RiderMan's kick was fairly successful, but disabling Hood's control of Dune appeared to have a much more pronounced effect, dumping both the barely clothed Navi and the diamond in the sand. RiderMan wasn't able to catch it in time, but he quickly scooped up the gem as he skidded by. RiderMan gave a sigh of relief to see the diamond wasn't damaged, and at the same time realized it actually contained chip data. By that time, Hood removed herself from her landing crater and had the gall to call RiderMan himself a "thief" before proposing a trade, the diamond for a battlechip in her possession (which she was ready to use on the Navi if he disagreed).
RiderMan snapped his gaze to the Navi in insult, holding the diamond in his left hand while clenching his right "fist." His visor glowed brightly as he stepped towards the Navi. "Thief"? I wouldn't stoop so low as to steal something from someone else, a lesson you should be taught. RiderMan stopped and pumped his fist towards the Navi aggressively. He sent text message to Chuck, requesting their BronzeFist and FireArm1 chips before leaning foward aggressively. Prepare yourself! The Navi's engine howled, causing his exhaust pipes to rumble excitedly as his lower wheels sent him careening towards the enemy Navi. He saw how Dune was still incapacitated by being hijacked, so he had to deal with Hood himself, and quickly. He couldn't afford the Navi the chance to get away, or even worse somehow regain control of the beach patrol officer Navi.
Chuck received the message, and thanks to RiderMan's earlier advisory, his chips were at the ready. He slotted the two chips in without issue. With the first chip uploaded, RiderMan's right arm wheel became deep bronze color, with multiple studs lining the outer circumference of the wheel, like knuckle plates. The Navi zoomed towards Hood.EXE, getting close enough to fire off a sharp right straight pointed directly at her upper torso, with the hopes of knocking her back and potentially disrupting her attack. However, upon delivering his first strike, the bronzing of his wheel quickly dissipated to its natural black rubber color before two of the wheel sections slid outwards, revealing a perforated barrel. RiderMan pointed his arm towards the hooded navi, prompting a stream of orange and red flames to burst forth from the barrel, covering the area ahead with immolated fluid. The flames left a trail of black smoke in its wake, bathing the sand in fire. Chuck watched on as his Navi attacked, Hood seemed to have struck a nerve. RiderMan did give her the chance to give up, but she was still intent on making a clean getaway, so his aggressive response didn't appear unwarranted.
ACTIONS:
1. Strategic Movement: Dash into melee range of Hood.EXE
2. BronzeFist: Hood.EXE (100dmg + Impact + Knockback)
3. FireArm1: Hood.EXE (20dmg Fire x3 + Fighter Range)
First lap
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"If it makes you feel any better, the person I stole this from definitely stole it from someone else first! So it's like second-hand theft, right? I don't think that's even a punishable offense in most legal systems," Hood defended, seeming offended that RiderMan was making being a thief sound like such a bad thing. "You asked for it then! You're going to learn that sometimes it doesn't matter if I miss or not! The arrow of a heroic rogue such as myself flies true, even if it has to cheat and break the rules! Just like me! Hahaha-!"
Of course, she'd spent so long playing it up that RiderMan was already moving in. "You're going to play chicken with me?! BRING IT OOOON!" the thief roared, pulling back the string on her bow. She fired it off simultaneously with his own attack, expecting him to dodge. When he didn't, it amounted to both of them being struck; an electric arrow became immediately buried into RiderMan's chest, sending lightning surging across his body while she was punched in the gut. Her face contorted beneath the hood and her breasts flew up so high from the point of impact that they nearly smacked her own face. Her frame exploded backward into the sand, burying her again with her limbs sticking out from the miniature cave in the dune. "A-Alright... We'll split the diamond, 60/40... final offer!" she continued, but the time for negotiations were over. Even as injured as he was, RiderMan managed another attack, flaring his barrels and covering the dunes with a swath of fire, so furious that the sand either blew back or became glass-blasted. When the sand cleared, there was no sign of the enemy navi.
It seemed that the officer from earlier was neither harmed nor permanently frozen, perhaps only having needed time to recover. With no key in her back, she approached RiderMan with urgency, considering that he still had a big, glowing yellow arrow sticking out of his chest. "Please, use this," she offered, readying a MiniEnergyPack subchip. "I don't know if we pull it out or we leave it in... M-Maybe heal first, and then pull it out?" she suggested, thinking it was kind of surreal that he wasn't dead yet; the shaft of the arrow was submerged so deep that it looked like it must be at least halfway penetrated into his body. "And then we'll talk about getting that diamond back to its rightful owner."
Hood: EJO'D
Dune: 150 HP (normal)
RiderMan: 1 HP
Terrain: 20% normal, 65% sand, 15% glass
--BATTLE 5 OVER--
Received: MiniEnergyPack x1, TriArrow x1, 800z, 5 Dune FXP
Of course, she'd spent so long playing it up that RiderMan was already moving in. "You're going to play chicken with me?! BRING IT OOOON!" the thief roared, pulling back the string on her bow. She fired it off simultaneously with his own attack, expecting him to dodge. When he didn't, it amounted to both of them being struck; an electric arrow became immediately buried into RiderMan's chest, sending lightning surging across his body while she was punched in the gut. Her face contorted beneath the hood and her breasts flew up so high from the point of impact that they nearly smacked her own face. Her frame exploded backward into the sand, burying her again with her limbs sticking out from the miniature cave in the dune. "A-Alright... We'll split the diamond, 60/40... final offer!" she continued, but the time for negotiations were over. Even as injured as he was, RiderMan managed another attack, flaring his barrels and covering the dunes with a swath of fire, so furious that the sand either blew back or became glass-blasted. When the sand cleared, there was no sign of the enemy navi.
It seemed that the officer from earlier was neither harmed nor permanently frozen, perhaps only having needed time to recover. With no key in her back, she approached RiderMan with urgency, considering that he still had a big, glowing yellow arrow sticking out of his chest. "Please, use this," she offered, readying a MiniEnergyPack subchip. "I don't know if we pull it out or we leave it in... M-Maybe heal first, and then pull it out?" she suggested, thinking it was kind of surreal that he wasn't dead yet; the shaft of the arrow was submerged so deep that it looked like it must be at least halfway penetrated into his body. "And then we'll talk about getting that diamond back to its rightful owner."
Hood: EJO'D
Dune: 150 HP (normal)
RiderMan: 1 HP
Terrain: 20% normal, 65% sand, 15% glass
--BATTLE 5 OVER--
Received: MiniEnergyPack x1, TriArrow x1, 800z, 5 Dune FXP
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Though the Navi managed to defeat his foe, he didn't do so unscathed. He finally rolled to a stop and looked down at the arrow sticking out of his chest. The pain was intense, but he did his best to bear through it, for his NetOp was watching. Chuck was showing a real concern for the Navi, especially because he could see the flashing red HP gauge, showing the Navi was very near zero power. Dune also showed concern for the Navi, rolling up and handing him a recovery subchip. He looked at her as he graciously accepted the subchip, "Normally I'd say it's only a scratch, but I appreciate the help! Are you doing alright, by the way?"
He activated the subchip, causing the item to fragment into a cloud of green data, which surged around his body while restoring power and repairing frame damage. RiderMan looked down at the arrow, grasping the handle with his right hand before pulling it straight outwards from his chest. He winced from the pain, but since the subchip had already started to heal him, he didn't inadvertently self EJO. After pulling the arrow out, he twirled it in his fingers. "I wonder if I should keep this as a souvenir, to celebrate our first victory against an evil doer!" the Navi boasted. Chuck gave a faint smile, more relieved his Navi didn't get scrapped.
RiderMan looked back to Dune, extending his left hand, still holding the diamond. "You mentioned returning this to it's rightful owner, Miss Officer?" He was prepared to hand it off to the officer, since it appeared her motor functions had returned. But if there were others looking to make off with the gem, he'd at least stick around to see it delivered safely.
((Activate MiniEnergy Subchip [50HP heal]))
He activated the subchip, causing the item to fragment into a cloud of green data, which surged around his body while restoring power and repairing frame damage. RiderMan looked down at the arrow, grasping the handle with his right hand before pulling it straight outwards from his chest. He winced from the pain, but since the subchip had already started to heal him, he didn't inadvertently self EJO. After pulling the arrow out, he twirled it in his fingers. "I wonder if I should keep this as a souvenir, to celebrate our first victory against an evil doer!" the Navi boasted. Chuck gave a faint smile, more relieved his Navi didn't get scrapped.
RiderMan looked back to Dune, extending his left hand, still holding the diamond. "You mentioned returning this to it's rightful owner, Miss Officer?" He was prepared to hand it off to the officer, since it appeared her motor functions had returned. But if there were others looking to make off with the gem, he'd at least stick around to see it delivered safely.
((Activate MiniEnergy Subchip [50HP heal]))
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The officer looked surprised at the question, seeing as the one with an arrow sticking out of his chest was asking if she was injured. "No, I'm just fine now. That criminal actually makes trouble for us pretty regularly here at Beach Net, but I've never seen her use such an advanced weapon before. It disintegrated shortly after I plucked it out, possibly to prevent anyone from analyzing it. My best guess is that she stole that robbery tool from someone else, as I can't imagine she has the brain to develop such an unorthodox weapon," the officer explained.
She winced as well, watching him pull the arrow out. It didn't disintegrate, but on the other hand, it had lost its electric charge, so it wouldn't be much good as a weapon any longer. "Please, call me Dune," the officer introduced herself, then accepted the handoff of the so-called diamond. "I don't think there will be any further interference. For some background... this diamond belongs to another notorious thief, named Purloin, who docks her personal ship up the beach some ways. Hood and she are enemies... the difference is that Purloin is the sort of crafty and well-connected criminal who can pull off a theft, get the goods clean, and become untouchable after the fact. The fact that she's so good at it almost makes her more frustrating than Hood. So while this diamond probably doesn't 'belong' to Purloin originally either, she is likely its legal owner at this time. It will go back to her," the officer explained in characteristic police monotone, the kind that signifies delivering bad news. And it was certainly bad news, to learn that the spoils one had recovered from a thief would just be returned to another thief.
"So you know, the 'diamond' is the piece of value that both navis want. As you may have noticed, it's nothing more than a case, but it is extremely valuable to certain collectors as a collectible from a master crafter," she further explained, using small talk to divert the conversation to something more pleasant. "You've done quite a service in recovering it... I must admit, I was afraid we would break it during combat, which would almost have been worse than if she'd made off with it. The Beach Patrol is in your debt."
She winced as well, watching him pull the arrow out. It didn't disintegrate, but on the other hand, it had lost its electric charge, so it wouldn't be much good as a weapon any longer. "Please, call me Dune," the officer introduced herself, then accepted the handoff of the so-called diamond. "I don't think there will be any further interference. For some background... this diamond belongs to another notorious thief, named Purloin, who docks her personal ship up the beach some ways. Hood and she are enemies... the difference is that Purloin is the sort of crafty and well-connected criminal who can pull off a theft, get the goods clean, and become untouchable after the fact. The fact that she's so good at it almost makes her more frustrating than Hood. So while this diamond probably doesn't 'belong' to Purloin originally either, she is likely its legal owner at this time. It will go back to her," the officer explained in characteristic police monotone, the kind that signifies delivering bad news. And it was certainly bad news, to learn that the spoils one had recovered from a thief would just be returned to another thief.
"So you know, the 'diamond' is the piece of value that both navis want. As you may have noticed, it's nothing more than a case, but it is extremely valuable to certain collectors as a collectible from a master crafter," she further explained, using small talk to divert the conversation to something more pleasant. "You've done quite a service in recovering it... I must admit, I was afraid we would break it during combat, which would almost have been worse than if she'd made off with it. The Beach Patrol is in your debt."
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RiderMan handed off the diamond to Dune, who explained the gem's origin and why Hood was so interested in taking it. He could empathize with the Navi, he could only imagine how frustrating it would be to be outsmarted by a thief who could manipulate the system in such a way as to put the law between them and the enforcement officials who want to bring true justice. Chuck listened silently as well; he was largely unaware of the complexity what can transpire even in minor areas in the network, thinking it was just about virus busting and checking emails.
Dune finished her explanation, thanking the Navi for returning the diamond unscathed. RiderMan responded by bowing his head humbly, "It's the least we could do, Miss Dune." He raised his head, realizing he'd missed something. "Oh, how rude of me. I am RiderMan.EXE, and my Net Operator is Charles Greene. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss." RiderMan opened a window next to him, showing his NetOp's bruised and bandaged face. It took a second to realize Chuck was pulled up in a window, taking him off guard and rendering a rather weak introduction. "Ah, hi... Dune. I'm Chuck, nice to meet you." He tried to wave, but the shooting pain going through his shoulder caused him to wince and abandon the attempt. RiderMan saw the discomfort on his NetOp's face, he felt a bit guilty to put him on the spot like that, but he was charged to help get the young man out of his shell, and introducing oneself to an ally face-to-face is just good "Netiquette."
Keeping the window open, RiderMan gave the NetOp a break by switching the subject. "Miss Dune, would you like us to accompany you to Purloin's ship, or wherever you intend to return the diamond? We don't have any current plans, so while we're here we'd be more than happy to provide escort, or even just friendly company." His request was partially due to his curiosity for what would transpire, and also a concern for Dune's safety; she was overpowered by Hood, and this "Purloin" Navi is supposedly much more crafty and potentially dangerous.
Dune finished her explanation, thanking the Navi for returning the diamond unscathed. RiderMan responded by bowing his head humbly, "It's the least we could do, Miss Dune." He raised his head, realizing he'd missed something. "Oh, how rude of me. I am RiderMan.EXE, and my Net Operator is Charles Greene. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss." RiderMan opened a window next to him, showing his NetOp's bruised and bandaged face. It took a second to realize Chuck was pulled up in a window, taking him off guard and rendering a rather weak introduction. "Ah, hi... Dune. I'm Chuck, nice to meet you." He tried to wave, but the shooting pain going through his shoulder caused him to wince and abandon the attempt. RiderMan saw the discomfort on his NetOp's face, he felt a bit guilty to put him on the spot like that, but he was charged to help get the young man out of his shell, and introducing oneself to an ally face-to-face is just good "Netiquette."
Keeping the window open, RiderMan gave the NetOp a break by switching the subject. "Miss Dune, would you like us to accompany you to Purloin's ship, or wherever you intend to return the diamond? We don't have any current plans, so while we're here we'd be more than happy to provide escort, or even just friendly company." His request was partially due to his curiosity for what would transpire, and also a concern for Dune's safety; she was overpowered by Hood, and this "Purloin" Navi is supposedly much more crafty and potentially dangerous.
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Dune acknowledged RiderMan's operator with a smile, then paused while opening her a window for her own operator. The screen showed a tall, teenage girl with blond hair in a lengthy ponytail. She had even features and large green eyes, as well as braces, which really cemented the feeling that she was a teenager. Her attire consisted of a white sweatshirt over a fairly plain red t-shirt. By the sunny, open setting and the sound of waves closeby, she appeared to be at a beach herself. "Hi RiderMan, hi Charles. I'm Kelly," she introduced herself simply. Her smile was friendly, but not particularly forthcoming.
Dune closed the window and nodded along. "I'll be happy to invite you along if you want to join me. I can understand if you're curious to see how a glamorous master jewel thief lives," she chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, I rarely see her myself, except when she's tanning. You'd think beach patrol would have a lot of interaction with a notorious thief harbored in their jurisdiction, but I gather she just sets up camp here and performs most of her less scrupulous actions elsewhere. Well... I would call her idea of swimwear unscrupulous as well, but that's my opinion. It's nothing punishable."
She deployed her wheels again from the side of her shoes, which seemed to increase her height somewhat (she was rather short, in reality). She began the drive back to Purloin's ship, carrying the diamond RiderMan had retrieved. The officer went at a slow and leisurely pace so that her companion wouldn't fall behind... which she'd realize was silly, if she thought harder about it. "A lot of our recent troubles ate connected to exposure that this part of the beach has gotten from some... well, some bozos took photos of themselves doing dirty things on the beach here, and lo and behold, suddenly we're on the map," she sighed, shaking her head and crossing her arms, as only her wheels were moving. "It's made my job a heck of a lot harder. More beach-goers, more incidents... not to mention the kinds of people we're attracting. Half of them are lovebirds with one thing on their minds and the other half think they can use this place to film x-rated material. It's a mess to try to deal with it all, so retrieving a spoiled princess's diamond is the last thing I should devote my energy to," she ranted.
As they got closer, RiderMan would start to see some of the beach bums here and there in gradually increasing quantities. They looked pretty safe and ordinary, for the most part... but almost entirely young couples, rather than families. Purloin's ship became visible in the distance: definitely a cruising ship, but small, probably only occupied by a few people. There were lots of men and women on the dock nearby the ship wearing gold colored masks depicting smiling faces (and otherwise, just swimsuits). That was an eerie detail and one that seemed to mandate investigation, but Dune didn't look worried.
Dune closed the window and nodded along. "I'll be happy to invite you along if you want to join me. I can understand if you're curious to see how a glamorous master jewel thief lives," she chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, I rarely see her myself, except when she's tanning. You'd think beach patrol would have a lot of interaction with a notorious thief harbored in their jurisdiction, but I gather she just sets up camp here and performs most of her less scrupulous actions elsewhere. Well... I would call her idea of swimwear unscrupulous as well, but that's my opinion. It's nothing punishable."
She deployed her wheels again from the side of her shoes, which seemed to increase her height somewhat (she was rather short, in reality). She began the drive back to Purloin's ship, carrying the diamond RiderMan had retrieved. The officer went at a slow and leisurely pace so that her companion wouldn't fall behind... which she'd realize was silly, if she thought harder about it. "A lot of our recent troubles ate connected to exposure that this part of the beach has gotten from some... well, some bozos took photos of themselves doing dirty things on the beach here, and lo and behold, suddenly we're on the map," she sighed, shaking her head and crossing her arms, as only her wheels were moving. "It's made my job a heck of a lot harder. More beach-goers, more incidents... not to mention the kinds of people we're attracting. Half of them are lovebirds with one thing on their minds and the other half think they can use this place to film x-rated material. It's a mess to try to deal with it all, so retrieving a spoiled princess's diamond is the last thing I should devote my energy to," she ranted.
As they got closer, RiderMan would start to see some of the beach bums here and there in gradually increasing quantities. They looked pretty safe and ordinary, for the most part... but almost entirely young couples, rather than families. Purloin's ship became visible in the distance: definitely a cruising ship, but small, probably only occupied by a few people. There were lots of men and women on the dock nearby the ship wearing gold colored masks depicting smiling faces (and otherwise, just swimsuits). That was an eerie detail and one that seemed to mandate investigation, but Dune didn't look worried.
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Dune's NetOp introduced herself as well to the pair, prompting RiderMan to bow his head slightly in respect, "Nice to meet you, Miss Kelly." Charles nodded as well. "Hello..." Their introductions were very brief, and Dune got back to business at hand. Luckily for RiderMan, Dune accepted his offer to accompany her to Purloin's vessel. Chuck's window closed, giving the NetOp the chance to observe from a distance without the need to interact.
Dune started to roll off, prompting RiderMan to skate along beside her, his engine purring quietly as he followed at a leisurely pace. He continued to listen intently as he rolled upright next to her on the path. She'd mentioned the increase of activity in the area due to a an apparently infamous event that happened in this locale, increasing traffic and the amount of work the beach patrol has to shoulder. "I'm quite new to the network, so I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with the event that put this place 'on the map'. However, I can understand how something like that would cause more undesirable behavior, and more work for law enforcement such as yourself."
They continued to drive along, noticing a steady increase in beach-goers. As Dune said, there were more couples than any family-sized or large groups. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary or illicit going on, but it was indeed peculiar, considering Dune's previous statements. He tried to keep his RPM and noise down to a minimum, to hopefully prevent some attention being drawn to the pair. RiderMan saw a ship moored on a dock in the distance, and as they approached Dune appeared to be heading towards it. As they approached, the Navi also noted a good number of other programs loitering on the dock, all of them wearing masks over their faces. Though he himself was "masked," he looked over at Dune; she didn't appear to take note of it, perhaps this was normal?
Regardless, he followed along, though he couldn't help but be on edge. He was in an unfamiliar area, nearing the territory of a known criminal and potentially outnumbered by goons, while only having a single ally. Didn't look favorable, but since Dune was quite calm as they approached, he kept his cool as well and kept pace with her.
Dune started to roll off, prompting RiderMan to skate along beside her, his engine purring quietly as he followed at a leisurely pace. He continued to listen intently as he rolled upright next to her on the path. She'd mentioned the increase of activity in the area due to a an apparently infamous event that happened in this locale, increasing traffic and the amount of work the beach patrol has to shoulder. "I'm quite new to the network, so I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with the event that put this place 'on the map'. However, I can understand how something like that would cause more undesirable behavior, and more work for law enforcement such as yourself."
They continued to drive along, noticing a steady increase in beach-goers. As Dune said, there were more couples than any family-sized or large groups. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary or illicit going on, but it was indeed peculiar, considering Dune's previous statements. He tried to keep his RPM and noise down to a minimum, to hopefully prevent some attention being drawn to the pair. RiderMan saw a ship moored on a dock in the distance, and as they approached Dune appeared to be heading towards it. As they approached, the Navi also noted a good number of other programs loitering on the dock, all of them wearing masks over their faces. Though he himself was "masked," he looked over at Dune; she didn't appear to take note of it, perhaps this was normal?
Regardless, he followed along, though he couldn't help but be on edge. He was in an unfamiliar area, nearing the territory of a known criminal and potentially outnumbered by goons, while only having a single ally. Didn't look favorable, but since Dune was quite calm as they approached, he kept his cool as well and kept pace with her.
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"Well, count yourself fortunate if you never have to hear about the photo shoot... I've had to hear about it enough for both of us! It's amazing how so many people think past precedent is all that the law requires to justify public indecency! Um, no, it's not!" the officer ranted, falling back into her tirade against the unsavory types that violated the rules of the beach. She finally paid attention to RiderMan again and noticed him starting in the direction of the crowd of masked individuals. "Oh, don't mind them... Those are ProsperMan's guards, who are stained here to watch ConMan, Purloin's boyfriend. He recently broke into the Prosper mansion, impersonated ProsperMan, and as I heat, got fresh with some of the staff. A very embarrassing experience for ProsperMan... but not one that 24 hour surveillance of the criminal is going to fix, and certainly not worth the expenditure. The way I see it, ConMan will take it as a challenge, if anything..."
Dune shut up as they approached, since bad-mouthing a security detail's employer within earshot of them would be a stupid idea. She ignored the restless, masked men as she rolled by... they watched her like they wanted to interrupt, just for the sake of having something to do. Dune called out "coming aboard!" as she rolled across the ramp (blessedly, there was a ramp rather than a ladder, as the latter wouldn't suit wheels as well). RiderMan couldn't tell of anyone heard her call out... The boat seemed fairly deserted. Still, Dune seemed to know where she was going and rolled around to the front deck.
As Dune had implied there might be, a woman was sunbathing on one of the long, white, banded poolchairs that lined the dock, surrounding a miniature pool (apparently, this want THAT miniature a cruise ship). Her hair was short and black, bobbed neatly around her head and framing a large pair of sunglasses, the frames of which seemed to sparkle like white gemstones. She wore lipstick and a persistent smile, even upon seeing an officer on her deck. Her skin glistened with tanning oil and she looked to have a pretty good tan building by this point in her residence. Additionally, she wore diamond stud earrings, fashionable white pumps with winding straps up the ankles,, and a swimsuit that explained Dune's earlier sentiments. While not as bad as Hood's bikini, the white, one piece suit featured large, diamond cuts out of both the front and back, showing off a set of breasts not quite as large as Hood's... but several sizes larger than what Dune's must be, even if she miraculously filled her truck-like armor. Furthermore, the suit was embedded with smooth diamond studs, placed in even intervals up its front and back length. The outfit was clearly not meant for swimming. The straps of her shoes were undone, so as not to interfere with her tanning.
"Officer!" she greeted Dune with a coy smile, as one well aware of her place as an untouchable criminal speaking to a lowly regional patrol woman. "Have you decided to take me up on my offer? Of course, if we're going to sunbathe together, you should wear something more appropriate." She removed her sunglasses as she spoke, revealing unnaturally bright silver eyes... and, surprisingly, no tan lines. It made one wonder if she was actually tanning or if it was something like a GMO she'd applied. "Who's your friend?" she asked, turning in her seat ever-so-slightly.
"He's a citizen that helped recover your stolen property," Dune answered, not offering his name, as she wasn't sure he'd want to give it to a criminal. "And no, I get enough sun as it is..."
"Did he? That's splendid! I was going to track down that petty thief myself, but you saved me some time and annoyance in putting up with her," Purloin thanked RiderMan, perhaps more earnestly than he would have expected. "Good deeds should be rewarded, I say. What can I give you as thanks, hm?" Dune frowned, showing her distaste. "Ha! Not that kind of reward. I'm spoken for, remember?" she sighed, flashing a silver ring which, ironically, was almost her only clothing article with no diamond on it. "Well... I could be talked into it~"
"Ugh!"
"Sorry, just another joke! That boyfriend of mine is a bit of a bore lately," the matter thief sighed, again with surpassing earnestness. Dune handed over the diamond as they spoke and Purloin began to admire it with an idle, satisfied smile. "How can I thank you, Mister...?" she asked again, stretching luxuriously across the pool chair with her free hand on one knee.
Dune shut up as they approached, since bad-mouthing a security detail's employer within earshot of them would be a stupid idea. She ignored the restless, masked men as she rolled by... they watched her like they wanted to interrupt, just for the sake of having something to do. Dune called out "coming aboard!" as she rolled across the ramp (blessedly, there was a ramp rather than a ladder, as the latter wouldn't suit wheels as well). RiderMan couldn't tell of anyone heard her call out... The boat seemed fairly deserted. Still, Dune seemed to know where she was going and rolled around to the front deck.
As Dune had implied there might be, a woman was sunbathing on one of the long, white, banded poolchairs that lined the dock, surrounding a miniature pool (apparently, this want THAT miniature a cruise ship). Her hair was short and black, bobbed neatly around her head and framing a large pair of sunglasses, the frames of which seemed to sparkle like white gemstones. She wore lipstick and a persistent smile, even upon seeing an officer on her deck. Her skin glistened with tanning oil and she looked to have a pretty good tan building by this point in her residence. Additionally, she wore diamond stud earrings, fashionable white pumps with winding straps up the ankles,, and a swimsuit that explained Dune's earlier sentiments. While not as bad as Hood's bikini, the white, one piece suit featured large, diamond cuts out of both the front and back, showing off a set of breasts not quite as large as Hood's... but several sizes larger than what Dune's must be, even if she miraculously filled her truck-like armor. Furthermore, the suit was embedded with smooth diamond studs, placed in even intervals up its front and back length. The outfit was clearly not meant for swimming. The straps of her shoes were undone, so as not to interfere with her tanning.
"Officer!" she greeted Dune with a coy smile, as one well aware of her place as an untouchable criminal speaking to a lowly regional patrol woman. "Have you decided to take me up on my offer? Of course, if we're going to sunbathe together, you should wear something more appropriate." She removed her sunglasses as she spoke, revealing unnaturally bright silver eyes... and, surprisingly, no tan lines. It made one wonder if she was actually tanning or if it was something like a GMO she'd applied. "Who's your friend?" she asked, turning in her seat ever-so-slightly.
"He's a citizen that helped recover your stolen property," Dune answered, not offering his name, as she wasn't sure he'd want to give it to a criminal. "And no, I get enough sun as it is..."
"Did he? That's splendid! I was going to track down that petty thief myself, but you saved me some time and annoyance in putting up with her," Purloin thanked RiderMan, perhaps more earnestly than he would have expected. "Good deeds should be rewarded, I say. What can I give you as thanks, hm?" Dune frowned, showing her distaste. "Ha! Not that kind of reward. I'm spoken for, remember?" she sighed, flashing a silver ring which, ironically, was almost her only clothing article with no diamond on it. "Well... I could be talked into it~"
"Ugh!"
"Sorry, just another joke! That boyfriend of mine is a bit of a bore lately," the matter thief sighed, again with surpassing earnestness. Dune handed over the diamond as they spoke and Purloin began to admire it with an idle, satisfied smile. "How can I thank you, Mister...?" she asked again, stretching luxuriously across the pool chair with her free hand on one knee.
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RiderMan listened as Dune further explained/ranted. She was visibly upset by recent events and the influx of indecent behavior plaguing the area, but she explained the presence of the masked individuals rather plainly without much emotional reaction. From Dune's explanation, there's been some unsurprising shenanigans and infidelity amongst those involved in Purloin's affairs. He was about to blurt out a cliched "seems there truly is no honor among thieves," but he wasn't so committed to the joke as to miss Dune's noticeable silence.
Chuck listened and watched from the safety of his hospital bed, perplexed by the idea of so many complex relationships and happenings occurring in what he previously thought was a very basic netspace. From his slightly higher point of view, he could see the security detail watching the pair and barely give way to them as they rolled over the dock and up a ramp to the vessel. Dune led the way, with RiderMan sliding close behind.
RiderMan's head didn't move much, but beneath his mask he was actively peering and looking around in an attempt to take a good amount of detail of his surroundings. The vessel wasn't as large as he expected, but it certainly wasn't some shabby-looking dinghy. He remained silent and followed Dune around the side of the vessel's cabin, out towards the bow deck. The vessel seemed deserted, save for a single female Navi sunbathing on a pool chair. Her eyes were obscured by a large pair of sunglasses, he wasn't sure she was aware of their presence until she started to stir, giving the pair a smile. She looked quite well off, wearing less-than-subtle diamond themed beachwear. Her one piece swimsuit left little to the imagination, but luckily she had the figure to pull it off. RiderMan smoothly rolled to a stop as Purloin called out to Dune.
She spoke to Dune in a manner that seemed more appropriate for banter between colleagues, but Dune kept her professional demeanor. Purloin sounded as confident RiderMan suspected she'd be, as a successful, "untouchable" criminal. Before giving Dune time to respond, she inquired about RiderMan, to which Dune gave a quick, succinct response. However, Dune didn't mention his name. Upon noticing this, he realized giving one's information to a criminal wouldn't be the best idea. He normally wouldn't bother, but he didn't want to inadvertently put his NetOp at risk, finding out a NetOp's information should be fairly straightforward if you knew his or her Navi's name.
Purloin gave him a surprisingly sincere-sounding thanks, musing how to repay the Navi for his deed. She joked as she implied thanking the Navi in a... unconventional way, much to Dune's distaste. It became more apparent Dune had interacted with Purloin more than once before, too much it seems. She didn't entirely drop the subject, but she did ask for RiderMan's input on proper thanks, also indirectly asking his name. Following Dune's cues, he instead game a false (but no less believable) name. "RevvMan, miss," he said politely. "No thanks will be necessary, anyone else would have done the same in my shoes," he continued. Though he surmised he could have been well compensated for his actions, he didn't want the deal to somehow seal a clandestine agreement of dept to Purloin. However, he couldn't help but be curious, he wasn't entirely itching to leave; from all accounts their current situation appeared relatively safe.
Chuck listened and watched from the safety of his hospital bed, perplexed by the idea of so many complex relationships and happenings occurring in what he previously thought was a very basic netspace. From his slightly higher point of view, he could see the security detail watching the pair and barely give way to them as they rolled over the dock and up a ramp to the vessel. Dune led the way, with RiderMan sliding close behind.
RiderMan's head didn't move much, but beneath his mask he was actively peering and looking around in an attempt to take a good amount of detail of his surroundings. The vessel wasn't as large as he expected, but it certainly wasn't some shabby-looking dinghy. He remained silent and followed Dune around the side of the vessel's cabin, out towards the bow deck. The vessel seemed deserted, save for a single female Navi sunbathing on a pool chair. Her eyes were obscured by a large pair of sunglasses, he wasn't sure she was aware of their presence until she started to stir, giving the pair a smile. She looked quite well off, wearing less-than-subtle diamond themed beachwear. Her one piece swimsuit left little to the imagination, but luckily she had the figure to pull it off. RiderMan smoothly rolled to a stop as Purloin called out to Dune.
She spoke to Dune in a manner that seemed more appropriate for banter between colleagues, but Dune kept her professional demeanor. Purloin sounded as confident RiderMan suspected she'd be, as a successful, "untouchable" criminal. Before giving Dune time to respond, she inquired about RiderMan, to which Dune gave a quick, succinct response. However, Dune didn't mention his name. Upon noticing this, he realized giving one's information to a criminal wouldn't be the best idea. He normally wouldn't bother, but he didn't want to inadvertently put his NetOp at risk, finding out a NetOp's information should be fairly straightforward if you knew his or her Navi's name.
Purloin gave him a surprisingly sincere-sounding thanks, musing how to repay the Navi for his deed. She joked as she implied thanking the Navi in a... unconventional way, much to Dune's distaste. It became more apparent Dune had interacted with Purloin more than once before, too much it seems. She didn't entirely drop the subject, but she did ask for RiderMan's input on proper thanks, also indirectly asking his name. Following Dune's cues, he instead game a false (but no less believable) name. "RevvMan, miss," he said politely. "No thanks will be necessary, anyone else would have done the same in my shoes," he continued. Though he surmised he could have been well compensated for his actions, he didn't want the deal to somehow seal a clandestine agreement of dept to Purloin. However, he couldn't help but be curious, he wasn't entirely itching to leave; from all accounts their current situation appeared relatively safe.
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Dune said nothing to contradict RiderMan's false name, since she had been thinking herself he ought to go that route. Purloin was none the wiser and accepted it without suspicion. The thief gave a brief huff of a laugh, sounding critical but not surprised. "Come now, I'm not a woman who expects the men in her life to be chivalrous. It makes my life easier, though, so I suppose I should be thankful... But even a woman with my fortune knows that she still has wants," she sighed. "I, for instance, want a better boyfriend. I want to complete my collection of Tomas Datum's legendary diamonds. But for now, I just want to reward a good deed, if only to feel a little better about myself. You'll allow me that, at least, won't you?"
"Enough of this... We came to return your property, not consort with a criminal. You can't really blame RevvMan for turning down anything you'd give him, right? Who knows how much of it is stolen property?" Dune countered.
"I have a lot of money, Darling! Who's to say I have to steal everything? I'm rather loose with my cash, especially for good causes," Purloin returned, then looked away as if speaking to someone else. Quickly, she produced a data packet from thin air and held it out to RiderMan with one hand. "At least accept this. I promise, it isn't stolen from anyone but viruses," she chuckled. The data packet contained SolarShield1. "Maybe you can use that to get a tan? Of course, you'll never get one if you don't take that suit off," the busty woman teased him further, now crossing her forearms behind her head and against the chair.
"Enough of this... We came to return your property, not consort with a criminal. You can't really blame RevvMan for turning down anything you'd give him, right? Who knows how much of it is stolen property?" Dune countered.
"I have a lot of money, Darling! Who's to say I have to steal everything? I'm rather loose with my cash, especially for good causes," Purloin returned, then looked away as if speaking to someone else. Quickly, she produced a data packet from thin air and held it out to RiderMan with one hand. "At least accept this. I promise, it isn't stolen from anyone but viruses," she chuckled. The data packet contained SolarShield1. "Maybe you can use that to get a tan? Of course, you'll never get one if you don't take that suit off," the busty woman teased him further, now crossing her forearms behind her head and against the chair.
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Purloin began to monologue a bit, pressing the issue of repaying RiderMan for his deeds. However, Dune interjected in an attempt to refocus the conversation, and possibly end it right then and there. RiderMan stood mostly motionless throughout the exchange, save for moving his head to face the Navis as they spoke. Dune essentially hit the nail on the head, asserting the Navi wouldn't accept a gift from a criminal, especially stolen property. Purloin retorted with the claim she was well off enough to remove theft as a necessity for income, before producing a chip data packet. She held it out to RiderMan, assuring him it was simply the spoils of busting.
RiderMan looked at the data, identified as a SolarShield1 chip. It wasn't an especially powerful or rare chip, supporting Purloin's story. Since she had already offered the gift, it would be rude not to accept at this juncture. His right tire folded open, forming a full set of flat, segmented fingers and gently took the packet from Purloin's hand. He slightly bowed his head reflexively, "Much appreciated, Miss Purloin," As the data began to disappear as it was uploaded to his PET, he quipped back from the reclining Navi's teasing jab, "maybe, but then my paint would start to fade." While Purloin was fairly interesting, he didn't want to overstay his welcome, or somehow get coaxed into something. His fingers folded back down into its standard tire shape. "I'm not one to take and run, but I don't want to further impose on your time," he said politely. It seemed Dune would prefer to cut the conversation short as well, as she appeared fairly uncomfortable.
-Accept SolarShield1-
RiderMan looked at the data, identified as a SolarShield1 chip. It wasn't an especially powerful or rare chip, supporting Purloin's story. Since she had already offered the gift, it would be rude not to accept at this juncture. His right tire folded open, forming a full set of flat, segmented fingers and gently took the packet from Purloin's hand. He slightly bowed his head reflexively, "Much appreciated, Miss Purloin," As the data began to disappear as it was uploaded to his PET, he quipped back from the reclining Navi's teasing jab, "maybe, but then my paint would start to fade." While Purloin was fairly interesting, he didn't want to overstay his welcome, or somehow get coaxed into something. His fingers folded back down into its standard tire shape. "I'm not one to take and run, but I don't want to further impose on your time," he said politely. It seemed Dune would prefer to cut the conversation short as well, as she appeared fairly uncomfortable.
-Accept SolarShield1-
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"Hm hm hm. That's sort of the opposite affect most people get out of tanning," Purloin replied, seeming amused. "If you ever want to make some real money, you should reach out to me over the GNA mission board. I've got good work for those who aren't afraid to get their hands a little dirty. Or, I could possibly have you take care of that ridiculous Hood, should she make another play for my diamonds... Which, I assure you, she will. I base this assumption on years of history, during which she has done exactly that," the master thief / suntanner sighed. She corrected her smile again and stretched, showing off her breasts again. "There are ample rewards to be had in helping me. I need someone a little more competent than my boyfriend to help with the finer matters."
Dune proved that she was indeed eager to get her new companion away from Purloin. "I'm glad you got your diamond back. Now, we're leaving," she insisted, starting down off the boat whether RiderMan followed or not. That said, she waited just upon the dock for him to return, crossing her arms with a moody expression. "Thanks for all of your help, RiderMan. I can't stand that woman, flaunting all of her crimes in the face of beach patrol, you know... It's so frustrating, knowing she's stolen so much and not being able to reclaim any of it. And the way she flaunts... everything! You know? It's just so aggravating!" she grumbled, pausing to see if he'd back her up on that point. "Well... I have to get back to work. I can't ask you to accompany me any further, or I'm going to have to start paying you. On that note, if you ever are interested in helping the Beach Patrol again, we're a little short staffed lately and we post a lot of requests for assistance. If you ask the GNA, they'll give you missions from us and I can pay you properly for your help." It almost sounded like she was jealous that Purloin had beaten her to the punch on that offer. "For now, I'm getting back to work. Don't worry about it one way or another. It's fine if you want to help, or if you don't, that's okay too... you can even help her if you want... It wouldn't be bad for someone to keep an eye on her, really," she finished, then sped on back down the ramp and up towards a shack a little ways up the beach, waving behind her for a moment.
Dune proved that she was indeed eager to get her new companion away from Purloin. "I'm glad you got your diamond back. Now, we're leaving," she insisted, starting down off the boat whether RiderMan followed or not. That said, she waited just upon the dock for him to return, crossing her arms with a moody expression. "Thanks for all of your help, RiderMan. I can't stand that woman, flaunting all of her crimes in the face of beach patrol, you know... It's so frustrating, knowing she's stolen so much and not being able to reclaim any of it. And the way she flaunts... everything! You know? It's just so aggravating!" she grumbled, pausing to see if he'd back her up on that point. "Well... I have to get back to work. I can't ask you to accompany me any further, or I'm going to have to start paying you. On that note, if you ever are interested in helping the Beach Patrol again, we're a little short staffed lately and we post a lot of requests for assistance. If you ask the GNA, they'll give you missions from us and I can pay you properly for your help." It almost sounded like she was jealous that Purloin had beaten her to the punch on that offer. "For now, I'm getting back to work. Don't worry about it one way or another. It's fine if you want to help, or if you don't, that's okay too... you can even help her if you want... It wouldn't be bad for someone to keep an eye on her, really," she finished, then sped on back down the ramp and up towards a shack a little ways up the beach, waving behind her for a moment.
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Purloin continued the conversation, suggesting he peruse her GNA mission board for other requests, as well as to take down Hood again when she makes another attempt to steal one of Purloin's diamonds. She also teasingly offered a different kind of employment, working for her, personally. While she was certainly well off and not at all hard to look at, the idea of consorting with a criminal felt disgraceful to say the least.
Luckily for him, Dune was even more eager to cut off the conversation and insisted they left. "I'll keep that in mind, Miss Purloin, have a good one," RiderMan said politely as he smoothly spun around on his wheels to follow Dune out. He didn't look back as he left, quickly catching up to the beach patrol officer. No words were exchanged until they got to the dock, only then did Dune thank him again for the help, and start to vent her frustrations about their "client." RiderMan couldn't agree more, it seemed fundamentally wrong to be essentially gloated to by a criminal, and the very laws you enforce prohibit you from doing anything about it. "I'm sure she'll slip up eventually, then she'll finally pay for her misdeeds. That should give her a good reality check," RiderMan replied, trying to reassure his new companion. She also suggested using the GNA boards to better provide assistance, but instead for the Beach Patrol. This was much more up his alley than Purloin's offer, though Dune mentioned working for her will help keep tabs on the Navi. Both were valid suggestions, and not to be taken lightly.
"Thank you, Miss Dune. I'll definitely look into it, anything I can do to help you out. Best of luck out there, and I hope we cross paths again, under better circumstances I hope!" RiderMan exclaimed, wishing the patrol officer farewell, returning her wave with one of his own. As Dune disappeared from view, RiderMan shifted his focus to his NetOp as he put his hands on his hips. "Well, that was an interesting first adventure, wouldn't you say?" Chuck nodded slightly, it certainly was much more engaging than mindlessly watching TV etc. ["Yeah, I didn't realize this kind of stuff was so... complicated."] "Haha, quite right! But that only adds to the fun!" the Navi responded with his hallmark enthusiasm. He looked down to his chest, the slightly scorched hole in his chest armor reminding him of the damage he sustained. Though he wasn't vulnerable to EJO, he was no longer at top fighting form. "Care to take a break? Maybe to have a snack and a nap? My priority is to get you into tip top shape afterall."
Chuck didn't disagree, he was feeling a bit fatigued and more than a bit hungry after their foray into the net. ["Sure,"] Chuck responded. "Alright, just hit the "Log Out" button and then remove the PET's jack from the port on the bed. Thanks for doing such a great job, I wouldn't have been able to do it without ya!" Rider responded, not only teaching his operator, but also trying to build up his confidence. In truth, Chuck did an admirable job keeping up with the Navi, and getting him all the chips he needed to effectively bust. His statement seemed to be effective, as he noticed a slight smile from his NetOp before he teleported up and out of the network.
((Logged Out))
Luckily for him, Dune was even more eager to cut off the conversation and insisted they left. "I'll keep that in mind, Miss Purloin, have a good one," RiderMan said politely as he smoothly spun around on his wheels to follow Dune out. He didn't look back as he left, quickly catching up to the beach patrol officer. No words were exchanged until they got to the dock, only then did Dune thank him again for the help, and start to vent her frustrations about their "client." RiderMan couldn't agree more, it seemed fundamentally wrong to be essentially gloated to by a criminal, and the very laws you enforce prohibit you from doing anything about it. "I'm sure she'll slip up eventually, then she'll finally pay for her misdeeds. That should give her a good reality check," RiderMan replied, trying to reassure his new companion. She also suggested using the GNA boards to better provide assistance, but instead for the Beach Patrol. This was much more up his alley than Purloin's offer, though Dune mentioned working for her will help keep tabs on the Navi. Both were valid suggestions, and not to be taken lightly.
"Thank you, Miss Dune. I'll definitely look into it, anything I can do to help you out. Best of luck out there, and I hope we cross paths again, under better circumstances I hope!" RiderMan exclaimed, wishing the patrol officer farewell, returning her wave with one of his own. As Dune disappeared from view, RiderMan shifted his focus to his NetOp as he put his hands on his hips. "Well, that was an interesting first adventure, wouldn't you say?" Chuck nodded slightly, it certainly was much more engaging than mindlessly watching TV etc. ["Yeah, I didn't realize this kind of stuff was so... complicated."] "Haha, quite right! But that only adds to the fun!" the Navi responded with his hallmark enthusiasm. He looked down to his chest, the slightly scorched hole in his chest armor reminding him of the damage he sustained. Though he wasn't vulnerable to EJO, he was no longer at top fighting form. "Care to take a break? Maybe to have a snack and a nap? My priority is to get you into tip top shape afterall."
Chuck didn't disagree, he was feeling a bit fatigued and more than a bit hungry after their foray into the net. ["Sure,"] Chuck responded. "Alright, just hit the "Log Out" button and then remove the PET's jack from the port on the bed. Thanks for doing such a great job, I wouldn't have been able to do it without ya!" Rider responded, not only teaching his operator, but also trying to build up his confidence. In truth, Chuck did an admirable job keeping up with the Navi, and getting him all the chips he needed to effectively bust. His statement seemed to be effective, as he noticed a slight smile from his NetOp before he teleported up and out of the network.
((Logged Out))