Fun in the sun in the..coffee shop?

With another battle under the new team's belt Vincent would stand up and give a soft nod of his head. "Well, with that battle out of the way, I believe I need another drink. Would you care for another of your.. Iced cappuccino? My treat."

Destin heard a familiar voice and looked up from his conversation.

"Um... Vincent was it? How are you doing?"

He asked as he stood up.

Sullen seemed to come out of trance; the trace that comes from being engaged in video or watching a movie. "Oh! Something sweet to eat and maybe hot to drink this time, please and thank you!" she quieted and calmed herself after she realized how busy it was becoming. It was only after she had stopped tuning out the background noise did she realize how many people where there; and more importantly more busters! Still she would peep up once more "Order something quick! Check your P.E.T; you are not going to believe what you see." She after all took great pride in writing in her blog and posting things on her homepage about curious virus behavior; and someone of his education would be able to appreciate.

Giving a faint smirk at the added request for a treat as well, Vincent gave a short nod and went up to the counter to place the order. Turning back around while waiting when he heard someone call out, only to smile and give a soft nod towards the familiar face. "Ah, Destin, good to see you again, and just what brings you to this part of the area, busting with another friend? That'd make two of us." A soft nod was given towards Kari, only to turn back around and pick up the tray with two drinks and a plate of gourmet cookies.
Planning to speak more with Destin but Sullen's call brought his attention back, rolling his shoulders to his former partner he'd start making his way back towards the table and took his seat, slipping the tray between the two of them as he glanced down at the holoscreen that showed the, indeed surprising situation awaiting them on the net. "Hm.. I've never seen or heard of viruses like those, and why are they leading a pack like that." Taking his cup of ice tea he'd sit back faintly, giving a frown. "So, how should we handle this, those other viruses don't look happy to be lead around."

She would nibble on one of the cookies and sip the hot coffee, at this point she didn't care how it was roasted or flavored the important part is that it was free. Eventually she would thank him before they got back down to business. "Well why don't we see what happens if we strike the ones leading them. I came across a fleeing Mr.Prog once. He didn't reward me or anything but he was obviously in distress at the time so maybe it's something similar? To think virus slavery or something." She had no idea who the other two where and the fact that she was even shorter then Mark didn't help her feel any more sociable.

Destin nodded to Vincent and sat back down again, leaving the two to their conversations.

Taking a sip of his tea he'd give a soft nod of his head while looking over to Kari curiously. "Really? Well then we can try that." A chuckle came from him after as he rolls his shoulders, giving the girl a grin. "A virus slavery ring? That would be quite the sight wouldn't it. Well, all the same, let's get them taken care of, Lucia, target the shadowy figures."

A couple of holographic screens popped up over Destin's PET. He started manipulating them, closing some, opening others. However as he spun a few around with flicks of his fingers, it seemed that he was just entertaining himself over the Net. His attentions to his navi were apparently nil.

"I was into netbattling prior to getting Trent. I did it because it was a family thing. The whole battling, tournament, training thing. Family did it, I did it. A few things happened here and there, and I had to get out of it," Mark said with a solemn voice. He took a moment for starting again. "I got Trent after that. He was meant to just be a guard for my PET, with some minor battling here and there, nothing serious. I got lucky was granted a large amount of upgrades and chips. Been training Trent back up into battling ever since." Mark clearly gave him the quick and dirty version of the story.

He turned his attention to the other battlers, and watched as Destin talked with the old friend. Mark felt the need to introduce himself, but choose not to, and kept quiet, waiting for Destin to finish his conversation. "What about you," He said when Destin sat once more. "Why did you start? Do you have any plans for SINN other than battling?"

Mark watched as Destin played with the various screens his PET could produce. Mark and him seemed to be fully opposite of a battleing style. Destin seems very uninterested in the overall actions of his navi. Mark was perplexed by their relationship.

There was a minute of silence while Destin manipulated the holographic windows.

"I've only been doing this for about a year. Since I moved here from Netopia I mean."

Destin said suddenly as he enlarged a holographic window, all of the other holographic displays disappeared. He became engrossed in his reading and his attention wavered again.

"I... Uh... I mean SINN... Is a sword."

"A sword? A sword how?" Mark questioned. He had never heard of someone using their navi as a tool or a weapon like that before. He knew they could be used as such, and often are, but referring to one as such seemed, degrading.

Mark kept changing his gaze between the screen and the operator he was having conversation with. This mission was awfully boring to Trent, and Mark knew it. He had to keep him in line somewhat with his questions.

Destin closed down the floating screens and adopted a serious face and tone.

"I am new to Netbattling. I came from a relatively peaceful part of Netopia and have never dealt with viruses at this scale before. Or at all. Perhaps there was heavy security in the place I grew up."

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Anyways, I only acquired a PET and navi when I moved here to be with some of my friends and find work. I never grew up with them like most around here seem to have."

He leaned forward on the table and steepled his fingers together.

"And it concerns me greatly that such chaos has been lead to spread so disastrously. Even factions have risen that care more for their own power base than for the stability of the Net. Waring with each other with little regard for the damage they inflict."

He balled his hands into fist, clear was his rage and disgust. It took him a moment to unclench his fingers and lean back in his chair.

"I plan on changing this state of affairs. I have several projects in progress that may begin to bear fruit soon. I need SINN to be my soldier. But one soldier, one navi is not enough. I need allies as well. So I help where I can. I am hopeful that when I need strong friends, I will have some."

He explained.

But before the conversation could continue, Destin's PET flashed red light and beeped annoyingly loud and constant. Destin turned back to his PET and activated another floating holographic screen. This one flashed crimson as well, but it also was filled with static. The screen wavered as if paper caught in a strong breeze. Destin frowned and touched something on the PET, producing a holographic keyboard. Then set to typing rapidly. Every now and then he pushed something on the red holo-window. It was about a minute more before the flashing and beeping ended. Then the man leaned back in his chair.

"One problem with swords though... they need to be tempered from time to time."

He jested with a wary smile.

Mark wasn't sure how to take the strong personality of the otherwise distant Destin. The way he spoke of these things, and his choice of words was powerful to say the least. SINN seemed to be an extension of the operator almost, both acting with a high level of zeal towards a subject. It nearly made his own schemes and dreams feel less powerful, just from how Destin spoke.

Mark raised his hand to talk, opening his mouth slightly before being stopping by flashing lights from Destin's PET. Without thinking, Mark checked his own, seeing if similar warnings would be coming up shortly about Trent. It didn't take long at all for Mark, in this moment, to see the differences and the similar between Trent and SINN. Both were direct and hardheaded, but one played it lower key and the other chose the most direct path possible. One was direct in words, the other actions.

Mark looked back to Destin, unsure what to say to him. "Sounds like you a long road cut out for you then." He said after a short moment of silence. He did let out a slight chuckle at the thought of a SINN shaped sword getting tempered, and thought to himself, 'Knives only need to be sharpened. I think.'

"Trent and I don't have a goal that strong. Trent most just enjoys the action though, I'm the one with the plans here."

"I've noticed that seems to be the case of most op/navi pairs."

Destin stated.

"Perhaps navis aren't built to plan. Or we just haven't give them the chance. They are programs first, after all. They may surprise if we give them leeway."

He stretched his arms behind his head and sat up straighter in his chair.

"I've given control to SINN. I have uploaded all the chip data into my PET and mirrored a program that would allow SINN to equip himself with the chips he requests in thought. After all, computers can think and change their strategy faster than a mere human could. I would only get in the way.

"So I give him a mission, then let him loose. Then watch as he performs unabetted."

~

"Looks like a failure this time."

Destin commented as a big MISSION FAILED holographic window popped up in front of him.

Mark actually understood where Destin was coming form with letting his Navi perform his own actions. It would actually make great sense for Trent to use a similar system, see how he thought and preformed differently and better in combat when Mark wasn't over his shoulder. Trent did seem a bit different than SINN though, in the fact that in some ways, he did make his own plans and had his own ideas.

"That's an amazing system. The logic behind it is solid too. I can't do the same with Trent though. His background would cause him to lose control and fall to rage or battle thirst too much. But the idea itself is great."

Mark got the same message at the same time as Destin. He was disappointed at first, for Trent should have been more than capable of carrying out the mission, but the shopkeeper was being a little over he top with his demands. "Win some lose some." Mark said. 'Maybe now isn't the time for a SP after all.' He thought.

"That is a drawback with the system, an inherent instability in the combat subroutines."

Destin confirmed to the concerns of Mark. Then he waved his hand dismissively.

"I guess now we should do some virus busting to make up lost time. It is quite obvious that SINN needs more work."

"Good system though, that if used on a more restricted level, would be good." Mark took a sip from his drink, the cup being nearly empty at this point.

"More Busting would be good. Trent and I need funds and chips. We have some training ourselves to get too, and neither of us have actually seen the combat abilities of either Navi. Do you have a network preference?"

"There is always going back to Beach Net to vent frustrations. Perhaps we could even run into the thieves again. Though probably not."

Destin pulled up another holo-screen.

"Or we could go to Netopia. I have some business there as well. NetCastle D-119 is set in a SubNet, but I would like to patrol the surrounding territory.

Oh, sorry I should explain a little bit about that. NetCastle D-119 was a part of an earlier SP mission I helped Vincent and Lucia with."

He said pointing to the other table.

"When I finish clearing it out I plan on making it my base of operations. Though it is too big to deal with right now.

So Beach or Netopia?"

"Yeah I get the feeling that the thieves will be gone for a good while from the beach area so I doubt that there will be any evidence showing up there." Mark stated. Mark listened to Destin's story about the base and the other operators, listening half heartedly. The thought of a second base was amusing though. "Makes no difference to me. Beach is fine."