention. It wouldn't be any good to switch directions now, and now he'd just deal with the fallout and kick himself for it later. Unexpectedly, however, Lyntael sat back down, and asked Aurora herself about what was bothering her.

At this point, Aurora had her eyes closed, trying to block out the world around her, encased in flashbacks of times long past. Her limbs began to shake, the sweltering Kotobuki network's temperatures replaced with the biting frost of the Sharo network in her mind. A female support program, pointing her buster arm at her, whose identity she had long forgotten. Only the vitriol, the rage, and the words cursing her, a chained dog of Sharo. The gunmetal-colored barrel of the anti-Navi weapon in her hand was pointed squarely at the support program's forehead. And in the midst of her memory, the long-forgotten face in her sights slowly melted into a familiar face, of that of a young blonde girl of sixteen.

Aurora pressed her fingers into the bridge of her nose forcefully. It felt slick, from beaded sweat. She sharply inhaled before opening her eyes. The same face was before her, sitting cross-legged across from her, asking if she was alright. "Sorry, I... it's nothing, I'm fine," she replied. Next to Lyntael, Eternalis knelt down; a concerned query reached her mental border. She looked back up at him for a moment, shook her head, and turned back to Lyntael. "No, alright, I probably shouldn't keep it from you."

She inhaled slowly again. The air felt humid. There was no frost against her face. "Truthfully, I... used to work for that part of the Sharo family. Assassinations, against Navis that crossed their interests," she said. She tried to make eye contact with Lyntael, but her eyes darted away just as quickly. "A few things happened, and my operator and I retired, I swear, but... you telling me that just now, and... I just thought, I could have been sent against you, and I... it hadn't occurred to me. You've told us about Rogan before, and we even met him here."

"If we're--I'm here with you, I don't know if I should be here. I'm sorry, it shouldn't be your problem. It's mine." Words were failing her now, and she half-hugged herself with one of her arms.
Despite the background frustration that she was keeping at bay, Lyntael did her best to focus on Aurora instead of letting herself bridle further at Eternalis' earlier comment. Opposite her, her friend was struggling with something, and once she actually looked, it struck her how similar the reaction was to ones she knew she'd had herself. She knew they'd both been through a lot, but Aurora had always seemed so self-sure... She waited, and listened; time to breathe and order her thoughts was what she'd always needed when the situation had been the other way, so she gave Aurora the same now.

Something tense gathered between her shoulders and in the back of her mind as she listened to Aurora explain her distress. Aurora and Eternalis – They'd fought in wars to defend the net... they were the good guys, weren't they? Something cold and uncertain reached into her chest as the other woman spoke.

“You... You've killed...” She swallowed, her thoughts crashing into each other. “I- I mean... like, really killed other navigators? For them?” Wars were one thing, but that was fighting to defend something, it wasn't... personal. Killing someone, someone specific, because a criminal told you to... that was... different. She felt sensation like stone in her middle, dragging at her as she stared. The idea that she herself was in exactly the kind of position that Aurora might have been sent after was something that her mind barely knew how to process when it was presented; Aurora wouldn't do that, she knew she wouldn't do that... Didn't she? But... in the end, how much did she really know about the other woman, or her past? It felt like she knew her... Aurora was the closest friend she had, outside of family, and Eternalis too... but what did she really know? Was she just wrong about things, again? She blinked, trying to school the expression of shock and disbelief off her face. No; she'd been right about Rogan, and she was right here, too, she had to be. The Aurora she knew wouldn't do something like that. She attempted a smile instead.

“You... You weren't the same person, then, right? That wasn't you... not the you you are now, yeah? You got out, and you're not like that any more. You don't do that any more, so, it's okay, right? It's okay. It doesn't matter who you were then; who you are now, that's who I care about. It's okay.”

In her mind, as she smiled for Aurora, Lyntael reaffirmed the words to herself; whatever Aurora had had to do before they met, she'd chosen to get away from it, and was choosing who she wanted to be now, and who she was now; that was what mattered. Her mind drifted to Rogan, and the scars he still wore – on his body and on his heart, both; where did you draw the line between what someone did, and what they were like underneath, when you had to work out who they really were, and if it was good? It was her fault for bringing it up, anyway. She rubbed at her neck.

“Look... it's fine, Aurora, really... I'm sure it was ages ago, long before I was born. I'm sorry for bringing it up. You don't have to talk about it, if it's not who you are any more... I was... I was telling you about Rogan, and everything!” She tried to jump back to where this had gone off the rails; Aurora needed time, and she didn't want to talk about her own troubles, so she had to fill the gap. Her mind skipped away from the fuzzy sections he couldn't recall, but she pushed it back towards them again, looking for some way to get their conversation back on track without fighting.

“It was in Yumland, deep in the jungle, and we did recon for, like, three days, just gathering on-site details from afar, and I got to be out in the open air, and feel real, live storms on my skin, you know, out there, with Rogan... It was really nice!” She grinned for her friend; her mind was still hedging around what came next, jumping past it to the places that were clear again, but there were still other things around and about that she could talk about.
As Aurora had thought, Lyntael's reaction to her confession of past misdeeds was fairly expected. There was the look in her eyes, that same look that she saw in so much of her "previous life", when someone perceived her as a threat. A knot formed in her chest, expecting a hard rebuke. The proper reaction to someone of her vocation, and the correct one, she thought. Unlike how Eternalis was obviously her partner and would be on her side, Lyntael was just a friend--and one in exactly the kind of position to want to revoke trust in her, and to demand her be chained up, and locked off to the world once more.

The rebuke never came, and Aurora was instead presented with her friend sympathizing with her. Relief washed over her. At the very least, Lyntael seemed to trust her. At least externally, she was putting on a smile, and she wasn't running away. The relief drained away just as quickly, however, sifting away through her like sand between one's fingers. The myriad possibilities of how it could have gone wrong still swirled about in her head, showing no sign of calming down. What if continuing to talk was a diversionary tactic and she was merely stalling for time before she was going to leave? What if, now that she was definitely getting stronger, she was going to turn that strength back on her? Despondency began its hold once more, and she began to shiver despite her surroundings.

However, she then felt a weight around her shoulder, and looked up--it was Eternalis, who had came up to her, and held her close to him. The lack of warmth of his body as she felt a grip on her arm seemed to steady her, and she took some breaths. Eternalis took a moment to transmit a thought to her, and she returned it with a shaky affirmative, before he started talking. "Do Yumland's networks simulate real-life storms? That sounds like it'd be fun to trek through, though I can't imagine a deep jungle having servers out there," he commented, mostly unawares. "Did you really stay out for three whole days straight, or was it split up into visits or something?"
One part of her was desperate for the reassurance that she hadn't just misjudged someone again, but the rest of her didn't want to risk the wait, and Lyntael only watched Aurora for that reassurance for a moment or two before she diverted the conversation. Aurora hadn't answered; hadn't agreed with her or even nodded along, but she was still upset by the whole confession, so, that was pretty normal, wasn't ti? Her eyes flicked too Eternalis as he moved in alongside his partner to lend the comfort that Lyntael realised she hadn't. She hesitated a moment, the shook her head softly, glancing down. Eternalis was encouraging her to continue her story, though, so that was probably for the best.

“Oh... I um, I don't really know. Maybe? I've never actually been to Yumland's public networks.” After a moment she realised her mistake. “I meant... Well, Roan was the one doing all the travelling and trekking. Pushing himself too hard, like usual. It was a...” she glanced to Aurora again, her brow furrowing for a moment. “What was the term you used? Air-gapped? It was isolated, a hidden facility, deep in the jungle.” She shifted her position, pulling one knee up to wrap her arms around it and rest her head down. “So, for me, it was mostly just being at home, but, like I had this whole fascinating jungle just outside my window... and in the evenings, I could come out and climb a tree, and look out over the canopy, and feel the storms in the air, and the rain on my skin...” She shrugged softly, glancing aside. “I mean, Rogan was usually all business mode, all the time... we were on a mission after all... but it was nice.” Her eyes dropped unconsciously and her voice quieted to a murmur as she looked down at the ground in front of her shoes. “It was nice... we were... working together, getting along. I watched the perimeter of the camp, monitored for scans or external signals, and made sure nothing had found or detected us, while Rogan gathered intel on the physical facility itself, and we planned... I was... scared... but I was happy too, I think. I don't... I don't really remember, very well. It gets fuzzy.” The frustration of not being clear on the details gnawed at her again and she sight, rolling to one side and climbing to her feet again with a shake of her head.

“Once we'd planned everything, though, and we made our move... I'm just... not sure. I remember the planning, and the storms over the jungle, and those nice evenings of quiet and peace, even if it was tense before the danger... but after that...” A small frustrated sound rose in her throat and escaped as a sigh while her fingers clutched at the air in front of her, unable to grasp the finer details. Unconsciously she began to pace back and forth again, still staring at the ground ahead of her without really seeing.

“I don't know what happened, not exactly... but I know something went wrong. I think it was my fault, I must have made some mistake, but I don't know what. Rogan got hurt. I don't know how or why, just that he was shot, a bunch of times. I...” Her mind rebelled at the edges of the fog, diverting around the places it couldn't go, and her frustration mounted as her pace quickened. “I think... I think I got hurt too. Really badly.” She reached for details that just weren't there, fists clenching and flexing every few moments.

“There was a sleeper room, in the airport. He was hurt, but he was focused on me.” It was just a fragment, less than a fragment; an impression with nothing tangible she could picture, and she shook her head again. The frustration in her voice grew more clear.

“Next thing I know, we're back at Eric's place. I remember, I didn't understand what was going on. Rogan and Eric had a big fight, realy big ,and I don't even know what it was about, but it was bad. I remember... Eric was crying, and Rogan was hurting, and I didn't understand.” Her hair had started to crackle again as sparks rippled across her body and her breath grew shorter and more laboured. “He kicked him out, told him never too come back, but there wasn't anything wrong, and they wouldn't tell me. Rogan cried too. I've never seen him cry... And in the morning...” As she went on, the breathless litany of frustration took over and ran away with her, climbing in volume as it went. “In the morning, they were putting on brave faces, and speaking sad words, and Eric didn't want me to go with Rogan, and Rogan said Eric was right, and they were both looking at me... Just looking at me... Sad, and trying to smile... Looking at me with those expressions, like... like they were seeing a stranger! Like they were seeing someone else! Like they were looking at me but not seeing me, and I didn't understand! And Rogan is... He's still... He's broken, inside, and I don't know how to help! Because he keeps looking at me, like I'm someone I'm not! And he's treating me like a person, and he cares about how I feel, and he wants me to be safe, and... and... and it's All Wrong! It's not meant to be like this!!” Panting for air, Lyntael realised she'd been shouting and her pacing stopped. She looked towards her friends, catching her breath while her chest heaved. Her eyes prickled. What was wrong with her?
Lyntael's explanation of how she had never been to Yumland's networks further confused Eternalis, with how she went on about her operator's physical circumstances instead. It was almost as if they shared being in the same physical space? That couldn't be right, but it certainly sounded like the case. Every time they met, something new about their friend continued to surprise him. The little detail made him nearly miss the rest of the story that Lyntael was putting out. For the moment, it seemed like the operator-Navi stakeout duo's mission went somewhat sour, but her memory of it was also quite foggy.

He stole a glance at Aurora next to him. The woman appeared to be recovering more and more, she seemed to be focusing on Lyntael. However, he could see her tightening her balled-up fists periodically, and there was little to no shared mental activity between them; she was walling herself off from him. He shook his head, one issue at a time. Was it a similar situation to her voluntary memory erasure? It was hard to tell, since their memories were stored in a much more tangible form than humans, but Lyntael's little quirks here and there made him think it could simply be another thing that made her more "human-like". The other alternative was... simply that she really had no recollection to begin with?

Once the possibility surfaced, it was hard to deny that it was the most likely one. A backup copy would retain memories, up to the point after the backup was made. The spotty memories could simply have been fabricated from listening to her operator speak, or from trying to piece together what had happened by way of circumstantial evidence, or from pieced-together data from... a previous copy. He shuddered; he had not thought of backups much in general, at least not with emergency jackout procedures long been mandated in PETs. Lyntael's distress grew more and more, until it reached a crescendo, peaking at her screaming out her woes, and Aurora was still silent beside him, unwilling to share their usual discreet mental channel. Alone, what was he to do?

...

The cacophony of thoughts inside of Aurora's mind was letting up slowly. However, it wasn't quite like she could simply banish them away, at least not by simply having her thoughts to herself. She looked back at Lyntael, telling her tale of some air-gapped facility in Yumland, and how she felt the rain and wind on her. That's right, she thought, she needed to reaffirm that Lyntael was, through it all, still their, her friend. She focused her efforts on listening to Lyntael's story, and only that; there was to be no interruptions on the side.

Here was a girl who was just as distressed as her, before she had been interrupted by her own selfish experiences. Yelling out at her friends, at the ones she could trust to listen. Aurora gripped her fists, as if to dig her fingers into her own palm. What kind of silly situations had been conjured up in her mind before? Of course they, she was Lyntael's friend, and what else? She wrested herself from Eternalis's arm, who seemed a little surprised, but allowed her free quickly, while she marched up to Lyntael.

Taking hold of Lyntael's shoulders tightly, Aurora realized how shaky her own hands were. Nevertheless, she pressed onwards. "Of course you're Lyntael! There's no one else that could be. You're my friend. Our friend!" she declared as best as she could. "If there's something broken then we'll just find out how to fix it. If you don't know how to help then we can put our heads together to see how we can! If Rogan has something about you that he thinks isn't you then we'll go up and ask him what it is, and we'll be there with you!"

Behind Aurora, Eternalis came up at a walk, giving a nod to his partner's own fevered pitch. A furred nose brushed up against Lyntael's back as well, as Sparky's large head came up from around her.
Once her outburst stuttered to a breathless halt, Lyntael's eyes flicked between here friends before dropping, unfocused, to the ground in front her while she panted for breath. The hot prickling in her eyes remained ass the rest of her thoughts caught up with the runaway train of her previous shouting. Why was everything wrong? Why was she being like this? Little irritations, everywhere. Little things wrong, all building up. She was picking fights and shouting at people. She never did that...but why shouldn't she, if things were wrong? But why were they wrong, when they'd been just perfect before?

Aurora's hands on her shoulder snapped the girl out of her thoughts and she looked up into an expression that seemed a hair's breadth away from being as overwhelmed as she felt. Uncertainly at first, then with more conviction, she nodded to Aurora's words, swallowing once or twice and trying to take longer breaths.

“Yeah. Yeah. It'll be okay. I'm okay.” She paused, lifting hands to press them against her face and draw one more deep slow breath. She pushed the storm of frustrated and agitated thoughts away and did her best to block them out. When she opened her eyes and lowered her hands, Lyntael was smiling again. She leaned forward and hugged Aurora while the other woman was close, squeezing her tight for an extra moment before stepping back.

“Sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. It's not just Rogan. Ever since the mission, things have been different. I'm still just me, the same as I always am... but there's so many little things that were just right, and perfect but I'm feeling like... I don't know... they're just not quite right, or not quite as perfect as I thought, and it's all frustrating and annoying.” She shook her head, trying a small grin, then turned to grab Eternalis in a quick hug as well when he came closer, then drew back so she could look at both of them. “Whatever 's wrong... I don't know... but I'll deal with it.”

The small grin became an exasperated huff as she rolled her eyes. “Someone's got to be put together well enough of function, after all... And it's sure not Rogan right now.” She paused to ruffle at Sparky's fur again, idly returning his attention with one hand as she turned to really look at their surroundings properly and begin working out how to proceed. “I love that man, truly, and I'm worried for him... but I can't exactly help if he's going to keep things from me.” An undercurrent of thought surged – that she'd never had trouble understanding what he was thinking and feeling before, but lately she just couldn't, and she didn't even understand what she was missing... but she shoved the thought down and didn't let it reach her smile. “Thanks... I'm okay. I... didn't mean to vent at you like that. How are you doing?” She looked mostly to Aurora again, tilting her head to one side to see if the other woman was feeling any better. “Want to go chase down whatever that thing was? We can fry a few more viruses and then I can show you my new training room at home. Sound fun?” Maybe having the others around when she spoke to Rogan next would be a good idea. Maybe he'd tell them the things he wouldn't tell her? Probably not, she reasoned, but there was a chance.
The fevered pitch at which Aurora delivered her declaration served to convince herself as much as it was for Lyntael, and when Lyntael came in to embrace her, she leaned into the smaller girl's frame. If Sparky hadn't been behind Lyntael, Aurora most likely would have accidentally pushed her down, as heavy as her load felt. Still, that was what friends were for, to rely on each other, was it not? The errant thoughts rattling around her head were forcefully put down, and Aurora took a deep breath before letting go.

Both of them would feel a hand on their heads as they separated. "Everyone alright now?" Eternalis asked. Aurora ducked her way out of the patting, grinning as she did so. "I don't need to be petted on the head like a kid," she laughed. However, Eternalis would feel their mental link reopen, with a message of thanks sent unbeknownst to their friend, who was now asking about her condition. She closed her eyes and drew another deep breath, and looked back at Lyntael. The eye contact assured her that it was right.

"Neither me. I can't say I've never been better, but we'll work it out," she said. "Yeah, let's head out. Let's both try not to push too hard? I don't think Eternalis wants to pull us out of something like that again."
"Given the choice, I wouldn't!"

[Battle 4 - Ready.]
Lyntael kept her brighter smile up as they got ready to move on; it was easy enough to do, even with the intrusive, uncomfortable thoughts still needing pushed down every few moments. She should smile for her friends; they, at least, weren't looking at her... like that. They weren't looking at her like... like... She pushed the thought away. They weren't, and that was what mattered. They weren't, were they? Her eyes lingered briefly on Eternalis as he shared some little moment with Aurora, but she looked away again quickly before he noticed her gaze or made eye contact. It was fine. She shoved the worry away more firmly and began to look around their rest point for a way forward.

Picking through the debris was a fair enough distraction while she found a way through the ruined tunnel and pulled aside several pieces of twisted metal to widen the path. It led through into more overly warm, dimly lit tunnels that presumably ran through the substructure, just under the Kotobuki park's surface – maybe old maintenance tracks or the like?

“This might get us back out to the surface maybe? If we keep following the worst of the damage, I'm sure we'll find whatever that creature was again, right?” She glanced back, then slipped through the gap once she was sure they were following. “We can't let it keep wrecking stuff, even if no-one comes here any more – that's just rude.” As she pushed forward, the side thought prodded at her that she'd been perfectly happy to break and destroy things for her own entertainment down here, because it was abandoned... but she ignored it; that was different.

((Ready for Battle 4))
(+18 Mutual FXP)

As the quartet made their way through whatever tunnels and passages they could, emerging, a small park of dilapidated and rusty things, maybe play-park equipment, were nestled in the ground where dirt and grass sprang up at, surrounded with asphalt and concrete surrounding it with paths leaving the area long since covered with garbage. The four looking about briefly before a snarl sounded out above, a visage of the charcoal black creature they had seen previously just before their last fight in the area...smoldering embers surrounding it as the smell of melting metal atop the mountains and mountains of trash as it brandished it's sword and shield threateningly at the quartet, before the sound of...corn kernels popping sounded out?

Small explosions began to ring out, destroying the already dilapidated park equipment, sending shrapnel out in all directions. A quintet of viruses soon descended upon the navis and SPs, the creature deciding to leave instead as the four were distracted by a more immediate threat. A MegaCorn dropped down with a crown upon it's cobbed head, shining in gold and crimson as it barely just kept from falling over the virus' eyes, hopping about almost happily and eagerly. Twirling around in the air, a Mashy would drop down, the mushroom virus with neckerchief around it's thin throat got comfy upon the grass around it despite taking up a combative stance. A Neo-Metool would fall unceremoniously down the trash mountains, flipping over and over again before finally settling on it's feet, spitting out a green-ish liquid from it's mouth as it tried to remain composed. A Gloomer floated down from behind the Megacorn, taking up a defensive position behind the king virus at the northern parts of the field. And finally, from below, a massive stuffed teddy bear with more sharp bits than necessary for a children's toy would begin to take strides towards the navis and SPs, bearing massive bloodied claws and fangs dripping the same bloodied liquids. Soon enough, battle routines kicked in for all four and after, the tunnel behind them closed shut, making sure they couldn't escape as easily as they got in.

-- Viruses --
King!MegaCornMegaCorn (BombCorn)

BombCorn move and dodge at average speed. They may move every turn as a free action once. They cannot move and attack at the same time.

Area: Okuden Valley, Dentech, Yumland

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 30 Wood + Blast1 x 2 Targets
Attack Accuracy: D
Attack Description: Launches bombs of corn at opponents
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): CornShot2, Zenny
: 100 HP (Soil) (Towards the upper parts of the dirt field, near a patch of Grass terrain)
Teddy2Teddy2 (Teddy)

Area: ACDC, Yoka, Okuden Valley, Yumland

HP: 180
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 50 + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: Tears at an enemy with its claws.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 25 + Impact x 2 targets
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Picks up and throws one enemy at another.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): RageClaw2, Zenny
Special: Will only use its secondary attack if there is more than one enemy. Will only use its tertiary attack if there is an object capable of being thrown.
: 180 HP (Grass) (Near the southern-most end, approaching the navis)
GloomerGloomer (Boomer)

Boomers cannot be damaged from any direction in the forward hemisphere so long as they carry their boomerang. Any attacks from the rear hemisphere or Break attacks hit normally. Boomers launch their boomerang when they attack, leaving themselves open to counter attacks. Boomers move by floating through the air, and are immune to the effects of Anchor. They are, however, still subject to the effects of terrain. They cannot be forced to submerge into liquid terrain, nor can they be buried in solid terrain. Boomers are horrible at dodging, as they generally rely on their Rang-Guard ability.

Area: SciLab, Okuden Valley, Dentech

HP: 140
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 45 Wood + Piercing(Arc) + Group Attack
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Fires a wooden boomerang that travels in a wide arc, striking all who stand in its path. The boomerang passes through everything it hits.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Wood + Slashing x3 Hits
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Fires a boomerang directly ahead at high speed, creating a pair of damaging afterimages that fly in its wake. The attack is such that if the first hit connects, the second and third will connect as well.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Boomerang2, QuickBoomerang2 (Rare), Zenny
Special: AirShoes, ShadowShoes.
Special: Rang-Guard: Blocks frontal attacks when not attacking.
- Can use PanelGrab as a free action each time another virus is deleted.
: 140 HP (Grass) (Behind Megacorn, near the back of the field)
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 (Normal) (Staring daggers at the navis from about feint away from Lyntael, on the Bottom Left-most part of the field)
MashyMashy (Mushy)

Mushies only appear in battle if 15% or more of the terrain is Grass. Mushies can only move across Grass, Mud, and Soil terrain types. If, for any reason, none of these terrain types exist on the field, these viruses will be unable to move until the end of the turn. Mushies will then attempt to change the terrain to Grass, or flee if they cannot. Mushies move by teleporting.

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

HP: 140
Attack Damage/Effect: (Teleport) then (45 Wood + Confusion + Nova2)
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Teleports close to an enemy, and releases a cloud of spores in all directions. When attacking, the space it teleports to does not have to be on Grass, but the panel it teleports from and returns to after the attack must be Grass.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Spice2, BadSpice2, Zenny
Special: This virus may only move on Wood Element panels.
Special: When no Grass terrain exists on the field, this virus may throw a Grass Seed once as a Standard Action.
Special: If no Grass terrain exists, and this virus has already used Grass Seed, it will flee the battle.
: 140 HP (Grass) (About a feint away from the MegaCorn, near the center of the field)

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 350 HP (Normal) (Near where you entered on the outer ring in the south)
Eternalis.EXE: 600 HP (Grass) (Near where you entered, near Lyntael in the south)
Aurora.SP: 100 HP (Normal) (Next to Lyntael)
Sparky.SP: 80 HP (Grass) (Next to Eternalis)

-- Terrain -- (Field is surrounded by mountains of trash, but all of them seem stable)
50% Soil
  • Wood Elementals get +10% Evasion.
  • Wood attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Grass.
  • 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Mud.
  • 100 Damage Fire attacks: change terrain hit to Coal.
  • PanelShot: Imbue Wood.
(Roughly in 3-ish chunks, small 6-9 panel squares in a diagonal pattern going down the middle of the field with their top and bottom-most chunks interconnected, top and bottom of the diagonal are smaller than the middle)
25% Grass
  • Wood Elementals get +5 HP/action.
  • Fire attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Soil.
  • PanelShot: Imbue Wood.
(Interspersed through the field, small patches in the middle of each soil patch while clinging to the outside of the diagonal soil patches)
25% Normal
  • No effects.
(The rest of the field, making up the outside of the fields with three inner patches in the North-West, South-East and near the middle surrounded by grass, mostly enough to house one combatant each)

Battle Mode: ASSASINATION! Kill the king virus to win! Non-King viruses killed at the end of a turn will revive at the start of the next turn, with 20% less HP, giving full Bugfrag rewards each time!

-- Rogue Battle 4 Ready? Start!! --
[LynFXP > 432]

"Considering how abandoned this place is, I don't know if there's even anyone to be rude to, but it's probably best if we did take care of it," commented Eternalis. The twisted metal of abandoned park equipment continued forward, with the dimly tunnels going through them branching out into numerous smaller, rather crudely bore through tunnels. Perhaps they were the thoroughfare of some viruses that made the place their home. Wide enough to explore through, but definitely not any kind of intended pathway from deliberate hands. Some of the tunnels were small enough that Sparky had to forego his larger form, and simply trotted beside Eternalis in his puppy size. Amidst the girders and rebar, the little corner of greenery tucked away was a sorely needed change of pace.

Unfortunately, it didn't look like they were going to have much of a reprieve, with the creature that had been causing them some amount of trouble showing up--only to be replaced by a rather territorial pack of viruses. The MegaCorn that dropped down with its entourage of viral ne'er-do-wells threatened them with their posturing, while their elusive stalker slipped away once more. Despite how menacing some of them looked, the Corn was clearly in charge, with the crown atop its head and the rest surrounding it to protect it.

"That creature sure is slippery. I'm going to take out that one in the back... Shouldn't take too much," said Eternalis, tilting his head back slightly towards his comrades. "I'll trust you guys to back me up with the other viruses, okay?"

His arm warped into a long, thin sword, and his body evaporated rapidly, rematerializing into solid form immediately in front of the Corn virus to slash at it with a lightning-quick wide strike. Behind him, Aurora clenched her fists, and breathed in quickly to steady herself, before channeling the chip data that was provided to her. Her hand went out, in front of which a KillerEye's singular eyeball formed, emitting a dim red light in front of it directly at Eternalis's back. Of course, it wasn't aimed at him, and with their unspoken communication between them, Eternalis sidestepped it quickly, starting up his recovery processes to absorb the aggression that would surely come his way.

-- Eternalis: 1 action @ Aurora
[S*] GMO Change: Default

[E1] StepSwordDamage: 120 + Slashing + Wide Attack + Teleport
Accuracy: S for primary target, A for additional targets.
Description: The user warps in front of an enemy, then swings with a strong sword. Can hit up to 3 targets with good RP. Rare
Duration: Once.
Element: Null
Special: Teleport: When RP Quality is excellent, this attack also counts as a free dodge.
Trader Rank: C
: 120 + Slashing + Wide Attack + Teleport (Acc: S for primary target, A for additional targets.) @ King!MegaCorn
[A1] Dodge
[S1] Dodge (High Gear: Evasion+10%)

[E2] Dodge
[A2] (All for One) Sensor2HP: 100
Properties: Anchored, ElecBody
Object Damage: 100 + Impact
Damage Method: Telekinesis
Attack Damage: 130 Elec + Beam Attack + Stun 1
Accuracy: S
Description: Summons a Killereye to search for enemies. Fires an eye-beam when it detects them. It can see through invisibility.
Duration: Until destroyed or until it attacks.
Element: Elec
Special: ElecBody: Immune to Elec damage. Special: Laser TAG: Attack triggers when something moves through the targeting laser beam, no matter who or what that may be.
Trader Rank: C
: 100HP Anchored ElecBody Object: (130 + Beam Attack + Stun + Self-Destruct): Laser TAG (Acc: S) @ King!MegaCorn (+15 Elec)

[E3] Influx Aegis: 40 Support Base Heal/40 Support Base Heal (after 3 actions)/40 Support Base Heal (after 6 actions)
[E4-5] Dodge
Lyntael was still wrestling with intrusive thoughts as she walked along beside her friends, grinning and nodding to Eternalis in response to his answers. It was as they found the surface again that their journey was interrupted. Lyntael's feet shifted swiftly into a ready stance as their adversary briefly showed up again.

“There it is!” She barely had time to call out, however, before it seemed to give way to other aggressive viruses that took centre stage and gave it more time to give them the slip again. She grit her teeth and let her eyes shifted around to each of the newcomers, then nodded to Eternalis again as he called the one that seemed to be in charge of the others.

“Okay, I can get some of their attention, give you some room!” She called back, then clenched her fists and embraced the next beat of her charge, drawing it up through her body even as she darted to one side. The mask-wearing met seemed to be as much still recovering from its tumble as it was making aggressive looks and she dashed in towards it, hoping to catch the virus before it made up its mind. She swept one foot low, trying to upend the critter gain, and followed with each fist in turn, driving her knuckles into blows intended to set it up for the rising round from her other foot as she unfolded and rose to her feet again.

“Alright, let's do this then!” As she corrected her stance, Lyntael let the first waves of sparks crackle off her body, fanning out from her as the arcs leapt from her skin. The beat of her charge was low and steady, with time between each pulse, but with luck it would at least take the first Virus' attention as she turned back the way they'd come and focused on the massive teddy instead. She'd fought bigger.

“Hey fuzzy! Aren't you meant to be smaller than the little girl?” Her skin crackled and danced as she called out, cupping her hands too her mouth in an exaggerated gesture, and the next pulse from her chest expanded into the familiar barrier that grew out past her strikers, stabilised and then faded form sight. She should be more scared; this was dangerous, and sure she had her friends, but she also wasn't connected, and this was a deeper network. There was a sharpness; caution and trepidation, but it wasn't fear, not like it used to be – if anything she was... excited? The Teddy's claws looked vicious, but she felt... sure; sure that she could handle it. Even if it managed to lay a claw on her, the bear was in for a nasty surprise – she could feel the dance of the current under her skin just waiting to explode outward at the first provocation. With a smirking grin, she held her hands out to each side, as though offering the big bear a hug. If it came for her, all the better, but if not she closed the distance herself. At the last moment, she sprang forward an up, bringing her hands above her and then back down again at the top of her jump, in a twin cutting motion that drew a crackling cross over her target. The current surged as her strikers glowed, gathering up, drawing in and then releasing in twin blazing trails of cutting lightning that followed her hands.

As she landed, the drained feeling followed and Lyntael exhaled then pushed herself up again, skipping back and away so she could turn about and assess the battlefield and duck away from anything else she'd drawn the attention of.

“Hey... Aurora! What's it like, using battlechips? I've always been curious about if it's different, you know?” She repositioned and turned so she could face the remaining viruses as she called out, but there was no sign of their original quarry at all now. Her charge was rebuilding swiftly again and she let it begin to glow in her strikers again, embracing the beat of it; this was the good place – building, eager to release, but not burning or painful yet.

Summary
L*) Subtype: All attacks containing Knockback or Pull gain Wind-Type.
L*) First Armour: 20Hp Casing (as subtle outfit reinforcement)
L1) Basic Buster Strike (30 +Disarm, x 4 hits, Melee, A) @ NeoMet
L2) A Manifest Spirit (Multi-Stage: (First: (15Elec, Nova2, A)), Then: (Time Delayed (15Elec, Nova2, Per Turn, for 3 additional turns))) (Overcharge -1 per pulse)
L*) Fast Armour: 20Hp Casing Refresh
L3) My Pain is Real (Multi-Stage: (On Set: Self-Slow2), Counter(On Hit): (45Elec, Knockback, Nova3, A)) (Overcharge +1 on Set, +2 on Trigger)
L4) And Beats Anew (40Elec Barrier, Buster Charge, Off-Target1) (Overcharge -1)
L5) Half-charge Bust Strike (240elec +Disarm, A) (Overcharge +3) @ Teddy
L6) Dodge

Cooldowns and Overcharge

My Pain is Real: 3TCD
And Beats Anew: 2TCD
A Manifest Spirit: 3TCD

Overcharge: Begin: 0 , A Manifest Spirit (-1), My Pain is Real (+1), (Trigger) (+2), And Beats Anew (-1), Half-Charge Strike (+3), End: +3/+5
As the battle began, the duo of netnavis would immediately begin their attack. Eternalis immediately drawing a fast, sharp blade, teleporting towards the KingMegaCorn in an attempt to end the battle summarily. Watching this unfold, the Mashy would immediately try to bodyblock the attack, but came up short as the attack cleaved through the corn with little difficulty, kernals falling to the ground as the Mashy took a deep cut across it's body under Eternalis' strike (100 (PING), 100) but as this happened, Lyntael would get off a buster shot towards the Met in an attempt to score a kill herself, barely managing to hit all four shots before the poor Met knew what was going on (30x4).

The trio of viruses would turn to see the death of their corny monarch, the two halves hitting the terrain as a silence fell over the field. The remaining trio would quickly beat feet, crashing through the south, quickly making a tunnel to escape through that the navis and SPs could easily crawl through, leading to the end of the battle. But...not before the Mashy peeked back through the newly made tunnel, a large gash across it's face, as it (seemingly) shook it's fist at Eternalis with a few squeaks before running away...an undying oath to destroy the navi? Who knows with viruses these days. Either way, a smattering of zenny and a smaller clump of bugfrags would be strewn across the field for the two to pick up.

-- Viruses --
King!MegaCornMegaCorn (BombCorn)

BombCorn move and dodge at average speed. They may move every turn as a free action once. They cannot move and attack at the same time.

Area: Okuden Valley, Dentech, Yumland

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 30 Wood + Blast1 x 2 Targets
Attack Accuracy: D
Attack Description: Launches bombs of corn at opponents
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): CornShot2, Zenny
: DED, NOT BIG SUPRISE! (PING)
Teddy2Teddy2 (Teddy)

Area: ACDC, Yoka, Okuden Valley, Yumland

HP: 180
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 50 + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: Tears at an enemy with its claws.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 25 + Impact x 2 targets
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Picks up and throws one enemy at another.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): RageClaw2, Zenny
Special: Will only use its secondary attack if there is more than one enemy. Will only use its tertiary attack if there is an object capable of being thrown.
: 180 HP (Grass) (Near the southern-most end, approaching the navis)
GloomerGloomer (Boomer)

Boomers cannot be damaged from any direction in the forward hemisphere so long as they carry their boomerang. Any attacks from the rear hemisphere or Break attacks hit normally. Boomers launch their boomerang when they attack, leaving themselves open to counter attacks. Boomers move by floating through the air, and are immune to the effects of Anchor. They are, however, still subject to the effects of terrain. They cannot be forced to submerge into liquid terrain, nor can they be buried in solid terrain. Boomers are horrible at dodging, as they generally rely on their Rang-Guard ability.

Area: SciLab, Okuden Valley, Dentech

HP: 140
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 45 Wood + Piercing(Arc) + Group Attack
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Fires a wooden boomerang that travels in a wide arc, striking all who stand in its path. The boomerang passes through everything it hits.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Wood + Slashing x3 Hits
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Fires a boomerang directly ahead at high speed, creating a pair of damaging afterimages that fly in its wake. The attack is such that if the first hit connects, the second and third will connect as well.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Boomerang2, QuickBoomerang2 (Rare), Zenny
Special: AirShoes, ShadowShoes.
Special: Rang-Guard: Blocks frontal attacks when not attacking.
- Can use PanelGrab as a free action each time another virus is deleted.
: 140 HP (Grass) (Behind Megacorn, near the back of the field)
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.
: DED
MashyMashy (Mushy)

Mushies only appear in battle if 15% or more of the terrain is Grass. Mushies can only move across Grass, Mud, and Soil terrain types. If, for any reason, none of these terrain types exist on the field, these viruses will be unable to move until the end of the turn. Mushies will then attempt to change the terrain to Grass, or flee if they cannot. Mushies move by teleporting.

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

HP: 140
Attack Damage/Effect: (Teleport) then (45 Wood + Confusion + Nova2)
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Teleports close to an enemy, and releases a cloud of spores in all directions. When attacking, the space it teleports to does not have to be on Grass, but the panel it teleports from and returns to after the attack must be Grass.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Spice2, BadSpice2, Zenny
Special: This virus may only move on Wood Element panels.
Special: When no Grass terrain exists on the field, this virus may throw a Grass Seed once as a Standard Action.
Special: If no Grass terrain exists, and this virus has already used Grass Seed, it will flee the battle.
: 40 HP (Grass) (About a feint away from the MegaCorn, near the center of the field)

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 350 HP (Normal) (Near where you entered on the outer ring in the south)
Eternalis.EXE: 600 HP (Grass) (Near where you entered, near Lyntael in the south)
Aurora.SP: 100 HP (Normal) (Next to Lyntael)
Sparky.SP: 80 HP (Grass) (Next to Eternalis)

-- Terrain -- (Field is surrounded by mountains of trash, but all of them seem stable)
50% Soil
  • Wood Elementals get +10% Evasion.
  • Wood attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Grass.
  • 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Mud.
  • 100 Damage Fire attacks: change terrain hit to Coal.
  • PanelShot: Imbue Wood.
(Roughly in 3-ish chunks, small 6-9 panel squares in a diagonal pattern going down the middle of the field with their top and bottom-most chunks interconnected, top and bottom of the diagonal are smaller than the middle)
25% Grass
  • Wood Elementals get +5 HP/action.
  • Fire attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Soil.
  • PanelShot: Imbue Wood.
(Interspersed through the field, small patches in the middle of each soil patch while clinging to the outside of the diagonal soil patches)
25% Normal
  • No effects.
(The rest of the field, making up the outside of the fields with three inner patches in the North-West, South-East and near the middle surrounded by grass, mostly enough to house one combatant each)

Battle 4! Win!
Eternalis and Lyntael get: 4500z, 12 Bugfrags, 8 FXP
Eternalis get: CornShot2Damage: 90 + Trick-Shot Spread 1
Accuracy: A / A
Description: Fires a smart-bomb tipped bullet that explodes and fires a second shot that auto-targets the nearest enemy.
Duration: Once
Element: Wood
Special: Trick Shot Spread: Automatically aims and spreads damage at one enemy nearest the point of impact. Can shoot around corners and bank off walls, floors, etc.
Trader Rank: C

Lyntael get: HiGuardEffect: (1 Hit Shield) + (Reflect(70 + Piercing + Line Attack + Ground Attack + Microburst): On Hit)
Accuracy: S
Description: Description: Generates a 1-Hit Shield upon activation. When this shield blocks one hit from a non-Break attack, it responds with a shock wave that sends things rocketing backwards.
Duration: Until broken or overridden.
Element: Null
Special: Negated by Break. Ignores Impact.
Special: Reflect: Damage returned is equal to the damage of the attack blocked or the damage cap listed, whichever comes first. Reflect is not subject to negation by Impact.
Special: Status Guard: This chip blocks debuffs.
Trader Rank: C
[LynFXP > 440]
[Z: 64345 > 68845]
[BF: 952 > 964]

Unsurprisingly, there was little resistance once the ringleader of viruses had been taken out, and the rest scattered to the winds. The Mashy that had thrown in one last angry chittering at Eternalis received an empty swipe gesture towards it, not so much using the blade as much as simply shooing it away. The sudden built-up tension from the fight drained away, as most of them relaxed, save Aurora, who was still scanning the area.

"Well... I can't say I can explain how different it is..." answered Aurora towards Lyntael, scratching the back of her neck idly as she continued to scan the place. "I've been a full-fledged Navi before, so this is just using old routines I haven't used in a while, you know?" Her tongue clicked as there didn't seem to be traces of their quarry. Perhaps they simply had to head further in.

Before she could say anything else, however, she and Eternalis both became aware of something, and jerked their heads in unison. "Wh--the operator connection got severed?" blurted out Eternalis. Shortly after, Harke's voice came in through their comms, broadcasting it to Lyntael as well.

"Hey, everyone, bad news. Power seems to be out in the area suddenly, and we don't have much emergency power running. Like, less than a minute's worth, I think," he said worriedly.

"Wait, what? How long is the power going to be out?"
"No clue, it hasn't gone out like this in a long time--I've got to jack you guys out."

Both Eternalis and Aurora turned towards Lyntael with sadness and worry clearly all over their expressions. Eternalis, however, shook his head, and made an effort for a positive smile instead.

"Hey... You get out safely, all right?" said Aurora.
"She'll be fine. It's just a short walk back," Eternalis chimed in, flashing a thumbs up.
As Lyntael pulled back from her last strike and turned, light on her toes, her rhythm faltered as the remaining viruses scattered in different directions, fleeing. She'd barely had a chance to get started. The initial rush of adrenaline was still fresh, but with nothing else to focus on she blew out a deep breath and rand hands through her hair. Her body pulsed with the beat of her charge, scattering sparks every few moments as she calmed down again, but by the time it was clear none of the threats were staying around she was very nearly back to her resting state. Her body still felt warm, humming, but it was a good feeling.

She looked across to Aurora when the other woman found a moment to answer and reached her arms above her head, fingers interlocked as she stretched and wandered over towards her.
“I guess, but I mean... I've never really had a chance to... how does it feel? Is it different from...” She stopped as both of her friends immediate reacted to something she couldn't see or hear. Harke's voice explained their reaction as Eternalis exclaimed more suddenly. Lyntael found herself looking between her companions, uncertain of how serious an emergency it was. If they'd lost Harke's operator signal, then they'd be essentially in the same position as her... but most other navi's she'd met who weren't already unoperated always seemed horrified by the thought.

Sure enough, Harke's immediate reaction to the power loss was the need to get them out. She should have assumed it would be, of course. Her eyes crossed to Aurora and Eternalis, and a part of her felt snarky quip rise in her thoughts; such a terrible danger, what travesty – so terrible to be just like her... before she could say it, though, something else stopped her; an echo of something in her chest that held the ribbing back; not now, it pleaded, they haven't got long, and she pushed the unkind words away. Instead, she looked to Aurora, and then to Sparky at their feet. Eternalis might be fine, but she'd seen them have accidents before, and one was all it took.

She nodded along with Harke's request instead, despite the wide-eyed expression of sudden loss that her face had fallen into. It would be okay; it just meant their outing was ending early, that was all. She could show them her new designs later, and the other invitation a small part of her mind had been debating could wait as well.

“Ah... Right... Yeah... you should...” She shook her head then diverted, crouching to ruffle Sparky's ears briefly, before looking back up to the pair. “Don't want any of you taking silly risks, right? We're not all made of miraculous regeneration goo.” When she stood again, she stepped in to hug Aurora tightly, then Eternalis in turn.

“I'll be fine, I promise. I'll just have to show you all my secrets some other day, right?” She stepped back to look at them both, holding one hand from each of them in her own, and grinned. “Hey, this is a little thing I've been doing, so indulge me, okay? It'll only take a moment, I promise!” She gave each of their hands a small squeeze.

“Thank you, both. It's been really fun, and it really means so much to me, that you both like to come out and do things like this with me. I never really get to make friends, and they never stick around, because of Rogan's work, so having you guys in my life is wonderful. It really is. I don't think I can even say how much you both mean to me. Thank you for still being... you. Thank you for not looking at me, like everyone else has been lately. Thank you for taking care of me when I needed it, and for listening when I needed it. Thank you, just, for everything, okay?” She grinned again, smiling brightly for the duo, then let go of their hands and stepped back.

“Okay, that's it. I've just been... saying what's important, when I say goodbye, just in case. It's silly, I know. Alright, get home safely you two! And get your silly power fixed! I'll write you soon!” She gave them space to jack out safely, and waved until they were gone, then let out a longer sigh and turned to begin seeing what her options were.
Sparky's reaction to Lyntael's petting was vigorously licking her cheek, happily returning the affection several fold. "Hey! I try to let everyone share the goo, but not everyone's receptive to it," laughed Eternalis. His mental link received a ribbing from the shared implication, but it was interrupted by their friend's hug. Aurora felt the crackling energy and warmth from the small frame; it was such a difference from when they had first met her. Returning the hug in kind tightly, Aurora gave Lyntael a small peck on the cheek before releasing. Eternalis's response meanwhile was to briefly lift the girl off of the ground with his hug, though his jellylike composition meant Lyntael's body slid down his arms even through the hug.

Her next request earned a raised eyebrow from both of them, with a small nod following soon after. While she poured her feelings of gratitude out, Aurora felt a lump form in her throat, squeezing Lyntael's offered hand in turn. "Oh, Lyntael, you're welcome too, for--" her previous thoughts came to mind, before she shook her head to banish them out of sight, "--for being our friend. My friend." Eternalis watched over them with a wry smile. "Mine too!" he chimed in, before being punctuated by a small yap near their feet--Sparky wanted a part as well, though who knows whether he actually understood.

As they parted, their bodies shimmered with the jackout process starting. "Mail me and let me know when you've gotten back home!" said Aurora, waving back at Lyntael, before they vanished into the ether.

[Jack out.]
In the quiet seconds that followed her friends' departure, Lyntael watched the space they'd been standing in and her waving hand dropped more slowly. Her expression fell with it, into something more pensive and she resisted the urge to sigh for only a moment before letting it out fully. Alone again. It was just a power outage, and she'd see them again soon, she knew, but it still felt the same as those other moments. The whole point had been to show them what she'd made... and... she bit her lip, eyes tracing over the scenery around her without really seeing it... so much for a fun outing that would turn naturally and organically into a situation where she could make an invitation. It was just typical that it would end up getting interrupted like this when she was actually brave enough to make plans. She scuffed one sneaker at the ground in frustration, then reviewed her surroundings properly.

That creature was still out there, wrecking things, and even if Aurora and Eternalis were gone, it would still be good to get rid of it. Then maybe she could explore a little more safely. She'd find something fun to do, at least. Going back to Rogan could wait.

With another, shorter, sigh Lyntael set her shoulders and began making her way out of the wrecked section of the park, looking for clearer spaces to move through. She began to move more quickly, ducking and weaving through the narrower gaps, now that she didn't need to wait around for her friends, or spend time chatting with them. Without realising it, her expression had settled into something dissatisfied and stormy as she went, swinging around and off broken pieces of park equipment with increasing force and violence as she made her way forward in hopes of finally catching up with her quarry. Soon enough she was running, unconsciously grinding her teeth as she went while sparks began to dance in her hair as the ever-present anger bubbled up again from the depths she'd stowed it. Why did nothing ever go the way she wanted?

((Searching for Battle 5))
(+4 FXP)

As she escaped the ruined park's play area, making her way through a fair bit of the ruined amusement park that stretched on and on into the distance. Little happened around her, little could be heard but her own footsteps. In fact, shadows around her would make sure to disappear before they could be properly be identified...but they seemed to be viruses watching her? At least the thought would pass her mind as she would soon find herself in a clear field of grass and pavement running along the small field in front of her, a small bit of rest as the pavement would go through the small field in small, winding ways, creating paths through it.

An uncomfortable feeling pervading her as a familiar figure could be seen out of the corner of her eye, sat precariously upon a mountaintop of garbage, the creature began to stand, charcoal skin pulsating with orange and red as it breathed. Flames rolling from the open hole in the hood as the centaur-like creature lept from it's perch into the field, landing opposite of the electrical dancer, the spikey body it's torso was spayed upon stamping it's claws in the grass, burning all around it. Before long, the soft looking grass began to wilt, slowly but surely turning brown...and vents of heat began to take their place, heated air pervading around as the air began to become heavy, hot...sweltering. Raising it's similarly coal-colored arms up, a serrated swordy-F blade in hand...and a shield made out of a heavily burned metool helmet...the creature breathed heavily...almost...excidedly...as it stared down Lyntael.

As battle routines flared to life in Lyntael's systems, a name flashed on her PET and, by extension, Lyntael's mind: Amalgamation-F Version 1. In addition, the list of the pieces the creature was made out of flashed in her mind...including the names of some navis and their models...none she could recognize at a glance, but all of them seemingly were commercial models with elementally aligned navis of the same designations, Punk, Heel, Normal...what was this thing?

Abomination
Amalgamation-F Version 1: 500 HP (Soil) (Towards the back left-corner of the field from Lyntael) (Seemingly holding chip data?) (Equipment: Swordy-F sword and Met-Helmet)

Crackling Dancer
Lyntael.EXE: 450 HP (Normal) (At the other side of the field, near the edge)

Terrain
35% Normal
  • No effects.
(Outer edges of the field and intermixed in the field as pathways)
15% Soil
  • Wood Elementals get +10% Evasion.
  • Wood attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Grass.
  • 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Mud.
  • 100 Damage Fire attacks: change terrain hit to Coal.
  • PanelShot: Imbue Wood.
(Where Amalgamation-F is standing and roughly around it)
35% Grass
  • Wood Elementals get +5 HP/action.
  • Fire attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Soil.
  • PanelShot: Imbue Wood.
(Right-most parts of the field, currently wilting)
15% Furnace
  • Fire attacks: Splash to all adjacent panels for 20% Source Damage. Does not chain across multiple Furnace panels.
  • Heat Mirage: Non-Fire Elementals get -10% Accuracy, +10% Evasion against Non-Fire Elementals.
  • Aqua attacks: Vaporize into steam, increase accuracy penalty to -20% for Non-Fire Elemental and -10% for Fire Elemental for turn after hit.
  • Changes to Metal Terrain when hit with an Aqua attack of 100 damage or greater.
  • Echolocation nullifies the effects of the steam cloud and heat mirage for the user, and Seeking just ignores it.
  • PanelShot: Imbue Fire.
(Currently being converted from Grass)
Field Effect: Due to Amlgamation-F V1's intense heat, it is currently converting grass and soil into furnace panels. However, it is unable to affect the normal terrain that cuts across the field.

Amlgamation parts

Alpha Spikey
Metool
Swordy-F
Metfire
Several commercial navis, mostly Fire aligned ones
Various pieces of chip data

Lyntael was barely paying attention other surroundings as she broke into the more open space once again; frustrated thoughts focused on finding something to take her mood out on gave the girl eyes only for the familiar figure as it came into view at last. A any other time she might have slowed down, or paused to take in whatever unfortunate horrors had been inflicted to create a creature like the one that landed in front of her, but right now her jaw hurt from the clench of her teeth and she didn't slow as she closed the distance to it.

“I was on a date, you know!” The distance closed as her hair and skin crackled, long sprinting strides carrying her right up to the amalgamation even as she shouted at it. “We were in the middle of something!” Still several feet out from the large creature, Lyntael's last step launched her up and forward further, arcing her other foot over towards the creature's sword arm. It was a large, dangerous monster, whatever it was, but the thought never crossed her mind. Her body twisted with the step, spinning her leading arm in a back fist, then her other arm behind it in a raking strike, each following up the first assault as she tried to wrench the thing's sword from its grip.

Why was she here, alone, again? The thought grated through her mind as she landed and slammed her elbow towards the point where its upper body joined the Spikey part in a fourth attempt. It always happened like this, sooner or later. Always! And even when it seemed like she was getting somewhere with Rogan, it managed to go wrong as well. It made her want to scream.

Her footsteps skipped as she backed off a half step around the monster, moving with it and subconsciously tracking its actions. The sword, if she'd managed to get it, turned over in her hand while the rest of her body crackled with energy.

“What am I doing wrong, huh? Why can't any of this ever go right!?” The shout, directed at the entity that was now serving as a surrogate for her own anger, came through a toothy snarl. She was tired of just accepting everything. Tired of not getting her way.

Her feet settled back into a fighting stance, one in front of the other and as she did the crackling across her skin began to form into something more solid. A sleek metal visor formed across her brow, with a draconic scale design, transitioning into a set of back-arching dragon wing ear-guards. From her neck down, a low profile metal gorget fanned out and down in downward-facing scales, along with matching designed shoulder guards that tapered down her upper arms. Where he skin had previously shown, the crackling energy coalesced into a thin mesh that served as the under-layer to the forming outfit, covering her to wrist and ankle.

Over the top of the newly formed under-suit, interleaved scale plates took shape as well; larger scale plates formed the front and back, covering her torso and completely concealing her emblem, while smaller stepped scales grew out into faulds that reached her mid thighs. Matching boots and gauntlets covered her extremities, giving the agitated flexing of her fingers the impression of claws instead; where her strikers would normally build their charge, etched dragon scales came through, embossed on the wrists and ankles of her boots and gauntlets, linked to tracing designed that seemed made to channel that power through to the the claw tips at the ends instead.

As the changes took hold, the crackling in her hair subsided, and it fell flatter and more smooth beneath the visor, with a softer platinum-blonde that faded towards silver at the tips. The armour as a whole was a shining silver in its draconic design, and remained sleek, graceful and lightweight, despite its covering nature. A fresh sheen ran across the armour's surface before Lyntael leapt in again, growling as she lashed out.

“Why!? Why does everyone leave?” She ducked low, raking with her weapon, or her claw tips if not, aiming to tear lines across the monstrosity's flank. “Why didn't Martia ever write back!?” She twisted around behind it, seeking a blind spot as her talons raked out two more strikes. “Why did I never hear back from Ion!?” The series of strikes ended its flurry with an arching kick as she continued to circle, weaving as she sought open vulnerabilities without thinking.

“Why won't Rogan trust me with the truth!?” She felt angry tears in her eyes, and she sprang back at her target, heedless of its own reactions. She leapt high this time, striking forward as she went for its upper body, each blow that she managed to land thumping with pent up force strong enough to knock the creature off balance. “Why won't Eric!? What did I do wrong!?” She tried to grip on, swinging her slight body around to perch behind its upper body if she could manage it and rapidly begin raking more frustrated blows at it.

“Why are they treating me like I'm made of glass!? Why are they looking at me! Like! That!” She kicked off again, back to the ground, landing with a slide that saw her gouge a talon mark into the ground with one hand and coiling down into a crouch before launching herself back at it from a new angle, a third time.

“Like I'm not me!” Her body hummed with force as it cycled through her each strike. She ignored the enemy's attacks; if it had been hoping for some kind of acknowledgement, it was clear that Lyntael wasn't even really seeing it as she vented her anger. “Like I'm someone else!” Each strike was punctuated with another shout. “Like he doesn't know me!” She fell back again as the static building up on her body formed a glowing shell of force around her and the power surged. “I didn't do anything wrong!!” Her hands rose, wrists snapping together in front of her as she felt the pulse inside her overflow.

“It's not fair!” This last came out as a broken shriek, amidst the sudden explosion of electrical force that leap from her extended arms, drawing in from all across her body to channel itself into a solid, rending beam of destruction that lanced across the space between them. Lyntael shouted wordlessly along with the expenditure of force, drew a breath as it faded, then threw her head back and screamed again, this time at the empty air.

Summary
L*) Subtype: All attacks containing Knockback or Pull gain Wind-Type and are double strength.
L*) First Armour: 20Hp Casing (as subtle outfit reinforcement)
L1) Basic Buster Strike (30+Disarm, x4 hits, Melee, A) (going for the sword with all disarm attempts, firrst and knocking off anything else after that)
L2) DragoCross (Null/Wind, Level 2, +20Hp, Overcharge Dampener)
L3) Buster Charge
L*) Fast Armour: 20Hp Casing Refresh
L4) A Knight's Valour: Buster Strike (30+Disarm x4 hits), Knockback (Wind-Type, Double Strength), Then Buster Strike (30+Disarm x4 hits), Knockback (Wind-Type, Double Strength), (Overcharge +1)
L5) My Heart Falters (80Elec Barrier, Buster Charge, Off-Target1) (Overcharge -2)
L6) My Anger Directed (Take Aim, ChargeBase(180) Elec, Knockback (Wind-type, double strength), Break, Impact, Slashing Shot-type, Charge-Burner 2) (Overcharge +6) (Overcharge +1)

Cooldowns and Overcharge

A Knight's Valour: 2TCD
My Heart Falters: 2TCD
My Anger Directed: 6TCD

Overcharge: Begin: 0, A Knight's Valour (+1), My Anger Directed (+1), OverCharge Dampener (-1), End: +1
Undeterred by the dancer's cries, the creature began to flow into Lyntael's strikes as it watched, attempting to duck underneath the downward strike; but calculating wrong as it's sword arm was immediately struck in the right place, sending the blade flying out of the creature's grasp and into the soil beneath it's feet hilt up, as her followup strikes managed to wrench the shield from it's other hand, causing it to grasp at air as it was ripped away, clanking away from it's body towards the other end of the field as the rest managed to connect across it's torso, deep dents in it's form from the ferocity of the strikes. (120, both armaments disarmed)

Reeling from the srtrikes, the creature let out another beastly growl as Lyntael began to transform, the creature getting a brief moment of repraise as the massive paws of it's undersection began to grow large, serrated claws, lashing out at the navi as they grappled onto her smaller body just as her body had finished going into Drago's cross, ripping away her casing as it flung her back to roughly her beginning position (35) as she cried out about her luck in life and love.

Charging herself up, the creature stood there, seemingly waiting for the navi to strike back and waited for a chance to strike in turn. She flung herself at the creature, claws attempting to rake across the creature's flank as it swiftly moved away, barely avoiding the first attack as it was quickly getting overwhelmed by the fast and furious attacks from the navi in her blind ferocity, it's back quickly getting raked across, deep gashes being cut deep inside it's lower half, as her next strikes connected along it's upper body, pushing it backwards as she continued to wail upon the creature, data leaking in earnist (210) as it was barely able to keep itself upright under the strain of the furious attacks from Lyntael as it began to slump and move slowly.

Regardless of how it was feeling, Lyntael continued to scream and vent her frustrations at the creature as she charged again, protecting herself from further harm and soon after, screaming even louder as she shot out a massive beam across the field, the creature's form barely moving as it bled onto the ground, seemingly vaporized in her anger...unfortunately for her, the creature had just barely hung on...seemed it had managed to absorb an Undershirt program from one of the navis it had been made with. A big, red, flashing 1 on Lyntael's PET screen against the creature. It twitched, scorched and beaten. The creature's fight or flight instincts kicking in...using the last of it's strength, it fled the fight, leaping into the mountains of trash it had jumped off of earlier, seemingly to lick it's wounds. Battle routines halted, Lyntael could try in vain to calm herself down...at least the beast left behind a good chunk of zenny...and the sword in the ground seemed it could be used for chip data at the very least.

Abomination
Amalgamation-F Version 1: 1 HP (FLED)

Crackling Dancer
Lyntael.EXE: 470 HP (Casing20) (ElecBarrier80) (DragoCross: Null/Wind override) (Normal) (At the other side of the field, near the edge)

Terrain
35% Normal
  • No effects.
(Outer edges of the field and intermixed in the field as pathways)
15% Soil
  • Wood Elementals get +10% Evasion.
  • Wood attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Grass.
  • 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Mud.
  • 100 Damage Fire attacks: change terrain hit to Coal.
  • PanelShot: Imbue Wood.
(Where Amalgamation-F is standing and roughly around it)
35% Grass
  • Wood Elementals get +5 HP/action.
  • Fire attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Soil.
  • PanelShot: Imbue Wood.
(Right-most parts of the field, currently wilting)
15% Furnace
  • Fire attacks: Splash to all adjacent panels for 20% Source Damage. Does not chain across multiple Furnace panels.
  • Heat Mirage: Non-Fire Elementals get -10% Accuracy, +10% Evasion against Non-Fire Elementals.
  • Aqua attacks: Vaporize into steam, increase accuracy penalty to -20% for Non-Fire Elemental and -10% for Fire Elemental for turn after hit.
  • Changes to Metal Terrain when hit with an Aqua attack of 100 damage or greater.
  • Echolocation nullifies the effects of the steam cloud and heat mirage for the user, and Seeking just ignores it.
  • PanelShot: Imbue Fire.
(Currently being converted from Grass)
Field Effect: Due to Amlgamation-F V1's intense heat, it is currently converting grass and soil into furnace panels. However, it is unable to affect the normal terrain that cuts across the field.

Objects
Firesword: ??? HP (Standing up in the soil)
Metguard: ??? HP (About a feint away towards the left-most parts of the field)

Amlgamation parts

Alpha Spikey
Metool
Swordy-F
Metfire
Several commercial navis, mostly Fire aligned ones
Various pieces of chip data


Battle 5 Victory!
Rewards: 5250z, FireSwordDamage: 80 + Slashing + Wide Attack
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a sword imbued with flame energy, and capable of effective wide slashes. Can hit up to 3 targets per slash with good RP.
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 3 swings.
Element: Fire
Trader Rank: C
By the time her second wracked scream faded Lyntael stood staring up at the sky, fists clenched and crackling, heedless of the retreat of the creature she'd set out to best as it fled again. She panted, chest heaving into taxed gasps that became rougher sobs as she gasped for breath. It wasn't right. Slowly, the tension leeched from her form, her shoulders slumped and her head dropped, eyes closed now as she took longer, slower breaths. Everything was meant to be better, and it wasn't, and she was at the heart of why, and she didn't understand. Friends who didn't call, stories that never went anywhere... and outside of Eric, who wouldn't tell her the truth anyway, a place for broken things as the only place that had ever really acted like she belonged there. Gaps in her memory and sad looks.

Lyntael looked up, then glanced around at the wreckage surrounding her, only now really paying attention to the fact that she was alone again. She took a few slow steps across the space to curl her fingers around the hilt of the fallen sword, and looked at her reflection in the blade as she lifted it. Maybe she was the problem after all. Maybe she was, and no-one wanted to say it. In the reflection of the metal, she saw the glinting of her draconic armour; it felt comfortable and light, even now, though as her fee hand moved unconsciously to her chest, she realised it had covered her emblem entirely. That was different... wasn't it? Like even some part of herself thought she shouldn't be here. She closed her eyes and shook her head, turning the sword over once and letting it collapse into a data string that disappeared under the scales of her armour. No, that was silly.

She took a longer breath and looked up, trying on the smile she'd worn for Aurora and Eternalis when they'd left, but it felt as fake and forced now as it had then. She wanted to reaffirm herself; repeat to herself that things would be fine, and that most of it was surely in her head, but the melancholy that had settled into the gap left by her cooling anger remained.

Eventually, she took one last long breath, held it for a few moments, then exhaled slowly. As she did, the silvery plates of her armour faded away and the mesh undersuit thinned and retracted until it returned to her more simple vest and skirt. She was still here, and that mattered. Things were wrong, but they were just different – they weren't worse than before, certainly; just a different kind of wrong, and that was something she could work around, one way or another.

With that thought, Lyntael picked her way more carefully now out towards the main thoroughfare of the Kotobuki park that she had been wandering around in. Distantly, she could feel the direction to her emulation point, but there wasn't any need to rush there right away. Her gaze drifted in the other direction, towards where the massive ferris wheel loomed like a decrepit skeleton over the surrounding park and she began to walk.

With the most dangerous creature in the area sent fleeing, the park seemed quieter now; a stillness had fallen along with the lengthening shadows of the afternoon and Lyntael moved through the abandoned park listening to the sound of her own footsteps on the cracked pathways. Like a forgotten ghost, some part of her thoughts whispered, and it brought a self-depreciating smile to one corner of her lips. Eventually, she reached the foot of the towering ride – it likely hadn't worked in along, long time, but that wasn't about to stop her now; the girl ducked under the barrier rail, and moved to the first gondola at the bottom of the wheel, then began to climb.

What would they have talked about, she wondered, if she'd managed to invite them both up here with her? It wasn't a hard climb; many of the seats were rusted through or broken, and several parts of the frame itself had corroded or been broken, but for the most part it still seemed solid enough. Hand over hand and with small jumps here and there, she made her way up the massive wheel. Probably food, if she was really honest. She'd have gotten them some snacks to share, and they'd have climbed up to the top and chatted about the taste. Something simple and pointless like that, but it would have been nice.

When she reached the crest of the wheel, Lyntael turned to perch on the edge of the topmost gondola, sitting on its roof with her feet hanging off the side. From here, she could see the whole run down park in all its ruined glory. It had been a big place once, probably bustling. Now the only things that moved here were viruses and data ghosts, and her. She pulled up one foot to rest her head on her knee as her eyes roved over the broken and neglected structures. The light was fading, casting everything in an increasing orange tone, but the air was still warm, even this high up. How long would it be before Rogan knew she was gone, this time? She'd planned to have hours to spare this time. She'd planned so much, in her head at least. So much for that.

For a time, Lyntael sat and watched the evening fall across the park while a quiet sorrow wrapped around her and filled up the gaps left by her other exhausted emotions. Eventually she sighed, then pushed up to her feet with a graceful movement that left her standing with just her toes on the metal edge, her back to the drop and her arms out wide and eyes shut. A small part of her wondered about what would happen if she fell; any other navigator mightn't even notice, really. It might just be a fast way down – at worst they might lose some write protection, or something like that that they could walk off. Not her though; she was special; she was different – she'd break every bone in her body, and probably die. So special. Here eyes opened as she took long, slow breaths, and she cast her gaze over the park again. This was a stupid place to hang out... and if her friends weren't going to call her, she could go to them, couldn't she? She was a free woman, after all, going home to Rogan could wait. Lyntael turned about lightly, then reached down to grip the metal bar and began to climb down again.