Coastal Paths

As the fight continued on, Lyn would charge her buster and prepare to leap high into the air as the virus would rain down another crack of lightning upon the warrior dancer, though this time it landed far too off to the side to warrant being worried about in turn, pushing herself off into the air as the virus sent out a blast of lightning in turn, though the paneling would turn to a translucent capacitor for energizing electrical navis, this would miss her entirely as they glowed below her in the shadows of the sandstorm, having avoided being struck in turn. Though she in turn would break through it's aura without a second thought, though a little more to the left and she would have missed her prey...

The meta would hiss angrily at her in defiance as she hung in the air out of it's reach, defiantly staring at her in turn as she wound up her strike...and flew in for her prey, the rapier striking the virus straight through the head as the remaining sand around her burst outwards from the ferocity of the strike (300/2=150)...sticking out of it's head as it stared, half through pain, half...through sheer incredulous power as it's body began to slow from the strike. And the unmatched ferocity of the dragon knight's strikes, combined with the sand and the...sheer power...of her strikes would begin to twist the virus inwards on itself. Legs crackling under the pressure as they began to move in worse and worse ways, dents, punctures...even a leg practically flying off from it's body towards the sealine...she had made sure to strike true enough to end the virus' suffering ((30x2)x7 hits=420). A soft "thank you" resonating in the back of her mind from an electrical discharge as the meta would begin to corrode and delete at the end of her attacks...and the Jelly...well...it sure didn't need to stay...it was long gone by the time Lyn had finished her assault. The beach now little more than waterline and warn down, extremely smooth stone beneath her feet, the battle was over. And the leg she had dislodged in her frantic attacks...it still crackled and hummed with electricity...perhaps...it could be used as chip data?

-- Viruses --
Jelly2 EXJelly2 EX (Jelly)

Jelly are floating, jellyfish-like viruses, that seem to simply float nonchalantly, yet are deceptively difficult to combat. Fortunately, their rarity ensures they they never appear before a Battle 6, and there are never more than 2 in a single battle. While their horizontal movement is terrible at best, they can easily adjust their altitude as needed. By default, however, they tend to hover a couple of feet above the ground. The exception to this is when they attack. Jelly attack by launching large waves of water at enemies The attack cycle of Jelly is 2 actions long. It requires one action to charge before firing. If they are stunned or otherwise temporarily disabled, they resume their attack cycle where it was halted once the stun wears off. When they attack, they drop to the ground in order to pump out as much liquid as possible. This allows them to harness the power of certain kinds of terrain to boost their attacks, but it also makes them immobile and vulnerable to ground-based attacks for the duration.

Area: Beach

HP: 290
Attack Damage/Effect: 90 Aqua + Ground Attack + Wide Attack + Sea Terrain Boost 50 + 1 action charge
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: It charges itself with innate elemental energy, then launches a hard-to-avoid wall of water at enemies. The attack is stronger if performed over Sea terrain.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Wave2 (Rare), Zenny
Special: OmniShoes
Special: This virus can move forward, backward, or to the side, but it does this so slowly that it cannot evade attacks this way.
Special: This virus can move up and down at high speed in order to avoid attacks while charging. While they can float fairly high, they cannot achieve High Altitude status.
Special: This virus is anchored and cannot move when attacking.: RAN AWAY
RareVaccumFanRareVaccumFan (Wind & Fan)

All viruses in this family are immobile during combat, with the exception of being able to turn to face any direction it wishes. Later versions of this virus may switch between Wind and Fan effects, which requires one action, during which time all wind or fan effects cease. Bonuses and penalties do not stack if multiples of the same virus family exist on the field. Wind and Fan do not push or pull Objects, only creatures.

Area: SciLab, Yoka, Beach, Sharo, Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 200
Attack Damage/Effect: Fan Effect, Northwind
Attack Accuracy: S
Attack Description: Causes a large scale gale of wind to blow across the entire field in the opposite direction the virus is facing. This gale will constantly move all targets this virus considers to be enemies in the direction the wind is blowing, which makes it difficult to avoid many kinds of attacks executed by its allies. All those affected by the wind will also have their barriers and auras blown off by a constant Northwind effect.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Fan, Zenny
Special: Causes all targets this virus considers to be enemies to suffer a 30% evasion penalty against all close range attacks, such as swords, melee attacks, and flamethrower style weaponry. Both sides of the engagement suffer a 30% accuracy penalty with direct attacks perpendicular to the direction of the wind, and all thrown attacks.
Special: Those allied with this virus may opt to take advantage of the wind to increase movement speed or evasion by going with the wind. They do not suffer any penalties, however. Conversely, anyone may move along with the wind to increase accuracy by 10% for close ranged attacks, assuming the target is in that direction.
Special: Northwind effect to all enemies once per virus action while maintaining fan effect.: DELETED
Scuttler-4Scuttler-4 (Scuttler-)

Scuttler- is an angry looking insectoid creature. Unlike the virus it was designed to be like, it is chartreuse instead of yellow. This metavirus were made in an attempt to recapture the devastating power of the LifeVirus's creations, byte for byte, to the inclusion/exclusion of various aspects of their virus components, such as removing all flight capability, and cranking up their innate aggressiveness. That they were regarded as failures is more an indication of the real things' incredible might than the metaviruses' weakness. They're still extremely vicious, and very much prefer attacking to dodging.

Area: All

HP: 780
Element: Elec

Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 100 Elec + Break + Piercing + Group Attack
Primary Attack Accuracy: B (special)
Primary Attack Description: Lines up with a target and launches a ball of electricity at the enemy. Accuracy decreases by one rank with each hit.

Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 80 Elec + Seeking
Secondary Attack Accuracy: C
Secondary Attack Description: Drops a thunderbolt on an enemy.

Tertiary Attack Damage/Effect: 80 Elec + Small Solar Terrain Change + Cone Attack
Tertiary Attack Accuracy: C
Tertiary Attack Description: Uses plasma breath to give the enemy and the ground an unhealthy glow.

Special: ElecAura: Begins each battle with a 100 HP ElecAura, which is pierced and instantly destroyed by Wood attacks. This reforms at the end of each turn.
Special: LightningProof: Cannot be inflicted with Stun. Takes half damage from Elec attacks.

Possible Rewards (Per Virus): ElecShock2, AuraHead2, ElecAura2, Elec+30, Strike (Rare), Zenny: DELETED!!1!
Shellnerd EXShellnerd EX (ShellGeek)

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

Area: Yoka, Sharo, Beach, Okuden Valley

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

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 270 HP (Solar) (DragoCrossV2: +20 HP) (Next to Scuttler in the middle of the field) (Casing40) (Shield2) (Slow1) (High Altitude)

-- Terrain -- (A towering cliff rises above Lyntael, can be used for climbing and is otherwise treated as Normal terrain, doesn't seem to need any "expert" climbing ability or equipment. From a quick look, the sandstorm does not seem to go as high as the cliff, but would take multiple actions to get up there without a microburst or similar effect)
60% Normal

• No effects.

(The current beach area, more beach than sea right now)
20% Sea

• Fire Elementals lose 10 HP/action standing, 20 HP/action submerged. Other Non-Aqua Elementals lose 5 HP/action submerged. Nullified for Aqua Elementals.
• Ice attacks: 50% Freeze1 chance, Changes terrain hit to Ice.
• Terrain changes between Sea and Onsen do not inflict damage upon submerged entities, nor do they eject submerged entities to the surface.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• PanelShot: Imbue Aqua.

(Nearby coastline, more shallow than before)
20% Solar

• Elec Elementals get +5 HP/action.
• Wood attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Cracked.
• PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Stun1.

(Where the Scuttler-4 breathed at, roughly where Lyn started on the lefternmost side of the field and where she dodged as she went into HA)


Battle 8 WIN!
9000, 30 Bug fragments, ElecAura2Protection: Any Non-Wood attack lower than 80 HP
Accuracy: S
Description: Negates any Non-Wood attack less than 80HP
Duration: Three turns, or until destroyed
Element: Elec
Special: Status Guard: This chip blocks debuffs.
Trader Rank: B

Current coursed through her body and filled her, burning in her limbs and raging for further release. Lyntael could feel her chest heaving with heavy panting as she stood still in a ready stance, with her teeth grit and light caustics dancing across her form. Without any conscious thought behind it, she lifted her head, exhaling a breathy growl of victorious exultation, hands flung wide as the claws on her gauntlets flexed. She looked around for other threats in the midst of the crumbling metavirus while her thoughts waded, heavy, through a growing sense of static. Then, through the electrical feedback of her final strikes, the briefest flicker of relief, calm and gratitude. The sensation pulled her back again, grounding. Lyntael blinked a few times, gasping air as she fought to take deeper, longer breaths. Sparks rolled from her body, skittering across the outside of her armour and tumbling away while further excess flared in smaller fanning arcs from the corners of her eyes, heralded by the familiar stinging sensation.

“...Lyntael?” Rogan's voice brought her back to her senses further and she straightened. It took a moment to relax her jaw and unclench her teeth as she struggled for calm. “Lyntael, I have many warning readings here; you're under substantial strain, are you alright?” Another wave of sparks flooded out from her and with a tracing of soft silver light her draconic armour faded away, leaving just her slightly torn vest and undergarments again. The sense of combative defiance faded with the cross, but the strain of her charge, beating hard inside her, remained insistent. She swallowed, lifting palms to press at her stinging eyes.

“I'm... I'm okay, Rogan. I'm okay. Just... I just need a minute. I can keep this under control. I can.” The words were more difficult than they ought to have been, but she did manage to speak them between harsh breaths. The urge to release the full weight of her charge again; the burning pain of the build up and the promised relief that letting go would bring, if only for a moment, wore at her willpower, but Lyntael focused and held off, letting her body stabilise bit by bit. Her eyes caught on the transformed patch of solar panels and a distant memory surfaced. Those helped; Martia had discovered that. She made the few steps across to the glowing patch and dropped to her knees, pressing her hands to the panels and letting them take up stabilising bursts; each pulse of sparks became more of a balm to the next gradually until the hammering of her charge had subsided to a warm beat and her breathing returned to something more normal.

“Hahh... okay... I'm okay.” She stood slowly then lifted her arms above her head, and out to the sides. As calm returned, Lyntael began to stretch gently, working her muscles out. The motions began to flow one into the next as she closed her eyes and let herself slip into the warm calm that tended to follow these moments of heavy charge. She heard Rogan start to say something, but the channel simply remained open without him speaking while she pulled small threads of air and wind around her, let them brush her skin and swirl as her gentle warm down became a graceful dance. Despite the violence of the moment, there had been something there, at the end. She'd felt it, in that moment of final release. It hurt to know that she hadn't been able to save the poor creature, or help it, but it told her at least that she'd done the right thing, or at least as right as she had the power to do.

“I know you tried, Lyntael, but I'm sure there was nothing you could have spared, in that virus.” As he spoke again, Rogan sounded worried. He was keeping his voice level and calm, but she could hear it, hidden away behind the words. Her mind drifted to how he had spoken to her, after she'd defeated the abominavi that had attacked earlier. She hadn't been ready for the visceral nature of what she'd done, but... I hadn't been the first time she'd had to end a life. Not that it made it any easier. She let her dance drift to a stop and stretched slowly, working out her limbs one more time.

“I couldn't bring anything back, but what there was was only suffering, and now it isn't. I'm alright, Rogan, really.” She wasn't entirely sure how true that last reassurance was; it was still difficult, and made her chest feel tight to think about, but... but she didn't doubt her choice.

Calm at last, she began to walk forward, as Rogan spoke about some of the things she'd been through, and reassure her feelings. She caught herself wishing she'd been more open with him, the first time. As much as his words were solace now, they'd have been moreso then... but they'd been working, and there hadn't been time. Even so, she nodded along. Her trek down the beach continued, moving more into the uneven and less picturesque sections of terrain that common beach-goers would be unlikely to visit as she pursued the source of the local viral upsurge. There was still some time for them to talk safely though, and things probably weren't going to get much more private than this any time soon. She rubbed at the back of her neck and glanced off to the side as his words came to a pause.

“I know... and you're right. Back with Eurayle, I wasn't ready for what happened even if I had to do it. The...” she still felt a small shudder of horror pass through her as her mind supplied the memory of the moment. “The rawness of it, I guess. I wasn't ready. I'm still not... but... I know I had to do it, and... Rogan, it... it wasn't the first time I've had to do that, for someone who was alive, and suffering.” She heard the faintest catch of breath from her operator, before he controlled it. She'd have missed it if she wasn't already listening for his reactions, the attention spared for where she was going as she picked her way across the coastal terrain a background secondary to her focus on the conversation.

“...I'm sorry. If I had my choice now, I wouldn't ask for you to deal with that.” There was a pause as Lyntael felt herself biting back a comment on the irony of of his words; that he had asked her to, though he didn't know it. He was feeling guilty enough already... there was no sense in her adding to it. In the silence, as she didn't answer, Rogan sought to fill the space again.

“Is... it something you can talk to me about, Lyntael?” The question was unexpected, and she stumbled as she climbed over a rocky outcrop. As much as she knew Rogan was doing his best to treat her better now, the level of caution and care he was using around this topic was still unusual. It was more personal in a way though, she supposed; it had taken her a while to understand it, but the lives he had on his own conscience weighed on the man far more than he liked to let on, and she found herself wondering if Rogan had had anyone close by to turn to, the first time he'd ended up in that position. Eric, of course, her thoughts replied immediately... but now they weren't on speaking terms. She still hadn't answered. Lyntael paused to sit on the rock she'd stumbled over, and looked out to the slowly rolling waves.

“It wasn't bloody or violent, like that. I think I'm still sort of... holding onto it, and dealing with it, you know? It was only...” She paused. She hadn't meant to put any extra guilt on him, but she was saying it now, and Rogan was smart. She'd just have to be honest about it. “You told me all about the sorts of thing they were doing to the navis they... captured. It was horrible, but, it wasn't really real, for me, until the rescue operation. Not just the ones we got out, Rogan... there were... others. Others I couldn't save.” She half expected a quick reassurance from her operator, but this time Rogan seemed to realise that she needed him to hold his peace until she was finished. Gradually, she told him, starting with careful words that swiftly descended into a broken, tearful recount the more she spoke about it; of the other four she'd found, twisted and mutilated, kept alive by the functions they'd been put to, and her own part in ending their stories. Each of their names was etched into her mind along with the fragments of memory that had passed to her. As the story drew to a close, she sniffled and scrubbed at her eyes and nose.

“I... I felt the things that they felt, Rogan... felt the people they were, and the pain they were in and what they'd been turned into. They weren't 'just' programs... none of them were. They felt, joy and love and.... boredom, exasperation... inspiration, excitement... and in the end, agony, despair, terror... Two of them wanted to die, Rogan. One was so far gone, there wasn't anything left to want anything any more...” she felt her voice break as she tried to give air to the next words. “And one of them just wanted to see her operator again, hadn't given up hope, but... but cutting them out of the system was the end anyway, and I made it happen.” Despite her slow breaths and intermittent wipes, hot tears still made their way down her cheeks. “I never want to be responsible for ending lives like that, Rogan. Sometimes it might be all I can do, but... but I will always... Always... try to find another way first.” Talking about it aloud helped, somehow. Putting words to the flow of feeling that came with the experience helped turn the mass of distressed emotions into something clearer.

“Lyntael...” Rogan's voice was thick; somewhere between distress and anger, both feelings the man never let to the surface if he could help it. Now he sounded like he was close to tears, and possibly to breaking something. “I'm sorry. I gave you those orders, Lyntael. The responsibility should be mine, those losses mine to bear, not yours. I don't want those weights to be yours.” The overwrought sound in his voice clarified something else in Lyntael's mind and she felt herself take a longer breath, wiping her own eyes again and climbing back to her feet. Clearing the air was fine, but more suffering didn't help either of them. She wanted Rogan to care for her, and he did; that was what mattered. Enough with guilt.

“I'm glad I was there for them. I'm glad they weren't alone, at the end. If we hadn't done what we did, together, Rogan, then they'd still be suffering now, in a place where no help could ever reach them. I don't blame you for any of that. I don't.”

“Maybe, but I still—”
“I know, Rogan, I know... We had a mission, and a plan. You told me what you needed me to do, and I chose to do it... and together, we did the best that we could, alright? Listen...” For a moment, Lyntael looked out at the sea again, then closed her eyes and let her senses feel the soft movements of the wind, seeking calm.

“I know this situation is personal to you now, but it's personal to me too. We're going to set things right, however we can, and we're going to do it together. I may not know entirely who I am now, but I'm working it out. I'm going to do things my way, but that means that if I end up hurting, or getting hurt, it's because I chose to take that path. I know that you will do your best to keep me safe; sometimes you might not be able to, and that's okay, Rogan, because I know you will do your best. I'm going to be doing my best to keep you safe too, and I'm not going to be perfect either... but I'm not going anywhere, and we're going to see this through. I'm not brittle or fragile... not any more. You don't need to carry the weight of my decisions for me, alright?” It felt good to say it, in a way. Lyntael opened her eyes as a sense of fresh air seemed to light her senses and a peaceful, true calm spread through her as she set out again, continuing down the beach. This was right; this was who she wanted to be.

((Ready for Battle 9))

Continuing along the beachline as she and her operator talked, Lyntael would find herself with a curious sight, a quintet of viruses near the sealine soaking in the sunshine and enjoying a cool-ish summer-y breeze as sand kicked up and fell back to the ground. The Shrimpy2 and Shellnerd enjoying the waves as they crashed onto the shore, a Slimer in the shade of the nearby cliff and a Killweed doing the same...mostly out of aversion to the sand that populated the beach.

Unfortunately for Lyntael, the sound of a local Fishy would alert the quartet to her presence as it swooped in near her, just out of reach, as it began to look her up and down cautiously, though unfortunately the other viruses were far more willing to fight...minus the Shellnerd who immediately slipped into it's shell...and the Slimer's face having not changed since she was found out, hard to read those things. Battle routines flared up, yes, but it was more out of uncertanty than anything from the quintet.

-- Viruses --
Fishy2Fishy2 (Fishy)

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

HP: 150
Attack Damage/Effect: 45 + Stun 1 + Line Attack(5) + Impact + Piercing
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Flies into a group of enemies, and stuns them.
Element: Normal
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): DashAttack2, Zenny
Special: Omnishoes: 150 HP (Sand) (Hovering roughly above Lyntael's head, near her)
Shrimpy2 EXShrimpy2 EX (Shrimpy)

Shrimpy viruses are able to move between attacks as a free action, however dodging still costs them an action. They must pause movement to attack. Shrimpy viruses may move over fragile panel types without damaging them, such as moving over Cracked panels without breaking them. Shrimpy viruses cannot be forcibly submerged or smashed through fragile panels, even if thrown. They can submerge of their own free will, however.

Area: Yoka, Beach, Sharo

HP: 230
Attack Damage/Effect: 60 Aqua + Spread 2
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Bub-V
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Bubble-V, Shrimpy2, Zenny
Special: ShadowShoes: 230 HP (Sea) (Above the waters and putting itself in a stance)
SlimerSlimer (Slimey)

Slimey viruses were produced to be sources of major traffic lag. While a Slimey virus is on the battlefield, all Navis and SPs suffer from a passive Slow-like effect that imposes a -10% Evasion AND Movement Speed penalty. This effect is not a status ailment, and cannot be cured. This effect does not stack with itself if more than one Slimey is on the field at once. As this does not count as a true Slow effect, up to two instances of Slow may stack on top of this effect for a total penalty of -30% Evasion/Movement Speed. This effect expires when all Slimey viruses on the field are deleted or flee. Slimey viruses are very slow to move and dodge, but every move they make that is not a dodge counts as an attack. Slimeys deal damage by touching an opponent, thus touching a Slimey directly results in damage to any non-Slimey the virus considers hostile.

Area: Sharo, NetVegas, Beach

HP: 150
Attack Damage/Effect: 45 Aqua + Slow
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Body slams its foes. Any foes hit are slowed the following turn. Must be within melee range to attack a foe.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MetaGel2, Zenny
Special: While this enemy is on the field, dodge effectiveness is reduced by 1 Rank.: 150 HP (Normal) (Chilling out in the shade of the cliffside, still slowing down Lyn's processors regardless)
Shellnerd EXShellnerd EX (ShellGeek)

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

Area: Yoka, Sharo, Beach, Okuden Valley

HP: 160
Primary Attack Damage/Effects: 25 Null x 2 Spears
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: Fires two spears at one target.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effects: 50 Null
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Fires a star tipped arrow. Can be used on an ally to move them. Causes no damage to allies.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): TripleNeedle, StarArrow2 (Rare), Zenny
Special: Attacks every other action. IronBody when not attacking.: 160 HP (Sea) (Near the coast, hiding in it's shell)
KillWeedKillWeed (KillPlant)

Area: Beach, Yumland, Netfrica, Dentech

HP: 160
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 90 Wood
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: The virus spits a large wooden seed at one target, like a bomb. If it misses, it remains on the field for one turn.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 90 Wood + Ground + Line Attack + Aqua Boost(+90 Wood, +AccuracyUP)
Secondary Attack Accuracy: C / B
Secondary Attack Description: If the seed is left alone for one turn, it will erupt into a Wood Tower attack. If the seed is hit by any Aqua based attacks or it lands on a Sea Panel, it will double in power and speed.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per virus): TreeBomb2, Zenny
Special: This virus is immobile.
- The Seed is immune to damage.
- Fire and Impact will destroy the Seed.
- This virus attacks every other turn, starting on the first turn.: 160 HP (Normal) (next to the Slimer)

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 270 HP (Sand) (Roughly near the sea, at about 7-o-clock)

-- Terrain --
10% Normal

• No effects.

(A small patch of smooth rock near the cliffside, towards the north-west at 2-o-clock)
20% Sea

• Fire Elementals lose 10 HP/action standing, 20 HP/action submerged. Other Non-Aqua Elementals lose 5 HP/action submerged. Nullified for Aqua Elementals.
• Ice attacks: 50% Freeze1 chance, Changes terrain hit to Ice.
• Terrain changes between Sea and Onsen do not inflict damage upon submerged entities, nor do they eject submerged entities to the surface.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• PanelShot: Imbue Aqua.

(The receeding coastline along the sand, in the south)
70% Sand

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

(The majority of the area)

-- Rogue Battle 9(?) Ready? Start!! --

A couple of minutes of fresh air and rolling surf passed in silence between operator and navigator, and Lyntael let her thoughts drift away from more serious matters, into simply appreciating the moment of calm. She could feel the mild fatigue of the morning still lingering; light tenderness on her skin from the blasting sands, and one or two points that might well develop into bruises by afternoon, but overall she was feeling okay. Sand and damp undergarments not made for the sea side was also a less than ideal situation, but she tried not to pay too much attention to minor discomforts as she wandered.

The first thing to break her out of her casual strolling were the shapes on more figures scattered across the beach in front of her and Lyntael slowed her pace further, approaching the odd assortment of creatures at as much of a non-threatening pace as she could. It was a Fishy that zipped up towards her first, while the others took note of her presence, and she gave it a cautious wave while it inspected her. The other viruses seemed to get immediately defensive and Lyntael slowed her stride further, letting her other hand drift out to the side, lowered and palm open.

“Hey... I'm not here to trouble anyone, see? Just enjoying the beach, like all of you... I don't want anyone to get hurt.” She paused and let her feet come to a stop to give the fishy virus as much opportunity as it wanted to look her over. This time, there was no warning comment from Rogan about her actions but she took a deeper breath, relaxed her shoulders and let a soft smile brush her features instead of matching the initial aggressive actions that some of them made.

Other thoughts ran through her mind as she still found herself unconsciously assessing the viruses around her for the threats and dangers they might present, despite her own openness or perhaps because of it. It wasn't the first time she'd encountered viruses who seemed to be simply existing, not harming or damaging anything, but who still became immediately violent upon seeing a net navi. Was it instinct, she wondered, or some part of their original hard coding that many viruses simply couldn't overcome? What was the right course of action in those kinds of situations? It was hard to put them at fault if they couldn't control it... perhaps it was an easy enough decision for the ones that hadn't yet crossed that boundary into self awareness, and were genuinely just programs operating to function... but there were so many others that seemed to be in a much murkier grey space of existence than any of the navi training resources ever acknowledged.

Despite her best intentions, Lyntael's watching gaze still insisted that she give the viruses due care; she kept her hands down, palms open and out, but the calm, gently sway to her body as she shifted from the ball of one foot to the other and back again, still held a subtle readiness to turn each movement into a quicker dart to the side, if she needed to. Even so, she let her toes curl in the warm sand, and added a soft head tilt to her playful grin.

“See? No threat. I'm just heading that way.” She nodded up the beach further, in the direction Eurayle's guidance had pointed her. “Word is there's some real dangerous thing out there, or... something... something making lots and lots of really nasty programs, causing trouble. Though... I guess I could rest for another minute or two, if any of you wanted some company, or a game?” Here she winked sidelong at the fishy, then began to wander closer into the collection of other viruses. As always, she had no real way to be sure that they could understand her – sometimes a virus seemed to, other times not. No-one, that she knew of at least, had ever come up with a way of actively translating or decoding viral communications in real time. It might change a few things, if they could.

“Mind if I sit?” She moved, still slowly and with a relaxed non-threatening gait, across to the edge of the shaded area, dropping down in the sand close to the relaxing Slimer, though still in the sunlight herself. She leaned back on her hands and stretched her legs out.

“I wish there was some way to let more people know... you know, that there are so many of you out here nowadays, that just want to exist and be left alone. That things aren't like they were fifty years ago...” She watched the waves roll as she spoke; her voice was at least loud enough to carry to any of the other programs, if they were listening, but without any proper sign that they could, Lyntael knew she was most probably just musing to herself. Even so, her tone was relaxed and gentle, and she hoped that counted for something across the communication barrier. After a moment she lifted the back of one hand to her mouth, covering a yawn. The sun was pleasantly warm.

Summary
L*) First Armour: 2010Hp Casing
L1) A Loving Heart, and a second chance: SupportBase(20) x4 Instances, 15Hp Sacrifice (paid first) (Overcharge -1 per instance effectively used)
L2) Dodge (She'll do her best to avoid obvious aggression,)
L3) Dodge (but for now isn't going to take hostile action herself.)
L4) Movement, wandering over to sit in the sun, near the edge of the shade, close to the Slimer and KillWeed)
L*) Fast Armour: 10Hp Casing Refresh
L5) Relax and enjoy the sun
L6) Philosophise to herself and anyone listening

Cooldowns and Overcharge
A Loving Heart, and a second chance (2TCD)

Overcharge: Begin: +0, A Loving Heart, End: +0

As she held her hands outwards, the viruses began to heckle up...at least the trio not near her, the Slimer would just sit there and watch with it's goofy face, the Fishy was hovering there above her as it continued to slowly move around her as she began to talk, circling around her like a vulture overhead, monitoring her every movement as the quartet continued to watch on as her processors began to heal...even if a twinge of pain came through (-15, +80). The viruses began to shrink slightly as she began to move up towards them, her calm voice...her demeanor...and the wink towards the Fishy would earn her a few points, even if the other viruses were still weary of her presence.

But as she sat down, the Slimer, listening to her and her calm manerisms...would begin to hop up towards the now sitting Lyntael. Rogan's PET would pop up with the Slimer's data out of "instinct" as it were...and highlight how a the Slimey family's way to deal damage was through simple touch, slamming themselves into whatever was considered an enemy. But, even as the Slimey's body began to pick up sand, it would stop just short of Lyntael, moments passing as it's demeanor showed nothing on it's wierdly happy looking face...before it leaned in, holding one of it's oval-shaped pseudo-hands out towards the navi. It was a clear sign that it was offering a handshake, but, knowing what the Slimey family was capable of behind it's dumb-looking faces, would she be willing to take the "offer"?

-- Viruses --
Fishy2Fishy2 (Fishy)

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

HP: 150
Attack Damage/Effect: 45 + Stun 1 + Line Attack(5) + Impact + Piercing
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Flies into a group of enemies, and stuns them.
Element: Normal
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): DashAttack2, Zenny
Special: Omnishoes: 150 HP (Sand) (Hovering roughly above Lyntael's head, near her)
Shrimpy2 EXShrimpy2 EX (Shrimpy)

Shrimpy viruses are able to move between attacks as a free action, however dodging still costs them an action. They must pause movement to attack. Shrimpy viruses may move over fragile panel types without damaging them, such as moving over Cracked panels without breaking them. Shrimpy viruses cannot be forcibly submerged or smashed through fragile panels, even if thrown. They can submerge of their own free will, however.

Area: Yoka, Beach, Sharo

HP: 230
Attack Damage/Effect: 60 Aqua + Spread 2
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Bub-V
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Bubble-V, Shrimpy2, Zenny
Special: ShadowShoes: 230 HP (Sea) (Above the waters, watching intently)
SlimerSlimer (Slimey)

Slimey viruses were produced to be sources of major traffic lag. While a Slimey virus is on the battlefield, all Navis and SPs suffer from a passive Slow-like effect that imposes a -10% Evasion AND Movement Speed penalty. This effect is not a status ailment, and cannot be cured. This effect does not stack with itself if more than one Slimey is on the field at once. As this does not count as a true Slow effect, up to two instances of Slow may stack on top of this effect for a total penalty of -30% Evasion/Movement Speed. This effect expires when all Slimey viruses on the field are deleted or flee. Slimey viruses are very slow to move and dodge, but every move they make that is not a dodge counts as an attack. Slimeys deal damage by touching an opponent, thus touching a Slimey directly results in damage to any non-Slimey the virus considers hostile.

Area: Sharo, NetVegas, Beach

HP: 150
Attack Damage/Effect: 45 Aqua + Slow
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Body slams its foes. Any foes hit are slowed the following turn. Must be within melee range to attack a foe.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MetaGel2, Zenny
Special: While this enemy is on the field, dodge effectiveness is reduced by 1 Rank.: 150 HP (Normal) (Near Lyntael within reach of her, still slowing down Lyn's processors regardless) (Holding a slimey pseudo-hand out towards Lyntael)
Shellnerd EXShellnerd EX (ShellGeek)

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

Area: Yoka, Sharo, Beach, Okuden Valley

HP: 160
Primary Attack Damage/Effects: 25 Null x 2 Spears
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: Fires two spears at one target.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effects: 50 Null
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Fires a star tipped arrow. Can be used on an ally to move them. Causes no damage to allies.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): TripleNeedle, StarArrow2 (Rare), Zenny
Special: Attacks every other action. IronBody when not attacking.: 160 HP (Sea) (Near the coast, peaking out of it's shell cautiously)
KillWeedKillWeed (KillPlant)

Area: Beach, Yumland, Netfrica, Dentech

HP: 160
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 90 Wood
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: The virus spits a large wooden seed at one target, like a bomb. If it misses, it remains on the field for one turn.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 90 Wood + Ground + Line Attack + Aqua Boost(+90 Wood, +AccuracyUP)
Secondary Attack Accuracy: C / B
Secondary Attack Description: If the seed is left alone for one turn, it will erupt into a Wood Tower attack. If the seed is hit by any Aqua based attacks or it lands on a Sea Panel, it will double in power and speed.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per virus): TreeBomb2, Zenny
Special: This virus is immobile.
- The Seed is immune to damage.
- Fire and Impact will destroy the Seed.
- This virus attacks every other turn, starting on the first turn.: 160 HP (Normal) (Near where the Slimey was at)

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 335 HP (Sand) (Roughly near the sea, near the middle of the field, surrounded by the viruses)

-- Terrain --
10% Normal

• No effects.

(A small patch of smooth rock near the cliffside, towards the north-west at 2-o-clock)
20% Sea

• Fire Elementals lose 10 HP/action standing, 20 HP/action submerged. Other Non-Aqua Elementals lose 5 HP/action submerged. Nullified for Aqua Elementals.
• Ice attacks: 50% Freeze1 chance, Changes terrain hit to Ice.
• Terrain changes between Sea and Onsen do not inflict damage upon submerged entities, nor do they eject submerged entities to the surface.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• PanelShot: Imbue Aqua.

(The receeding coastline along the sand, in the south)
70% Sand

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

(The majority of the area)

The yawn went on for several moments longer than Lyntael anticipated, and the urge to lie down properly and just enjoy the quiet moment crept up on her with surprising appeal. She rolled her neck and shoulders slowly, stretching them out with her eyes closed as she let the warm sunlight soak in.

“Lyntael...” Rogan's voice was cautious, if slightly bemused, and he didn't need to articulate words beyond just her name to communicate the gentle reminder. Lyntael caught herself wishing she had her proper beach towel with her. After a moment, she responded without opening her eyes.

“It's fine, Rogan, I'm only taking a minute. I was feeling a bit sore and tired from earlier anyway. Just a little break.” The sound of movement made her crack open one eye to take stock of the slimey that drew closer, seemingly more curious. It didn't seem aggressive, at least. She tried to remember if she'd encountered the virus family herself before, and where... surely she had, but it wasn't quite coming to mind through her sun-warmed thoughts. She stifled a second yawn.

“Not all viruses operate through violence, Lyntael... but I'm watching, so, if you want to make your own mistakes, I suppose that is what we're here for.” His voice sounded like he'd made extra effort to recompose himself between now and their last conversation, and was now trying not to sound too exasperated. In a way, it made her smile; a Rogan feeling exasperated at her foibles wasn't beating himself up with guilt, or getting angry at inefficiency... and in a way, it was a reminder of good humour they'd shared at the worse of times.

Beside her, the slimey was extending a questing pseudopod, and Lyntael opened one eye properly to look towards it. She wasn't entirely sure if it was slowly attempting to poke or prod her, or if it was actively looking for a reaction, but she let herself grin regardless.

“Careful, I get tingly sometimes...” gentle warning aside, Lyntael focused for a moment and assessed herself. She'd been prepared to react as needed, initially, and there was some underlying current still beating readiness in her chest, but it was calming and lowing quite rapidly now. With a little focus she should be safe enough. She took a moment, then reached up and across her body with her opposite arm so she could offer it a short hand-shake... fist-bump? ...something friendly at least, without losing her balance. Despite her best efforts though, the brief moment of damp contact still managed to spread a slightly slimy wetness across her front and quickly began to soak through her vest. She should probably have seen that coming... eww...

Lyntael let herself shift back to her more relaxed position again with a somewhat rueful smirk, then smothered another small yawn with the back of her hand. She plucked briefly a the now sodden and slimy front of her vest, then shrugged and lay back, back against the warm sand with her hands folded behind her head. Her eyes drifted shut again. What was the harm in enjoying a little sun before getting back to the fight. Rogan was relaxing at a beach-side cafe, after all. She caught her thoughts drifting more slowly as she wondered if the rogue network sunlight could actually let her get a tan... or burn her. She should really have brought some sunscreen.

After another few moments, she shifted again, wriggling in mild discomfort beneath the sticky sensation of her vest and opened one eye to cast around at the nearby viruses again. They didn't seem the type to know any better... probably... At a somewhat languid pace, she stretched one hand out and shook the sand off it, then carefully plucked at the two remaining buckles on the soiled garment, disguising the motion at first as a harmless scratch. When they were both undone, she glanced up and down the length of the beach again, then flicked the top open so that her whole front could get the sun.

“Lyntael!” Rogan sounded like he was trying very hard not to be mortified, and she felt the urge to giggle.

“It's okay, there's no-one around... I don't think these guys are really seeing anything they'll understand much.” She lifted her head enough to cast a lazy eye across the nearby viruses. “You guys aren't going to get any ideas, right?” It was an off-handed remark, delivered with a relaxed nonchalance as she rested her head down again on her hands and let her eyes drift shut. The fact that the comment would mean nothing at all to them if they genuinely didn't understand her words didn't really occur to her in the moment. The sun really was very nice, and she was feeling quite relaxed and restive.

“That's not— Lyntael, you can't just—!” Rogan bit off his own protest with the sudden silence of a person no longer grasping what he should think, but Lyntael let it go. Besides, it was only for a few minutes, and she was quite sure that Rogan would be looking to every location in her vague surroundings that wasn't exactly where she was anyway, so she was perfectly safe for sudden surprises. Probably.


Summary
L1) Gosh that sun feels nice
L2) It'd be okay to rest a while, right?
L3) Friendly fist-bumps for squishy friends
L4) Eww, now my vest is all slimey
L*) Fast Armour: 10Hp 5Hp Casing Refresh, since her top is mostly off
L5) There's no sign saying this *isn't* a topless beach, right?
L6) I'm sure this is perfectly safe.

Cooldowns and Overcharge
A Loving Heart, and a second chance (1TCD)

Overcharge: Begin: +0, End: +0

The Slimer would watch with bated breath, as would the other viruses, as she and her netop took a moment to chat, getting comfy on the beach before reaching forward to give the Slimer a friendly little "fist bump" as it were. The Slimer felt a VERY mild tingle from the navi, but not unpleasent as it would close it's eyes and give her a friendly smile, it's face hadn't changed much, but it was a slight change. This in turn would cause the Slimer to leap at Lyntael and engulf her from the chest down to her waist. Rogan would notice no damage being registered to the navi, but Lyntael would begin to feel...well...a half-body massage? Gentle squeezes and pressings on her body, around her sides, shoulders and even her back. A bit cold and slimy, yes, but...not all that unpleasent, even as the Slimer would get a bit of a tingle in turn.

The battle routines would finally release as the viruses around her stopped being hostile, it would take a moment before the Slimer would release her, more or less unmolested and unhurt, but otherwise would probably feel decently good, even as the wind hit her slime coated body. "Rewards" would feed into Rogan's PET, and more than that, there seemed to be enough slime to turn into a chip for Lyntael.

-- Viruses --
Fishy2Fishy2 (Fishy)

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

HP: 150
Attack Damage/Effect: 45 + Stun 1 + Line Attack(5) + Impact + Piercing
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Flies into a group of enemies, and stuns them.
Element: Normal
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): DashAttack2, Zenny
Special: Omnishoes: 150 HP (Sand) (Hovering roughly above Lyntael's head, near her)
Shrimpy2 EXShrimpy2 EX (Shrimpy)

Shrimpy viruses are able to move between attacks as a free action, however dodging still costs them an action. They must pause movement to attack. Shrimpy viruses may move over fragile panel types without damaging them, such as moving over Cracked panels without breaking them. Shrimpy viruses cannot be forcibly submerged or smashed through fragile panels, even if thrown. They can submerge of their own free will, however.

Area: Yoka, Beach, Sharo

HP: 230
Attack Damage/Effect: 60 Aqua + Spread 2
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Bub-V
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Bubble-V, Shrimpy2, Zenny
Special: ShadowShoes: 230 HP (Sea) (Above the waters, watching intently)
SlimerSlimer (Slimey)

Slimey viruses were produced to be sources of major traffic lag. While a Slimey virus is on the battlefield, all Navis and SPs suffer from a passive Slow-like effect that imposes a -10% Evasion AND Movement Speed penalty. This effect is not a status ailment, and cannot be cured. This effect does not stack with itself if more than one Slimey is on the field at once. As this does not count as a true Slow effect, up to two instances of Slow may stack on top of this effect for a total penalty of -30% Evasion/Movement Speed. This effect expires when all Slimey viruses on the field are deleted or flee. Slimey viruses are very slow to move and dodge, but every move they make that is not a dodge counts as an attack. Slimeys deal damage by touching an opponent, thus touching a Slimey directly results in damage to any non-Slimey the virus considers hostile.

Area: Sharo, NetVegas, Beach

HP: 150
Attack Damage/Effect: 45 Aqua + Slow
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Body slams its foes. Any foes hit are slowed the following turn. Must be within melee range to attack a foe.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MetaGel2, Zenny
Special: While this enemy is on the field, dodge effectiveness is reduced by 1 Rank.: 150 HP (Normal) (Near Lyntael within reach of her, still slowing down Lyn's processors regardless) (Holding a slimey pseudo-hand out towards Lyntael)
Shellnerd EXShellnerd EX (ShellGeek)

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

Area: Yoka, Sharo, Beach, Okuden Valley

HP: 160
Primary Attack Damage/Effects: 25 Null x 2 Spears
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: Fires two spears at one target.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effects: 50 Null
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Fires a star tipped arrow. Can be used on an ally to move them. Causes no damage to allies.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): TripleNeedle, StarArrow2 (Rare), Zenny
Special: Attacks every other action. IronBody when not attacking.: 160 HP (Sea) (Near the coast, peaking out of it's shell cautiously)
KillWeedKillWeed (KillPlant)

Area: Beach, Yumland, Netfrica, Dentech

HP: 160
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 90 Wood
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: The virus spits a large wooden seed at one target, like a bomb. If it misses, it remains on the field for one turn.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 90 Wood + Ground + Line Attack + Aqua Boost(+90 Wood, +AccuracyUP)
Secondary Attack Accuracy: C / B
Secondary Attack Description: If the seed is left alone for one turn, it will erupt into a Wood Tower attack. If the seed is hit by any Aqua based attacks or it lands on a Sea Panel, it will double in power and speed.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per virus): TreeBomb2, Zenny
Special: This virus is immobile.
- The Seed is immune to damage.
- Fire and Impact will destroy the Seed.
- This virus attacks every other turn, starting on the first turn.: 160 HP (Normal) (Near where the Slimey was at)

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 335 HP (Sand) (Roughly near the sea, near the middle of the field, surrounded by the viruses)

-- Terrain --
10% Normal

• No effects.

(A small patch of smooth rock near the cliffside, towards the north-west at 2-o-clock)
20% Sea

• Fire Elementals lose 10 HP/action standing, 20 HP/action submerged. Other Non-Aqua Elementals lose 5 HP/action submerged. Nullified for Aqua Elementals.
• Ice attacks: 50% Freeze1 chance, Changes terrain hit to Ice.
• Terrain changes between Sea and Onsen do not inflict damage upon submerged entities, nor do they eject submerged entities to the surface.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• PanelShot: Imbue Aqua.

(The receeding coastline along the sand, in the south)
70% Sand

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

(The majority of the area)
|
Battle 9! Resolved!
9900z, 25 buigfrags, MetaGel2Damage: 130 + Slow + Drop Attack x 3 Targets
Accuracy: B
Description: Summons three Metagels to drop down on three different opponents. Causes Slow on contact.
Duration: Once
Element: Aqua
Special: Drop Attack: This attack originates above the battlefield, and falls to the ground. It gains one rank of accuracy against High Altitude targets.
Trader Rank: C

The tentative attempt at a handshake turned into a more enthusiastic tackle hug with barely enough time to half articulate a sound of surprise before the slimey was all over her.
“Ah- hey! Easy, just ah—” her half-formed protests cut into startled silence for a moment as she tried to deal with the eager creature. The sensation of its body wasn't uncomfortable – quite the opposite, in fact, and she could feel it covering her thoroughly underneath her vest as well as just on top of it. She tried to wrangle the virus gently as a hot blush spread across her features.

“Okay, if you just- hang on...” She shifted until she could move its massaging touch away from places she felt that she ought not to let it be groping, eventually lying on her front against the sand so that it could enjoy the rest of its adventure more appropriately. The sensation was kind of nice, she had to admit, when it wasn't somewhere that she was still determined to tell herself the virus didn't understand the significance of. By the time the creature relented and drew back again, there was no doubt that her vest was well and truly slimed, though for a wonder the slime that lingered on her own skin fragmented away swiftly as she felt the flow of data between her surroundings and her connection back to Rogan.

It was a few minutes of rest later, eyes closed and hands under her head as she relaxed on the sand, that Lyntael let out another long yawn without bothering to hide it this time and shifted to pull her vest the rest of the way off her body and lie it out on the sand beside her, just to let the sun take care of the remaining damp patches. She cast another glance up and down the beach, just to make sure she was clear of other navis, then lay back again.

“Rogan...?”
“Hmm? Yes, Lyntael?” His response sounded distracted, though she guessed he was busying himself with more planning.
“So... Lance, and... and Vigilance. When it comes down to it, we're trying to stop what they're doing, with this whole cloak and dagger corporation thing... but, Lance seems to think this is really personal. He knows who you are, and you... just because it was you, it made him change what he was doing. What happened... back north, Rogan?” It was a topic that had always lingered on the periphery, off-limits in a way that didn't need to be stated, and any time she'd hazarded questions that came close to the topic, Rogan's answers had made it clear that he wasn't going to talk about it any further than a one sentence response. There was quiet on the line, and then a quiet sigh.

“Until recently, I did not know who Lance was. I still don't really know him, beyond what my digging has revealed...” There was another pause, and Lyntael waited it out. “But I know his type, and I think I know how he fits into... the past.” Lyntael shook off another yawn and sat up on the sand, refocusing herself so she could pay attention; this wasn't the time to be drowsy or inattentive. Rogan continued a moment later.

“Eric and I came from... a large clan, far up in northern Netopia. They're the kind to put a lot of stock in blood and duty and the ties that bind, so to speak. The sort of family where being a member of that family came a long way before being an individual, and your duty to your clan came well ahead of your personal wants. There were responsibilities, and expectations...” she heard Rogan draw a long breath in, and let it out again slowly. “Expectations and a certain ruthlessness that wasn't afraid to cut and break and reshape pieces that didn't fit into the holes made for them, until they did.” Unconsciously, Lyntael nodded, and one of her hands lifted to rub in a nervous way at the place where her emblem had once rested. She'd suspected something a bit like that, given the way Rogan felt about the concept of 'family'. On the other end of the connection, there was enough of a pause for a dry, mirthless laugh.

“Eric and I... did not fit into the holes made for us.” The silence returned, and Lyntael could sense Rogan debating with himself, or possibly searching for words. “Lyntael would you please put your top back on?” The girl blinked, startled by the sudden tone of exasperation in Rogan's voice.

“O-Oh, um, right... sorry...” She quickly fumbled the garment, shaking out errant sand and slipping it over her shoulders so she could begin refastening the catches that weren't damaged.

“Anyway... we couldn't stay, couldn't bear to throw the majority of our lives into being what they wanted. Our clan had power and some level of influence, but they weren't, ah... well, they weren't the common mental image people have of north Netopian clans championing freedom from tyranny and individual courage. They were much more focused on clan duty and clan honour.”

“Why... why didn't you just leave? I mean... I'm guessing you did, but, surely that's not such a bad thing?” She knew she was pushing her luck, but if Rogan was in a mood to talk, she wanted to get as much as she could. She heard another tired exhale across the line.

“Unfortunately, Lyntael, such matters are rarely that simple. It...” his voice trailed to silence and remained quiet. It was several very drawn out seconds before he started again. “It's not something I like to think about, Lyntael, and especially not something to talk about in a public setting.”

“Right...” She didn't manage to keep the disappointment out of her voice, though she held back the sight that threatened to escape with her acknowledgement.
“Later, Lyntael. I mean that; this is something you should know now, just... not here, not now.” It wasn't his usual deflection, even if he was sill putting it off. Something in his tone was more earnest and she nodded silently before answering.

“Okay, alright... I should... probably keep moving then. I'm not exactly going to work out anything more about myself by lying on the beach.” She stood, brushing off her body and dusting away the clinging sand before giving a small wave to any of the other viruses that had lingered around while she took her break, then set out further towards her destination.

((Ready for Battle 10))

Getting herself proper as she waved goodbye to the viruses, the rocky outcropping in the distance would slowly get closer and closer, the sound of the waves continuing on not unlike the beach-line that this area imitated outside the network. There was little to be said outside of her thoughts, the natural sounds around and the breeze on her skin. At least...that was until this repetitive clanking sound could be heard from the distance, well above her on the cliffside. It wouldn't take long for the unknown noise to increase in decibels, closer and closer it came before a pregnant silence.

And then, falling from the ridge above, a massive greatsword in hand, a navi fell and landed hard onto the sand behind her. Once she turned around, a tall, broad, navi stood in front of her. Clad in head to toe armor, a blazing fiery red with gold accents and a greatsword clutched in it's right hand, almost as tall as Lyntael was, with her head maybe just breaching the breastplate of the navi in front of her. Segmented gauntlets on each hand, and a beast headed helmet based off some sort of fantasy creature, the navi spoke. "You, navi. Might you tell me your name? And your operator's? I'm looking for a Lyntael.exe." The voice spoke, masculine in nature, clearly male. "As for the purpose, I have wish to test my skills and a Eurayle pointed me in this direction." He continued, there was no malice in his voice, rather a curiosity more than anything, really. "Me and my operator are wishing to test a new "build" so to speak, and I would test it with someone she approves of."

A couple of short minutes passed in silence as Lyntael pushed forward, but despite the most recent conversation behind them it wasn't an awkward or uncomfortable one and she found herself relaxing and letting her senses spread out into the gentle breeze as she strolled. Even so, the peace didn't last too long before Rogan's voice spoke up again and she opened her eyes.

“Looks like you've got another incoming, Lyntael. One signal, navigator signature.” He still sounded calm, but underneath it Lyntael could detect the immediate caution and alertness in his voice. Briefly, she wondered what it said about her that her own immediate reaction to the approach of an unknown navigator was of wariness now. She looking towards the new sound as it approached from the ridge-line above and turned, skipping away an extra step or two on instinct as the newcomer made a dramatic entrance onto the sand behind her.

Her body had fallen into a loose combat stance as she repositioned, light on her toes and keeping her profile slim and she forced herself to relax again. She the navi began to speak, however, Lyntael found herself growing increasingly conscious of the fact that the top clasp on her vest was till broken, and her lower body was covered not in proper swimwear, but normal underwear that was only mostly dried out. Rogan had gone silent as the navi had arrived and, almost without thinking, Lyntael had slipped her normal masking into place so that any surface scan would cause her to show up as a generic normal navi. Something he said made her tilt her head slightly, niggling quietly in the back of her mind.

“Hi... Ah, just... Just Lyntael, is fine, please.” Something about hearing him enunciate her... extension... just felt strange to her. She shook her head, brushing the feeling away and stepped forward close enough to extend a hand and give the other navi a chance to introduce himself as well, if he felt like being polite. After another moment, she jumped back to the other things he'd said. “But, anyway... I don't work for Eurayle, or anything like that. I only just met her today, a little while ago. We had a misunderstanding, and I helped her out with a problem, but that's all.” She assessed the other navi as best she could while she took in the rest of what he'd had to say introducing himself. A navi that liked to fight for fun and challenge, she guessed, definitely leaning into the full warrior aesthetic, and the talking about a 'new build' filled out the picture a bit more. She glanced out to the sea and shifted her stance, rubbing at one shoulder and upper arm with her other hand.

“I'm not really a fighter, honestly... I can defend myself, and, you know, keep myself safe when I have to, but I mostly prefer not to.” She winced with an apologetic smile. “I kind of struggle with pain more than most navis, and I'm supposed to be out seeking bounties at the moment. We can have a bit of a spar if you'd like, but I'll probably tap out if I start to get too badly hurt... I need to keep going for a while today, I think.” She tactically avoided answering any questions about Rogan; hopefully the navi wouldn't notice – after all, he'd mentioned his own operator, but they hadn't introduced themselves or spoken up either. She offered him a renewed grin and a small shrug.

“If you'd like to give it a try, though, are you fine to have a match here, or did you want to find somewhere more solid?” She rolled her shoulders and stretched as faint curls of the breeze twisted in and circled about her for an extra moment.

"Oh, I know you don't work for her. She said something about a fierce fighter and I wanted a look, simple as that." He would reply, the broad navi cricking his neck and a fleck of white skin underneath the helm would flash in Lyntael's vbision, his stance fairly relaxed despite his grip on the claymore by his side, simple and unassuming with a couple chips in it's dull metal textures. But he noticed she wasn't neccisarily comfortable with things as she spoke again, rubbing her arm and shoulder.

"It's fine, not all navis are made equal, tollerences are wide and vast, much like skill and ability. I promise we'll end the fight when one of us gets low, my operator has a few tricks up their sleeves should things go awry on my end for a friendly spar. And don't worry, he's not much of a talker, he's there, but not...all "there" I suppose, he's kinda got me on a second screen while doing some work where he's at. So he's probably not about to say much of anything." He would speak as he tensed up a little bit beneath his armor, the navi obviously a little neglected by his op, but still doing things on his own regardless. "But...I have something I can use for a proper field." He trailed off briefly, raising his sword up out of the sand and sending it down into the ground again, the sand beneath their feet and water nearby beginning to harden and disappear, simple white tiling beginning to replace the field around them, slowly bringing the two of them up the cliffside and walling them off to keep them from falling off. "There we go. This should work for the two of us. Should make for a good match between the two of us."

With that, battle routines would kick up betrween the two navis. His name would then show up for Rogan, a "Beast Knight.EXE"...and his sword showing up with a separate HP signature, likely a summoned object.

-- Challenger --
BeastKnight.EXE: 1200 HP (Directly across from Lyntael)
Claymore: 200 HP (Equipped) (Unknown properties aside from Object)

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 335 HP (Directly across from BeastKnight and his sword)

-- Terrain --
100% Normal

• No effects.

(Walls have formed on the edges of the field to prevent falling off, if holes are made, they go down a floor to Sand paneling)

Lyntael nodded her assent as the other navi prepared a more controlled space, and as she finished a few her stretch movements – more fluid and graceful than your average stretches, but still discernibly a brief warm up motion. As she settled into a loose combat stance, light and high on the balls of her feet while curling winds danced about her and ruffled at the torn clasp of her vest, Lyntael listened to her soon to be opponent and something he said made her expression grow sorrowful for a moment. Someone else who struggled with a person in their life who was less present than they ought to be. She had to stick to their usual cover, but she still wanted to say something.

“Hey... It's, it's alright. I mean, it's not as though I've got anyone using chips or 'operating me' either, you know? We make do, right?” She smiled for him again; with the masking in place, surface level scans and reads would make her show up like a fairly standard netnavi, and give no signs of Rogan's operation link. She wasn't... technically deceiving him, just commiserating something it seemed like they both understood.

They squared off, read to engage at that point, and Lyntael let her attention focus more clearly on the motions and styles of her opponent. Her heart picked up pace with the rush of conflict and her charge thrummed in her chest ready and rising. As she watched and prepared herself to respond to whatever the other navi tried, faint lines of light started to flicker across her skin, along with small snaps of sound as sparks jumped in her hair. Any blow the knight did land was likely to be met with a retributive burst of sparks and a blast of wind enough to throw him back again, away from her.

She circled slightly, hands up in a ready stance but light on her toes regardless. In her chest the thrum of her charge pulsed and she stabilised it, pushing the familiar shell static energy out from her body in an expanding ward that drew energy from her strikers as it passed over them and formed her barrier briefly before fading from sight.

“So... I'm Lyntael, but you've got me at a disadvantage... What should I call you?” She spoke up, friendly between any sudden motions of avoidance or defence she needed to take. Silent in her ear, Rogan's voice murmured at her.

“I don't approve of this Lyntael. The navi reads as 'BeastKnight', and by the look of this is sporting an... alarming degree of write protection.” Lyntael didn't respond, focused instead on her opponent. Somewhere in her mind, the distinction between what a person was digitally designated as and what they wanted to be called felt like it was becoming an important difference to her.

She shifted swiftly, to one side then the other, darting in close and around the warrior and making a pair of quick testing jabs at his side and mid-section before sweeping low with one foot. The movement inscribed an arc across the ground, a test for either the other navi's speed, or his balance, before she sprang up, uncoiling from her other leg and letting the trailing wind lift and twist her form in a continuation of the momentum from the low kick until the same foot swept around a second time. This time the kick was aimed at the foible of the blade, trying to push it back against the weak point in his grip. Just as the kick reached the contact point of her strike, a flare of wind spiralled around her and her body spun, arcing her other leg up and around so it could attempt to strike the blade's forte on the other side and amplify the force that could possibly be enough to tear the blade from his hands and send it spinning dangerously through the air and away.

The movement was fluid and graceful but, lacking the protection of her skirt, not exactly modest for the degree of up-close and wide open view it might give the knight of her not-completely-dry, and thus not-completely-opaque underwear; Lyntael wasn't thinking about this in the moment, and of course, any chivalrous knight focused on the combat at hand probably wasn't going to be distracted by the sight either, right?

As she came down, Lyntael stayed low in her landing crouch and took a half step around to face him again before striking inward to capitalise on the moment and test his other defences. She rose from the crouch leading with her left palm into a driving strike aimed at his midsection and lightning coursed through her as she embraced the flow of her charge. The energy drew in from each of her strikers, massed in her chest and flooded out through her leading hand into a blast of force that had enough power to rend and shatter through any defences, if the knight was still sticking around to take the blow. The breeze that had been surrounding the smaller girl rushed in along with the expenditure of energy, assailing and battering the other navi with enough power to drive him back and away from her across the arena.

Lyntael skipped back an extra step, returning to her ready stance as the brief feeling of emptiness washed over her and passed. As her charge pulsed and answered, beginning to cycle up faster, the sparks in her hair began to snap more visibly and far above the clear skies of the network began to fill with rolling grey clouds massing from every direction.

“So you said, you're testing a 'build'...” She called out, only a small amount of exertion on her breath so far. “What's it about? Is fighting sort of a hobby for you? I guess I'm sort of doing the same, kind of... Working out who I am... what I'm like, you know?” She didn't let her focus falter from watching the other navi's movements, but there was no need to be unfriendly.

Summary
L*) Friendly Match: assume that if, at any point, any of Lyntael's offence would reduce her opponent to their undershirt, or other surrender point, the remainder of her actions are curtailed immediately

L*) First Armour: 10Hp Casing (Clothing Reinforce)
L*) Turbulence (Auto-deflect on shot or lobbed attack)
L1) My Pain is Real; it lingers after (Counter (On Hit): (10Elec Nova2, Knockback, Time Delay (Start of next turn): Counter (On Hit): (10Elec Nova2, Knockback))), 15Hp Sacrifice, (Overcharge +1 per Counter Triggered)
L2) My Heart Falters, yet beats anew (Buster Charge, 80Hp Elec Barrier) Off-Target (1 Rank, 1 Round) (Overcharge -3)
L3) Dodge
L*) Fast Armour: 10Hp Casing Refresh
L4) Basic Buster Strike ((30null, Disarm) x 5 hits, A) (Testing his mobility and balance, and his grip on the sword)
L5) Dodge
L6) My torment Rebels; I will not break (ShotBase(50)Elec, Break, Impact, Slashing, Knockback, A) Charge-Burner, (Overcharge +3)

Cooldowns and Overcharge
My Pain is Real; it lingers after (2TCD)
My Heart Falters, yet beats anew (3TCD)
My Torment Rebels; I will not break (3TCD)

Overcharge: Begin: +0, My Pain is Real (+1 per counter triggered), My heart Falters (-3), My Torment Rebels (+3), End: +3

The crackle of lightning on Lyntael's skin was all he needed to signal the battle's start, with a heft of his sword, the knight swiped in front of him across a fair portion of the field, a shockwave of air being sent down towards Lyntael without effort, the shockwave managing to trigger the turbulent winds around her, sending it back to sender...without hitting either him or his sword and crashing into the wall behind him. "Mmmm...was that a barrier or something else? Never seen that happen with my attack before." He mused excitedly, before continuing. "Ah, sorry, BeastKnight is fine, but you may call me what you wish. I have no issues with nicknames or something a bit less 'wordy', I've been called lax by many, but truthfully I am more an open book than many would realize." He continued as she began to cast her defenses and prepare for his onslaught in turn. He however would hold his sword in front and close his eyes, a hum escaping the navi as he began to charge for something, a blast of energy escaping his sword as he rushed the dancer with alarming speed, the stomp of his feet quaking the area around them as he feinted towards her side and with an alarming thrust with the blade's tip at her vital points sending a blade of light towards her as three ripples of energy would erupt and, due in part to her evasion, would avoid harm in turn.

Though with her counterattack, she would find he was no slouch with his defensive maneuvers however, while not as good, would keep the blade in his grasp at the very least. The two strikes at his side and middle would connect without fail, but letting his body move with her blows he would bring his free hand to the attack to his blade's foible and protect his blade and grip therein, before his body slipped just under the fourth strike as he fell backwards and, while landing on it, the free hand would push away with great strength and manage to carry him just far enough to avoid the fifth (3x30). He would need a second to get back onto his feet as she repositioned and got herself ready for another strike from the knight, who seemed nonplussed at her less-than-appropriate attire as he let out a short breathed pant as she would strike back again, the knight barely dashing out of the way of the attack as he brought his sword to the ground with a resounding clang, a shockwave of energy being sent straight for her and barely clipping her barier dealing a small bit of damage to the navi herself, and with it, the resounding sparks would ignite and clip both navi and his sword, sending a resounding tingle down his spine.

"Nnnngh. Fluid...graceful...patient...and quite the powerhouse. What I wouldn't give to have a slender body like that..." He began to muse, the navi's body language tensing up further as he began to charge his power again, but a resounding crash of energy hit the ground around him instead of going outwards, Lyntael able to feel his power increasing, even for a brief moment, even if Rogan noticed his write protection going down slightly from his action. "Yes, actually. There's a lot of navis who fight for sport, to grow stronger like our human compatriots would. While it's not as "effective" as simply buying the programs, the upgrades, the infinite pit that we throw our money into, there is some strength we can squeeze out of traditional methods." BK would explain calmly, during their combat lull, a puff, an exhale as he gathered his breath. "I...consider myself something of a "weapon master", while I wield this claymore well, I like to diversify my skills. Scythes. Rapiers. Guns. And more, I consider myself somewhat proficient in different styles of weaponry. Though my netop has a thing for...well..."Beefy" guys, so I focus more on strength based weaponry to better suit my body." He continued on as he took a stance, double handing his claymore as he stomped his feet heavily and grounded himself.

-- Challenger --
BeastKnight.EXE: 1050 HP (About 11-o-clock from Lyntael's position, back towards the wall) (Strengthen??)
Claymore: 190 HP (Equipped) (Object properties) (Passive ability: 10 Shot-Slash damage per turn)

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 320 HP (Roughly 5-o-clock from BK's position) (Casing10) (ElecBarrier50) (Next turn: 10 Elec, Nova2, Knockback)

-- Terrain --
100% Normal

• No effects.

(Walls have formed on the edges of the field to prevent falling off, if holes are made, they go down a floor to Sand paneling)

As the buffeting winds deflected some of his efforts, and Lyntael ducked and wove around others, BeastKnight might notice that the one clean strike that did strike the girl's barrier actually seemed to pass right through the energy field, the shockwave lighting it up only briefly before breaking against her exposed skin and drawing a brief wince from her as her body responded and retaliated with sparks. If he or his operator were studying her vitals, however, they'd show that the barrier had indeed 'stopped' the blow, or at least removed the code-damaging capacity from the effect as it passed through. Certainly not a 'standard' manifestation.

Lyntael herself had kept her guard up as they spoke between exchanges. A small, distantly mirthless smile brushed her lips as she began to close in again, shifting from one balance point to another with a deceptively fluid grace while the glow of lightning energy increased its dancing patterns under her skin. “Sorry... I've had more than a few men say they wanted... ah, their meaning... intentions... were less friendly than yours. Sometimes I think it would be easier if I looked more... more like you, you know?”

Sparks pealed from her body in another balancing wave of static as she circled in close and attempted a quick motion to slide around towards his back angle. As the the cascade washed outwards the winds circling erratically about the arena whistled down around her again, reforming their protective shell while attempting to thrust the other fighter away from her if he remained close.

“I think, a few months ago, I wouldn't really have been able to understand fighting for fun... I'd have been terrified.” However her opponent moved, Lyntael darted with him, staying tight in on his melee, almost close enough to make directing his weapon at her difficult. Another burst of stabilising electricity rolled off her form, accompanied by the sharp scent of ozone. “A few weeks ago... I'd have gone at you all force and fury, without even stopping to ask... or think... or care...” With a sudden twist and inversion of her flow of motion, Lyntael twirled back the other way, weaving to avoid any offence from her opponent as she ducked low then darted out of his space again. She slid to her knees and let the momentum turn her body back around until she came up to on foot and one knee a short distance from him. “Now...” Her charge swelled to bursting in her and Lyntael embraced it, feeling the burn of it as the energy scorched through her muscles, drawing in from each of her strikers, massing at her chest and then out again as she lifted both hands, wrists together towards him. A brilliant flare of bright lightning arced from her, lighting up the battlefield enough to briefly blind as it crossed the space in a blasting line with enough force to tear through most anything in its path and throw backwards with force anything unfortunate enough to be stuck by its hammering, repeated bolts.

Lyntael felt the hollow drained feeling fill the sudden void, dragging at her like inky darkness until the next pulse of her charge thundered, spiralling back upwards with renewed vigour. She panted a breath as the light returned to normal from the blast.

“Now... Now I'm really not sure how I feel... But... But I'm glad for the chance to work it out. I'm lucky for that.” Still on one knee, Lyntael took a moment to breath, feeling her charge flood back and fill her while she caught her breath and watched her opponent. At the first sign of aggression from him, however, she rolled to the right into a smooth side tumble away from the attack. As her left foot came to ground again, she rose, kicking off the ground and upwards into a sudden rising axe kick that lifted her whole body with it. The renewed charge flooding her flared and sparked as it rushed from her strikers to her chest then flared out from her leading leg in another arc of thundering lightning. The streaking trail of force was aimed primarily at BeastKnight himself, but it splintered and forked at the point of impact, branching into new paths that stood a chance to strike his sword, or any other tools he might have brought to bear.

The motion left Lyntael turning in the air to complete the rest of the flip and land on the balls of her feet again, hands raised in a ready stance. The emptiness lasted only a moment before the charge roared back and Lyntael felt the beginnings of pain burning in her limbs. She had to slow down a bit. This was always where she went wrong, wasn't it? Too much too soon. Outwardly, she was breathing only a little harder, barely an exerted pant at all, but the static snapped and crackled in her hair, and dancing light caustics flickered under skin, alive with electricity that was already filling her again, eager to release. Above, the passing breezes had become stronger winds that brought clouds rolling in more rapidly than they ought to be travelling, darkening into stormy-looking masses as they came. Lyntael looked towards her opponent as she shifted back and forth on her toes.

“Hey, um... I'm okay for now, but... I can lose control of this, sometimes. I really ah... don't want to actually hurt anyone, so... you know... if it gets away from me, maybe just... back off until I recover? Sorry. I'm okay.... Come on... what other tricks have you got?” She managed grin for him as her charge pressed on her, swelling and building towards its limit again. Above, the clouds rumbled.

Summary

L*) Turbulence Refreshed (Auto-deflect on shot or lobbed attack)
L1) My Faith Can Heal, with time for laughter (Buster Charge, Feint, Movement, 10Elec Nova2, Knockback, Self-Slow (1 Rank, 1 round)), 3CD (Overcharge -2) (Close and begin to circle)
L2) A Manifest Spirit, and eyes that dance (10Elec Nova2, Take Aim, Dodge, Movement, Off-Target (1 Rank, 1 Round)), 3CD (Overcharge -1)
L3) My Anger Directed, 'gianst violent threat (ShotBase(50)Elec Break, Impact, Slashing, Knockback, Buster Shot (30null, Disarm x 5 hits), Off-Target (1 Rank, 1 Round)), 3CD (Overcharge +6)
L*) Fast Armour: 10Hp Casing Refresh
L4) My Fear Swells, but I hold tight (Dodge, 20Elec Nova2, Knockback, Charge-Burner), 3CD (Overcharge +1)
L5) My Fear Rejected, with hopeful stride (Take Aim, ShotBase(50)Elec Spread2, Break, Knockback, Self-Slow (1 Rank, 1 Round)), 3CD (Overcharge +4) (To BK first, spread to sword/other objects)
L6) Buster Charge

Cooldowns and Overcharge
My Pain is Real; it lingers after (1TCD)
My Fear Swells, but I hold tight (3TCD)
My Faith Can Heal, with time for laughter (3TCD)
My Torment Rebels; I will not break (2TCD)
My Heart Falters, yet beats anew (2TCD)
My Fear Rejected, with hopeful stride (3TCD)
My Anger Directed, 'gianst violent threat (3TCD)
A Manifest Spirit, and eyes that dance (3TCD)

Overcharge: Begin: +3, My Pain is Real (+1 per counter triggered), My Faith Can Heal (-2), A Manifest Spirit (-1), My Anger Directed (+6), My Fear Swells (+1), My Fear Rejected (+4), End: +12

Her movements had the knight on the back foot for the moment as she moved inwards at him, but he would tense up, crouching slightly as he himself pushed back and twisted around midair with a hop...no, more of a pirouette as the roll of electricity went across his body and sword (10,10) as a second roll of sparks did the same (10,10), errant twitches beneath the armor but his sword gave off another blast of energy like before as he held it still just long enough, barely managing to clip her turbulant barrier and coming back at him full force, a cut across his sword from the bounced back energy (10), but despite it all, he seemed unphased by the powerful dancer in front of him.

Edging back a bit more as he held his two-handed stance, but he nodded his head as he listened to her talk. "We are creatures of learning and understanding, Lyntael. Well, our creators are at least, but we do get it from them. And I can see your apprehensions. The nets have become "peaceful" for lack of a better term. We learn and grow, just like them, be it on our own or with help from others." He began before rushing in with his claymore held high, looking as it was coming in, straight down upon her head...before curving it not unlike a crescent moon's shape, but was blown back by a third sudden explosion of energy that skidded him back just enough to miss her (10,10) by a hair's bredth and striking hard into the paneling with a diagonal gash just in front of her feet. The strength had not left his body yet, but, he was well in her way to get given a proper hit as she blasted him square in the chest (50) with little he could do about it, with the resulting followups (30x5) breaking his grip from his sword and causing him to slide back even further than before.

"Hooooooo...quite the strike..." He breathed out, having lost his train of thought for a moment as he changed his tactics immediately, watching her, for a moment and letting her get her breath back before she struck again. BeastKnight dodging out of the way with a leap that would bring him far off to the left of her, though the spread of the attack would manage to hit the sword, cracks and chips very much evident on the weapon now. "It sounds like...you've gotten over some traumas in your life...you've put one step forward on your new path. And that's a big step some never take. You're strong, Lyn. Never let anyone say otherwise." He spoke again, she could feel his gaze and, practically, a smile on his face. The feeling lingered, just for a moment, before he rushed for his blade, grabbing it's hilt and quickly lifting it out of the ground, before sweeping back and standing face to face with her, dual handing his blade. "And I can tell...you're struggling with something physically. Let off that steam, and don't be afraid to take a breather. I'm not gonna strike you while you're down, this isn't some life or death situation. But this is some of the most fun I've had in a while, so...don't go overexerting yourself if you can help it."

-- Challenger --
BeastKnight.EXE: 820 HP (In front of Lyntael, just out of range of her novas) (Re-armed) (Strengthen??)
Claymore: 50 HP (Re-Equipped)(Object properties) (Passive ability: 10 Shot-Slash damage per turn)

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 320 HP (Roughly 5-o-clock from BK's position) (Casing10) (ElecBarrier50) (Slow1) (Off-target2)

-- Terrain --
100% Normal

• No effects.

(Walls have formed on the edges of the field to prevent falling off, if holes are made, they go down a floor to Sand paneling)

Across from her opponent, Lyntael exhaled as the swell of power pressed at her, bridling against her restraint. It was coursing through her limbs and making her strikers buzz and hum with bright glows of eager electricity. Across her body, light caustics danced beneath her skin in rapid patterns, occasionally breaking the surface to arc in small snaps and crackles. She breathed in again. Slow down.

She resumed her light stance and raised her hands again as her opponent spoke to give her space, but as much as she appreciated the gesture, a test was only a test if it was fair. She grit her teeth, somewhere between a grin for him, and a snarl against the burning in her muscles for herself.

“The people who really want to... hurt me... they aren't going to politely wait for me to be ready. And... and if I overload myself in a fight with someone like... like him... well, I...” She closed her eyes, pushing the memory aside. “I know how that ends, and it's not good. I need to be ready.” Lyntael focused and honed her mind against the burning pain beginning to building up as she held her charge without releasing it. Above, the gathering grey clouds rumbled again and spatters of rain began to fall. She glanced up as the first droplets hissed against her electrified skin. Smaller pains were inconsequential, beside preventing the ones that really mattered. Never again.

As she stabilised for a moment, the feeling of static and ozone in the air became a brief reverberating hum that might tingle across the senses of anyone close by – if he were susceptible to it, it might even becalm her challenger for an extra moment or two... or of course, he might just be the kind to wait patiently for combatants to exercise their power-up sequences, if that was his preferred trope. The thought didn't occur to Lyntael herself.

Above lightning cracked in the clouds, and then the storm broke from spattering rain into an increasing downpour. Around Lyntael, the whipping winds circled up again, blustering as they ruffled her vest and she turned her face towards the rain with a calmer breath, her body glowing softly in the centre of the tempest and steadfast to any opportunistic offence the knight took in the moment.

The weight of charge burning in her still had her hands and feet feeling fuzzy and more sluggish than they should, but she exhaled again and returned her gaze to focusing on her opponent and another stabilising pulse of electricity rolled off her form and danced across the gathering puddles of rain water that formed all around.

“I wasn't made to be a fighter... and I never wanted to be one.” She darted towards BeastKnight now, looking for an opening as her charge looked for an excuse to release and she held the majority of it in check. “But I think, even if I have to now... That's okay.” When she caught what looked like a moment to strike, she led with one fist in a sharp driving motion, but rolled it into a feint at the last moment, dropping her shoulder and letting the rest of her body spin into easy momentum until she could bring her opposite heel down over the top in a helm-breaking strike that flared with lighting.

The burst of light blinded briefly as arcs from it spread out and away from the point where her charge released, seeking other targets to ground themselves on. As Lyntael finished the rolling motion and and came upright again. It was only a small release, compared to the weight building in her now, but even so, there was a relief and even a mild ecstasy to the sensation of letting the power flow, just for a moment. Her guard came up as she straightened, watching her opponent through the now pouring rain while brief flashes above lit the sky and the wind rushed in a broad circle around their arena.

“It's fine, I think... because it's me choosing. I wasn't made for this, I was never intended to be a combat navi... but I can still choose my path, and if I can learn to handle this...” her breathing was more laboured now, she noticed; each small expenditure met with a fresh surge of energy cycling up from the core of her being and leaving her breathless. “...can learn to protect the ones who matter to me, as much as I can... then that's what I want to do.” She managed a brief grin while water tried to weigh down her hair across her eyes and its own sparking dance of sparks pushed back. Her eyes were starting to sting too, she could feel it at the edges. “So please... don't hold back... Hahh... because in a few seconds I'm not sure I'll be able to.”

Summary

L1) Action Precluded: Buster Charge
L2) A Scarred Soul, with love to give (Damage Reduction (10, 1 Round), 40Hp Casing, Stun (1 Action)), Self-Slow (1 Rank, 1 Round), 3CD (Overcharge -2)
L3) As I Look to the Sky, and my wounds bleed wet (Stage Chance (Sea; aesthetic as torrential rain), 10Elec Nova4, Knockback), 15Hp Sacrifice, Recovery Time (1 Action), 4CD (Overcharge -4)
L4) Action Precluded: Recovery Time
L5) My Soul Screams, and yet I fight (ShotBase(50)Elec Nova2, Knockback), Charge-Burner, 3CD (Overcharge +2)
L6) My Thoughts Collected, no more to hide (Take Aim, ShotBase(50)Elec Spread2, Impact, Knockback), Self-Slow (1 Rank, 1 Round), 3CD (Overcharge +4)
L*) Fast Armour: 10Hp Casing Refresh, if it's broken

Cooldowns and Overcharge
My Pain is Real; it lingers after (Cooling)
My Fear Swells, but I hold tight (2TCD)
My Soul Screams, and yet I fight (3TCD)
My Faith Can Heal, with time for laughter (2TCD)
My Torment Rebels; I will not break (1TCD)
My Heart Falters, yet beats anew (1TCD)
My Fear Rejected, with hopeful stride (2TCD)
My Anger Directed, 'gianst violent threat (2TCD)
As I Look to the Sky, and my wounds bleed wet (4TCD)
A Manifest Spirit, and eyes that dance (2TCD)
A Scarred Soul, with love to give (3TCD)

Overcharge: Begin: +12, A Scarred Soul (-2), As I Look to the Sky (-4), My soul Scream (+2), My Thoughts Collected (+4), End: +12

He stood his ground as the lightning, thunder and the clouds above continued to thunder on and rain beginning to fall. Lyntael wasn't the first who had "issues" with their strength that he's fought, but she wouldn't be the last, that was for sure. But regardless he began to hold his sword up defensively as she charged her buster and he in turn brought out a small syringe, the navi quickly bringing it to his neck and pushing the plunger, a soft hiss as the liquid flowed into him and a soft sigh, his signature getting a bit of a boost in Rogan's PET (+80) before tossing the syringe aside with a clatter.

"Heheh. A storm is brewing Lyn, all this power you control...or lack therein I suppose. Just let it out, I'll survive what you can dish out. Just consider me a big ol target dummy that hits back." He began as she continued to power herself up, the rain beginning to pool upon the closed off field, she had really thought of everything...but then he could feel tingles across his body, his muscles beginning to lock...sieze...he could power through it, but it would be difficult regardless as he could feel her knocking him back with her barely contained power against the wall (20). And then he took his chance, rushing towards her in a moment of weakness, hands fully wrapped around his sword...and with a cleaving strike, he brought the blade down whole on her as she recovered, striking fully, weight, sharpness, he cleaved through her defenses and struck a blow straight down her middle, pain would come in almost immediately after her defenses breached (20 Impactx2+30 Breakx2 (10 Spillover)+Strengthen 20+50 Slashing=80 total breached damage) though it's hard to say if her clothing would survive the strike.

But as soon as the strike hit, his muscles fully siezed up from the tickles on his skin, a grunt through gritted teeth...and a larger, more pained grunt, as she struck him with a powerful hit across his head, the helm quickly cracking down a fair bit from where she struck and falling off...showing a less than flattering part of BeastKnight's vissage, scars and, more importantly...trumor-like bumps across the bits that were visable. This caused him to reel back in pain, but her second strike would certainly make sure he would reel back further onto his plated ass, she had managed to topple him with her strikes and in the process, his Claymore had shattered to pieces in the process (100!, 100!, 100!). He would slowly feel his body's ability to move come back, shaking his head letting a couple brownish locks fall into view from the slightly broken helmet and a groan of pain.

"Nnnnnn...quite the kick and blow..." He breathed, just a little out of breath from the attacks, as he stared at her, the mouth she could see a little bloodied, but he would wipe it away. "Hahahaha...not many get a glimpse of what's beneath this helm. But it's not a bother. Not all of us wanted to become fighters." He continued on with a chuckle. "I didn't. I was just a normal navi long ago...but...things happened, I can barely remember now. But I was transformed into what you see before you, and...well...had to earn money to keep living. But...I grew a taste for battle while my op worked." He breathed, shaking his head before letting out another chuckle. "And...it's not bad to choose to fight. Protect those close to you. And who knows...you might learn to let loose more as time goes on." He continued as he slowly rose to his feet, and he clenched his fists. "So come at me Lyn. Don't hold back." He finished, flashing Lyn a grin.

-- Challenger --
BeastKnight.EXE: 700 HP (In front of Lyntael) (Strengthen30)
Claymore: DESTROYED

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 225 HP (Straight ahead from BK) (Casing10) (Slow1) (Off-target2)

-- Terrain --
100% Sea

• Fire Elementals lose 10 HP/action standing, 20 HP/action submerged. Other Non-Aqua Elementals lose 5 HP/action submerged. Nullified for Aqua Elementals.
• Ice attacks: 50% Freeze1 chance, Changes terrain hit to Ice.
• Terrain changes between Sea and Onsen do not inflict damage upon submerged entities, nor do they eject submerged entities to the surface.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• PanelShot: Imbue Aqua.

(Walls have formed on the edges of the field to prevent falling off, considered Sea due to rainfall and pooling water on the field)

As they fought, Lyntael assessed her opponent. She didn't know what was in the shot he'd given himself, but strength seemed to be his forte, and she was fairly sure she had the edge on him in plain speed and agility. She moved with the fight, trading words with him as she looked for openings, but all it took was a moment of misjudgement, and a moment of the knight moving quicker than she anticipated. Despite their mutual reassurances as they battled, the blow that finally landed against Lyntael tore a cry of sudden pain from the girl. There was no stoic warrior's discipline here; as the blade stroke cut down and through, Lyntael heard her own scream accompanying the searing white line of sudden pain.

There was more that happened, in the sudden moment; BeastKnight might notice the strangeness of her defences, and the way they stopped – or in this case only reduced – the damaging force of the weapon, but not its physical presence from passing through to slam and cut her. The blade tore down from collarbone to hip as Lyntael tried, too slow, to twist away from the strike – it sheared through the remaining catches on her vest and dragged the ruined fabric with it as the blade stroke fell away from her.

Though she hadn't seemed to notice the sudden expose and loss of decency herself, recovering from the staggering strike as one hand leap up to press the lightly bleeding cut as red stain ran down from the wound, another voice, hitherto unheard, cut across the rain-swept battlefield.

“Lyntael! That's enough!!” Rogan's voice was sharp in this moment, but Lyntael only barely heard it at the edge of her senses. Lighting flared from her injury, flickering and fanning out as she staggered back around into a lower combat stance. The storm of energy inside her strained, howled to release; to respond to the pain with a violent fury that rose as a growl in her throat. She could feel the rain on her back; bare skin; pain of sliced flesh stinging. It was always the same. Never again.

“Don't touch me!” The shout came, unbidden, as she dug her toes in for a moment and leap forward, closing the distance towards her attacker in flash of light. She was there, leading fist flaring with barely controlled lightning force towards him, almost without seeming to cross the intervening space, and as she struck her whole form blurred and flickered with electricity. Lyntael felt the energy flow, let it release and welcomed the rush of power surging through her as it exploded. For a moment, sensation of pain lost to the euphoria of release and she embraced the drain of her expend demanding more charge, faster, harsher.

As the lightning danced across her skin, her body seemed, for a moment, to become nothing but the lightning itself and then she was gone from sight, or nearly enough. Just a rush of sparks striking in a flurry around her target, barely there except to strike, again and again, for a different direction each time.

Lyntael could feel the power surging as she moved, her mind a flood of static barely registering proper thought or sense. It seared at her as she guided her limbs, unseen, in a dance of blows that might have been artful and graceful, if they weren't so fast. A thread of urgent thought fought against the tide to shout that she was going too far; the thought wasn't clearer than that, against the more desperate reaction against the pain; her bare skin; and before her, again, a male with a knife. She let the power flow again in another surging release towards her opponent, the weight of her charge searing through her limbs, to her chest, then out to explode in another violent burst of lightning, delivered point blank. The drain hit her for a moment, and through the brief sense of dulling and emptiness that followed, Rogan's voice.

“Lyntael, Stop! You are not There. That is not Him. Calm down and breath, Lyntael!” The words barely made it to her through the roar of static as her charge cycled up to fill the emptiness again. The blade was gone, said a struggling thought in her mind; she'd destroyed it already. Her form was still an invisible blur of living lighting, but she pushed through it to try to find reality again, passing back and away from her opponent towards the centre of the battlefield again. Her eyes were burning, static overflow falling in cascades from them, and her body hurt as her charge burned at her. Around the edges of their arena, lightning struck and crashed in erratic bolts while the circling winds spiralled into a violent gale. Some part of her knew that she'd have burned out long ago holding this much charge, even a couple of weeks ago. It was still threatening to overwhelm her, but her cut-out hadn't taken hold yet, and the girl grit her teeth trying to hold it together.

Summary

L1) Action Precluded: Buster Charge
L2) Half-charge Strike (300Elec, Disarm, A) (Overcharge +4)
L3) My Vision Alters, yet I see through (Buster Charge, Dodge, Invisibility (1 Round)), Off-Target (1 Rank, 1 Round), 3CD (Overcharge -2)
L*) Fast Armour: 10Hp Casing Refresh, if it's broken
L4) My Pain is Real, it lingers after (Counter (On Hit): (10Elec Nova2, Knockback, Time Delay (Start of next turn): Counter (On Hit): (10Elec Nova2, Knockback))), 15Hp Sacrifice, 2CD (Overcharge +1 per Counter Triggered)
L5) Basic Buster Strike (30Null, Disarm x 5 Hits, A)
L6) Half-Charge Strike (300Elec, Disarm, A) (Overcharge +4)

Cooldowns and Overcharge
My Pain is Real; it lingers after (2TCD)
My Fear Swells, but I hold tight (1TCD)
My Vision Alters, yet I see through (3TCD)
My Soul Screams, and yet I fight (2TCD)
My Faith Can Heal, with time for laughter (1TCD)
My Torment Rebels; I will not break (Cooling)
My Heart Falters, yet beats anew (Cooling)

My Fear Rejected, with hopeful stride (1TCD)

My Anger Directed, 'gianst violent threat (1TCD)
As I Look to the Sky, and my wounds bleed wet (3TCD)
A Manifest Spirit, and eyes that dance (1TCD)

A Scarred Soul, with love to give (2TCD)


Overcharge: Begin: +12, Half-Charge Strike (+4), My Vision Alters (-2), My Pain is Real (+1 if triggered), Half-Charge Strike (+4), End: +18/+19

Nerf Tracker
This Round: Self-Slow (2), Off-Target (None)
Next Round: Self-Slow (None), Off-Target (1)

To say BeastKnight had fucked up would be an understatement, the second he realized the damage he had done to her, mentally and physically, there wasn't much more he could do as the scream came out. To Lyntael, it was a flash of emotions, barely a speck of time...to BK however, his eyes had gone wide as plates behind that helm. The grin had faded into...well...a grimace. He hadn't realized the extent of the damage he had done until it was far too late. It was hard to know if his words had even reached her.

But her anger, her trauma, it was evident as she crushed through his armor with precision and strength that had been unseen towards him till now. It had caused the air to escape his lungs (600!) between her ferocity and scared mental state, the knight practically unable to stop her from preparing, he couldn't speak even if he wanted to, he was still reeling from the precise blow against him, practically jumping away, getting distance, he could feel her strikes against his body as he did (30x3) but avoided a potential killing blow...then the followup...the follow up is what brought him low, the back of his armor blown away from the scared, scarred, woman he had been having a friendly fight with up til now (600!). Scars seared across his now bared back...wound after wound scattered across his skin beneath. The searing pain, the broken armor, he couldn't get up from being face down in front of her, the young fighter's strikes having finally forced the battle routines to end. "Nnnnnnn...got...my wish...I suppose..." He groaned out, limbs slack and body sprawled across the arena floor, the walls falling almost unceremoniously as he tried to catch his breath, try in vain to get his words out. Regardless of how the results came about, the battle ended in Lyntael's favor. Data flowing into Rogan's PET, zenny and a chip for a "job well done". Though if they wanted to leave before he could get back up, there was nothing stopping Lyntael from doing so. BeastKnight seemed to be stable...if unable to defend himself.

-- Challenger --
BeastKnight.EXE: 1 HP (In front of Lyntael) (Strengthen30)
Claymore: DESTROYED

-- Navis --
Lyntael.EXE: 225 HP (Straight ahead from BK) (Casing10) (Slow1) (Off-target2)

-- Terrain --
100% Sea

• Fire Elementals lose 10 HP/action standing, 20 HP/action submerged. Other Non-Aqua Elementals lose 5 HP/action submerged. Nullified for Aqua Elementals.
• Ice attacks: 50% Freeze1 chance, Changes terrain hit to Ice.
• Terrain changes between Sea and Onsen do not inflict damage upon submerged entities, nor do they eject submerged entities to the surface.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• PanelShot: Imbue Aqua.

(Walls have formed on the edges of the field to prevent falling off, considered Sea due to rainfall and pooling water on the field)

BATTLE 10 WIN
10,800z, BreakSwordDamage: 100 + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Accuracy: C
Description: Creates a sturdy but heavy blade that can cut through armor and shielding.
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 2 swings.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: C

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

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

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

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

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

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

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