Topic titles suck.

Persephone appeared in the netframe as she fell towards the ground head first and held her book close to her. Taking it in one hand, she tossed it towards the ground as it started to float horizontally before it reached the ground. The Navi made a gracious salto in the air, landing on the book carefully in a kneeled position before standing straight up to check out the environment. Noticing the warm temperature and the tropical environment, she sighed and fell with her butt down on the book while muttering at herself. "I forgot how warm it was here..." she said as she slowly started to make her book float forwards. "Hey Area," Persephone said as she drew a rectangle on her right side to create a window, "Got anything to eat yet?"

"They're working on it," she said and clicked some buttons to check out the Netfrica networks, "Just continue forwards. There's bound to be something. There always is..."

Persephone nodded and just kept on floating forwards over the terrain below her. "Yeah, not a lot has changed here," she commented as she continued to look around in her search for viruses.

Persephone encounters some viruses.
They look poised and ready for battle.

MagtectA: 90 HP (sand)
MagtectB: 90 HP (sand)
MagtectC: 90 HP (sand)
CactyA: 70 HP (Grass)
CactyB: 70 HP (Grass)

Terrain: 25% Grass, 75% Sand

Persephone.exe: 180 HP (sand)

"Pffff," puffed Persephone as she noticed the viruses and said, "Can't I just go on and look for something... You know... Tougher?"

"It's still profit... And there might be a chip in it for us," said Area as she took out chips half lazy and her lips against a curly straw she had gotten with the drink she had bought. She slotted in the chips, one by one, and spoke to Persephone, "It's not like we have to pay to fight them. The only ones getting the goods here... Are we."

"Yeah yeah," said Persephone as she waved her hand dismissively at Area, "Maybe you were used to saying that with Divinity, but I'm pretty sure I know all this. I'll just get this over with and beat them... You can give speeches when we encounter something big."

"Fine with me," Area replied, not sounding shocked or annoyed at Persephone's reaction, "My food's done anyway..." From outside the PET were whispers heard and eventually the moving of a plate with the sounds of someone eating quietly.

Persephone sighed and held her right hand down at her book as she muttered at Area without caring if she could hear it, "Fine... Do what you must do. I'll do my thing." She jumped into the air, commanding her book to open and landed on its pages as it was still levitated. She held one of her hands down towards the pages, while keeping the other in her side and waited for her weapon to appear. And she waited. "Hey, what's going on down there?" she asked as she looked downwards at the pages.

"Trouble," a voice came from her book and the body of Execiel appeared floating in the air in front of Persephone, causing the little Navi to lift her head again. "Those of swordsmanship and plants have fallen ill," the Immortal said with a deep voice that had an echo attached to it with each word, "An unknown condition has struck them down. Their power remains, but their bodies do not."

"So they can't come out here and help me, OK. But what about my weaponry?" she said, waving her arms around to indicate she hadn't been given a sword yet.

"It's being handled by others," Execiel said as a sword made of a bright white light appeared in Persephone's right hand, "They're less knowedgable. I shall take my leave now." And with these final words, he vanished in a puff of smoke and returned in the world of the book.

"At least my weapons are okay... I'll look at the source later," Persephone commented and swung around the sword as she looked at the enemies, "Sorry about that. Good assistance is hard to find these days. Shall we commence?" With these words, she kneeled down upon her book and floated in high speed towards the targeted Cacty viruses. In two quick flashes she had slashed out towards the viruses, ending right in front of them, and her eyes widened after she realized what she did. I don't... Remember that move... I've never done something like that... It's not even in my database, she thought and blew air on the ground as she moved backwards with her book. Oh right... Persephone thought as she held one of her hands on the pages below her, Sylphaia is ill... I'll just have to make them work harder! Lifting her claw gauntlet from the pages, she slammed it down and went through the barrier that parted the two worlds from eachother as she shouted out at them, "TWO BOMBS TO GO!" She could feel two orbs pushed into her hands as she grabbed them tightly and pulled them out. "Damn," she muttered as she glanced at the orbs at first and charged with the chip information. "Those are bright... Don't remember that... What's going on?" she commented on the light coming from the orbs before they were sealed within yellow solid shells. Strafing sideways, leaving dust below her as she moved, Persephone threw the two created bombs at two targets of hers. "Third move," she shouted which was the sign the Immortals needed to fuse the energy of nature with the book itself. Persephone made a small jump backwards off her book as the book's cover turned into a slightly shining green and ready to be used as weapon. Floating a bit above the ground, she held her right book backwards while trying to fixate her eyes on the target. With a swift movement she kicked the book into a way towards the enemy while she remained behind, floating slightly.

"Couldn't have done it better myself," said Area, holding a hamburger in two hands while taking a bite occasionaly.

"You've got it easy, girl!" shouted Persephone, shaking her left fist at Area while catching the book easily with her right hand that she had held out for that purpose.

1. Sword [80 DMG; Multiple Uses; Melee.] @ CactyA
2. Sword [80 DMG; Multiple Uses; Melee.] @ CactyB
3. CornShot1 [50 DMG; Wood Element; Hits Two Enemies; Ranged.] @ MagtectA & B
4. Boomerang [60 DMG; Wood Element; Multiple Enemies; Ranged.] @ Magtect group

Everything dies.

MagtectA: CORNED
MagtectB: CORNED
MagtectC: CHOUGINGA GREAT CUTTER'D
CactyA: SLICED
CactyB: SLICED

Terrain: 25% Grass, 75% Sand

Persephone.exe: 180 HP (sand)

-WE HAVE COME TO TERMS-
GET: 500z

"Is this all!?" shouted Persephone as she counted the money data left behind by the viruses, "At this rate we're better off in ACDC or something... Or did we get more and..." Persephone glared at her Operator, still eating and pointed at her while floating sideways to carry on. "ARE YOU EATING OUR MONEY THE MINUTE WE GET IT OR SOMETHING?" she shouted again, glaring at Area afterwards while turning her head sideways to look where she was headed exactly.

"No," Area answered, her mouth still full with food. She tapped a few buttons on her PET, then turned towards Persephone as she started to speak again after swallowing, "That Navi is sending you e-mails again..."

"I already answered him... Frigging fan. What did I do to deserve him chasing my butt!?" she said, holding her hands into the air as a sign of desperation. "And what's going on down there?" she continued and drew a mark in the air which brought forth a figure floating in the air, "Celsius. What's this 'ill' business I've heard about?"

The Immortal of Ice crossed her arms and started to speak as she sat down in the air, "Something about data overriding them. I'm not so sure. We'll see what time brings us. In the meantime, how's it to be out in the networks again?"

"Golly, I'm having the time of my life," said Persephone sarcastically with a wry smile on her face and then spoke at Celsius with a more serious tone in her voice, "It's good to be out. My movements are a bit stiff though... Even movements I don't even know about... Anyway, looks like stuff is headed this way."

Celsius nodded quietly and disappeared in a puff of chilling mist, while Persephone stopped to see what was around her.

Pianissimo dropped to the surface of the net near where Persephone was standing. He made almost no noise, but his dark form contrasted sharply with the bright colors of the surrounding netscape. Can't be helped, I guess, he thought. He spotted Persephone almost immediately, but didn't say anything. If the outburst she had given Duke was any indication, he doubted he would like her very much.

"At least your clothing is fine," said Persephone with a dull look in her eyes as she floated around, sitting on her book with her legs crossed, "The memories still remaining of Divinity are slightly busted up, so no information on your fighting style. We'll have to see in the actual battle..." She made her book float over towards him and held her hand out as she continued to speak, "I don't bite. Only if you annoy me. Which will happen if you don't open that mouth of yours to introduce yourself. The name is Persephone."

"I know who you are," Pianissimo said in a faint, yet cold voice. "And I wouldn't be surprised about Divinity's memories being messed up, what with what she said about you tampering with her database. Last I checked, she was rather pissed with you about that." Pianissimo smirked as he said this, drawing out a chip with Divinity's emblem on it, then putting it away.

"I suppose that's beside the point right now, though," he said, still not shaking Persephone's hand or even moving his own in the slightest. "The name's Pianissimo."

"Oh, look at me. I'm all serious and mysterious. Where is my Divinity?" said Persephone jokingly as she retracted her hand and floated backwards. She stood up and made a jump backwards, while taking the book in her two hands, as she floated just above the ground. The book started to glow in a slightly white light as she slowly took her hands off of it and made it float close to her so she'd have her hands free. "I don't mind if you're going to be like that..." she started and looked at Pianissimo, "But there is one piece intact of Divinity's memory. It claims you've always been a quiet person. Makes sense though." Thinking for a few seconds, she suddenly pointed at Pianissimo and spoke at him. "From now on you're Lontano," she said and took her hand back again while nodding her head sideways down the road, "Shall we look for some stuff to bust? Might cheer you up."

Pianissimo continued glaring at Persephone. "I couldn't care less what you called me," he snapped back. Just about what I suspected from her, given what I've seen. he thought. "As for your question, that's the only reason I'm here. I don't do meet and greets. So if you have nothing important to say for the moment, then kindly shut up."

((Okay, I think we're ready for a battle.))

The duo come across...
Viruses, sigh.

VolgearEXA: 120 HP
VolgearEXB: 120 HP
VolgearEXC: 120 HP
NinetalesA: 150 HP
NinetalesB: 150 HP
NinetalesC: 150 HP

Terrain: 100% Grass

Persephone.exe: 180 HP
Pianissimo.exe: 160 HP

-IT'S SHOWTIME!-
-BATTLE 1-
-ACTION!-

Pianissimo turned to face the viruses, putting his snapping at Persephone aside for the moment. Volgears...except slightly stronger than the usual ones. Not a problem. However...I don't recognize the other three at all. Pianissimo tapped the side of his helmet, and a small stream of bright dots ran across the surface of the eyepieces. Ninetales...normal element...150HP. That's....I thought those didn't exist anymore. Pianissimo blinked, scanning the virus again. Well, no use worrying about it. He tapped the emblem on the back of his hand and pressed a few chip emblems on the screen that popped up, then dismissed it.

"By the way," Pianissimo muttered, turning to glance at Persephone. "'Always been a quiet person' is a bit of an understatement. Observe." It seemed like Pianissimo had barely reached for it before his katana was in his hand. The assassin navi slashed through the air in front of him. A loud crack was heard as sound itself was rent in half by the slash, then a rushing sound, then...nothing. Pianissimo looked back to Persephone, mouthing something indistinguishable.

The next few motions seemed to happen in a blur of black. Pianissimo slammed one hand against the ground, then slid it back and plunged his blade, now glowing a brilliant red, into that spot. A wall of flames burst from the ground along the line of unfamiliar viruses. Pianissimo glanced up at the blaze for a second, then jumped, activating two more chips simultaneously. A trio of needles appeared in one hand, while the other morphed into what appeared to be the end of a fire hose.

While midair, Pianissimo threw the three needles. Only the first had any extra force to it, but each went flying towards a different Volgear. Pianissimo then took aim with the bubbler, angling it so that it would hit one and still hit one of the other two, despite the aerial vantage point. He fired the burst of bubbles, then used the kickback to carry him away from the fray, where he landed in a kneeling position, arms spread to the sides.
_________________________

1. Enjoy the Silence (+32 to all active attacks)
2. Flameline1 - (70+32) x2 (grass panels) = 204 fire - Ninetales A-C
3. Dodge
4. Aquaneedle1 - (20+32)x2=104 aqua to VolgearA, 20x2 each to Volgear B and C
5. Bubbler1 - (50+32)x2= 164 aqua to VolgearC, spread to VolgearB

"So going into the offense immediately, huh?" asked Persephone as she looked him shift his sight to the enemies and followed his example. "Hey Area. Send me something aquatic and something that ehm... What's that word... Ah, just send that Boomerang chip," said Persephone, holding a hand on her forehead softly. The requested chips appeared in her system shortly after this as Area remained quiet and continued to eat the food she had ordered previously. "Celsius!" Persephone shouted and the book opened as it was still floating above Persephone's head.

Celsius' slim figure appeared, flowing out of the book as if she were made of mist, and became solid as she stood upon the pages. "What is it?" she asked, but almost tripped and fell on the ground as Persephone snatched the book from under her feet. Floating above the ground, as Persephone was, she shouted, "What's the big deal!?"

"Drackyre!" she shouted at the book, "Get Sylphaia's power active and command the book. Return afterwards!" She closed the book afterwards and placed it horizontally in mid-air while she looked at Pianissimo. A wave of silence swallowed the Navi and Celsius as the two looked at each other and nodded silently.

Celsius slowly became transparent as she held her arms to the sides, as snow crystals appeared around her body. Slowly the figure moved so it would be in front of Persephone as it nodded while looking back for a few seconds.

A slight grin appeared on Persephone's face as she slammed her hands into the energy Celsius had made with a stabbing motion, immediately having the frozen energy entangled on her gauntlets. The ice formed large spikes on her fingers while the orb on the gauntlets froze entirely, even the energy within it stopped as it turned purple like cold blood. She held her hands outwards with the fingers pointed forwards and the back of her hands towards the ground. Small snow crystals, one by one, formed around the target she had seen where eventually more appeared and formed a blizzard that caused the earth to melt. While focusing her energy on this, she focused her eyesight on the floating object she had sent off earlier.

"HOLD IT STRAIGHT! FASTER! WE'RE GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION, YOU NUMBSKULLS!" shouted Drackyre within the world of the Immortals, as he had taken the responsibility of assisting Sylphaia for now. "Come on, girl..." he whispered as he glanced at the maiden in green, sound asleep on a thin matress they had brought, and then started to shout again as he looked forwards, "STEADY NOW! ENERGIZE THE DATA! WE'VE GOT THE NOW!" On the outside, the book had turned a translucent green with leaves following it and spinning like a top headed for its enemies.

A smirk appeared on Persephone's face as she also took a glance at Pianissimo moving around like a shadow absorbing the light wherever he went. We've already won, haven't we? Persephone thought as she turned her eyes back towards the blizzard, not distracted by the cold, and prepared for the final strike. Grinning wide, the edges of her mouth stretched as far as possible, she lifted her two middle fingers in a taunting way, causing a huge icicle to emergy from the ground within the blizzard. Not yet, Celsius, she spoke at her friend within her mind and brought her two hands together as if she was trying to form a ball. Between her hands came an orb of fluctuating aquatic energy, constantly trying to get loose from Persephone's grasp, and got fueled with the Bubbler's chip. In a strong motion she pushed the ball away from her, causing it to fly towards the Volgear viruses with great speed. Sliding sideways, she jumped into the air with her right hand held out to catch her book again. Celsius' energy dissipated again, having done her task, causing the gauntlets to return to normal again.

1. Boomerang [60 Wood DMG; Multiple Enemies] @ Ninetales Group
2. Celsius - Arctic Blizzard [80 Aqua DMG; Medium Area Ice Panels at Target] @ VolgearEXA
3. Bubbler [50 Aqua DMG; Splash] @ VolgearEXB/C
4. Dodge

FUKKEN OWNED!

VolgearEXA: WASTED
VolgearEXB: WASTED
VolgearEXC: WASTED
NinetalesA: WASTED
NinetalesB: WASTED
NinetalesC: WASTED

Terrain: ON FIRE! NONEXISTANT! TOO MUCH BADASSERY TO CALCULATE! ERROR!

Persephone.exe: 180 HP
Pianissimo.exe: 160 HP

-VICTORY-
Both Get: Varitails, 500z
FXP: 7

[size0]This post has been edited by a very sad Harbin on Oct 18 2007, 11:18 PM[/size]

The silence faded, and Pianissimo stood up to survey the remains of the battle. The grassy plain was scorched...completely...and the viruses now only existed as smudges and pieces of fragmented data. Pianissimo smirked as he saw this, though the gesture went unnoticed under his helmet. "Hm...perhaps a little too easy..." he muttered more to himself than anyone else.

The book slammed back into Persephone's hand and she tilted her head sideways from left and right and back into the middle. "And that was that..." she muttered and held the book in front of her vertically. She placed a boot against it, pushing it down, while swinging her left boot on top of it after it started to float horizontally. "Let us proceed," she said as she held her hand out, causing the fallen data to float towards her and transcend towards the PET of Area.

Soe teddys, and other viruses appear.

TeddyA: 140
TeddyB: 140
NinetalesA: 150
NinetalesB: 150
NinetalesC: 150
FirephoenixA: 110
FirephoenixB: 110

Persephone.exe: 180 HP
Pianissimo.exe: 160 HP

Terrain: Normal, on account of al the grass already being burned

Battle 2

"And there's more garbage for us to clean up," Persephone said as she jumped into the air, while the book opened up, and landed on top of it with her knees. "Get me the chips, Area," she said as she held her two hands above the pages of the book.

Some muttering came from the operating side of the PET, as Area had just taken a bite from her second hamburger. A soft swallowing sound followed after which Area's voice sounded through the PET again, "Chips are on their way." With slightly greasy fingers she went over her chips and took two out, slotting them in carefully.

Still holdings her two hands over the pages, sometimes muttering small incantations, she eventually sensed the presence of data within the book's programming and stood up. "Aranis, send me my-" shouted Persephone but then realized Aranis was down and out due to some disease, "Hrm... Inazuma! Get your butt over here!"

A metallic orb came from the pages, just besides Persephone's right boot, and started to float in mid-air in front of her as it started to grow. "I'm here!" shouted a voice as Inazuma spread out his arms, the metal attached to his body in various parts. On his arms and hands were large metallic shields and his feet and legs were covered in large metallic boots. In the armor he was wearing were various built-in jet engines which allowed him to float as normal while the total weight could make him sink in sand-like panels. "You needed my assistance, honey?" asked Inazuma with a big smile below the goggles he was wearing over his eyes. In a swift motion he received a punch in the face from Persephone who was looking at him with an angry look in her face.

"Swords," she said with a dull tone, "How's your sister doing?"

"I'm afraid there's more problems than just the so-called disease..." Inazuma started, but then looked behind him to find the enemies in his sight and Persephone's partner in the battle. He squinted his eyes and lifted his goggles while looking at Persephone, "Is he your... You know...?"

"SWORDS!" blurted Persephone out and pointed at the enemies that were, for some reason, waiting or thinking about their actions.

Inazuma scratched the back of his head and sighed, "Yeah yeah... Sis isn't just sick. Her powers are fading as well. I whipped something up though. Some replacement swords... They're the metal kind and not the laser blade kind, but they'll still do. I'll go grab them for you. Keep those adorable mittens of yours out, doll." And with those last words he transformed back into a metallic orb, using the pieces of armor as casing, and returned to the book. A few seconds later, he tossed two swords into the air.

"Got them!" Persephone shouted as she grabbed them tightly with her so-called 'adorable mittens' at which she grunted slightly. One of the blades was slim like an asian katana while the other was a classic broadsword. Each of them had carvings on them that looked like the circuitry of a battle chip. "This'll do nicely," she said as she waved the swords around a few times and turned her head towards the enemies, "Time to play." And with those words she kicked off as her book took off towards the enemies with Persephone on top of it. Holding the blades at her sides, she just merely grinned which became bigger as she got closer to them and eventually slashed out with the katana first. After the strike, she went through her kneels and swung the broadsword in a wide arc towards the targets so she'd have a chance at hitting the two of them in the same strike. Persephone jumped into the air after the two strikes and flung her sword at one of the targets she had been attacking previously. A stream of energy came from her hand that leaded itself out towards the book and attached itself to it, after which Persephone dragged it towards her feet and immediately stand on it again. "Sorry Inazuma!" she shouted as she held the end of the blade in her other hand and slammed it on her knee, causing it to bend in a shape similar to a boomerang, "But your toys have become useless!" In a dash across the air, swifting from side to side, she tossed the crooked broadsword at the enemies in an attempt to hit several of them.

1. Sword [80 DMG; Multiple Strikes] @ TeddyA
2. WideSword [80 DMG; Multiple Strikes; Wide Range] @ TeddyA/B
3. Sword [80 DMG; Multiple Strikes] @ TeddyB
4. WideSword [80 DMG; Multiple Strikes; Wide Range] @ NinetalesA/B/C

"Wonderful," Pianissimo muttered sarcastically as he surveyed the newest group of viruses. Teddy bears, more fox things, and flaming birds. Whoopee. Gotta love the net for having weird stuff like this floating around. At least it's better than the corn, though.

Pianissimo shook his head and looked over at Persephone. Do you really have to yell? he thought, nonverbally requesting a single chip through the usual method. During the time delay before Duke sent the chips, he looked back over at Persephone, seeing as he had completely missed her fighting style in the previous battle. He was surprised for a second by the presence of another, a heavily armored figure who Persephone had just punched in the face.

In the real world, Duke probably could have easily gotten some food as well, but hadn't bothered. Pianissimo heard Duke typing something on his laptop for a second before sending the chips. Note to self, ask what the hell he's been doing on his laptop so much lately, Pianissimo thought as he felt the chip data upload itself into his sword arm. It's amazing that we didn't get attacked while he was doing....whatever. And...what did that armored guy just imply? Pianissimo looked over at Persephone and Inazuma again, the latter of whom had just asked if he was Persephone's boyfriend.

Or had tried to ask that, at least, before Persephone yelled to cut him off.

Not. Interested. Pianissimo snapped in his head before turning his attention back to the viruses before him. He took a step back...then another...then a third...and then again until he was in the shadow of a large tree that seemed out of place now that the entire grass plain had been torched by their last battle. Then...he fell directly through the shadow cast by it. The black patch rippled slightly as his black-armored body passed through, then was silent and still once again.

Seconds later, a black blur cut through the air behind one of the fox viruses as Pianissimo reappeared behind it and executed a perfect rising slash, then followed up with a backflip as he fell back to the ground, He landed in a crouching position, both arms spread to his sides, before kicking off and slashing again. The blade flashed negatively through the air as a streak of black passed across another of the Ninetails' throats.

Pianissimo took a step back, then ran his hand down the length of the katana. The black blade suddenly glowed blue. A veil of water and mist encircled the blade as he removed his hand. Pianissimo attacked again, this time aiming for the Ninetails he had yet to touch. A flash of blue cut through the air around the fox, leaving a trail of bubbles and mist in its wake.

By the time the mist faded, Pianissimo was already away, now below the two FirePhoenixes. He jumped, reaching the peak of his leap directly in between the flaming birds. The assassin's body twisted in midair, his arms following, and with it his blade. The result, a three-and a half circle slash that left a bright blue ring in the air between the firephoenixes and a somewhat less bright spiral leading back to the ground, as well as a column of mist that covered everything in between. Pianissimo landed on the ground in a kneeling position, hilt of his blade planted against the ground with the tip pointed upward.
______________________________

1. Cloak and Dagger NinetailsA - Teleport + 90 damage
2. Dodge
3. Silencer NinetailsB - 140
4. Aquasword NinetailsC - 80, aqua, wide range
*Swordplay: dodge
5. Aquasword FirePhoenixA,B - 80 each, aqua (x2), wide range

With mad swordplay, Pianissimo and Persephone slice and dice the viruses to pieces.

TeddyA: SLICED
TeddyB: DICED
NinetalesA: SLICED
NinetalesB: DICED
NinetalesC: SLICED
FirephoenixA: DICED
FirephoenixB: SWORDED

Persephone.exe: 180 HP
Pianissimo.exe: 160 HP

-VICTORY-
Both Get: 700z
FXP: 3 Static
2 for excellent swordplaying teamwork