Back to life

Leo takes a slow paced step from the airplane. He trys his best to keep his balance, not standing for a while can take a toll on a person. He kept his footing and walked out of the plane and down the ramp. He gathered his stuff and found his college roommate, Wilson. They greeted each other and began to carry stuff to Wilson's car. They talked minor small talk along the way, discussing what had happened over each other breaks and how the netbattles went. Wilson was also a netbattler, using his navi for more than just basic assitance. He also had a custom navi, named Comdey and Drama. Wilson hadn't created his navi, it was a gift from his mother. Bard and Comdey and Drama got along well, even if Bard thought the name was rather execessive.

Once Back at his colleges dorm he unpacked his stuff and set his computer back up again. Leo sat down on his bed, letting out a long sigh. He looked to his roommate, who was lounging bored in the room. Just as Leo was about to say something, another friend poked his head in the door.

"Hey guys! Lets go grab something to eat and celebrate the last day of our break." Leo quickly agreed, seeing as ariplane peanuts were not nearly enough to hold him for long. A small group of his friends all went to a local small restruant. Everyone there was heavy into netbattling, and each was bragging about various battles, upgrade, and new moves.

"I am going to keep my new upgrades a suprise for you guys, just wait and see," A smirk appeared over his face as he withheld his secerts.

After the dinner, the group went back to the college campus, and each took to their own. Leo and Wilson were talking as they walked. "Want to go netbattleing together?" Leo said, not sure how else to spend the night.

"No thanks man. I am going to go to another party. Some of the other students are throwing one last one. You should come as well it would be good for you to get out of the room."

"That's indeed true," Bard said in agreement.

Leo rolled his eyes, "No thanks," he said. "I will stay here and go hop on the nets. You know I don't do well in social cases! I could never acutally go to one of those partys and have a good time, I mean how do you interact at one of those things?"

Wilson let out a sigh as a tired expression came over his face. "You can't keep using that as an excuse." The two approached a fork in the road, one leading off the campus, the other back to the dorms. Leo left as Wilson wave behind him.

"You really do need to meet some of the people here. You have been going to this school for 2 years and you barely know anyone."

Leo sighed and said, "Lets just go get on the nets, I don't want to meet new people right now."

Leo walked back into his room and sat down at his computer. He noticed he hadn't fully plugged it back in. He let out a long sigh and said, "Such a long day." He procceded to lay down and fall asleep.

~~~~~

Bard woke him up and said, "Leo! You can't be late lets move!"

Leo woke up and threw some clothes on heading to his first class. It was a computer class, which meant no one was really paying attention. Once in the class he jacked into the network and headed to the netsquare, just like everyone else. He placed his headset on and readied for Bard to find another teammate. He had agreed she could find another Navi to battle with if she wanted. "Just start playing I am sure someone will find you soon enough."

{{To the netsquare}}
Leo hurried to finish getting Bard jacked out from the net. He quickly scooped up the chips and placed them back into their case, and the case was quickly tossed into his bag. The teacher returned just as the last student sat back down, and as Bard's PET hit the table. Leo let out a small sigh of relife, knowing that the teachers piercing eyes were staring him down. Even Bard had to do a facepalm as Leo gave an awkward smile back at him.

The rest of class went uneventfully. A few times Leo would hear a whisper of how well his last fight went, and he would just smile as he did his work on his computer. Bard was doing small jobs here and there for Leo, as needed for his school work. But even in doing the job that navi's were designed to do, she is lazy. Not like Leo needed her much, most of it he could easily do on his own. Leo finished his work long before anyone else, and readily left class when able.

"Not work against that bug thing Bard," Leo commented.

"It was a good team effort I like to think. Even though I did do most of the damage to him, it was still a fun fight. I liked teaming up with Cypher, think we can bust together again sometime?" Bard asked

"Maybe," Leo began, "Just maybe we can. I am not sure though, I think we just need to keep finding more people to bust with."

A large smile crossed Bard's face as the line left Leo's mouth. "You like busting with other people don't you?" She said with a sly grin on her face. "Even though you don't talk to them, you still enjoy it."

Leo rolled his eyes, "Only because it makes you so happy. And also because, will maybe I can watch a learn a bit and talk to more people here." Leo's voice got softer and softer as he spoke the lines. Bard had nothing to say in return, happy to take the victory on the battlefield today. Bard began relaxing around her PET space, and was plotting to herself what to do next. She mostly needed time to heal, and thus closed her eyes for a bit. Before she knew it, her PET was being hooked up to Leo's trusty computer for its updates. Bard happily accepted the shut down, more than ready to get the rest.

Bard opened her eyes as the PET began its reboot. "Reboot?" Bard muttered quietly. She sat up, and waited for the face of leo to be shown so hey could talk. "Why did I get a reboot?" Bard asked

"Well, funny story. Turns out that there was an update to your software. The old recovery subtype needed a boost, and I found just the thing. You can now summon objects with greater ease. It has its advantages it does. While I was at it I switched around the setup of your process upgrades. Should find these next attacks more useful than some of the others we discussed."

Bard stared blankly, not entirely sure what Leo was speaking of. She blinked twice before saying, "Wut now?"

Leo let out a laugh at his Navi and said, "Basically, your core is changed around slightly. You are still Bard, but you can summon instruments to help you in battle, and I found a way for that disk of yours to be used in battle."

Bard understood that just fine. Her ears perked up and her eyes opened wide. "I can use my disk in battle? That's awesome! But this whole instrument thing. Why would I want to summon just an insturment? I need someone to play the instrument with me or else it is no fun! Is there any way to do that Leo?"

Leo leaned back in his deak chair, flicking in a thoughtful manner at the exposed spring on the bottom of his matress, sitting on the loft above him. "Well," He started, "there is a program that is know as a support program. I have heard other custom navi operators speaking of them. They are supposed to be really useful in battle and can, if used right, can sway them in the favor of the navi. We could try to get one of those. It is basically another navi and I can model it as another band member."

Bard liked the sound of this. She hadn't head much at all about these programs, but really wanted one now. Another band member? That is awesome for her. "How exactly do we get this program?" Bard asked

"A special mission handed out to navi's with enough fighting experience. We pass that marker, but it will still be a tougher mission. We have to apply for it."

"Lets do that!" Bard said exicted.

Leo thought about it, trying to plan a time to do it. He had class in a few more hours, and then some work to do. This would also give him an edge against his friends. "We should be able to fit it in late tonight. This is the first week back after all. I am going to leave the post in the mission boards then we can check back later on it." Leo pulled up the correct page for posting and began typing as Bard jumpped up and down happily. After the post was finished he said, "Ok done with it. I am going to go talk with some friends and such, we will do more on the nets when you are fully rested. And once we have a responce to the mission details."

Bard was happy to see her operator willingly going to his friends to spend time together. She had nothing to say to stop him as he placed the PET in his pocket, and left the room.

Leo kept his eyes low as he walked down the hall of the crowded college dorms. This still didn't help him from not making eye contact, and didn't help even more when he ran into a shorter female student. He back up quickly, avoiding eye contact as she caught her balance and turned around. "Hey, watch where you are going," She said in a semi frustrated tone. Leo stumbled back a bit, stuttering before simply bowing his head again and nodding. The girl looked at him oddly from a moment before walking into her room and watching him walk down the hall.

Leo got to his friends room to be quickly greeted. One of his friends instantly had questions about the fight in class today. His name was Zack, and he was the only of the group that didn't have a slightly modified navi. Leo could easily fix that problem, but Zack never wanted it right now. Leo leaned back in his seat and began bragging about the details.
Leo checked his email and talked with Bard before responding. "Seems we have a partner for our run." He said. He thought for a second, and then looked up a page on the recommended suppiles for the mission he was about to undertake. "We should run to the chip shop before class." With that, Leo walked off in the direction of the chip shop.

"I am sad that we won't see Cypher again. I like him. I think that Raven did to." Bard sad a bit bummed.

"You do get to meet someone else," Leo said happily.

"True..."
Leo disconnected the PET from his computer and brought the device up to look at the screen. Bard was sitting in her offline homepage, and resting on one of the couches. The floor where she had recently walked was lit up, each slowly fading in the manner they lit up. The tiles under the couch were shining a brighter white than the rest of the floor. Bard looked back at Leo through the screen and said, "That was a tough fight today." She lay her head back down on the arm of the couch and held a pillow close to her chest to rest. She brought her legs up to sleep.

"It was indeed a rather tough fight. But the advantages out weighted the hassle. We made a new friend, got very close to the zenny we need to gather, and also made a new friend. Another busting run with him sometime is in order here." Leo looked at his navi as she dosed off, the floor under the couch slowly fading out as she herself did the same. Leo smiled and then turned back to his computer. Placing the PET on the desk and moving his hands to the keyboard, he typed in the address for the mission site. He gather a blank PET disk and kept it by his side for the starting of the down loadable SP.

What exactly, I wonder, does Bard want to do with this SP? What will she request from it? He started typing his response to the GNA, afterwards switching to another site to do his homework. He glance back to his PET, the screen was completely dark as bard was resting. She had a tough battle. She always seems to have some tough battles. That undershirt has saved her so many times already. He looked back to his work and kept working.

At some point his roommate came in and tossed his bag on his bed and pulled out his PET. He hooked the PET up to the tv, and begun downloading shows he had missed. Leo rolled his eyes, not wanting to say anything. He had seen his Navi, and seen what exactly the tv records on the hidden files. His roommate really needs to learn how to properly secure stuff within the web.
After receiving the SPbase data, Bard and Leo talked over what to do with it over the next week. They were balancing it between the chaotic life of a college student. Many ideas passed between them. Everything from an instrument, to a metronome to assist Bard in fighting. Finally, as the weekend approached, "How would you like a band member instead? As Apposed to just an instrument, why not have the player to go with it? We can do more missions and get more SPs in the future and have you a full band. That's got to be the best idea we have had yet for this," Leo proposed.

"Hey, that does sound like a good plan! A band would be a great thing on the nets! Just think of the possibilities! I could do recordings!" Bard marveled at the idea in her mind as thoughts raced through.

"Well then, which one do you want first?" Leo asked while pushing the door to his dorm room open. "I would think a good band would need a good base player, a drummer, and a singer along with your guitar and musical choices. Hrm..." Leo let his mind wonder as Bard sat in her offline homepage and thought about what she wanted. She had her acoustic guitar in her hands, and she was thoughtlessly strumming at the notes to assist in her thinking. Her eyes drifted over the various images of artist she had on her wall. Her eyes stopped on a country singer with a deep voice and a strong bass section. Bard turned her head back towards Leo and said, "A bass player would be perfect!"

Leo left this one up to Bard, knowing that she had better knowledge of band compositions. "Well, I think it may take a bit to get the programming how I like, any preference on how it looks?"

"He has to have a gisbon bass guitar. Other than that, do what you wish. Male would be nice."

Leo leaned back and thought. He knew a base player at this school. Why not just model it after him? He was decent friends with the guy. He went by a nickname all the time as well. "Name him Sly?"

"After that player at your college? Fine by me!" Bard said happily wanting her first band member to assist her as soon as possible.

Leo asked Bard to bring up his schedule for the weekend, and decided that he should have time to program the SP in the next few days. Bard clapped her hands and played some music while Leo worked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That is a nice song," Leo commented while finishing up the programming on the SP. It had taken him a large section of the night to get it correct.

"Is he ready?!" Bard asked ready to get moving.

"He is indeed. I need to shut the PET down and program in a separate space for him in the homepage. After that he will be installed and ready to use. Another good part is, you should be able to use him to do all those mindless tasks you hate when I ask for." A large smile crossed Leo's lips as he turned off the PET to install Sly, the bass player.

~~~~~

After the PET was turned back on, Bard looked to her left to see a door located right next to her Physical Navi symbol in the back of the room. The door had a large bass clef on it, and it opened as she looked. A young man walked out, holding a Gibson style bass guitar. He had an awkward smile on his face as he greeted Bard. Bard squealed excitedly, and Sly moved forwards out into the main space.

"I gave him a few records of you, and a strong connection to you to help skip some of the first moment awkwardness."

"Lets go into the net and see how well this band can play!" Bard shouted. Sly looked at her and let out a laugh in agreement, "Lets do it!"

{Jack into Netopia Net}