Mission: Curbing anomaly

Logging in through the coordinates stated by the LocDAT, Rhea simply materialized into ACDC Net.

Holding the piece of digital paper, the Navi read through it. "I do not see much details given," Rhea commented, which Camillia just huffed. "Well, that's alright. Let's just do our best, Rhea."

Then the Navi nodded and walked off in a random direction, according to her imaginary instincts.
Rhea appeared deep within the ACDCNetwork, which was desolate compared to the normally bustling, link-filled fringes of ACDCNet. However, there was a single green prog standing there, apparently waiting for her. It approached and spoke up with a somewhat quiet voice.

Hi there, you must be Rhea.EXE. Since we had to contact you indirectly via the GNA, we decided to have one of us talk to you in person, to give you the particulars.

The prog turned a few degrees to the right, and seemed to point with its eyes.

You see, we have been getting reports of a strange data anomaly a few units in that direction. Some of the Navis' BBS posts described a ghostly figure, with two commonly seen distinctive features: piercing orange eyes, and spiky, metallic hair. These posts are making other users fear for their safety, and the amount of traffic in the network has fallen, which doesn't help with virus control. We believe this is the work of a gang, either by creating an illusion of a "ghost," or corroborating together to fabricate this story and post it on the BBS.

The prog then turned back to Rhea with it's shiny, oval-shaped yellow eyes.

So, we would like you to head to the area and attempt to find this "anomaly." If you do not find it at all, it may help us dispel these rumors, but it would be even more helpful if you find the anomaly and determine if it actually exists and isn't some illusion or prank. Just be careful, the viruses are kind of abundant in this area, since our normal stream of virus busting Navis has diminished due to the rumors.

((Post ready to begin battle #1))
"To prove a ghost right or wrong, eh?" Camillia muttered from the private audio chat, which Rhea just nodded solemnly in response to. Camillia took a pen and started scribbling the description of the 'ghost' on a piece of paper, while her Navi just took the liberty to memorize it. "So I only have to proceed and search for the source of these rumours, am I right?" Rhea said in her signature straight face, then politely bowed to the program.

"I will beware. Thank you for your information," she said, then was heading towards the direction the program 'pointed' at. And the relatively greenhorn Navi did pay attention to her surroundings and was on guard, even if she was walking.
Rhea started off in the direction the prog pointed, and quickly looked back. The prog tilted to one side in some form of a "wave" to Rhea.

Good luck, Rhea! We look forward to your findings!

The prog then beamed out of the network, and Rhea was then alone. Or... at least she thought she was. However, she felt as if someone was watching her; waiting. She then heard the coarse howl of Spikey viruses, and turned to see a pair of them approaching her. She backed up, but a pair of white Spooky viruses slowly came into view behind her.

Viruses Identified!

SpikeyA: 90HP
SpikeyB: 90HP
SpookyA: 30HP
SpookyB: 30HP

Terrain: 100% Normal

Rhea.EXE: 100HP [Surrounded!] ((Spikeys in front, Spookys behind))

-(Mission Battle #1: Hounds and Ghouls! Ready, Fight!)-
"Well, that was pretty cute of the program," Camillia noted, eager to strike conversation with Rhea after the encounter. If anything, it was the golden chance to get to know her Navi better. Rhea simply nodded, her eyes preoccupied on her surroundings, realizing that she was now alone.

... Or she thought that she was. Navigator Rhea's alertness heightened when she heard the viruses' howl, and soon she was surrounded. "Holy-- These're viruses I've never seen before!" Camillia panicked, the digital swordswoman biting her non-existant lip. Apparently, her human partner still was not organized and collective enough to handle battle situations. It was also not helping that this was their first battle alone.

Actions spoke louder than words. Rhea will just prove to Camillia that she could do it; even if Rhea had no confidence in herself. Eyeing that the terrain had no dangerous substances, her gaze moved to the viruses in front of her, instead. Four. Two beast-like, blue-hued hound and two... floating, almost adorable-like ghosts. While the ghost didn't look entirely threatening, the Spikeys sure did. It would be dangerous to stay within the circle-- she would have to move out of it.

"Wait, what do you think you're doing--" the wheelchaired girl cut her off. "Prepare the ideal chips, Camillia. I am counting on you," the navi said, and the operator fell silent. There wasn't anything I could do other than panic, eh? Camillia smacked herself mentally, and went to fish the four chips that she owned. Lesee... Rhea's counting on me... Uh... Just which do I use?!

Brandishing her buster generator, the energy blade on her swordarm whizzed to life in tiny, bright data particles, the width of the blade wider than usual. Without warning or battle stance, Rhea just gracefully spun and moved towards the Spookys behind her. Her aim wasn't to attempt to take their digital, ghostly lives away, however. Her aim was only to get out. She quickened her feet and widened her steps, almost looking as if she was skipping. If the Spookys challenged her, she replied with her blade-- but didn't counter back.


Summary of actions:
1) Parried Charge (2-hit shield, 1 tactical movement from being surrounded)-- to see if tactical movement was successful

2 and 3) TURN SPLICE
Rhea managed to slip her way between the two ghostly viruses, one of them completely miscalculated Rhea's next action and disappeared in an attempt to avoid an incoming attack, which never came. Rhea was then outside of the viral group, with at least 1 spooky in front of her, with 2 Spikeys even further out in front.


SpikeyA: 90HP
SpikeyB: 90HP
SpookyA: 30HP
SpookyB: 30HP [Disappeared]

Terrain: 100% Normal

Rhea.EXE: 100HP [2-hit shield]
((2 Actions Remaining))
... The ghost disappeared! Rhea freaked out slightly from the disappearance, but quickly remained composition. Keeping her energy blade activated, Camillia came to the rescue with the help of a good chip choice-- the shotgun.

The weapon gave a resounding click as Rhea spun the shotgun, snapping the barrel back into place before taking the liberty to take aim. She wasn't entirely good with her left arm, so she wasn't willing to let the battlechip go to waste. Rhea took in a breath to steady and tighten her grip, face frowned in concentration.

Then she let loose the high calibre shell at the other, still-visible ghostlike virus. Now useless, the shotgun was thrown away as it clattered noisily across the floor before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Prior to Rhea standing properly, though--

... A RageClaw came into sight. Materializing not-very-conveniently on her right boot, looking ready to be kicked into any unlucky chap like a bootknife. Rhea would have facepalmed if she had the time. But she didn't. On another hand, Camillia had already succumbed into fits of laughter. Whatever it was, Rhea had no choice but to make use of it. ... So she promptly went to kick the nearest hound, letting the momentum guide her feet to attempt to bury the RageClaw blade into the Spikey, all the while with her energy blade raised, ready to deflect any attack that might come at her way.

... Where did the missing Spooky go? Rhea idly wondered amidst the chaos.

Summary of actions:
2) Shotgun - 50 DMG, Splash1 - At SpookyA, possible splash to something else
3) RageClaw1 - 40DMG, Slashing - SpikeyA
Rhea opened fire on the Spooky virus with a powerful shotgun blast, which blew away the ghostly virus, and sprayed one of the Spikeys with a cone of shrapnel. The Spikey slouched to the ground, but the 2nd Spooky re-appeared and the Spikey was then enveloped in a green glow. The light quickly faded, revealing that some of the Spikey's wounds had completely healed, and it quickly countered with a fireball. It's partner also did the same, but both shots were quickly parried by Rhea's blade.

She then attacked the damaged Spikey with a swift kick from her clawed boot. Her kick found it's mark, and left several gashes near the Spikey's right shoulder.


SpikeyA: 30HP
SpikeyB: 90HP
SpookyA: DELETED
SpookyB: 30HP

Terrain: 100% Normal

Rhea.EXE: 100HP [shields destroyed]
Her energy blade scattered under the heavy firepower (pun intended), causing Rhea to take a few steps backwards to recover from the brief numbness. She didn't know programs could feel that kind of shock, too-- well, now she did. Before Camillia could speak in response, Rhea just threw a thumbs up, piecing together what happened a few moments before in the back of her mind. So the ghost healed it's ally...

... Ah, so the wraith-like viruses were supportive units. That might spell trouble. Raising the priority to eliminate the Spooky to the highest rank, Rhea withdrew her claw of a boot and spun, throwing it at the direction of the support Spooky. Lowering the bladed foot to the ground, she spurted as swiftly as possible towards the bleeding Spikey, hoping to end the digital life of the hound as well. When the Spikey was in range, Rhea didn't spin her bladed feet like before-- instead, she kicked upwards from the ground in a jumping-kick like action. She later promptly landed with her feet securely on the ground, taking a tumble towards a general safer direction.

There was shuffling from the other side of her communication-- the sound signalling that her operator was reaching, or looking for, the next chip to use. "Guard," Rhea said briefly-- later, she heard an 'oh' and a click.

The purple-haired Navi's generator roared to life, producing a round, slightly curved object half the size of Rhea's frame-- seemingly like a magenta-hued contact lens. Holding that arm (along with the shield-like apparatus) over her head, the Navi later fidgeted and tilted it slightly lower at the direction of the Spikeys. Rhea was wearing a face similar to a hunter lying in wait.

Summary of actions:
1) RageClaw1[5/6] - 40DMG, Slashing - SpookyB
2) RageClaw1[4/6] - 40DMG, Slashing - SpikeyA
Passive - Swordplay, free dodge
3) Guard1 - Reflect 60DMG, once
Rhea threw a slashing kick to the Spooky virus, which caused it to tear like a piece of paper and disappear as quickly as it arrived. She then launched a second kick at the wounded Spikey and sent her clawed boot under it's jaw. The hard crack almost launched the Spikey off the ground, but the impact also severely damaged the blades, which crumbled as Rhea rolled away from the virus. The remaining Spikey launched a fireball in response, but the attack was reflected back.

SpikeyA: DELETED
SpikeyB: 60HP
SpookyA: DELETED
SpookyB: DELETED

Terrain: 100% Normal

Rhea.EXE: 100HP [Rageclaw Broken]
The Rageclaw cracked and crumbled like sand from her boot as Rhea regained her footing, running up to greet the sole remaining enemy, hiking the noise level emanating from her energy generator to produce a bright blade. She swung her blade diagonally, looking ferocious when Rhea really was not putting strength behind the strike. Nonetheless, her face remained determined to kill...

The moment she felt that her act was enough to divert the enemy's attention, she fell back from the Spikey, the battery charge within her systems readying itself to integrate into the next chip Camillia might send in. "Um... Cannon?" the operator said, unsure, which Rhea just nodded to.

Rhea gave a small smirk as the Cannon materialized before her and fell into her waiting palms, the charged particles flowing through her fingertips into the weapon. The Navi looked up at the Spikey once, then raised the artillery. When the almost-comical cannonball-like bullet shot out, it looked normal. Very normal. In fact, it looked no different from a normal shot from a normal cannon.

Summary of actions:
1) SigAttack: One Damage?! (Slashing, Break, 1 DMG, Strengthen 39) - SpikeyB
2) Dodge
3) Cannon (40 DMG, Knockback, +39 Strengthen) - SpikeyB
Though it may have indeed been a normal cannon shot from a normal cannon battlechip, Rhea's stored up power which she put behind the attack practically obliterated the Spikey, and left nothing in it's place.

Victory!

SpikeyA: DELETED
SpikeyB: DELETED
SpookyA: DELETED
SpookyB: DELETED

Terrain: 100% Normal

Rhea.EXE: 100HP
Rewards: Heatshot1, 50z
"Anti-viral procedural objectives accomplished," Rhea commented, the cannon nowhere in sight even though there were still smoke coming from Rhea's fingertips. She proceeded to pick up the spoils-- a new, unknown chip, and small amount of zenny. "But I didn't see anything that the Mr. Prog described..." Rhea raised a hand and tapped at her temples. "Hair of metallic, spiked quality, and orange eyes. I do not recall seeing such figure in the encounter just now.

"This means we have to keep looking. Let's go, Rhea," Camillia breathed, a free hand reaching for the water bottle that was in her bag.

"... Roger that."

[Ready for anything else thrown at their way!]
Rhea continued forward and deeper into the network. As she wandered further and further in, she started to notice some odd things. She saw old, broken shells of defeated viruses, and evidence of combat in the area, including scratched, burned, and broken panels. She stopped as she heard the sounds of footfalls approaching her position. Seemingly out of nowhere, a group of metools came stampeding towards her, with panic in their beady eyes.

Viruses Identified!

MetoolA: 40HP
MetoolB: 35HP
MetoolC: 10HP
MetoolD: 20HP

Terrain: 50% Normal, 40% Cracked, 10% Rubble ((Can ensnare or impede movement when traversed))

Viral Rubble A-D: 1HP each ((Spread randomly over area))

Rhea.EXE: 100HP

-(Battle #2: Panic in the streets! Ready, Fight!)-
"... What the, holy--" Camillia was commenting, mostly at the rubble and the ruins. That didn't look really good. Rumbling could be heard from far, far off from Rhea's position...

Rhea saw the stampeding Metools coming at her way. But with the fear evident in their eyes, Rhea just watched her footing and ran to avoid their path, not eager to be part of the panic parade. If they were running that fast, there was something even bigger than the Metools at the back. Rhea wanted to get a glimpse of the said creature and be prepared for it. So she left the Metools alone.

On her way out, she called for the Rageclaw from Camillia and picked up one of the Viral rubbles with the claw blades.

Summary of actions:
1) Tactical Movement - Watching footing and moving out of the way of the Metools
2) Dodge
3) Pickup Viral Rubble (any) - with RageClaw1
Rhea managed to get out of the path of the stampeding metools, which payed no attention to her and kept running on their original path. She then scooped up a claw-full of viral rubble. She then continued forward, and saw something in the distance. About 50 feet away, the panels on the ground were scorched black in a circular shape, apparently from a large explosion of some kind. What would cause that kind of lasting damage out here on the network?

Metools: FLED

Rhea.EXE: 100HP [RageClaw] [Holding Viral Rubble]

[[u]Investigate?[/u]]
[Y/N]
"Wow.. That's some amazing explosion, whatever that caused it," Camillia gulped, staring at the wide diameter and circumference of the scorched panels. "But nothing will be done if we just stand here," Rhea remarked. "I shall proceed with caution."

Then she was off, the rubble still in her claw-like arm.

[Investigate: Y]
Rhea decided to continue forward, and towards the blackened ring of panels. As she approached, the network seemed to be eerily silent, where nothing could be heard except for Rhea's soft footfalls and the sound of her own digital heart; beating. There had to be something here, since those Metools wouldn't just run in a panic from a little flicker of light, or some sort of glitch. She then stopped, her entire body felt a sensation that she wasn't alone. The silence was deafening. But wait, something was there in the silence. A voice?

Heh... hehehehe...

Heeheehee!

She heard the voice coming from behind her, and quickly rotated 180 degrees, her sword at the ready, and faced the....





































Heelnavi... A black Heelnavi slowly came into view, like an image showing through a wet piece of paper before clarifying. The Heelnavi was clutching it's sides, apparently having a good ol' time.

HAHAHAHA! Look at those weaklings run! *cackle* These Invis2 chips are great stuff, I can't believe that stupid Navi just dropped them and ran once he saw me.

The Heelnavi then noticed Rhea, and turned towards her with a mischievous smirk.

Hey there, good lookin'! What's a girl like you doing out here? It's dangerous, you know...

The HeelNavi put his hands on his hips, arched his back, and laughed with the scariest laugh/cackle he could muster.

You'd better hope you aren't afraid of ghosts... cus you're lookin' at one!


ENEMY IDENTIFIED


HeelNavi: 200HP

Terrain: 50% Normal, 40% Cracked, 10% Rubble ((Can ensnare or impede movement when traversed))

Rhea.EXE: 100HP [RageClaw] [Holding Viral Rubble]

-(Battle #3: Who ya gonna call? Ready, Fight!)-
Rhea patiently listened to the ramblings of the Heelnavi, absorbing every word like a sponge to water. This was no ordinary Navi... Something just didn't feel right-- especially when she heard the line of him picking up an uncommon battlechip, and scaring off another Navi.

The swordfighter Navi stood very still when the Heelnavi turned to address her, and it occured to her that she felt like wiping the smirk off his face. But no, Rhea just managed to keep her composure and blinked dumbly at the black, ghostly figure. "Pleasure to meet you, Black Ghost-san," Rhea said simply, almost like a gesture of politeness.

'Then she threw the rubble at the Heelnavi's face. Rhea couldn't wait to pounce her way into the action. When the rubble started to leave her claws to disperse in one general direction, the purple-haired pseudo-investigator propelled herself into the air towards the to-be assailant, throwing the RageClaw downwards with the furiosity of a... er... a bear. Then Rhea, the cool and calm Navi, landed on both of her feet in a crouching position before swiping up with the sharp claws again!'

... Camillia frowned at her mental description of the situation. Did it sound too egoistically inflated, or was it overly exaggerating? Perhaps she needed to write it down somewhere to see what went wrong... But this wasn't the time. The NetOp's attention was back at the PET screen at the moment where Rhea was rolling her way out of the range of the Heelnavi, her knees and whole body moving at the speed of a... tumbleweed. Yes, that was it. Good metaphor there, the redhead mused.

On another hand, Rhea herself was actually pretty busy with trying to avoid getting herself stuck in random rubbles or whatever that may impede her avoidance procedure. It was fortunate that all those hideous description happened only in Camillia's head.



Summary of actions:
1) Throw rubble at HeelNavi!
2) RageClaw1 - 40DMG, Slashing - Heelnavi
3) RageClaw1 - 40DMG, Slashing - Heelnavi
Passive- Swordplay - Dodging
Ya scared now, girlie? I'm gonna- HEY!!

The Heelnavi shielded his face as he was pelted with viral rubble like a handful of sand. He wiped the debris from his visor, only to see Rhea's blade sink into his chest. He reeled back, but couldn't avoid Rhea's second rising slash. He snarled as he quickly summoned a cannon over his arm and fired at Rhea, but she rolled out of the way with ease. The Heelnavi glared over at her, but he was reminded of his own "trump card," and began to chuckle.

Hehehehe... I'm this is just getting started.

The Heelnavi started to walk around Rhea, as parts of his body started to become transparent. After only a few steps, his entire body vanished. However, his voice still echoed through the network, and the faint tapping of his footfalls were heard.

Ya can't hit what ain't there, toots.



HeelNavi: 119HP [Invisible]

Terrain: 50% Normal, 40% Cracked, 10% Rubble ((Can ensnare or impede movement when traversed))

Viral Rubble A: 1HP [Left of Heelnavi's former position]
Viral Rubble B: 1HP [On Rhea's immediate right]
Viral Rubble C: 1HP [Behind Rhea]

Rhea.EXE: 100HP [RageClaw]