Some Personal Time

((From => Elsewhere in the City))
----------

It was hard not to shiver, left on her own again while Rogan worked. Lyntael hugged herself. The shock of actually shouting back at him was still fresh, but even so, sitting here, she was swiftly realising that it wasn't really going to change anything at all. Rogan had transferred every piece of potentially relevant data to his lap-top and left his PET, and her, set aside in the folds of the discarded lab coat, lying now in the passenger seat of the car, while the man himself stretched out in the back.

When he was done with all the important information and had scoured it as much as he wanted, he would probably begin sorting and valuing everything else that he'd pulled up, and then finding buyers for anything worthwhile that he'd pulled. It was a process she'd seen him work through several times now, and she knew it would likely take him a few more hours at least. It might be midday before he roused himself enough to actually put some food in his body, and any interruption from her would just bring a scolding. No change.

She'd managed to sleep for a short while, after they'd stopped, but it had been one long nightmare, and if anything, the girl felt more worn out than when she'd closed her eyes. She shivered again and hugged herself tighter. No, sleep wasn't really an option right now, no matter how tired she felt. She had to do something, though. Just sitting here, in this cold, empty, soulless excuse for a home just made her mind focus on everything that had happened during the night. Daunting as it was, she just felt like, more than anything else right now, she needed to get away; out of this space, away from everything about SciLab, and Vigilance, and just, away.

Normally, she might have spent some time designing .GMOs or maybe imagining what she might do with this home space, if she had the resources and permission to change it herself... especially now that, on a whim it seemed, he'd relented and allowed them to her... but the thought of simply spending more time here, knowing what Rogan was going through close by, and always being reminded of it by her own thoughts... she just felt like she couldn't bear it right now. Anywhere would be better than staying here.

Lyntael stood, still rubbing at her arms as she tried to decide what to do. Certainly, she could still activate the probe's link to patch a connection to the nearest network without Rogan actually jacking her in. Without his help, it would still be unstable, and not the most comfortable of experiences, but compared to what she'd just been through, pain from such an innocent source seemed less intimidating to her now. He said he'd call her when he was done, but she knew that that really wasn't likely going to be for hours. Getting out of her head for a while would be good, wouldn't it? She could go somewhere safe, and just.. explore, maybe? Find somewhere that wasn't plain, heartless and cold, like here?

She caught herself pacing back and forth as she thought. Maybe it wasn't a good idea. If she ran into trouble that would only make matters worse, wouldn't it? But she'd already gone out successfully once, and come back okay, and that was for a GNA mission and everything. This was just... slipping out for a walk.

As she circled the small space, her eye fell on the small strip of fabric again. What she really wanted to do was talk to someone. But not Rogan, and not anyone related to any of this mess. Someone else. Her first instinct was to begin making a call to Eric, but she stopped before completing it. If she told Eric everything that had happened last night, she'd end up having to tell him everything about how Rogan had acted and treated her as well, and that would just make him angry at Rogan and worried for her, and he might even insist that she come how to him and stay there. A part of her would really like that, as well. Living with Eric, in those early days of her life, had been blissful, compared to living with Rogan, but... her will faltered over the thought of being taken away from him, and not seeing him again. She couldn't just contact Caminus or Sevare privately, as much as she wanted to talk to either of them... even if she asked, they wouldn't be able to keep anything she told them back from Eric, especially if they thought she was suffering, which they certainly would.

The next person on her list of possible shoulders was Martia, and Lyntael brightened automatically at the thought. They'd only met a day ago, perhaps, but the martial artist was still Lyntael's only other friend, and it already felt like they'd been through a lot together, too. That's what she'd do; go visit Martia. Though... She paused in her pacing to waver back and forth. She might be busy. She had an address, sure, but, it wouldn't be very polite to just drop in unannounced, after all... not for a friend she'd only met a day ago.

Instead, she drifted back to the PET's internal console and checked Rogan's email. Whether it was her already fragile emotional balance or the confirmation, however slight, that Martia was, indeed, her friend, Lyntael felt her eyes welling with sudden tears again at finding a message from the other navi waiting for her already. In a way, it was exactly what she needed right now. Grinning softly, she scrubbed at her eyes and read through the message, re-reading some of the parts that seemed more important.

Once she's absorbed it all, she sniffed a few times and took a moment to make sure she was properly composed, then sat back to make a response. She could suggest a meeting with the email, then she probably wouldn't seem too clingy or needy, hopefully. That would work. Actually recording the message proved more troublesome than she'd hoped, but she found herself continually going back and trying to say what she meant better and obsessing over how to word things. She was still at it when Rogan's voice cut across her awareness.

"Lyntael," Without thinking she saved the message and darted in to flick off the terminal before she stood to attend her operator. It didn't seem like he was watching anyway, as his voice continued. "I'm going to be conducting a few calls with some buyers shortly, I'll need absolute silence from you for the next hour or two. Is that understood?" She nodded, then more properly answered.

"Yes, Sir. I'll be quiet. Like I'm not even here." Lyntael bit back a short sigh, as much at how easily the reassurances came when he asked for them, as for the situation as a whole, and she returned to her email.

The recent stipulation for silence made her clamp one hand over her mouth as she tried to retrieve what she'd been working on. It had sent rather than saved for later. How had she managed that? And with all those bits she'd meant to cut out as well... what would Martia think of her now? Would nothing go right today? One way or the other, her friend wasn't likely to respond immediately, and that still left her with a need to be away from things. Her own words to Rogan gave her an idea, and she set to before her will-power faltered again. Going out alone was frightening, yes, and she really wasn't feeling very good, but anything was better than staying here.

It still took an effort to steel her nerves as she prepared Rogan's connection probe to emulate its link. Without a direct jack-in input it was still the only way for her to slip out on her own, but she repeated in her mind that she was just going to go somewhere safe, and different, and get out of her head for a bit, then come back again. That was all, nothing special, and nothing dangerous.

The orange lights lit up one at a time and Lyntael braced herself for the coming discomfort, just as the flickering yellow light beam flung her roughly through the unstable connection.
The delay between leaving the PET, and when Lyntael actually regained her senses was a few moments longer that it was possible for her to be comfortable with, and by the time the shuddering light beam dropped the small girl into the warm, steamy environments of the Yoka Net, she was gritting her teeth and trying not to gasp. Small trembles wracked her for a few moments after the light receded and it was another few still before she picked herself up and climbed to her feet.

The pain faded quickly, and after a moment, Lyntael smiled. It was a forced smile, but she closed her eyes and held it for a moment anyway. The discomfort was never pleasant at the best of times, but as she'd expected, there was something notably different when it was simply a fact of matters, and didn't come from any sort of malicious source. That was pain she could learn to deal with, perhaps.

Recovered, she turned about, taking in her new surroundings and trying to work out exactly where the link had flung her to. Warm temperature, steamy pools, quaint old paths and, in the distance, the occasional small structure bearing distinctly Electopian architecture. But since she hadn't transferred to a net halfway around the world, there was only one sure bet for where she'd ended up. Maybe something approaching good luck was finding its way to her at last? She'd never yet been to a hot spring, but the concept really appealed to her, especially right now.

Without waiting any longer she moved away from where her exit-point remained. A downside to using the link unassisted was the fixed point entry. It wasn't like she was actually cut off, of course... the emergency system, at least, would still be able to locate and grab her, if needed... but that was about all that still worked, when she was remote like this. Still, no need to think about that. She was here to relax.

Lyntael picked a path at random, winding her way through the large, aesthetically pleasing rock formations that dotted the space around and in between the various pools. It seemed mostly deserted in the area she'd arrived... there was no other navis around as far as she could see, though the hilly terrain and secluded nooks made it anyone's guess, really.

Soon enough, a particularly pleasant-seeming spot caught her eye and she wandered slowly around the edge of one pool, partially in the shade of a small stand of trees, while a series of tall rock shapes ringed most of the rest, save a small gap just barely big enough for a person to walk through. It was almost as though it was designed like a perfect little private spot. She dipped a toe in the water, sighing and letting her eyes close for a moment, then stood straight again to look around.

As expected, standing inside the ring of rocks, she couldn't see anything at all outside the small area of the steaming spring. The trees weren't quite the same barrier, but there were enough that she couldn't see through them to the other side, either. Perfect.

The next problem presented itself as she slipped one foot a little deeper into the water. She still didn't have anything suitable for bathing, and the prospect of just wading in in her clothes wasn't good. Still, that was why such a private-seeming spot was ideal. She hesitated even so, tried to look around again, then darted back to the 'entrance' and looked about outside, just to be double sure. No-one. Good.

Back at the water's edge, still biting her lip a little nervously and looking about despite herself, Lyntael unfastened her skirt and the clasps on her vest and slipped them both off, laying them neatly on an outcropping of rock. She paused again, hands on her hips as her fingers hooked at the hem of her underwear. Private or not, this was still a public net, and as much as she didn't really want to get them wet, it was better than the alternative. The pale yellow cotton stayed on as she slowly slipped into the water, letting out several long, luxuriant sighs as she gradually lowered herself down.

The pool was deep enough that, once she settled and seated, and had found a spot to lean against that was comfy against her back, the water itself came all the way up to her neck. And it was beautiful. It was also so blissfully soothing and relaxing that it made her aware of just how exhausted and worn out she was feeling, and it only took a few minutes of pleasant soaking and blissing out before the young girl drifted into something close to a peaceful, mercifully dreamless, sleep.

((Ready for Battle #1 ... Even if Lyntael isn't))
While Lyntael snoozes on, a trio of curious onlookers surface from the depths of the hot spring. A Whirly without its signature whirlpool scuttles onto a rock near the young lady; it looks annoyed for a moment, clicking its claws until the hot spring water appears to comply, a stream rising up and spinning into an aquatic twister for the little crab to ride. A Senbon floats to the surfaces moments later, blowing bubbles into the water as it deflates. Finally, a Bandcoon appears from the bushes on the far side of the hot spring; seeing other viruses, it gleefully leaps into the hot water, swimming to the other side and popping up sopping wet.

The three viruses gather around Lyntael, peering at her with undisguised curiosity. The intrepid Bandcoon leans in, pressing its wet nose against her side and sniffing; they don't seem to be feeling aggressive yet, but would the general noise of their activity be enough to wake the dozing Navi up?

=Viruses= [All on edge of Onsen pool]
Whirly: 90HP
Senbon: 80HP
Bandcoon: 60HP

=Terrain=
70% Onsen [Large pool]
30% Normal [Ring around pool]

=Navi= [On edge of Onsen pool]
Lyntael: 150HP [Sleeping! RP to wake up!]
The quiet splashing and rippling of the water roused Lyntael, but she didn't stir immediately. Still more asleep than not, it was to the good fortune of a certain inquisitive Bandcoon that right then was probably one of the very few times when the electrical girl's skin was actually safe to touch; passive and relaxed as she was, the delicate contact did not deliver a shock, or even anything so harmless as static. The main reaction, in fact, was a gasp of surprise as it sniffed and nosed at the only parts of the girl still exposed to the air; her neck and cheek.

When her eyes fluttered open, Lyntael's first response was to flinch from the unexpectedly cold touch. She gasped and shuffled away on instinct, immediately raising her hands over her chest, but then slowed again. Perhaps it was the brief stint of proper relaxation, or maybe just the atmosphere of the place itself, but rather than abject fear or panic the young girl hesitated and looked about herself. Her heart had jumped to a quick race when she awoke, but after another moment, she realised that the whole situation seemed... well... calm. She took a few quick breaths, still covering her chest.

"Ah... um... H-hi?" She was still focused on the little Bandcoon that had nosed her, but spared a cautious glance for the other two as well. "Um, I... I'm just resting. I'm not looking for trouble." She wondered how well the little creature understood her, and in the time it took to ponder that, her tensed muscles began to relax again, albeit slowly.

"For a virus, you're really kinda cute..." She'd murmured the words without really thinking about it, but in retrospect, the little guy really was. It was a bit difficult to really think of it as a virus under circumstances like these. Why couldn't they all be like this? Then, something bordering on the miraculous happened, which hadn't come about in what felt like a very long time: Lyntael giggled softly. It was the sort of laugh retained only by the young, innocent and free, and the grin that accompanied it was a refreshingly genuine change that even Lyntael herself noticed. It was such a cute thing... she almost wanted to... she paused to look down at herself again. Between the steam rising from the water, and the disturbed, rippling surface, she wasn't really at risk of exposing herself, so long as she didn't stand up, so she let her hands relax and lifted one gently out of the water towards the it, fingers curled and a little hesitant, but open. "Could I...?" She reached out slowly to see if the little critter would let her touch or stroke it.

Summary

L1) Wake up, be... less frightened than expected.
L2) Slight Dodge (no movement)
L3) Say Hello
L4) Make Friends?
L*) Not in combat; A Manifest Spirit is very definitely not active.
The Bandcoon tilted its head a little as Lyntael said some things to it. Things it couldn't really make out. The deflated Senbon joined in on the curiosity, floating in front of her as it blows bubbles that pop not moments after their creation. Then, Lyntael reached out her hand to try and pat the Bandcoon. Its reaction was simple in that it did nothing at all; as a matter of fact, it just sat there like a deer in headlights. The spiny fish in the water turned towards the raccoon-like virus and stared at Lyn's hand.

Meanwhile, the Whirly crab had other plans, seeing as its friends were satisfying their need to know who this strange Navi was. It floated over to where Lyn's clothes were left neatly on a rock. Though it was curious about these things as well, its claws were somewhat... stuck. Still riding inside the whirlpool, it didn't appear as if it could be dissipated too easily. Suddenly, it accidentally lunged forward, directly over the rock. The suction force from the Whirly's whirlpool sucked up the clothes into the vortex, where they were hidden from view. The Whirly panicked, running around the pool madly. Perhaps it was trying to disperse its whirlpool, though it didn't seem to work.

=Viruses=
Whirly: 90HP [Running around pool, Normal]
Senbon: 80HP [In front of Lyn, in Onsen]
Bandcoon: 60HP [A good boy, on Normal]

=Terrain=
70% Onsen [Large pool]
30% Normal [Ring around pool]

=Navi= [On edge of Onsen pool]
Lyntael: 150HP
For a moment, gleeful, amused giggling is the only sound Lyntael can make, wriggling as the Senbon's gentle bubbles ripple the water and pop against her skin. Without any real notice, the movement raises her up a bit more, enough now that her shoulders, at least, are free of the water, down far enough for her emblem to show, but no further.

"Hehe... Hey, that tickles!" Her eyes squeezed shut as she laughed, her other hand raised on instinct to play in the bubble stream. After she calmed a little, her attention turned back to the Bandcoon and she edged her hand in closer, until she could begin to stroke his fur slowly and scratch very delicately at the back of his head, behind one ear. "Aww, you're adorable!" she found herself cooing at him without even thinking about it. "How could anyone ever want to hurt you? You're such a good little guy, aren't you?"

It was at this point that the attention was very prominently distracted by the antics of the Whirly, beginning to whizz rapidly around the small enclosed area in a rather amusing hurry. Unfortunately for Lyntael, by the time she looked over, her skirt and vest had already been ensnared and whisked out of sight amidst the spinning whirlpool, so she only saw it's energetic rushing, and giggled all the more. After a moment, another thought came to her, and she sat up a little straighter. This brought her dangerously close to bringing too much of herself out of the water, but not quite, and it really didn't seem like such a desperate thing to worry about here any now, with just a few cute and friendly creatures about her.

"Hey... I don't really know if any of you understand me, but..." Her left hand continued to stroke and scritch the Bandcoon as she spoke. "You three all seem really friendly. I know a lot of viruses aren't, and that's why most navis end up having to stop them... but... there's a lot that don't even check first." By this point her happy petting had transitioned into belly-rubs for the Bandcoon, and the fingertips on her other hand continued to dance slowly amidst the bubbles. "There's a place that I could link you to, though. They look after friendly viruses like you and take care of them, and make sure that no-one tries to hurt them." She thought for a moment, making sure could bring up the actual linking address if they were interested, then continued. She'd only read about the virus zoo, near the beach, but what she had read sounded promising.

"If you took the link there, I'm sure I'd come and visit, hehe. What do you say?"

Sumamry
L1) Appreciate the Senbon's bubblies!
L2) Pet the adorable Bandcoon!
L3) Enjoy the Whirly's antics!
L*) Be oblivious to the accidental theft of clothing.
L4) Suggest the link to the Virus Zoo, where friendly viruses can be safe.
With the Bandcoon now on ear-scratching mode, it made some sort of clicking sound, closing its eyes. Seems like it enjoyed the attention. The Senbon didn't seem like it liked the seemingly greater amount of attention Lyn was giving to the raccoon-like virus, and intensified its bubble production. Even so, Lyn had already shifted into belly rubs, and the Bandcoon was happy to let her, playfully clawing at her fingers as she did. Her proposal was intently received (or so it seemed, there wasn't really a method of telling) by the two viruses. They looked towards each other, clicking and clattering in some viral language, presumably.

It was at this point that the Whirly decided that doing laps around the pool wasn't going to help, and it simply dunked itself into the pool. The vortex spread into the water, making a big splash-- and then it stopped. The Whirly crab unceremoniously plopped into the water, but the centripetal force had other plans. Lyntael's clothing, now freed from the vortex, and having experienced way more than the appropriate amount of spin cycles, shot across the pool, heading straight for Lyn's face!

=Viruses=
Whirly: 90HP [Dunked into Onsen]
Senbon: 80HP [In front of Lyn, in Onsen]
Bandcoon: 60HP [A good boy, on Normal]

=Terrain=
70% Onsen [Large pool]
30% Normal [Ring around pool]

=Navi= [On edge of Onsen pool]
Lyntael: 150HP
Lyntael paused in her petting while the two nearest her conferred, unable to understand any of it, but hopeful all the same. The net needed more viruses that were happy and friendly, like these, and less like those other mechanical, hostile one's she'd seen before. She reached out her other hand a little more, fingers playing through the bubble stream until she could tentatively brush her fingertips over the top of the Senbon's body and delicately circle her fingertips around its spines. No, wait, there was something else that river-people said most fish really liked... what was it she'd read? Ah!

Moving slowly, she turned her wrist over and slipped the hand back under the water instead, reaching down to stroke and tickle her fingertips along the length of its underside, as best as she could remember to the description of the technique.
"How's that, little guy?" She continued the double service, grinning to herself as she wondered what else to add to her offer of the zoo, then looked up to check on what the Whirly was doing as well, just in time to see the dissipation of its whirlpool and the resultant over-spun yellow blur it flung at her.

A shocked "Eek!" was about all there was time for between registering the threat and it reaching her. Her hands were too occupied to be of any use and so it was with an unfortunately humorous wet 'thwak' that the pair of thoroughly soaked garments slapped the poor girl in the face and chest.

Understandably, she flinched backward against the rocks with both hands jumping away from playing with her new friends quickly, to grasp her face instead. There was a muffled and slightly indignant sound before she pulled the fabric away form her and identified it, then looked up to work out what had happened. She tilted her head at the were the Whirly had dunked itself.

"Aww... I was trying to keep everything dry. Now it's all wet. Did you do that? Where'd you go?" It really had to be something about the Yoka Net, or perhaps the rejuvenating water, that was seeing this far calmer and much less timid Lyntael. Maybe there really was something to the stories about how amazing these springs were... As it was she grimaced softly at the sopping clothes, then stood up, turning about with them in the hands. A quick wring out was the best she could do, before she bent over to begin spreading them out neatly on the rocks beside the spring in the vague hopes that they might dry, at least a little bit.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it was an accident, right?" She spoke clearly enough for the trio to hear, even with her back turned while she worked. "It's all right, we just need to lay all the clothes out on the rocks again, and everything will be fine." Well, not all the clothes... completely wet and clinging to her as her underwear was, staying that way and staying on was the better choice for now.

Summary

L1) Belly Rubs!
L2) Salmon Tickling!
L3) Wait for Viruses to confer about the Zoo offer
L4) Be forgiving while dealing with her clothes.
The Bandcoon appeared to be a bit mad at the Whirly, rapidly chattering at the crab with their odd language. The Senbon, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind much, bubbling happily and rolling back and forth with the attention. All of them looked at the Navi as she tried to wring out her clothes, with the Whirly being a little more reserved as it turned away halfway through. The raccoon virus hopped away towards the edge of the pool closer to the Whirly, and began chattering away some more.

Meanwhile, the blowfish virus seemed to have been tired of bubble-blowing, and rolled onto the rocky edge of the pool belly-up. Lyn could probably figure out what it wanted. However, it was interrupted by the Whirly and Bandcoon approaching them, all gathering together near Lyntael. The Bandcoon buried its claws into its poofy fur and pulled out three smooth-looking rocks, letting them clatter onto the rocky edge. The Senbon rolled back upright, and the Whirly looked up expectantly, starting up a slow whirlpool again in the water.

=Viruses=
Whirly: 90HP [Partial submerge, Onsen]
Senbon: 80HP [Normal]
Bandcoon: 60HP [Normal]

=Terrain=
70% Onsen [Large pool]
30% Normal [Ring around pool]

=Navi= [On edge of Onsen pool]
Lyntael: 150HP
Lyntael found herself struck with the urge to giggle again as she listened. Even unable to understand a sound of it, it really did seem like the Bandcoon was telling the whirly off. With everything straight and set out, she reached over again to give the Senbon what it seemed to be wanting, but only managed a few more gentle pets before all three of the viruses clustered in on her. She turned back, sitting now on the edge with her feet in the water.

"Hehe... it's alright, really, I'm fine. No harm done... hmm? Oh!" She stopped to watch as the Bandcoon produced it's collection. The others were watching her too now, so she looked more closely at what they were showing her.

"Did you find these?" She looked to the Bandcoon, her voice a mix of curious and fascinated. "They're very pretty... May I?" She reached out towards the nearest one slowly. If any of them seemed like they didn't want her to touch them, she'd stop, but if not she meant to pick it up and take a closer look at the little stone. An idea came to her as she looked at the three viruses and the three little stones.

"Hey, I should give you all something too!" Grinning, she raised one hand to place two fingers on her emblem, drawing out a triplicate data link. As she separated it, her other hand drifted between offering small pets and friendly gestures tot he three, petting for the Bandcoon, rubs for the Senbon, and even, carefully, a light tickle for the Whirly. She was sure it hadn't meant to get her clothes wet, after all. When the process was done, she held in her hand three tiny parcels, about the same size as the little stones, though these ones were a pale yellow and glittered.

"Here, one for each of you! These are links. They'll take you somewhere where people will always be nice to you, and you'll get lots of attention, if you like.... and I've fixed them, so, you can keep the crystals too, even after you've followed the data." She set the little yellow shinies down in front of each of them carefully, grinning. "If you don't want to go, you can keep them anyway, you can always follow the link later if you change your mind!"

Summary

L1) More petting for all
L2) Be Attentive and Curious
L3) Look at stones more closely, if they'll allow it.
L4) Offer Zoo-links.

<(Soft-locked for the next battle or two)>

The trio of viruses chitter happily at Lyntael's attentions, Bandcoon and Senbon leaning into the young lady's gentle touch. The Whirly stills as the hand approaches it, but acquiesces quickly enough to the feather-light tickling. It's a peaceful, happy moment in Yoka Net, Navi and viruses somehow interacting and fraternizing without trying to delete each other.

The Bandcoon snuffles at Lyntael's hand, headbutting one of the stones further towards her. She picks one up and turns it over in her hands, revealing it to be...a rock. A smooth, onsen-warmed rock, little more than a particularly nice-feeling bit of curio, courtesy of a friendly virus. The Bandcoon seems to want her to keep it; would she accept the gift?

Lyntael, in turn, presents the three virus with links to the Virus Zoo. The two aquatic viruses admire their gifts with obvious glee, Whirly tossing it from claw to claw while the Senbon stares at its crystal, the soft glow reflected in its bright eyes. There's a moment more of chattering, before the two viruses nod to each other, and cluster around their new Navi friend, snuggling into her chest. They move back and activate the links, the Whirly waving at her as if to say, "Don't forget to visit us!" And thus, the two curious little viruses are beamed off into the skies, on the way to a new home...but not before tossing a small token of Zenny towards her, perhaps in thanks.

The remaining virus, the inquisitive Bandcoon, stares at its gem for a moment, before tucking it into its fur and giving Lyntael the best grin its muzzle could manage. It walks up to sit right beside the relaxing Navi, and sits down on its haunches like a faithful pet, its decision quite clear: Lyntael wouldn't be getting rid of this one for awhile yet.

=Viruses=
Whirly: FLED
Senbon: FLED
Bandcoon: JOINED THE PARTY?!

=Terrain=
70% Onsen [Large pool]
30% Normal [Ring around pool]

=Navi= [On edge of Onsen pool]
Lyntael: 150HP

="BATTLE" #1: VICTORIOUS!!=
Rewards: 600z
The little stone was round and smooth, and pleasantly warm in Lyntael's hand. As she turned to over and rolled it around her palm, a few nudges from the Bandcoon made it clear that he meant it as a present. She marvelled at the mundane little stone a bit more, grinning, more to show her new friend that she appreciated the present than anything else, then curled her fingers about it to hold onto.

They all seemed pleased with their own presents, and Lyntael giggled as the critters snuggled in against her. She wasn't completely comfortable with entities as sentient as they seemed pressing against her bare chest like that, but it was only for a moment, and she was sure they meant it innocently enough, so she let it pass and held her smile. While two of them went off, however, the Bandcoon stayed behind, very clearly attaching itself to Lyntael, and she couldn't resist the urge to coo happily at him.

"Aww, you want to stay with me for bit?" She put a hand down to keep on where she'd left off before, rubbing and patting and scratching him in all the right places. In the end, she whiled away a fairly long stretch simply playing with him happily, and not thinking at all about anything else. Not thinking about a few things in particular was a great way to raise her mood, and her fluffy distraction helped immensely.

Eventually, she looked up to her clothes, and realised that, even spread out like they were, with the steam in the air, they simply weren't going to get any drier than they were now, like that. She'd been too long in the water, too, nice as it was, and the idea of taking a long walk, or maybe even a run, through the wonderful environment was growing on her more and more by the minute. At last, she nodded to herself and stood up properly, looking down at her unexpected companion as she did.

"Want to go exploring, little guy? If I stay here any longer I might just dissolve into the water, hehe..." She covered her mouth as she giggled, biting one knuckle, then began to pull her clothes back on.

First step was to whisk off her underwear quickly and wring them out, getting as much dampness out of the fabric as she could before pulling them back on. Despite being alone, she still blushed delicately for doing so, in what was still a public space. She shifted back and forth a little, pulling at and readjusting the hems once of twice. Perhaps it was the water, or her skin being more sensitive, but they felt oddly tight now, in a way they hadn't before. Oh well, it'd be fine once they dried.

Her other things were only lightly damp; enough to tell they'd been wet recently, but no more than that. She couldn't help but sigh as she refastened the straps on her vest, like she did every time she got dressed. The catches had a few different notches for tightness, but for her, they needed to be done up at the tightest, given that they had nothing of note to restrain or support. It felt like a cruel joke to have an outfit designed specifically for her, which, to her mind, silently mocked her. On the other hand, it was comfy and fitted her really well, and if the catches were prone to tearing, at least it remained opaque, even when wet.

Once her skirt was on as well and fastened up, Lyntyael stretched once, the motion flowing smoothly like a small wave through her form as her body shook out each part in turn. She glanced down to the Bandcoon, then crouched in front of him to scratch behind one ear again. He seemed the sort that might want to sit on her shoulder, or some such, if she let him, but a part of her was concerned. She was calm now, and it was safe, but if anything startled or frightened her while they wandered, her skin would spark up quickly.

"Ready to go for a walk? If you want to jump on you can, but listen. If anything scary happens, I want to you jump off again quickly, ok. I don't want you to get hurt." If he did indeed want to climb on or be carried, she meant to let him get settled before standing again, but whether he wanted a ride or preferred to travel along beside her, it wasn't long before the girl was making her way out of the little enclosed spring, and heading onwards to explore the relaxing locale further.

(Ready for... Whatever Awaits!)
Lyntael is able to get herself dressed back up without any mishaps. While she gets her clothes on, her Bandcoon friend takes the time to scurry about in a general state of excited hyperactivity, sniffing this and prodding that. Rather than beg for a ride, however, the little raccoon deigns to run about at Lyntael's heels.

The unlikely duo continue along down what seems to be a long stone boardwalk, a vast ocean lapping against the attractive stonework on one side, and the rest of the Net along the other side. A few other Navis stroll along the route in the opposite direction; several give Lyntael strange looks for her damp attire and choice of companion, but nobody says a word, engrossed in their own worlds and conversations...

...That is, until the peaceful ocean explodes, scattering water all across the boardwalk and expelling a series of dark shapes. "V-V-Viruses!!" a passerby yells in the chaos, everyone nearby either immediately jacking-out or simply booking it down the walkway to relative safety. One of the revealed viruses, a blue-tinted Swordy, takes a gleeful swipe at an escapee, before turning its attentions to the only two remaining figures on the scene.

Nearby, Lyntael notices her Bandcoon faced off against another Swordy. Its hackles are raised, and it emits a soft growl totally unlike the happy squeaks she'd heard earlier. It startles as a series of bubbles pop with positively explosive force against the stones, turning seaward: a duo of Starfish float above the water, staring their fellow virus down. It appears the Bandcoon is fully prepared to scrap against its own kind!

Far removed from the peaceful, adorable viruses from the hot spring, these newcomers appear more than happy to throw down. Lyntael was the only Navi left on the scene; it was her call from here on out!

=Foes=
Swordy-AA: 80HP [Normal]
Swordy-AB: 80HP [Normal]
StarfishA: 60HP [Sea]
StarfishB: 60HP [Sea]

=Terrain=
50% Normal
50% Sea

=Allies=
Lyntael: 150HP [Normal]
Bandcoon: 60HP [Normal]

=VIRUS VS VIRUS...AND NAVI=
=ACTUAL BATTLE #2: BEGIN!!=
As they walked, the path took them from secluded pools and grass slopes, and curved down gently to a beautiful seafront just begging to be admired. The boardwalk meandered along its edge, and as they progressed Lyntael began to see other navis also enjoying a stroll. She had the strong urge to see if she could talk to any of them, and perhaps make another friend while she was out, but most seemed to be well engrossed in their own affairs, and she found herself far too shy to intrude or interrupt.

Instead she walked, enjoying the setting and the feel of stretching out and exercising again, after such a long rest. Sneaking out to take this trip really had been a wonderful idea, and exactly what she had needed, in every way. It was just as she thought these things, that all hell suddenly broke loose, sending navis dashing or jacking out in a chaotic scramble.

Like most other shy-by-nature navis, Lyntael's first reaction was to shrink away from the sudden attack, with her flight instincts telling her at once to run the other way. After her burn out before, she had been worried about whether her electrical charge was even reliable any more, or if she was broken somehow, but in the first moments of panic, there it was again, springing-to just under her skin with an energetic glow. No visible glow, of course, not yet, but it felt like it.

As her eyes darted about for a safe direction to flee in, she caught sight of the little Bandcoon, hackles up ready to fight. In that moment, she found herself torn roughly in two different directions. The initial shock had settled into the normal fear that made her run from conflicts like this, and she dearly wanted to get away, but then... her little friend meant to fight, seen though he was so small, and only one, against four tougher, angrier viruses. Wasn't he frightened? He'd get hurt, or deleted, if she didn't stay to help, and try to protect him. More than anything right now, she just didn't want her cute new friend to get hurt.

So it was with trepidation and a lot of uncertain nerves that Lyntael found herself turning back towards the virus assault, and toeing the battle line with her braver-than-her little ally.

"Le- Leave them alone!" Not the most sterling of challenges, perhaps, but she raised her fists, her feet slipping apart into the unconsciously graceful fighting stance that always seemed to come naturally without her being aware of it. She spared a moment to glance down at her friend, even has her hair began to crackle and spark.

"Are you sure about this, little guy? Please be careful..." As she felt her internal current swell beneath her skin, growing ready to crash out around her at the slightest provocation, another thought struck her, heralding a new wave of panic. "Don't... don't get to close to me, alright? I can't really control this when it happens!" Worrisome was the awareness that, until now, the little critter hadn't really seemed to understand the nuances of her actual speech, so much as a general feeling or intent; try as she might to warn him, there was no knowing if he would actually get the message.

The only option really was to try and put enough distance between them herself, so before her static fall-off could cause any grief, she began to run, making a dash for the further of the two sword-viruses. The idea of getting closer to something with a sharp sword, that clearly wanted to use it, terrified her, but there didn't seem to be any choice, now. The charge in her strikers was growing of its own accord, building up in response to the sudden adrenalin, and she was leery of expending it in any great amount, for fear of what the regain would do to her, but better in small amounts than large bursts, probably. As she reached the other Swordy, her stance widened for a moment, turning her momentum so that she rose easily to one toe point and brought her other foot around in a high kick.

As the strike fell, the initial build up of charge in her strikers flooded in to meet at her core, then out again to create a small electrical burst at the point where her kick ought most likely to be meeting virus. The energy release at her striker seemed to cause a chain reaction in her body, leading to a further cascade of static fall-off fanning out from her body in all directions as well, though the additional release seemed more to balance the sudden rebuild of energy, rather than add to it.

The most notable thing that Lyntael herself didn't seem to realise at all, however, was again a form of calm that she had never before experienced in fraught situations like this: She was terrified, certainly, but whether a combination of the relaxation time in Yoka or that, for the first time in her life, she'd chosen to fight for a reason of her own choosing, the fact remained; she had at least started out handling herself far better than usual.


Summary

L1) My Pain is Real: (Counter(Receiving Melee): 40Elec, Nova2, Self-Slow1 (Overcharge +1 on trigger)) (Overcharge +1 on Set)
L2) Movement: Going to meet the far Swordy, wherever it decides to go.
L3) Unconscious: Buster Charge while moving.
L*) A Manifest Spirit: (Passive, 10elec, Nova2)
L4) Half-Charge Strike (40Elec, A) at Swordy (whichever is not the one the Bandcoon is near) (Overcharge +1)

Cooldowns and Overcharge

My Pain is Real (2TCD)

Overcharge: Begin 0, MPiR Set +1, Half-Charge Strike +1, Manifest Spirit -1, End +1
Lyntael makes a valiant dash down the boardwalk, crackling with electricity and nerves. Regardless of her trepidation, her feet keep slapping against stone, and in seconds she's facing down a blue-bladed Swordy. The virus, possibly not realizing the dangers in scrapping with an Elec-elemental, takes a gleeful swipe at its opponent. The energy blade just barely misses, so close Lyntael can feel the rush of displaced air against her electrified skin. Her static recoil thus remaining unspent, she's free to smash her foot straight through the Swordy's guard; the virus is deleted before it even has time to register that its attack missed.

The other Swordy, facing off against Lyntael's Bandcoon friend, makes to warp into position in front of the little rodent, only for a rather disorienting spatial anomaly to partially obscure the two viruses. When the dizzying blur fades, the Swordy remains precisely where it had originally been, while the Bandcoon is...right behind it? It appears the little thief somehow managed to steal the Swordy's AreaGrab.

At any rate, the Swordy remains where it was, a little dumbfounded, while the Bandcoon continues scampering around the boardwalk, keeping itself limber. The Starfishes, both some distance away, blow several large bubbles that slowly drift across the water; there was still some time before they would impact the boardwalk.

=Foes=
Swordy-AA: DELETED
Swordy-AB: 80HP [Normal]
StarfishA: 60HP [Sea]
StarfishB: 60HP [Sea]

=Objects=
StarfishA Bubbles: 10HP x 3 [3 Remaining]
StarfishB Bubbles: 10HP x 3 [3 Remaining]

<(Note: each cluster of bubbles moves as a group, and is advancing on Lyntael and the Bandcoon from the Starfishes' position out in the Sea Terrain.)>

=Terrain=
50% Normal
50% Sea

=Allies=
Lyntael: 150HP [Normal] [My Pain is Real: Ready!] [Overcharge: +1]
Bandcoon: 60HP [Normal]

=Cooldowns=
My Pain is Real: 2 Turns Remaining
The feeling of the Swordy's blade passing over her, so close to her skin, almost threw Lyntael off her strike completely, but by that point she was physically far too committed to it to do anything but follow through, even by accident. As her foot connected and the virus began to crumble, a brief wash of sensation fed back through Lyntael, making her cheeks pink slightly and her breath catch. It only lasted a moment while she came down from the pivoting kick and regained her stance, but it was enough to give her pause; she'd felt that before.

Originally, her half-formed idea had been to strike and then get away again before the virus could cut her, but the sensation made her look back instead, and she paused, confused. Where...? Where had it gone? It hadn't been destroyed, surely... Was there someone else here helping them too? She glanced around, looking for the mysterious benefactor, but found only the viruses. The notion that she'd done that herself, with a single strike, wasn't going to make it through to being believed any time soon, but she set it aside, reassessing quickly as best she could.

Her little friend was playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the other Swordy, but she was far too afraid of her own wild static to get close enough to help him. She stood at the edge of the water, looking out to the Starfish blowing their bubbles. They certainly didn't seem inclined to simply stop and go away, but she didn't have any way of reaching them without...

A part of the memories she was trying to shut away surfaced, despite her best efforts. What was it she had done that had caused that arc of electricity? There'd been so much energy crashing through her at the time, but maybe she could still do it, if she tried. A quick dart along the shoreline to find a line that wasn't obscured by the starfish's bubbles and Lyntael set her aim on the one furthest from her, then tried to recall the exact actions she'd taken.

Her stance had been wide, and the charge had reacted when she directed it, like... When Lyntael put both of her hands out, trying to force an expend of energy where she pointed, nothing actually happened. She could feel charge building, but... nothing. The bubbles were still drifting towards her, too, tracking slowly. What could she do?

Out of other options, she took a deep breath, spared a glance for her little friend and hoped that he could stay safe for just a while longer, then dived in. She didn't really want to get her clothes wet all over again, but it seemed like a petty concern next to real danger, and as much as they looked kind of pretty, the bubbles were still being sent her way by a hostile virus; it was probably worth her effort to avoid them as best she could. So, she held her breath and stayed down as she swam the distance out to the viruses. They were floating over the top of the water, after all; they shouldn't be able to break the surface without disappearing. At least, that was sort of where her half-formed thoughts went as she made the decision. It didn't help that, compared to the hot springs from before, this water felt frigid.

The distance was longer than she had anticipated, and by the time she was between the two and could kick to the surface again, she burst up with a deep gasp for air. Her skin and hair crackled madly along with her growing heart rate, and she could feel the electricity leeching out from her and into the water in all directions. For once, she was more than glad to let it.

"You shouldn't... attack people like that." Still catching her breath, Lyntael's voice was dark mutter that would have surprised her, if she'd heard herself. "It scares them." The build of her charge swelled, and she willed more and more of it to spill out into the water around her, all around the two Starfish. "Whenever I get scared, I end up hurting everyone around me. Is that what you want?" It occurred to her, that she really ought to be doing something more than simply taunting the viruses, but for the moment, letting her charge stabilise and diffuse smoothly was taking more of her attention.


Summary

L1) Kaaaa-meee-haaa-meee-*fzzt* (Buster Charge)
L2) Dodge, diving into the water.
L3) Tactical Movement: Dive in and swim under the water to surface between the two Starfish.
L*) A Manifest Spirit (10Elec , Nova2, Overcharge-1) (30 on Starfish, for Terrain and Element)
L4) Buster Charge

Cooldowns and Overcharge

My Pain is Real (1TCD)

Overcharge: Begin: +1 Manifest Spirit -1, End: 0
Lyntael's living current continues to build as she makes her move. In a feat of ingenuity and general aquatic physics, she takes the dive underwater. A good half of the bubbles attempt to follow her down beneath the surface, but pop harmlessly on contact with the standing water. The other three bubbles continue onward toward the boardwalk, sending little starbursts of distorted light reflecting all over the wet stones. Their target, the Bandcoon, continues to skunk the Swordy. Once more, it attempts to warp in for the attack, only for the cheeky rodent to steal its natural Areagrab ability and teleport behind it.

The Navi continues her frantic swim towards the two Starfishes, ignoring the strain on her virtual lungs as best as she can. At last she surfaces, right between the two floating echinoderms; they look at her with sleepy-eyed confusion, as though unsure of where she'd just appeared from. Their confusion is replaced in very short order by pain, however, as their boneless bodies are fried by a sudden electric shock.

Blackened and considerably angered, they each turn to face the source of the painful static. Their mouths pucker as though going in for a kiss...but the resulting bubbles could arguably be considered an even worse fate than a virus-smooch. A flurry of bubbles ensues, surrounding Lyntael on all sides. Three of the giant, glistening orbs pop against the ocean surface, but the rest continue their slow pursuit of her.

=Foes=
Swordy-AA: DELETED
Swordy-AB: 80HP [Normal]
StarfishA: 30HP [Sea]
StarfishB: 30HP [Sea]

=Objects=
StarfishA Bubbles: 10HP x 1 [1 Remaining] [Advancing towards Lyntael]
StarfishB Bubbles Group A: 10HP x 3 [3 Remaining] [Advancing towards Bandcoon]
StarfishB Bubbles Group B: 10 HP x 2 [2 Remaining] [Advancing towards Lyntael]

<(Note: each cluster of bubbles moves as a group. The bubbles targeting Bandcoon are moving in a rough horizontal line, whereas the three bubbles around Lyntael are surrounding her.)>

=Terrain=
50% Normal
50% Sea

=Allies=
Lyntael: 145HP [Normal] [My Pain is Real: Ready!] [Buster Charge x2] [Overcharge: 0]
Bandcoon: 60HP [Normal]

=Cooldowns=
My Pain is Real: 1 Turn Remaining
-=[Turn Splice]=-

Treading water between the two lightly toasted viruses, Lyntael was still struggling to regain her breath after the long swim beneath the surface. The diffusion of her charge into the water seemed to have a large impact on the two, though, so rather than say or do anything more directly she focused on catching her breath, getting balanced, and spreading out her current more. As the energy flowed from the constant warm hum in her core, Lyntael found that simply letting it spread through her and out, undirected and without building up, or forcing out, really seemed to help keep the growth of energy in balance.

As the electricity spread into the water, Lyntael turned about in the water, looking about herself to make sure nothing else was going to surprise her, and ready to duck under or swim out of the way of anything that got too close. Her little friend seemed safe for the moment, but slow as they were, those bubbles were still closing in. Kicking more strongly for a few moment,s she closed her eyes and reached out to the air around her, drawing it in around her tightly, spinning it around, the thrusting it out again in a more solid push. It wasn't directed at either of the viruses, but rather centred just about Lyntael herself, in an effort to help make sure none of those tracking bubbles reached her wile she recovered.


Summary

L*) A Manifest Spirit (10Elec , Nova2, Overcharge-1)
L*) Gust, as a free action, contextual: (small push of air around self, to knock away the closest bubbles.)
L1) Dodge

-=[Turn Splice]=-

Lyntael's attempts in letting her latent electric current flow freely appears to work well. The water happily absorbs and directs the charge in a radiant ring around her, crackling the air and popping the triad of bubbles with sharp snaps. The two Starfishes simply don't have a chance to retaliate, roasted down to nothing by the terrible might of conductivity.

The Swordy appears most cheesed off about the Bandcoon's antics, such that tiny steam clouds pop out of the sides of its helmet. Oh dear, that kind of anger can't be healthy... on the other hand, the bubbles are almost right on top of the little raccoon, and in its gleeful game with the Swordy, it has completely failed to notice their approach thus far. Lyntael may want to find a way to get rid of them before a terrible fate befalls her furry companion!

=Foes=
Swordy-AA: DELETED
Swordy-AB: 80HP [Normal]
StarfishA: DELETED
StarfishB: DELETED

=Objects=
StarfishB Bubbles Group A: 10HP x 3 [3 Remaining] [Right on top of Bandcoon!]

<(Note: each cluster of bubbles moves as a group. The bubbles targeting Bandcoon are moving in a rough horizontal line.

=Terrain=
50% Normal
50% Sea

=Allies=
Lyntael: 145HP [Sea] [My Pain is Real: Ready!] [Buster Charge x2] [Overcharge: 0]
Bandcoon: 60HP [Normal]

=Cooldowns=
My Pain is Real: 1 Turn Remaining [Ready at end of turn]
With something approaching a normal breathing rate at last, Lyntael looked about to find that simply being near the Starfish had been enough to destroy them. As much as they had been attacking her, it still wasn't an amazingly comforting thought, in the big picture. For now though, there was a smaller picture that needed her attention much more.

"Careful! Look out!" She waved an arm and kicked higher in the water for a moment as she shouted the warning to her little friend. As clever as he was being, it would only take one unlucky moment for him to get hurt badly, and those bubbles looked like they were definitely homing on on him. With nothing more she could do from out where she was, Lyntael began to swim as quickly as she could to get back to the shore. she didn't exactly want to tangle directly with another sword-wielding virus, but she found herself more upset by the idea of running away, when her cute little friend was being so brave.

By the time she clambered out onto the board-walk again, beside where the two viruses tangled, her breath was short and she dripped and drizzled steady tails of water off her everything. Even so, her hair sparked and crackled, and small snaps of electricity danced between the beads of water on her skin.

"Leave him alone, you, stop trying to hurt him!" Half-breathless as it was, she followed he shout up with a sharp attack, meaning more to grab its attention than anything else. Her hand went down to the walk for a moment as she swept one leg around, fighting to restrain the charge that cycled from her strikers, to her core, then back again. Trying to hold it back, she managed to keep about half of the energy built up within her, and as the momentum of her first kick followed through, her body twisted, putting more weight on the hand as her other leg whipped around to deliver a second strike, and spend the rest of her charge.

The expenditure cost her enough that when her feet landed again she remained crouched with on hand on the ground, breathing hard while the feeling of drain and electrical regain rushed through her. It only occurred to her a moment later that her action had placed her directly between the bandcoon and the bubbles that had drifted over to it, but for the next moment or two at least, she was out of energy for any more dodging... not even if she'd missed the sword-wielding virus completely. The flare of light from her kicks, and the sensation of the expenditure always seemed to make it hard for her to tell, short of looking.

Summary

L2) Movement: Swim back to the shore, to where the Swordy and Bandcoon are.
L3) Half-Charge Buster Strike (40Elec, A, at Swordy)
L4) Half-charge Buster Strike (40Elec, A, at Swordy, just in case)

Cooldowns and Overcharge

My Pain is Real: Cooling Down

Overcharge:Begin: 0 Manifest Spirit: At Zero, 2x Half-Charge Buster Strike +1 End: +1