The control panel appears to be digital (haw haw) when Winter takes a closer look at it... all it would appear to be, in fact, is a few buttons (with the labels scratched off) below a screen. The screen, somewhat scratched but still working, displays a message in green:
"Touch Screen to begin."
Google was Easier
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It actually works. Cool. Winter thought as she touched the screen to operate the panel. From there, it was just a matter of navigating through the menu to the manual dialer, and entering the destination information. Or would have been, if Winter had intended to do things the quick and dirty way. Instead, she accessed the various other menus and started changing configuration settings for the telepad. These changes included the number of programs it was allowed to transport before resetting itself to it's default standby status; which she set to 1, of course. She also set the console to forget the destination settings after the number of sent programs reached the quota she'd just set. There, that should ensure nothing follows me.
Winter saved the settings and exited the config menus. She then returned to the dialing interface, and quickly entered the destination code for Dentech's library network. More specifically, she was dialing in one of the several generally disused telepads she knew about in the network. It had the virtue of being in a relatively quiet portion of the library network, and wasn't too far away from one of the entrances to her home on the net. Now, here's hoping I didn't just waste my time. Winter thought as she pressed the activation switch and looked up from the console.
Winter saved the settings and exited the config menus. She then returned to the dialing interface, and quickly entered the destination code for Dentech's library network. More specifically, she was dialing in one of the several generally disused telepads she knew about in the network. It had the virtue of being in a relatively quiet portion of the library network, and wasn't too far away from one of the entrances to her home on the net. Now, here's hoping I didn't just waste my time. Winter thought as she pressed the activation switch and looked up from the console.
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The gateway lights up and begins flashing rhythmically; it's active.
The control console, meanwhile, resets to display the message "Gateway Active. Please step onto pad."
It would appear her tinkering worked.
The control console, meanwhile, resets to display the message "Gateway Active. Please step onto pad."
It would appear her tinkering worked.
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"YES!" Winter cheerily shouted before she could stop herself. She quickly moved around the control panel and jumped onto the telepad. A moment later, and she was gone. The telepad dutifully wiped it's memory and shut itself down behind her.
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The gateway takes a moment to start up as Winter steps onto it-- it's just a split second, but that split second is enough. An ear-shattering explosion rings out, sending with it a shockwave that shakes the entire network-- Winter catches a glimpse of the 'seal' building as she teleports away...
...all thirty or so pieces of it hurtling through the air.
Winter reappears in the Dentech Library network; the familiar smell of paper and ink greets her as she steps off of the Gateway. Virtual bookshelves line several of the paths leading outward from this Gateway, and, true to form, there is a grand total of zero activi- wait.
Winter notices a navi sitting on a chair in a 'clearing' between the bookcases ahead, nose buried in a book. From here she can just barely catch a glance at the title... "Network Routing for dummies".
Curiously... the only noteworthy thing about the navi is how un-noteworthy he or she is. No matter how much Winter looks... him? her? over, she can't quite pin down any of the navi's details... or at least what she can see of them.
...all thirty or so pieces of it hurtling through the air.
Winter reappears in the Dentech Library network; the familiar smell of paper and ink greets her as she steps off of the Gateway. Virtual bookshelves line several of the paths leading outward from this Gateway, and, true to form, there is a grand total of zero activi- wait.
Winter notices a navi sitting on a chair in a 'clearing' between the bookcases ahead, nose buried in a book. From here she can just barely catch a glance at the title... "Network Routing for dummies".
Curiously... the only noteworthy thing about the navi is how un-noteworthy he or she is. No matter how much Winter looks... him? her? over, she can't quite pin down any of the navi's details... or at least what she can see of them.
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---- Dentech Library Network....
Winter stepped off of the telepad and into a portion of the network she was familiar with. She felt a sense of relief at seeing the shelves of books, racks of scrolls, and rows of paintings that lined the walls everywhere. This had been one of the networks she'd ventured into the most (the other being Sharo Network's Ice Caves). Winter had spent countless process cycles here studying and reading everything network-related she could get her frosty mitts on. The recovery spell she'd used earlier, for example, had been something she'd devised after reading a PDF scroll about data recovery that she'd found here. It's good to be back. Winter thought as she glanced around the immediate area. She spotted the Navi, oddly nondescript, sitting down and reading a text. She smiled as she caught sight of the title, and did her level best not to giggle... Wow, routing for dummies. If dummies could do routing, that idiot human would be an expert.
----
"AATCHOO!" David sneezed suddenly. He looked a bit surprised for a moment, since he knew he'd dusted earlier in the week. He shook his head to clear it and said "Wierd."
"Dude, you better not get me sick." Ross said from over David's shoulder. "Well, not that it matters, since I'mma 'bout to scoot anyway. I've pretty much told you everything you need to know for now, anyhow."
"Yeah, and I appreciate it man." David said earnestly. He had, indeed, learned quite a bit from Ross about Operating a Net Navigator. It was all pretty easy stuff once you knew what you were doing. In David's case, he simply hadn't known. Ross had fixed that problem quite nicely. Still, it was only basic operating knowledge he'd picked up. The more complicated aspects, such as installing upgrades and the like, were things David remained completely in the dark about.
"Good, cuz you owe me for this." Ross said half-jokingly as he turned and walked towards the door.
"Yeah, yeah..." David responded as he waved Ross off from his seat.
Ross had just reached the door when he stopped for a moment. "Oh, right." The young man Reached into his pocket as he turned around to face his friend. "Hey, David...." He threw a sandwich bag with a jumble of small objects in it at David.
David turned to look in Ross' direction. "Yo--" He raised his hands and quickly caught the bag full of flash memory cards. He turned and dumped the contents out onto the desk. The bag contained three battlechips (Cannon, Shotgun, and RageClaw1) and a couple of MiniEnergy Subchips. David's eyebrows flew up, and he turned to look back at his buddy. "Dude, what do I owe you for this?"
"Nothing." Ross said as he turned and opened the door. He added "That one's on the house. K?" over his shoulder before he closed the door behind him.
"Well don't that beat all....?" David murmured to himself before he turned back to the PET; now armed with a little operating know-how.
----
Winter won out over her urge to snicker at the title of the book the Navi was studying a short distance down the hallway. She did not, however, overcome her urge to grab some reading material of her own, an urge sparked by seeing the other Navi quietly reading. She quietly moved towards a rack of scrolls, PDFs really, and started looking their end-cap titles over. Then something caught her eye.... Advanced Thermodynamics and Technical Applications, 7th Edition...! She thought as she reached for the scroll eagerly.
Winter was just about to grab onto the tube containing the scroll when a window appeared before her with the human's (David's) image in it. The image appeared so suddenly that she recoiled soundlessly away from it and unconsciously channeled a spike of cold energy to her hand. ".....!?" When the cold energy reached Winter's already outstretched hand, she immediately cast Frost Shards from it without thinking, sending a burst of ice darts flying through the windowed image.
"Whoa, whoa, easy!" David said as he held his hands up, palms open, and made a pushing motion with them. "Sorry I startled you, miss."
Winter sighed and lowered her hand a bit as she realized it wasn't something out to kill her. Then her gaze sharpened, and she reached out to grab the window.
This prompted David to ask: "Hey, are you alr--"
"Hold that thought." Winter replied cooly as she moved the window up and to one side, out of her way. She then turned back to look at the scroll rack... And buried her head in her hands when she saw the rack. It was a mess. She had cast her spell into the rack, and wound up deleting the scroll she'd intended to read a moment ago while damaging several others. Oh no.... I just vandalized the library. Winter inhaled sharply, dropped her hands to her side, stood up, and turned to the window with 'The Idiot's' (his new permanent name as far as she was concerned) image displayed in it. She gave David an icy glare then asked "What is it, human?" in a cold tone.
I don't know why but she's really pissed. David thought as one eyebrow arched. He cleared his throat and started again: "Are you alright?"
"Yes." Winter's short reply told David that he might want to keep things simple, and get straight to business. "Good deal. That means we can get started looking for my Navi and my project work."
Winter replied with a cold "Aye," before she turned and began walking in the direction of her encounter with David's Navi. This would take her past the Navi sitting and quietly reading the "Network Routing For Dummies" textbook....
Winter stepped off of the telepad and into a portion of the network she was familiar with. She felt a sense of relief at seeing the shelves of books, racks of scrolls, and rows of paintings that lined the walls everywhere. This had been one of the networks she'd ventured into the most (the other being Sharo Network's Ice Caves). Winter had spent countless process cycles here studying and reading everything network-related she could get her frosty mitts on. The recovery spell she'd used earlier, for example, had been something she'd devised after reading a PDF scroll about data recovery that she'd found here. It's good to be back. Winter thought as she glanced around the immediate area. She spotted the Navi, oddly nondescript, sitting down and reading a text. She smiled as she caught sight of the title, and did her level best not to giggle... Wow, routing for dummies. If dummies could do routing, that idiot human would be an expert.
----
"AATCHOO!" David sneezed suddenly. He looked a bit surprised for a moment, since he knew he'd dusted earlier in the week. He shook his head to clear it and said "Wierd."
"Dude, you better not get me sick." Ross said from over David's shoulder. "Well, not that it matters, since I'mma 'bout to scoot anyway. I've pretty much told you everything you need to know for now, anyhow."
"Yeah, and I appreciate it man." David said earnestly. He had, indeed, learned quite a bit from Ross about Operating a Net Navigator. It was all pretty easy stuff once you knew what you were doing. In David's case, he simply hadn't known. Ross had fixed that problem quite nicely. Still, it was only basic operating knowledge he'd picked up. The more complicated aspects, such as installing upgrades and the like, were things David remained completely in the dark about.
"Good, cuz you owe me for this." Ross said half-jokingly as he turned and walked towards the door.
"Yeah, yeah..." David responded as he waved Ross off from his seat.
Ross had just reached the door when he stopped for a moment. "Oh, right." The young man Reached into his pocket as he turned around to face his friend. "Hey, David...." He threw a sandwich bag with a jumble of small objects in it at David.
David turned to look in Ross' direction. "Yo--" He raised his hands and quickly caught the bag full of flash memory cards. He turned and dumped the contents out onto the desk. The bag contained three battlechips (Cannon, Shotgun, and RageClaw1) and a couple of MiniEnergy Subchips. David's eyebrows flew up, and he turned to look back at his buddy. "Dude, what do I owe you for this?"
"Nothing." Ross said as he turned and opened the door. He added "That one's on the house. K?" over his shoulder before he closed the door behind him.
"Well don't that beat all....?" David murmured to himself before he turned back to the PET; now armed with a little operating know-how.
----
Winter won out over her urge to snicker at the title of the book the Navi was studying a short distance down the hallway. She did not, however, overcome her urge to grab some reading material of her own, an urge sparked by seeing the other Navi quietly reading. She quietly moved towards a rack of scrolls, PDFs really, and started looking their end-cap titles over. Then something caught her eye.... Advanced Thermodynamics and Technical Applications, 7th Edition...! She thought as she reached for the scroll eagerly.
Winter was just about to grab onto the tube containing the scroll when a window appeared before her with the human's (David's) image in it. The image appeared so suddenly that she recoiled soundlessly away from it and unconsciously channeled a spike of cold energy to her hand. ".....!?" When the cold energy reached Winter's already outstretched hand, she immediately cast Frost Shards from it without thinking, sending a burst of ice darts flying through the windowed image.
"Whoa, whoa, easy!" David said as he held his hands up, palms open, and made a pushing motion with them. "Sorry I startled you, miss."
Winter sighed and lowered her hand a bit as she realized it wasn't something out to kill her. Then her gaze sharpened, and she reached out to grab the window.
This prompted David to ask: "Hey, are you alr--"
"Hold that thought." Winter replied cooly as she moved the window up and to one side, out of her way. She then turned back to look at the scroll rack... And buried her head in her hands when she saw the rack. It was a mess. She had cast her spell into the rack, and wound up deleting the scroll she'd intended to read a moment ago while damaging several others. Oh no.... I just vandalized the library. Winter inhaled sharply, dropped her hands to her side, stood up, and turned to the window with 'The Idiot's' (his new permanent name as far as she was concerned) image displayed in it. She gave David an icy glare then asked "What is it, human?" in a cold tone.
I don't know why but she's really pissed. David thought as one eyebrow arched. He cleared his throat and started again: "Are you alright?"
"Yes." Winter's short reply told David that he might want to keep things simple, and get straight to business. "Good deal. That means we can get started looking for my Navi and my project work."
Winter replied with a cold "Aye," before she turned and began walking in the direction of her encounter with David's Navi. This would take her past the Navi sitting and quietly reading the "Network Routing For Dummies" textbook....
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As Winter passes by the navi, she hears something. "Quite a mess you left back there, miss. Didn't your mother ever teach you not to destroy public property?" The navi says, rising from his seat. As he turns to face her, no longer obscured by the book, Winter is surprised to find that even gazing upon him directly, she cannot make out his features.
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Once the Navi stood up and chided Winter, she turned about on her heel and replied cooly, without skipping a beat "My mother taught me a great many things, accidents notwithstanding." Her turn-about gave her a good look at the Navi's horribly blurred-beyond-recognition features, which she took note of as she continued speaking without pause: "Those lessons did not include graciously engaging complete strangers, and faceless at that, with pretensions of baseless off-handed moral lecture on issues easily rectified with a claims form and a chat with the bookkeepers, 'good' sir." She wasn't leaving enough time for anyone to get a word in edge-wise at this point... "And if you have any plans for pressing this minor issue, I have the perfect conversation partner for you."
Winter turned her head to one side, raised one hand quickly, and snapped her fingers. This caused a chat window with David's face in it to appear next to her. "And here he is. This human."
"Hey, my name's David." David corrected in the short pause in Winter's rant.
Winter indicated the screen with a wave of her hand. "David, here, will be taking full responsibility for the damages."
"Wait, what are you talking about?" David asked, surprise and worry both evident in his voice.
"The scroll rack you startled me into damaging with that window of yours." Winter replied immediately. "So you will be talking the details over with this individual here while I add 'report the damaged scroll rack to the bookkeepers' to my list of things to do before I go find your missing files and Navi. It's your mess, take care of it." With that, Winter did an about face and started walking away quickly. All the while thinking: Oh bugfrags. That Navi was using illusions. I only hope The Idiot and my audacious behavior bought me some time.
"Wait... What?" To say David was confused would be an understatement.
Winter turned her head to one side, raised one hand quickly, and snapped her fingers. This caused a chat window with David's face in it to appear next to her. "And here he is. This human."
"Hey, my name's David." David corrected in the short pause in Winter's rant.
Winter indicated the screen with a wave of her hand. "David, here, will be taking full responsibility for the damages."
"Wait, what are you talking about?" David asked, surprise and worry both evident in his voice.
"The scroll rack you startled me into damaging with that window of yours." Winter replied immediately. "So you will be talking the details over with this individual here while I add 'report the damaged scroll rack to the bookkeepers' to my list of things to do before I go find your missing files and Navi. It's your mess, take care of it." With that, Winter did an about face and started walking away quickly. All the while thinking: Oh bugfrags. That Navi was using illusions. I only hope The Idiot and my audacious behavior bought me some time.
"Wait... What?" To say David was confused would be an understatement.
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"Nonetheless..." The navi strolls straight through David's window, quickly catching up to and keeping pace with Winter, "you seem rather easily spooked. Your operator opens a conversation window, so you blast a bookshelf?" The navi chuckles a little bit, image flickering as though reapplied. "Quite the odd reaction, to say the least." He makes a little 'tsk tsk' sound with his tongue, then disappears.
Winter immediately spots him a small distance ahead, leaning against a bookshelf on the path she would likely have taken. "So what would the little miss happen to be running from? What big, bad beastie has caught your fear, hmm?" The navi's tone is mischievous-- while there's almost, but not quite, a small fleck of hostility underneath it, it almost seems more as though he's toying with her...
Winter immediately spots him a small distance ahead, leaning against a bookshelf on the path she would likely have taken. "So what would the little miss happen to be running from? What big, bad beastie has caught your fear, hmm?" The navi's tone is mischievous-- while there's almost, but not quite, a small fleck of hostility underneath it, it almost seems more as though he's toying with her...
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That didn't buy me even a second. Figures. Winter sighs quietly to herself as the Navi's following footsteps echo behind her. As the other Navi draws even with her, he resumes speaking. The fact that the damage to the scroll rack was no longer the other Navi's focus in the conversation was not lost upon Winter. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. The unnecessary emphasis he placed on the word 'mother' was a tip-off, but this confirms it.... Then the Navi teleported to stand in her path. He was sent here to find me.
Winter came to a gradual stop some 30 feet away from the Navi she now thought of as 'Stalker #8', who continued raising red flags left and right as he continued speaking. The more he talks, the more I see him as a threat. He hasn't said anything directly, but no-one except my sisters and The Enemy would have the knowledge necessary to even deliver this kind of indirect meaning to me. Add it all up and the odds of this encounter being pure coincidence are nonexistent. Still.... If he were one of The Enemy, we wouldn't be having this little chat, and I would be long dead... or worse. They do not toy with people. Winter's gaze sharpened as her mind worked. Of my sisters, only Solaris is away from our home. However, none of us dabble in illusion, and we don't divulge information to outsiders. This individual is definitely an outsider, which makes him an anomaly. He can't be from the Sanctuary, yet neither can he be one of The Enemy. Even so, he knows too much.
As the blurry Navi finished his series of baited questions, Winter simply canted her head a little to the right and coolly replied: "I suspect you know the answers to your own questions, Mr. Stalker. And supposing you do... that we are even alive, both of us, to speak of it is amazing beyond my ability to accurately convey with mere words." She righted her head, then continued speaking in a cool tone. "If you were seeking my attention, you now have it, Mr. Stalker." Winter's voice became cold and flat as she added a final: "Who are you, and what do you want?"
Winter came to a gradual stop some 30 feet away from the Navi she now thought of as 'Stalker #8', who continued raising red flags left and right as he continued speaking. The more he talks, the more I see him as a threat. He hasn't said anything directly, but no-one except my sisters and The Enemy would have the knowledge necessary to even deliver this kind of indirect meaning to me. Add it all up and the odds of this encounter being pure coincidence are nonexistent. Still.... If he were one of The Enemy, we wouldn't be having this little chat, and I would be long dead... or worse. They do not toy with people. Winter's gaze sharpened as her mind worked. Of my sisters, only Solaris is away from our home. However, none of us dabble in illusion, and we don't divulge information to outsiders. This individual is definitely an outsider, which makes him an anomaly. He can't be from the Sanctuary, yet neither can he be one of The Enemy. Even so, he knows too much.
As the blurry Navi finished his series of baited questions, Winter simply canted her head a little to the right and coolly replied: "I suspect you know the answers to your own questions, Mr. Stalker. And supposing you do... that we are even alive, both of us, to speak of it is amazing beyond my ability to accurately convey with mere words." She righted her head, then continued speaking in a cool tone. "If you were seeking my attention, you now have it, Mr. Stalker." Winter's voice became cold and flat as she added a final: "Who are you, and what do you want?"
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"Stalker, hmm?" The navi chuckles a little bit, continuing to recline against the bookshelf. "I kind of like the sound of that, Ice Queen. Might take that up as my new nickname, if you're not too attached to it." His chuckling rises a slight bit after he says 'attached', but he doesn't yet appear to be making any moves...
"Who I am you'll find out after we meet again, Ice Queen. As for what I want..." The navi gives off a snigger, "I just wanted to see your smiling face. But since it doesn't seem to be coming, and I'm no cradle-robber, I think I'll let you go until you've 'ripened' a bit." It's a bit hard to make out through the illusory haze, but Winter can almost swear the navi's gaze has dropped to her chest by now. "So I'll see you later, Ice Queen. Don't go dyin' on me now."
The navi abruptly throws a small object at Winter-- which explodes in midair, filling Winter's vision with smoke.
When the smoke clears... the navi is gone.
"Who I am you'll find out after we meet again, Ice Queen. As for what I want..." The navi gives off a snigger, "I just wanted to see your smiling face. But since it doesn't seem to be coming, and I'm no cradle-robber, I think I'll let you go until you've 'ripened' a bit." It's a bit hard to make out through the illusory haze, but Winter can almost swear the navi's gaze has dropped to her chest by now. "So I'll see you later, Ice Queen. Don't go dyin' on me now."
The navi abruptly throws a small object at Winter-- which explodes in midair, filling Winter's vision with smoke.
When the smoke clears... the navi is gone.
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The moment the smoke bomb went off, Winter grabbed a handful of her cloak and held it across her face. She only lowered it again once the smoke had dispersed. What a creep. She shuddered a bit, which seemed to help clear her nerves. And that makes twice in one day... Pigs. Winter then closed her cloak about her and fastened the clasp before continuing to walk on.
David's chat window tried to open next to Winter, but she raised her hand viper-quick and dismissed the window with a flick of her hand before he was able to even utter a syllable. She never said a word as she walked silently on.
David's chat window tried to open next to Winter, but she raised her hand viper-quick and dismissed the window with a flick of her hand before he was able to even utter a syllable. She never said a word as she walked silently on.
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Winter moves on, walking silently and alertly through the various paths in the Library. Luckily the place's structure has always been fairly similar across the entire network, so it's hard to get lost...
At least, had they not been renovating recently.
Winter comes across something unexpected-- a wide, square hole in the floor-- or would that be the ceiling?-- down which two staircases, one connected to either side of the hole, go through to a second floor below. There are a few paths that go around the hole on both sides, including one that directly rings the entire hole, but... there appears to be a few viruses lurking on it, three to either side. The hole is large enough that if Winter tried to, she would only have to engage one group.. or she could just go down to the floor below, avoiding the viruses entirely... Those secondary paths, farther from the hole but presumably less virus-filled, also spring to mind.
--Left group--
Shrubby: 50
KillerEye: 100
Bunny: 50
--Right group--
Boomer: 60
Hardhead: 60
Fishy: 90
Winter: 73
--Terrain--
40% normal (The pathways between the bookcases, and the bookcases themselves)
60% Missing (the hole leading to the floor below-- has staircase on either side going down)
At least, had they not been renovating recently.
Winter comes across something unexpected-- a wide, square hole in the floor-- or would that be the ceiling?-- down which two staircases, one connected to either side of the hole, go through to a second floor below. There are a few paths that go around the hole on both sides, including one that directly rings the entire hole, but... there appears to be a few viruses lurking on it, three to either side. The hole is large enough that if Winter tried to, she would only have to engage one group.. or she could just go down to the floor below, avoiding the viruses entirely... Those secondary paths, farther from the hole but presumably less virus-filled, also spring to mind.
--Left group--
Shrubby: 50
KillerEye: 100
Bunny: 50
--Right group--
Boomer: 60
Hardhead: 60
Fishy: 90
Winter: 73
--Terrain--
40% normal (The pathways between the bookcases, and the bookcases themselves)
60% Missing (the hole leading to the floor below-- has staircase on either side going down)
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As Winter moved through the library network, it became increasingly foreign to her. That's wonderful, she thought to herself sarcastically, They've decided to renovate. After turning yet another corner that had been a solid wall of book cases previously and finding the new aisle crossed where several old aisles had once stood, Winter was slightly less than pleased... They could have at least provided a ma-- right, never mind... I didn't come in through any of the main gateways like a good little program. No map for me, the devia-- Hello there. Winter's thoughts derailed upon spotting the viruses gathered in small groups to either side of the gaping hole in the floor.
Winter came quietly to a halt and quickly decided to make herself scarce before she was noticed. Aaaaaand goodbye. She then quietly backpedaled a few steps until she could no longer see any of the viruses (and two more for good measure). At this point, she paused to consider her options... Okay, two groups, spread widely apart with a ridiculously huge hole randomly bored into the floor between them... Honestly, what in the Undernet were the network designers thinking when they did this? She signed, allowing her frustration at being lost to bleed away as she refocused on the problem at hand. With the network changed as it is, trying to find a route with fewer viruses would be folly. Winter's gaze locked upon the enormous hole in the floor, and noted there was another floor below. A lower floor... That's new. And judging by the concentrations of viruses around the stair cases, jumping down there blindly will more than likely land me in very deep-- Just then, David's chat window opened up before her. --trouble. And speaking of which....
"Have you found anything yet?" David asked in a neutral tone, figuring that was for the best.
"Only a half-dozen viruses and a remodeling job Escher would be proud of." Winter replied dryly. "Not that I'm in any position to do something about either of them, mind."
"Viruses...?" David's voice trailed off for a moment until the chat window flipped perspectives to show an up-side-down view of a computer screen. The image shook occasionally for the next few seconds before flipping back around to show David's smiling face. "Okay, miss. The viruses should be less of a problem now."
A moment later, Winter's eyebrows flew up as an attack script appeared in her virtual memory. "What is this?" Winter blurted out, unable to contain her surprise. She took a moment to analyze the script, now forming a usable spell in her head. When she realized it could, indeed, pose a very real threat to the viruses, she turned her head to look up at David. "What did you just do?"
"I... slotted in a battlechip...?" David replied, wondering if he'd somehow screwed it up.
"What's a battlechip?" Winter asked in wonderment. David found himself unable to answer her as he was unable to reconcile the innocently curious Navi he saw before him with the frigid Ice Queen he had been dealing with up until now. Winter shook her head, realizing she was wasting time by asking this question right this second. "Wait, never mind. More importantly, do you have any more of these... battlechips?"
"Yeah, I've got two more." David replied as he held the flash memory chips up, allowing Winter to see them.
"Would you allow me to use them to defend myself?" Winter asked, a hopeful note in her cool tone.
"Sure?" David replied, his expression and tone suggesting an unspoken 'why wouldn't I?'
"Thank you." Winter added before she turned away from the window and crept slowly forward to the point where she could just see the viruses again. From there, she quietly surveyed the scene and took note of the viruses that composed the two groups. Neither choice is palatable. She glanced to the right. On the one hand, I would be up against a group of tough viruses. I remember my sisters talking about Boomers and Hardheads. And that Fishy would be able to chase me to the ends of the net. Winter shuddered, remembering one instance where a Fishy virus had done just that. She then glanced back to the left. On the other hand, I could try my luck against these less durable viruses. Though, they pose a very real immediate threat to my continued survival. That KillerEye is especially worrisome. Even were I to fight the other group, there would be no guarantee that it wouldn't just zap me anyway.
Winter closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and made up her mind. I'll just have to deal with the KillerEye's group first. She opened her eyes, and looked at the KillerEye's group once again. I'll need to deal with the other two viruses first, or I won't even stand a chance against that thing. Fortunately, that human may just have given me the means to do exactly that. She watched the other two viruses quietly while formulating a plan on how to deal with them. The two weak viruses are that hyperactive rabbit, and that skittish looking shrub hanging around the KillerEye. If I can just get the two lined up....
Winter watched for a few moments, then-- Now! With that thought, she channeled her powers into a gust of wind aimed at depositing the Shrubby within range of her attack. In the same moment she took off towards the viruses at a dead run while raising her hands before her and rapidly chanting the spell for the attack script David had sent her. As she finished chanting the spell, she stretched her hand towards the Bunny virus. A circular burst of energy erupted from her opened palm in an expanding ring as a small, blurry energy bolt streaked across the distance in an eye-blink.
At this point, Winter was irreversibly committed to this fight, and she knew it. As soon as the Shotgun spell had been cast, she dropped her hands towards the floor and channeled huge amounts of cold energy through them. The ground beneath her feet froze instantly, the panels beneath her turning to Ice around her in a rapidly expanding circle. Winter, already moving at a decent clip, shifted her weight, and took an exaggerated step forward that was almost a jump. She threw caution to the winds as she swept her legs forward, and shifted her body to land on the ice and slide rapidly along the ground. A move David likened to someone trying to steal third in a close baseball game, with gusto.
----Summary----
1: Time the setup. (Take Aim)
- Gust: Blow the Shrubby in-line behind the Bunny (Knockback + Take Aim)
2: Shotgun @ Bunny, Spread @ Shrubby (50 Null + Spread1)
- SetIce: Ice Zone (Large Ice Terrain Change, centered on Winter)
3: Baseball slider. (Terrain Enhanced Dodge)
Winter came quietly to a halt and quickly decided to make herself scarce before she was noticed. Aaaaaand goodbye. She then quietly backpedaled a few steps until she could no longer see any of the viruses (and two more for good measure). At this point, she paused to consider her options... Okay, two groups, spread widely apart with a ridiculously huge hole randomly bored into the floor between them... Honestly, what in the Undernet were the network designers thinking when they did this? She signed, allowing her frustration at being lost to bleed away as she refocused on the problem at hand. With the network changed as it is, trying to find a route with fewer viruses would be folly. Winter's gaze locked upon the enormous hole in the floor, and noted there was another floor below. A lower floor... That's new. And judging by the concentrations of viruses around the stair cases, jumping down there blindly will more than likely land me in very deep-- Just then, David's chat window opened up before her. --trouble. And speaking of which....
"Have you found anything yet?" David asked in a neutral tone, figuring that was for the best.
"Only a half-dozen viruses and a remodeling job Escher would be proud of." Winter replied dryly. "Not that I'm in any position to do something about either of them, mind."
"Viruses...?" David's voice trailed off for a moment until the chat window flipped perspectives to show an up-side-down view of a computer screen. The image shook occasionally for the next few seconds before flipping back around to show David's smiling face. "Okay, miss. The viruses should be less of a problem now."
A moment later, Winter's eyebrows flew up as an attack script appeared in her virtual memory. "What is this?" Winter blurted out, unable to contain her surprise. She took a moment to analyze the script, now forming a usable spell in her head. When she realized it could, indeed, pose a very real threat to the viruses, she turned her head to look up at David. "What did you just do?"
"I... slotted in a battlechip...?" David replied, wondering if he'd somehow screwed it up.
"What's a battlechip?" Winter asked in wonderment. David found himself unable to answer her as he was unable to reconcile the innocently curious Navi he saw before him with the frigid Ice Queen he had been dealing with up until now. Winter shook her head, realizing she was wasting time by asking this question right this second. "Wait, never mind. More importantly, do you have any more of these... battlechips?"
"Yeah, I've got two more." David replied as he held the flash memory chips up, allowing Winter to see them.
"Would you allow me to use them to defend myself?" Winter asked, a hopeful note in her cool tone.
"Sure?" David replied, his expression and tone suggesting an unspoken 'why wouldn't I?'
"Thank you." Winter added before she turned away from the window and crept slowly forward to the point where she could just see the viruses again. From there, she quietly surveyed the scene and took note of the viruses that composed the two groups. Neither choice is palatable. She glanced to the right. On the one hand, I would be up against a group of tough viruses. I remember my sisters talking about Boomers and Hardheads. And that Fishy would be able to chase me to the ends of the net. Winter shuddered, remembering one instance where a Fishy virus had done just that. She then glanced back to the left. On the other hand, I could try my luck against these less durable viruses. Though, they pose a very real immediate threat to my continued survival. That KillerEye is especially worrisome. Even were I to fight the other group, there would be no guarantee that it wouldn't just zap me anyway.
Winter closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and made up her mind. I'll just have to deal with the KillerEye's group first. She opened her eyes, and looked at the KillerEye's group once again. I'll need to deal with the other two viruses first, or I won't even stand a chance against that thing. Fortunately, that human may just have given me the means to do exactly that. She watched the other two viruses quietly while formulating a plan on how to deal with them. The two weak viruses are that hyperactive rabbit, and that skittish looking shrub hanging around the KillerEye. If I can just get the two lined up....
Winter watched for a few moments, then-- Now! With that thought, she channeled her powers into a gust of wind aimed at depositing the Shrubby within range of her attack. In the same moment she took off towards the viruses at a dead run while raising her hands before her and rapidly chanting the spell for the attack script David had sent her. As she finished chanting the spell, she stretched her hand towards the Bunny virus. A circular burst of energy erupted from her opened palm in an expanding ring as a small, blurry energy bolt streaked across the distance in an eye-blink.
At this point, Winter was irreversibly committed to this fight, and she knew it. As soon as the Shotgun spell had been cast, she dropped her hands towards the floor and channeled huge amounts of cold energy through them. The ground beneath her feet froze instantly, the panels beneath her turning to Ice around her in a rapidly expanding circle. Winter, already moving at a decent clip, shifted her weight, and took an exaggerated step forward that was almost a jump. She threw caution to the winds as she swept her legs forward, and shifted her body to land on the ice and slide rapidly along the ground. A move David likened to someone trying to steal third in a close baseball game, with gusto.
----Summary----
1: Time the setup. (Take Aim)
- Gust: Blow the Shrubby in-line behind the Bunny (Knockback + Take Aim)
2: Shotgun @ Bunny, Spread @ Shrubby (50 Null + Spread1)
- SetIce: Ice Zone (Large Ice Terrain Change, centered on Winter)
3: Baseball slider. (Terrain Enhanced Dodge)
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Winter decides to go for the left group, starting off her assault by airblasting the Shrubby, whose skittish nature kicks in-- it stays hidden behind the Bunny as a matter of course, noticing Winter making her approach.
Winter then fires off her shotgunchip spell; the energy bolt splits abruptly as it nears the Bunny virus, creating a small wall of buckshot. The Bunny dodges out of the way as the chip nears it...
...right into the giant hole. It takes a rather significant jolt when it hits the floor below, and lays there, groaning. The Shrubby on the other hand is not as lucky; deprived of its' cover, the Shotgun chip rips straight into it, deleting it outright. The Killereye, given its' inability to move, is still in the same place... meaning it doesn't get hit by the Shotgun's spread.
It does, however, take aim at Winter, who's sliding along on her ice slick. It then fires off a large, glowing beam of energy, which... she ducks under. It strikes one of the iced-over bookshelves behind her, vaporizing several books. Hoorah, property damage!
The right group, meanwhile, continues to go about their business, not noticing the happenings on the left side...
--Left group--
Shrubby: DELETED
KillerEye: 100
Bunny: 20 (Fell! Effectively removed from battle.)
--Right group--
Boomer: 60
Hardhead: 60
Fishy: 90
Winter: 73 (On Ice)
--Terrain--
11% Ice (The large chunk of the pathway that Winter froze over. Includes a couple of bookcases.)
29% Normal (The pathways between the bookcases, and the bookcases themselves)
60% Missing (the hole leading to the floor below-- has staircase on either side going down)
Winter then fires off her shotgun
...right into the giant hole. It takes a rather significant jolt when it hits the floor below, and lays there, groaning. The Shrubby on the other hand is not as lucky; deprived of its' cover, the Shotgun chip rips straight into it, deleting it outright. The Killereye, given its' inability to move, is still in the same place... meaning it doesn't get hit by the Shotgun's spread.
It does, however, take aim at Winter, who's sliding along on her ice slick. It then fires off a large, glowing beam of energy, which... she ducks under. It strikes one of the iced-over bookshelves behind her, vaporizing several books. Hoorah, property damage!
The right group, meanwhile, continues to go about their business, not noticing the happenings on the left side...
--Left group--
Shrubby: DELETED
KillerEye: 100
Bunny: 20 (Fell! Effectively removed from battle.)
--Right group--
Boomer: 60
Hardhead: 60
Fishy: 90
Winter: 73 (On Ice)
--Terrain--
11% Ice (The large chunk of the pathway that Winter froze over. Includes a couple of bookcases.)
29% Normal (The pathways between the bookcases, and the bookcases themselves)
60% Missing (the hole leading to the floor below-- has staircase on either side going down)
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As Winter slid under the KillerEye's plasma beam, barely avoiding it, her gaze flickered to where the beam had struck. Another damaged bookcase. Wonderful. Was that anything I really wanted to read? As she slid past, her gaze flicked up to the section heading plaque for the bookcase. Winter's eyes narrowed at what she saw printed upon it. Reference: Electopian Tax Laws. She smiled mischievously to herself. Yeah, that was no great loss there.... And that gives me an idea.
As Winter slid to a stop, she rolled her body forward and flowed naturally into a crouch. She then quickly spun around to face the KillerEye while maintaining her crouch, and planted one hand upon the ice to stabilize herself. As she stared at the virus, she gestured back behind her towards the bookshelf and began chanting her Arctic Mirror spell. With a flick of her wrist, Winter called forth a strong, horizontally spiraling gust of wind intended to pluck the remaining frozen books from their home on the shelf, and send them flying at the KillerEye. She finished her chant just as the wind picked up which caused a false second image to overlay her own form until she moved from her place.
And move Winter did. As she leaped to the right, the false image leaped to the left. The resulting visual effect was that Winter seemed to partially phase out just as she began to move, the two semi-transparent images of her dropped out of perfect synch, and sprang in opposite directions away from one another. As the images separated, they simultaneously began to phase back into solidity as each assumed the original Winter's opacity. Thus did there now appear to be two identical copies of Winter leaping through the air away from one another....
----
David watched as the sorceress Navi quickly finished chanting her spell, and her image suddenly began to lose focus and blur. With the spell cast, she immediately jumped sideways, in both directions, to let the frozen books pass between her.... them? Now there are two of her. David's eyebrows flew up as he drew a quick and dirty conclusion to what he was seeing, completely unaware that one of the two of them was a fake. I did not know Navis could make copies of themselves like that. That's pretty useful. He looked away from the screen, and picked up the two remaining chips from his desk. I guess they'll be needing both of these now. With that thought, he slotted in the RageClaw1 and the Cannon, and pressed the [Send] key.
----
As Winter landed her evasive jump with a click and scuff as her boots came into contact with, and found purchase on, the ice, her Mirror did the exact same thing several panels away. Winter continued moving once she landed as she skated backwards on the ice in a passive fashion while her excess momentum from the jump bled off. It was at about this time that the first of the battlechips, the RageClaw1, arrived in her virtual memory banks, prompting her eyebrows to fly up once her programming assimilated the data and turned it into something she both understood and could use. Well, color me surprised. If I'm not mistaken, this script will allow me to exert kinetic force at close range. Which-- Winter's brow furrowed as she noted the decent, and currently increasing, distance between her and the KillerEye. --does me not a lick of good at the moment.
Winter startled as she bumped gently into the bookshelf she'd been coasting towards and came to a stop. She whipped her head around and quickly looked at the bookcase. The bare and damaged shelving of the abused Electopian Tax Law bookcase quickly registered in her mind. She turned back to face the KillerEye smiled. Let's exert some force, shall we? Winter channeled her powers and incanted the spell to summon the artifact that would act as the RageClaw1's weapon. A decorative-looking silver bracelet adorned with blue gemstones and faintly glowing runes appeared on her right wrist; while an identical bracelet would appear on the Mirror's left.
Winter, now equipped with one of her magic relics, reached back towards the frozen bookcase, and willed her bracelet to activate. The runes engraved upon the bracelet glowed brightly, and a ghostly silver aura glowed into being around her fore-arm and hand. Without ever physically touching, much less actually grasping the bookshelf, Winter braced herself and heaved with everything she had in an over-head throwing motion. Normally, attempting to throw a large piece of furniture without actually gripping it would be a laughable endeavor best left to mimes and demonstrative story telling, as naught but failure, embarrassment, and potential personal injury would and should result from this act. However, if the large, transparent, angry ethereal polar bear that had appeared around Winter's body to help hurl the bookcase with grizzly might and a fearsome snarl had anything to say about it....
----Summary----
--Winter--
- Gust: Launch frozen books @ KillerEye (??? Aqua? + ???)
1: Arctic Mirror : (Cost: 40) ((Decoy) + ((5 Aqua + Slashing) x 4 Shards, Delayed); 1 TCD)
2: Retreating Dodge
3: Hurl frozen bookshelf @ KillerEye w/ RageClaw1 ((20 Null (Aqua?) + Impact) + (??? Aqua? + ???))
--Mirror-- (Decoy)
1: Phase-In (Trap Set: Shatter: (5 Aqua + Slashing) x 4 Shards [Triggered when struck])
2: Retreating Dodge
3: Mimic RageClaw1
- Expire: Shatter: (5 Aqua + Slashing) x 4 Shards
--Signatures--
Arctic Mirror: Activated
Novice's Healing: Ready
As Winter slid to a stop, she rolled her body forward and flowed naturally into a crouch. She then quickly spun around to face the KillerEye while maintaining her crouch, and planted one hand upon the ice to stabilize herself. As she stared at the virus, she gestured back behind her towards the bookshelf and began chanting her Arctic Mirror spell. With a flick of her wrist, Winter called forth a strong, horizontally spiraling gust of wind intended to pluck the remaining frozen books from their home on the shelf, and send them flying at the KillerEye. She finished her chant just as the wind picked up which caused a false second image to overlay her own form until she moved from her place.
And move Winter did. As she leaped to the right, the false image leaped to the left. The resulting visual effect was that Winter seemed to partially phase out just as she began to move, the two semi-transparent images of her dropped out of perfect synch, and sprang in opposite directions away from one another. As the images separated, they simultaneously began to phase back into solidity as each assumed the original Winter's opacity. Thus did there now appear to be two identical copies of Winter leaping through the air away from one another....
----
David watched as the sorceress Navi quickly finished chanting her spell, and her image suddenly began to lose focus and blur. With the spell cast, she immediately jumped sideways, in both directions, to let the frozen books pass between her.... them? Now there are two of her. David's eyebrows flew up as he drew a quick and dirty conclusion to what he was seeing, completely unaware that one of the two of them was a fake. I did not know Navis could make copies of themselves like that. That's pretty useful. He looked away from the screen, and picked up the two remaining chips from his desk. I guess they'll be needing both of these now. With that thought, he slotted in the RageClaw1 and the Cannon, and pressed the [Send] key.
----
As Winter landed her evasive jump with a click and scuff as her boots came into contact with, and found purchase on, the ice, her Mirror did the exact same thing several panels away. Winter continued moving once she landed as she skated backwards on the ice in a passive fashion while her excess momentum from the jump bled off. It was at about this time that the first of the battlechips, the RageClaw1, arrived in her virtual memory banks, prompting her eyebrows to fly up once her programming assimilated the data and turned it into something she both understood and could use. Well, color me surprised. If I'm not mistaken, this script will allow me to exert kinetic force at close range. Which-- Winter's brow furrowed as she noted the decent, and currently increasing, distance between her and the KillerEye. --does me not a lick of good at the moment.
Winter startled as she bumped gently into the bookshelf she'd been coasting towards and came to a stop. She whipped her head around and quickly looked at the bookcase. The bare and damaged shelving of the abused Electopian Tax Law bookcase quickly registered in her mind. She turned back to face the KillerEye smiled. Let's exert some force, shall we? Winter channeled her powers and incanted the spell to summon the artifact that would act as the RageClaw1's weapon. A decorative-looking silver bracelet adorned with blue gemstones and faintly glowing runes appeared on her right wrist; while an identical bracelet would appear on the Mirror's left.
Winter, now equipped with one of her magic relics, reached back towards the frozen bookcase, and willed her bracelet to activate. The runes engraved upon the bracelet glowed brightly, and a ghostly silver aura glowed into being around her fore-arm and hand. Without ever physically touching, much less actually grasping the bookshelf, Winter braced herself and heaved with everything she had in an over-head throwing motion. Normally, attempting to throw a large piece of furniture without actually gripping it would be a laughable endeavor best left to mimes and demonstrative story telling, as naught but failure, embarrassment, and potential personal injury would and should result from this act. However, if the large, transparent, angry ethereal polar bear that had appeared around Winter's body to help hurl the bookcase with grizzly might and a fearsome snarl had anything to say about it....
----Summary----
--Winter--
- Gust: Launch frozen books @ KillerEye (??? Aqua? + ???)
1: Arctic Mirror : (Cost: 40) ((Decoy) + ((5 Aqua + Slashing) x 4 Shards, Delayed); 1 TCD)
2: Retreating Dodge
3: Hurl frozen bookshelf @ KillerEye w/ RageClaw1 ((20 Null (Aqua?) + Impact) + (??? Aqua? + ???))
--Mirror-- (Decoy)
1: Phase-In (Trap Set: Shatter: (5 Aqua + Slashing) x 4 Shards [Triggered when struck])
2: Retreating Dodge
3: Mimic RageClaw1
- Expire: Shatter: (5 Aqua + Slashing) x 4 Shards
--Signatures--
Arctic Mirror: Activated
Novice's Healing: Ready
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Winter decides that if one isn't enough for the job, why not have two? Her sudden split confuses the poor KillerEye, who fires at the wrong clone in vain... only to receive a flurry of ice in thanks. By the time he's turned to the REAL Winter to fire, she's already halfway through picking up and hurling a half-frozen, abused bookcase--
--The KillerEye's beam slams uselessly into a corner of the bookcase as it hurtles through the air, knocking it off course, but not dealing any damage whatsoever to Winter. The KillerEye, infuriated, seems like it could almost gear up for another attack...
The bookcase that it hit, however, has other plans! The deflected projectile banks off of one of its' nearby brothers, knocking it over with a loud CRASH, and then bounces, hurtling toward the Killereye.
Both Bookcase and Virus go flying off the edge, the latter propelled by the former. Winter hears a kind of scream from below that abruptly cuts off, punctuated by an ear-shattering 'BAM' as the bookcase combines with the floor to make a virus sandwich.
On the upside: Viruses dead.
On the downside: The viruses across the way appear to have noticed that last bit of noise, and are glaring this way.
Winter notices some glinting, fragmented data that the Shrubby dropped out of the corner of her eye...
Rewards: Ringlog1 (More rewards are below, if you feel like going down the stairs and moving the bookcase to get to it.)
--Left group--
Shrubby: DELETED
KillerEye: DELETED
Bunny: DELETED
--Right group-- (Looking this way!)
Boomer: 60
Hardhead: 60
Fishy: 90
Winter: 73 (On Ice) (Rageclaw x5)
--Terrain--
8% Ice (The large chunk of the pathway that Winter froze over. Includes a couple of bookcases.)
32% Normal (The pathways between the bookcases, and the bookcases themselves)
60% Missing (the hole leading to the floor below-- has staircase on either side going down)
--The KillerEye's beam slams uselessly into a corner of the bookcase as it hurtles through the air, knocking it off course, but not dealing any damage whatsoever to Winter. The KillerEye, infuriated, seems like it could almost gear up for another attack...
The bookcase that it hit, however, has other plans! The deflected projectile banks off of one of its' nearby brothers, knocking it over with a loud CRASH, and then bounces, hurtling toward the Killereye.
Both Bookcase and Virus go flying off the edge, the latter propelled by the former. Winter hears a kind of scream from below that abruptly cuts off, punctuated by an ear-shattering 'BAM' as the bookcase combines with the floor to make a virus sandwich.
On the upside: Viruses dead.
On the downside: The viruses across the way appear to have noticed that last bit of noise, and are glaring this way.
Winter notices some glinting, fragmented data that the Shrubby dropped out of the corner of her eye...
Rewards: Ringlog1 (More rewards are below, if you feel like going down the stairs and moving the bookcase to get to it.)
--Left group--
Shrubby: DELETED
KillerEye: DELETED
Bunny: DELETED
--Right group-- (Looking this way!)
Boomer: 60
Hardhead: 60
Fishy: 90
Winter: 73 (On Ice) (Rageclaw x5)
--Terrain--
8% Ice (The large chunk of the pathway that Winter froze over. Includes a couple of bookcases.)
32% Normal (The pathways between the bookcases, and the bookcases themselves)
60% Missing (the hole leading to the floor below-- has staircase on either side going down)
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That was strangely satisfying. Winter thought to herself as the bookcase swept the KillerEye from the field and ended both it and the other Elec virus below with a crash. She turned her head to look at the other group of viruses across the way, and saw pretty much what she'd expected to see. Now they know I'm here, too. They'd have to be deaf and stupid not to wonder what that was just now. At least I can be sure they're not deaf.... With that thought, Winter quickly chanted her Novice's Healing spell and recovered a bit more of her data integrity. Much better. Now-- What's that? Her train of thought halted as the glittering data fragment caught her eye. Curious, she turned her head to look at the data fragment. That looks like a script file, or most of one at any rate.
Winter glanced up from the data fragment at the viruses, and decided she didn't want to get any closer to them than she already was. There would have to be a Fishy among their number, wouldn't there... She shuddered in remembrance as she looked back down at the data fragment. Well, that means running is out of the question. So, I may as well indulge my curiosity whist I can. With that thought and a beckoning wave of her hand, a gust of wind carried the fragment to within easy reach.
As Winter plucked the data fragment out of the breeze, David's chat window appeared in the space before her. When the human spoke, he sounded more than a little pleased. "Sweet. That's battlechip data you're holding, miss." Winter simply blinked at David as she was not precisely sure how she should respond to that. "Well, my buddy Ross told me Navis can sometimes find zenny and chip data left behind by deleted viruses. That thing you're holding matches what he described to me as chip data."
"Really now..." Winter responded, skeptical.
"Yeah. All you need to do is send it back to my PET, and I can have it imprinted on a memory card for later use." David held up a blank flash card that looked just like the battlechips he'd held up for Winter to see earlier. "Like this."
"Right..." Winter, honestly, wanted to argue in favor of keeping the weapon data so she could use it any time she chose, but she currently didn't have the luxury with a group of viruses nearby and alerted to her presence. Instead of arguing, she sent the data to the PET, and began thinking of ways to deal with the viruses while David made good on turning the data into a usable battlechip (the process is basically automated). A few moments passed in silence until David, having finished the new chip, spoke up once again: "Well, this should make looking for Charlie and my project data easier for you, miss."
Winter nodded absently as she was currently lost to her own thoughts. Then an idea hit her: Deal with the viruses... Make the search easier... Why not deal with *a* virus, and solve all of these issues in one go? She looked across the gap at the group of viruses, and singled out her candidate. And I know just the virus for the job. With this thought, Winter stepped forward, putting a little distance between her and the nearby bookcases, just in case. She then froze in place for a moment as she experienced second thoughts about what she was considering doing. Oh, this is a bad idea... Is this ever a bad idea... Mom, I hope you're not watching... Your daughter is about to do something incredibly stupid. Here goes...! With a final surge of resolve and a sharp inhale of breath, Winter raised her fingers to her lips and blew a shrill whistle at the viruses that was designed to get their attention. Once she was sure they'd heard her, she made things worse... by opening her mouth and yelling at the Fishy. "HEY, FIN-HEAD! COME AND GET ME!"
----Summary----
--Winter-- (Equipped: RageClaw1(5))
1: Novice's Healing @ Self (Recover 15; 1 TCD)
- Gust: Collect RingLog1 Data
2: Taunt the viruses. (RP)
3: Prepare for the consequences. (Prepped Dodge)
--Signatures--
Arctic Mirror: 1 TCD
Novice's Healing: Activated
Winter glanced up from the data fragment at the viruses, and decided she didn't want to get any closer to them than she already was. There would have to be a Fishy among their number, wouldn't there... She shuddered in remembrance as she looked back down at the data fragment. Well, that means running is out of the question. So, I may as well indulge my curiosity whist I can. With that thought and a beckoning wave of her hand, a gust of wind carried the fragment to within easy reach.
As Winter plucked the data fragment out of the breeze, David's chat window appeared in the space before her. When the human spoke, he sounded more than a little pleased. "Sweet. That's battlechip data you're holding, miss." Winter simply blinked at David as she was not precisely sure how she should respond to that. "Well, my buddy Ross told me Navis can sometimes find zenny and chip data left behind by deleted viruses. That thing you're holding matches what he described to me as chip data."
"Really now..." Winter responded, skeptical.
"Yeah. All you need to do is send it back to my PET, and I can have it imprinted on a memory card for later use." David held up a blank flash card that looked just like the battlechips he'd held up for Winter to see earlier. "Like this."
"Right..." Winter, honestly, wanted to argue in favor of keeping the weapon data so she could use it any time she chose, but she currently didn't have the luxury with a group of viruses nearby and alerted to her presence. Instead of arguing, she sent the data to the PET, and began thinking of ways to deal with the viruses while David made good on turning the data into a usable battlechip (the process is basically automated). A few moments passed in silence until David, having finished the new chip, spoke up once again: "Well, this should make looking for Charlie and my project data easier for you, miss."
Winter nodded absently as she was currently lost to her own thoughts. Then an idea hit her: Deal with the viruses... Make the search easier... Why not deal with *a* virus, and solve all of these issues in one go? She looked across the gap at the group of viruses, and singled out her candidate. And I know just the virus for the job. With this thought, Winter stepped forward, putting a little distance between her and the nearby bookcases, just in case. She then froze in place for a moment as she experienced second thoughts about what she was considering doing. Oh, this is a bad idea... Is this ever a bad idea... Mom, I hope you're not watching... Your daughter is about to do something incredibly stupid. Here goes...! With a final surge of resolve and a sharp inhale of breath, Winter raised her fingers to her lips and blew a shrill whistle at the viruses that was designed to get their attention. Once she was sure they'd heard her, she made things worse... by opening her mouth and yelling at the Fishy. "HEY, FIN-HEAD! COME AND GET ME!"
----Summary----
--Winter-- (Equipped: RageClaw1(5))
1: Novice's Healing @ Self (Recover 15; 1 TCD)
- Gust: Collect RingLog1 Data
2: Taunt the viruses. (RP)
3: Prepare for the consequences. (Prepped Dodge)
--Signatures--
Arctic Mirror: 1 TCD
Novice's Healing: Activated
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The viruses seem to pause as one for a moment, all of them glancing bewilderedly at Winter.
Only one catches the full gist of the taunt.
Only one suddenly flares up, eyes glowing red.
Only the Boomer, the idiot, mistaking a comment aimed at its' compatriot as being aimed at it, charges forward, gliding right over the hole towards Winter.
It fires off its' boomerang at Winter with a loud roar, signaling the start of the match. The white, arced projectile whirrs through the air in a wide arc, buzz-saws through part of the bookshelves behind Winter-
-and is then easily ducked by said navi, who sees the projectile coming a mile away.
The Boomer, enraged by its' failure, catches the boomerang and tosses it again as the Fishy finally lurches forward...
The Hardhead, meanwhile, feels left out, considering that it cannot move.
--Right group-- (COMING HERE!)
Boomer: 60 (Over hole) (5 movements away)
Hardhead: 60 (Depressed!)
Fishy: 90 (Over hole) (7 movements away)
Winter: 88 (Rageclaw x5)
--Terrain--
8% Ice (The large chunk of the pathway that Winter froze over. Includes a couple of bookcases.)
32% Normal (The pathways between the bookcases, and the bookcases themselves)
60% Missing (the hole leading to the floor below-- has staircase on either side going down)
Only one catches the full gist of the taunt.
Only one suddenly flares up, eyes glowing red.
Only the Boomer, the idiot, mistaking a comment aimed at its' compatriot as being aimed at it, charges forward, gliding right over the hole towards Winter.
It fires off its' boomerang at Winter with a loud roar, signaling the start of the match. The white, arced projectile whirrs through the air in a wide arc, buzz-saws through part of the bookshelves behind Winter-
-and is then easily ducked by said navi, who sees the projectile coming a mile away.
The Boomer, enraged by its' failure, catches the boomerang and tosses it again as the Fishy finally lurches forward...
The Hardhead, meanwhile, feels left out, considering that it cannot move.
--Right group-- (COMING HERE!)
Boomer: 60 (Over hole) (5 movements away)
Hardhead: 60 (Depressed!)
Fishy: 90 (Over hole) (7 movements away)
Winter: 88 (Rageclaw x5)
--Terrain--
8% Ice (The large chunk of the pathway that Winter froze over. Includes a couple of bookcases.)
32% Normal (The pathways between the bookcases, and the bookcases themselves)
60% Missing (the hole leading to the floor below-- has staircase on either side going down)
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As the Boomer lost it's cool at the insult directed at the Fishy, Winter canted her head to one side in confusion. What in the network is his major malfunct-- Oh bugfrags! Her thought was cut off by the need to duck the giant flying scythe launched by the enraged Boomer. She ended up flipping her hood up to protect her head from the shower of wooden splinters originating from the bookcases obliterated by the Boomerang. Whoa! Talk about mis-placed anger.
"That virus looks really pissed off." David commented absently while trying to figure out what the point of taunting the viruses was.
"No, really, you think?" Winter responded as the Boomerang was sent flying right back at her. She saw it coming and made a play to avoid it by dashing out of the way. She knew it would be returning shortly, so she kept her evasive action in check to avoid walking right into its return arc. Yeah, that's right, get all angry and rowdy as you will. If my plan works, you and your flying murder-blade be left in the dust anyway.
As Winter moved to evade the Boomerang, she turned her attention to the Fishy and winced in dread. Why did I think trying to tame a Fishy was a good idea...? That thing is going to clobber the life out of me if I screw up. She planted both feet firmly on the ground and prepared herself for the consequences of what she was about to attempt. She took a calming breath and thought rationally about her plan one more time. Okay. I need to grapple that beastly thing when it charges. It's going to be coming at me fast. Then an idea occurred to her. Wait. Maybe I can slow the Fishy down a little with a bit of wind. Even just a little drop in speed would increase my chances.
Winter smiled as the rest of her plan worked itself out in her mind. Right, then. I'll airbrake the Fishy, then do an air step jump. That'll put me over the Virus, and the updraft will help bring it up to me. She flexed her right hand, which was still equipped with the RageClaw1 imbued bracelet. That should make it easier to grab hold of the Fishy, and from above too boot. Ending up on the top-side of the virus puts me in a favorable position to stay on the virus if I do manage to grab it. Winter's expression went blank as she considered the next phase... The trick will be getting myself situated between those two fins... If I can manage to get myself between the fins, it'll be that much harder to fall off no matter what crazy moves the virus makes. She looked straight at the Fishy with a final thought: Alright... Let's do this.
----Summary----
--Winter-- (Equipped: RageClaw1(5))
1: Dodge the Boomerang. (Dodge)
- Gust: Slow the Fishy down. (Knockback/RP)
2: Airstep jump onto the Fishy. (Dodge/RP)
3: Use RageClaw1 to hang on for dear life. (Grapple/RP)
--Signatures--
Arctic Mirror: Ready
Novice's Healing: 1 TCD
"That virus looks really pissed off." David commented absently while trying to figure out what the point of taunting the viruses was.
"No, really, you think?" Winter responded as the Boomerang was sent flying right back at her. She saw it coming and made a play to avoid it by dashing out of the way. She knew it would be returning shortly, so she kept her evasive action in check to avoid walking right into its return arc. Yeah, that's right, get all angry and rowdy as you will. If my plan works, you and your flying murder-blade be left in the dust anyway.
As Winter moved to evade the Boomerang, she turned her attention to the Fishy and winced in dread. Why did I think trying to tame a Fishy was a good idea...? That thing is going to clobber the life out of me if I screw up. She planted both feet firmly on the ground and prepared herself for the consequences of what she was about to attempt. She took a calming breath and thought rationally about her plan one more time. Okay. I need to grapple that beastly thing when it charges. It's going to be coming at me fast. Then an idea occurred to her. Wait. Maybe I can slow the Fishy down a little with a bit of wind. Even just a little drop in speed would increase my chances.
Winter smiled as the rest of her plan worked itself out in her mind. Right, then. I'll airbrake the Fishy, then do an air step jump. That'll put me over the Virus, and the updraft will help bring it up to me. She flexed her right hand, which was still equipped with the RageClaw1 imbued bracelet. That should make it easier to grab hold of the Fishy, and from above too boot. Ending up on the top-side of the virus puts me in a favorable position to stay on the virus if I do manage to grab it. Winter's expression went blank as she considered the next phase... The trick will be getting myself situated between those two fins... If I can manage to get myself between the fins, it'll be that much harder to fall off no matter what crazy moves the virus makes. She looked straight at the Fishy with a final thought: Alright... Let's do this.
----Summary----
--Winter-- (Equipped: RageClaw1(5))
1: Dodge the Boomerang. (Dodge)
- Gust: Slow the Fishy down. (Knockback/RP)
2: Airstep jump onto the Fishy. (Dodge/RP)
3: Use RageClaw1 to hang on for dear life. (Grapple/RP)
--Signatures--
Arctic Mirror: Ready
Novice's Healing: 1 TCD