The Hunt Renewed

1) Kick-Out!- 2-Hit Shield and Counter(Last Shield broken): 10 Wood + Knockback + Self Slow - 2 TCD
* Set Soil
2) Feint toward path behind her + Evasion boost from Soil -Evasion Self Slow debuff
3) RollingLog1Damage: 50 + Ground Attack + Wide Attack (2) + Double Attack
Accuracy: C
Description: Rolls a log at enemies. Can hit up to two enemies at once per log.
Duration: Up to 2 uses before the end of the turn.
Element: Wood
Special: Double Attack: After spending an action to attack with this chip, you may choose to spend a second action and attack with it again before the end of the turn.
Note: This chip used to be known as RingLog1
Trader Rank: D @ Hex/Ego (+5dmg Same Element Boost) +100% Final Damge from Soil/Change to Grass
4) RollingLog1Damage: 50 + Ground Attack + Wide Attack (2) + Double Attack
Accuracy: C
Description: Rolls a log at enemies. Can hit up to two enemies at once per log.
Duration: Up to 2 uses before the end of the turn.
Element: Wood
Special: Double Attack: After spending an action to attack with this chip, you may choose to spend a second action and attack with it again before the end of the turn.
Note: This chip used to be known as RingLog1
Trader Rank: D @ Hex/Ego (+5dmg Same Element Boost) +100% Final Damage from Soil/Change to Grass
5) Movement -> Up and over the railing + Evasion boost from Soil -Evasion Self Slow debuff
6) CannonModeEffect: Adds +20 Null and Knockback to your Buster Shot Attack.
Accuracy: Buster Accuracy = A
Description: Your Custom Weapon vanishes, and is replaced with a Cannon. Your buster returns to normal when the chip effect ends.
Duration: Number of Uses equal to double your Rapid stat. Cannot be Broken.
Element: Null
Special: Overrides Buster. Disables Charged Shot.
Trader Rank: D 1/2 uses -> Midair manuevering onto walkway

Cooldowns
Kick-Out! - 0/2

Chips Used
CannonMode
RollingLog1

1 - Hollow bodies rise from the pool, to be grifted on as disposable armour.
Effects: 2-Hit Shield (random ally)

2 - A cloud of crackling static bursts from the pool and settles over its creator.
Effects: 40 HP Barrier (random ally)

3 - Hex's pool is churned and agitated, seething with aggression.
Effects: Sig Chill (random ally)

4 - The pool directs its code to gather, corrupt, and rupture into a toxic haze of static that befouls all it settles over - even Hex itself.
Effects: Glitch 2 (indiscriminate target)

5 - Ego is pulled under. The pool lurks underfoot, feeling out its next target.
Effects: Burrow, Take Aim (Egomorph only)

6 - Hex or Ego begin moving erratically.
Effects: Haste (random ally)

7 - Tentacles rise from the pool, sensing, reaching out from every angle.
Effects: Accuracy Enhancement (random ally)

8 - A misshapen pile of sewn-together bodies is raised for cover. Upon its destruction, it bursts into a noxious slurry of energized matter, which is consumed by the white as fuel.
Effects: Summon 20 HP CorpseHeap (in front of random ally), Trap (When Destroyed): (15 Healing, random ally)

9 - The pool reaches out to eat at the terrain, growing stronger for the added mass.
Effects: Medium Cracked Terrain (random location), Strengthen 20 (random ally)

10 - Red light bleeds from the Conduit and surrounds Ego in a searing aura, damaging her but increasing her strength several-fold.
Effects: 60 Strengthen, Sacrifice 15 (Egomorph only)

CannonMode
RollingLog1

1 - Hollow bodies rise from the pool, to be grifted on as disposable armour.
Effects: 2-Hit Shield (random ally)

2 - A cloud of crackling static bursts from the pool and settles over its creator.
Effects: 40 HP Barrier (random ally)

3 - Hex's pool is churned and agitated, seething with aggression.
Effects: Sig Chill (random ally)

4 - The pool directs its code to gather, corrupt, and rupture into a toxic haze of static that befouls all it settles over - even Hex itself.
Effects: Glitch 2 (indiscriminate target)

5 - Ego is pulled under. The pool lurks underfoot, feeling out its next target.
Effects: Burrow, Take Aim (Egomorph only)

6 - Hex or Ego begin moving erratically.
Effects: Haste (random ally)

7 - Tentacles rise from the pool, sensing, reaching out from every angle.
Effects: Accuracy Enhancement (random ally)

8 - A misshapen pile of sewn-together bodies is raised for cover. Upon its destruction, it bursts into a noxious slurry of energized matter, which is consumed by the white as fuel.
Effects: Summon 20 HP CorpseHeap (in front of random ally), Trap (When Destroyed): (15 Healing, random ally)

9 - The pool reaches out to eat at the terrain, growing stronger for the added mass.
Effects: Medium Cracked Terrain (random location), Strengthen 20 (random ally)

10 - Red light bleeds from the Conduit and surrounds Ego in a searing aura, damaging her but increasing her strength several-fold.
Effects: 60 Strengthen, Sacrifice 15 (Egomorph only)

SAS Shortcut (Positive Glitch)(Mutable Glitch): The victim suffers a glitch in their signature Attack System which causes a more efficient and longer enduring function. Positive effects generated by signatures last for as long as this glitch does, unless their duration would already be longer. SPs and Navigators are treated as independent by this glitch; an SP whose navigator has allocated them personal signatures is unaffected if their navi has this glitch, and similarly an SP with this glitch finds only their personal signatures effected, without infecting their navi's. Lasts three turns, until combat ends, or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

Growth Catalyst (Positive Glitch)(Catalytic Glitch): The victim suffers a temporary protective or restorative effect, randomly determined, and taking effect immediately upon application. This effect lasts only until the end of the turn. At the end of the turn, the Glitch checks for any Mutable Glitches in the victim's system. If none are present, the glitch is dispelled. If a Mutable Glitch is present this glitch interacts with that one, and creates a new, long-term glitch of a related nature to one or the other, or both. If the Mutable Glitch and the Catalytic Glitch are of different natures (Positive, Negative, Balance), the new form will be either Balance, or the nature of the Catalytic Glitch. If multiple Mutable Glitches exist, one is randomly selected. Glitch lasts only for the turn that it is applied.

SAS Soul (Positive Glitch): The victim's Signature Attack System briefly defies all code logic. Signatures have no cooldown and can all be used once per turn. Positive effects generated by signatures endure indefinitely (or until destroyed as usual in the case of defences), instead of their listed duration, as long as this glitch remains. This includes enhancements, such as Haste, body defences, such as shadow and multi-turn/action benefits such as regeneration effects. Any time the victim uses a signature with a beneficial effect on themselves, they spontaneously regenerate 10Hp. Glitch lasts until combat ends, or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

CannonMode
RollingLog1
HeatBreath1
Shotgun

Elemental Reflux (Negative Glitch): The victim suffers a backlash of elemental energy inside their body, which shifts wildly from element to element and grows stronger over time. On the first turn, the victim takes 10 elemental damage of their own element, or Fire if the victim is Null elemental. The damage increases by 10 each turn, and changes element at random. This damage is delivered on application, and then at the start of each turn, before any other actions occur (including passives). It cannot be reduced or mitigated in any way, but will be stopped by the Undershirt program. It is susceptible to being increased by the victim's elemental weakness if they have one. If the glitch ever deals 100 damage or more in one application, or if it triggers the victim's Undershirt, it is immediately burned out and removed. Otherwise, glitch lasts until combat ends, or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

Reactive Form (Balance Glitch)(Mutable Glitch): The victim's body becomes extremely reactive to changes in its integrity. They take an additional 10 points of null damage that cannot be reduced any time they take damage from any other source, however they also gain double the value of any healing they receive. This glitch is highly mutable and can interact with other glitches. Glitch lasts three turn, until combat ends or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

Target Catalyst (Positive Glitch)(Catalytic Glitch): The victim suffers a temporary offence-enhancing effect, randomly determined, and taking effect immediately upon application. This effect lasts only until the end of the turn. At the end of the turn, the Glitch checks for any Mutable Glitches in the victim's system. If none are present, the glitch is dispelled. If a Mutable Glitch is present this glitch interacts with that one, and creates a new, long-term glitch of a related nature to one or the other, or both. If the Mutable Glitch and the Catalytic Glitch are of different natures (Positive, Negative, Balance), the new form will be either Balance, or the nature of the Catalytic Glitch. If multiple Mutable Glitches exist, one is randomly selected. Glitch lasts only for the turn that it is applied.

Fissured Growth (Balance Glitch): The victim gains regeneration, recovering 5Hp per action through this glitch. The glitch records how much Hp it has restored. If this glitch is removed, it immediately deals direct damage to the victim equal to half the amount of Hp it has restored at the time of removal. This damage cannot be reduced or mitigated in any way, but will be blocked by Undershirt/Second Chance. This glitch is prone to increasing in severity, and can tier up to a maximum of five times. Each tier beyond the first restores an extra 5Hp per action. At fifth tier, damage caused by removal of the glitch ignores Undershirt/Second Chance. If this glitch resolves out of combat, it does not deal any damage. Glitch lasts until combat ends or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

Spectrum Wash (Positive Glitch)(Mutable Glitch): The victim is surrounded by a halo of energetic light. Once each turn, the energy strikes out to hit a random enemy with a bolt of random elemental energy. This glitch is highly mutable and can interact with other glitches. Glitch lasts three turns, until combat ends or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

Damage Catalyst (Positive Glitch)(Catalytic Glitch): The victim suffers a temporary damage-enhancing effect, randomly determined, and taking effect immediately upon application. This effect lasts only until the end of the turn. At the end of the turn, the Glitch checks for any Mutable Glitches in the victim's system. If none are present, the glitch is dispelled. If a Mutable Glitch is present this glitch interacts with that one, and creates a new, long-term glitch of a related nature to one or the other, or both. If the Mutable Glitch and the Catalytic Glitch are of different natures (Positive, Negative, Balance), the new form will be either Balance, or the nature of the Catalytic Glitch. If multiple Mutable Glitches exist, one is randomly selected. Glitch lasts only for the turn that it is applied.

Crimson Cascade (Positive Glitch): The victim exudes erratic, crimson light which lashes out at enemies nearby. As a free action each turn, the energy attempts to strike any hostiles nearby, a number of times equal to double the victim's rapid stat. Each energy strike deals 10 null element damage, and the victim gains Strengthen equal to the amount of actual Hp the attacks deplete (Barriers etc., do not count). Glitch lasts until combat ends or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

NC Flicker (Negative Glitch)(Mutable Glitch): The victim's Navi customiser suffers a glitch that causes their installed parts to randomly shut off for brief periods. Each turn, every NC install that the victim has will have a fifty percent chance to stop functioning for that turn. Any part that fails to function on one turn will be immune to this effect on the subsequent turn. This glitch has no effect on SPs, though they do act as carriers. This glitch is highly mutable and can interact with other glitches. Glitch lasts two turns, or until removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

At The Beach (Neutral Glitch): Are you feeling, feeling, feeling like I'm, feeling-like-I'm-floating, floating, up above that big blue ocean; sand beneath our feet, big blue sky above our heads. No need to keep the stressing from our everyday life on our minds; we have got to leave all that behind!

All Ears (Neutral Glitch): The victim's body sprouts and changes to be come covered in ears of all different shapes and sizes. The ears completely obscure their form to the point of ridiculousness, but strangely, they don't have any actual impact on the victim's ability to function or perceive the world around them.

Chip Limiter (Negative Glitch)(Mutable Glitch): The victim suffers a glitch in their battlechip system, which becomes partially become corrupted. They cannot use more that two battlechips per turn. Glitch lasts three turns, or until removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

Routine Override (Positive Glitch): The victim suffers an effect that bypasses the normal safety protocols in their battle routines, allowing the free use of actions and abilities normally requiring battle routines to be disengaged. This glitch is prone to increasing in severity and can increase to a maximum of five tiers. At tier one, the victim can freely refresh one used chip each round (though they can't use the same chip multiple times in one round lit this). At tier two, they can also use one subchip each round, as an action. At tier three, the victim's chips refresh automatically at the end of each turn. At tier four the victim change their subtype choices and installed navicust parts at the beginning of each turn. At tier five, the victim can use any number of subchips as free actions on their turn, and can choose to jack their navi out without consequence or needing to escape the battle first. Glitch lasts until combat ends, or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

Overly Objective (Neutral Glitch): The victim suffers a perspective shift that causes their senses to relay information about their surroundings as though they were several metres removed from themselves, watching on. The glitch affects primarily the visual and aural senses; tactile experience is unaffected, creating a disorienting, but not debilitating experience.

Adaptive Mutation (Balance Glitch)(Mutable Glitch): The victim suffers a mutability of their body which grants it the ability to resist damage. The Final damage the victim takes from any attack is reduced by 10. The effect is uncomfortable, alien and unsettling, however, and it makes it hard to focus beyond the unnerving sensation: the victim's accuracy and evasion are both reduced by 10%. This glitch is highly mutable and can interact with other glitches. Glitch lasts two turns, or until removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

Cripple Catalyst (Negative Glitch)(Catalytic Glitch): The victim suffers a temporary debuffing effect, randomly determined, and taking effect immediately upon application. This effect lasts only until the end of the turn. At the end of the turn, the Glitch checks for any Mutable Glitches in the victim's system. If none are present, the glitch is dispelled. If a Mutable Glitch is present this glitch interacts with that one, and creates a new, long-term glitch of a related nature to one or the other, or both. If the Mutable Glitch and the Catalytic Glitch are of different natures (Positive, Negative, Balance), the new form will be either Balance, or the nature of the Catalytic Glitch. If multiple Mutable Glitches exist, one is randomly selected. Glitch lasts only for the turn that it is applied.

Lingering Numbness (Negative Glitch): The victim suffers a creeping numbness of body, which makes it difficult for them to function in a coordinated manner. Melee and Slashing attacks are decreased in accuracy by 10%, and there is a 10% chance that any wielded gear will be automatically disarmed any time it is used or struck by an enemy. The victim's base evasion is also hampered by 10%. This glitch is prone to increasing in severity, and can increase to a maximum of five tiers. The penalties and negative chances increase by 5% for each tier beyond the first. Glitch lasts until combat ends, or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

Armour To Dust (Negative Glitch): The victim's armour begins to degrade and lose function. At the end of each turn, the victim automatically loses any Layer 3 defences they might have active. A visual cosmetic effect accompanies this glitch, in whatever way is appropriate for the victim. This glitch is prone to increasing in severity, and can worsen up to a maximum of five tiers, and the effects are additive and cumulative. At second tier, the automatic layer 3 loss occurs both at the end of the turn, and also no more than two actions after any layer 3 defence is activated. Third tier causes all layer 3 defences to be destroyed automatically after taking one hit, though they still block overflow damage unless struck with the correct piercing type. Fourth tier causes all layer 3 defences to be vulnerable to take double damage and overspill from all attacks, as though weak to them. Fifth tier prevents any layer 3 defences from being applied to the victim at all. The cosmetic effect of this glitch progresses with each tier as well. Glitch lasts three turns, until combat ends or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

SAS Shortcut (Positive Glitch)(Mutable Glitch): The victim suffers a glitch in their signature Attack System which causes a more efficient and longer enduring function. Positive effects generated by signatures last for as long as this glitch does, unless their duration would already be longer. SPs and Navigators are treated as independent by this glitch; an SP whose navigator has allocated them personal signatures is unaffected if their navi has this glitch, and similarly an SP with this glitch finds only their personal signatures effected, without infecting their navi's. Glitch lasts three turns, until combat ends, or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

Growth Catalyst (Positive Glitch)(Catalytic Glitch): The victim suffers a temporary protective or restorative effect, randomly determined, and taking effect immediately upon application. This effect lasts only until the end of the turn. At the end of the turn, the Glitch checks for any Mutable Glitches in the victim's system. If none are present, the glitch is dispelled. If a Mutable Glitch is present this glitch interacts with that one, and creates a new, long-term glitch of a related nature to one or the other, or both. If the Mutable Glitch and the Catalytic Glitch are of different natures (Positive, Negative, Balance), the new form will be either Balance, or the nature of the Catalytic Glitch. If multiple Mutable Glitches exist, one is randomly selected. Glitch lasts only for the turn that it is applied.

SAS Soul (Positive Glitch): The victim's Signature Attack System briefly defies all code logic. Signatures have no cooldown and can all be used once per turn. Positive effects generated by signatures endure indefinitely (or until destroyed as usual in the case of defences), instead of their listed duration, as long as this glitch remains. This includes enhancements, such as Haste, body defences, such as shadow and multi-turn/action benefits such as regeneration effects. Any time the victim uses a signature with a beneficial effect on themselves, they spontaneously regenerate 10Hp. Glitch lasts until combat ends, or removed with Status Cure, Glitch Eater or other similar effect.

[Server U-16Ø, Binary Interior]
[R&D Facility #10 - SciLabs]
[Before]

"Beach day!!! Beach day beach day beach day!" Nona's sprinting for the nearest shoreline the second the three of you are off the pad. Her new white dress would surely be caked with all manner of mysterious stains by cycle's end, but that's hardly a concern of the moment. You watch her shrink to a speck atop the silvery sands, while Aven'mutz exchanges a quiet word with the two acolytes running the transporter.The three are carbon copies of one another: gleaming, faceless, flawless avatars of Grandroot Themself. Your husband is newly ordained, and the shock of hearing his bassy voice from such a slight creature is still fresh enough to make you want to look around for him.

You're taller and broader than him, now. You're not sure you'll ever be used to that. Still, you can spot the minutiae that mark your man if you look closely: the set of his shoulders and the straightness of his back; the way he folds his arms like he expects them to be twice as thick around. It's reassuring to know which one to grab by the arm without having to listen, nevermind that both the other acolytes have women's voices.

The moment you pull Aven across the transporter's threshold and onto island soil, he goes slack. A breeze sets the trees to singing, loud and startling enough you almost the quiet, "Oh my..." as he looks up, and beholds the bubble-world of U-16.

There are islands in the sky. Rather, the ocean, Their ocean was the sky, after a fashion. The bubble drifts through Their depths, large enough for small landmasses to dot the round white sea. A small yellow star sits cupped in an unburning stone cradle at its centre, which spins in accordance with the cycles to give U-16 a mirror of the human world's day and night. Swirling clouds blanket the surface, calculated to evenly distribute that just-right amount of shade for when one's island paradise was getting a little too toasty. The horizon curves up on all sides, giving a curious sensation of standing in a colossal bowl - the horizon is far enough away to simply fade out of sight, far enough away that at night, the lights of the far side bouncing all the way across look like clusters of stars.

That's just what you've gathered from your eyes, your ears and the stories you've been told. Not for the first time, you wonder what it's like for Aven to be connected to it so completely, what he'd say if you asked him what he could see. The other side of the world, for all you know. He's volunteered little insight into his new perspective in the days since, but you can be patient for him, for this.

"Did you plan on spending your whole vacation standing there?" The playful words and your hand twining with his are enough to snap him out of the trance - it's not the first time you've had to. He gives you a small nod of apology-but-thanks, and then you're walking. Soil fades into sand underfoot; you take your boots off and relish the feeling of curling your toes into the fine grain. Nona waves to the two of you, slapping at the waves where they tickle at her ankles and shrieking with uncomplicated joy. The ocean cups her in a safe, shallow bowl even as it breaks well overhead to either side, cradling Their progeny as lovingly as her own parents. She flings herself forward and hugs the ocean back spread-eagle, even as it ruffles her short hair and takes care to stay out of her nose; she could not possibly be safer. Beside you, Aven makes a happy sound, like a faceless smile. You wave back.

You stop once you're just up the beach from Nona, patting the sand beside you. Watching Aven figure out how to make his avatar sit is both fascinating and a little heartwrenching. "Sometimes I miss your old body," you muse as he offers you his hand to hold. You study the fingers a moment: acolytes' fingers, the universe in the shape of a man. A beloved voice in an unfamiliar body...but familiarity would come in time.

Aven'mutz hums, following your gaze across the shore to where Nona plays in the sand. When he speaks up again, blithe as you please, you can hear that damnable smirk clear as day, nevermind you could no longer see it, "Truly? I can't say I expected to hear ambivalence from you, going off your words last night."

"Great Builder, could you not?!" you sputter - you can feel your face blush silver, even more-so when Aven'mutz fluid-shifts and reels you in for an obnoxiously close side-hug. You bat ineffectually at the tentacles, making his translucent chest rumble with laughter against your face. He seems to take this as an invitation to wrap the two of you up several times over and complete the hug. Giving up, you lean in and enjoy the cool daybed of his arms. Rivers of rootcode jangle in his chest like bells in a breeze.

"I do miss it, though. You've wanted this for so long, and you know I'll always support you no matter what. Still, you can't deny it's a lot to get used to." You prod at his chest, feeling rootplasm squish where there had once been broad, solid muscle. "This form is wonderful in its way, but...oh Aven, you were so warm and sturdy, and you gave such good hugs. It's hard not to miss that..." your thoughts begin to wander. Now it's your turn to leer, trying on the other side of playful, "...and your face was a lot more useful before."

"Ohhh reeeeeally?" His tone is an ear-to-ear grin, but Aven'mutz says no more, just lays back and lets the moment pass. A band has kicked up down the beach, playing something bubbly and bouncing. Human music, if you had to guess, but then your husband is talking again, voice low and thoughtful, "I just...the more I learned, the more I wanted, no, needed to do anything I could to help." You're surprised - you thought he was long past needing to justify his choice, but then for once in his life he doesn't content himself with a one-liner and keeps going, and that more than anything stills your tongue, "Grandroot Binary is so vast, and always growing. Even this far down, I can feel it, Dreisskr. It's like...like watching a forest grow in fast-forward, and it's always getting faster. There's more new growth today than yesterday, and there was more yesterday than there was the day before that."

There's nothing you can say to that, at least not yet, and anyway he seems incapable of stopping the words now that they've started to spill out. "Did you know, in our last communion with the Server Lab, one of the Superiors said our last census put our population almost on par with Earth's? They can barely keep track of us anymore, let alone Their outer limits. There's that much." He looks down at his hands, a relic from a life of binocular vision. You squeeze his forearms and try to imagine what else, how much else he's seeing, but he isn't finished, "It's on us now to make up the difference. The bigger Grandroot gets, the more resources the Server Lab need to maintain Them, the harder it is for the humans to communicate with us, the more attendants and acolytes we need to make up the difference, the bigger Grandroot gets...it's a cycle. A vicious cycle, and I don't know what's going to happen if..."

"Hey, hey." You can't take any more in, and have to give his arms a shake for the words to putter out. "Look at me, Aven, just - just at me. I know there's a lot but you - you can look away, right? You don't have to be all of it, you'll only lose yourself out there if you try - you have to know that if you're gonna do this. You're you, and you're here." You're talking as much with your body as your words, and your punctuation are fingertips ghosting over rubbery knuckles, and the stare he'd once told you had been what first set his mind ablaze with hold on. You don't need to see his eyes to feel his world shrink down into the space you inhabit. "I'm here. Your daughter's here. Please, my heart, be here with us too."