HighwayMan, bad beginnings

HighwayMan checks out the viruses assembled near him and gives a smirk. "Well well, talk about service! I ask for some punching bags and here they are", he says proceeding a chuckle. He had gotten into tangles with Champus a lot and but honestly he had never seen a punching bag before. If the things weren't looking at him he would be inclined to just pass them off as random training gear or something.

"Hey Rei, pass me the Shockwave and the Shotgun", he says as the chain extends once again from his sword, hanging low as he grabs the dagger in his other hand. He flicks his wrists and the chain flies up and drapes behind his neck like a mantle as he waits.

His operator blinks, sure she heard wrong "Shockwave? Didn't you just get done saying it was garbage?", she asks as she double-checks the alignment of the chip and the PET, makes sure it's facing the wrong way and slides both chips in.

The navi shrugs as chip data fills his mind. "I said it's gotta have a good setup and luck. They are all crowded around so setup is good. Just testin' luck". He raises his sword and dagger and takes a step forward, before tossing them up a moment, using his advanced speed, he catches them again in an inverted grip before they get far or tug against the chain. He finishes the maneuver by slamming the pair into the ground, and sending a shockwave from the point of impact to fly towards his foes!

Standing a moment and gauging his foes, HighwayMan raises his hand and in a blast of green fire, it becomes a double-barrel shotgun. With a twisted grin, he unloads the weapon towards the Champus. The moment gone, in another flash of green flame his hand is returned to normal.

Knowing the Champu's love for teleporting around and throwing punches, the navi decides to grab his grounded blades by the chain and holds it in the middle as he spins around and whips both ends around in a dangerous dance, hopefully making his foes hesitate to engage in melee.

1 - Use Battlechip: Shockwave (40 + Line Attack + Ground Attack) @ ChampuA

2 - Use Battlechip: Shotgun (50+Spread1) @ ChampuB

3 - Intimidate foes with weapon display

A smack of his blades down onto the ground sent a shockwave towards the viruses, taking out a chunk of a Champu and Powies' health, following up with a double-barreled shotgun. This, of course, made them rather aggressive towards the Navi, but once they saw his swinging blade dance, they declined to approach, except for one brave Powie, which slammed down on his parade with its steel body! Ow! (20)

PowieA: 20 HP
PowieB: 60 HP
ChampuA: 20 HP
ChampuB: 10 HP

Terrain:
45% Normal
5% Cracked
50% Gym (Normal)

HighwayMan.EXE: 120 (Cracked)

Finishing his display, for the most part after being bashed by a Powie anyway, it finally clicks (as I actually check the database) and HighwayMan says "Oooh those Powies. Heavy droppin' bastards". Oh well, live and learn. As he slides his grip up on his weapon he grabs the sword and dagger again before calling out "Do me a solid, Rei and pass the Recover30, then something for killing".

Reilyn blinks and looks over the scratched display at her navi and asks "A-are you ok? Your hurt? You can still fight right?"

The navi smirks and grumbles "Blah blah, yeah I'm fine. Unlike you humans, people who live in my world have big fat numbers for health. See mine on the corner of the screen? I'm fine, just want topped off". And just because it seems like a bad idea to stand on broken panels, he takes a simple step to the side, assisted already, he's sure, by the Powie body-slamming him. While he's at it, might as well keep light on his feet, for the rest.

Reilyn seems unconvinced, as she in fact does not see any big fat numbers anywhere, but she also has no idea how to toggle her crummy PETs limited display to any kind of readout. None the less, she inserts the chip, as requested. Moments later a green flame bathes HighwayMan's body for a few seconds, repairing damage and healing him up nicely.

HighwayMan drapes the chain around his neck and lets the dagger hang loose. In a flash of green fire, his free hand is replaced by a cannon, inserted properly this time. "Heey, your learning", he cracks to his operator as he sends off a blast towards one of the Champus.

Reilyn snorts but for the most part remains emotionless, now that that earlier pang of concern is gone. "It's not rocket science", she retorts.

"Yet I remember having to make due with an upside-down cannon last fight", the navi counters.

The girl just stares at the screen, and finally chooses to move on. "Down to only one battlechip, you better be careful", she says.

Her navi decides to put some 'heat' in the heat of battle, and in a blaze of speed a surge of green flame builds in his now-reverted hand, and fires a viscous blast of clinging burnination at the stupid Powie that dared to harm him earlier.

1 - Step off cracked panel / Dodge

2 - Use Battlechip: Recover30 (30Heal)

3 - Use Battlechip: Cannon (40+Knockback) @ ChampuA

(Afterburner!!) - Activate Sig: Road Rash [Delayed Damage 20Fire/turn (Burn), 2 turn duration; 1TCD] @ PowieB

Sig Road Rash cooldown: 1

Remaining surprisingly calm after being smashed by a giant weight, HighwayMan made his way off the dangerously fragile panel he resided on just as it silently collapsed and fell away. He healed immediately after, the damage from his recent battles disappearing almost instantly. A burst of green flame introduced a Cannon to his arm, but before he could aim it, his intended target disappeared. HighwayMan cautiously dodged backward and avoided the virus's one-two as he blasted it in the face with his weapon and deleted it.

Finally, HighwayMan pointed a flaming hand at the recently-offending Powie, the flames immediately flaring up and damaging the virus. The remaining viruses watched the Navi warily, but did nothing.

PowieA: 20 HP
PowieB: 40 HP (20 dmg/turn, 1 turn left)
ChampuA: DELETED
ChampuB: 10 HP

Terrain:
45% Normal
4% Cracked
1% Broken
50% Gym (Normal)

HighwayMan.EXE: 150 HP (Cracked)

Steam and smoke lightly sizzle around him as his systems cool down following the afterburner. HighwayMan takes a slow breath and calms down.

"Last chip, want it?", Reilyn asks as she holds it over the port of the PET. She holds off a moment though, mainly because the last chip seems jammed in there good.

"Yea, pass it", the navi says while he glances around at his remaining foes. He swings the chain of his weapon out and with a flash of flame, it extended out quickly, sailing to a Powie. At the last minute, he flicks his wrists and causes the chain to loop up and hopefully around the virus. A yank later the chain retracts to it's origional length, ideally with a virus in tow.

Chip data finally reaches him, thanks to his operator finally getting the chip ejection system unjammed. In a flash of flame, his blades and hands merge, leaving him with long, bladed talons for hands, connected at the wrists by a three-foot chain. He flashes a slash past the Powie that is hopefully now in range. Otherwise he just looks silly, or as he would prefer to call it, intimidating, slashing at the air.

1 - Afterburner cooldown

2 - Activate sig: Throttle (pull; 1TCD) @ Powie A

3 - Use Battlechip: Rageclaw1 (40Slashing, max 6 uses) @ Powie A

Sig Road Rash cooldown: 0 READY

HighwayMan successfully pulled the powie towards him with his chain, shoving his bladed hand right into the viruses' fluffy face as it deleted the virus instantly. However, as this was going on, the wounded Champu still had some fight left in him. He pounded his burning fist together and threw a one-two punch with everything he got, as if his life depended on it. Thanks to his effort, both of his punches connected to HighwayMan as it left a burning fist mark on the navi's side!

PowieA: DELETED
PowieB: 20 HP
ChampuA: DELETED
ChampuB: 10 HP

Terrain:
45% Normal
4% Cracked
1% Broken
50% Gym (Normal)

HighwayMan.EXE: 140 HP (Cracked) [RageClaw: 5/6]

HighwayMan winces at the blows and snarls at the Champu. "You piece of sh*t, wanna see burning? Huh as*wipe?!", he rants on as he raises a clawed hand and summons a blazing glob of green viscous death. He fires it at the virus with a loud "F*ck you, die!", to accompany it.

Glaring at the Powie, he runs at the virus, claws raised and chain clanking in front of him, brought to chest-level by his raised wrists.

"And one for you, as*wipe", he says with a snarl, as he closes distance and finally swipes.

1 - Activate Sig: Road Rash [Delayed Damage 20/turn (Burn), 2-turn duration; 1TCD] @ Champu B

2 - Move into melee with Powie B

3 - Rageclaw (40Slashimg) @ Powie B

Sig Road Rash cooldown: 1
Sig Throttle cooldown: 0 READY

The last Champu was not going down without a fight. Even after being plastered by HighwayMan's green flames, fully knowing that it will completely consume him when the time was over, the ever-burning spirit to fight still lingered on. Clutching its fists for one last time, the boxing virus threw a jab with all his heart, all his soul, all his tears, and all his guts behind it, landing a final hit before it perished into harmless data from the attack he received before...

Oh, and the last Powie died like a b*tch.

PowieA: DELETED
PowieB: DELETED
ChampuA: DELETED
ChampuB: DELETED

Terrain:
45% Normal
4% Cracked
1% Broken
50% Gym (Normal)

HighwayMan.EXE: 130 HP (Cracked) [RageClaw: 4/6]

-BATTLE WON!-
320z

HighwayMan growls at the final flaming punch that struck him before spitting a sizzling loogie at the remains. "Stupid f*cking try-hard virus". While he is grinding his foot in the remains of the thing, he notices some data peeking out from the nearby Powie. "Ooh cash. Sweet", he mumbles as he grabs the funds.

Reilyn gave a snort of amusement as she said "That last Powie went down like a b*tch. That stupid Champu woulda' been funny burning but.. Kinda ruined it with that whole hope and desperation thing". She notices the little notice popping up mentioning more funds have been added.

Her navi rolls his eyes as he double-checks the burn left on him by the Champu "Yeah yeah, I just said that", he grumbles. "Anyway, might as well be movin' out", he finishes.

Reilyn gives a pout and considers telling her needy calculator off but she figures: in the grand scheme of things, especially things that happened tonight, why sweat over a mouthy navi.

And HighwayMan rolls out to new adventure!

(( Requesting Battle 4 ))

HighwayMan came across something that should be awfully familiar to him...An endless pavement reaching further than the horizon. A clear, black road with stripes of white, the navi had come across a highw...Net-o-bahn! Just by taking a step, HighwayMan could feel the speed rush through him as he the uncontrollable urge to dash through the road had taken over him.

Before he realized, he was already speeding down the net-o-bahn, but strange, there wasn't a car in sight...Rather, a trio of viruses! The three Fishys, along with the metools who rode them, came dangerously close to HighwayMan and stared down at the navi with mocking eyes. Before the navi even had the chance to retaliate, or talk back, the Fishys sped forward and blocked his path!

FishyA: 90 HP
FishyB: 90 HP
FishyC: 90 HP
MetoolRiderA: 40 HP [Riding FishyA]
MetoolRiderB: 40 HP [Riding FishyB]
MetoolRiderC: 40 HP [Riding FishyC]

Terrain:
80% Net-o-bahn [Passively moves everyone forward movement]
20% Normal (Both sides)

HighwayMan.EXE: 130 HP [Speeding down the Net-o-bahn: Caution advised w/ certain movements!]

-BATTLE FOUR, START!-

HighwayMan floats in the air, as bright green flames pour out of the twin exhaust pipes, coming off his forearms and the backs of his calves. Like thrusters, or a rocket boosters, he uses their impressive momentum as he leans forward, adjusting their output without even thinking about it to keep him cruising along at a breakneck speed, his favorite.

The navi barely notices the viruses, at least until they egg him on. He snarls for a moment, his aggressive nature daring to overtake him but then the cockiness comes out. He gives a twisted grin as he thinks if these chumps want a race, they can have one.

"Hey loosers, eat my dust!", HighwayMan yells out as he leans forward further and turns the heat up as fast as he can make it go. A roaring blast and near-sonic boom sounds as he flies forward at a high speed. Smoke pours out from behind him, as his kind of flames aren't the nice clean-burning bunsen burners of some navis, no his are good ol' fashioned polluting burnination. And green.

The way he sees it, this isn't so much a fight as it is a simple contest of speed. They cut him off now they can suck fumes. Oh and at some point during that process, his wrists flip up and he passes them a pair of birds.

1 - Max speed down Net-o-bahn!!

- Speedtype Afterburner!!
- More max speed down Net-o-bahn!

2 - Extra speed down Net-o-bahn!!!

3 - More spe- whats a Net-o-bahn? Speed down it!!

And they're off! HighwayMan attempts to overtake the riders but they make a formation with all three off themselves that makes it hard to slip through! One Metool throws a Pickaxe at the navi, but his superior speed makes the projectile go off-target! Taking this chance, HighwayMan dives through the formation and speeds down the Net-o-bahn, with the riders still close behind! And it looks like his boost is catching up with him too!

Ahead, dangerous obstacles lie in his path, will he be able to get through it!?

FishyA: 90 HP
FishyB: 90 HP
FishyC: 90 HP
MetoolRiderA: 40 HP [Riding FishyA]
MetoolRiderB: 40 HP [Riding FishyB]
MetoolRiderC: 40 HP [Riding FishyC]

-Terrain-
Current:
80% Net-o-bahn [Passively moves everyone forward movement]
20% Normal (Both sides)
Ahead!
50% Net-o-bahn
10% Cracked (To the Left)
20% Missing (To the Right)
20% Normal (Both Sides)

-Obstacles-
Scattered across the left side:
Series of caltrops (near)
Rocksx3: 50 HP (Far end, in series)
Middle:
Rock: 50 HP
Scattered to the right: High fence (Right after Missing Panels)

HighwayMan.EXE: 130 HP [Speeding down the Net-o-bahn: Caution advised w/ certain movements!]

Ranking:
HighwayMan.EXE
MRB
MRC
MRA

HighwayMan continues to speed along, with a loud "Yeeeehaaaah", but the intense flames coming from his built-in exhaust pipes begin to take their toll, overheating the metal, which begins to glow red hot. Black smoke billows out of them as he works to regulate the flames again to get them back to normal, but it costs him a few precious moments in the race.

Exhaust now regulated once again, he yells out "Rei, shotgun! Now".

The girl watches with mild interest at her speed demon trucking along and blinks for a moment when he asks for a chip. Was he going to blast the competition away? Nevertheless, she slides the battle chip in, accompanied with a reasonable amount of struggle to displace the chip she finished with last battle. Chip in, she watches the race go on.

Chip data enters the navis mind, and none too soon as he continues down the middle and almost crashes into the rock in front of him. At the last moment though, he adjusts his exhaust pipe's output to allow him to raise his hand, which he does, then lets loose with a powerful blast of energy at the rock before him, hopefully blowing it to bits.

As the navi cruises along down further, he knows he hasn't got enough firepower left to take out the rock wall, so he picks up speed and makes to leap up and over the other series of rocks in his way.

1 - Recover from Afterburner

2 - Use Battlechip: Shotgun (50+Spread1) @ Rock in middle

3 - Build up speed and leap over rocks at far end

HighwayMan's brief moment of exhaustion allowed the three Fishys to nearly catch up to the navi as they began to tail just behind! When he recovered, he was able to blow away the rock for a safer passage for him...and the Fishys as well.

Finally, HighwayMan was able to boost himself forward to shake off the Fishys, but the viruses had a devious plan up their sleeves! As they lined perfectly with one another, the front Fishy began to speed forward as fast as it could, creating a slipstream for the two behind him. They weren't any faster than before, but the two Fishys behind began to conserve energy for the final boost of speed...

Just up a head was a fork in the road, temporarily splitting the road!

-JETSTEAM ATTACK IN PROCESS!-
FishyA: 90 HP [Point Man]
FishyB: 90 HP [Behind FishyA]
FishyC: 90 HP [Behind FishyB]
MetoolRiderA: 40 HP [Riding FishyA]
MetoolRiderB: 40 HP [Riding FishyB]
MetoolRiderC: 40 HP [Riding FishyC]

-Terrain-
Current:
50% Net-o-bahn
10% Cracked (To the Left)
20% Missing (To the Right)
20% Normal (Both Sides)

Ahead!
30% Net-o-bahn (Left)
20% Missing (Center)
30% Net-o-bahn (Right)
20% Normal (Both Sides)

HighwayMan.EXE: 130 HP [Speeding down the Net-o-bahn: Caution advised w/ certain movements!]

Ranking:
HighwayMan.EXE
MRA
MRB
MRC

Reilyn watches, her earlier mild interest building a bit. She mumbles "They are up to something, behind you".

HighwayMan snorts and gives a cocky grin to no one in perticular. "Good thing I don't play fair, eh?", he comments. The navi stalls for a moment or two on purpose, cutting his boosters and abruptly letting the leading Fishy get to him. Handy that they are all perfectly lined up, he figures, as he suddenly blasts a powerful impulse from his four dual-exhaust pipes. A shockwave kicks behind him with knockback force!

The navi catches the momentum from his impulse and with a sadistic laugh he blasts down the net-o-bahn, going.. Um, to the right. He tears off as fast as he can to try and get his lead back.

1 - Activate Sig: Skid (Knockback) @ Fishy A

2 - Zoom down the right split!

3 - Zoom zoooom down the net-o-bahn!

Sig Skid cooldown: 1

HighwayMan's knockback had thrown off the leading Fishy into a swerve, moving out of control as it nearly crashed into the side. It was safe, but its pride as a racer was utterly "deleted." Even after the sudden change in plan, the two remaining Fishys continued on with their plan with the 2nd virus as the leading man.

The navi and the viruses split ways, allowing them to prepare for the final stretch as the checkered flag was just in sight! It was then that the Fishys unleashed their prepared "attack" as the last Fishy moved out and began to dash forward with everything it had. Even with everything HighwayMan had given so far, it would be impossible for him to catch up with his current, laidback ways!

-JETSTEAM ATTACK IN PROCESS! [Left]-
FishyA: 90 HP [Far behind]
FishyB: 90 HP
FishyC: 90 HP [Leading]
MetoolRiderA: 40 HP [Riding FishyA]
MetoolRiderB: 40 HP [Riding FishyB]
MetoolRiderC: 40 HP [Riding FishyC]

-Terrain-
Current:
30% Net-o-bahn (Left)
20% Missing (Center)
30% Net-o-bahn (Right)
20% Normal (Both Sides)

Ahead:
70% Net-o-bahn
10% Checkered Flag
20% Normal (Both Sides)

HighwayMan.EXE: 130 HP

[Speeding down the Net-o-bahn: Caution advised w/ certain movements!]

Ranking:
MRC
HighwayMan.EXE
MRB
MRA

Having used his shotgun chip earlier, HighwayMan knew the only ranged chips he had left were a cannon, which wasn't enough, and a shockwave, which had no hope of hitting. Even his favorite burn attack only did about as much harm as the cannon, which wouldn't be enough to end the fishy. He had to think.

He growled as the Fishy on, and adjusted his dual-exhaust thrusters to allow his hands some movement. Following a flash of green flame, he was now holding his signature weapon, the katana with long chain extending from it's hilt and a dagger on the other end. He hurled the chain towards the virus and it hissed and sparked as it extended longer, longer, towards his foe. As it neared the virus, the navi flicked his wrists just-so, to put the chain up and over the virus.

"Not so fast, chump-stain", he said, and with a yank, hopefully anyway, he would be back in the lead. The idea was twofold: not only would it stop the Fishy's boosted forward momentum, but it would also catapult him forward, at least to make up for the time the maneuver took.

Following this, he rushed as fast as he could towards the exit, afterburners kicking in as green flames fired from his exhaust pipes!

1 - Use Sig Throttle (Pull; 1 TCD) @ Fishy C
- Overdrive! : Zoom towards finish line!

2 - Gonna try and win this race!

3 - Zoom zoom!

Sig Skid cooldown: 0 READY
Sig Throttle cooldown: 1

HighwayMan was more than willing to resort to dirty tricks to win the battle as he readied his sword-n-chain-n-dagger. However, when the navi tried to lasso his enemy, the gap between the two road allowed some time for the chain to travel towards the virus, allowing the leading Fishy to dodge the chain altogether!

The roads finally converged back into a single road, along with the finish line drawing ever closer than ever (Speaking of which, how did race get an actual finish line when it was a spur-of-the-moment thing??). HighwayMan began to put the petal to the metal as he tried to over take the leading Fishy, barely meeting face to face with one another. But when things was already on the edge, a mattock was thrown at the navi's back as the Fishy/Metool in the back began to launch attacks to slow him down!

-JETSTEAM ATTACK IN PROCESS!-
FishyA: 90 HP [Far behind]
FishyB: 90 HP
FishyC: 90 HP [Leading]
MetoolRiderA: 40 HP [Riding FishyA]
MetoolRiderB: 40 HP [Riding FishyB]
MetoolRiderC: 40 HP [Riding FishyC]

-Terrain-
Current:
70% Net-o-bahn
10% Checkered Flag
20% Normal (Both Sides)

HighwayMan.EXE: 120 HP [Speeding down the Net-o-bahn: Caution advised w/ certain movements!]

Ranking:
MRC - HighwayMan.EXE
MRB
MRA

Following the pickaxe to the back, HighwayMan growls "That is IT. Rei, Cannon chip!"

Looking over the remaining chips she had idly arranged while she watched the race, the girl grabs the requested chip and of course the broken chip ejector would take that moment to jam. While she fiddled with it, giving the PET a few smacks on the side to try and loosen things up, the navi began to loose steam as his thrusters flickered and threatened to give out.

"Great, first the axe now this? Noooo", he yelled out as he pushed ahead with what he could muster, trying to get alongside the leading Fishy once again. Around this time the cannon chip finally clicks into the PET and loads, while the Shotgun from skids off the bed and onto the floor somewhere. The operator leans over the edge, more interested in not loosing her recently-gained property than the race.

With the chip loaded, HighwayMan grunted, fighting with his dual-exhaust pipe thrusters for just a few more seconds... He lept, trying to keep any momentum he had, as he let loose the Cannon attack at the Fishy's side, or it's back or even butt, whatever he could hit, anything that would hopefully cause the knokback the chip was known for to make the Fishy spin out, or spike into the ground, anything!

Following this, the flames on his exhaust all but sputter out as his body refuses to let him ignore his reckless boosting from earlier. Hopefully he still has enough forward momentum going, and with the pull from the net-o-bahn, to keep truckin' on.

1 - Rush back ahead with a boost and a leap! Er, HighwayMan hopes!

2 - Use Battlechip: Cannon (40+Knockback) @ FishyC

- Cooldown from last round's overburner...

Sig Throttle cooldown: 0 READY

On the final stretch, HighwayMan and the Fishy was only inches apart from one another in term of who had the lead, and things were getting a bit edgy for the two. Of course, HighwayMan prepared the chips for some underhanded tactics, but the Fishy wasn't going to sit around and do nothing. The moment before the navi fired off his exhaust, the Fishy and the Metool tackled right against their opponent, causing HighwayMan to slightly swerve!

Luckily, it wasn't bad enough to throw the navi off track and he was able to fire his cannon at the virus, knocking him far off the track thanks to the amount of punch the chip provided! With a clear sight at the goal, HighwayMan finally passed through the goal and won the race, along with his pride as a speedy navi. The Fishys quickly followed behind, but acknowledged that they lost the race and began to drift away without putting up a fight like any other viruses would...

They were, however, generous enough to leave a small data crystal behind, serving as a "prize" for HighwayMan's victory!

FishyA: DEFEATED
FishyB: DEFEATED
FishyC: DEFEATED
MetoolRiderA: DEFEATED
MetoolRiderB: DEFEATED
MetoolRiderC: DEFEATED

-Terrain-
Current:
70% Net-o-bahn
10% Checkered Flag
20% Normal (Both Sides)

HighwayMan.EXE: 95 HP

Ranking:
HighwayMan.EXE
MRC
MRB
MRA

-YOU'RE WINNER-
400z + [DashAttack] BattlechipDashAttack
Damage: 90 + Impact + LineAttack(5) + Movement
Accuracy: C
Description: The user charges forward at a great speed to ram a line of enemies. Hits a maximum of 5 enemies before the momentum is lost.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Special: Direction of travel may be altered with chip, terrain, and sig use.