Zephyr and RASS

((This is your topic for the event. Post here when the confirmation is given.))
Zephyr, after jumping back from some virii, found his surroundings to have disappeared. Snapping his neck back and forth, he groaned. "God DAMNit," before falling flat on his bum.

"What happened? I'm still in ACDC..." Kure asked, peering through the PET screen at Zephyr's appearing point.

"I think the jack went screwy." Zephyr replied, noting battles ensuing everywhere. "It's chaos, man. Can you look up what's happening?"

"Sure..." Kure said, flipping out his cell phone. Accessing the Internet, he clicked on the buttons furiously, trying to find some news headline - but there was nothing. "I got nothing, man."

"I know why." Zephyr said, smirking. Seeing the NetPolice logo plastered on the Navi engaged in combat with the unknown enemy, he remarked to Kure, "It's being hushed up. They don't want people to know about this. Or...it hasn't been heard of yet. But something of this size? I doubt it."

"Oh...yeah, I bet you're right. Step back a bit - it doesn't look too nice...OH WAIT. THERE IT IS!" Kure yelled, gaping at his PET screen. As Belkin's message, and that of the NetMafia went through his head, he grumbled, "Why the hell do WE always get involved in this...?"

"Dunno." Zephyr replied. "But what I DO know...is that someone fucked something up somewhere, and made me warp here. I don't think it was an accident, either."

"I bet it's the damn NetMafia."

"Well, I'm waiting until someone starts winning, then I'll run to their side heroically to finish the others off. Then, we can get a niiice, juicy reward."

"Are you fucking kidding? I mean, how can you turn down the Police for...them? The NetMafia! They're the baddest...they kill in cold blood, how can you side with them?"

"Aw, you've gotta be kidding me. For now, let's wait-" Zephyr was cut off in the middle of his reply by a large mass landing directly on top of him. Groaning, he lifted the unknown object off - and discovered Cyclone. "SEE! IT'S NOT AN ACCIDENT! Cyclone, buddyyy, wanna help me out here? This knucklehead wants to help the stupid fuzz in that." Zephyr said, motioning towards the combat.

Kure looked to Shinko in despair. "Look at him, he's being such a bugger today. He got warped too, eh?"

((I'll PM Zero, I somehow doubt he'll look at this. Like at all.))
(( Oy, fuck you. ))

Cyclone, still somewhat dazed from the sudden teleportation, got up slowly, clutching his head. He was being barraged with way to many requests at one moment, and just stayed silent.

"So..." he began, after he had recovered. "What's going on?"

"I dunno." Replied Shinko. "Apparently, those NetMafia guys on the news have done something to the net, which teleported you there. Looks like you're in some big trouble now..."

Cyclone refocused his attention on Zephyr, listening to what he had to say about possibly joining the NetMafia... before briefly smacking him upside the head.

"Come to your senses, dude... Those NetMafia guys are evil. I'm willing to bet that the instant you take their side, they'll delete you without hesitation. So grow up, and fight for the police; they will obviously have some big rewards too..." Cyclone argued. He figured that the rewards bit would tide him over, and waited for the response.
Zephyr took all of this in his stride, tapping his foot irritably. After Cyclone finished talking, Zephyr butted in. "How do you know what the NetMafia are like, or their purposes? I'm quite willing to see what their causes are... it'd put some spice into life, y'know?"

Kure just looked at him. "I swear to God, if they delete you, I'm not backing you up."

"What the fuck's THAT supposed to mean?" Zephyr snapped.

"You're being a little bitch. You've suddenly gotten an attitude, and I don't think anyone likes it." Kure replied, obviously narked.

"You know what, screw you guys. Everyone's against me."

"Of course we are!! You're being downright RETARDED. YES, LET'S GO AND JOIN THE MOST NOTORIOUS GROUP IN THE WORLD, I WON'T BE DELETED IF I MESS UP OR ANYTHING!!" Kure mocked.

Zephyr didn't even respond, just stalked off, fuming.
(LOL, CLAIM.)

As they continue, not much is seen. An entire area of the battlefield is bare of combatants, and the ground looks unharmed. This area definitely hasn't seen combat. But lo and behold Murphy's law, for what can go wrong (or be destroyed) WILL DO SO. As the two allies walk into the area fairly cautiously, all hell breaks loose. Netpolice navis and mafia navis immideately advance, and gunfire is exchanged. Minibombs, lilbombs, bigbombs... the works. But nothing even held a feather to the black orb that flew from the side of the mafia... and erupted in flame as a stray burst of fire from the main fight connected.
When the smoke cleared, the remaining members of the two factions were yelling indiscriminately, and all that Zephyr and Cyclone could make out was the Netpolice Commander yelling:
A BLACKBOMB?! Where in the world did they get one of those?!

Netpolice Navi A [Leader]: 300 HP
Netpolice Navi B: 100 HP
Netpolice Navi C: 100 HP

Netmafia Navi A [Leader]: 300 HP
Netmafia Navi B: 100 HP
Netmafia Navi C: 100 HP
Netmafia Navi D: 100 HP
Netmafia Navi E: 100 HP

Zephyr: 100 HP
Cyclone: 100 HP

Terrain: What else, after an explosion, but a massive crater? There's a hole dropping to the very depths of the net, it seems, at the very center. (45% Normal, 45% Cracked, 10% Hole)

-LOL, GIANT BATTLE-
-FIGHT!-
Zephyr, out of sight of both Cyclone and the NetOps, peered cautiously from behind some convenient rubble. He peered out, only to find a huge black mass moving in the sky, between two groups of obvious enemies. Watching as the explosion rocked the terrain, Zephyr snickered. It'll prove them right, seeing me on the other side... Moving quietly up to the criminals, he looked carefully around - but Cyclone was occupied with watching the engagement, and so were the NetOps, apparently. The NetMafia were obviously stronger in numbers, so he kept on moving towards them. Clearing his throat, he tapped the evident leader on the shoulder.

"Can I help?"

Kure, suddenly seeing Zephyr on the wrong side, yelled in protest. Looking down at Cyclone, he screamed, "STOP HIM!"

Zephyr.EXE
HP: 100
1-3. Join NetMafia (Dodges, I suppose??)

((Zero, do whatever you want, but don't try and stop him from joining the Mafia.))
(( Its so funny. Funfunfun, as one our friends would say. ))

Cyclone was dazed by the gigantic bomb exploded right in the middle of everything, and noticed that Zephyr was gone when he gained his senses. After looking around for a few moments, Cyclone gathered that Zephyr had gone traitor on him and joined the NetMafia, just like he said he would.

Cyclone tried to shout at Zephyr to get back to him, but his voice was drowned out with the gunfire being exchanged. Figuring that he had to do what he had to do, Cyclone rapidly flew over to the Netpolice, offering his aid.

Unfortunately, by the time Kure had yelled at Cyclone to get Zephyr, Cyclone was already stuck with the Police, and ready for a battle.

1/3. Join Netpolice (Dodges)
As the two navis chose their respecive sides, the two factions began their assaults on the opposing forces. Pulling out a sword, the Netpolice leader nodded at Cyclone.
Decided to join those in the right, have you? Too bad about your friend, but we must finish off the Mafia here once and for all!
As if to prove his point, he ran forward and slashed at two of the netmafia navis, taking a minor hit from a rageclaw one of them summoned.

Meanwhile, in the Netmafia side, Zephyr was recieving a slightly less warm welcome.
So, you're going to be holding us back now? Bah. Fine. Just don't expect us to use our own recovery chips on your sorry a**.
He was cut short in this by a cannon shot hitting his nearby ally, who he promptly swiped aside with a cry of Fool! Pay attention to your enemies! The navi let out a cry as the sword he had summoned cut through his leg, and he rolled down to the center of the crater and dissappeared into the hole, a scream the last sound he ever made. The leader turned to Zephyr, a pitiless gleam in his eye.
The weak are useless. Only the strong survive.
A cannon blast penetrated the silence, and a Netpolice navi was blown to the ground.

Netpolice Navi A [Leader]: 260 HP <Equip: Sword>
Netpolice Navi B: 100 HP
Netpolice Navi C: 60 HP

Netmafia Navi A [Leader]: 260 HP <Equip: Sword>
Netmafia Navi B: 20 HP <Equip: Rageclaw>
Netmafia Navi C: 100 HP
Netmafia Navi D: DELETED
Netmafia Navi E: 20 HP

Zephyr: 100 HP
Cyclone: 100 HP

Terrain: What else, after an explosion, but a massive crater? There's a hole dropping to the very depths of the net, it seems, at the very center. (45% Normal, 45% Cracked, 10% Hole)
Zephyr looked to the side, seeming a bit dejected. Looking at the skirmish unfolding in front of him, Zephyr groaned. "What've I gotten myself INto?" Making a split-second decision, he decided to move back some - it looked like now EVERYONE was against him. Christ, first Kure, Cyclone, and Shinko, now the NetPolice AND NetMafia. You know what, I'm staying out of this for a bit. More than a bit. Slipping back from the bad dudes, he shuddered, remembering the mafia's cruel treatment of anyone who failed in the slightest. Breaking into a crouching sprint to avoid noise, Zephyr moved out of the field of combat. "Kure?" he questioned quietly, bracing himself.

Kure's head snapped towards him. "What?"

Zephyr stopped. Seeing Kure's worried but angry face, he stuttered..."Would...would..."

"Spit it out, for God's sake..."

"Would it be OK if I came back?" Zephyr asked, wincing as the words left his mouth. Kure looked immediately relieved.

"You still owe me for being a jackass."

"Sorry...I just didn't want to get deleted (again)." Zephyr replied, relieved that Kure had so readily accepted him.

"The question is whether Shinko and Cyclone will be happy about this." Kure remarked, looking over to the pair.

"Yeah...and the NetPolice?"

"That'll be even worse. Hey, Shinko, look who came crawling back..." Kure said, nodding to Cyclone and Shinko.

"Was that really necessary...?" Zephyr muttered, pointedly out of earshot.


Zephyr.EXE
HP: 100
1-3. Take the coward's way out (dodges)

((Zero, be all reluctant and nasty to him, he's a jackass 8D xD))
"This is a bad idea," said Rass nervously as he wandered through the Electown battlefield, bombs exploding all around him, "I've said that before, right? B-Because it r-really IS a bad idea. I just want you three to understand that this is wh-what I think, so when this goes straight downhill and we end up getting deleted, you'll know that I thought that this was a b-bad idea."

Cool it Rass, said Tem icily as she spiraled into existence onto his chest and gazed upward at his face with a pair of blue eyes, If we're going to be in any shape to show MeleeMan what we're capable of, then you're going to have to toughen up that little body of yours. The only way to do that, of course, is to get some practice in on our own time.

Rass protested, "But why do we even care if MeleeMan is stronger than us? I thought we already knew that he was stronger than us," he whined, glancing nervously as his optical sensors detected movement nearby, "I thought the point of getting into friendships was to make sure we don't get ourselves beaten to a pulp."

That's why you're so freakin' weak, Rasshole, but I guess your programming doesn't allow you to know the first thing about what it means to be a man... what, with your pinkishness and girlishness and healingness... and your uh... pink girly healingishness... said Argo, trailing off as he took his place within Rass' right arm, Anyways, Tem's right, you know. Just because MeleeMan's your friend doesn't mean he likes being held back by a weakling like you. He ain't the type to protect anyone but himself. Rass felt his fingers flex experimentally as Argo continued speaking. You remember what happened to us the last time we battled together, right? We've got to be just as strong and as smart as he is... though the latter seems to not be something we've got to worry about.

"First of all, that's not very nice, Argo" interrupted a very groggy voice over the PET intercom, "Secondly, what gave you the idea that taking Rass out unoperated would be anything other than a bad idea? I don't know if you've looked at your buster configuration lately, but I can guarantee you it's not going to be enough to help you. Finally, I don't know if you've noticed, but you've managed to wander into a crisis area. Get out. Now."

Rass started to speak, but before he could, Tem moved her way into Rass' upper chest and gazed upward. You know, don't you think you're being a little unreasonable, Suien? she demanded, catching the dark-haired netOp off guard, You just spent the night after a crushing defeat drinking yourself retarded at a bar, whilst your pathetic operating skills were compensated with our raw synergy. It's one thing to say that we don't need training, but don't you think you owe it to Rass to go ahead and just let us battle? It's something he wants to do, after all.

"That's not the point!" shouted Suien in a voice loud enough to revitalize his hangover, "If you want to train, that's one thing, but getting yourself involved in a war like this is..." Before Suien could finish, Rass shrieked and ducked as a burst of shrapnel missed his head by mere inches. His aimless wandering had found him smack dab in the middle of an armed conflict between several navis! Instantly, the fusion navi's subsystems sprung into action, Ishamel manning his right arm, Argo his left, and Tem into his legs. The result was a slightly comical-looking rainbow navi that deftly dodged the dangerous projectiles that barreled toward him. No time for arguments, Suien! We've got company! shouted Tem, bringing Rass' limber body around and squaring his legs as he faced down the opponents, Just do your thing and send us battlechips, and we'll be well on our merry way! Rass, it's about time to show these fools what you're capable of, don't you think?

AFFIRMATIVE, CORE SYSTEM! INITIALIZE THE BATTLE ROUTINE AND QUOTE POP CULTURE LETS PARTY, BITCHES, END QUOTE POP CULTURE! was Ishamel's rather violent outcry, THERE IS NO MORE EFFICIENT PATH TO ACHIEVING DESIRED STRENGTH!

Rass gulped nervously as he felt the battlechip data download into his circuitry. As the chip energy collected into his forward buster units, the pink-and-black navi looked upward toward the sky. "S-Suien? Th-This is different though, isn't it?" he stammered, "Th-Those are n-navis, not v-v-viruses, right? Wh-Why are th-they fighting like that?"

"As I said before, this is an armed conflict between two powerful organizations on the network," replied Suien bitterly, adjusting his glasses and taking a sip of orange juice, "The NetPolice and the NetMafia are both fighting for what they believe is right, and the ones you see before you can only be sacrificial pawns in the scheme of a much larger game." Shaking his head and sliding the last battlechip into his PET chip receptacle, the dark-haired netOp sighed and gazed into his PET's screen. "I suppose I can't stop you if you want to get yourself stuck in something like this, but... well, take it from me." he said, uncharacteristically darkly, "War's a lot different than the day-to-day battles you've faced already. It's a quagmire of shades of gray, it is."

Rass gulped as destructive chip energy collected within the palms of his hands. Wh...what am I supposed to do? I don't know who I want to support! NetPolice? NetMafia? They're fighting for something I can't even get my head around! The pink-and-black navi clenched his fist even tighter as his hands began to glow with a harsh white aura, It doesn't matter who wins — people are going to die anyways, right? Suien says these guys are doomed, right? Sacrificial pawns? That doesn't make sense! I can't... I can't let that happen!

Come on, Rasshole! We don't have all day, so get a move on and blast them! Blast them all!

"N-No!" was Rass' staunch reply as he steeled his body and took off into the midst of combat, "I'm... I'm going to save everyone!"

Suien, Tem, Argo, and Ishamel were stunned into silence. Suien was the first to respond, sitting back in his chair and adjusting his glasses. "Saving everyone, huh...?" he said thoughtfully before taking in a long sip of orange juice and shaking his head, "Well good luck with that, then."

What?! You're insane! Stop this madness at once! shrieked Tem as Rass slid to one side, continuing his charge into the heart of the battle.

CEASE AND DESIST, CORE SYSTEM! OPERATOR UNIT SUIEN MATSUMOTO! IT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS TO PUT A STOP TO THE IRRATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF THE CORE SYSTEM!

Ignoring the protests of his subsystems, charged in between the two warring sides. His peacekeeping efforts began with his protoplasm spasming, sending a sharp pulse of kinetic energy at the leaders of both camps. If I can disarm the leaders, it'll make them more likely to listen to me! he thought, charging the newly-arrived obstacle chips into his central processing unit. Without warning, Rass whirled around, slamming the ground and sending a pulse of energy into the network. Instantly, the ground rumbled and shook, a large gray cube erupting beneath it. On either side of the Rockcube were a pair of large viral fans, which quickly rumbled to life with a snap of Rass' fingers. Scrambling to the top of the makeshift podium, Rass activated his next battlechip, summoning a tuby virus to the field next to him. "D-Don't worry," he muttered to himself, as he shut his eyes, activating the well-worn fusion armor routines and linking his body to the object, "This... This is going to work..." As the black bolts of lightning arced to the tuby, transforming its shape into a strange silver helmet, Rass stood up to his rather negligible height and turned to address the two warring factions.

"H...HEY!" he shouted, his voice artificially amplified by the fusion helmet, "TH-THERE'S NO POINT TO F-FIGHTING! S-STOP IT, PLEASE! YOU'LL HURT YOURSELVES! TH-THINK ABOUT IT! D-DO YOUR SUPERIORS EVEN C-CARE IF THIS MISSION S-SUCCEEDS? WH-WHO WOULD KNOW IF YOU GUYS JUST WENT B-BACK AND LET IT BE? I W-WOULDN'T TELL ANYONE! JUST T-TAKE A MUTUAL R-RETREAT! N... NOBODY NEEDS TO BE HURT!"

0: Passive Knockback — Attempt to disarm Netpolice Navi A
0: Passive Knockback — Attempt to disarm Netmafia Navi A
1: Rockcube: Summon 200 HP RockCube, Place between the two sides, stand on RockCube
2: Wind: Summon 100 HP WindBox, Blow toward NetMafia, separating the two and reducing accuracy of bomb and melee attacks
3: Wind: Summon 100 HP WindBox, Blow toward NetPolice, separating the two and reducing accuracy of bomb and melee attacks
4: Discord: Summon 100 HP Tuby
5: Neo Fusion Armor — Fuse with Tuby, Self Slow, use Tuby as megaphone for next action
6: Attempt to negotiate a ceasefire
((And posted. I have been appointed as your partner, Hiko. I have no objections to the deletions of the bumps.

Note by PA: That's right, Hiko, your partner is now Skyrender. Post good.
Also, I don't know if I'll be able to mod today (Wednesday), so if I can't, I'll be sure to do so tomorrow.))
Zephyr cautiously approached the newcomer. Looking up at Kure, he frowned. "You know who this guy is?"

"No clue, man," Kure replied. "He's nowhere near me physically, that's for sure. Er...yeah, you get near his navi," Kure said, looking at the form frantically gesticulating atop a RockCube in the midst of a battle. "I'd yell to him first."

"Um...yeah..." Zephyr agreed, still looking a bit uncertain. "He looks damn strong. Look at all that he just did..."

"Yeah. Maybe he'll be a big help, eh? Especially since he's having everyone stop fighting and all," winked Kure at Zephyr. "Go get 'em, cowboy."

Zephyr, looking quite thoroughly unhappy, approached the navi at the RockCube before stopping about fifty meters away. "OI! YOU!" he hollered, then immediately regretted it. "Could, you, ah, help me out here...?" Zepyhr questioned, looking quite humbled by the juggernaut's obvious peacefulness. "Uhm, Cyclone over there -" Zephyr motioned to his left vaguely -"is playing dead. By the looks of you, we could really use your help here. And...I don't...think...they're going to stop fighting," Zephyr noticed, as the two enemy forces had been at each other's throats for a good time now. "So, ah, gonna lend a hand?"

-----

Zephyr.EXE
HP: 100
1-3. Newcomer: Rass (Dodges)

((ASGMAEHAKEN SKY!??
Cool.
:'D
My posts, they pale in comparison with yours.
But I shalt try my best. ;~;
And, I did some colors to make it look all nice for PA. :'D))
(( .....Of course, not 30 minutes before I get back from class, I get replaced......

Fuck. ))
(Zero, it has been SIX DAYS since last modpost.
SIX.
As in, one day short of a week.
A week being as of TOMORROW.
Thirty minutes from class does little. Some sort of indication that you were alive, and I would have hesitated. But six days and no sign of activity? Class can't last THAT long, buddeh.)
((Ehm, somehow I doubt he'll be posting back...
>.>
Could we get some modding, please?
Thanks. :'D))
(Sorry, Zero. Six days, man. Six.)

The Netpolice navis and Netmafia navis both stop as the windboxes are summoned and all stare, slack-jawed, as Rass made his great announcement. But as it ended, the Police navi leader yelled over the sound of the Windbox with his answer.
It is not for who we fight, or for their purposes, but for our own? These navis are attacking this area! The public area, in which the innocent live and thrive! We cannot allow these innocents to be hurt!
To this announcement, the rest of the netpolice navis let out a cheer. But the mafia let out a retort.
We were among those innocents, once! But those that you call innocent have discarded us! Left us for dead! Taken all that we loved, and left us in the darkness! But now, the darkness shall strike back! We shall reclaim this world of "rightousness" from which we were spurned and make it our own! But now, that wouldn't be "right" and "just," would it, dear brother? The mafia navis looked between the two, when simultaneously they raised their visors to reveal identical faces. Or at least, faces that had been identical at a time. The mafia navi wore a scowl. The police navi's expression was one of compassion, almost regret, aimed at the other.
I chose the right, Romulus! I offered you redemption! You could have come back, joined us, but you left for the mafia! There is nothing I can do for you, now!
Romulus' scowl only grew more pronounced.
Remus, you self righteous bastard. He stopped as Zephyr began to speak, saying that Cyclone was only faking. Faking, eh? What a hero he is... leaving his allies to take the blows and fight the fight, while he lies there like the coward he is, protected behind his human shield. Dissappearing in a blur, he reappeared directly above Cyclone, and plunged his sword directly through the innocent navi's torso, EJO'ing him immidiately. This is what will happen to the just! Where are your heroes now?

Remus: 260 HP <Equip: Sword>
Netpolice Navi B: 100 HP
Netpolice Navi C: 60 HP

Romulus: 260 HP <Equip: Sword><Behind enemy lines>
Netmafia Navi B: 20 HP <Equip: Rageclaw>
Netmafia Navi C: 100 HP
Netmafia Navi D: DELETED
Netmafia Navi E: 20 HP

Zephyr: 100 HP
Cyclone: EMERGENCY JACK OUT
Rass: 100 HP <Fusion Armor (100 HP, Confuse)>

WindboxA: 100 HP
WindboxB: 100 HP
Rockcube: 200 HP

Terrain: What else, after an explosion, but a massive crater? There's a hole dropping to the very depths of the net, it seems, at the very center. (45% Normal, 45% Cracked, 10% Hole)
((GOD DAMN HARRY POTTER RIPOFF D':< srsly harrypotter names >.>))

A-C-Cyclone! exclaimed Zephyr, watching in horror as Cyclone disappeared from the net in rather a hurry. Moaning, he looked to Rass. They're not gonna stop. You helping the NetPolice or what? Because they've got the twins fighting there...and...if you join their side, it's kinda hopeless...

Kure commented sagely from the sky. Do something, if this new guy won't for now. He just got Cyclone, do you want him to take you out, too?!? Kure demanded, looking irritated at Zephyr's inaction.

Send me something, O Lord, Zephyr asked sarcastically, holding his hands up to the heavens mockingly.

Take out the injured one with the RageClaw first. It'll prove to be annoying, and it'll leave something left for you in the end, Kure remarked to Zephyr, obviously thinking his hardest as to how best take advantage of the dilemma. You know what, I'll send you RageClaw - let's save our Cannons and Shotgun for later. We'll need it, doubtless. Kure slotted in the chip hurriedly, letting the data arrive at Zephyr's arm.

Zephyr, allowing the new armament to control one of his claws, grinned savagely, enjoying the feeling of power the huge bear paw gave him. Getting some rush of cyber-adrenaline, he charged at the other RageClaw-bearing navi of the NetMafia. Whipping out in the direction of the criminal, using centrifugal force to power his swing. Hopping back, and being careful of the treacherous tiles that he hadn't noticed before, Zephyr made his way back to the RockCubes, pressing himself against the backside of one with his allied navis. Looking around and on top of the cube, Zephyr satisfied himself that he was safe with his friends, and looked back up to Kure.

Let's leave something up to that new navi. He'll surely have some powerful tricks up his sleeve...I hope... Zephyr asserted, peering out from behind his shelter at the opposing forces and the navi attempting to mediate them all.

- - - - - - - - - -

Zephyr.EXE
HP: 100
1. RageClaw Attack > NetMafia Navi B (RageClaw equipped) [40]
2-3. Take Shelter [dodge]

Quote (Hiko)

((GOD DAMN HARRY POTTER RIPOFF D':< srsly harrypotter names >.>))

(And where do you think HP got it? FYI, Romulus and Remus were the names of the twin brothers, founders of Rome. Of course, they argued, Romulus offed Remus, and ruled for a while before he died. Which is, you know, perfect for good guy/bad guy twin pair.)
((I'm quite aware of this, but you could've at least changed the names and I wouldn't have noticed. >.> [/jackassery]))
((I have to thank you, Hiko. I don't think I could have gotten the NetMafia's trust without you.))

Rass breathed a sigh of relief as the two sides, at least for a moment, ceased their fighting and opted to exchange harsh words instead of harsh blows. By the looks of things, however, it didn't seem like there was any love lost between the two commanding officers. The fusion navi gasped in horror as the leader of the NetMafia plunged his sword into the turquoise-blue NetNavi, deleting him in an instant, but refrained from charging his buster in retaliation, reminding himself that this was indeed a delicate situation, requiring the utmost care and tact... and that one wrong move could mean the deletion of several other combatants on either side...

...which is, apparently, exactly what his subsystems were looking forward to.

Rasshole, do you really expect something this retarded to work?! demanded Argo, a patch of green appearing on Rass' chest, You KNOW that these guys are fightin' each other to the death, don't you? What sort of man backs down from a fight?! Your namby-pamby friendship speeches aren't going to save anyone at this rate!

Though I am loath to agree with Argo, your melee subsystem has a point, Rass, said Tem, having gotten over the initial shock of Rass' maneuver, The probability of you eliciting a change of heart over these idiots is slim to none. These people have orders, you know. There are procedures that they must follow. If you're going to fight, you're going to have to choose a side. You can't save everyone. It's a waste of time.

"Th... That's where you're wrong, T-Tem," replied Rass simply, as he squared himself on his pedestal and flexed his fusionist protoplasm experimentally, "If I c-can s-stop these people from fighting, it w-won't matter in the grand scheme of things... but it'll matter to these guys. If I can save them, then this isn't a waste of time." Turning upwards toward the sky, he signaled for Suien's attention. "S-Suien," he called, his hand pressing the communicator on side of his helmet, "G-Give me the areagrab battlechip and a minibomb. I'll take it from here."

Outside in the real world, Suien looked thoughtfully at the PET screen as he assessed his pinkish NetNavi's request. After pouring himself another cup of orange juice, he flipped open his chip folder and removed the two requested battlechips from their plastic sleeves. So Rass is trying to play negotiator in this skirmish? I hope he knows what he's doing, he thought, slipping the pair of battlechips into the PET, That's funny though... I don't remember getting this guard chip at all. Where did it come from?

With as much gusto as he could muster, Rass launched himself upward and forward off of his summoned structure toward the mafia side of the battlefield. Landing gracefully on his springy legs, he rose to his full diminutive height in front of the mafia navis and nervously started speaking. "Ah... um... s-soldiers of the n-n-netmafia..." he began, twiddling his fingers. His speech was interrupted, however, with his would-be partner's sudden action.

Quote ()

"A-C-Cyclone!" exclaimed Zephyr, watching in horror as Cyclone disappeared from the net in rather a hurry. Moaning, he looked to Rass. "They're not gonna stop. You helping the NetPolice or what? Because they've got the twins fighting there...and...if you join their side, it's kinda hopeless..."


"Rass! Look out! That other guy is attacking!" shouted Suien, quickly sliding another battlechip into his PET, "You're going to have to keep him from interfering!"

Rass, for his part, fumbled with the tiny magnetic bomb that quickly materialized into his hands, hesitating as to whether or not he should throw the electrically-charged explosive. Watching Zephyr.EXE fly recklessly toward the NetMafia's side paralyzed him with the moral implications of striking down another civilian navi...

...until he felt one of his systems take control of his throwing arm — a powerful presence that hurled the tiny object toward the side. Rass looked down at his now-green arm with a mixture of surprise and elation.

A...Argo...?

Pah, if this is what you want to do, Rasshole, then we don't got much of a choice!

Instantly, the fusion navi felt his systems lurch as his body was propelled across time and space by the power of his Areagrab battlechip. After the sickening trip, Rass found himself transported between Zephyr and the wounded Netmafia navi. "S...Stop it!" shouted Rass, extending his arms to the side and attempting to shield the NetMafia lackey from Zephyr's powerful onslaught. Aiming a burst of kinetic energy toward the wind-element navi, Rass gritted his teeth and discharged the blast, aiming to knock him into the harmless magnetic field created by the Magbomb's detonation. "S-Sorry s-sir," he stammered, "b-but I haven't quite g-given up on st-stopping these guys!" With that, he made a quick about face and turned to face the Netmafia. Unfortunately, the fusion navi's lack of charisma got the better of him, and he found himself unable to speak anything coherent! "I... I... Uh.... You see..." he stammered, slightly out of breath from his previous maneuver.

Oh for binary's sake... shouted Tem, Here, let me take care of this!

Tem's tactical circuitry relocated itself into Rass' central vocal unit, simultaneously giving him a much more effective presence and a rather strange tone of voice. "All right, listen up, members of the Netmafia. I hope my previous actions there have revealed my intentions as non-hostile. That was my intention. I'm assuming that all of you are familiar with a basic chain of command, correct? Well, I am in the middle of conducting a negotiation with the leaders of both sides in order to provide for a cease fire. Until that point, I fully expect that the three of you will not do anything to endanger the delicate nature of the situation." Said Tem, speaking through Rass' tuby-amplified voice, "As you can no doubt tell by my previous activities, I am in a position to easily swing this battle one way or another. I protected you only because I feel that for this negotiation to succeed, your lives must be spared. I possess a number of extremely powerful battlechips, several of which could delete the three of you in a single blow. Coupled with the immense calculating power of my amazingly talented tactical subsystem, I can personally guarantee you one thing: if you attack myself, the netpolice, or that other netnavi over there, rest assured, I will crush you without mercy."

...Tem... thanks... thought Rass, as he crossed his arms and tried to look as powerful as Tem had boasted. Without skipping a beat, Rass discharged a burst of kinetic energy, looping himself over his structure and landing near the NetPolice. Acting as quickly as possible, the fusion navi sent a burst of pink healing energies toward the wounded NetPolice navi, converting the explosive powers into a rejuvenating force. Facing down the two enforcer lackeys, Rass placed his hands on his hips and allowed Tem to keep talking.

"Is this what you signed up for the netpolice to do?" she accused, "Fighting desperately over a small, inconsequential portion of land against your fellow navis? Fighting against a bunch of fighters who could easily destroy you in an instant? You two are pawns, don't you get it? Little more than cannon fodder! That's what the higher-ups think of you, I can guarantee it. They want you to lay down your lives on the line for their perception of 'justice,' and 'right.' Me? I just don't want to see any of you die meaningless deaths. This battle is of little consequence, and I am convinced that the differences between the two sides can be reconciled without another unnecessary deletion. As you can see from my abilities, I am one-hundred-percent capable of annihilating the two of you in a single blow. Please refrain from attacking the netmafia until negotiations have been completed."

Finally, Rass moved up to the final two navis — twin units by the looks of things and stepped between the two sides. "Gentlemen, gentlemen," said Tem's voice, amplified by Rass' voice modulator, "I cannot begin to understand the extent of your family problems with each other, but at the point where your personal grudges begin to take their toll in the lives of others, you must ask yourselves: where do you draw the line? Where does it end?" As Tem spoke, Ishamel poured into the remainder of Rass' body, manipulating his limbs in a way calculated to give them the maximum persuasive effect. Crossing his now-crimson arms behind his back, Rass paced from side to side, scrutinizing the sword-wielding soldiers carefully. "The world is a much larger place than the two of you seem to give it credit for. How dare you waltz onto a battlefield seeking to settle some personal score! You're just using these soldiers as fodder for your own little personal war, what gives you the right to do something like that?!"

Rotating around, Tem continued her speech, Rass' body accentuating her points with his hands, "What are you really doing here anyways? Mafia? NetPolice? Do you really think that they give a damn about where you are right now? What's keeping you from just leaving the area alone? As Rass... I mean, as I have stated previously, I have no intention of revealing your current location or status to your respective superiors. Think for yourselves, for your subordinates. Is this really the fate that you guys want?"

Whirling to the side to face the Netpolice twin, Rass felt his finger point accusingly in his direction. "You, Remus, was it? You mentioned that there are innocents in the area, did you not? Shouldn't your time here be better spent helping those in need evacuate the area? I understand that you have a job to do, to protect and to serve, but I also know that you have a certain degree of wisdom in that computerized brain of yours. Allow us all the chance to stand down and save ourselves. Step out of your orders as an officer of the netpolice and into your role as Remus, the netNavi. The netpolice is the reason these guys are the way they are, and to be honest, sometimes you have to step out of the perception that they are barbarians and into something more... accommodating. Ensure that this conflict will not escalate out of control and claim more innocent lives by stopping this pointless fight and saving the ones that truly matter. Don't do what is JUST, Remus, do what is RIGHT."

"And you, Romulus, if you were truly one of the innocents, why do you seek revenge on them in turn? Do you even LIKE the person you've become? That's what you're perpetuating by continuing your actions. What of the survivors of this 'darkness?' They'll seek justice against you, having had everything taken away from them! You're no better than the NetPolice, judging others arbitrarily, casting them aside as weak, and murdering them in cold blood! You are in a unique position to change your world — don't screw it up by leaving nothing but tragedy in your wake."

Rass glared into the eyes of Romulus for a long while before breaking his gaze and pacing off to the side, hands clasped behind his back. "Instead of a meaningless fight, therefore, I propose a more diplomatic solution to this little quagmire. Gentlemen, as you are aware, there is a war erupting on all sides of us. If you can accept the fact that innocents — yes, even those who may have condemned the conditions that first led you to the Mafia, Romulus - will be crushed under the weight of your struggle, then by all means, continue your meaningless fight and I assure you that you will all die like the murderers you are, by my hand if necessary." Ishamel clenched Rass' right fist for emphasis, the fusion navi now quite nervous at the force of Tem's words, "However, if you are willing to lay down your weapons and cease firing, I believe there are a number of civilians that require evacuating from this warzone. Evacuate this battlefield, find those trapped in battle, and use your powers to rescue them from this deathtrap. I know you all have the power, since you had no problems wasting it on each other. Your lives matter too much to simply become names on some mass grave. Stop fighting and give us your weapons so that we may continue spreading our message. You can't stop the war, gentlemen, but you CAN lessen its impact. The choice, as it was for me, is now up to you."

With that, Tem returned to her gemstone, an azure streak bolting across Rass' spine. You owe me, Rass, she said simply, BIG time.

-*-

WindboxA: Aim wind upward, so NetMafia aren't themselves affected, but projectiles still are
WindboxB: Aim wind upward, so NetPolice aren't themselves affected, but projectiles still are
1: Toss Magbomb1 to the side
2: Areagrab in front of Zephyr, attempt to take damage for Netmafia navi
0: Passive Knockback — Knockback to Zephyr, reduce accuracy of his attack and pin him to the magnetized ground
3: Negotiate with Netmafia
0: Passive Knockback — propel self toward Netpolice
4: Convert Minibomb (30 Heal) to NetpoliceNaviC
5: Negotiate with Netpolice
6: Negotiate with Romulus and Remus