Zephyr and RASS

= Sky, instead of the blind/buster thing I had worked out, I'm going to turn splice instead. YAY. I post, splice, you post in-splice, I post, you post. GOT IT! =

Zephyr, now completely furious, sprinted over to Rass. IDENTIFYING WITH OTHERS LIKE YOURSELF IS ONE THING. ATTACKING YOUR ALLIES IS ANOTHER! he virtually screamed, at a level that would've blown out a human's voice. HOW... COULD... YOU?!? Narrowing his eyes into a death glare, Zephyr snapped his fist outwards, dealing a blow not meant to really damage but to make Zephyr feel better. I swear to whatever deity there may be, I'm not taking this. Ohh, ohoho, not me. I can't do this. N-no...

For once, Zephyr's action was warranted. SUIEN! HOW CAN YOU JUST SIT BACK AND LET HIM DO THAT?! exclaimed Kure, somewhere between a yell and an admonishment.

A little bit MORE than warranted, I think... the severely provoked navi growled.

=-=-=

Zephyr walked back to his allies with an air of command (again). Either get out of here, or give it all you've got. he asserted, looking at the Civilians in particular. Remus, yes, Rass just attacked you. Hacker... I'd stay out of this, too. Rass, eh... I don't think he's exactly siding with anyone here. If we can't save everyone, we can at least get them out of here via EJO as opposed to getting completely deleted or corrupted. So, ehehe, you essentially have two options: one, stay and hope to hell you don't get EJO'd, or leave now and take whatever you can. However, fire on the virii would be helpful for now at least. The cube... doesn't look exactly fun. said Zephyr, in one long and addressed-to-many mini-speech.

Rass. You're either with me or against me. It's time to choose.

I... how... how can you do this to us? I-I don't want to hurt you, but we -will- put what little we do have against you if we have to. You can't keep switching sides, Rass. And Suien, you can't condone it! said Kure, still looking confused. Who do you EXPECT us to side with, if you don't even take a side? We need to know what to do. It's been three major conflicts, and I've been confused for two now.

I'm not just some little wimp, snarled Zephyr, examining his claws angrily. Before I'm shot down, the very least I can do is take at least a part of your health down and leave the rest to the NetPolice. I... I can't stay with indecision forever, Rass. It's not my type. Either you tell us what you're up to... or we'll have to make our decision. Keep in mind that we have power in numbers, threatened Zephyr, almost half-heartedly.

=-=-=

I'd explain... and now, before things get nasty, suggested Kure privately to Suien. How can you let him do this? Rass is so obviously unstable, and last I checked, killing everything that allies with you doesn't exactly count as saving innocents.

=-=-=
TURN SPLICE: NO ACTIONS USED
=-=-=
= I'd normally be more impatient if it wasn't for your point that everyone else will be taking a while...
Wait, no, it just happens when YOU finish battle 3, I heard.
D:
So, post? Please? DDDD: =
= ...sigh...
I was thinking.
Sky is dead.
Zero wants back in.
He's also back alive.
Would it work, if only for a tiny bit...?

Just a thought. Because this, quite frankly, is KILLING me. Sky wouldn't even give me his AIM. -_-;;

-points to above question-
JUST A THOUGHT =D =
(No, Hiko. You dumped ZS. You feel bad about it now, that he's the one that will satisfy your little impatience problem? Deal with it. I already threatened this once in the Welcome Center. You're farther along than most people here. Just wait, and find something else to do. Buy a video game, go outside, whatever, but you're not getting another partner change.)
= I didn't WANT a partner change. I wanted a joining.
:'D

Anyways, you didn't have to say no TWICE. =
((Just so you know, PA, you're free to kill me off as you see fit. There's no need to bend the rules to ensure my safety. I won't hold it against you or anyone else if I am punished for my lack of activity.))

You... you're a damned fool! shouted Tem, as soon as the internal voice modulator was back online, I... I don't know any other way to put it! What the hell were you thinking?! You're not a hero! You're just an idiot! Risking everything by attacking both sides? Did you think you could stop the fighting?! Cripes, you're more naïve than I thought! Tem angrily whirled about Rass' chest as the fusion navi slowly got to his feet, unharmed but demoralized by the results of his previous onslaught. His weapons faded away into thin strands of data as he sighed meekly, unwilling and unable to respond to his tactical subsystem's accusations. The last straw, however, came when the green navi from before began hurling insults and threats of his own. With the chorus of angry protests ringing through his mind, Rass gave a yell of frustration and gave Zephyr an angry shove, glaring at the slightly-taller navi with piercing crimson eyes.

"Look, the world isn't black and white!" he growled, pointing a thin finger in Zephyr's direction, "We're dealing with s-something a lot b-bigger than just good and evil here... th-this isn't some sort of game! You've got civilians on one side who aren't really civilians, but willing participants in battle. You've also got a... a clearly sick navi over there who poses a threat to the NetPolice. You've got a NetPolice that for all of its merits, is fueling the flames of this battle and recruiting innocents to aid its cause! You tell ME how this is supposed to be a simple distinction between right and wrong! As far as I can tell, they're ALL wrong!" Rass turned away and paced back and forth, pressing his fingertips together as he wracked his brain for an answer to his quandary. "I... you... look," he said finally, shaking his head, "I'm sorry I c-can't fight on your side for this b-battle, but this..." he paused, then resumed stalking back and forth with renewed vehemence. "No, I know what I've got to do. I'm going to stop this battle!" he said finally, clenching his hand into a fist and pounding his chest, "Whether or not you help me... well... I guess that's up to you."

-*-

Suien stared blankly at his PET for a good long while before finally, he brushed his dark hair backwards over his head, sighed, and nodded slowly in affirmation. "I admit it's not the most optimal situation," he said slowly, to nobody in particular, "but it seems like it's the only means of dealing with this little quandary with any sort of consistency." As he slid a quintet of battlechips into his PET, the dark-haired netOp opened up a messaging client and began typing furiously to the other civilian counterpart.

-*-

Rass closed his eyes as battlechip data streamed through his circuitry, blocking out the loud, obnoxious protests of his support systems and charging his internal circuitry to its maximum setting. Green coils of lightning played over his lithe form as he planted his feet into the ground and began channeling the most devastating weapon in his considerable arsenal. The destructive energies of the BambooLance chip surged painfully through his circuitry like fire through the bloodstream, but the fusion navi held fast, an opaque green glow surrounding his hands. Slowly but surely, sparklets of light erupted from his palms, bathing the initial area around him in a smooth green aura. His protoplasmic body struggled to repair the damage as Rass took a quick step forward, firing off a pair of kinetic energy bursts toward the two cubial opponents and aiming to send the viruses toward their commander. Without even confirming the hit, Rass lunged forward, pressing his arms toward 326J and releasing a pulse of forest green energy across the network. Instantly, the fusion navi was knocked backward off his feet as the grass-elemental blast flew forward, erupting into a verdant explosion of foliage. Rass landed hard on his back and skidded a fair distance. Coughing and sputtering, he staggered to his feet and readied his next barrage...

-*-

Mr. Kure,

I cannot personally guarantee anything regarding the outcome of this particular battle. Given that Rass' behavior in this particular situation has been highly erratic and complex, it is difficult even for me to predict what his plan of action will ultimately be. I should tell you, however, that he has my utmost and unconditional support in whatever path he may decide to choose. If that leads the two of us into a conflict, then it pains me to say that I will be forced to engage you and Zephyr in battle. Just in case, however, I wanted to attempt to offer an explanation for Rass' psychology, and to set forth my thoughts on his intended course of action...


-*-

Gritting his teeth as he leaped backwards from panel to panel, Rass nimbly extended his arms once more. With vim and vigor, he thrust his arms forward again and again, each time unloading more of the volatile chip data stored within his palmbuster units. His fingers blazing with white-hot concussive energy, he let loose blast after blast of glowing white lances, leaving luminous trails of light and the acrid smell of ozone in the air. The screaming blasts shot forward haphazardly, shrouding the battlefield in smoke and making the determination of damage nigh impossible. Breathing heavily as his scarf waved in the digital wind, and his system reserves nearly completely spent, Rass nevertheless charged to the side once more, charging yet another battlechip into his overclocked circuitry and uttering a silent prayer as deep blue coils of lightning played across his fingertips...

-*-

Rass' worldview is somewhat limited, yet fairly unconventional due to his very existence being something of a paradox. I admit that we do not follow the news as closely as we should as citizens of today's networked society, so our opinions on the ideologies of either party represented here today are formulated on something else entirely. To Rass, and to a certain degree, myself, the most important thing is the minimization of conflicts. Apropos this worldview, we in a way represent the ignorant masses, seeking to protect them from forces that might draw them into a broader conflict or take advantage of their relative weakness. To this end, we can see neither the NetPolice nor the Netmafia as wholly innocent, just as two organizations who seek to use others as means to an end...

-*-

A sharp pulse of energy erupted across the ground, transforming the immediate area into a large pool of aqua-type panels. The roaring sea brought back unsettling memories for the pink-and-black navi, who gulped nervously, hesitating for an instant as he fumbled with the new piece of technology that had since materialized in his hands. A small cube about the size of his head - three sides green, three sides orange — shone dimly in the artificial lighting. As Rass struggled to stay afloat, he opened up one of the faces of the cube and began turning several dials and controls. As he finished entering in the long list of enemy targets, the fusion navi hesitated, shooting Zephyr a long and pensive glance. Finally, he shook his head and entered into the cube the final command.

Zephyr.EXE — Ally Designation

A large wave nearly knocked Rass underwater, and the sputtering navi barely possessed the presence of mind to hurl the cube into the air. The multicolored object spun rapidly on its axis, its two colors blurring together as it rotated rapidly. With a final heave, Rass summoned a large cube to the field and did his best to seek cover behind it. Shivering slightly in the water and realizing that the cube would not provide much protection as he would require, Rass huddled behind it, grasping to its rocky side for dear life...

-*-


Again, I don't expect you to change your ideological stance, nor will I hold it against you if we become enemies. I simply urge you to consider your position on the issues. The NetPolice have drafted civilians into their ranks, and are using them as means to an end — "fodder" indeed for the NetMafia creature you see before you as the operating commander hides behind her barriers and shields. The world is never a simple dichotomy twixt black and white, but a swirl of shades of gray. I can't dictate to you where you should stand, but I hope that wherever that may be, you don't wind up regretting it.

Regards,
Suien Matsumoto


"Phew" muttered Suien, as he pressed the large SEND key, "If THAT wasn't the biggest load of crock I've written since college, I don't know what is..."

Fusionist Protoplasm — Recover 5HP per Action to Rass
Fusionist Physics — Knockback DblCube and AkaiCube toward 326J
1: BambooLance (130, 260 Wood) 326J, DblCube, AkaiCube
2: Shotgun (50) AkaiCube, Splash to 326J
3: Shotgun (50) AkaiCube, Splash to 326J
4: SeaZone (Water Panels Everywhere)
5: DBLCube2, designate EVERYONE except Zephyr as an "Enemy" (10+Stun to all enemies or Status Cure to Allies)
6: RockCube (Summon 200 HP Rockcube for cover)
It may not be black and white... but you're making it all black, growled Zephyr, his eyes narrowed into vicious slits -- or, at least, what he thought were vicious slits; they just ended up looking like a failed attempt at intimidation. However... muttered Zephyr thoughtfully, his eyes opening a little bit more. You're right, there are no real sides to take here. There's establishment and rebellion -- both of which have done something evil. BUT! Zephyr started, holding up a finger as obviously as any Phoenix Wright picture, the Incredible Bulk over there... is obviously not a navi. At least, not any more. Listen to him! What's your name, you asked? His response was a code. Then he proceeded to summon virii that are currently pummeling the hell out of everything they can get their grubby sensors on. Although the NetPolice may be considered just as bad as the NetMafia, they're so obviously the good guys here it's not even funn-...

Quote (Rass)

"... You've got a NetPolice that for all of its merits, is fueling the flames of this battle and recruiting innocents to aid its cause! You tell ME how this is supposed to be a simple distinction between right and wrong! As far as I can tell, they're ALL wrong!"

I do hate admitting when other people have good points, you know, grumbled Zephyr, looking at the ground awkwardly. But... can't you see?! If you don't take any sides, you can't... you can't... trailed off Zephyr, suddenly eclipsed by a range of flashbacks.

=-=-=

Quote (Earlier Battles)

...With that, Mass slammed his hands together in front of him, sending several green bolts of energy raining down from above. The projectiles embedded themselves in the ground for a few seconds as Mass' grin grew wider. "Kaboom." he said as he snapped his gauntleted fingers. Instantly, there was a massive explosion of grass-element energy as each bolt detonated outward, spreading a deadly wave of destructive force across the small population. The blazing aura seemed to chuckle alongside the pugilistic navi as Mass threw back his head and laughed, clearly enjoying his destructive spree...

...Rass sighed and clamored forward, his agility seriously hampered by the new weight of the Fusion Armor. Lunging forward at the last instant, he entered an awkward roll, thrusting his arms forward toward the Whomper and sending a burst of explosive ammunition toward the viral opponent. Zephyr' s a wood type, right? That means that... that fire is that danger here, right? I'd better get on that... he thought as he struggled to his feet. Before he fully regained his balance, however, he felt a surge of data play through his right arm. Argo, having activated the 3L3M system, materialized the metallic boomerang battlechip and had already begun calculating a flight path. Gasping for air, Rass dashed to the side, whirling around and sending the curved projectile in a wide arc. The boomerang hummed as it spun away from him, and Rass keeled over from exhaustion, his hands placed on his knees in an effort to support his newfound mass...

...Dodging and diving back the way he came, he tore back toward the self-proclaimed "Fodder Force" with renewed vim and vigor. In a single elegant move, the fusion navi pressed off of the ground, attempting to flip over the heads of the civilian netnavis and landing in a nearby crouched position. Though all three subsystems were, by now, screaming through his brain, Rass clenched his teeth and pivoted on his back foot, bringing the brilliant blade backwards across his body and seeking to slice the three would-be NetPolice neatly across the middle. Skidding backward by the momentum of the cut, the fusion navi quickly regained his footing, firing off a pair of kinetic energy bursts toward two members of the force. "Get out of here," he shouted, as coldly as his voice module would allow, "You guys are way out of your league, and I don't want to see any of you deleted needlessly. I... I don't want to fight against you and the NetPolice, but fighting against that thi... that other navi over there is something that I cannot do." As though to emphasize his point, Rass brought the Widesword around once more, its luminous glaring point shining as it swept around in a deadly arc. "I c-can delete any of you at any p-p-point I see fit! C-Consider this your final warning — go now, or you will be d-deleted," he said, narrowing his pinkish eyes to a pair of deadly-looking slits. Turning once more to the ever-dwindling mob of viruses, Rass bolted forward, sliding along the ground at a quick rate. He felt an uncomfortable jolt of energy surge up his arm as his Widesword struggled to maintain its charged output, its generator not configured for continuous use. As the weapon's normally-tranquil hum entered a fierce crescendo, Rass dove to the side, whirling around in a dangerous dervish of destructive force, tracing intricate patterns into the air with the brightly shining tip of the blade. With a mighty heave, Rass brought the Widesword around one final time, disengaging the smoldering battlechip and leaving him heaving, the acrid smell of ozone wafting up from the ruined weapon...


=-=-=

You know... you... we... may just be able to pull this off, acknowledged Zephyr, barely above a whisper. I... I still don't think this is right. Rass, you just have to admit it -- that guy is bad news, murmured Zephyr, nodding towards 326J. I need... time, thought Zephyr aloud, suddenly moving back, looking as if he'd just come out of a trance -- which was exactly what'd just happened. I... uh... heh... stammered the dark-colored navi, his voice fading away yet another time, kind of like he was abashed, but too shy to show it. I... I mean to say... erm... heh... he started again, still not making eye contact. Didn'tmeantohityou, he drilled out as fast as he could, feeling immediately better as soon as the words were out of his voice synthesizer.

=-=-=

Suien--

It's completely unnecessary to be so formal. After following Zephyr's train of thought... your little navi that could may in fact be right. We can't just take a side and expect it not to do bad things. So, ehehe, this is a formal treaty proposal; considering we can't shake on it, I suppose you'll just have to take my word for it. But, please; don't have Rass delete everything. I have an idea.


Ending the private "chat" with Suien, Kure immediately swapped into a small conversation with Zephyr. I think it's time for you to cause some hell with your special move, he grinned mischievously.

Also beginning to smile slightly, Zephyr replied with some amount of enthusiasm, I think you may be right; it'll certainly buy us some time, especially Rass. I need to talk.

=-=-=

Now letting all of his pent-up happiness explode as if he were some sort of angsty teen bursting all of his 'deep emotions' to his 'friend', Zephyr let a wicked, almost sneering grin cover most of his face. Time for fun! he giggled, almost to the point of exaggeration.

Christ, it's not like it's a nuke. Just let it go, grumbled Kure, feeling that the game was getting old.

Whatever you say! Zephyr replied mock-obediently, letting his eyes close slowly, melodramatically, with some sort of mystical breeze flowing behind him, ironically like a zephyr. Not for long -- the force grew stronger and more audible by the second, beginning to whistle ominously. Pieces of rubble began to gather around his feet, twisting around like the little mini-twisters of leaves you get on blustery autumn afternoons. Raising his hands, again way too dramatically, the bits of rubble grew larger and larger in size, until they were about the size of those annoying eraser shavings, except more ... painful. Now having a complete cyclone around his body of various forms of debris and ... foliage? from god-knows-where, Zephyr snapped his eyes open and pretended to control the uncomfortable whirlwind, shooting his hands forwards as the cyclone itself shot forwards, hurtling at unnatural speeds towards the vision receptacles of 326J.

That was way, way too overdone.

Hey, it's my move, I can do whatever the hell I want, grumbled Zephyr, before resuming his normal slightly-slumped standing position. Um, um, you lot! NetPolice and civilians and whatever! called out Zephyr, waving wildly at the motley assortment of battle-ready and not-so-battle-ready navis behind him. I... I don't think I'm even on a side, except that I want to kill the hell out of those damned viruses. I... I think we should definitely delete them, but please don't attack Rass. It'll just make it harder for us, and most likely end in your emergency jackout. So... heh... help is appreciated, and we'll talk about this later? suggested Zephyr, with a noncommittal shrug.

You really need to work on public speaking.

You're not helping. At all.

=-=-=

Enh... remarked Kure casually, before swiping a Cannon from his battlechip folder and slotting it in. Have a 'blast', he laughed, somewhat delighted at his own pun.

I... I don't even... wow... just wow... sighed Zephyr, shaking his head sadly, but perking up as he saw the Cannon morphing on his arm. The dark green bulk materialized seemingly from nowhere, which never ceased to delight him; the feeling of power he got from the mere 40-damage chip could be somewhat worrying when bigger and better weapons came into play. I want something bigger... whined Zephyr, but still hoisted the weapon and took careful aim at the Akaicube, frowning slightly. That thing could pack one helluva punch, he called out to his supposed allies, Take it out! he cried, letting a carefully-aimed shot go thundering towards the odd virus. Damn virii better not go suicidally protective on me...

Moving back a bit to Rass' Rockcube, wind at his heels, Zephyr sped back and forth until he reached the safety of the shelter. So... friends?

=-=-=

Zephyr.EXE
HP: 100
1: Dirt Storm > 326J [Blind, 2 TCD]
2: Cannon > Akaicube [40]
3: Wind-Assisted Dodges - Hide Behind Rockcube

= LONGPOSTISLONG. Oh, and PA, it IS 4 pages long in Word. Without summary. :'D =
Rass and Zephyr: Team established! When Rass tears into the enemies once more, the Netpolice navis manage to hold onto a sliver of hope that he might not have completely turned over to a side of his own. And with the attacks charging at the enemies, they may have been proven right. But right then, other things had their attention. As the enemies are knocked near 326J, his eyes widen slightly from the realization of what's coming, but he doesn't move. Instead, as the lances of bamboo speared through the ground towards the enemies, the Spidy virus jumps in the way of the attack meant for 326J!
What the hell?
Undeterred, and with the DBLCUBE deleted, Rass fires off twin shotgun blasts at the AKAICUBE, but out of nowhere, two metools appear to take the hits meant for 326J! Two more viruses down, but still no damage to the big bad boss himself! STarting to become bewildered at this turn of events, Rass fires off a super-accurate DBLBEAM2 chip, a stunning pulse sent to all the enemies! That's sure to hit, right? But no... even as the attack comes, the enemies leap onto 326J, forming a virus "cocoon" of sorts, and when the attack shorts out their systems and they fall, the boss is unhurt! The newly summoned RockCube manages to block the punch that comes Rass' way after the boss realizes who dealt so much damage to his forces, but it leaves him open to attack from Zephyr! A cannon shot rings out...
...and the last Metool, who had hid in its helmet to block the DBLBEAM, takes the shot and is deleted.
...
...
DAMN IT. WHY? WHY DO THEY BLOCK FOR HIM? Rings out a voice. Hacker's voice. Turning around, Rass and Zephyr see a strange barrier covering him, but it seems to have protected him from the stun of the effect. Seizing the opportunity, he fired a HiCannon shot at a Swordy, deleting the enemy quickly. Swearing even more, he turns to Rass.
He summons viruses! The very things that we strive so hard to suppress anyways! How can you justify not fighting with us against this... this... abomination?!

326J: 700 HP <Behind the Viruses>
VirusCapsuleGroup1: DELETED


MetoolA: DELETED
MetoolB: DELETED
MetoolC: DELETED
CanodumbA: 40 HP <Stunned>
CanodumbB: 40 HP <Stunned>
Markcannon: 50 HP <Stunned>
Lark: 90 HP <Stunned>
Shrimpy: 90 HP <Stunned>
SpikeyEX: 130 HP <Stunned>
ChampuA: 50 HP <Stunned>
ChampuB: 50 HP <Stunned>
MagtectEX: 110 HP <Stunned>
SwordyA: 50 HP <Stunned>
SwordyB: 50 HP <Stunned>
ElecOgreEXA: 160 HP <Stunned>
ElecOgreEXB: 160 HP <Stunned>
DBLCUBE: DELETED
Cirkill: DELETED
SpidyEX: 100 HP <Stunned>
AKAICUBE: DELETED


Diamond.exe: 590 HP <Stunned>
RockcubeA: 130 HP
RockcubeB: DELETED
RockcubeC: 170 HP
RockcubeD: 50 HP
RockcubeE: KERSPLODE
RockcubeF: 200 HP

Remus: 200 HP <Stunned>
Hacker: 80 HP <Barrier 90>
Fodder Force "Wind": 90 HP <Stunned>
Fodder Force "Cursor": 90 HP <Stunned>
Fodder Force "Claw": 90 HP <Rageclaw> <Stunned>

Zephyr: 100 HP
Rass: 100 HP

Terrain: 75% Normal, 25% Water
= Well, Sky, you got on to MOD, but you didn't give ME any sign of life.

In case you didn't get my PM / the hint, YOU'RE posting first. That's how it'll work best RP-wise.

-sigh- I don't want to go first because I can't fit any character development / dialogue in. =
= TERMS.
On the subject of Sky's apparent death...
-unrolls scroll-
-reads aloud after close examination-

Today, March the twenty-fifth, in the year two thousand and eight, I proclaim this sentence for a certain "Sky -- Render." It is to my great dismay that I recognize that you are, in essence, "dead", or inactive on Rockman dot EXE Rogue Network. However, after seventeen days since the last moderator post, I am offering you this, and hoping that you see: you have until the fifth of April to show me that you are either alive or simply post in our thread. On the [likely] event that this does not happen... I am requesting that certain arrangements be made so that RASS.EXE is accounted for as having used dodges for all seven of his turns, and all seven of his turns being dodges. However, seeing as a certain Zephyr.EXE will therefore be deemed 'alone', it is preferable for a majority of the attack to be directed at RASS.EXE in the stead of Zephyr.EXE.

Put simply, and not funnily:
Sky, if you don't show me some sign of life before April 5, I'm skipping you and asking for you to just have a turn of all dodges. I'll just post. Hopefully, I won't get raped. PA, remember, I let your queen go free, right? Doesn't that count for something? D': =
OOC:Why don't *you* post first, then wait 3 days for him? :/
= I considered this, but considering I posted last, it really wouldn't work. I'll probably have to get that going somewhere along the line, but in all honesty, it really won't be that good of a post, it's just RASS sitting there like a dead duck while I do work and stuff. For communication / team building / character building / strategy reasons, I need him to post first, and I'm waiting otherwise. Even if I posted first, I don't think it'd really matter. I need more material to post with, frankly. =
= OK, a few things.
1: Question for any moderator or general administrator:
What am I going to do in terms of not having RASS for the next god-knows-how-long? As in, will things be lessened in difficulty, or will the allies help more, or nothing? Et cetera, et cetera... also, how much leeway should I give Sky in terms of posting for each turn? I don't want to abandon him, but having a useless partner for the next three battles or whatever is going to get really dull, really fast.

2: Notification to Skyrender:
Saturday is your deadline for posting, unless you show me some sign of life and tell me that you're going to post. I understand when you have problems, but now it's five days short of a month since last modpost, and I really need to get this going, lest I lose interest and abandon writing altogether. Please, please come back. D: =
(To whom it may concern *coughhikocough*,
As the overseeing moderator over this topic, I will take steps to even the odds of the battle against your current opponent through the help of your allies. This does not, however, mean that it is going to get any easier. You just won't have a player controlled ally taking down enemies left and right. You'll have moderator controlled allies taking down enemies left and right, but it's up to YOU to make the difference in this fight. Put simply, if you don't give it your all... er... the enemies shall prevail. Yeah, that's it. Because "you'll get slaughtered" sounds too mean.)
= OK, Sky, I hate to say this, and it's not exactly turning out good for me, either, but your time is done with. I gotta move on. PA, please account for him as having his turn filled with dodges, and I will account for his inactivity in my RP. =

Zephyr's eyes widened as his newfound teammate began to flicker in and out of sight, making odd crackling noises and small movements in-between appearing and disappearing, like some sort of dancer in a strobe light. Tiny blocks of data fizzed in and out of being, leaving an incomplete image whenever RASS came back into sight. RASS? RASS! exclaimed Zephyr anxiously, watching the sight with some amount of horror.

Freaking lag! Kure growled, before checking his PET furiously for any sign of communication with Suien. Suien's caught up in it, too; there's no way to get to him, he affirmed.

What do we do, then? Just wait it out?

I... I don't know, I don't have the access or the technology to fix the connection; we don't even know where he jacked in originally, let alone what kind of network warped us here...

Crap, offered Zephyr, less-than-helpfully, before stomping his foot. HE was the one with all the chips, all the strength, EVERYTHING! What do I do now? Zephyr groaned, covering his face with his hands.

We'll just have to try, won't we?

There's always the NetPolice, but, of course, RASS had to go and STUN them! PERFECT!

I guess we DO just have to wait it out; and, er, Hacker doesn't seem too stunned to me, Kure pointed out, looking at Hacker curiously.

=-=-=

Hacker! yelled Zephyr over the commotion, not like any of his allies were going anywhere or making noise anyways. It's not my fault that RASS did that, FYI, he called, still abnormally loudly, before deciding it would be easier to just get close and talk normally. RASS went going crazy and stunning EVERYTHING before lagging, so it's not like he actually helped much, he explained, hoping to make things clearer for Hacker. All we're trying to do is stop all of the violence, really. I didn't want to even be here, in all honesty; but, hey, I needed a strong ally, yes? Anyways, more to the point -- I think we're the only 'mobile' people in the meantime. So, heh, we probably need to get moving and get going before things heat up, and take out as many virii as we can; 326J is as close to untouchable as he'll ever be right now. I... I'll do my best, and I know I've been giving you guys too many speeches, but I REALLY need to get rid of these guys so we can get RASS back in action...

Yeah, yeah, that's well and good, but Hacker, you either help us or we both get deleted, because our little civilian/NetPolice friends are, let's say, at a loss for movement, Kure said shortly, before tapping his foot anxiously and flipping through the small of chips he had remaining. Oh, and I hate to rain on your parade, but RASS doesn't seem to be just slowing down a bit; from what I can tell, and personal experience, he's pretty stuck in whatever's making him lag.

Hey, Kure, you're smart. Why don't you come up with an ingenious plan for once?

Let's see... mused Kure, ignoring the dig, beginning to think over all of the strategy video games and war movies he'd seen before lapsing into silence and deep thought.

Flanking won't work at all, it's exactly the same as attacking the virii head-on; they're too stupid for it to make a difference anyways. We have no real means to launch Zephyr above them, unless -- no, that wouldn't work either. It's no good that Zephyr has nearly no long-range chips that do enough damage to do a significant amount of hurt... well, I can save that idea for later, once we have less people stunned. Hacker has some sort of barrier, and tons of chips that I probably don't know about; yeah, I'm probably stuck with leaving strategy until the NetPolice are no longer stunned. For now...

Just take out some virii for now; play it safe. I have an idea for after everyone's got their movement back... announced Kure, with a small trace of a grin.

What, all that waiting just to be told to wait longer? grumbled Zephyr, before turning to the virii warily. Bring it! he cried, before letting some wind energy accumulate around his body in a circling whirlwind of DEA-- er, wind.

=-=-=

Slotting in a Vulcan2 for his 'trusty navi', Kure grimaced as he looked down at his chip-folder. Only a Cannon and a RageClaw left...? Well, shit, he moaned, burying his face in his palm.

Receiving the Vulcan with much joy, Zephyr grinned widely as the huge gatling-esque gun materialized onto his arm, adopting the typical dark green of his body. That's awesome! he laughed, before hefting the significantly heavier-than-a-Cannon gun up to shoulder height. Wincing under the weight, he pulled the trigger and was extremely surprised as the bullets raced out, distributing themselves among two different virii faster than a blink of the eye, and the Vulcan disappeared faster than it'd appeared. Well, um... yeah, murmured Zephyr, before beginning to run for cover behind another RockCube, completely forgetting RASS sitting there, but figured he'd be alright; you can't exactly hit something that's hardly there, right?

Hacker, just delete some virii for now, we'll figure out what to do with 326J later, and, um... I'm sorry for what RASS did, OK?

=-=-=

Zephyr.EXE
0: Wind Activate!
1: Vulcan2 > CanoDumbs A and B = It's supposed to do 5 shots of 10 with spread, but I have no idea how to distribute it. =
2-3: Wind-Assisted Dodges, move behind RockCube

= -poke-
Just give me a date, or something, when you'll be free enough to mod, so I don't keep checking this.
n__n =
As Zephyr called out to Hacker, a smug, self-satisfied sneer comes over his face. About time you came to your senses. There's no way to stop this fighting. We may as well fight together. Fighting against the stun effects, the Fodder Force managed to achieve a simultaneous nod of approval from its members, while Remus simply fought against the stun. It was only after Zephyr had fired off his Vulcan shots, deleting the Canodumb viruses, that the Netpolice allies managed to break free of the stun. But Hacker had already started to charge up a strange weapon (of course), when suddenly one of 326J's arms whipped around, crushing into his barrier with extreme force. But it holds, even as a second fist comes whipping around, and Hacker continues to charge. The weapon mass begins to take the form of a large trio of barrels...

Meanwhile, the valiant Remus charged forward towards the center of the virus crowd, not unlike what RASS had done just a while ago. In a swift trio of strikes, the Markcannon and Champu viruses all fell to his blade. That's IT! I've had it with this! Take THAT! And THAT! HA!
...
Riiight, then... it would appear that Remus is becoming less competent of a commander by the second. Brilliant.

The three members of the Fodder force can only gaze out upon the virus crowd in horror. They're stunned, but they were swiftly running out of chips, and there was nothing they could do... was there?
Oooohhhhhh, this is bad... Wind remarked, backing away towards the Rockcube barrier slowly before being stopped by Claw. And WHERE do you think YOU'RE going, HUH? We may be the weakest ones here, but even a weak member can change the tides of battle! Wind nodded slowly, before Cursor started to speak. Alright, alright. We get the point. But... what can we do? Claw looked at his companion. We FIGHT! And we WIN! For the thrill of the hunt...! He put his hand out, palm down, looking at his allies. Wind stood up, taking up the banner. For the sweet taste of victory...! He put his hand on top of Claw's, before Cursor brought it all home. And for the nobility of justice... we are...! He put his hand in the middle, and the emblems of the three navis started to glow bright white. THE FODDER FORCE!

The light from their emblems suddenly engulfed the three navis, turning into a sphere of blinding brilliance before dissipating and leaving the three navis standing there, transformed. Wind now had a large set of claws, on hands and feet, and a set of needlelike hairs running down his spine. Claw had a one-eyed visor, and a rather large cannon. And Cursor had grown wings, small gusts whipping up currents around him as he flapped them slowly, staying aloft. Posing dramatically, it was the new ClawCross Wind that broke the silence. AWRIIIIIIIGHT! LET'S DO THIS!

A mad charge from the three navis ensued. Diving down behind Wind, Cursor grabbed him by his arms and used his momentum to swiftly ascend once more, before picking up speed and letting his companion fly directly at the Spidy. Not expecting an attack from above, the virus only looked up when a mad cry of CRUSHING CLAW! came out of nowhere, followed by a meteoric strike. Having distracted the enemies, Wind had given Claw just the opportunity he needed. The cannon on his arm glowing with charged power, he locked onto the Spikey virus and let loose a massive blast along with his own Signature Attack cry of CURSOR CANNON! But alas, announcing your attack as you're firing it doesn't always work as well as hoped when at long distances and the Spikey, having shaken off the stun, managed to dodge the hit. But not for long, as Cursor whipped up a solid curve of air, redirecting the blast and giving it extra speed. The Spikey didn't stand a chance against the combined assault, and was deleted. Cursor let out a laugh. That's right, taste my Wind Wall, scum! The Fodder Force... had become a much larger threat.

Seeing the enemy lines starting to thin, Diamond raised her hands, gathering a ball of crystal between them. When it was large enough, it seemed to rise of its own accord, flying through the virus ranks and smashing into a Swordy, deleting it.
RASS was in a bad area. Some sort of lag had hit the field, all but immobilizing him. Seeing RASS stuck this way, the Shrimpy shot out a bubbler, but as soon as it hit the slowly proceeding wall, it slowed to the same speed as RASS. It was almost comical, watching the slow moving bubble try to hit the slow moving navi, but it ran out of steam before it ever hit its target, and popped harmlessly.

Alright! Everyone, stay clear of the lagging area! Remus cried out rather unnecessarily. 326J roared, shooting out a third of his arms, but the nimble navi dodged, only to fall prey to a blast from the Lark virus. But it was Hacker, off to save the day, that had finally finished charging the weapon. Taste Magnum, viruses! Three blasts rang out, and three small explosions engulfed the Elecogre and Magtect viruses. When they dissipated, there remained only craters of cracked panels with holes at the ground zero sites of detonation.


326J: 700 HP <Behind the Viruses>
VirusCapsuleGroup1: DELETED

MetoolA: DELETED
MetoolB: DELETED
MetoolC: DELETED
CanodumbA: DELETED
CanodumbB: DELETED
Markcannon: DELETED
Lark: 90 HP
Shrimpy: 90 HP
SpikeyEX: DELETED
ChampuA: DELETED
ChampuB: DELETED
MagtectEX: DELETED
SwordyA: DELETED
SwordyB: 50 HP
ElecOgreEXA: DELETED
ElecOgreEXB: DELETED
DBLCUBE: DELETED
Cirkill: DELETED
SpidyEX: DELETED
AKAICUBE: DELETED


Diamond.exe: 590 HP
RockcubeA: 130 HP
RockcubeB: DELETED
RockcubeC: 170 HP
RockcubeD: 50 HP
RockcubeE: KERSPLODE
RockcubeF: 200 HP

Remus: 180 HP
Hacker: 80 HP <Barrier 50>
Fodder Force "Wind": 110 HP <Lv.2 ClawCross>
Fodder Force "Cursor": 110 HP <Lv.2 WindCross>
Fodder Force "Claw": 110 HP <Lv.2 CursorCross>

Zephyr: 100 HP
Rass: 100 HP

Terrain: A scarred battlefield now marks this encounter. The normal terrain has all but faded from view beneath the debris from battles. A small sea area, the result of a chip, lies off to one side, while three craters of cracked panels with holes to the depths of the net dead-center are where three viruses used to be. (45% Normal, 20% Sea, 30% Cracked, 5% Hole)
That's... just... wow... laughed Zephyr, watching as the Fodder Force transformed into something that would be an ultimately more effective weapon. Hey, F.F.! You need a much better name than that! called out Zephyr to the trio, looking quite happy with himself. Fodder Force is a little demeaning, don't you think?

They can do whatever they want; that was just awesome, shrugged Kure, before tapping a few buttons and skipping through a few screens on his PET. That strategy I mentioned...? It just got a WHOLE lot better with that triple-Cross, he said happily, before saving the diagram several times and preparing it to show to the rest of the 'troops'.

Well, you're supposed to be good at strategy-type things, so let's see, eh? Zephyr replied, frowning slightly. Kure transferred the diagram and a short written explanation straight to Zephyr, which made his frown intensify more than it should have. This is our strategy?

What? cried Kure, feelings slightly hurt.

It's not exactly an elaborate move...

For that, I'd need not only more people, but also more time to think, more damned chips, and more experience with conflicts on this scale, Kure protested, crossing his arms irritably.

Fine... I think it'll work, but the question isn't just that; it's how effective it will be. That'll do what, leave a scratch on that Incredible Bulk?

I don't see you coming up with anything better...

Fine, fine. We should probably send it to the rest, Zepyhr suggested, to which Kure gave no spoken reply, but simply tapped a button, sending the diagram and strategy details instantaneously to Diamond, Remus, the Fodder Force, and Hacker.

=-=-=

Kure's Strategy:



This is a simple, hasty diagram of my strategy. To start, we have the Fodder Force and Zephyr heading straight up the middle to attack 326J's three remaining virii and the big baddie himself. Those four will attempt to not only distract 326J, but also do as much damage as possible before he 'summons' yet another group of virii to protect himself with. Most likely as not, it'll be just as strong as the last, and neither the FF, Hacker, NetPolice or Zephyr can stand to use up chips on virii. Continuing on, I want Diamond to stay out of harm's way for the most part, and heal the harmed or help Remus to snipe out 326J from the side. From the other side will be Hacker, also sniping at 326J; this way, he'll have three groups from three directions hitting him at once, and if one gets hit, the others can cover that group and Diamond can heal whatever injuries are left. Simple-sounding, but I think it'll work for now. The best advice I can give is to give it your all; Zephyr may be able to blind the big 'un before anything hits him, which would indeed help my plan. So, please follow this as best you can, unless you have any objections -- but as of now, we don't have much time for arguing, so hold your strategies back until we've used this one, or if you see a glaring error in mine.

It may be wise to attack 326J from behind, Remus/Hacker/Diamond; if we can have sniping from three directions, that's four groups of attackers, which would be ultimately good. As for Zephyr/F.F., you may want to consider coming in from slightly different directions -- for instance, south-west, less south-west, less south-east, and south-east. Fodder Force, please try to eliminate the remaining three virii as fast as you are able so that Zephyr can quickly move in to blind 326J; then you should probably hit him with everything you have. Snipers, hold your positions as soon as you get there; if you see virii or the boss himself attacking another sniper, do your best to hit it from afar.


=-=-=

Well, assuming this all works out how it's supposed to, I'm going to get ready to do my part, suggested Zephyr, smiling slightly. Here's a hint: I need a chip. Really, it's up to you what I get, Kure...

I assume a Cannon will suffice? grumbled Kure, sounding not at all pleased with his paltry selection of chips left to choose from.

Better than nothing, Zephyr sighed, feeling he was a tiny bit disadvantaged in this particular skirmish. I think that I'm just going to be blinding the bugger, not doing most of the damage anyways. I think we'll need to save the RageClaw for the next "wave" of whatever he summons regardless...

Such uplifting thoughts, muttered Kure, looking sadly upon the small bit of plastic and silicon that he now held firmly between two fingers. The small image of a Cannon seemed to cry out in anger at being chosen before the other remaining chip, but Kure shook his head, blinked, and shoved the chip in grumpily. After this, I gotta buy more chips for you, man...

You're telling me... Zephyr replied wistfully, watching as the Cannon formed readily on his arm, somehow lacking the great anguish it'd shown in Kure's hand, or whatever Kure was seeing in it; now it was just a small weapon against a big baddie. Right... let's see what I can do...

=-=-=

Suddenly moving the Cannon down to his side, Zephyr lived up to his namesake by closing his eyes. A small breeze began to nip around cyberspace and Zephyr's heels like a playful puppy; one painful puppy to receive in the eyes. The breeze grew and grew to the point where it was picking up bits of debris and rubble from the ground like a windy autumn day; cyclones in miniature whirled fiercely on the ground, not reaching more than knee level, but it wasn't stopping there. Several of the whirlwinds began to combine, nearly doubling both the size and velocity instantly. As the separate tornadoes began to merge, the wind grew ever stronger, causing Kure to wonder for once, where does he get wind on the NET? Wherever the wind was coming from, it certainly wasn't stopping, and now Kure had a veritable twister in front of him, moving and charging at will. Shooting his hand forward dramatically, the twister split into several miniature versions of itself again, circling around 326J, slowly coming around into convergence in the boss's eyes. As the winds dissipated, Zephyr roared in anticipation, sprinting forward nearly as fast as his winds, which were still at his heels characteristically. YAAHHHH! THIS IS WHERE YOU HELP, FODDER FORCE!

Well, er, yes. Remus, Diamond, Hacker-- please take your positions, if you haven't already, and F.F., go help Zephyr. He'll get massacred if he does that alone... good luck, everyone!

=-=-=

Zephyr.EXE
HP: 100
1: Dirt Storm > 326J [Blind, 2TCD]
2: Cannon-- CHARGE! > 326J LAWL, K [40 DMG]
3: Wind-Assisted Dodge [Dodge]

= I think that was good... meh. Should do something for the 'war effort', at very least. =
= Like a 6-day bump... =
= This is a reminder, PA, because you've not been on today and I'm not gonna be on for much longer.
You said Thursday. D: =