Bus-cle Muscle

The Kabutank blast struck MidKnight like a sucker punch, ripping a gasp from her. She stumbled back, dropping to her knees, rainbow-static spittle dripping from her mouth. Her sword clattered against the floor as she lost the strength she needed to lift it. A blackened crater smouldered on her purple armour, and the smell burned her nostrils.

Her arms and legs had seized up, the data routing through her limbs had been interrupted by the shock, and she couldn’t move them very well. She could see the shadow of a virus approaching, but she couldn’t respond.

The only thing MidKnight felt worse than the pain… was the euphoria. An overwhelming feeling of right-ness racked her body, her mouth quivering unbidden into a bloody grin.

“Now this… is a real foight!”

<<Mid. Get off the floor.>> Orion chided, trying but failing to hide her concern. <<You don’t know who touched it last.>>

MidKnight reached for her sword, fighting through the paralysis. Her fingers clamped around its hilt, and she held tight, tensing her body. She watched the shadow of the Swordy virus, waiting for its next attack. If it did attack her, she intended to roll under its swing and strike upwards from a kneeling position. Hopefully by then her body would be under control again.

<<What did I say about watching your back?>> Orion counselled. <<That tank’s got your number. It won’t let you get close so easily.>>

“That’s alroight, mo’im,” MidKnight acknowledged, her eyes bright and alert, “I’ll take the bus!”

MidKnight leapt onto the bonnet of the bus and tried to clamber onto the top, rationalising that one who had the high ground naturally had the advantage. If she kept low, the tank would have a harder time hitter her at this elevation. However, the bunny would still be hopping around somewhere. MidKnight kept an eye out for both of them, wary of their ranged attacks.

Battlechips slotted into her system like a hug from an unknown relative. A pale half-sphere as wide as her torso shimmered onto her left wrist. With sword and shield in hand, MidKnight prowled forward, the wonderful pain of the tank blast still smouldering on her chest.

Should the Bunny get the first shot in, MidKnight intended to dash forward, reserving the Shield for the Kabutank. Otherwise, as soon as she spotted the trundling machine she’d raise up her defence and brace for impact. With enough luck, the tank would get a taste of its own bolognese.

If MidKnight managed to survive all these problems, the Cannon data stored in her twin-pronged sword would be her return answer to the tank”s explosive questions. “I’d take a dozen more shots from you if I could,” MidKnight admitted to the tank as she lined up her shot, “But this bus has a schedule to keep.” Hopefully, the tank would be able to feel the same thrill that she had as the cannon blast launched from her sword, down at the treaded virus.


---MIDKNIGHT'S TURN SUMMARY---

[1]: Stunned!

[2]: (Dodge)
[2+]: Riposte(Auto Counter, 40dmg + Slashing, A) -> Swordy
[2+]: Sword Mastery (+1 Slashing Accuracy)

[3]: (Movement) -> Onto the bus

[4]: Guard1Effect: (1 Hit Shield) + (Reflect(up to 60 + Piercing + Line Attack): On Hit)
Accuracy: S
Description: Generates a 1-Hit Shield upon activation. When this shield blocks one hit from a non-Break attack, it responds with a hyper-fast damage ray.
Duration: Until broken or overridden.
Element: Null
Special: Negated by Break. Ignores Impact.
Special: Reflect: Damage returned is equal to the damage of the attack blocked or the damage cap listed, whichever comes first. Reflect is not subject to negation by Impact.
Special: Status Guard: This chip blocks debuffs.
Trader Rank: E: (1 Hit Shield) + (Reflect(up to 60 + Piercing + Line Attack): On Hit) (Acc: S) [/b] -> Kabutank

[5]: (Dodge) -> Bunny

[6]: 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: 50 + Spread 1 (Acc: A) [/b] -> Kabutank

In the time it took Midknight to shake off the finger-twitching, paralytic effects of the Bunny's electric ring, the irksome virus took advantage of her vulnerability to send another crackling shot her way; it only dealt very minor damage to the knight, but it did heighten and refresh the painful, erratic jolts through her system and cause them to linger on even as she recovered the majority of her mobility.

Just in time, as well, as she managed to role aside from the nearby Sword's forward thrust, and counter with a swift riposte that destroyed the inferior swordsman. The stab from the Swordy had struck the side of the bus as well, setting it to rock for a moment, though the defences protecting it held for now.

Without any further delay, MidKnight managed to climb up onto the bus, lowering her profile against the stunning shots from the bunny below, but the tank virus merely changed tactic; MidKinght was alone now, and no longer surrounded by other viruses, so the tank lobbed a pair of arcing explosives up towards her instead. The first landed right in front of her, while the second landed just behind; MidKnight was able to shield herself from the blast the detonated in front, but the rearward explosion still scorched her back. Her guard retaliated with a pin-pint beam of energy before it collapsed, but it was a thin beam; there wasn't a great deal of power in the tank's bombs to begin with.

As she ducked low to avoid another crackling ring from the Bunny, MidKnight might notice that the last two blasts that had detonated across the roof of the buss had bene the last straw for its general virus protection and the ward that had been holding off their attacks had collapsed, leaving the vehicle open to damage. It was, perhaps, a good thing that MidKnight had arrived when she had, all considered. She followed up her shield's retaliatory beam with a stronger shot of her own, striking the tank as it attempted to manoeuvre away to the back end of the bus. The hit damaged it badly, and made it reel onto one tread for a moment; the next pair of shots it fired went wide by a long margin but the virus remained functional for now, while MidKnight herself still had to deal with the debilitating shocks and spasms affecting her body.

-=Bus Vandals=-
BunnyBunny (Bunny)

Bunny viruses move by hopping. They are adept at jumping, and can reach higher terrain or hop onto objects with ease. They are also very good at dodging, and are treated as having Haste (+10%) for Evasion purposes only at all times. Omega Bunny has double Haste (+20%). These effects cannot be removed except by Glitch. They attack by launching a ZapRing from their ears.

Area: ACDC, SciLab, Electown, Dentech

HP: 50
Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Elec + Stun1
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Hops around randomly before lining up a shot and firing.
Element: Elec
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): ZapRing1, Zenny
Special: Slightly better dodges. A: 50Hp [Normal][Back right of the bus]
BunnyBunny (Bunny)

Bunny viruses move by hopping. They are adept at jumping, and can reach higher terrain or hop onto objects with ease. They are also very good at dodging, and are treated as having Haste (+10%) for Evasion purposes only at all times. Omega Bunny has double Haste (+20%). These effects cannot be removed except by Glitch. They attack by launching a ZapRing from their ears.

Area: ACDC, SciLab, Electown, Dentech

HP: 50
Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Elec + Stun1
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Hops around randomly before lining up a shot and firing.
Element: Elec
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): ZapRing1, Zenny
Special: Slightly better dodges. B: DELETED (Ping!)
KabutankKabutank (Kabutank)

While closely related to Beetank, Kabutank are a bit smarter and faster. They will use terrain and objects to their advantage if possible, and prefer to not allow Navis clean shots at them. They have one passive movement per turn, which can be used as either a movement or dodge.

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

HP: 90
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null + Blast 2 x 2 bombs
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Launches a pair of bombs that explode in a small radius.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Blast 1 + Seeking
Secondary Attack Accuracy: C
Secondary Attack Description: Launches a bomb that ignores invisibility.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): DoubleBomb, SeekerBomb1, Zenny: 30Hp [Normal][Directly Behind Bus]
Swordy-NSwordy-N (Swordy-N)

Area: ACDC, Kotobuki Town, Netopia

HP: 60
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Long Range Attack + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: When this virus is 2 panels away from the target, or its enemies are 2-deep, it will attack with Long Sword.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Wide Range Attack + Slashing
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: When this virus is standing directly adjacent to its target, or diagonally from it, it will attack with Wide Sword.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Sword, Zenny
Special: Sword-N's are immune to Sleep Status.
Special: Uses Area Grab to get into attack range. A: DELETED (Ping!)
Swordy-NSwordy-N (Swordy-N)

Area: ACDC, Kotobuki Town, Netopia

HP: 60
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Long Range Attack + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: When this virus is 2 panels away from the target, or its enemies are 2-deep, it will attack with Long Sword.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Wide Range Attack + Slashing
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: When this virus is standing directly adjacent to its target, or diagonally from it, it will attack with Wide Sword.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Sword, Zenny
Special: Sword-N's are immune to Sleep Status.
Special: Uses Area Grab to get into attack range. B: DELETED

-=Armoured Saviour?=-
MidKnight.EXE: 80Hp [Metal][Stunned! (1)][Atop the Bus]

-=Terrain=-
85% Normal

• No effects.

15% Cracked

• Changes to Broken when stepped on, chance to fall in when triggered.
• Burrow: Change terrain to Broken, Null 50 to burrower.
• Panel Crack attacks, >100 Damage Break/Impact/Drop attacks: Change terrain hit to Broken.
• PanelShot: Splash1.

[scattered cracks near the back end of the bus]

-=Objects=-
Waylaid Bus: 500Hp [External Virus Shield Compromised; Now Vulnerable to Damage]

MidKnight pushed through the electric jitters, gritting her teeth as she forged on. However, the Kabutank’s blast caught her off guard, slamming her face into the roof of the bus. As she raised her head, the imprint of her face was dented into the vehicle; a metallic smile.

MidKnight grinned back at it. The flush of pain energised her, and she bounced to her feet in no time flat. “You’re a smart one, aren’t ya? Cheeky.” She wiped the blood from her mouth and bounded forward, straight off the back of the bus.

Battlechip data was already flowing into her. She held her sword high and behind, the weapon splitting as she fell. One blade became three, and the tips bent into claws. With an elated battlecry, MidKnight plunged downward at the orange ball with its absurd cannon-nose. She swung, intending to perform a trisection on the Kabutank.

MidKnight rose from her landing point, her helmeted head scanning for the small bunny-eared menace that had shocked her so many times. The tingle of the electricity sparked from her grinning teeth as she locked eyes with the Bunny. “Got anymore in ya? Or are you all tuckered out?”

The visor on her helmet snapped down, and she braced herself, claw-sword held low behind her. The rockets in her greaves ignited, blasting her forward, the metal soles of her boots scraping against the roadway and showering sparks into the smoke behind her. This technique was hard to control, but for MidKnight the rush was exquisite. Plus, she wanted to practice.

Upon reaching the unruly rabbit, MidKnight swung in a flash, using the momentum of her drive to unleash an eviscerating double-whammy of uppercuts. The weight of her unbalanced blade twirled her like a pole-dancing golfer as the force of her first swing spun her neatly into a second.

---MIDKNIGHT'S TURN SUMMARY---

[1]: Stunned!

[2]: (Movement) -> Off the bus at the Kabutank

[3]: 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: 40 + Slashing (Attack) OR 20 + Impacting (Throw) (Acc: B / B then B) -> Kabutank
[3+]: Sword Mastery (+1 Slashing Accuracy)

[4]: (Movement) [/b] -> Bunny

[5]: 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: 40 + Slashing (Attack) OR 20 + Impacting (Throw) (Acc: B / B then B) -> Bunny
[5+]: Sword Mastery (+1 Slashing Accuracy)

[6]: 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: 40 + Slashing (Attack) OR 20 + Impacting (Throw) (Acc: B / B then B) -> Bunny
[6+]: Sword Mastery (+1 Slashing Accuracy)

Despite the flattening impacts, and the slight daze coursing though her systems, MidKnight was eager to peel herself off the top of the bus and get back to the fight. Her movement came none too quickly as well; no sooner had the navi pressed forward to leap from the roof of the bus, than another pair of concussive shells sailed past her, to detonate in the air above where she had been moments ago. The twin bursts scored the paintwork on the roof of the bus, but the buffering pressure of the explosion wasn't enough to throw MidKnight off course in her own efforts; the split blade carved down with precision, trisecting the tank into multiple parts and rendering it, finally, inoperable.

That just left one. The final bunny whipped another electric ring towards her as she took off after it in a shower of. Perhaps by luck or the slightly hard-to-control wavering of her pursuit, the stunning shot sailed past MidKnight as she dashed towards her target, close enough to make her visor tingle with static but evaded by just a hair. Before the virus could even confirm its miss, the navi was on it, and her tri-blade claw struck it with enough force to send the bunny reeling for a moment. As it staggered back, its eyes darted about the scene and the obvious turn of the battle and it turned to begin hopping rapidly away from MidKnight, trying to circle the bus to get away from her. Unfortunately for the one remaining virus, the errant knight would not be denied and it wasn't fast enough to escape her pursuit, or the second rending strike of claws that found it seconds later.

-=Bus Vandals=-
BunnyBunny (Bunny)

Bunny viruses move by hopping. They are adept at jumping, and can reach higher terrain or hop onto objects with ease. They are also very good at dodging, and are treated as having Haste (+10%) for Evasion purposes only at all times. Omega Bunny has double Haste (+20%). These effects cannot be removed except by Glitch. They attack by launching a ZapRing from their ears.

Area: ACDC, SciLab, Electown, Dentech

HP: 50
Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Elec + Stun1
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Hops around randomly before lining up a shot and firing.
Element: Elec
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): ZapRing1, Zenny
Special: Slightly better dodges. A: DELETED
BunnyBunny (Bunny)

Bunny viruses move by hopping. They are adept at jumping, and can reach higher terrain or hop onto objects with ease. They are also very good at dodging, and are treated as having Haste (+10%) for Evasion purposes only at all times. Omega Bunny has double Haste (+20%). These effects cannot be removed except by Glitch. They attack by launching a ZapRing from their ears.

Area: ACDC, SciLab, Electown, Dentech

HP: 50
Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Elec + Stun1
Attack Accuracy: A
Attack Description: Hops around randomly before lining up a shot and firing.
Element: Elec
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): ZapRing1, Zenny
Special: Slightly better dodges. B: DELETED (Ping!)
KabutankKabutank (Kabutank)

While closely related to Beetank, Kabutank are a bit smarter and faster. They will use terrain and objects to their advantage if possible, and prefer to not allow Navis clean shots at them. They have one passive movement per turn, which can be used as either a movement or dodge.

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

HP: 90
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null + Blast 2 x 2 bombs
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Launches a pair of bombs that explode in a small radius.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Blast 1 + Seeking
Secondary Attack Accuracy: C
Secondary Attack Description: Launches a bomb that ignores invisibility.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): DoubleBomb, SeekerBomb1, Zenny: DELETED
Swordy-NSwordy-N (Swordy-N)

Area: ACDC, Kotobuki Town, Netopia

HP: 60
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Long Range Attack + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: When this virus is 2 panels away from the target, or its enemies are 2-deep, it will attack with Long Sword.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Wide Range Attack + Slashing
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: When this virus is standing directly adjacent to its target, or diagonally from it, it will attack with Wide Sword.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Sword, Zenny
Special: Sword-N's are immune to Sleep Status.
Special: Uses Area Grab to get into attack range. A: DELETED (Ping!)
Swordy-NSwordy-N (Swordy-N)

Area: ACDC, Kotobuki Town, Netopia

HP: 60
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Long Range Attack + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: When this virus is 2 panels away from the target, or its enemies are 2-deep, it will attack with Long Sword.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Wide Range Attack + Slashing
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: When this virus is standing directly adjacent to its target, or diagonally from it, it will attack with Wide Sword.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Sword, Zenny
Special: Sword-N's are immune to Sleep Status.
Special: Uses Area Grab to get into attack range. B: DELETED

-=Armoured Saviour?=-
MidKnight.EXE: 80Hp [Normal][Beside the Bus]

-=Terrain=-
85% Normal

• No effects.

15% Cracked

• Changes to Broken when stepped on, chance to fall in when triggered.
• Burrow: Change terrain to Broken, Null 50 to burrower.
• Panel Crack attacks, >100 Damage Break/Impact/Drop attacks: Change terrain hit to Broken.
• PanelShot: Splash1.

[scattered cracks near the back end of the bus]

-=Objects=-
Waylaid Bus: 480Hp [External Virus Shield Compromised; Now Vulnerable to Damage]

-=Battle 4, Victory!=-
Spoils: 1400z

==

There was a moment of stillness with the immediate threat of danger passed, before one of the navis sheltering in the bus peeked up again and looked through the window. It was the same navi who had waved her over before, dressed in the ACDC public metro uniform, and she waved again, then hesitantly input something on a control panel out of sight in front of her. The bus's remaining defences disengaged and the double doors slid open with a hiss.

“Um... Miss? Thank you, miss! Thank you for your help! We've... ah, we've had a bit of trouble here.” Though it was a bit hard to tell from a glance through the window, the voice that called out was softly feminine, with something of a north netopian accent, and when she darted to the now open door a moment later, MidKnight could identify the speaker as a youthful-looking female navi with a slightly frizzy pixie cut of red hair and a pale, freckled complexion.
“Sorry to impose! Thank you again... but, ah, I don't suppose you might be able to help us out a little more? Only, we're running late, and we weren't able to get the malfunction report out to base until just now...” She seemed hesitant, but earnest all the same; it sounded like the harassing viruses on the outside wasn't the only problem here.