Warming Up

ACDC Net, the relatively calm and peaceful network designed to encompass the quiet suburb of ACDC Town. It was a well protected spot, guarded from the terrors that lurked deep within the internet by the NetPolice and the countless NetBattlers that travel through the town on their way to destinations unknown. It was as good a place as any to work out the kinks and clear off the dust.

Thunder rumbled overhead and a crimson lightning bolt ripped through the sky and smashed into the earth. In the wake of the bolt stood a Navi clad in black leather armor and a blood red gi under a long, ragged cloak. The Navi's face was concealed in shadows, the hood of his cloak raised over his head. In the Navi's left hand was a long wooden staff carved in polished ebony. The staff was slightly curved in an s-bow to allow the Navi to use it from a more natural stance. There was a black leather cord wrapped around the middle of the staff that could be unwound in order to wear the weapon across the back. Attached to the head of the staff was a long steel blade, curved like a sickle and reaching about three feet. The blade was stained a deep red, almost burgundy, and iridescent.

"Alright," a woman's voice slipped through the silence of ACDC Net. "Are you in?"

"Yes Miss Scarlett," the Navi answered, its voice a rich baritone. "I am in ACDC, am I not?"

"Yes Crimson. You have been out of commission for a number of months and I thought it best for us to work out the bugs before we took on any official work. We wouldn't want to look bad in front of our clients, now would we?"

"Definitely not, Miss. Though, why am I being activated after such a long hiatus?"

"We're back on the job, silly. I've had more than my fill of laying low and the reserve funds are running dry. I'm sorry I couldn't activate you sooner, but I was afraid of the NetPolice tracking you down after that fiasco in Netopia. I figured that keeping you offline until things calmed down and I could do some traveling would be best for us both."

"I completely understand, Scarlett. There is no need to apologize. Well then, we can catch up later. Shall we initiate the training sequence?"

"No, I think we'll just see what comes up. It may be prudent for us to tackle some live viruses as opposed to the TrainingProgs that I have set up."

"Whatever is fine by me."

The Navi, Crimson.Exe, switched his grip of his scythe and slung the weapon over his shoulder. He strode down the path, walking deeper into ACDC Net.

((Requesting Battle, I guess.))
Things started out fine for Crimson. A small group of Metools happens to cross the navi but they were immediately intimidated by Crimson's appearance. It looked like they were about to run away, but they pulled all of their courage and pulled their pickaxes. Squealing out in a cute war cry, they headed towards the Scythe wielding navi!

MetoolA: 40
MetoolB: 40
MetoolC: 40

Crimson.EXE: 100

Terrain: 100% Normal

-BATTLE ONE, START!-
"Hmmm..." Crimson mused as he observed his first challengers. "Metools, eh? This shouldn't be much of a challenge."

"No, but it will serve as a fine warm up," Scarlett noted. "Do me proud, Crimson."

"Yes Miss Scarlett."

Crimson slid his scythe from his shoulder as he examined the trio of Metool. They were the weakest of viruses, cowards really unless bolstered by numbers. Even with his long hiatus, he doubted that he would have much trouble. He would finish them off with one strike.

"Scarlett," he called to his operator. "Send me the fireblade and let's finish this."

"Um," Scarlett paused before continuing in a slightly embarrassed tone. "No can do, Crimson. When I said that the funds were running low, I meant it. I had to trade most of your upgrades and BattleChips. We are starting from scratch until I can scrounge up the zenny to restock."

"What...?" Crimson was slightly dumbfounded by his NetOp's admission. "You sold everything? How are we supposed to do our job without equipment?"

"I didn't sell everything, just most of it. And I suppose we'll just have to rebuild our cache by taking out little guys like those until we get a paying job."

"Fine...What do we have?"

"I kept the basics in upgrades and we have a cannon, shotgun and rage claw."

"Tch, not much but I suppose its usable. Send me all of the chips and I'll take it from there."

With those three paltry BattleChips at his disposal, there was no way that Crimson would be able to take out the three Metool with one strike. Still, he might be able to end it quickly and deny them the chance to strike back. The Navi could feel the BattleChips being downloaded into his system, a surge of power that left him tingling. He lift his arm, holding his scythe out to his right and parallel to the ground.

Crimson directed the rush of energy into his scythe, the red blade flaring to life and glowing with a demonic light. He held the scythe with his right hand at just above the center of the length of wood. He grasped the end of the staff with his left hand and took a few quick steps forward. At the end of his third step, Crimson swung the scythe, cleaving the air and sending a wave of energy hurdling toward two of the Metools. The wave soared across the battlefield, heading straight toward the closest of the viruses. With luck, it would slice through the first Metool and cut deep into the other as well.
Crimson spun into a quick pirouette, charging his scythe once more, and let loose a second blast of energy at the second Metool in line. The energy spiraled through the air, zooming toward the timid virus with murderous intent. If the first blast hadn't finished it off, this one certainly would.

The Navi stared down the third Metool, a smirk splaying across his shadowed face. It was time for him to go up close and personal, his specialty. Crimson crouched low, holding the scythe out in front of him. He channeled the last of power from the BattleChips into the weapon, altering its shape and augmenting its strength. Twin sickles materialized, each hovering in midair on either side of the scythe blade. Using his crouched position to spring forward, Crimson leapt toward the Metool in a mad dash. He held the scythe at an angle behind him as he ran, poised to strike, to reap its bloody harvest. As the Navi neared his final victim, he swung the weapon, hoping to shear through the virus' yellow helmet and deep into its black core.

Summary:
1. Shotgun(50) to MetoolA with splash(50) to MetoolB
2. Cannon(40) to MetoolB
3. RageClaw(40) to MetoolC
Crimson attacks the first Metool, clearing it away with a powerful wave of energy. The residual effects pass over to the second Met in the group, granting it a similar fate to its predecessor. Since he managed to take out both targets in one shot, he stares down at the third and final Metool, and readies his trio of wicked blades. The Metool stares up at the Navi, and takes action.

*Meep!*
The virus retreats under its helmet, drawing its body and cartoonishly large feet inside its protective yellow helmet. Crimson brings his blades down, but they clang and scrape across the viruses shell, merely scratching at the surface.

MetoolA: DELETED
MetoolB: DELETED
MetoolC: 40 [Under Helmet]

Crimson.EXE: 100 [RageClaw]

Terrain: 100% Normal
"Hm," Crimson muttered to himself as he glared at the final Metool. "You have just ruined my swift and easy victory."

"What was that?" Scarlett asked.

"Nothing Miss Scarlett. Though I am a tad irritated by this cowardly virus."

"Well, what do you expect what with the way you brutally decimated its partners."

"I suppose. Oh well."

Crimson towered over the hiding virus, augmented scythe pulsating with the power of the RageClaw BattleChip. The Metool's helmet was a near impenetrable defense and he lacked the weaponry to smash through the yellow shell. He would need to be clever and upturn the virus, helmet and all. Crimson raised one boot in order to apply pressure to the Metool and make sure it wouldn't pop up and attack him while he prepared to flip it. The Navi switched his grip on his scythe, holding it as one would hold a farmer's hoe. He struck the ground next to the Metool, hoping to dig the scythe blades underneath the virus. Crimson switched his grip again and, stepping off the Metool, he twisted his whole body and brought the scythe up and down in an overhead chop that was supposed to lift the Metool and smash it into the ground in front of him.

That should do it. Crimson thought. But just in case...

Crimson swung his scythe in front of him, twisting his torso and spinning on one foot to gain momentum. He brought the scythe back down and slashed at the Metool once more. The trio of blades rippled with energy as the weapon cleaved through the still air toward its prey. With luck, this last strike would end the battle once and for all.

Summary:
1. Step on Metool to stop it from attacking.
2. RageClaw(20) to lift Metool and slam it into the ground on its helmet.
3. RageClaw(40) to Metool.
((Bump!))
Crimson firmly places his foot onto the top of the Metool's helm, preventing the Metool's escape and counter attack as it went *MEEEP* under the helm. Crimson then flips it's ass over and strikes it soon after, felling the poor Metool. Several moments later, he eyes data in the corpse of the first Metool.

MetoolA: DELETED
MetoolB: DELETED
MetoolC: ELIMINATED

Crimson.EXE: 100 [RageClaw]

Terrain: 100% Normal

Rewards: 50z+Guard1 chip data
"Tch," Crimson muttered as he flicked his nose with his thumb. "The bastard messed up my groove."

"You beat him, though." Scarlett answered. "And it seems like we've received a BattleChip for our victory."

"The first of many. I wonder how long it will take to replace everything that you sold?"

"Too long..." Scarlett sighed. "We may have to take some jobs at less than 100%."

"Well, let's get going."

Crimson scooped up the remaining data from the trio of Metools and beamed the important stuff to the PET before continuing deeper into ACDC.

((Battle 2, please))
((Bump!))
((Bump!))
Crimson travels further into the net, encountering stationary cannons and cowardly shrubs that race around the back of the cannons. Could this be a simple battle? Who knows? Get ready to fight!

CannondumbA: 50 HP
CannondumbB: 50 HP
CannondumbC: 50 HP
ShrubbyA: 50 HP (Behind CDA)
ShrubbyB: 50 HP (Behind CDB)
ShrubbyC: 50 HP (Behind CDC)

Terrain: 100% Normal

Crimson.exe: 100 HP

-BATTLE 2-
-GO-
"Ha!" Crimson laughed. "It looks like we've done so well that our enemies have doubled."

"Well," Scarlett countered. "Let's hope that the trend doesn't continue. We barely have the BattleChips available to take out these six, let alone any more."

"True, though these things look pathetic. See how the shrub things are hiding behind the cannons?" Crimson paused, weighing the chances of a trap or if the viruses were tougher than they looked. "I should be careful though. Send me the Shotgun and the Cannon to start with."

Crimson surged with power as Scarlett complied with his request. The data from the two BattleChips rushed through his body, beginning to be released. He channeled the energy into his scythe, the blade flaring to life with a blazing aura. The weapon flickered hungrily, demanding to lay waste to the viruses and feast upon their code.

Crimson focused his attention to the trio of cannons that stood in his path. They were stationary turrets, once used by the NetPolice but now controlled by viruses to attack the Navi it used to protect. They were useful, but ultimately worthless. Still, they could pose a problem if they attacked en mass. He would have to take them out fast and hope that the shrubs were too frightened to counter him.

The scythe's blood red aura flashed brightly as Crimson loaded the ShotGun BattleChip into place. He held the scythe in both hands, holding the blade back behind his shoulder as he took aim at the center of the cannons. He took a few quick steps forward and slashed down the with scythe, sending a wave of dark energy toward one of the cannons. It spiraled through the air, hurdling toward Crimson's prey. With luck, the wave would strike one of the cannons and then continue on to take out another one as well.

The Navi took a few steps to his left, strafing around the cannons while twirling the scythe in front of him in an effort to distort his image and throw off the aim of the viruses. He loaded the second BattleChip, charging the scythe with its power. He took aim at the third cannon in line and let swing with his weapon, slicing through the aim and sending a blast of energy toward the turret. The blast soared across the battlefield, like an owl diving down on a mouse.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:
1. ShotGun(50) to CannondumbA, spread(50) to CannondumbB
2. Dodge left
3. Cannon(40) to CannondumbC
((Bump))
The two Cannondumbs were utterly destroyed by the destructive shotgun-powered energy blades. The sole surviving Cannondumb immediately fired hazardously towards Crimson, but the navi dodged all the shots with ease and sent another blade to nearly cleave the virus in half. Now, the two Shrubby hiding behind was out in the open and they prepared for battle as well!

CannondumbA: DELETED
CannondumbB: DELETED
CannondumbC: 10 HP
ShrubbyA: 50 HP [EXPOSED]
ShrubbyB: 50 HP [EXPOSED]
ShrubbyC: 50 HP [Behind CDC]

Terrain: 100% Normal

Crimson.exe: 100 HP