Trying not to get fried

The navi appeared in a flash of silvery-blue light, surrounded by puffs of snow. She was in her tiny arctic fox form, rather unimposing and hopefully going to be able to get the jump on any of the viruses in this place. It's not like she was against having fun but she was here to make money, not friends.

She walked along the net, the aqua type feeling quite vulnerable and very out of place here. Using her powers over shadow, however, she tried to throw off anyone watching her by diving behind random objects in the net scape and sending decoys off into other directions which she dove for the next cover. She would do this sneaky and smart! Hopefully.

[Requesting Battle 1]

Ducking through an alleyway and into a park, Vixen wandered right into a couple mole viruses and their nest of holes.

-Viruses-
MomograA: 60HP
MomograB: 60HP
MomograC: 60HP

-Terrain-
Normal: 80%
Broken: 20% (Scattered mole holes. Each hole is 1-2% of the total Broken Terrain)

-Allies-
Vixen: 100HP

~Battle 1: Start!!~

Spotting prey, the fox sizes up the viruses. She has never encountered them before and they looked like moles.. And there were holes strewn about. Presumably mole holes. Cold and calculating, the little navi wastes no time, bounding right up to them. Normally she would try and be more subtle but she got the impression that if she waited around too long these moles would dive into their holes and make this a huge pain in the butt.

Actually, on second thought, Vixen was only a foot tall, at the shoulder, and three feet long, a foot of that tail. She could probably dive right into the holes after them. But she would wait to see if she was forced to do that. Diving down random holes could be hazardous for ones' health, after all.

She crouched and gave a nod to her side, a signal that Eliza recognized as a call for a chip. She knew her little fox liked her rageclaws, and the humor they brought of a navi, smaller then most of the viruses, mauling them to pieces with razor-sharp claws. She slid in the chip with a low chuckle, as the navi rushed the closest mole, bounding as she quickly ran, leaping here and there to close distance and keep an eye out for holes in her path.

She gave an almost cute bark, the closest thing an arctic fox had to a snarl as the icy-blue diamond claws on her paws elongated and took form. They were still in proportion to her body, or at least to an animal twice her size, but the chip data hardened them and reinforced her muscles to let her swipes pack a punch. Without wasting another moment, she did her best to violently tear the mole limb from limb, barking the whole while to add confusion. The leaping and violent motions of her body somehow sent a powder of pure snow spiraling around the area she stood and amid the confusion caused by her sudden attack, the snow and her barking, there suddenly stood a second Vixen, beside the first by a couple feet.

The two of them looked identical in every way and drew low to the ground as light snow trailed off them and they began to bark, both back to back and at the same time, seemingly at random.

1 - Move to MomograA (Try to avoid holes)

2 - Use Battlechip: Rageclaw1 (40+Slashing:5 uses left) @ MomograA

3 - Rageclaw (20+Impacting:4 uses left) @ MomograA
[Clone Technique]: Extra Vixen, near original. Barking and snarling.

[Battlechips Consumed: Rageclaw]
[Clone Technique: ACTIVE, During Action 3]

Bounding towards one of the Momogra, Vixen quickly tore a big one into the mole virus, causing it to pop down into the ground in pain. Retaliating, it reappeared behind the fox Navi and whacked her in the back with a shovel. (-15) Naturally, this wasn't quite acceptable, and she slew the mole with a whack of her own. Its allies weren't quite ready to attack yet, but they popped up near her, trying to figure out an angle with which they could attack her.

-Viruses-
MomograA: DELETED
MomograB: 60HP (behind Vixen)
MomograC: 60HP (near Vixen's clone)

-Terrain-
Normal: 80%
Broken: 20% (Scattered mole holes. Each hole is 1-2% of the total Broken Terrain)

-Allies-
Vixen: 85HP (Decoy 1/1)

The small fox hissed and cursed and tumbled forward painfully at being struck. The navi was actually pretty light and being smacked around and thrown about was a very real and very painful threat. But she was supposed to be more agile than this, slicker. Well, she would show these jerks! If a canine virus was about it might snicker or even blush at the fowl snarl and bark that left her muzzle. Her decoy meanwhile, planted it's paws on the ground and bent low, sticking it's tounge out and shaking it's butt mockingly.

Eliza watched with mild interest and asked "Do you need your recover chip?" Both of the foxes remained silent, trying not to give away which was which. Of course, the banged up one gave a dirty look at the question and the decoy just grinned.

The pair of foxes crouched and pounced into the same spot, crossing cleanly through each other in a puff of snow and ice fragments. Landing on the other side of their original positions (or in this case, splitting off a new decoy), they scamper up to one of the moles, yipping and barking and trying to add as much confusion as they can. They attempt to coordinate their movements into a flanking maneuver on one of their opponents.

The foxes turn to the mole they had hoped to surround and simultaneously gnash out with razor-sharp claws and teeth, trying to quickly end the offending virus. Hoping to add insult to injury, if Vixen can get a good grip on the virus with her teeth, she wants to fling the thing into her remaining opponent.

[Clone Technique]: Shuffle Vixens
1 - Movement, Hustle (to flank MomograB)

2 - Use Battlechip: Rageclaw1 (40+Slashing:3 uses left) @ MomograB

3 - Use Battlechip: Rageclaw1 (20+Impacting:2 uses left) Throwing MomograB into MomograC

[Battlechips Consumed: Rageclaw]
[Clone Technique: ACTIVE, During Action 1]

Giving a vicious slash at the virus that'd just struck her, Vixen promptly slashed the creature's HP down to size, than sunk her teeth into it; giving a mighty fling towards the other, hoping to hit the second mole with the first.

However, the second saw it coming and disappeared underground, thankfully the first slammed into the ground and was deleted promptly. Though that left the little fox wondering where the last had gone, and she'd not have to wait long as it popped up behind her and smacked her in the back of the head with its shovel (-15).

Viruses
MomograA: Deleted
MomograB: Deleted
MomograC: 60HP

Terrain
Normal: 80%
Broken: 20% (Scattered mole holes. Each hole is 1-2% of the total Broken Terrain)

Allies
Vixen: 70HP [Rageclaw: 2 Uses Remaining]

Vixen stumbles forward again, almost falling into the hole the last virus left. She was seeing red now. What was the point of trying to confuse these stupid things with a decoy if they nailed her every time anyway? Were they psychic or something? Was she just unlucky as hell? Deciding she needed it, with or without her 'permission', Eliza passed her navi the recover chip, hoping the fox would find time to use it. Otherwise this trek through the net wasn't going to last very long.

Not in the mood to waste time, Vixen executed the chip as the data flowed through her and restored some of her write protection. Snow and ice swirled around her body, leaving damaged parts whole once again. Now if she could just avoid taking another hit from one of those moles, she could come out of this fight on top.

Her rage quelled along with her injuries, the navi crouched low as she quickly worked at some kind of plan to end this quickly. The stupid moles liked to come up and hit her from behind, but they weren't going to be doing anything if they were being torn to pieces by her Rageclaw-enhanced teeth. Sounded like a plan! Or.. Well it would if it wern't the general idea. No, that suddenly sounded stupid. Gotta win, how to do that? By winning?

Eliza smirked and watched his little fox thinking to herself for a moment "Going to wait for the thing to hide in the ground? I'd think after tearing up one at a time you would be on your final one-two combo, to win"

Vixen smirked, as best her thin canine face can anyway, and lunged for the mole virus. Her decoy, still snickering from before, fades away into a puff of snow, dissipating into nothingness. It hasn't helped her this fight, as far as she can tell, so why waste time or effort with making more. Instead she lunges out viciously with what use she has left of the rageclaw, trying to snatch the mole up.

If she can hold the thing secure, she can maul it to pieces, instead of being nailed in the back of the head. Again.

1 - Use Battlechip: Recover 30 (Heal 30) @ Self

2 - Use Battlechip: Rageclaw (20+Impacting:1 use left) @ To grab MomograC

3 - Use Battlechip: Rageclaw (40+Slashing:0 uses left) @ MomograC

[Battlechips Consumed: Rageclaw, Recover30]
[Clone Technique: UNUSED]

Much like a rabid beast, Vixen seemed quite upset about the smack in the back. She lunged after the mole creature and with fang and claw, mauled the poor little virus into deletion.

Viruses
MomograA: Deleted
MomograB: Deleted
MomograC: Deleted

Terrain
Normal: 80%
Broken: 20% (Scattered mole holes. Each hole is 1-2% of the total Broken Terrain)

Allies
Vixen: 100HP

—Battle 1, Victory!—
Vixen: 240z, Mole1

Quote ()

Mole1
Effect: Conditional Burrow / Submerge
Accuracy: S
Description: Allows the user to hide underground or under a liquid surface when not executing an attack. User may heal, though. User may choose to attack as they exit the burrowed or submerged state if the situation allows.
Duration: 1 turn
Element: Null

As he paws revert to their original shape and form, Vixen licks one gingerly, paying attention to realign her fur, before letting the other one have a turn. She spoke up, obviously to her operator, Eliza "I suppose that wasn't too hard.." Her voice almost seemed to hang in the air, like a polar wind churning and blowing. It seemed that her PET was designed with this in mind, so normally the effect was subdued. In the net, however, it sounded like she was a haunting ice spirit of some kind. Like a ghost, whose voice would send chills down people's spines and into their souls.

Eliza spoke, her voice sounding like it was coming from half a room away, through the wireless connection "You sure lost your cool though, cutie"

The tiny fox snorted, standing prim and proper again, almost like a feline. Her words reeked not only of cold but, in this case, bitterness "I beg your pardon? They had the nerve, the outright gall to strike me from behind. Hiding in the ground just made them annoying, but striking me from behind? Absolutely vile"

Eliza snickered "Oh get off it, as I recall, you struck them from behind at least twice yourself. You know you will do anything to win. You were fighting dirty, they, sadly were just fighting in the only method they were able to. Dig, hide, hit from behind. Wash, rinse, repeat"

Vixen gave another snort, but had a small grin, or as much of one as a fox could have on her face "That's beside the point. I'm just mad they were able to hit me. It seems like the dumber the beast, the less effect my clones have. Does that make any sense?" She dug around with her snout and paws, like the burrow-digging animal she was, to scavenging the spoils. She eventually found what she was looking for and touched her paw to first some data that had managed to coalesce from the viruses remains. Or maybe they dropped it, she didn't care. She sent the data back, along with some zenny that was likewise scavenged.

Eliza slides in a blank chip, letting the new data copy over as she adds the zenny to Vixen's account. "Well, well. Your first honest haul in.. How long has it been? Seems like you haven't earned anything in your life that we would be allowed to spend openly" Vixen, snorts and retorts "And that puts me two-hundred and fourty honest zenny above anything you have ever earned" Eliza pouts "Hey now, I had an allowance, when I was a kid. That wasn't stolen or anything"

They both chuckle as Vixen heads back into the net, quiet once more and stalking prey that doesn't look electrical. Fighting fairly is almost unknown to her and she most certainly isn't above fleeing from anything she thinks can fry her.

Requesting Battle 2

Crack!

A tree fell across Vixen's path. She darted to the side just as another tree fell near her. Each tree had scorch marks as if they were hit by lightning bolts. But as the Navi jumped through the nearby shrubbery, electricity was quickly shelved as the cause. A group of floating, spike-haired viruses with flaming fists were practicing on the nearby timber. They all put down their training when Vixen revealed herself to them accidentally in her mad dash to get away from the falling trees.

-Viruses-
ChampuA: 60HP
ChampuB: 60HP
ChampuC: 60HP
ChampuD: 60HP
ChampuE: 60HP

-Terrain-
100% Normal

-Allies-
Vixen: 100HP

~Battle 2: Start!!~

Vixen chided herself for being seen as she dove for cover. She realized the only things she had to hide behind were the very trees the viruses were knocking down, but unless they had some instinctive way of knowing she was a navi, they wouldn't have any clue what the hell she even was. For the time being anyway. Most people customized their navis to look tall, impressive and ridiculously arrogant. As an arctic fox, Vixen was the size of a small, skinny dog or maybe a large housecat.

Stupid Eliza, sending her into this dangerous network to fight stuff for her own amusement. She was a trickster and a thief, not a warrior. Why couldn't Eliza just spend some of the money she got from robbing that fat, rich guy to upgrade her? What kind of lame excuse was 'people might trace it to you and you to me' Stupid rules.

After diving behind one of the trees, in all appearances, craziness was going to break loose. First off, running from each side of the tree was a tiny fox and with a yip and a howl from them simultaneously, cold energy builds in their canine jaws and each fox fires an icy blast at one of the viruses. Following their attack, both foxes remain in their spots, not exactly trying to get hit but not presenting terribly elusive targets either. In other words, it's their job to be there and draw fire but not be too obvious about it.

(If one or both decoys are struck before firing, the ice blast they were going to fire is nullified. Also, I forgot that GMOs can tweak sig appearances, and the intent of gengetsu was for a decoy of her current form to appear)

While her decoys were doing their thing, the fox was making use of her latest battlechip to burrow under the ground and change locations. She wasn't about to have a tree get knocked down on top of her and it was apparent from all the deforestation that these guys were capable of it. Funny how foxes normally dig burrows and the first chip she came upon let her burrow in the ground, however brief.

1 - Duck behind a nearby tree! (Feint)

Clone Technique: Free decoy created
2 - Activate Sig: "Gengetsu" [(Decoy x1,1rd) Then (20 Aqua x2 Hits); 2 TCD] @ ChampuA

3 - Use Battlechip: Mole1 (Conditional Burrow/Submerge)

[Chips Used: Mole1]
[Sig "Gengetsu" cooldown: 2]
[Clone Technique: USED (pre-action2)]

Vixen ducks behind a tree just before two Vixens dash out from behind the tree. The lead Champu is blasted by some icy breath attacks which freeze the fiery virus into deletion as the rest of them teleport in to confront the foxes. Two Champus double-punch through the Decoys, becoming confused as they disappear in clouds of frosty smoke. Clearly the real one was behind the tree!

The third Champu punches the tree to root out Vixen, who dashes away as the tree falls over and barely misses her, as well as the follow-up punch from the virus. Vixen dives into the ground just as the last Champu punches through the spot she just seconds ago, two whiffs.

-Viruses-
ChampuA: Deleted
ChampuB: 60HP
ChampuC: 60HP
ChampuD: 60HP
ChampuE: 60HP

-Terrain-
100% Normal

-Allies-
Vixen: 100HP [Burrowed]

Trying to keep her cool, the ice navi quickly dig, hoping she remembers from the quick look she had where one of the remaining trees was. As she breaks ground a pops out, now ideally behind a tree on the other side of the battlefield, she crouches low to the ground. Perhaps it would be wise to not give her position away just yet, she considers, but surely the viruses were about to start breaking down every tree to find her. They did see her leap into the ground after all. Perhaps it was time for a proactive defense.

The silvery tip of her tail took on a blue glow, surrounded by wisps of snow and cool air. She let her tail dip down onto the ground and in an instant, a flash-freeze covered a sizable area around her with ice. It coated the ground and the tree she was hiding behind thickly, and hopefully in a large enough area to give her a tactical advantage here.

Following the winter wonderland, snow and moonlight spun together as a decoy leapt from her body and ran off, around the tree to one side. Vixen herself ran to the other side of the tree. The pair of foxes yipped and barked as the navi kept on her toes and waited for them to make a mistake. Such as assuming neither of these two were her and slip-sliding as they went for the tree. It didn't make a lot of sense to just do nothing at all though, so she begins building power within herself, for a powered-up blaster shot that may or may not come in this fight.

1 - Burrow around, behind another tree then.. Surface!
Activate NC Program: SetIce
Clone Technique: Free decoy created

2 - Dodge!

3 - Buster Charge, half

[Buster Power: Half-Charge ]
[NC SetIce: USED]
[Chips Used: Mole1]
[Sig "Gengetsu" cooldown: 1]
[Clone Technique: USED (pre-action2)]

Vixen surfaced behind the cover of a tree and analyzed her situation. Finding it to her advantage, she shifted the panels of the battlefield in a massive radius. Regular tiles froze over instantly, leaving the field half-covered in ice. This action helped the Champus to guess at her location, but Vixen and her decoy were off and running before the viruses could get close. From a distance away, the Navi built up some power for later use and then waited while the viruses continued to search for her.

-Viruses-
ChampuA: Deleted
ChampuB: 60HP (Ice)
ChampuC: 60HP (Ice)
ChampuD: 60HP (Ice)
ChampuE: 60HP

-Terrain-
50% Normal
50% Ice

-Allies-
Vixen: 100HP [Charge 1] (Ice)

"Mmm, what will you do now, hot stuff? Maybe you need a chip?" As usual, Eliza seemed to enjoy teasing Vixen while she worked. It was possible the woman was getting some kind of thrill from her navi fighting, but she led enough of an action-packed life with her own line of work. She slid in one of Vixen's few chips without asking.

As chip data entered her mind, Vixen decided to change her tactics up, now that she had a terrain advantage. She dashed from her position as the clone from moments ago faded and fell apart into a puff of snow and ice, blown across the frosty terrain. With a loud bark, the navi opened her jaws and fired off a blue blast at her opponents. Though she was tempted to aim for the furthest opponent, she wanted to try and hit as many of them as she could and it was likely to run onto the ice anyway soon.

Trying to keep her momentum, the navi releases the charged energy from her mouth, sending a razor-sharp shard of ice at the same target she aimed the first blast at. Finishing things up, the lightly swirling ice and snow around her sprung to life as the formed yet another Vixen directly in front of her. She didn't really have time to move around and confuse things but hopefully the decoy wold at least absorb the first shot aimed at her. When outnumbered, it would be foolish to not at least try everything she could to gain the advantage.

1 - Move to line up one or more viruses (Feint)

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

3 - Half-Charge Buster Attack [(1+1)x10]=20 Aqua @ ChampuB
Clone Technique: Free Decoy Created

[NC SetIce: USED this battle]
[Chips Used: Mole1, Shotgun]
[Sig "Gengetsu" cooldown: 0 READY]
[Clone Technique: USED (post-action3)]

Swishing across the field of ice, Vixen blasted a couple of energy balls at one of the Champu, letting the fighter virus eat deletion. Three left, they split up their forces between the two Vixens, one punch landing on Vixen, and two on her decoy. (10)

-Viruses-
ChampuA: Deleted
ChampuB: Deleted
ChampuC: 60HP (Ice)
ChampuD: 10HP (Ice)
ChampuE: 60HP

-Terrain-
50% Normal
50% Ice

-Allies-
Vixen: 90HP (Ice)

As her decoy is struck and vanishes into a swirl of snow, the real fox skates backwards on the ice for a moment. She was just grazed by the tree-felling flaming punch, and gives an irritated yip, more in anger than pain. She is running low on battle chips here and would prefer not to start an all-out brawl just yet but it can't really be avoided any longer.

A puff of arctic air blows cold and snow past the fox as a pair of Vixen's leap out from her form, one to either side. They dash just to her sides and each release a glowing blue icy blast from their moths, aimed at one of the healthier Champus. Meanwhile, courtasy of her operator, the real Vixen in the middle processes chip data and her claws and forearms becomes reinforced razor-sharp talons, which she doesn't hesitate to rake at the nearby (?) damaged foe.

Since it looks like one of the Champus isn't on the ice, it is assumed to be further away and she finishes things up by gathering energy within her body, ice and snow beginning to swirl as she builds energy for a shot.

Clone Technique: Activate!
1 - Activate Sig "Gengetsu" [(Decoy x1,1rd) Then (20 Aqua x2 Hits); 2 TCD] @ ChampuC

2 - Use Battlechip: Rageclaw1 (40+Slashing) @ ChampuD (5 uses left)

3 - Buster charge! (Half)

[NC SetIce: USED this battle]
[Chips Used: Mole1, Shotgun, Rageclaw]
[Sig "Gengetsu" cooldown: 2]
[Clone Technique: USED (pre-action1)]

The first Champu becomes a popsicle as both ice balls smash into him and freeze him to the ice. The second Champu vanishes just as Vixen slashes into him, reappearing to her side with a fiery punch, which also misses. The third Champu hits the decoy Vixen, who explodes in a puff of icy smoke. Vixen uses the distraction to gather energy for an attack!

-Viruses-
ChampuA: Deleted
ChampuB: Deleted
ChampuC: Deleted
ChampuD: 10HP (Ice)
ChampuE: 60HP (Ice)

-Terrain-
55% Normal
45% Ice

-Allies-
Vixen: 90HP (Ice) [Decoy Broken!] [Buster Charge x1]

Heart beating wildly, the small fox jukes to the side to avoid a flaming punch. Her claws scraped against the ice beneith her feet, keeping her footing remarkably stable. She spun in place a moment, the rising snow swirling briefly obscuring her form, before a pair of Vixens ran away from each other. They both barked and yipped as they dashed, getting distance from each other.

Of course the real goal was positioning , as the decoy was running to get behind the already-damaged Champu, and the real Vixen was heading behind the unharmed one. The decoy does it's best to get into position, followed by yipping and barking violently at the virus.

The real Vixen, was using what was hopefully a distraction, in order to draw in more energy and finish her charge. She promptly lunges at the healthy Champu with her jaws glowing blue, aiming to chomp it and freeze the fire virus solid!

Clone Technique: Active!
1 - Movement: Vixen & Decoy move to flank either virus

2 - Buster Charge (Full!)

3 - Full-Charge Buster attack [(1+1)x20]=40 Aqua @ ChampuE

[Rageclaw Uses left: 5]
[NC SetIce: USED this battle]
[Chips Used: Mole1, Shotgun, Rageclaw]
[Sig "Gengetsu" cooldown: 1]
[Clone Technique: USED (pre-action1)]

As the two Vixens get into position the Champus attack the ones closest to each. The decoy dodges one punch from its Champu, before the second catches the clone and makes it go *poof*. Vixen isn't as lucky and takes both fiery punches before she unleashes an icy attack that freezes the Champu into a virus-Popsicle.

-Viruses-
ChampuA: Deleted
ChampuB: Deleted
ChampuC: Deleted
ChampuD: 10HP (Ice)
ChampuE: Deleted

-Terrain-
55% Normal
45% Ice

-Allies-
Vixen: 70HP (Ice) [Decoy Broken!]