Netbattles and Chill

Back near the surface of the den, amidst the now churning waters, Courser glanced across to his decoy as eh caught up and the pair split off in an effort to keep on opposite sides of the beast. Something definitely wasn't' right here. He knew a little of the beasts, but not much – enough thugh, to know that they fought, were destroyed, and then eventually reformed. This was different... The shark wasn't just injured, not like a program might be – it was changing. The flesh falling away to expose bony skeletal structure underneath oughtn't be any part of the great beast's wear and tear and Courser moved cautiously as a fresh power seemed to be rising within it.

His form shifted again, the headband fading out as the colours in his skin and clothing faded to monochrome and his eyes darkened towards black. Across from him, his decoy shifted as well, slipping into the black and white outfit tones of his Jailbird cross form at the same time. From below, more shots pierced up through the water at what remained of the beast's body, while his mole popped in closer in an attempt to find something to strike that would actually hurt still; Courser took the moment to focus on his shield and strengthen it as he kept the high-pressure water ward pointed towards his decaying quarry. Whatever it was planning, he had to act and finish this off now.

The wave whip on his free hand lashed in the water then extended again, growing long and cycling up to a razor thin edge of current in the water and he darted in, body weaving and ready to split away from whatever the shark had in mind. Grimly determined to end the fight now, he pushed in through and around the beast's attacks and swept once with the long blade, seeking to cleave whatever bone and meat remained on the creature.

His body rolled with the current, a swirl of foam and circling water flow reforming now with an extra almost bubble-like sheen to each layer of protection, enough to let him ignore the creature's violence for a few more seconds and focus solely on striking him as he needed to. His second strike plunged down, attempting to anchor himself above the shark and astride the back of its head; if he could dig the water blade I, the current bend and hooked, like and anchor wrapping around bone. Courser steadied himself, his other hand up for balance, before plunging down as well, drawing power from the same store to sink in a second blade and hook it tight.

“Come on, big guy... That's it, snap up, have a go then...” Courser wrenched back, leading whatever remaining attempts the beast had to strike at him and fought to wrangle the massive creature into raising its head and breaching up from the den's waters. If either blade slipped, he wrenched and twisted, re-angling it to keep hold of his position and drive the beast into a jump that he hoped could force it to crash down onto the ice shelf not too far from where he'd first jumped in. He was going to land this fish once and for all, now that he had the creature on the ropes... though at the rate its body was falling apart, such a landing on the ice might well just send a flood of broken bones tumbling back into the water anyway. It was the showmanship that counted though, especially since he'd have an audience.

-=Summary=-
C*) Clone: Taking the opposite side to Courser, though both are circling aggressively for strikes
C1) MimeCross (Null/Shield: +10 Null chips, Sturdy Defence/Reinforce)
C*) Reinforce: (+2 hits to Courser's Shield)
C*) Momogra: (25, Backstab, B)
C*) Needler: (40 x2 Hits, A)
C2) SwordDamage: 80 + Slashing
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a sword made of solidified energy, with a very short blade. Hits one target per slash
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 6 swings.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D (90, Slashing, B)
C*) (If attacked, the new clone will dodge away and circle, the attempt to move back in above it, as though seeking a blind spot)
C3) SwordDamage: 80 + Slashing
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a sword made of solidified energy, with a very short blade. Hits one target per slash
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 6 swings.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D (90, Slashing, B) (Sword strikes are attempting to anchor Courser to the beast, and then wrangle/ride it into a breach and landing on the ice a short way from Hevari; subsequent sword strikes are represented as re-securing and maintaining this, though if it all works out, the last may be part of the heavy landing)
C*) Sturdy Fast Barrier: (30Hp Barrier)
C*) Sturdy Fast Armour: (10Hp Casing)
C4) SwordDamage: 80 + Slashing
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a sword made of solidified energy, with a very short blade. Hits one target per slash
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 6 swings.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D (90, Slashing, B)
C5) SwordDamage: 80 + Slashing
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a sword made of solidified energy, with a very short blade. Hits one target per slash
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 6 swings.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D (90, Slashing, B)
C6) SwordDamage: 80 + Slashing
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a sword made of solidified energy, with a very short blade. Hits one target per slash
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 6 swings.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D (90, Slashing, B)

-=Cooldowns=-

-=Chips Used (26)=-
Needler2HP: 80
Properties: Normal, Mobile
Object Damage: 80 Null + Impact + Break
Damage Method: Ramming attack, Telekinesis, Throw
Attack Damage: 40 Null x 2 hits x 3 Targets
Accuracy: A
Description: Summons a gun platform that attacks up to 3 separate targets each turn with its trio of double spike cannons. It can also perform a defense piercing kamikaze attack.
Duration: Until destroyed.
Element: Null
Special: This chip's accuracy cannot be boosted or reduced by any means, including RP quality.
- This object may ram a target instead of firing needles, but is instantly destroyed in exchange.
- This object may dodge by trying to ram nothing, but if it hits something in this way, it is still destroyed and deals object damage.
Trader Rank: C
MomograHP: 60
Damage: 15 + Backstab
Accuracy: B
Description: Creats a Momogra virus to aid you. Attacks with a shovel from behind, and has a constant Mole status that ignores terrain solidness when not attacking (unless the panel currently does not exist). Still affected by other effects of panels.
Element: Null
Special: Allied Virus: This virus has two actions per turn, and is fully controllable by the summoner. If no orders are given, it will perform actions at random, but will never intentionally interfere with or damage the summoner or their allies. Deleting this virus will grant no additional rewards to either side.
Trader Rank: C
IceWave2Damage: 100 + Freeze
Accuracy: A
Description: Sends a wave of ice at one enemy
Duration: Once
Element: Aqua
Special: Ice Type: This chip counts as Ice Type for the purposes of potentially freezing targets on Aqua Element Terrain or environments, as applicable.
Trader Rank: C
ShotgunDamage: 50 + Spread 1
Accuracy: A
Description: A gun whose shot penetrates an enemy to hit another one directly behind it.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Trader Rank: E
TripleNeedleDamage: 50 x 3 Shots
Accuracy: B
Description: Fires three sharp spears at the same target.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Trader Rank: C
BigHammer1Damage: 160 + Impact + Break
Accuracy: B
Description: Summons a giant metal hammer to utterly crush one enemy that stands before you.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D
TimeBomb1HP: 100
Properties: Anchored
Object Damage: 50 + Impact
Damage Method: Telekinesis
Attack Damage: 100 + To-All-Clause (Enemies)
Accuracy: S
Description: Places a bomb on the field that will explode after two turns, damaging all enemies.
Duration: 2 turns or until destroyed.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D
Dynamite1HP: 100
Properties: Light
Object Damage: 100 Null + Blast2
Damage Method: Throw, Knockback, Microburst, Telekinesis, Gust
Attack Damage: 100 Null + Blast2 + Line Attack + Seeking
Accuracy: D (thrown) / A (trigger)
Description: Sets a lightweight laser trip bomb. When something crosses the sensor beam, the bomb detonates a shaped charge that blasts an entire line. It can see through Invisibility. This weapon is very dangerous to use, caution is advised.
Duration: Until destroyed or until it attacks.
Element: Null
Special: Laser TAG: Attack triggers when something moves through the targeting laser beam, no matter who or what that may be.
Trader Rank: D
GolemHit1Damage: 140 + Break + Panel Crack + Wide Attack
Accuracy: C
Description: A fist of stone falls from the sky to smash an enemy, and create a shock wave that hits two nearby enemies. The area affected by the fist becomes Cracked terrain.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D
Pulsar1Damage: 70 + Object Triggered Blast 2
Accuracy: A (Primary) / B (Blast)
Description: Fires a sound wave. If it hits an object, its range is amplified, hitting anything near that object in a blast of noise.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Special: Object Triggered Blast: Blast effect that only works if the attack hits an Object, such as a RockCube.
Trader Rank: D
Pulsar1Damage: 70 + Object Triggered Blast 2
Accuracy: A (Primary) / B (Blast)
Description: Fires a sound wave. If it hits an object, its range is amplified, hitting anything near that object in a blast of noise.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Special: Object Triggered Blast: Blast effect that only works if the attack hits an Object, such as a RockCube.
Trader Rank: D
TankCannon1Damage: 80 / 80 + Blast 2
Accuracy: A / C
Description: An enormous cannon whose ammunition can be altered to either a single high accuracy shot, or a low accuracy shot that can explode to hit several enemies.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Special: Dual Mode: This chip has two separate modes of operation. The user may pick which one they wish to use at the time of activation.
Trader Rank: D
Katana1Damage: (60 + Slashing + Wide Attack) Then (60 + Slashing + Long Attack)
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a long metal blade with exceptional cutting speed. Hits with a wide slash, then a long slash in the span of a single action, hitting 3 and 2 targets, respectively. Only one target can be hit with both slashes. Rare
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 2 uses.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: C
BoyBomb1HP: 100
Properties: Normal
Object Damage: 220 + Blast3
Damage Method: Throw, Knockback, Microburst, Pull, Gravity, Telekinesis
Attack Damage: 220 + Blast3
Accuracy: Not Applicable
Description: Creates a BoyBomb1 on the field directly before you. The bomb may be pushed around until the end of the turn. The bomb will explode at the beginning of the following turn, dealing extremely heavy damage to anything nearby. Be somewhere else when that happens....
Duration: Until destroyed or the beginning of next turn.
Element: Null
Special: If enough damage is dealt to this object to destroy it, it will immediately explode instead.
Trader Rank: D
RageClaw1Damage: 40 + Slashing (Attack) OR 20 + Impacting (Throw)
Accuracy: B / B then B
Description: Creates an impressive bear claw. Can be used to slash or throw enemies or objects.
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 6 uses.
Element: Null
Special: Throw: The wielder must first grab the target to be thrown, then the target is thrown in the direction/area indicated. A second check is made if against another object/enemy. Throw deals damage to both thrown object/enemy and the second object/enemy. Damage occurs at point of collision with the ground/wall/ceiling/etc. or an object/enemy, not during initial grab attempt. Objects deal their max HP in damage (instead of the chip's damage) if they hit an object/enemy, then break. If they miss, the object just takes the chip's damage. This chip has a variety of uses.
Trader Rank: D
Counter1Damage: (1-Hit I-Field) + (Counter(70 + Impact + Break): On-Hit)
Accuracy: S Block, A Return
Description: Defends against one attack, teleports to enemy, and strikes with Gutpunch. Impacting. Breaking.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Special: I-Field is pierced by Impact, Counter is negated by Impact.
Special: Status Guard: This chip blocks debuffs.
Trader Rank: D
Fire+30Status: Fire Element UP 30, Stackable
Accuracy: S
Description: Adds 30 Damage to all hits of a Fire Element attack chip, before any external environment-related or target-related damage modifiers apply.
Duration: Once
Element: Fire
Trader Rank: C
Magnum1Damage: 120 + Break + Panel Break x 3 Targets
Accuracy: A
Description: A triple barreled gun that blasts through defenses and terrain alike. Rare
Duration: Once
Element: Fire
Trader Rank: C
Magnum1Damage: 120 + Break + Panel Break x 3 Targets
Accuracy: A
Description: A triple barreled gun that blasts through defenses and terrain alike. Rare
Duration: Once
Element: Fire
Trader Rank: C
HeatSpreader1Damage: 30 + Spread 8
Accuracy: A
Description: Shoots a fireball that explodes on impact to hit nearby enemies.
Duration: Once
Element: Fire
Trader Rank: D
FireBurner1Damage: 50 + Line Attack(3)
Accuracy: A
Description: Looses a stream of fire that can penetrate enemies and keep going.
Duration: Once
Element: Fire
Special: Line Attack(3): Attacks up to 3 targets in a straight line.
Trader Rank: D
LightningDamage: 180 + Seeking + Drop Attack
Accuracy: B
Description: Utilizing a target as a lightning rod, the user drops a powerful thunderbolt on it. Rare
Duration: Once
Element: Elec
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
RemotePlug2Damage: 110 + Homing + Phasing
Accuracy: C
Description: Fires an obstacle penetrating plug that moves forward. Its path can be adjusted by the user.
Duration: Once
Element: Elec
Trader Rank: C
ElecShock1Damage: 70 + Medium Solar Terrain Change + Stun + Cone Attack
Accuracy: C
Description: Blast up to 4 enemies with a cone of lightning breath that stuns. Changes terrain to Solar.
Duration: Once
Element: Elec
Trader Rank: D
PanelShotDamage: 100 + Small Broken Terrain Change + Terrain Effect Bonus
Accuracy: B
Description: Rips up 1 panel and sends it flying at the designated target.
Duration: Once
Element: Depends on Terrain
Special: Terrain Effect Bonus: Adds an additional effect to an attack where applicable, depending on the type of terrain used.
Trader Rank: D
SwordDamage: 80 + Slashing
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a sword made of solidified energy, with a very short blade. Hits one target per slash
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 6 swings.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D

As Courser and his clone split away from one another and Courser managed to make a change into something..."fitting"...for the beast's final moments in his mind, his attacks had damaged the beast greatly, it was on it's last legs...but before Courser could do much more than reinforce the watery shield that clung to his arm, Squalo lashed out. Barring it's teeth and all it's power, the beast swiftly moved in on Courser.

The great beast flung itself at him, fins tearing and ripping through the clone as it circled about...and even through his clone, Courser could feel the power of the strike echoing through him, likely would have flung him some distance away if he had been the one to take the hit. Momogra and Needler attempting to strike back against the beast's attacks, Momogra managing to smash it's tailfin again with it's spade and one of the needler's attacks managing to lock onto the raging creature and dealing another blow to it's form.

Even as Squalo turned back around to attack, Courser attempted to strike with an empowered blade and sliced a meaty chunk off of Squalo's bones as it passed by. Even then, the beast's influence could be felt as he slammed the blade down into the beast's body, just above it's head as the wily currents pressed against him, attempting to throw the navi off as it began to thrash about with little care in the area, it's body splashing across the area and sending rippling waves outward, inadvertently hitting his hired help and ripping their barriers off entirely. Even then, Courser continued to try and drive the beast up towards the top of the water as Squalo attempted to throw the annoyance off with it's speed and power, but he held on, Courser continued to try and drive the beast towards where he wanted to go...

And he succeeded. The beast breached the waves in glorious fashion as Courser continued to hold on for dear life with his bladed instrument of death, Squalo flying through the air as the waves crashed heavily onto the beach and with them, Hevari and Cerberus watching in absolute shock as Courser had managed to do what few had done before him. Eyes wide open, Courser and Squalo crashed onto the beach near Hevari and Cerberus and with it...Squalo floundering about rapidly as Courser managed to bring his sword down one last time into the beast's skull, a deafening crack as he split it with that final stab. Finally, the beast's floundering and squabbling had finished for the time being.

But before he could say anything, do anything, the beast's body began to emit an even stronger light than before. Dropping from the beast's body rapidly, Courser was quickly wrapped in the light and with it, Squalo's form beginning to coalesce into the navi's. Bit by bit. Byte by byte. Squalo's form shrank, compacted itself into Courser's. Data forcibly uploading itself into his own, Courseman was rapidly forced to adapt to the surge of data, power...and beastly presence...the cybeast itself held. Flashes of notifications flying across Jenny's PET in the real world as the same bits and bytes that Courser was being forced to absorb began to take root on her PET. A moment later, everything finished...in front of the good doctor and her pet, stood a likely transformed Courseman with a singular message flashing upon Jenny's PET, showing the following words.

"Unknown Data Downloaded. Reconfiguring NetNavi. Please Wait."

However long it would take, Courseman was also rewarded with a princely sum of zenny in front of him

Hungry Hungry Fishie
Apex Preditor Squalo: SUBJUGATED

Would be (not)Hero
Courseman.EXE: 100 HP (Sturdy Barrier30)(Sturdy Casing10)(Equipped:Shield4(Reinforced))[MimeCross: Null/Shield Overwrite, +10 Null](Trap:Forked Streams, targeting Courser)
Needler2HP: 80
Properties: Normal, Mobile
Object Damage: 80 Null + Impact + Break
Damage Method: Ramming attack, Telekinesis, Throw
Attack Damage: 40 Null x 2 hits x 3 Targets
Accuracy: A
Description: Summons a gun platform that attacks up to 3 separate targets each turn with its trio of double spike cannons. It can also perform a defense piercing kamikaze attack.
Duration: Until destroyed.
Element: Null
Special: This chip's accuracy cannot be boosted or reduced by any means, including RP quality.
- This object may ram a target instead of firing needles, but is instantly destroyed in exchange.
- This object may dodge by trying to ram nothing, but if it hits something in this way, it is still destroyed and deals object damage.
Trader Rank: C: 80 HP (About two movements away from Courser) (Barrier30)(Casing10)
MomograHP: 60
Damage: 15 + Backstab
Accuracy: B
Description: Creats a Momogra virus to aid you. Attacks with a shovel from behind, and has a constant Mole status that ignores terrain solidness when not attacking (unless the panel currently does not exist). Still affected by other effects of panels.
Element: Null
Special: Allied Virus: This virus has two actions per turn, and is fully controllable by the summoner. If no orders are given, it will perform actions at random, but will never intentionally interfere with or damage the summoner or their allies. Deleting this virus will grant no additional rewards to either side.
Trader Rank: C: 60 HP (Roughly two movements away from Courser) (Barrier30)(Casing10)(Null+10)

Objects
Flotsam: ??? HP (Roughly a movement from Courser)
Floatsam2: ??? HP (Where Courser is)

Watery Grave
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.

(There's anything else? OF COURSE NOT!)

BATTLE 20 WIN!

Rewards: 7700z, 20 FXP with Hevari and SQUALO BEASTOUT

Standing on her perch, she watched Courseman carefully, studying his movements and potential temperament changes, it was hard to tell what she was looking at in front of her as she began to slowly move towards him. "I see...you defeated Squalo...but...how...why? Why do it?"

As the beast cashed down on the ice, Courser whipped his arm up and back, pulling the edge of scything water free and letting it scatter away. He could feel the grit of his teeth, and the drawn, aggressive tension across his expression. He swallowed, caught a breath and stood, jumping down onto the ice with a flourishing dismount that swept into a low bow in front of Hevari and her companion, smoothing his features back into a broad grin, even though his mind still raced with battle focus underneath.

“Took a little longer than I'd have liked... sorry about the delay. Don't worry,” He flicked his coat lapels and made the motion of dusting himself off, scattering flecks of fresh water off his body. “Beastie didn't put a scratch on me...” As he grinned at her, his teeth showed a serrated, jagged zig-zag, rather than his usual smile, and he felt the sudden influx of data a moment later. His next step faltered, and he caught himself, closing his eyes and trying to control what was happening.

He couldn't resist a small hunch that rippled through his body before he managed to catch up with the influx – there was certainly no resisting it, but as the new presence forced its way through him, he redirected the flow, just slightly. Courser stood straight again, keeping his eyes closed and raising his head as he visible relaxed himself. To one side, a swirl of shadow brought a copy of his form into view, but the clone twisted and thrashed, as though its body was wracked by some force. It snarled and writhed, hands clawing and raking at the air around it as changes seemed to rewrite the decoy's shadows; a sloped fin, greying skin and a widening mouth, full of shark teeth. Then, protruding through the illusion's skin, a bony, white spine ridge down its back, and bursting out from it, a skeletal rib-cage that encircled its torso and split to run down the sides of both legs. Upward, it crowned the decoy's head and came down over his eyes in a pale shark skull that bore a protruding nose bone capped with a vicious spike. The decoy snapped its jaws and circled in space, seemingly rabid and furious, yet without words or sense.

Courser, standing ahead of it let out his breath slowly, focusing on the sensation as though it were another sensory stream, and any other clone. As he took it in, a series of more subtle changes passed over his actual body; his own face and skin remained unchanged but his coat took on a grey sharkskin texture, more like a freshwater river shark, than the great ocean beast that Squalo had been. The end of the coat tapered instead of splitting now, and drew into an element that more resembled a shark's tail at the end. Bone notches ran down the back of the coat, with a small bone dorsal fin element just below the shoulder blades, another smaller exaggeration at his waist, and finally a longer bone element, mimicking a tail fin at the bottom. Similar to the clone's physical distortions, rib-like bone elements spread out from the back of the coat, around to its front side and running its full length. Underneath, his pants also took on a grey sharkskin pattern and his boots gained bone highlights.

As he opened his eyes, they retained their normal blue, human-like appearance, but there was no ignoring the predatory glint that resided in them now. His grin, no matter how disarming, was still a shark's grin of sharp, interlocking teeth. Before he could talk, the decoy made a strangled, ragged noise.

“Eat! Eat anything... anything comes into my reef! My reef... Food is mine! Drown it all!” The clone grated a harsh bark of barely intelligible words, lashing and snapping in between bitten off phrases, before Courser turned his head sharply and made a gesture with one hand. The clone collapsed into shadow and faded away. He could still feel it, the surge within him, but it was... manageable. He looked at the patch of rapidly fading shadow.

“Enough out of you. I've got plenty of voices in here already and you're just another one. Behave.” He looked back to Hevari and grinned. “Feisty one, I'll give him that.” He paused to look at his hands and the other subtle changes to his appearance, then drew a breath, focused and relinquished the transformation again, pushing it away and back into his other processes. He could feel Jenny rapidly working to make sure nothing else was damaged or distorted by the sudden influx of data, but he was fairly sure that he was stable enough. His form filtered back to his 'normal' everyday appearance.

“Why? I admit, I don't really know. It seemed like a good way to make my point? Didn't think about it much beyond that. I'm a bit... impulsive, at times. Teksqp only take navis with the right kind of... flavour, after all, no? Don't worry... I'm one of the saner ones I promise.” Just behind him, a second Courser slipped out of the shadows and shook his head at Hevari, mouthing a silent 'not likely' with a grin before fading away. Courser shrugged his shoulders and held his hands out to the side in innocence, but then dropped them again and let his grin slip down to a more serious expression.

“But like I said... Think of it as a demonstration. Whoever's funding you now maybe has a lot of power at their disposal, perhaps... but there's folk higher up than me that I wouldn't dream of challenging yet... and they're not as polite about dealing with things they don't like, as our good and lawful buddies like to be.” He glanced back to where the data remnants of the great shark, those that hadn't funnelled their way directly into him, had been steadily breaking down and slipping off the ice and back into the frigid, dark waters below, then wandered over to start giving Cerberus a friendly ruffling behind his many ears.

“That's them though, and it's bigger business than I've much care for. Between you and me... at a personal level... I'm not going to stop you leaving, and the path through the den should be clear now, at least until the beastie pulls himself back together. Don't know how long that takes... record only has him being stopped cold once before... Huh. Fancy that, I should have checked that first, shouldn't I? Ah well...” He chuckled to himself then met Hevari's eyes again. “But you know what I want of you, in exchange for not pushing a fight right now. Test as you like, but no more innocents. No more sanctuaries. You need navi bodies, get shells, or blanks. You need volunteers, make sure they're actually volunteers, and know what they're signing on for... You do that, and we won't have any problems...” He bowed to the mouse-doctor, one hand across his chest and the other sweeping wide to indicate that the way forward would not be barred. As he stood again, a part of him still couldn't help itself, after the tense fight. He let one corner of his mouth curl up and winked at her.

“And who knows... if you've no objection, maybe I'll check in on you again in the future, just to make sure...” Alongside him, a fresh decoy slipped into space, leaning on his shoulder with a much cockier grin.

“Aye, and it was pretty darn rude of him to go reading your diary uninvited like a loobie, wasn't it? I'd say he owes you for that, don't you think?” Courser cut his eyes towards the decoy, but a second one appeared on the other side, wrapping an arm about him as well.

“Hey, and don't forget threatening to delete you too, that was a bit uncalled for, wasn't it? Don't forget that!” Courser shook his shoulders dislodging the smirking pair and raised his hands in a helpless gesture.

“Indeed... Least I can do for threatening to take you out might be to take you out some time, right doctor?” Still silent, in his ear, Jenny was making incredulous noises about him flirting with anything that breathed, but the navi ignored her for now.

Inhaling deeply as he transformed, Hevari held her clawed hands together in front of her, watching the transformation take place and his clone little more than a wild beast, no better than Squalo was...and Courser seemingly mentally stable at this point, even if his eyes had that...predatory glint, a shiver running up the mouse's spine as she stepped backwards. Seemingly afraid of the navi in front of her, but despite the change, Cerberus let out a howl into the air, knowing his new friend was all but okay as the navi's form shifted back into his normalcy...or at least whatever passed as "normal" for Courseman.

Hevari's flight or fight senses were going off loudly in the back of her head...but she began to stand her ground before long as he spoke to her, answering her earlier question and continuing on as she let out a defeated sigh, closing her eyes. I will stay true to my word. No more of doing what I was doing, only shells and volunteers from here on out. The shells don't provide as much insight into the phenomenon of how viral and navi data works, but...worst case scenario, I suppose I can't do much about it now that you've not only survived, but on some level, managed to "commune" with the beast's data. She started, rubbing her chin as Cerberus began to lean into Course man's petting.

Still...makes me wonder what those old fogies will say or do to you once they find out I'm not coming with you as a prisoner. And if I tried to make things up now, they'd have your head on a silver platter, regardless. They aren't like me. They don't have "Limiters" on them, they'd browbeat the fuck outta you in less than a minute, undershirt or not. She continued on her line of thinking, seemingly deep in thought as Cerberus made a whimper at the sound of her voice...contemplative...and a little dark all things considered. I had my reasons for the attack on their camp, besides the "involentary volunteers" I took. But, getting into it would be a bit of a long spiel and you looks like you've been fighting long enough to prove your "Worthiness" to access the rogue nets at this point. The GNA has some less than clear reasons on why they've structured these "tiers" of nets, but I don't run the global networks or work for them, so it's really not my place to say.

She continued along her lines of thinking as she reached into her cloak and pulled out a small data crystal, tossing it towards Courseman wordlessly. Here. It's not much. Consider it a peace offering, if nothing else, with some direct coordinates to my rogue net lab. Should keep the viruses from smelling you down there long enough to get to it, if nothing else. And...I do have other reasons as to why I left the mafia, but...you're gonna have to come down to get more outta me, twink. Believe me, I know what the mafia likes doing and I know they value freedom over pretty much all else, but there's a point they need to tighten the reigns on their "Freedoms" and if what you saw was fucked up from me, then you ain't seen nothing yet from em.

Upon opening (or letting the crystal drop onto the ground) Courser would get a nice bit of zenny, the coordinates Hevari specifically spoke of (as well as a path back to the one he passed through should he want) and...a chip...something he may like, hard to tell with Courser if it wasn't high explosives from a sentient mortar cannon.

Battle 19 rewards: 7350z, CatcherEffect: Catcher
Accuracy: B
Description: Against navis: Sends a UFO to steal the first chip the enemy would use this round. Against viruses: Sends a UFO to copy the enemys attack for this round, and allows you to use it once next turn. The UFO remains in the air until it is given the opportunity to steal data from the enemy, or until the end of the turn it was summoned, whichever comes first.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Trader Rank: C, HevariLabLocation (Rogue and Normal Net)

Courser caught the crystal with a nod, slipping it into the inner breast pocket of his coat. He stretched and rolled his shoulders, then glanced back the way he had come, then shrugged and raised an innocent eyebrow to Hevari as he turned back to her.

“You were optional; I'm letting you be optional. I think this is a much better solution for everyone involved. If they've got a problem with that, they at least won't forget that I've saved many of their lives already.” He reached up to give Cerb one more set of brief head pats, then stepped back.

“Well, the way's clear... get yourself gone, doctor, and keep your nose clean. Don't forget this little show... I'll see you again.” Despite himself, his right eye twitched in a wink that was followed by the faint curl of a grin before he tipped two fingers towards her and turned his back to begin the journey back tot eh damaged sanctuary. Or, at least to give the impression of doing so – he only walked for an extra minute or two before activating one of the links he'd been given to return directly to their hidden village. He had other rewards to claim, after all...

Alright then, as long as they don't intend to punish you over me, I can't complain. And I don't intend on breaking this promise. Were the first words out of her mouth as Cerberus gave Courser a nuzzle with all three of his heads before breaking off and trotting over to his master, Hevari jumping up and saddling herself atop the beast's back. Just, next time, don't go fighting a cybeast to show off...there's far better places for that. She said before Cerberus began to run, but not before giving what looked to be a wink back to Courser before the two dashed off across the water, leaving Courser briefly with his thoughts.

Then he teleported. Disappearing in a flash, he was quickly brought back into the small village, standing in the middle of it with much less hustle and bustle than when Courseman was here before, far fewer navis than before were milling about as well as huts having disappeared in the time Courseman had been gone and confronted the lab mouse. Really, outside of the viruses that had been penned up, the Elder's hut was really the only one standing at this point aside from some smaller huts and the medical areas. Coming out, the stout navi, BabaYaga would begin waddling over towards him as she was less than half his height, giving Courser a deeply toothy and excited grin. Hee! You made it back! Good, good! We already know about the navis you brought back, Courseboy! Good work! Now, just to make sure...you brought back four normalnavis and two viruses, on top of your little run through the net, we need to know about anything else that happened, any info, wheather you gave that abductor what she deserved, etc, etc, you know the usual GNA stuff. And don't worry about the lack of navis and other such things. We're tearing things down to move again, as you see, find another proper place to build up, Penelope and ElDorodo are overseeing things and helping out, I voulenteered to stay behind in case you showed back up again! So, give me whatever info you got and I'll make sure you get squared away.

When Courser arrived back in the sanctuary village, it was to the sights and sounds of everything being taken down, scavenged and packed up. Grim though it was, he wasn't too surprised. They'd be moving on to find a new place to be hidden, now that this place wasn't entirely secure any more. He began looking about for one of the elders and approached Baba Yaga with a nod as she caught his attention.

“Glad they made it back safely. Sorry I couldn't rescue any others, but these were the only ones that were still alive and not too far gone.” He glanced around the remains of the village, which was rapidly becoming no remains at all and shrugged before continuing, no need for extra privacy at this point.

“The lab that Hevari was using on this net level should be empty and abandoned now, more or less. The heels she'd been employing will have left by now, that that remained after I was finished. She was conducting experiments on data fusing; there were other victims there I couldn't save.” He shook his head and glanced around at the snow and ice, then back to the smaller woman.

“As for Hevari herself, I drove her out of her lab and tracked her across the network, up to the edge of the outlying broken ice, where Squalo has been seen dwelling. I caught up other just before the entrance. I was faced with a difficult situation...” Again Courser paused, turning through over in his mind.

“She knew I was working on your behalf, and there was ire there for that. If I pushed too much the wrong way, she'd have made this whole situation her personal vendetta. Just fighting her, and jacking her out, wouldn't have helped the situation, and it would have made it worse. She's got a different bankroll now, and they're crueller than any mafia plots ever were... if I'd just beaten her there and then, it wouldn't have done anything in the long run, and she'd probably have dedicated herself to hunting you folks down out of spite.

I made a call and dealt with her in a different way. A controlled display of power and capability, and an assurance that it would go worse for her if she continued on her current course. I impressed upon her the unarguable certainty that I could take her whenever I wanted, as well as the assurance that other avenues of research would be more beneficial to her at this point. She had something she wasn't willing to lose, and I made sure she knew I could take it from her, if I had to. She won't bother you or yours again, and there's a small chance at least that she'll keep the oath she gave me as well, to never go after innocents or sanctuaries again. It was the best outcome that could be achieved, for everyone's long-term benefit. I know it's not the blunt revenge many of you will want, but she has been cowed and this way you all survive... and that's what matters.”

Courser folded his arms, appraising his temporary employer to see her reaction; there was a chance she'd be disappointed, he knew, but they hadn't actually expected him to take out Hevari in the first place anyway – just an 'if you can' throw away, so this resolution would have to do for them. He paused,thinking for an extra moment, then raised his eyebrows, feigning forgetfulness.

"Oh, and I may have killed the shark cybeast as part of impressing my seriousness upon Hevari when we met at its den... I just wanted to make sure she knew I meant what I said." He shrugged and flashed the woman a brief grin - in a subtle ripple of data, the neat straight lines of his teeth flashed across to the jagged shark grin for a moment, then back again and he winked at her.

She grinned and playfully smiled at Courser as he began to speak, she was given the usual types of info she had expected, nodding along as she listened in, keeping her attention as he went along...but her face noticeably frowning as he began to speak about what he had done with her, upon catching up. Though while she wasn't disappointed too much, she -was- optional after all...she was a bit hesitant to speak after... Okay...we DID say to not be a hero about her, so we will have to keep that mission around, I suppose- She began...before the additional "oh I also slayed a cybeast to seal the deal" came up. She was silent, caught mid-word...before the bun that held her ragged white hair in a bun inexplicably "popped" out of the knot she had it in, cascading white hair completely enveloping the old woman as a pair of picks fell onto the snow, completely straight up like a pair of chopsticks in a bowl.

I'll...I'll go get your main reward. Please give me a moment. She finally spoke in a hushed and amazed tone, a pair of hazel brown eyes poking through the ragged white that flowed around her body, shuffling off briefly into the elders hut. It took a few minutes, but she came back waddling out, hair in a fresh bun before stopping short of Courseman and holding out an old and gnarled hand, a green data crystal in the palm, to the navi. So...unorthodox as it is... She began, holding out another link and placing it atop the crystal like a napkin or blanket. We...will have to talk again later, once everything is set up at the next place we're planning on building at. Those buildings that rodent and her group ravaged held extremely old architecture and programs simulating the "Press" effect, a way to "condense" navis and reduce their weight as such to access narrow or less-than-sturdy places a good...fourty plus years ago.

Needless to say, once we're done, we'd like you to meet with us again. If it is as you say, you...may have solved our "problem" far better than a mission to delete her ever could. So, we can discuss your GNA-level reward later, the other elders will be quite impressed...even that cold bitch Penelope will have to say something nice about ya. Heeehehehe. To think you killed a beast, just to prove you could ruin her and stop her...I like you Courseboy, we could have a fruitful partnership in the future, kiddo. Anyways, we'll let ya go for now, but don't be a stranger now!

She would begin to shuffle back into the hut to get ready for their move, but regardless, Courser had made out well on all ends and if nothing else, he would have some friends in higher places.

Rescue Reward: 2000z, HawkCut1Damage: 30 + Consecutive Strike + Slashing x 3 hits
Accuracy: B
Description: Performs a flashy 3-hit sword strike. Gets stronger with each hit, but it's very easy for the timing to be thrown off and fail.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Special: Consecutive Strike: This attack's power increases by 10 with each consecutive successful hit. This stacks with other HawkCut series chips, including DeltaRayEdge. This chip immediately ends upon missing, and the power boost is reset to 0.
Trader Rank: D, Link to Navi Encampment

Courser accepted the offering with a gracious nod that transitioned into a respectful bow. When he rose again, he took a small step back and listened to her final words with the occasional nod and the seriousness they warranted.

"Well, for now I have to take care of my operator... she's having a bit of a freak out about me taking stupid risks and other worries like that. In time we may speak again." With a last grin and a tip of his fingers in a lazy salute, Courser let the rising swirl of dark water envelop him and finally recall him from the net and back to the almost certain chewing out that Jenny wanted to give him.

((Return To -> Jenny's PET))

(Extra FXP Gains
Hevari/Penelope/ElDorodo/BabaYaga:All +10 from interactions)