Step lively, ScorchMan!

On the boxy TV in the orphanage common room, Griffin and his extended company were treated to a view inside ACDC Net, all clean landscaping and weather reflecting the crisp air outside. There was a sudden outpouring of gleeful cheering from the children as a man-sized torrent of flames exploded into existence just above the ground. Capping off the theatrical arrival, ScorchMan punched all four limbs out and dispelled the fire, dropping like a stone and landing in a crouch; thankfully, he was able to hide his wince as his injured leg was jarred. Standing up straight, the Navi's thermal network unfolded, shadows of the Net's ambient heat revealing itself to him. "So, everyone, which direction am I going?" he asked in no particular direction; there was no way to know from which angle the PET was projecting him at.

Griffin hummed for a moment, listening to his audience's cacophony of different answers. It was one quiet voice that got his attention; Arisu gently suggested, "Well, ScorchMan sees with heat, so why not go where it's hottest?"

The man nodded in thanks to the orphanage matron, turning back towards the TV, PET acting as a microphone for ScorchMan to hear the crowd. "Well, you heard the lady. Set course for adventure!" he crowed to a chorus of excited agreement. ScorchMan merely shrugged, felt out for the direction emitting the most ambient heat, and set off towards it with only a very slight limp. It was, he thought, going to be a very interesting day.

<(Battle 1, Ready!)>
ScorchMan found viruses. Four of them!

And a GMD.

-Viruses-
MetoolA: 40HP
MetoolB: 40HP
MetoolC: 40HP
MetoolD: 40HP

-Objects-
GMD: 20HP

-Terrain-
100% Normal

-Navi-
ScorchMan.EXE: 100HP

~Battle 1: Start!!~
"Griffin, I've got four heat signatures dead ahead. Are they what I think they are?" ScorchMan made to confirm; yes, it was pretty easy to tell that he'd just stumbled across a group of viruses, but he'd been doing these orphanage busting runs long enough to know that his present audience liked a bit of commentary.

Griffin rolled his eyes a little at his Navi's showboating, but let him have the moment. "That's right, you've got four Metools in front of you. Now, you'll want to be careful, because you've got a Mystery Data on the battlefield. You're registering it alright?" he checked in, making sure ScorchMan's thermal scanners were taking everything in.

Had ScorchMan still had eyes, he would have rolled them with great prejudice; the crystalline data glowed with enough light in his thermal sights that 'looking' directly at it was almost a bit painful. "Yes, Griffin, I see it. Now, if you could make some chips happen...?" the Navi snarked, a tuft of flame jetting out his chest-vents.

The sardonic comment sloughed off Griffin like water off a duck's back. "See how many of 'em you can take down at once. Heatshot, coming right up!" He withdrew the modest chip folder from his bag, slipped a single chip out of it, and with a bit of showman's flair, spun it between his fingers before sending the data ScorchMan's way.

ScorchMan felt the warmth of the Heatshot as his systems accepted it; even before it was loaded into his buster, he could feel the destructive intent of the fire. In his mind's eye, he saw the flames reaching, hungry and angry, consuming one virus and using it as fuel to continue burning towards another. To the Fire-elemental, it was strangely poetic...

...However, this was no time to wax philosophical about his weapon of choice. ScorchMan began moving, bulky gauntlets swinging with momentum as he felt out the heat signatures of his targets. Heatshot, as a chip, liked being fired straight, so if he just moved...there, two of his targets would line up just so, and maximum burning would be more-or-less assured. The Navi chose his spot, and planted his feet, bringing one arm up and holding it with the other, fist pointing straight at a Metool.

The chip was loaded, and the Scorch Buster's barrel extended out; ScorchMan's graphical layout didn't extend to most chips, causing them to take standard appearances, but there was no need to alter a thing for the Heatshot when it was already so similar to his own brand of damage. With a cheer from his audience being his cue, the flame Navi smirked and fired, his buster expelling a flaming death sentence towards his targets. His sensors weren't quite advanced enough to see a full collision, especially with fire mostly appearing as twisted strands of bright heat to him, but he felt the Heatshot's flames burning; he trusted his hunch that they were satisfied, and moved on.

ScorchMan chose another target, withdrew his arms from their outstretched position, and changed form; his stance widened, his arms came down to near his waist and braced, and his second buster extended its barrel out. For a moment there was silence, before suddenly ScorchMan flared up, chest-vents lighting up in a glowing ring of metal as they expelled bright fire. His shoulder-ports began venting flames as well; the radiant heat surrounded the Navi, covering him from head to toe in a deadly aura. The self-immolated man let out a roar, buster-gauntlets directing a torrent of blazing death at another Metool. There was no concentrated feeling of need for consumption in this fire, nor any feeling at all but ScorchMan's will, directed as an extension of his own arms to burn and blaze all it touched.

Griffin was cheering right along with the crowd around him, only to stop when well-trained senses picked up on a tiny, muffled whimper. He frowned as he saw, out of the corner of his eye, a little face go white with acute terror, pointedly looking away from the TV and hiding behind a book. "Excuse me for a moment," he threw a quick grin around to his audience, who were for the most part affixed to the TV, and got up from his armchair; he would miss the action, but he was needed elsewhere.

-Turn Summary-
1. Movement: line up MetoolA and MetoolB
2. Heatshot: MetoolA [45 [color=red]Fire[/color] {A}, Spread1 (aimed at MetoolB)]
3. Signature: Conflagration: MetoolC [40 [color=red]Fire[/color] {A}, 20 HP Barrier]
ScorchMan's efforts to line up his shot and impress the crowd paid off, as he managed to hit two Metools with one blast of fire. His final attack was no less successful, wiping a third Metool off the net following a wave of burning flames. The last Metool retaliated, smashing ScorchMan with a surprising shockwave attack generated by its pickaxe connecting with the floor of the net, but it was too little, too late: the navi already had his barrier up and the weak attack had no effect.

-Viruses-
MetoolA: DELETED
MetoolB: DELETED
MetoolC: DELETED
MetoolD: 40HP

-Objects-
GMD: 20HP

-Terrain-
100% Normal

-Navi-
ScorchMan.EXE: 100HP (10 HP barrier)
Having run the St. Emilia Orphanage for as long as she had, Arisu was more than observant in the ways of children. Even in that moment, as she watched the crowd gathered in front of the TV, she could practically name without looking the kids that genuinely enjoyed ScorchMan's virtual warfare, and those who were just here for the companionship of both their fellow orphans and their favourite playmate. The excitement of some swelled as the burning Navi carved a red-hot path through the viruses, while others pouted and dimmed when Griffin excused himself to go see about poor Saki in the corner. "Yes," she thought to herself, even as she accepted a child's wishes to sit in her lap, "not everyone is here to see ScorchMan...but everyone is here to see you, Griffin."

ScorchMan was very literally in his element, wreathed in an aura of incandescent flame. Even as the Metool's attack washed over him, his barrier handled the shockwave with comparative ease, dimming but not going out. "Griffin, have you got one more chip for me?" he called out, unaware of his Operator's temporary egress.

There was murmuring throughout the crowd, until one of the older children volunteered himself as a spokesman for the group. "He's over with Saki right now, Mister ScorchMan," he reported, before continuing with only a tremor of nervousness, "Do you...need a Battlechip right now?"

ScorchMan thought it over for a brief moment, eventually coming to a decision. "Actually, I think I've got this. Thanks, though," he called through the window, approximating the position of the video window and turning towards it. He gave a serious nod towards his audience, missing the sea of bobbing heads in return but not the flare of murmuring upon coming face to face with him. Smirking, he allowed himself to feel a bit of bravado, and turned back to face his target.

Beneath his flaming aura, ScorchMan's many heat-vents closed, resting flat against his armour. The burning Navi stood stock still, and let his internal fires flare up; his body began emitting a low humming noise, not unlike a jet plane's engines starting up. "My own fire should be enough on its own to deal with this last one," he murmured, partially to himself and partially to the kids' benefit. The humming got higher-pitched as he raised both arms, buster-gauntlets shining with metal gleam and ambient heat.

As ScorchMan planted his feet in preparation for the charge shot, another sudden increase in the ambient heat around him turned the entire area hazy with shimmering waves. The ground around his feet began to bake over, standard graphics bubbling and turning cherry-red as he activated his SetLava. A circle of lava bloomed on the ground around him, sending his internal temperatures through the roof and likely causing the maintenance Mr. Progs no end of grief in the immediate future.

The flame-Navi was full enough of heat that any more charging would likely wind up with explosive effects, and not the good kind. The barrels of his Scorch Busters were positively glowing now, cooling jackets more for show than anything. And finally, with a quiet huff of effort, ScorchMan vented all the excess flame through his gauntlets. The result was nigh-identical to his last attack, with a stream of incandescent fire exploding from each gauntlet, meeting one another to form a singular torch that streaked down the rows of panels, intent on fully consuming the remaining Metool.

Upon finishing the shot, ScorchMan's stance relaxed, heat-vents opening back up with little flares all along his shoulders, chest, and legs. "Is that everything?" he asked, waiting for the heat, and by proxy his vision to clear, so he could get a good look at the battleground.

-Turn Summary-
1. Buster Charge
2. Buster Charge
*Passive: SetLava [Large Lava terrain centered around self] (FLAVOUR-TEXT)
3. Charge Shot: Scorch Blast: MetoolD [40 [color=red]Fire[/color] {A}]
ScorchMan radiated lava. The Metool melted in a most horrible death. The GMD was also damaged as it was being damaged by the lava.

-Viruses-
MetoolA: DELETED
MetoolB: DELETED
MetoolC: DELETED
MetoolD: DELETED

-Objects-
GMD: 15HP [Lava]

-Terrain-
60% Normal
40% Lava

-Navi-
ScorchMan.EXE: 100HP [10HP Barrier] [Lava]

~Battle 1: Victory!!~
Rewards: Guard1, 270z

OPEN GMD BEFORE IT MELTS IN THE LAVA: Y/N?
"Done and done," ScorchMan nodded to himself, retracting his buster barrels and surveying his lava-y territory with a hum of satisfaction. His aura faded to reveal his armoured visage smiling at the sound of applause; apparently it had been a good show.

Finally, he heard a swell of voices and an all-too familiar voice signalling his Operator's return. "Welcome back, Griffin. Everything alright?" the Navi asked, knowing full-well what must have gotten the man's attention.

ScorchMan was glad his Operator was so emotive; the grin was fully evident in Griffin's tone as he replied, "Yup, everything's hunky-dory. More importantly, you are aware that there's a Mystery Data on fire to your left?"

ScorchMan turned, and sure enough, there was a hunk of bright data resting on his coating of liquid heat. "I am aware. Is there something wrong?" he quirked a brow under his helmet, thankful that his scars at least didn't inhibit his ability to do that much.

Griffin looked to his audience for the strength to resist applying palm to face. "...MDs aren't fireproof, bro; you should get on that."

ScorchMan turned and raised his hand, mouth open as though to reply, "..." In the end, he never got a word out, instead choosing to simply walk across the magma, and access the Mystery Data.

[color=darkblue]<(GMD Open Y)>
The shiny green crystal opens, revealing...

...A chip that few can claim to have. Lucky jerkwad.

ScorchMan GET: HammerToss1 BattleChip data
ScorchMan let out a low whistle as he took a good look at the Battlechip contained within. "Griffin, our chip selection just got a pretty neat addition," he called up to the PET window, uploading the chip to let the man get a better look.

Several curious onlookers peered at the PET in Griffin's hands, watching in awe as he slotted in two blank chips: one for the data from the Metools, and one for this most recent chip. "HammerToss, huh? Can't say I've heard of it...and that's really cool! Come on, let's find somewhere that we can test it out!" Griffin exclaimed, pointing dramatically towards the TV, and the Net World they were viewing through it. The outcry was met with mass approval, and much copying from several smaller hands.

ScorchMan snorted in amusement, picking another direction at random and setting off towards it. He left his patch of lava behind him, face taciturn but content with his lot in life.

<(Battle #2, Ready!)>
What a strange sight ScorchMan came across next. Here, right in the middle of the suburban network, was a big bottomless pit! A narrow path stretched across it, forming a simple but solid bridge, while several smaller platforms floated over the expanse below. Simple enough to traverse of course, given the lack of high winds. But wait, there's something floating over the smaller platforms! Powies! Four of them, even! Does Scorchman dare cross the bridge with Powies on the prowl? Or does he just take the easy way out and throw rocks at them first?




---Viruses---
Powie A: 60 HP (Floating Platform)
Powie B: 60 HP (Floating Platform)
Powie C: 60 HP (Floating Platform)
Powie D: 60 HP (Floating Platform)

---Objects---
RockCube A: 200 HP (To left of bridge, Scorchman's side)
RockCube B: 200 HP (To right of bridge, Scorchman's side)

---You---
ScorchMan.EXE: 100 HP

---Terrain---
Normal: 40% (25% Bridge, 10% Before The Bridge, 5% Floating Platforms)
Missing: 60% (The big pit)
"And we've got viruses!" Griffin announced, rather unnecessarily given the image of the four Powies blown up on the TV screen, but more for dramatic effect than anything. "ScorchMan, any recommendations?" he called to his Navi, who was busy feeling out the terrain.

ScorchMan was, in that moment, very thankful that the ground gave just enough heat from natural processing for him to identify the difference between ground and empty space. "I don't know about you, Griffin but I'm not that keen on jumping out to those platforms. I'd rather fight them up here on my turf, personally," he replied back, flames licking at his armour as he prepared for battle.

"That's all well and good, buddy, but watch those Powies! You try to pull your barrier trick on them and they'll still squish you flat!" Griffin chimed in, flipping through a public virus BBS as he went, eventually humming and slotting a chip in. "Here's the Cannon; get their attention with it, and lure them up onto the bridge with you. You can scorch 'em as much as you want from there!"

ScorchMan had frozen upon hearing that his Conflagration would hinder more than help. Deciding not to reveal that he had completely overlooked that particular tidbit, he accepted the Cannon, shoulders flaring up as he moved onto the bridge. "Understood, here we go!"

A battle didn't truly start until the first shot was fired. With that in mind, ScorchMan had every intention of starting this particular fight off with a bang, loading the Cannon into his right gauntlet. The graphics overrode his Scorch Buster, signature weapon replaced with a bulky arm-mounted cannon. To the Navi's relief, Griffin had customized his chip layouts enough that the gun still retained the same gunmetal sheen as the rest of his armour; he could never be called vain, nor could he even see the colours anyway, but the thought of toting a bright green Cannon didn't quite sit well with him. Lining up his heat-vision with the sighting along the arm-cannon, ScorchMan stared down the length of his arm to the nearest Powie. He called out, loud and bold, "HEY, OVER HERE!" and released the chip, a low *boom* reporting from the Cannon as it sent a shot flying straight towards the nearest virus.

ScorchMan wasn't done with just that. For added measure, the burning Navi stomped the ground, searing his corner of safe ground and the bridge with a withering burst of flames. The ground became a molten deathtrap within seconds, a perfect ring of melted panels, and ScorchMan flared his shoulder vents until the blasting fire curled around his form like wings; it was, in other words, a flaming signal meant to draw attention. ScorchMan kept blasting heat until he was satisfied that the viruses had noticed his grand gesture, and then ended his waving shoulder-flames with a dramatic flare before they died down. He shouted out, "Come on, if you want to face me so bad? Come at me!" and jumped backwards, inviting the Powies to come to him and his molten battlefield; anyone trying to jump onto pool of red lava would have to deal with his own, red-hot terms.

Griffin and the kids continued to watch, transfixed by what had ultimately wound up as a grand, mighty...invitation to attack, or at least jump towards the burning Navi. Whether it was ultimately conductive towards a quick, simple battle or not, all the bright streaming flames were still very fun to watch from a safe distance.

-Turn Summary-
1. Cannon: PowieA [60 Null {A}, Knockback]
Passive: SetLava [Large Lava Terrain, centred around ScorchMan]
2. Taunt Powies [Attract to jump towards him and onto Lava terrain]
3. Dodge
ScorchMan blasted one of the Powies away with a big Cannon, then made the floor into lava. As the RockCubes began to melt, the taunting jibes of the Navi brought the Powies over to him. They dropped like lead weights... into the lava!

-Viruses-
PowieA: DELETED
PowieB: 50HP [Lava]
PowieC: 50HP [Lava]
PowieD: 50HP [Lava]

-Objects-
RockCubeA: 185HP [To left of bridge, ScorchMan's side] [Lava]
RockCubeB: 185HP [To right of bridge, ScorchMan's side] [Lava]

-Terrain-
5% Normal [Floating Platforms]
35% Lava [25% Bridge, 10% Before The Bridge]
60% Missing [Big Pit]

-Navi-
ScorchMan.EXE: 100HP [Lava]
ScorchMan was in his element, smouldering heat from the lava rising around him in curling waves of smoke and heat. "Griffin, they're all lined up for me. Send me the Shotgun; they're going down!" he called, blood heating up even as his vents were punched open by an exclamatory gout of flame.

The requested chips were sent, along with a counted-off cheer of, "Good luck, ScorchMan!" from the collective audience, Operator included. Griffin chuckled at the enthusiasm, knowing full well how much the kids loved ScorchMan, and that the serious-looking Navi couldn't deny his soft spot for them if he tried. "Buddy, go for a dramatic finish, why don't you?" he suggested, feeling more than seeing the assent from his virtual brother-at-arms.

"I think I can manage that," ScorchMan replied, already in the midst of loading up the Shotgun. His right gauntlet morphed once more, shifting from the spent Cannon to a new, sleeker gun. The Shotgun's long barrel was leveled at the Powies; the narrow path did a splendid job of keeping his targets in a straight line in front of him. With that in mind, ScorchMan's eyeless sights extended down the bridge, picking up amongst the heat of his lava terrain two suitable targets. Seized by a mixture of Fire-element hot blood and knowing his audience loved the dramatic, the burning Navi cried out, "Eat this!" and the Shotgun sounded off with a satisfying bang, storm of buckshot searing down the length of the bridge. His burning battleground had already taken its toll on the Powies, to the point where one blast of the powerful spread-shot would be enough to ensure deletion...and with them lined up along the bridge, the numerous rounds could pierce straight through the front-most virus.

ScorchMan's arm-cannon reverted back to the standard Scorch Buster as he readied himself for his next attack. Drawing on his internal fires and the ambient heat, it was the work of a second for flames to start blasting out his chest and shoulders, wrapping around him in a protective haze of bright yellow fire. Both his gauntlets unsheathed their gun barrels, cooling jackets glowing cherry-red as they prepped for firing. Drawing not on any Battlechip's power, ScorchMan readied his own power, unleashing a long stream of fire from each buster; the twin blasts coiled together, forming a singular blazing stream that sailed down the length of the battlefield, aimed straight at the one Powie he hadn't targeted yet.

His internal reservoir of flame temporarily depleted, the burning Navi lowered one buster gauntlet but not the other, keeping his sights locked on the same Powie; as it was, his own conflagrations weren't as strong as his chip collection yet, and the earlier fire blast would need a little more assistance. Holding his shooting arm with the other to steady himself, a single standard buster shot flew from the Scorch Buster, still glowing red hot but no longer leaking flame from the tips. That, he thought, should be enough, unless any of his shots had gone awry...but even if they had, his flames would protect him regardless, at least once.

-Turn Summary-
1. Shotgun: PowieB [50 Null {A}, Spread1 [aimed at PowieC]]
2. Signature: Conflagration: PowieD [40 [color=red]Fire[/color] {A}, 20HP Barrier]
3. Scorch Buster: PowieD [10 Null {A}]
OH GOD THE FLAMES!

THE LAVA! IT BURNS!

POWIE SMASH BARRIER!

WHAT!? MORE FLAMES!

AHHHHHHH!

-Viruses-
PowieA: DELETED
PowieB: DELETED
PowieC: DELETED
PowieD: DELETED

-Objects-
RockCubeA: 170HP [To left of bridge, ScorchMan's side] [Lava]
RockCubeB: 170HP [To right of bridge, ScorchMan's side] [Lava]

-Terrain-
5% Normal [Floating Platforms]
30% Lava [25% Bridge, 5% Before The Bridge]
5% Cracked [Before The Bridge]
60% Missing [Big Pit]

-Navi-
ScorchMan.EXE: 100HP [Barrier Broken!] [Cracked]

~Battle 2: Victory!!~
Rewards: Quake1, 270z
"Way to go, ScorchMan!" Griffin exclaimed, raising his fist in victory. The same cheer that rose up from the last successful battle made a return, this time even moreso from the more dynamic action.

"Griffin, I see more rewards for us. We should start building a collection for the next time we come here, then we can really impress our audience," ScorchMan replied, taking the new battlechip and giving it a look. "Quake, huh...could come in handy," he murmured to himself, sending it and the zenny up to Griffin's PET for collection.

"Well, where t-" the burly man was immediately cut off by a loud, piercing alarm sounding off from his PET, drawing several screams of surprise from the surrounding crowd of kids. His face fell as he beheld the message: grand-scale fire, all hands on deck...he took a deep breath and called, "Time's up, ScorchMan, we're on duty."

ScorchMan knew the significance of the alarm just as well as Griffin. "Got it, I'm heading back." Flaring his vents, ScorchMan vanished from the Net in a haze of flames, leaving nothing behind but a few embers on the still-hot ground.

[Jacking Out]