Neutral Territory

Machman spotted three viruses during his survey and went in for a closer look. The group consisted of advanced versions of an OldStove and Bunny, as well as a normal looking Melody virus. They were sitting motionless as if asleep but their eyes were clearly open. Machman thought he could take advantage of this and launch a surprise attack. However, as he drew closer, the viruses shook and split apart in some kind of trinary fission.

Each virus had somehow produced two more copies of itself, instantly tripling the size of their group. One of the newborn Melodys let out a howl that sounded like a botched musical note. Apparently it was a warning alarm as all the viruses spun around to face Machman's position.

OldStoveEXA: 80 HP
OldStoveEXB: 80 HP
OldStoveEXC: 80 HP
MelodyA: 80 HP
MelodyB: 80 HP
MelodyC: 80 HP
BunnyEXA: 60 HP
BunnyEXB: 60 HP
BunnyEXC: 60 HP

Terrain: 100% Normal

Machman: 98 HP
Aera.SP: 50 HP

[Battle 4 - Begin!]
((Until an official or admin announces the SP equip rules, I'll continue the SP junction every battle thing.))

[[i]Viruses identified. Count 3- Correction, 9... Permission to engage?[/i]]
[Huh, they can divide? Interesting. Well then, lets take them out before they try to multiply again. Engage!]

[[i]Aera, we are going to try something a bit different. You take left, and I'll take right![/i]]
Machman transfers a battlechip to Aera for her to use. She identifies the program, knowing exactly what Machman wants her to do, thanks to the both of them seemingly operating on the same "wavelength."
Ready when you are!

Machman opens his cockpit as Aera removes her safety straps. She crouches down and stands on her ejection seat before leaping out of the cockpit. As she's airborne, Machman shifts out of his MachFighter form, keeping his speed up. Aera drifts down beside him and after starting the attack with a quick glance to each other, they slide away from each other and create a 5-10ft gap between them. They both accelerate as they aim towards the group of viruses. They both break the sound barrier nearly simultaneously as protective veils of energy warp around their bodies. They streak towards the viral group in a parallel duo of bright cyan trails. Using their relatively close proximities and their high speed, they should be able to create sonic waves capable of severely damaging the viruses they don't directly impact.

After a few seconds of streaking forward in a straight line, their thrusters die and they slide to a stop. Aera turns back and looks towards the virus group. Tapping into the orbiting sensors' visual feeds, she identifies and locks on to the Melody directly in the middle of the virus group. She extends her hand forward and fires an electrical bolt at her target. Machman steps in front of Aera after she fires, a large yellow shield forming over his left forearm as his right arm and hand quickly bulks up and is bolted with large yellow armored plates. He takes a step forward with his left foot, pointing his left shoulder and shielded left arm towards the group of viruses. He clenches his fist, ready to deal some five-knuckle peacemaking once his shield goes down.

ACTIONS:
Machman
Transfer DashAttack1 to Aera
-Deactivate MachFighter.GMO-
DashAttack1: MelodyB,C, BunnyEXA,B,C (90dmg Null + Impact)
Aera: DashAttack1: OldStoveEXA,B,C, MelodyA (90dmg Null + Impact)
Aera: Attack: MelodyB (35dmg Elec)
Guard1: Machman.EXE, Aera.SP (Deflect 1 attack for up to 60dmg)
Counter1: Machman.EXE, Aera.SP (Counter 1 attack and counterattack for 70dmg + Breaking + Impact)
Aside from serving as a warning, the Melody's loud honking also seemed to be an order to scatter as all the viruses quickly began to spread themselves apart. The Melodies and Bunnies quickly bounded away but the OldStoves weren't nearly as fast or maneuverable and rolled away at a much slower pace.

Machman's DashAttack was largely unsuccessful, only managing to take out the lone Melody who had stayed behind to sound the alarm. Aera was only slightly more successful and deleted two of the Oldstoves with her attack. She exited the protective shell of the Dash and fired a spark at one of Melodys, giving it a fairly damaging shock. One of the Bunnies attempted to return the favour by sending a shock of its own at the support program but the attack was blocked off and reflected by Machman's Guard just in the nick of time. The Bunny was nearly toppled by the strength of its own attack. He activated his Counter just as the last OldStove opened up its grate and belched out a line of fire.

Machman moved in front of Aera but the line of fire was not stopped by the bold gesture and instead engulfed both of them in a searing bath of flames. The Counter kicked in to teleport Machman into melee range of the OldStove but once again, he had leapt out of the frying pan and literally into the fire. Despite being explosed to the intense inferno, Machman let loose his Gutpunch into the virus's mouth, forcibly slamming the grate shut and stopping the attack in its tracks. The OldStove wobbled backwards but just barely resisted falling over.

OldStoveEXA: DELETED
OldStoveEXB: 10 HP
OldStoveEXC: DELETED
MelodyA: 80 HP
MelodyB: 45 HP
MelodyC: DELETED
BunnyEXA: 60 HP
BunnyEXB: DELETED
BunnyEXC: 20 HP

Terrain: 100% Normal

Machman: 53 HP
Aera.SP: 5 HP
Machman winces in pain from the flames, and he hears a pained cry from Aera behind him. He wanted to turn back and continue to shield her, but he had to stop those flames. A quick GutPunch does the job nicely, and he warps back to his starting position. He turns back to Aera, his eyes widening in shock as he sees her. She is on her knees, struggling to stay upright. Her armor is blackened and her beautiful hair is singed by the flames. She grips her right arm gingerly, her armor has completely burned away and reveals her raw programming beneath. She looks up to Mach, her bright blue eyes shimmering from the tears.

AERA!!

He quickly turns back to the viruses, his left hand drawn back over his chest as his thrusters move to his forearm. He then swings his arm backwards in a horizontal arcing back-hand and the thrusters burn, creating a wave of air that hurtles towards the viruses, hopefully keeping them temporarily at bay. He crouches down next to her, his hands hovering just above her skin. He hesitates, since his touch could just cause her more pain.

Mazer, I need recovery chips!
[They're on their way! Get her out of here, those viruses are converging on your position!]

As Aera is covered in a weak green glow as Mach closes his eyes. His mind is racing, the image of Aera's burned body stuck in his mind.

{I can't see her like this! I wasn't able to keep her safe! Damnit!!}
You didn't do this to her. They did. They must be punished!

Machman brings his right arm in front of his body, his hand over his face. His eyes snap open; they glow so brightly you could barely see his pupils. His right arm springs to life, a large gray mounting bracket drops down from his forearm and telescopes forward past his fist. As soon as the bracket moves into position, data pours from his arm and congregates below the bracket, forming a large multi-barreled vulcan chain gun. A trigger swings up from the bracket, and Machman opens his fist to allow the trigger assembly to rest comfortably in his palm.

{I will destroy you... I will DESTROY YOU ALL!!}

Mach's vulcan spins up with a high-pitched whine as he spins around and rests the vulcan pointing towards the lone OldStove. Machman braces as the vulcan opens up with a rumbling, but brief, roar and sends a stream of 30mm rounds towards the damaged virus. He places his left hand under the ammo canister of the vulcan, positioned just behind and below his right elbow. He moves the vulcan on to the lead Melody virus. He aims carefully before opening up again. His triple-barreled weapon spews a line of steel and lead down range before pausing as he shifts targets one last time. He rests his sights on the weaker of the two Bunny viruses and delivers the last of his ammo towards it at nearly twice the speed of sound. The vulcan doesn't even get the chance to completely wind down before it disintegrates into data and the bracket folds back into his arm. In the meantime, Aera manages to activate a recovery program of her own, and patches up the hole in her arm.

Machman turns back to her, scoops her up, and quickly takes to the air. He climbs as fast as he can, trying to get out of the range of those viruses as they shrink smaller and smaller on the ground below. As he stops and hovers in the air, Aera finally speaks; her voice is soft, yet you could almost hear her pain in her voice.
I'm okay, Mach... I'm sorry... for holding you back.
Don't be silly. You only make me stronger, Aera. Sit tight, I'm going to give them more payback than they can handle!

Aera smiles in relief as Machman shifts his arm position, slipping his left forearm under her thighs and leaning her back against the left side of his chest and shoulder. She steadies herself by wrapping her arms around his neck. He slowly spins counter clockwise as he pitches forward 45 degrees, leaving his right shoulder and arm pointing directly down towards the viruses and keeping Aera supported by his left arm and the side of his chest and abdomen. As he aims downwards, his large trio of magnum barrels form over his right arm. Two of the massive barrels, almost large enough to fit his entire head in, slide back as a large incendiary magnum slug is loaded in. They click back into position as Machman locks on to his targets with a HUD-like image projected just above his eyes. He sets the two cross hairs over the final Melody and BunnyEX viruses, and shifts to the Melody first. He fires the weapon with a loud boom and a flash, creating a visible pressure wave nearly 10 feet in diameter just in front of the barrel. The barrel itself slides backwards to counteract some of the recoil, but Mach still has to re-adjust his aim to make sure he keeps his accuracy. He aims towards the bunny virus and fires one last time, sending an explosive projectile of metal hurtling towards the ground below.

The magnum dissipates as the pair continue to float high above the net floor, hopefully somewhat safe from enemy attacks.

ACTIONS:
Machman
Gust: Push nearby viruses back
Recover10: Aera.SP (Recover 10HP)
Rising Barrage: OldStoveB (25dmg), MelodyB (50dmg)[+Take Aim], BunnyEXC (25dmg) (25dmg x4 + Breaking + 4TCD + Strategic Action [Move to High Altitude]
Aera: Heal: Aera.SP (Recover 18HP)
Aera: Mobility Junction
Charge Magnum
Magnum1: MelodyA, BunnyEXA
At the realization that Aera had been critically injured again, Machman swept away the surviving viruses in a burst of hot air and raced to her side. A recovery chip kept her stable enough for her to activate her own healing programs. Machman gunned down three of the weaker viruses as he ascended into the air to escape further harm. The last two were blown away by Magnum shots that struck them down like the fists of an angry god. In the wake of the destruction, some zenny remained teetering over the brink of the broken panels.

OldStoveEXA: DELETED
OldStoveEXB: DELETED
OldStoveEXC: DELETED
MelodyA: DELETED
MelodyB: DELETED
MelodyC: DELETED
BunnyEXA: DELETED
BunnyEXB: DELETED
BunnyEXC: DELETED

Terrain: 90% Normal, 10% Broken

Machman: 53 HP [high altitude]
Aera.SP: 33 HP [equip]

[Battle 4 - Victory!]

Get: 800z + 33 bugfrags
Machman and Aera peer down at the wreckage of the viruses below. Mazer uploads another recovery program into the PET, and the program is activated within Aera's body. She glows green as her armor and hair partially return to their original colors and shine. She sighs and stretches her neck and legs, no longer feeling the pain of the burns.
Thank you, Machman. I'm feeling alright now. We can keep going if you want.
Machman drops in altitude to get low enough to gather up the BugFrags and Zenny data.
But...
Aera looks up at Machman, smiling as if nothing happened to her at all.
Really, I'm fine! I feel almost good as new, thanks to you.
Aera squeezes her fist, little bolts of electricity arcing over her knuckles and fingers. Machman is still apprehensive about the decision, but he knows he shouldn't argue with her.
Alright. Hold on tight.

Machman accelerates, carrying Aera with him as they zoom over the net floor.

ACTIONS:
Recover10: Aera.SP (Recover 10HP) [-Recover10 from next battle]

((Ready for Battle #5))
Machman didn't encounter any viruses but came across a large gathering of navis easily numbering in the hundreds. The atmosphere was lively and full of excitement as most of them seemed to crowd around a clearing. He couldn't help but investigate. From what he could pick up from the odd conversations here and there, there was a race starting soon with a lot of betting going on. But his intelligence gathering was cut short as a hush fell over the crowd.

A loud voice boomed, "Welcome! ...To DASHATTAAAAAACK!"

The spectators erupted in an uproar of cheering and applause and just as quickly died down again to utter silence.

The disembodied announcer continued his speech, "To all newcomers! This is a race! Plain and simple! With any race, there are rules. Our's are plastered across the windows all over this site."

Machman could see message windows open around the field. Most of the navis closed them instinctively like bad pop-ups but one of them stayed open long enough for Machman to scan over quickly.

Quote ()

DashAttack Rules

- You want to win - You GO!
((Each action you write "GO!" moves you forward one unit.  That action will be explicitly treated as a movement and does not count as a dodge or tactical whatever.))

- Navis only. ((No support programs))

- No teleporting / areagrabbing / crazy instant broadband download bullshit.  We lose sight of you, you're out.

- No flying or burrowing.  We lose sight of you, you're out.

- We're a totally legit operation but NetPolice snitches will be...  "Dealt with".


The voice made one final broadcast, "If you think you've got what it takes to win, come sign up with Candy at the registration desk." Machman could hear some sinister snickering from the crowd break the silence for a moment before the voice finished with, "THE RACE STARTS IN 5 MINUTES!"

Machman could see a table with a large "REGISTRATION" sign hovering overhead.
Machman and Aera notice the large amount of Navis, and turn slightly to get a closer look.
Mazer, we've encountered a large group of Navis. It looks like they are holding a race of some sort.
A race? That sounds like fun! Lets do it!
[Interesting to see something like this around here. It looks like they have a fairly good control on the viruses in the area... You want to change up the routine and do a race?]
Oh yeah! I always wanted to compare my top speed with other Navis. It looks like there is a registration area below. I'll head over there now.
[Alright then. Let's hope they are still open for registrations.]

Machman touches down, drawing some looks from the crowd of Navis as he eases Aera down to stand on the ground below. He looks around as he walks towards the Navis, seeing some of the windows displaying the rules of the race. He looks over to Aera, disappointed at what he saw.
I just looked at the rules Aera, and I saw that SPs aren't able to compete. I know you were really excited about this...
Aera looks back at Machman, flashing her trademark smile.
It's okay, Mach! I knew I wouldn't be as fast as you, so I was just planning on cheering you on from the sidelines anyway!
Aera once again cheers Machman up, and he appears to be smiling back under his face mask.
Thanks, Aera. I'm honored to have such a beautiful cheerleader on my side!
Aera blushes and laughs as she pushes Machman away with her hand.
Aw, stop it. You're making me blush!
Machman replies with a warm chuckle, putting Aera at ease. She was still concerned about Mach, since he seemed so troubled about her state after the last battle, and the wierd feelings and voices he experienced ever since she first met him.

As they walk towards the area with the large "REGISTRATION" sign floating overhead, Aera takes a hold of Machman's hand, her fingers intertwining with his. She looks up at Machman, and smiles at the sight of his face turning a slight shade of red. She could see through him like a pane of glass. They approach what they think to be the Navi in charge of the race registrations.
Excuse me, are you still accepting registrations? If so, I would like to register for the race.
At the registry desk, Candy looked Machman over while giving it some thought and said, "...You're kinda cute."

Machman couldn't help but notice Candy wasn't too bad looking herself. Her tight outfit was very revealing and only served to accentuate her busty figure. She gave her full lips a slow and sentuous lick and puckered a kiss before adding, "So uhh... Name and navi type."

She smiled and giggled at Machman while he looked back at her nervously. He could feel Aera's hand tense up on his.
Machman notices the Navi's fairly shapely figure, and especially her little greeting comment. He chooses to remain silent, but he can't seem to look away as Candy made her suggestive advances towards him. His surprise was partially blended with a feeling of heightened self-esteem, both leaving him partially at a loss for words. He tries to imitate Mazer's military training and keep his composure.
Thank you for the compliment, miss. Machman.EXE: Normal/Wind.

Machman subtly winks at Candy, careful to keep Aera and Mazer from seeing. Though he remains loyal to Aera, Candy did practically throw herself at him, so it would just be impolite to completely ignore her advances.

It looks like a lot of competitors are joining in this race. What kind of chances do you think I might have, in your opinion?
Candy smiled and answered, "Your chances? I think if you're lucky, you might make it out alive. The race is starting soon, hon, so you better get to the track if you wanna win at all."

Machman left the desk with a sense of insecurity about what he had just signed up for. He and Aera split up and each made their way to the spectator area and starting line respectively.

The announcer's voice broke through the loud chattering of the crowd again, "Well navis and navettes, we're about to get this party started! Looks like we have SEVEN racers this time around and we got some fan favourites coming back for another run."

The cheering sounded again.

"From the heated depths of Hades Net, the fierce fireball, BURNER. Will this hotshot blaze his way to victory? Who knows!"

Machman looked over to Burner. He was clearly a fire navi judging by the flames eminating from his wrists and ankles. His expression was determined and he didn't seem to want to look away from the finish line.

"In the next lane, we have our very own armoured tortoise in this race of hares. The slow and steady juggernaut, PANZER!"

Panzer looked less like a navi and more like a tank. Complete with treads and a long barrel, Machman only noticed Panzer's eyes staring back at him through narrow slits along his side when he blinked. For a moment he wondered if there was actually a navi inside of the hulking armoured vehicle. Panzer barked at Machman with a deep intimidating, "WHAT."

"And of course, black from head to toe and even in the very depths of his heart! The Heelnavi with nothing to lose and everything to gain: DEAD PIXEL!"

There was some booing coming but Dead Pixel didn't mind. To Machman, He looked pretty much like every Heelnavi he had ever encountered. Parts of his armour were corrupted and heavily battle damaged. He took in a deep breath and exhaled a thin veil of purple smoke. Machman eyes widened slightly and he instinctively held his breath.

"And... From ACDC Town, we have... Frank's navi! ...Yeah! Give it up!"

The cheering died down to quiet whispers. Frank's Navi looked like an uncustomized normal navi newly purchased from the Science Labs. He waved his hand to the audience. The only response was someone's cough.

"...Right. Moving along, if you feel a chill creeping up the back of your neck, you better hope it's not our resident arctic assassin from Sharo! SLIP!"

Slip looked like a Aqua navi. He was dressed in a sleek ice blue suit that spiralled across his body like frost. The helmet he wore trailed back along the side of his head in icicle-like spikes that protruded behind him. A stark contrast to Burner, Slip seemed to eat up the attention the audience was showering him with. He waved back at his fans and bowed politely and gracefully like a figure skater.

"And finally the navi with the need for speed! A newcomer like none other! Let's all hear it for... MAAAAAAAAAACHMAAAAAAAAAN!"

Machman felt embarassed about be given such a grand introduction and could hear impressed murmurs coming from the group of navis. Among the oohs and aahs, he could hear Aera's shouts of encouragement. The other racers, with the exception of Burner, looked him over just as he had done with them. Their eyes scanned him over and sized him up in an instant.

"ALRIGHT! Now this is a TWENTY-FIVE unit track. No one starts until Candy fires her Cannon. First navi to cross the finish line wins. If there's a tie... Well, I don't know, we've never had a tie."

Laughter broke out and though Machman wasn't sure why, he had a guess. Candy walked out into view slowly, seductively swaying her hips as she did. There were various catcalls and whistles coming from the male members of the crowd that Candy answered with a wink and a kiss. She passed a glance at Machman and widened her smile before raising her arm into the air. A red M-Cannon formed over top of her small wrist.

"Racers readyyy?" She stretched out.

Everyone bent down and prepared themselves. In addition, some of his opponents seemed to activate their signature programs. Panzer's armour practically doubled in size while Slip pulled up a barrier around himself. Machman wasn't sure what the others were doing but he couldn't let this opportunity pass him by.

Candy continued with her countdown, "Three..."

((FIRST ACTION IS BEFORE THE RACE BEGINS))

Burner: 300 HP - 0/25 [???]
Panzer: 500 HP - 0/25 [2-hit shield]
Dead Pixel: 231 HP - 0/25 [???]
Frank's Navi: 100 HP - 0/25
Slip: 350 HP - 0/25 [barrier]

Terrain: 100% Normal

Machman: 53 HP - 0/25

[Battle 5 - Begin!]
Machman and Aera moved to their separate places and Aera waved to him as he approached the starting line.
Good luck, Machman! I'll be rooting for you!
Machman could only smile and nod back to her as the announcer's voice drowned out the noise of the crowd. Machman found an open space on the starting line and quickly looked over his opponents.
[This is a pretty large event for a race only involving 6 Navis. It sounds like this isn't the first one either.]
Some of these racers look like they will be really tough to beat, especially Burner, Panzer, and Slip. I think I -

Machman is interrupted by the announcer making Mach's needlessly grandiose introduction. He turned back to the crowd and nodded as he nonchalantly raised is right fist to about head level.
[Hm, I think someone was schmoozing with the announcer.]
Yep, no doubt about it.
Machman noticed as the other Navis made pre-race preparations, activating defensive programs, charging up, and preparing to push off for the start of the race.
Permission to activate XIIICross?
[Permission granted. You are only working on half strength, so we could use all of the defensive strategies we could get.]
Mazer activated the cross program, and Machman began his brief transformation.

The air around him heated up very quickly, so much so that the air around him burst into flame. Inside the fiery torrent, Machman's spiked orange hair fused together and lengthened into thin, human-like strands of hair, and the excess is woven into a thick braid that ran down to his lower back. His front bangs shone a brilliant white while the rest, including the braid, became a deep crimson. His ear pylons changed to white and red, and lengthened almost half a foot as his eyes began to burn a bright orange. His face mask and golden shoulder plates remained unchanged, but his chest armor was replaced with a crimson cloth shirt, adorned with pairs of gold buttons running down the seam. His waist all the way down to his ankles was covered in a bright white pair of pants, the bottoms emblazoned with flames that seemed to glow almost as brightly as the fire blazing around him. The ends of his gauntlets stretch back to a point, and his wrist jewels glow to trigger his wings' transformation. They paired up and fused together, spreaded out and sharply angled into a pair of shining, black cleaver-like swords. Kaji and Hono floated behind him like the outstretched wings of a raven as the flames died down.

Aera saw his transformation, and began to jump up and down in excitement. However, she stopped as she felt a strange warmth in her body. She could always feel the heat emitted from Machman when crossed, but this heat seemed to come from inside her core programming. Her body actually started to glow for a brief moment before the warmth faded away as Machman emerged from the flames. He took a right step forward and crouched down, ready to drive his feet into the ground and push off to begin the race.

He waited for the boom of the M-Cannon to start off the race, in the meantime he stood perfectly still. As soon as he heard the sound of the cannon and saw the flash, he bolted off the line and picked up speed. He knew he wouldn't have any problem keeping up his speed for the duration of the race, so he didn't hold back. He quickly glanced behind him and realized something. The rules didn't say anything about chip usage, and if he was in the shoes of the other competitors, he wouldn't hesitate to use any means to prevent them from pulling away. On cue, Kaji and Hono crossed over each other behind Machman's back and acted as a base for a large yellow Guard shield.

As soon as the shield went up, Machman continued to pour on the speed. He thought If he got a good enough lead, he would have less competitors to deal with and leave the slower Navi's out of combat range.

ACTIONS:
-Pre-Start-
Engage XIICross_Lvl2 (Change to Fire/Sword, +20HP [73/120HP], +1 Action, +15dmg to all Fire chips)
-Start-
GO!
Guard1: Machman.EXE (Reflect 1 attack for up to 60dmg)
GO!
GO!
Machman opted to activate his XIII cross, sacrificing his gust subtype in favour of a fire and sword combination. The other racers couldn't help but look over, including Burner who suddenly seemed to gain an interest in Machman's new appearance.

Candy finished her count, "...Two. One!"

The M-Cannon was fired and four of the competitors broke into a dash for the finish line - Burner, Frank's navi, Dead Pixel and Machman. Panzer was clearly not built for speed and lagged behind slightly while Slip simply didn't seem to be in that much of a rush. The other racers soon discovered why as the Aqua navi activated an Ice Zone chip, converting the ground near the starting line into a veritable skating rink. Everyone seemed to be affected adversely by the turn of events except for Machman and Slip himself. Dead Pixel seemed to simply slow his advance and carefully treaded across the field at a light pace.

"AGAIN?" Panzer cried out.

The large navi began to slide off course and ended up firing his main cannon in a panic. The explosive blast struck Dead Pixel square in the back and set off an Anti-Damage chip he had prepared. The Heelnavi spun around at the attack and launched three huge shurikens that ripped through Panzer's heavy armour and carved a large gash along his front armoured plate. He let out a cry of agony at the attack and spun the barrel of his weapon side to side to dislodge the blade from himself

Burner reacted to the icy surprise accordingly by setting off a wreath of flames that coated his body. The ice melted into puddles of water under his footsteps, but also splashed up and react badly with his fire output. He winced in pain but kept running.

"Whoa!" Frank's Navi uttered before he slipped completely and fell on his face. However, he maintained his momentum and continued to slide all the way to the edge of the ice where Machman had already rushed to.

Slip glided over the ice quickly and caught up to Burner's position and waved a taunt at the fire navi. Burner ignored it, totally absorbed in catching up with Machman. Machman had pulled up a Guard behind him mid-run which only served to enrage Burner more that Slip's taunt did. So far Machman was in the lead, but in doing so he had earned the attention and animosity of every other racer.

Burner: 280 HP - 2/25 [???]
Panzer: 400 HP - 1/25
Dead Pixel: 231 HP - 2/25
Frank's Navi: 100 HP - 3/25 [slipped -1 action]
Slip: 350 HP - 2/25 [barrier]

Terrain: 85% Normal, 12% Ice, 3% Sea

Machman: 73 HP - 3/25 [fire/sword, +1 action] [Guard1]
Wow, we definitely have some chaos in hot pursuit
[Worse yet, it looks like they are all gunning for you.]
Shields up!
Machman continued to dash forward as the air around his body began to heat up. Heat poured from his metal buttons, shoulder armor, and wrist gems and completely covered his body in a protective layer of superheated air. Hopefully his combination of his Guard1 shield and "Heat Guard" will have thrown a wrench into their plans to slow Mach down. He accelerated and hugged the corners of the track as he tried to widen his lead. He began to move so fast that he started to leave a visible red trail behind him. He knew they would start to come after him with a vengeance, so he drew his twin blades from between his protective layers, one from a yellow shield, and the other from a blanket of superheated air. He brings his blades out to his sides, their leading edges spread out like the wings of an aircraft.


ACTIONS:
Heat Guard: Machman.EXE (60dmg Barrier + 2TCD)
GO!
GO!
GO!
GO!

Active Sigs:
Heat Guard: 2 Turns Remaining
Burner charged forward after Machman, forsaking all else. But he simply couldn't catch up and was one step behind.

Dead Pixel stopped completely at the edge of the ice zone and activated a Countbomb as Panzer passed him by. The tank glanced at the explosive and scoffed, simply advancing past both the navi and bomb and instead targetted Machman with his main cannon. In one devastating blow, the Heat Guard Machman had erected was instantly destabilized and his Guard expended. Panzer took some minor recoil from Machman's rear shield but not nearly enough to stop him.

Frank's Navi picked himself up and tried to pick up the pace to make up for his handicap but wasn't doing too well. He then took notice of the Countbomb that had just been set.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?" The normal navi called out to Dead Pixel, "You're going to blow us all up!"

Frank's Navi ran backwards to deal with Dead Pixel but the Heelnavi stopped him with a one-handed push and summoned a swarm of Skeeters to assail the poor out-of-place racer. The Skeeters drained Frank's Navi and returned to Pixel, rejuvenating him with the stolen energy. The Heelnavi breathed in deeply.

Slip was just as anxious as the other racers to stop Machman and fired an IceWave, but it was too slow and ended up melting before reaching anything at all. He made a disappointed, "Tch" before running after the two fire navis ahead of him.

Burner: 280 HP - 6/25 [???]
Panzer: 380 HP - 3/25
Dead Pixel: 281 HP - 2/25
Frank's Navi: 50 HP - 3/25
Slip: 350 HP - 5/25 [barrier]

Countbomb: 50HP - 2/25 [0/2]

Terrain: 85% Normal, 12% Ice, 3% Sea

Machman: 73 HP - 7/25 [fire/sword, +1 action]
Machman was more impressed than shocked when his guard and protective aura were both taken down in a single blast. However, his mind then switched to survival, since he would probably be decimated by another shot. He also saw Burner was right behind him, thanks to the small sensor bits floating around him.

{I could probably knock this guy out of the race right now, but I haven't even reached the halfway point yet. I'll save my best chips for later, if the need arises.}

Machman let go of his blades, and they floated to his back and swung into position as a pair of small chainguns materialized on the side of each of Machman's forearms. They started to spin up with a pair of high-pitched whines as Machman spun 180 degrees and faced Burner behind him. His feet slid on the ground as he spun around and threw up a shower of sparks. He continued to maintain his path down the track as he pointed both of his vulcan guns forward towards Burner, and Slip right behind him.

Back off.

Machman opened fire, his vulcans erupted with flames and hot lead with a rumbling roar. His arms, chest, and face were illuminated by the muzzle flashes of his vulcans, it seemed like one continuous flash since the guns were firing nearly a hundred rounds down range in the span of a couple seconds. Machman's vulcans spooled down, their red-hot glows died down quickly as they fragmented and disappeared. Machman turned back to the path ahead and picked up the pace as he raised his last guard shield behind him. He also took advantage of the opportunity and hugged the corners of the track to prevent himself from being directly in front of the pursuing Navis. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold them off for long, but he'd might as well get as far out ahead while he still could.

ACTIONS:
Rising Barrage: Burner, Slip [if Burner Dodges] (25dmg x4 + Breaking + 4TCD + Strategic Action [Move out of direct line of fire]
Guard1: Machman.EXE (Reflect 1 attack back for up to 60dmg)
GO!
GO!
GO!

Active Sigs:
Heat Guard: 1 Turn Remaining
Rising Barrage: 4 Turns Remaining
Frank's Navi started to crawl away from Dead Pixel but the Heelnavi wouldn't give up his quarry that easily. He continued to sap the life out of the helpless navi with another Drain. An Undershirt program saved the poor navi from being deleted. Unable to take any more torture, he jacked out and left the race. Having not even cleared a fifth of the track, Frank's navi's premature departure cut the number of racers down to five. Dead Pixel looked back at his Countbomb and then at the other racers who were well down the line. He needed to catch up somehow.

Panzer was only slightly ahead and added another set of armoured plates around his body, reinforcing the Glacias plate and armoured skirt by a few extra degrees. In a change of tactics, he tracked Machman with his main cannon but suddenly opened fire with the small machine gun mounted on the turret.

Machman had already started gunning down Burner with his own vulcan and shifted slightly to avoid the majority of the Panzer's shots. While only one of the tank navi's rounds struck Machman, Burner took every hit from the Rising Barrage and refused to back down, forging ahead to tie with Machman's lead. It took everything he had, but Burner had finally caught up. Machman pulled up a Guard to protect himself from further harm while shifting to the edge of the track.

Slip was ready to take advantage of this opportunity to attack but stopped at the onset of Machman's guard. Slip decided to bide his time and simply tried to keep up for now.

Burner: 180 HP - 10/25 [???]
Panzer: 370 HP - 5/25 [1-hit shield]
Dead Pixel: 300 HP - 4/25
Frank's Navi: EJO
Slip: 350 HP - 8/25 [barrier]

Countbomb: 50 HP - 2/25 [1/2]

Terrain: 85% Normal, 12% Ice, 3% Sea

Machman: 63 HP - 10/25 [fire/sword, +1 action] [Guard1]
Machman was surprised to see Burner's absolute determination; he shrugged off the vulcan rounds and continued to close in until he was neck and neck with Mach. He didn't even try to dodge, let alone counter attack.
I'm impressed, Burner! You really want to win th-
[Mach, we have a problem. We aren't going to get out of range of that bomb at this rate! Take it out before it destroys all of you!]
Understood.

Machman continued forward and kept up his speed as his right arm transformed into a cylindrical buster. A bright orange light started to glow deep within the barrel, and shone out its end. Machman rotated back to the starting point of the track and quickly picked out the bomb sitting on the track. Machman tapped into his sensor relays and aimed his buster towards the bomb; he barely needed the sensors due to the straight, flat track. He steadies himself and launched a fiery explosive round towards the bomb. Its warhead should be able to successfully take out the bomb, and cover the immediate area in flames and debris. Machman turned back towards the end of the track and picked up the pace before he shot a glance back to Burner.

May the best Navi win.

ACTIONS:
Heatshot1: CountBomb (65dmg Fire + Splash)
GO!
GO!
GO!
GO!

Active Sigs:
Heat Guard: Ready next turn
Rising Barrage: 3 Turns Remaining
((I accidentally overwrote this entry. Had to rewrite it :C))

Machman's Heatshot round scored a direct hit on Dead Pixel and splashed past him to destroy the Countbomb. In an odd happenstance, the Countbomb's imminent explosion and Heatshot reacted together. Instead of creating an area-wide explosion, the result was a concentrated concussive burst of energy that shot Dead Pixel across the track. His body bounced past Burner and Machman like a rag doll before skidding to a halt nearly three quarters of the way down. He laid in a crumpled heap but was still alive.

Seeing Burner and Machman neck and neck, Panzer widened the barrel of his main cannon and fired while making his ever slow advance. Machman's Guard reflected his half of the damage and took out the remainder of Panzer's reinforced armour, but Burner was not as fortunate. He was struck with the full force of the attack, causing him to falter and break his tentative tie with Machman. Though he hobbled and skipped, Burner refused to fall and quickly resumed a normal running stance. In addition, his body produced an aura of protective flames in response to his critical health.

Meanwhile, Slip simply continued to move along at his own pace.

Burner: 100 HP - 13/25 [???] [fireaura2]
Panzer: 370 HP - 7/25
Dead Pixel: 135 HP - 18/25 [downed -1 action]
Frank's Navi: EJO
Slip: 350 HP - 12/25 [barrier]

Terrain: 85% Normal, 12% Ice, 3% Sea

Machman: 63 HP - 14/25 [fire/sword, +1 action]
Machman watched as the HeelNavi sailed over his head and hit the ground ahead.
Wow. That's one way to fly...
[It looks like he hit the ground hard. He may be ahead, but he's not going to stay in front of you for long. Get ready to defend yourself before the home stretch!]
Roger that.

Machman's body heat increased in intensity and formed a protective aura out of superheated flames. He knew if he didn't sacrifice any speed, he would quickly overtake the HeelNavi and get to the finish line. He quickened his pace and surged ahead. He knew he would draw fire from Panzer, but it was the HeelNavi he was really worried about.

ACTIONS:
Heat Guard: Machman.EXE (60dmg Barrier + 2TCD)
GO!
GO!
GO!
GO!

Active Sigs:
Heat Guard: 2 Turns Remaining
Rising Barrage: 2 Turns Remaining