Charcoal Buddies

"Yeah, of course," VenusMan commented once he had materialized in the network he immediately recognized as being literally hell, "Why wouldn't it be Hades?" He walked a few paces to check the surrounding area. Fire wherever his vision turned to. "Well, at least it's what I expected it to be..." he sighed, wiping some sweat from his brow, "Hot and spicy."

"Quit your complaining, runt," Maru's voice chimed into the audio channel, "You're a program, you can just disable your settings to be influenced by heat."

"It doesn't work like that. Ugh, just make sure you've got my backup," VenusMan said. He looked across the flames of the area and sighed. "Might as well join," he said and held his fist out by his face. A quick flick of his fingers and he had produced a cigarette between his index and middle fingers. With flames aplenty in the area, he moved over to some to light his cigarette after which he took a long drag. "Okay," he muttered as he looked around, "Might as well look for some trouble..."

((Waiting for Sketi))

A smudge of a knot formed in the virtual sky of Hades Net. It blinked into existance suddenly: a writhing, coiling thing with tendrils made of fingers and hands and arms that all sprout from the same location. It is a black mark in the sky, a pocket of malaise and malice that doesn't last long enough to be studied in depth.

Hands with too many fingers turn on the dark pool from which the arms with too many hands sprout and dings in. Smokey, ethereal fingers with too many joints and solid, pitch fingers with too few joints dig into the darkness like a headless ouroboros and pull. The dark parts in a perfect circle - a tunnel to nowhere - and from it, a scream.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"

THUNK

THUNKTHUNKTHUNK

THUNK

The screaming stopped as pieces of Vasilia rained down on the Net. The wooden sphere of her head bounced twice before rolling a good distance away from the wooden puppet while the hat that normally adorned it gently twirled down like a leaf on the wind.

"Vasilia! Vasilia! Pull yourself together, are you okay?" Sophia called. It was pretty clear from her voice she was worried.

"Uhn!" One of the white gloves jumped into the air then pushed down against the ground. A boot wobbled up onto its heel from where it had been laying on its side and then dropped to its proper orientation. Slowly the pieces picked themselves back up and floated back into positionn. The 'head' rotated around and around above the top of of the torso until the hands reached up on either side of it and pressed flat against the sides to keep it still. The hat picked this moment to land perfectly on the top of the sphere.

"Sorry! I uh, haven't travelled for a while! Where uh, are we?" Vasilia's head twisted this way and that, the tail of her hat the only clear indication that the otherwise unremarkable wooden sphere was turning.

"Internet City, right? Although there is a startling lack of buildings..."


A glowing blue envelope zipped out of the hole before it snapped shut in a puff of smoke. Bright gleaming blue pixellations trailed behind the envelope as it zipped further into Hades net as if born on a wind. Said wind carried it directly across Vasilia's view. She tracked its movement for a moment, then as it began to towards Venusman, leapt up in surprise and clumsily gave chase. "Hey, wait! Catch that please! I need it!"

"Something like that, yes," VenusMan commented as he noticed the aberration in the sky. His vision fixated on the abstract art being painted in the sky, he took a long drag from his cigarette before sighing out loud. "Okay, so we are not dealing with that," he said, his resolve to not deal with an ancient evil only strengthening once limbs started to fall out of it. The limbs being accompanied by a female scream really did not help the situation. "Mhmm, yeah, as expected," he continued as he turned around, "Did I mean trouble? How about some sane trouble... Yeah, that sounds about good." His feet started to shuffle across the ground as he tried to get the heck away from the giant portal without looking too scared of it and maintaining his calm. It didn’t take long, however, for him to hear a voice calling out for him. “Nope,” he whispered to himself, keeping his eyes straight forwards.

“Runt, a virus is trying to attack you! Stop being a wimp and retaliate!” Maru exclaimed in a fit.

Viruses didn’t talk, did they? Any virus coming from a gate of hell would not be any good. Maybe those did talk? He slowed down his pace and carefully looked over his shoulder, where his eyes were greeted by a, in his eyes, terrifying floating limbless puppet without a face running at him with movements he could only describe as unnatural. “Nope,” zoomed through his mind as he turned back again and actually began to ran harder. “I’ll just have to-” he started as he raised an arm in preparation of an attack while still running, before noticing the blue envelope passing by him. “Catch it?” he thought, his calm senses returning to him and remembering the words the puppet called out to him. While he had originally started running out of fear, this time it was too catch the mysterious envelope. But unlike the puppet scarily chasing VenusMan, he had limbs. With his eyes on the envelope and the arm he had raised for an attack now stretched out to the envelope, nothing was making sure he wouldn't trip over his own legs. Which he did.

"Hahaha!" Maru bellowed as she looked at VenusMan tumble and land with his face on the floor and ass in the air, "Very gallant! So helpful!" Shifting the camera around VenusMan to find the envelope herself, she eventually noticed the trail the envelope had left behind but not the item in question itself. "You're not getting that back any time soon, runt."

A low growl came from VenusMan as he pushed himself upwards with his hands. "Yeah..." he muttered as he stood back up, "Sorry about that." He turned to look at the 'person' behind him, recognizing her as a Navi instead of a virus. Even Maru had realized that by this point, although for VenusMan it was clear from the emblem on the puppet's chest. "I tried to get it, but it was just out of my reach," VenusMan said, nonchalantly dusting himself off from the fall.

"But your hands can launch themselves and float around."

VenusMan turned his head up in confusion. He just looked around curiously as if he was trying to come up with something to say. While in actuality he was probing his scripts to find out if Maru was telling the truth. When he realized that he was, indeed, equipped with the capability of doing so he felt even worse for letting the envelope go. He scratched the back of his head and looked at the puppet Navi. He was, however, not very sure which part he was supposed to look at. There was a giant wooden ball where one's head would be, but there were no facial features whatsoever. It still felt very uncomfortable to have such a bizarre creation before him. But maybe the emblem on her chest was more important than her 'face'. After tilting his head slightly, VenusMan was now staring directly at Vasilia's chest. "I can help you track it down if you need help. We wanted to go hunt here anyway," he said and extended his hand, opened for a handshake.

To Vasilia the first Navi she'd met on the Net had taken one look at her and immediately turned to help. A wonderful warm feeling bubbled up behind her emblem. Clearly the Net was filled with wonderful and kind people! The warm feeling persisted as she chased after Venusman who chased after the enevelope until the dashing plant-man fell face first, the envelope floating higher and further out of reach.

"Oh no!" Vasilia slid to a stop almost immediately. She wrung her hands in front of her as she fretted, her feet sitting still while her torso drifted from side to side over them but she didn't make any move to actually help him back up. Thankfully no actual effort needed to be made on her part as he was quite capable of picking himself back up.

"Oof, that looked more like a blow to the pride than anything important." Sophia piped up over the PET's communicate. Vasilia nodded sharply then moved forward only to pause at the sound that came out of Venusman's mouth. Was that, a growl? He didn't sound very happy although the words he turned to her were not hostile, at least not yet.

"It went really high! But are you okay?" Vasilia asked, her voice a little more timid and quiet at the question. Her head tilted to the side at an angle that seemed to threaten the hat to slip off. Her torso tilted forward as she leaned toward Venusman as if to check he was okay. What exactly she was checking with, with no visible eyes was a mystery but at least her emblem was in the right place. Although...why was he suddenly looking up and looking around? THe envelope was clearly in That direction. Maybe he had hit his head harder than she had thought?

At least his gaze was back on her, although the way he was gazing at her emblem felt...weird. Was that where Navis were suppose to look at each other? It was hard for her to tell where a human was looking because they appeared as giants when looking down at her PET. She knew they tended to look each other in the eye though...but wasn't there a saying about eyes being windows to the soul? Maybe the point was to look soul to soul with someone. Emblems could be considered something similar.

Pleased she had figured out the mystery behind this little bit of Navi to Navi social interaction Vasilia returned the favor! Not that anyone besides herself would really notice. Outside of her little world the time between Venusman's offer and her complete lack of a response stretched on for a good minute or two.

"Hey, are you paying attention? You should respond!" Sophia prompted when a good five minutes had passed. Vasilia snapped herself out of her musing with a full body shiver.

"Wha-Oh! Okay, yeah! Let's do the thing!" She closed one hand into a fist and punched it straight upwards with a little hop that took her shoes off the ground. It was a nice show of enthusiasm that...really wouldn't help the pause that had come before it!

(Searching for Battle 1)
Vasilia
P: Contagious
A: Hack

An empty hand, a precious first encounter with a new person and a chance to grow trust. VenusMan's hand was still waiting for Vasilia's hand, until she jumped up excitedly. It became clear swiftly to VenusMan that she clearly didn't see his hand. But maybe she couldn't see it? He was still unsure if the wooden orb below the hat was actually her face. But maybe there was something more to her than meets the eye. After all, it wasn't a daily occurrence for VenusMan to see such a terrifying visage as before in the sky. Thank god for that. But it was clear she had a connection to that entity. Considering she had that thing backing her up and she was here in the Hades Net by her own choice, she was sure to have enough firepower to survive here. "The thing," VenusMan muttered, "Oh right. The letter." Taking back his opened hand, he turned around and pointed into the distance. "It flew that way..." he started and looked over his shoulder at Vasilia, "Uh... What's your name?"

He left a short moment of silence for Vasilia to reply before beckoning her over so they could start moving forwards and trace the letter. "My name's VenusMan," he said as he walked ahead of Vasilia, heading for the direction he had seen the letter drift off to, "If need be, I'd like you to rely on me for protection. If we encounter any fights, we will fight as one."

((Search for battle 1))
((Bounty: Quaker))
((P: One for All; A: All for One))

With introductions made and only a small amount of mutual awkwardness between the pair, two navis set out to find a lost letter, in an environment that was, it had to be said, about as hostile to both of them as things were likely to get. The heat was stifling, and the air wavered with haze. The ground took on a slight incline as the began to move forward, with a light breeze at their backs that wasn't' really enough to to do more than take the edge off the heat.

Pools of magma spread wide about them, between craggy protrusions of rock, and it wasn't too long before small signs of movements would alert them to the presence of other creatures nearby. The most obvious were a pair of swordy viruses with heavy-looking buster swords, moving out from behind some of the rock spines to either side of them. A little further ahead, just on the edge of one of the nearby lava pools, the digging sounds of shovel work gave way to a brief burst of rock and dirt, and a mole-like virus popping up to look at them.

Behind the swordies, a little further off, a single metallic panel held a lone cannon turret – a HotHead, if either of them were familiar with the virus, and just beside it, a windbox that was set up to bow on its often-overheating shell. Another virus dropped into sight above a different lava pool; it looked somewhat like a string puppet that was mostly broad hat and cloth body, though the heat didn't seem to both it, while finally, one of the viruses VenusMan himself had been sent to hunt rumbled out from a different rocky cover behind them; between it and the swordies, this had the feelings of an ambush.

-=Appearing Advesaries=-
HotHeadHotHead (HotHead)

HotHeads alternate actions between attacking and guarding. These are the only actions HotHeads may perform, and the first action of every battle is always guarding. HotHeads will not break from this pattern unless forced to by status effects. HotHeads cannot be lifted or thrown, even with Rageclaw.

Area: Netopia, Hades Isle, Kotobuki Town

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 30 Fire + Break + Small Lava Terrain Change
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Fires Cannonball. Breaking. Creates Lava Terrain.
Element: Fire
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): LavaBall1, Zenny
Special: Immobile.
- Iron Body when not attacking.: 60Hp [Metal][a short way ahead]
WhomperWhomper (Whomper)

Whomper viruses drop down from way up high, execute a breath attack, and rise back up. Dropping and attacking is an action, while moving back upward is a second action. They may also adjust where on the battlefield they drop next while in High Altitude as a free action. These are the only actions this virus family performs.

Area: Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 80
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Fire + Small Lava Terrain Change + Cone Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Uses a scorching hot breath weapon to slag the enemy and the ground.
Element: Fire
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): HeatBreath1, Zenny
Special: Has High Altitude every other action. This virus cannot attack while in High Altitude, but may adjust its positioning as a free action.: 80Hp [Lava][Forward and to their left, over a lava pool]
MonoSwordMonoSword (MonoSword)

MonoSword are distant cousins of Swordy, but have evolved further in an attempt become more a threat. They attack by teleporting in front of their target, and slashing with their namesake before returning to their original position. Their blades are sturdier than most, and can cut through things regular ones cannot, such as shields. Their bulky armor also gives them above average stamina, but it weighs them down to the point where they do not move or dodge, aside from attacking. Despite it lacking any sort of defense that would bestow such a weakness, they ironically take additional damage from Break attribute attacks.

Area: Netopia, Yoka, Hades Isle

HP: 120
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Delivers an armor cutting slash.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): BreakKnife, Zenny
Special: Break Weakness: Attacks with the Break attribute deal +100% Source damage to this virus, as though hitting an elemental weakness.
Special: Moves by teleporting. This is not treated as a formal Teleport, and does not confer any bonuses. A: 120Hp [Normal][Just in front of the navis]
MonoSwordMonoSword (MonoSword)

MonoSword are distant cousins of Swordy, but have evolved further in an attempt become more a threat. They attack by teleporting in front of their target, and slashing with their namesake before returning to their original position. Their blades are sturdier than most, and can cut through things regular ones cannot, such as shields. Their bulky armor also gives them above average stamina, but it weighs them down to the point where they do not move or dodge, aside from attacking. Despite it lacking any sort of defense that would bestow such a weakness, they ironically take additional damage from Break attribute attacks.

Area: Netopia, Yoka, Hades Isle

HP: 120
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Delivers an armor cutting slash.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): BreakKnife, Zenny
Special: Break Weakness: Attacks with the Break attribute deal +100% Source damage to this virus, as though hitting an elemental weakness.
Special: Moves by teleporting. This is not treated as a formal Teleport, and does not confer any bonuses. B: 120Hp [Normal][Just in front of the navis]
MomograMomogra (Momogra)

Momogras move by tunneling through the ground. They poke their heads up just far enough from time to time to see where the enemy is, but they are still protected from most forms of attack. Drop attacks, Bomb attacks (which fall out of the air after being thrown), and Ground attacks damage them in this state. Other attacks executed from a high angle/altitude also work. All movements performed by a Momogra are considered a dodge, as they occur underground, and out of sight. Momogras only attack in response to having an attack launched in their direction, and only if they have an action remaining for that turn. Momogras attack by instantly tunneling to the panel behind the enemy, popping out of the ground, and striking with a shovel. A Momogra is completely vulnerable to any form of attack during its own atack, and until it moves again following that attack. The movement prior to the attack does not require an action, but movement afterwards does. The attack cannot execute if the panel behind the target is a liquid terrain type, Metal, Broken, or Missing. The attack also will not execute if there is something currently occupying the panel they would be attacking from. If the attack cannot execute, the Momogra will not move. In the case of Glass and Cracked terrain, the Momogras will still attempt to attack, but suffer the consequences of doing do as those panels will break and damage the Momogra, also causing the attack to fail. Momogra get 1 free movement per turn at the start of the turn before their first action.

Area: Okuden Valley, Hades Isle, NetVegas

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Backstab
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Hits enemy with shovel.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Mole1, Zenny
Special: Always attacks if it is targeted, though it can attack otherwise. Only overhead-striking attacks can hit these viruses while they are not attacking (bombs, etc.): 60Hp [Normal][Ahead and right of the navis, in front of a lava pool]
WindBoxWindBox (Wind & Fan)

All viruses in this family are immobile during combat, with the exception of being able to turn to face any direction it wishes. Later versions of this virus may switch between Wind and Fan effects, which requires one action, during which time all wind or fan effects cease. Bonuses and penalties do not stack if multiples of the same virus family exist on the field. Wind and Fan do not push or pull Objects, only creatures.

Area: SciLab, Yoka, Beach, Sharo, Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: Wind Effect, Northwind
Attack Accuracy: S
Attack Description: Causes a large scale gale of wind to blow across the entire field in the direction the virus is facing. This gale will constantly move all targets this virus considers to be enemies in the direction the wind is blowing, which makes it difficult to land many kinds of attacks on it and allied viruses, such as thrown attacks and close ranged attacks. All those affected by the wind will also have their barriers and auras blown off by a constant Northwind effect.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Wind, Zenny
Special: Causes short ranged attacks, such as (but not limited to) swords, melee attacks, and flame thrower style weapons, to suffer from a 30% accuracy penalty against targets they are being pushed away from. Both sides of the engagement suffer a 30% accuracy penalty with direct attacks perpendicular to the direction of the wind, and all thrown attacks.
Special: Those allied with this virus may opt to take advantage of the wind to increase movement speed or evasion by going with the wind. They do not suffer any penalties, however. Conversely, anyone may move along with the wind to increase accuracy by 10% for close ranged attacks, assuming the target is in that direction.
Special: Northwind effect to all enemies once per virus action while maintaining wind effect.: 100Hp [Normal][Beside HotHead]
QuakerQuaker (Quaker)

Area: Netopia, Hades Isle, NetVegas

HP: 80
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack + Chain(2) + Earthquake
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Jumps high into the air, then slams its wrecking ball onto the ground when it lands, making the ground shake, and forming a shock wave that zeroes in on enemies.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): WaveArm1, RockArm1, Zenny
Special: High Altitude Status while Jumping.
Special: If underground or in a building, it can break through ceilings or cause a rock-fall.
Special: Earthquake: Whenever this virus lands when using its attack, all enemies touching the ground have their evasion reduced by 1 rank until the end of the next turn. This effect does not stack with other Earthquake instances, and does not affect allies of this virus.
Special: Chain 3: This attack, upon striking a target, may change directions towards a new target. This may be done up to 3 times in one attack.: 80Hp [Norma][A short way behind the navis]

-=Venturing Virus Vanquishers=-
VenusMan.Exe: 100Hp [Normal]
Vasilia.Exe: 100Hp [Normal]

-=Lava-filled Landscape=-
45% Lava

• Non-Fire Elementals lose 5 HP/action standing, 10 HP/action submerged. Doubled for Wood Elementals, nullified for Fire Elementals.
• Aqua attacks: Panel explodes, +100% Source Aqua Damage, change terrain hit to Normal.
• PanelShot: Imbue Fire.

[Three large, broad pools that take up much of their surrounds]
40% Normal

• No effects.

[the solid land forward; mostly a broad, slightly jagged strip of land between the lava pools]
5% Metal

• Cannot be Broken or Cracked except with Geddon/PanelShot, cannot be Burrowed into.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Cracked.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Furnace.
• PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Break.

[Single panel a little way ahead of the navis]

-=Battle 1, Start!=-

"Yes! The letter." Vasilia said happily, pleased that Venusman was paying attention. She was a little surprised he had forgotten, did he have memory issues or something? She would just have to keep track of the details for him! She nodded enthusiastically at the idea, hat flopping about on the sphere but not falling off.

"Vasilia!" Her hands pinched the air beside her lower torso and drew it outwards while her body tipped forward in a strange curtsey. She bounced back upright when he beckoned and followed after.She kept up with him well enough and it didn't impede her speed. "It's nice to meet you Venusman! I hope we can recover the letter quickly!"

She hummed a little song as they went deeper into the net. Every third step was a strange half-skip resulting in a 'click, clack, clickity-clack' rhythm that her humming matched. Her head turned this way and that, hat tail swinging about wildly as she looked between the growing pools of lava and craggy outcroppings that were starting to pop up more frequently.

"Whew! It's getting pretty hot! The haze almost makes it look like I'm seeing things!" She swiped her hand across the wooden ball then pointed at the sword bearing viruses.

"Um Vas, I think that's an actual virus!" Sophia correct as more and more little boxes with virus information started popping up on the screen of her pet. Those numbers were pretty high, should she be worried? Nah, they had this! "It's a battle! Let's go Vasilia!"

"A battle?!" Vasilia leapt into the air, the space between her parts stretching before it all snapped back to the proper proportions. With a quick hand movement her broom popped into existence in front of her. She twirled it from hand to hand like a baton, clearly comfortable with the movements. "I hope you're ready Mr. Venusman!"

"Right, booklet says Cannon is a great chip for beginners so here we go! Cannon, battle chip Slot-in!" Sophia picked the named chip out of the pile she had received from her father and slid it home with an enthusiastic click.

Vasilia stood her broom upright on its bristles and left it there while her fingers traced a series of blocky shapes in the air. The glowing lines grew and shifted and stretched until a three dimensional blueprint-like cannon stood in front of the mage. She pointed at one of the Monosword. "Fire!"

BOOM went the Cannon. It collapsed from the bottom up, seeming to suck itself inward and then expel the mass of now crumpled and jumbled lines towards the Swordy with the heavy blade. One of the smokey, misshapen hands stretched from Vasilia's shadow to the glowing mass just before it fired and got sucked into the resulting attack where it was hidden by the glow.

Vasilia bounced in place, her feet firmly rooted to the ground as her body bits bounced and swayed. She clapped her hands in delight. She had completely missed sight of the shadowy hand, her vision trained only on the glowing magic. light. "Pretty!"

"Be careful! Some of them look like firebugs! Don't let them set you ablaze!" Vasilia nodded at the advice. It seemed very sensible to her! What to do about it though..? She tapped a finger on her 'chin' and tapped a foot. She really didn't want to move around a lot in this heat but she needed to keep from being hit. Her broom shuffled its way into her vision and she had her answer. Her head continued to nod at a steady, but slow place.

"Aha!~" With that triumphant crow her hand shot out to snatch up her broom. Once more she began to twirl it in wide circles about her body. It was slow at first. Her body was easily visible between the swings of her make-shift baton. Her head began to bob faster, the motion causing it to 'bounce' further away from her torso. Her hand sped up to match, the broom twirling swiftly becoming an obscuring blur around her body itself as her head rose higher and higher above her body. Would the viruses be go for her supposed head or they try to shoot through the obscuring screen of her broom? Either way Vasilia had further plans in mind.

"And for another trick!~" A snap of her briefly free left hand (when had she found the time?) caused little blue sparks of magic to leap from her hands and drop onto her feet. Circles in squares with triangles arranged around the affair bloomed in blue light on the sides of her boots. From the petal-like triangles a soft blue light spread over the rest of the now enchanted footwear. Whatever she had done certainly made them look more animated than before: almost immediately her boots began to stomp and walk around the now twirling mass of 'vasilia' as if they'd come untethered from their access point. Every third step they'd twitch and shudder in the air as if they wanted to fly off and kick something in the face.

Between the broom and the wildly bouncing head, Vasilia was quite the sight.

---------------------------
Vasilia
NCP: Undershirt, SetSoil

Active: Hack: As a free action, you gain one instance of Glitch. This can be added to an attack, or used freely on it's own. (Once Per Turn)
Passive: Contagious: Targets afflicted with Glitch by the user can afflict other targets with a new instance of Glitch upon physical contact. Contagious targets can't transmit to the same other target more than once, and the user can not transmit or be afflicted with any instances of Glitch via this effect.

Action Log:
Hack - Add glitch to an attack
1) CannonDamage: 60 + Knockback
Accuracy: A
Description: A decent sized cannon with a single shot.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Trader Rank: E + Glitch @ MonoSwordA
2) Dodge
3) Kick Out! - 2-Hit Shield and Counter(Last Shield broken): 10 Wood + Knockback + Self Slow - 2 TCD

While keeping his eyes out for any trace of the letter's path, VenusMan was quietly walking beside Vasilia who had apparently turned into his partner for this adventure. He didn't mind, she seemed to be a fine Navi. Yeah, a fine Navi. But what was that strange clicking sound!? Why were her movements so incredibly unnatural!? "I hope we find that letter soon," VenusMan thought, closing his eyes behind his goggles and taking a deep breath. VenusMan's deep breath, however, was interrupted without warning by an intake of smoke from the surrounding lava. He coughed loud and looked around quickly, realizing they had come across some viruses. Still coughing a bit from the smoke, he subtly moved to stand closer to the front of Vasilia as if to guard her. VenusMan glanced at his companion from the corner of his eyes as she remarked the battle, eyeing her twirling motions with amusement. "Don't worry about me, Vasilia," VenusMan said as he took hold of one of his pistols and twirled it around in his hand before standing by her in a heroic pose, his gun aimed at the viruses ahead of them, "Let's clean this up."

"Pffft." Maru began before she started to laugh. "You're such a hero, runt!" she exclaimed at her Navi, privately to not damage his valiant attempt, "I think you should've instead said you won't worry about her. She's a puppet, use her as a shield." The quiet clattering sound of fingers going across Battle Chips was heard from the other side of the audio channel, while Maru contemplated the scene. "What are you waiting for? Attack already."

VenusMan, instead, was just staring ahead of himself, following the attack Vasilia had made with his eyes. "It's not going to take long before they retaliate," a warning message chimed in his head. "Then send me a weapon!" VenusMan exclaimed at his Operator. This was no small amount of viruses and VenusMan had not finished getting used to his alterations yet. "We're a team, not a master and her slave! Don't think Carnivore will just do everything!" he continued to yell at his Operator before turning to Vasilia. "ORCHIDs!" he exclaimed, as he stretched out his empty hand forwards. Within an instant the four flower pods on VenusMan's back dislodged and flew into the air before coming to a float by VenusMan's sides. Red shiny particles came from each pod, keeping them afloat, as they awaited further commands. "ORCHID, save!" VenusMan continued barking commands. One of the ORCHIDs quickly flew to the top of the battlefield and opened its petals as it turned downwards, while expelling even more of the red particles. "Don't fail me now, data. That should've installed a relay point between me and Vasilia for damage intake. I just hope it works."

"Runt, I'm sending you weapons," Maru said as she slot in two chips, "According to your power status, you need to use these before I can send you more. Get on it!"

A flash of data flew across VenusMan's eyes, his goggles momentarily being lit with a light blue color from the back. "ORCHID," he said again and beckoned it over to the sword-wielding viruses. This ORCHID opened its petals on its way there, but from the inside came forth a large and poofy cotton-like plant. And before anyone could ponder what it meant, the cotton plant started to rain while moving about in the pattern provided by the Battle Chip. "Good," VenusMan muttered to himself before looking around. "Next up!" he said while pulling an ORCHID close to him, installing him with the data of the other Battle Chip. "Vasilia!" he exclaimed after the transfer was finished, "Use this!" The ORCHID flew over to Vasilia while transforming into a large piledriver meant to be equipped on an arm. "Uh..." VenusMan started as the weapon hovered over Vasilia's wooden head, "I'm sure you can use it! I think!"

"You're not out of energy. I assume you have a plan of sorts?" Maru chimed in. She wasn't overly fond of having a different Navi use the chips she had gotten for VenusMan. But who knew? Maybe the puppet would turn out useful after all. "Oh... You're using him after all."

"Yeah... He can't do it all, but he'll help." VenusMan started as red particles started spreading outwards from his backpack. After kicking off against the ground, he started to float and immediately turned to the lava. Hovering close to the ground over the ground, he made a wild sprint towards the lonesome Whomper virus over at the lava. "Feeding time," he whispered as green petals started coming out of the inside of his scarf. "Carni-" he said before his head became entirely engulfed with the petals, split open horizontally and revealed 2 ominous red lights in the newly formed monstrous mouth. VenusMan quickly put a curve in his path, as he tried to adjust his path to get around the Whomper virus and launched Carnivore at the virus while doing so. "Devour it, Carnivore!" VenusMan's voice came from his body. Carnivore, in turn, started to grow in size until it was big enough to eat the Whomper virus whole. A reflective flash across Carnivore's razor-sharp teeth later, it had chomped down. "We'll do it. We'll make it out, okay," VenusMan muttered to himself, while making a whipping motion with his body to pull Carnivore back to his neck.

((7 Days Bump))

With the ambush upon them, the pair of newly acquainted navis took to the battle with some rather different mind-sets, but nevertheless began to work together to deal with the threat. The Windbox ahead of them rotated to the side and began blowing cool air onto the shell of the HotHead, which promptly closed up hard with a metallic clank. Oddly, the wind began to blow across the entire area along with the direction the fan virus was facing, and it was bound to make conditions for aiming more difficult.

Despite this, Vasilia made her best effort with a cannon; the wind tried to hamper the shot but between the force of the shot and her own mild correct (or was it one of her shadowy helpers?), the round struck her target cleanly, blasting into the Monosword and putting a bad rend in its helm. The extra traces of unusual data scattered through it, but the only effect anyone could really notice was that its gaze narrowed more acutely as it planned its retort.

Venusman combined his efforts with his new ally, releasing a his own personal flavour of attack; the raining puff ball cut a swathe across the field, its droplets making the heated stone hiss and the lava steam. The wind buffeted the light-weight creation but it kept its course regardless, managing to rain on the second of its two main targets at least. The first Monosword had warped close to Vasilia just before the cloud reached it, but thankfully the oddly-constructed navi's whirling appendages and confusing motions were enough to make it cleave only air, despite its otherwise more accurate swing. The second shook off the rain that had beat down on it with uncomfortable force and warped in close to VenusMan, hoping to return the favour, but missed with its swipe as the plant navi was already moving towards his next target.

A shadow above resolved into the Quaker crashing downwards, also trying to nail VenusMan first and foremost, but it, too, only managed to strike rocky ground. VenusMan was already coasting across the lava, making his way out to the Whomper who had been surveying, having realised that it had dropped down too far away to actually hit anyone. When VenusMan closed in, it took the opportunity to blast a cone of fire in his direction, eager to make it seem like it hadn't made an error, but the more experienced navi managed to dodge aside, manoeuvring around it until his carnivore awakened and swiftly devoured the virus in one solid bite.

The momogra virus, just ahead, continued to bide its time, watching Vasilia as her flailing limbs were accompanied now by aggressively stomping boots. It seemed to be waiting, for the time being. Nearby, the Hothead seemed to reach its optimum temperature and opened up again, preparing to fire soon, but for now the wood-navi duo seemed to have things under control

-=Appearing Advesaries=-
HotHeadHotHead (HotHead)

HotHeads alternate actions between attacking and guarding. These are the only actions HotHeads may perform, and the first action of every battle is always guarding. HotHeads will not break from this pattern unless forced to by status effects. HotHeads cannot be lifted or thrown, even with Rageclaw.

Area: Netopia, Hades Isle, Kotobuki Town

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 30 Fire + Break + Small Lava Terrain Change
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Fires Cannonball. Breaking. Creates Lava Terrain.
Element: Fire
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): LavaBall1, Zenny
Special: Immobile.
- Iron Body when not attacking.: 60Hp [Metal][Open][A short way ahead]
WhomperWhomper (Whomper)

Whomper viruses drop down from way up high, execute a breath attack, and rise back up. Dropping and attacking is an action, while moving back upward is a second action. They may also adjust where on the battlefield they drop next while in High Altitude as a free action. These are the only actions this virus family performs.

Area: Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 80
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Fire + Small Lava Terrain Change + Cone Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Uses a scorching hot breath weapon to slag the enemy and the ground.
Element: Fire
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): HeatBreath1, Zenny
Special: Has High Altitude every other action. This virus cannot attack while in High Altitude, but may adjust its positioning as a free action.: EATEN
MonoSwordMonoSword (MonoSword)

MonoSword are distant cousins of Swordy, but have evolved further in an attempt become more a threat. They attack by teleporting in front of their target, and slashing with their namesake before returning to their original position. Their blades are sturdier than most, and can cut through things regular ones cannot, such as shields. Their bulky armor also gives them above average stamina, but it weighs them down to the point where they do not move or dodge, aside from attacking. Despite it lacking any sort of defense that would bestow such a weakness, they ironically take additional damage from Break attribute attacks.

Area: Netopia, Yoka, Hades Isle

HP: 120
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Delivers an armor cutting slash.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): BreakKnife, Zenny
Special: Break Weakness: Attacks with the Break attribute deal +100% Source damage to this virus, as though hitting an elemental weakness.
Special: Moves by teleporting. This is not treated as a formal Teleport, and does not confer any bonuses. A: 60Hp [Normal][In front of Vasilia][Buff Catalyst: Accuracy Enhance (Expired!)]
MonoSwordMonoSword (MonoSword)

MonoSword are distant cousins of Swordy, but have evolved further in an attempt become more a threat. They attack by teleporting in front of their target, and slashing with their namesake before returning to their original position. Their blades are sturdier than most, and can cut through things regular ones cannot, such as shields. Their bulky armor also gives them above average stamina, but it weighs them down to the point where they do not move or dodge, aside from attacking. Despite it lacking any sort of defense that would bestow such a weakness, they ironically take additional damage from Break attribute attacks.

Area: Netopia, Yoka, Hades Isle

HP: 120
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Delivers an armor cutting slash.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): BreakKnife, Zenny
Special: Break Weakness: Attacks with the Break attribute deal +100% Source damage to this virus, as though hitting an elemental weakness.
Special: Moves by teleporting. This is not treated as a formal Teleport, and does not confer any bonuses. B: 50Hp [Normal][To the side of Vasilia]
MomograMomogra (Momogra)

Momogras move by tunneling through the ground. They poke their heads up just far enough from time to time to see where the enemy is, but they are still protected from most forms of attack. Drop attacks, Bomb attacks (which fall out of the air after being thrown), and Ground attacks damage them in this state. Other attacks executed from a high angle/altitude also work. All movements performed by a Momogra are considered a dodge, as they occur underground, and out of sight. Momogras only attack in response to having an attack launched in their direction, and only if they have an action remaining for that turn. Momogras attack by instantly tunneling to the panel behind the enemy, popping out of the ground, and striking with a shovel. A Momogra is completely vulnerable to any form of attack during its own atack, and until it moves again following that attack. The movement prior to the attack does not require an action, but movement afterwards does. The attack cannot execute if the panel behind the target is a liquid terrain type, Metal, Broken, or Missing. The attack also will not execute if there is something currently occupying the panel they would be attacking from. If the attack cannot execute, the Momogra will not move. In the case of Glass and Cracked terrain, the Momogras will still attempt to attack, but suffer the consequences of doing do as those panels will break and damage the Momogra, also causing the attack to fail. Momogra get 1 free movement per turn at the start of the turn before their first action.

Area: Okuden Valley, Hades Isle, NetVegas

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Backstab
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Hits enemy with shovel.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Mole1, Zenny
Special: Always attacks if it is targeted, though it can attack otherwise. Only overhead-striking attacks can hit these viruses while they are not attacking (bombs, etc.): 60Hp [Normal][Ahead and right of the navis, in front of a lava pool]
WindBoxWindBox (Wind & Fan)

All viruses in this family are immobile during combat, with the exception of being able to turn to face any direction it wishes. Later versions of this virus may switch between Wind and Fan effects, which requires one action, during which time all wind or fan effects cease. Bonuses and penalties do not stack if multiples of the same virus family exist on the field. Wind and Fan do not push or pull Objects, only creatures.

Area: SciLab, Yoka, Beach, Sharo, Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: Wind Effect, Northwind
Attack Accuracy: S
Attack Description: Causes a large scale gale of wind to blow across the entire field in the direction the virus is facing. This gale will constantly move all targets this virus considers to be enemies in the direction the wind is blowing, which makes it difficult to land many kinds of attacks on it and allied viruses, such as thrown attacks and close ranged attacks. All those affected by the wind will also have their barriers and auras blown off by a constant Northwind effect.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Wind, Zenny
Special: Causes short ranged attacks, such as (but not limited to) swords, melee attacks, and flame thrower style weapons, to suffer from a 30% accuracy penalty against targets they are being pushed away from. Both sides of the engagement suffer a 30% accuracy penalty with direct attacks perpendicular to the direction of the wind, and all thrown attacks.
Special: Those allied with this virus may opt to take advantage of the wind to increase movement speed or evasion by going with the wind. They do not suffer any penalties, however. Conversely, anyone may move along with the wind to increase accuracy by 10% for close ranged attacks, assuming the target is in that direction.
Special: Northwind effect to all enemies once per virus action while maintaining wind effect.: 100Hp [Normal][Beside HotHead][Blowing right to left]
QuakerQuaker (Quaker)

Area: Netopia, Hades Isle, NetVegas

HP: 80
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack + Chain(2) + Earthquake
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Jumps high into the air, then slams its wrecking ball onto the ground when it lands, making the ground shake, and forming a shock wave that zeroes in on enemies.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): WaveArm1, RockArm1, Zenny
Special: High Altitude Status while Jumping.
Special: If underground or in a building, it can break through ceilings or cause a rock-fall.
Special: Earthquake: Whenever this virus lands when using its attack, all enemies touching the ground have their evasion reduced by 1 rank until the end of the next turn. This effect does not stack with other Earthquake instances, and does not affect allies of this virus.
Special: Chain 3: This attack, upon striking a target, may change directions towards a new target. This may be done up to 3 times in one attack.: 80Hp [Norma][Edge of the land, nearest VenusMan]

-=Venturing Virus Vanquishers=-
VenusMan.Exe: 100Hp [Over Lava][Off-Target]
Vasilia.Exe: 100Hp [Normal][2-Hit Shield][Counter ready][Self-Slow][ PileDriver3Damage: 80 x 2 Melee Attack + Impact + Break + Knockback + Piledriver
Accuracy: B
Description: The Navi summons a rapidly pumping jackhammer that occupies one of their appendages. Bearing down on an immobile target will deal greater damage.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Special: Piledriver: If the first hit connects with Knockback and the second hit also connects, the second hit deals double damage.
Trader Rank: B available for use]

-=Lava-filled Landscape=-
45% Lava

• Non-Fire Elementals lose 5 HP/action standing, 10 HP/action submerged. Doubled for Wood Elementals, nullified for Fire Elementals.
• Aqua attacks: Panel explodes, +100% Source Aqua Damage, change terrain hit to Normal.
• PanelShot: Imbue Fire.

[Three large, broad pools that take up much of their surrounds]
40% Normal

• No effects.

[the solid land forward; mostly a broad, slightly jagged strip of land between the lava pools]
5% Metal

• Cannot be Broken or Cracked except with Geddon/PanelShot, cannot be Burrowed into.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Cracked.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Furnace.
• PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Break.

[Single panel a little way ahead of the navis]

-=Glitches=-

Buff Catalyst (Positive Glitch)(Catalytic Glitch): The victim suffers a temporary buffing effect, randomly determined, and taking effect immediately upon application. This effect lasts only until the end of the turn. At the end of the turn, the Glitch checks for any Mutable Glitches in the victim's system. If none are present, the glitch is dispelled. If a Mutable Glitch is present this glitch interacts with that one, and creates a new, long-term glitch of a related nature to one or the other, or both. If the Mutable Glitch and the Catalytic Glitch are of different natures (Positive, Negative, Balance), the new form will be either Balance, or the nature of the Catalytic Glitch. If multiple Mutable Glitches exist, one is randomly selected. Glitch lasts only for the turn that it is applied.

---------------

Success! Vasilia cheered the initial hit of her attack and the appearance of the rain cloud. The near-miss brought a gasp from her as the whirling misdirected her opponent just enough for her to jerk out of the way entirely. "Ah! You missed, try again later!"

Sophia stared at her PET, a confused look on her face because she had misheard that, right?

Of course, between dodging and cheering she had to check on VenusMan right? To make sure he knew what to do! Fighting seemed pretty simple so far, but he'd forgotten so quickly about her letter! A quick peek in his direction revealed that this at least he seemed to be doing fine! In fact from the red light and gift he gave her, it seemed like fighting really was his thing!

"Ah, thank you for the gift!" She called with a wave of her hand. She felt better after the weird red light lit up everything, it was maybe a bit easier to see or maybe it was just because it was a warm color but either way she definately felt safer! The ORCHID that flew over to her seemed pretty big, was all of VenusMan's equipment so large? She dropped her broom where it disintegrated into blue sparkles similar to the one coming off her hands. She reached up, the ORCHID drifting into reach.

Mistakes were made.

Mistakes beginning with Vasilia's hands carelessly wrapping around the handles of the jackhammer-like ORCHID and triggering a quiet 'click' in the process. One of the smokey hands slithered up the side to wrap around the shaft, unnoticed due to Vasilia's sudden preoccupation with the fact the floral machine was on.

It shot forward at the sword weilders, zig-zagging wildly as it dragged Vasilia along by the hands. Her body streamed out after it like a windchime caught in high winds with her boots even providing a clacking noise as they knocked together repeatedly.

"AAAA! Get out of the way!" Vasilia screeched, panicked at the thought of collision. Who knew what would happen?

"What-No! Don't get out of the way!" Sophia countermanded but too late! The chip-infused ORCHID went wildly veering off in the opposite direction from the MonoSword then made another sudden shift in direction and went flying toward the Windbox and the Hothead. Sophia's jaw worked noiselessly for a moment before she spoke up. "Let go! Just, drop it! That thing is out of control!"

"R-right!" Vasilia said, a large sticker-like sweatdrop sliding down the side of her head. Dropping such a gift, was it really going to be okay? Sophia told her to, so regardless of the outcome she had to do it anyways! Opening her hands should be easy, right? Tiny smokey fingers laced through hers said otherwise.

The Windbox and its metal-headed friend were looming large in Vasilia's view and the Navi panicked even more when her hands appeared to be incapable of the simple feat of letting go. More sticker-like sweat drops slid down her face as she looked between her hands and the viruses several times. She didn't want to crash! Or at least, she didn't want to be hurt in the crash! She didn't mind if the ORCHID-machine-chip thing crashed into the viruses but she didn't want to!

"Sophia! I-I can't let go! I'm stuck!"

Sophia dropped her chips and flipped through her Netbattling guide because there had to be something! Hadn't she read something about Navis being limited to chips they could use at once? Wasn't it something about hands? Impatient she slapped the book shut. Close enough! They didn't have enough time to do more than try!

"Vasilia! Activate these at the same time! RollingLog, Shake, double slot-in!"

"R-Roger!" Vasilia called nervously because there really wasn't that much space between her and the Windbox to begin with and while the detour earlier had added some space that was almost gone! She felt the data seep into her system and activated the spells immediately. Blue sparks danced around her fingers, driving back the shadows that clung to them and she was finally able to pull herself free.

She hopped into the air just before the PileDriver attempted to smash into the Windbox, the shadowy hand and its corrupted code all but leaping from the transformed ORCHID to the foe.

Vasilia didn't notice. She quite literally had her hands full, and while it had saved her it did lead to a moment of needing to pinwheel wildly with magick sparking from each appendage to keep her balance. Her feet tipped forward and hit the ground more steadily.

"Alright! Prepare yourselves! VenusMan, sorry to make a mess!" She called then began her work. Twin spirals formed above her left hand while a quartet of circles formed above her right. With a twist of her fingers the spirals grew in shape and flew apart, their innermost coil stretching in the opposite direction to twin around their opposite number. The circles shifted from blue to green and paired off, each pairing sliding away as the spirals had done to a set distance between them. With a flick of her left hand the newly connected spirals fell onto their side and heavy iron began to form around them. Vasilia spun on her heels to face the way she had come before throwing the newly formed dumbell of her hand and toward the MonoSwords. Keeping her momentum up she spun about on her heels again to face the trio that had been hiding behind them and flicked her right hand forward. The glowing outlines toppled forward and rolled, dense wooden logs forming between the glowing outlines as they approached their targets.

The protective blue magic gleamed as she set her feet solidly in place. Would it be enough to protect her against the fall out?

CRUNCH CRUNCH, were the joyful sounds that came from Carnivore as it had its mouth full of data, CHOMP CHOMP, while flung backwards to VenusMan's body again. "Okay, you've had your fill," VenusMan's voice said from his body, "Time to com-" His voice quickly stopped as he realized that while he was floating just barely over lava, Carnivore was hanging from him with a very long vine. A very long vine that could easily reach the lava below him. "No, come back come back come back!" he exclaimed as he tried to grab hold of the swinging vine in order to pull Carnivore back himself, or at least to wrap up the vine around his arms to decrease the length. A short moment later Carnivore was hanging by VenusMan's chest while the vine slowly retracted into his neck. "Okay, this has to go faster. We're going to need some updates on his scripting."

"Carnivore is a very delicate program," Maru commented, "You simply have to adapt to his wishes. Can't you see he's eating. Let nature take it course, runt."

It wouldn't have looked pretty if VenusMan had his face at this point in time, but at least he managed to get Carnivore back onto his neck. The leaves that created Carnivore retracted and out sprang VenusMan's head again. "Yeah. Right. Of course," he said with a neutral expression on his face.

"Oh, also," his Operator continued, "Your head is the vessel of Carnivore when he's out, so you may notice some... Oh. You're already noticing it."

While floating above the lava, VenusMan stumbled around a bit and tried to get an eye on the ORCHID he had sent for his cloudy attack. "There are 4 ORCHIDs coming my way," he commented, "Oh. Yeah. You're right." A long sigh came from VenusMan's lips, while the singular ORCHID reached him and reconnected to his backpack. "Using Carnivore messes up my vision from the crazy motions. That'll be helpful."

"Oh, don't be that way. This'll keep Carnivore satisfied for some time," Maru said as the clattering sound of chips was heard in the background, "But I've noticed something about your fighting style. This is not a bad thing." And with those words, Maru slotted in one chip.

"My screwed up vision isn't a bad thing? I'd love to hear your theory, but later..." VenusMan groaned. He loaded the newly loaded chip into his system and immediately sent the data to his right hand. The petals around his wrist enveloped his right hand, opening up afterwards to reveal a small flower bud with a three-pronged spear sticking out of it. "Cool," VenusMan remarked, but it wouldn't be any use for him. His eyesight was still too messed up, "But I'm seeing it. Quadruple times, even." With a slick motion he grabbed his pistol with his left hand and aimed it at the Quaker virus. Or he tried. But it didn't matter. "Preparation, isn't it?" A dim light was seen in the barrel of the gun as it slowly started to collect more energy. And with a pull of his arm, VenusMan disconnected the hand from his arm. "I'll send coordinates later," he commented before the particles around his backpack intensified and VenusMan took off again. This time, however, he went back to the main land. Without a plan. "Uhh..."

"Whoo, look at that Vasilia go!" Maru suddenly shouted, "You go, girl!" Followed by an awkward silence and a muttering of confusion. "She is a girl, right? Considering the voice and all..."

Turning his head to look at Vasilia, or at least four of her, he noticed she was having quite some fun with the gifted weaponry. Right in the middle of all the viruses. And she was making a big fat target of herself with her hostility. "Good," VenusMan commented and stared ahead at the HotHead, "That means I can afford some risk. Right...?" Even if his eyesight was terribly wonky, even if he could still hear the crunching from Carnivore in his head, even if the battlefield was a mess, not even he would miss a virus if he was directly in front of it, right? With a quick shake of his head, he managed enough clarity to figure out where to stop moving so he'd be directly in front of the HotHead virus and aimed his trident weapon at it. "I still see four of you, but at least you're close together!" he exclaimed and fired a trident at the virus, as a new one sprang out of the flower bud immediately.

Presented with assistance in the form of a strong Battlechip, Vasilia tried out the new flowery equipment, only to be suddenly brought forward by its unexpected power! The WindBox seemed to be caught off guard by the sudden attack, and its fan blades were mulched with little recourse for retribution. The MonoSwords chased after her just as she let go of the ORCHID housing the PileDriver's attack data, appearing directly in front of her, and swung their rocky blades in unison. The first managed to connect (-1 shield hit x2 Break), but was blown backwards by a pair of enchanted footwear, sending it into the path of its comrade's blade! It connected with both Vasilia (-20) and the MonoSword, deleting the unfortunate statue virus instantly in the process.

VenusMan, meanwhile, was dealing with a case of multiplied vision, impairing his ability to do much, if anything. The Quaker was one point of importance, but his ORCHID was only merely prepared for now, leaving the HotHead up for grabs. He sped over to it, intending to skewer it with his speared flower, but unfortunately his quadrupled vision was much worse than he had anticipated, and his shot went wide above the HotHead's... head. In return, the spherical turret head spat out a bright red cannonball directly in his face--and also missed, with the shot sailing past just inches next to his head. It then clamped its mouth shut, unwilling to spend more time on the plant Navi. Another virus seemed to be more interested in him as well, however, as the ground shook vigorously from the nearby Quaker landing on the ground. A shockwave rocketed out from it towards VenusMan, but through some luck of the draw, it simply raced past him, just as the HotHead's cannonball did earlier, but his footing was still unstable from the quake.

To the side, Vasilia's antics continued despite the rough footing from the quake, with her simultaneous usage of the Shake and RollingLog chips. The massive dumbbell crashed onto the MonoSword in front of her, deleting it with haste, but not before she was on the receiving end of a Momogra's shovel from behind her, directly on her rear end! (-15) It received a large wooden log in return, nearly deleting it, but not quite. Luck didn't seem to be with Vasilia at the moment compared to her comrade, but at least she was still standing thus far.

-=Appearing Advesaries=-
HotHeadHotHead (HotHead)

HotHeads alternate actions between attacking and guarding. These are the only actions HotHeads may perform, and the first action of every battle is always guarding. HotHeads will not break from this pattern unless forced to by status effects. HotHeads cannot be lifted or thrown, even with Rageclaw.

Area: Netopia, Hades Isle, Kotobuki Town

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 30 Fire + Break + Small Lava Terrain Change
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Fires Cannonball. Breaking. Creates Lava Terrain.
Element: Fire
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): LavaBall1, Zenny
Special: Immobile.
- Iron Body when not attacking.: 60Hp [Metal][Closed][Directly in front of VenusMan]
WhomperWhomper (Whomper)

Whomper viruses drop down from way up high, execute a breath attack, and rise back up. Dropping and attacking is an action, while moving back upward is a second action. They may also adjust where on the battlefield they drop next while in High Altitude as a free action. These are the only actions this virus family performs.

Area: Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 80
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Fire + Small Lava Terrain Change + Cone Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Uses a scorching hot breath weapon to slag the enemy and the ground.
Element: Fire
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): HeatBreath1, Zenny
Special: Has High Altitude every other action. This virus cannot attack while in High Altitude, but may adjust its positioning as a free action.: EATEN
MonoSwordMonoSword (MonoSword)

MonoSword are distant cousins of Swordy, but have evolved further in an attempt become more a threat. They attack by teleporting in front of their target, and slashing with their namesake before returning to their original position. Their blades are sturdier than most, and can cut through things regular ones cannot, such as shields. Their bulky armor also gives them above average stamina, but it weighs them down to the point where they do not move or dodge, aside from attacking. Despite it lacking any sort of defense that would bestow such a weakness, they ironically take additional damage from Break attribute attacks.

Area: Netopia, Yoka, Hades Isle

HP: 120
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Delivers an armor cutting slash.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): BreakKnife, Zenny
Special: Break Weakness: Attacks with the Break attribute deal +100% Source damage to this virus, as though hitting an elemental weakness.
Special: Moves by teleporting. This is not treated as a formal Teleport, and does not confer any bonuses. A: CRUSHED
MonoSwordMonoSword (MonoSword)

MonoSword are distant cousins of Swordy, but have evolved further in an attempt become more a threat. They attack by teleporting in front of their target, and slashing with their namesake before returning to their original position. Their blades are sturdier than most, and can cut through things regular ones cannot, such as shields. Their bulky armor also gives them above average stamina, but it weighs them down to the point where they do not move or dodge, aside from attacking. Despite it lacking any sort of defense that would bestow such a weakness, they ironically take additional damage from Break attribute attacks.

Area: Netopia, Yoka, Hades Isle

HP: 120
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Delivers an armor cutting slash.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): BreakKnife, Zenny
Special: Break Weakness: Attacks with the Break attribute deal +100% Source damage to this virus, as though hitting an elemental weakness.
Special: Moves by teleporting. This is not treated as a formal Teleport, and does not confer any bonuses. B: CLEAVED
MomograMomogra (Momogra)

Momogras move by tunneling through the ground. They poke their heads up just far enough from time to time to see where the enemy is, but they are still protected from most forms of attack. Drop attacks, Bomb attacks (which fall out of the air after being thrown), and Ground attacks damage them in this state. Other attacks executed from a high angle/altitude also work. All movements performed by a Momogra are considered a dodge, as they occur underground, and out of sight. Momogras only attack in response to having an attack launched in their direction, and only if they have an action remaining for that turn. Momogras attack by instantly tunneling to the panel behind the enemy, popping out of the ground, and striking with a shovel. A Momogra is completely vulnerable to any form of attack during its own atack, and until it moves again following that attack. The movement prior to the attack does not require an action, but movement afterwards does. The attack cannot execute if the panel behind the target is a liquid terrain type, Metal, Broken, or Missing. The attack also will not execute if there is something currently occupying the panel they would be attacking from. If the attack cannot execute, the Momogra will not move. In the case of Glass and Cracked terrain, the Momogras will still attempt to attack, but suffer the consequences of doing do as those panels will break and damage the Momogra, also causing the attack to fail. Momogra get 1 free movement per turn at the start of the turn before their first action.

Area: Okuden Valley, Hades Isle, NetVegas

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Backstab
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Hits enemy with shovel.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Mole1, Zenny
Special: Always attacks if it is targeted, though it can attack otherwise. Only overhead-striking attacks can hit these viruses while they are not attacking (bombs, etc.): 5Hp [Normal][Behind Vasilia]
WindBoxWindBox (Wind & Fan)

All viruses in this family are immobile during combat, with the exception of being able to turn to face any direction it wishes. Later versions of this virus may switch between Wind and Fan effects, which requires one action, during which time all wind or fan effects cease. Bonuses and penalties do not stack if multiples of the same virus family exist on the field. Wind and Fan do not push or pull Objects, only creatures.

Area: SciLab, Yoka, Beach, Sharo, Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: Wind Effect, Northwind
Attack Accuracy: S
Attack Description: Causes a large scale gale of wind to blow across the entire field in the direction the virus is facing. This gale will constantly move all targets this virus considers to be enemies in the direction the wind is blowing, which makes it difficult to land many kinds of attacks on it and allied viruses, such as thrown attacks and close ranged attacks. All those affected by the wind will also have their barriers and auras blown off by a constant Northwind effect.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Wind, Zenny
Special: Causes short ranged attacks, such as (but not limited to) swords, melee attacks, and flame thrower style weapons, to suffer from a 30% accuracy penalty against targets they are being pushed away from. Both sides of the engagement suffer a 30% accuracy penalty with direct attacks perpendicular to the direction of the wind, and all thrown attacks.
Special: Those allied with this virus may opt to take advantage of the wind to increase movement speed or evasion by going with the wind. They do not suffer any penalties, however. Conversely, anyone may move along with the wind to increase accuracy by 10% for close ranged attacks, assuming the target is in that direction.
Special: Northwind effect to all enemies once per virus action while maintaining wind effect.: PILEDRIVEN
QuakerQuaker (Quaker)

Area: Netopia, Hades Isle, NetVegas

HP: 80
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack + Chain(2) + Earthquake
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Jumps high into the air, then slams its wrecking ball onto the ground when it lands, making the ground shake, and forming a shock wave that zeroes in on enemies.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): WaveArm1, RockArm1, Zenny
Special: High Altitude Status while Jumping.
Special: If underground or in a building, it can break through ceilings or cause a rock-fall.
Special: Earthquake: Whenever this virus lands when using its attack, all enemies touching the ground have their evasion reduced by 1 rank until the end of the next turn. This effect does not stack with other Earthquake instances, and does not affect allies of this virus.
Special: Chain 3: This attack, upon striking a target, may change directions towards a new target. This may be done up to 3 times in one attack.: 80Hp [Normal][Edge of the land, facing VenusMan]

-=Venturing Virus Vanquishers=-
VenusMan.Exe: 100Hp [Metal] [ORCHID - Pistol @ Quaker: Launching!] [Earthquake! Evasion -10%]
Vasilia.Exe: 65Hp [Normal][Shield Broken! Counter Triggered!] [Earthquake! Evasion -10%]

-=Lava-filled Landscape=-
45% Lava

• Non-Fire Elementals lose 5 HP/action standing, 10 HP/action submerged. Doubled for Wood Elementals, nullified for Fire Elementals.
• Aqua attacks: Panel explodes, +100% Source Aqua Damage, change terrain hit to Normal.
• PanelShot: Imbue Fire.

[Three large, broad pools that take up much of their surrounds]
40% Normal

• No effects.

[the solid land forward; mostly a broad, slightly jagged strip of land between the lava pools]
5% Metal

• Cannot be Broken or Cracked except with Geddon/PanelShot, cannot be Burrowed into.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Cracked.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Furnace.
• PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Break.

[Single panel a little way ahead of the navis]

"Ow! Ow!" Vasilia yelped as the MonoSword swiped at her and the Momogra swatted her rear. The puppet's body jerked and twitched with the impacts and she whirled to face the Momogra with a watery bubble forming in the middle of her head. It looked very much like unshed tears despite the lack of any visible eye to form them.

Evidentally whatever code expressed her emotional state didn't account for the lack of any obvious facial structures.

"I hear crunching and everything was shaking, did you two break the Net?" Sophia asked as she stared at the screen of the Pet which was currently locked to an over the shoulder view by Vasilia. She had had to look away from the screen a couple times, especially during Vasilia's wild rid and then the sudden shaking that even affected the camera! It was super disorientating, she had never been good that those kinds of movies!

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Vasilia wheezed, her head dipped forward and down and then back again, her hands seemed to rest on invisible knees. With a loud sigh she straightened up and wiped the back of her free glove across her head. "I hurt but I can keep going!"

"That's the spirit! No matter how many hits you take the important thing is standing up again!" Sophia cheered. According to the sidebars there were only a few enemies left. She sorted through her pile of chips until she found the one she thought she wanted then checked it against the book open near her. Close enough! She slid it home with a click. "Take that mole down! Battlechip Rageclaw, slot-in!"

"Okay! Time to clean up!" Vasilia called as she lifted her broom high. The bristles of the broom took on a shinier appearance and closer inspection would reveal that the individual straws had turned into literal needles instead of straw.
Vasilia was planning to give the Momogra a good close look at them.

"Look out Mr. Mole, here I come!" She crowed. She twirled the broom needle-side forward and lunged at the with needles pointed out. Almost immediately she'd jerk the broom back again to grasp it with both hands vertically in front of her and spin about on her heel in an effort to block the retalitory strike.

"Okay Mr. Venusman I'm coming to help!" She called as she skipped across the battlefield to the Quaker. She clattered to a stop behind it and immediately lifted her broom over her shoulder and then brought it down and across in an attack that looked like it promised to leave scratches. One of those smokey, shady hands snaked up from her shadow and slashed at the Quaker as well when Vasilia's back was turned.

"Not a word," VenusMan exclaimed, paired with a loud sigh. Of course, he missed his attack. "Not a word..." he repeated, already hearing the stifled laughter from the PET's input. Nonchalantly he brushed aside the charred dust from the two viruses' attacks, at least satisfied he wasn't alone in his failed attempts at attacking. It sounded like Maru had taken some distance from the PET for this situation, and considering he was running the PET he could also tell a video and various screenshots were made. "Because words are unnecessary..." VenusMan commented and turned to face the viruses that had taken an interest in them. "Because my eyes are focused now..."

"Are you done monologueing, runt?" Maru's voice sounded, "How about fixing your fault?"

"Already on it," VenusMan said, his eyes trained on the Quaker virus. Inside of his programming he was estimating the coordinates of the virus, raising the trident on his arm to assist in getting the digits right. But he wasn't getting the coordinates from his own position. Hanging over the lava was still his left hand, holding his pistol firmly and still charging energy for an attack. "This time, I won't mi-" he started to boast, but quickly decided against it considering his previous mistake. It was point-blank, how did he miss it completely? "-stake. Yeah. I won't mistake!" he continued loudly. With his trident he aimed straight at the Quaker virus and shouted out loud, "BANG!" But rather than the trident getting shot, a tremendous beam of energy was launched from the hovering pistol setup with the Quaker's coordinates locked and loaded. But it was too soon to relax, because his previous adversary revealed its cowardly state. While being wary of the Quaker, no matter how many attacks he had thrown at it, he spoke up to Maru. "Do we have anything to break this guy?"

"Nothing that breaks metal at least," Maru commented. But her eyes weren't so much on the virus VenusMan was worried about, but the surroundings. If there was one thing she had learned dealing with animals was that the surroundings usually provided the best methods to victory. Stealth, improvised weaponry, sudden allies, the outside world provided the animal kingdom with a lot of perks. But the digital world wasn't much different. "I'll send you this, runt." Her words were paired with the slotting in of the BusterPunch chip. "How about you show the lady your muscles?"

Data streamed in while VenusMan's left hand flew back to its owner's arm. A soft click later and he was more or less complete again. "ORCHIDs!" he bellowed, commanding all the other ORCHIDs to return to his back. "Let's see how this'll go..." he continued while letting the data flow into his right hand. The petals around his wrist embraced the trident that was sticking out of his arm and returned his hand to normal again, except it was bigger. And then even bigger. Even more bigger! "Hey hey hey!" VenusMan shouted as his hand had almost grown as big as his head, "Isn't this too big!? Well whatever!" With the Hothead so close, he reeled back his fist in preperation of an attack. "Okay, here we g-"

"You blithering retard!" Maru exclaimed and tapped the screen as loud as possible to get her Navi's attention. "Punch him into the lava! Move him! Make him sink! Put your heart behind it!"

VenusMan nodded and, with the help of his particle emission, flashed to the other side of the HotHead in an instant. Still in preperation for an attack, VenusMan swung his fist as swiftly as possible as he could towards the virus, praying he would actually hit this time. But would it have mattered? Had the virus actually been moved if he punched it? It was made of metal after all. But VenusMan had made a mistake. And this time he wouldn't fail. "Another time!" he exclaimed as he reeled his fist back again. Whether he was succesful or not, he approached the HotHead virus again and released another fast attack of his fist, this time from below. "Go for a swim, damn it!"

While the duo shook off their mild scorches and minor mistakes, the HotHead went more completely into its defensive state and VenusMan's ORCHIDs locked and blasted the Quaker from the net before it could launch itself airborne again.

Close by, Vasilia readied her broom and began engaging in a rousing game of whack-a-mole. It ducked into the ground and tunnelled to her other side as she swung the first time, but the curious navi was prepared for the swinging shovel that followed and was able to dart back in time to avoid it. With the Quaker down and the Hothead defending itself, this left her free to smack the mole properly with her next strike, this time connecting with a solid thrash of bristles. An odd wash of colours flooded across the virus as she hit it, and it began to expand, and expand, and expand. In moments it swelled to the size of a carnival balloon, rippling in rainbow hues and looking desperately uncomfortable with its situation, before an audible pop saw it burst into a light mist of faintly soapy-smelling bubbles.

With only one target left to eliminate, and that one being stubbornly protected, Venus Man was given a more creative set of instructions, and with two swift, powerful punches struck the closed up turret with the intent of sinking it in the magma nearby. As heavy as the HotHead virus was, there was no real way to lift or throw it, but each punch did cause the metal base to grind and slide backwards across the ground. The second saw it teetering on the crumbling edge of the lava before it tipped backwards. The sound of it hitting the lava was less a splash and more a thudding impact; it began to sink into the surface very, very slowly, and would probably disappear beneath the surface after a while, but its threat also seemed to be largely removed now – there was no real way it could hope to aim at either of them in its present state. As it started to sink, its mouth clanked open, venting steam. Normally this might precede another hot ball of magma being launched at them, but from the present angle, all it was going to achieve was throwing the shot straight up in the air.

-=Appearing Advesaries=-
HotHeadHotHead (HotHead)

HotHeads alternate actions between attacking and guarding. These are the only actions HotHeads may perform, and the first action of every battle is always guarding. HotHeads will not break from this pattern unless forced to by status effects. HotHeads cannot be lifted or thrown, even with Rageclaw.

Area: Netopia, Hades Isle, Kotobuki Town

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 30 Fire + Break + Small Lava Terrain Change
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Fires Cannonball. Breaking. Creates Lava Terrain.
Element: Fire
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): LavaBall1, Zenny
Special: Immobile.
- Iron Body when not attacking.: 55Hp [Metal][About to fire (can't really hit much)][Face up in the lava beside VenusMan]
WhomperWhomper (Whomper)

Whomper viruses drop down from way up high, execute a breath attack, and rise back up. Dropping and attacking is an action, while moving back upward is a second action. They may also adjust where on the battlefield they drop next while in High Altitude as a free action. These are the only actions this virus family performs.

Area: Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 80
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Fire + Small Lava Terrain Change + Cone Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Uses a scorching hot breath weapon to slag the enemy and the ground.
Element: Fire
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): HeatBreath1, Zenny
Special: Has High Altitude every other action. This virus cannot attack while in High Altitude, but may adjust its positioning as a free action.: EATEN
MonoSwordMonoSword (MonoSword)

MonoSword are distant cousins of Swordy, but have evolved further in an attempt become more a threat. They attack by teleporting in front of their target, and slashing with their namesake before returning to their original position. Their blades are sturdier than most, and can cut through things regular ones cannot, such as shields. Their bulky armor also gives them above average stamina, but it weighs them down to the point where they do not move or dodge, aside from attacking. Despite it lacking any sort of defense that would bestow such a weakness, they ironically take additional damage from Break attribute attacks.

Area: Netopia, Yoka, Hades Isle

HP: 120
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Delivers an armor cutting slash.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): BreakKnife, Zenny
Special: Break Weakness: Attacks with the Break attribute deal +100% Source damage to this virus, as though hitting an elemental weakness.
Special: Moves by teleporting. This is not treated as a formal Teleport, and does not confer any bonuses. A: CRUSHED
MonoSwordMonoSword (MonoSword)

MonoSword are distant cousins of Swordy, but have evolved further in an attempt become more a threat. They attack by teleporting in front of their target, and slashing with their namesake before returning to their original position. Their blades are sturdier than most, and can cut through things regular ones cannot, such as shields. Their bulky armor also gives them above average stamina, but it weighs them down to the point where they do not move or dodge, aside from attacking. Despite it lacking any sort of defense that would bestow such a weakness, they ironically take additional damage from Break attribute attacks.

Area: Netopia, Yoka, Hades Isle

HP: 120
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Delivers an armor cutting slash.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): BreakKnife, Zenny
Special: Break Weakness: Attacks with the Break attribute deal +100% Source damage to this virus, as though hitting an elemental weakness.
Special: Moves by teleporting. This is not treated as a formal Teleport, and does not confer any bonuses. B: CLEAVED
MomograMomogra (Momogra)

Momogras move by tunneling through the ground. They poke their heads up just far enough from time to time to see where the enemy is, but they are still protected from most forms of attack. Drop attacks, Bomb attacks (which fall out of the air after being thrown), and Ground attacks damage them in this state. Other attacks executed from a high angle/altitude also work. All movements performed by a Momogra are considered a dodge, as they occur underground, and out of sight. Momogras only attack in response to having an attack launched in their direction, and only if they have an action remaining for that turn. Momogras attack by instantly tunneling to the panel behind the enemy, popping out of the ground, and striking with a shovel. A Momogra is completely vulnerable to any form of attack during its own atack, and until it moves again following that attack. The movement prior to the attack does not require an action, but movement afterwards does. The attack cannot execute if the panel behind the target is a liquid terrain type, Metal, Broken, or Missing. The attack also will not execute if there is something currently occupying the panel they would be attacking from. If the attack cannot execute, the Momogra will not move. In the case of Glass and Cracked terrain, the Momogras will still attempt to attack, but suffer the consequences of doing do as those panels will break and damage the Momogra, also causing the attack to fail. Momogra get 1 free movement per turn at the start of the turn before their first action.

Area: Okuden Valley, Hades Isle, NetVegas

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Backstab
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Hits enemy with shovel.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Mole1, Zenny
Special: Always attacks if it is targeted, though it can attack otherwise. Only overhead-striking attacks can hit these viruses while they are not attacking (bombs, etc.): WHACKED
WindBoxWindBox (Wind & Fan)

All viruses in this family are immobile during combat, with the exception of being able to turn to face any direction it wishes. Later versions of this virus may switch between Wind and Fan effects, which requires one action, during which time all wind or fan effects cease. Bonuses and penalties do not stack if multiples of the same virus family exist on the field. Wind and Fan do not push or pull Objects, only creatures.

Area: SciLab, Yoka, Beach, Sharo, Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: Wind Effect, Northwind
Attack Accuracy: S
Attack Description: Causes a large scale gale of wind to blow across the entire field in the direction the virus is facing. This gale will constantly move all targets this virus considers to be enemies in the direction the wind is blowing, which makes it difficult to land many kinds of attacks on it and allied viruses, such as thrown attacks and close ranged attacks. All those affected by the wind will also have their barriers and auras blown off by a constant Northwind effect.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Wind, Zenny
Special: Causes short ranged attacks, such as (but not limited to) swords, melee attacks, and flame thrower style weapons, to suffer from a 30% accuracy penalty against targets they are being pushed away from. Both sides of the engagement suffer a 30% accuracy penalty with direct attacks perpendicular to the direction of the wind, and all thrown attacks.
Special: Those allied with this virus may opt to take advantage of the wind to increase movement speed or evasion by going with the wind. They do not suffer any penalties, however. Conversely, anyone may move along with the wind to increase accuracy by 10% for close ranged attacks, assuming the target is in that direction.
Special: Northwind effect to all enemies once per virus action while maintaining wind effect.: PILEDRIVEN
QuakerQuaker (Quaker)

Area: Netopia, Hades Isle, NetVegas

HP: 80
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack + Chain(2) + Earthquake
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Jumps high into the air, then slams its wrecking ball onto the ground when it lands, making the ground shake, and forming a shock wave that zeroes in on enemies.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): WaveArm1, RockArm1, Zenny
Special: High Altitude Status while Jumping.
Special: If underground or in a building, it can break through ceilings or cause a rock-fall.
Special: Earthquake: Whenever this virus lands when using its attack, all enemies touching the ground have their evasion reduced by 1 rank until the end of the next turn. This effect does not stack with other Earthquake instances, and does not affect allies of this virus.
Special: Chain 3: This attack, upon striking a target, may change directions towards a new target. This may be done up to 3 times in one attack.: SNIPED

-=Venturing Virus Vanquishers=-
VenusMan.Exe: 100Hp [Over Normal][Edge of the lava]
Vasilia.Exe: 65Hp [Normal]

-=Lava-filled Landscape=-
45% Lava

• Non-Fire Elementals lose 5 HP/action standing, 10 HP/action submerged. Doubled for Wood Elementals, nullified for Fire Elementals.
• Aqua attacks: Panel explodes, +100% Source Aqua Damage, change terrain hit to Normal.
• PanelShot: Imbue Fire.

[Three large, broad pools that take up much of their surrounds]
40% Normal

• No effects.

[the solid land forward; mostly a broad, slightly jagged strip of land between the lava pools]
5% Metal

• Cannot be Broken or Cracked except with Geddon/PanelShot, cannot be Burrowed into.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Cracked.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Furnace.
• PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Break.

[Single panel a little way ahead of the navis]

"Aaah! Pretty~" Vasilia put one hand against her face and swayed side to side as she watched the unfortunate mole burst into bubbles and mist. There was the sound of sniffing from her direction and then a sigh and a relaxed sag of her limbs and body. "It smells good too, like a nice bath~ Much better than all this sulfur!"

Her Operator was staring at the PET screen, then at the chip information, then at her battered copy of NetBattling 101 over and over again. What was with the lightshow? Was that weird? Was it normal? She...really didn't have a frame of reference for this beyond her old Netbattling classes and she'd only barely squeaked through those. She scratched the side of her head then shrugged and turned her attention to more important things, like their ally perched on the side of the lava pit.

"Hey! Ignore the bubbles for now, VenusMan's giving that last enemy a really hot bath!"

"Oh right! Helping!" Vasilia turned away from the nicely-scented patch air: her head and hat swinging a full 180 before her body began to turn. She rocked back and forth on her heels while she leaned forward, her head and the hand shading it stretching out far from the rest of her body.

"Ah! Look at it give off steam!" She snapped her fingers and pulled herself back together. Her head began to bob excitedly as she lifted her broom into the air and then dispelled it back to oblivion. "Let's end it quick!"

"This apprentice humbly requests the aid of those who came before her! The aid of the deep forest, the aid of the blue sky!" With that she put one hand on her waist and pointed the other at the roof of the cavern. Blue light began to flicker and build above her fingertip as she concentrated. Her shadow flickered and danced from the rapidly growing ball of symbols and lines of cyrillic script that flexed outward and then contracted again and again to form a seemingly solid ball. "Behold! The blooming of spring time that comes on the eve of summer!"

With a sharp gesture of her hand the ball floated out across the lava in jerks and starts. Vasilia leaned forward as she kept her hand pointed at the HotHead, small beads of sweat beginning to roll down the sides of her face from under her hat.

---Combat Log---
(This thread is still old system, rip)
1) Charge Buster
2) Charge Buster
3) 2/2 charged buster shot (30 @ HotHead)

With the HotHead being tipped over into the lava, Vasilia pointed out towards the ball of rapidly growing symbols of light that she had conjured up, with the ball slowly jittering its way towards the red ball-shaped turret head. The attack impacted against its metallic body with a little pinging sound, and the turret head was more visibly damaged at that point. However, it still wasn't quite enough to eliminate the last virus out of contention. The HotHead hissed with smoke from its open maw as a red cannonball materialized, and ejected itself straight up into the sky. The ball sailed up to its maximum height, halted for a moment in mid-air, and then fell back down to earth, unsurprisingly, back into the mouth of the virus that had just fired it. The weight of the ball crushed it from the inside out, finally deleting it for good.

-=Appearing Advesaries=-
HotHeadHotHead (HotHead)

HotHeads alternate actions between attacking and guarding. These are the only actions HotHeads may perform, and the first action of every battle is always guarding. HotHeads will not break from this pattern unless forced to by status effects. HotHeads cannot be lifted or thrown, even with Rageclaw.

Area: Netopia, Hades Isle, Kotobuki Town

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 30 Fire + Break + Small Lava Terrain Change
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Fires Cannonball. Breaking. Creates Lava Terrain.
Element: Fire
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): LavaBall1, Zenny
Special: Immobile.
- Iron Body when not attacking.: CANNONBALLED
WhomperWhomper (Whomper)

Whomper viruses drop down from way up high, execute a breath attack, and rise back up. Dropping and attacking is an action, while moving back upward is a second action. They may also adjust where on the battlefield they drop next while in High Altitude as a free action. These are the only actions this virus family performs.

Area: Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 80
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Fire + Small Lava Terrain Change + Cone Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Uses a scorching hot breath weapon to slag the enemy and the ground.
Element: Fire
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): HeatBreath1, Zenny
Special: Has High Altitude every other action. This virus cannot attack while in High Altitude, but may adjust its positioning as a free action.: EATEN
MonoSwordMonoSword (MonoSword)

MonoSword are distant cousins of Swordy, but have evolved further in an attempt become more a threat. They attack by teleporting in front of their target, and slashing with their namesake before returning to their original position. Their blades are sturdier than most, and can cut through things regular ones cannot, such as shields. Their bulky armor also gives them above average stamina, but it weighs them down to the point where they do not move or dodge, aside from attacking. Despite it lacking any sort of defense that would bestow such a weakness, they ironically take additional damage from Break attribute attacks.

Area: Netopia, Yoka, Hades Isle

HP: 120
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Delivers an armor cutting slash.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): BreakKnife, Zenny
Special: Break Weakness: Attacks with the Break attribute deal +100% Source damage to this virus, as though hitting an elemental weakness.
Special: Moves by teleporting. This is not treated as a formal Teleport, and does not confer any bonuses. A: CRUSHED
MonoSwordMonoSword (MonoSword)

MonoSword are distant cousins of Swordy, but have evolved further in an attempt become more a threat. They attack by teleporting in front of their target, and slashing with their namesake before returning to their original position. Their blades are sturdier than most, and can cut through things regular ones cannot, such as shields. Their bulky armor also gives them above average stamina, but it weighs them down to the point where they do not move or dodge, aside from attacking. Despite it lacking any sort of defense that would bestow such a weakness, they ironically take additional damage from Break attribute attacks.

Area: Netopia, Yoka, Hades Isle

HP: 120
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Break + Slashing + Wide Attack
Attack Accuracy: C
Attack Description: Delivers an armor cutting slash.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): BreakKnife, Zenny
Special: Break Weakness: Attacks with the Break attribute deal +100% Source damage to this virus, as though hitting an elemental weakness.
Special: Moves by teleporting. This is not treated as a formal Teleport, and does not confer any bonuses. B: CLEAVED
MomograMomogra (Momogra)

Momogras move by tunneling through the ground. They poke their heads up just far enough from time to time to see where the enemy is, but they are still protected from most forms of attack. Drop attacks, Bomb attacks (which fall out of the air after being thrown), and Ground attacks damage them in this state. Other attacks executed from a high angle/altitude also work. All movements performed by a Momogra are considered a dodge, as they occur underground, and out of sight. Momogras only attack in response to having an attack launched in their direction, and only if they have an action remaining for that turn. Momogras attack by instantly tunneling to the panel behind the enemy, popping out of the ground, and striking with a shovel. A Momogra is completely vulnerable to any form of attack during its own atack, and until it moves again following that attack. The movement prior to the attack does not require an action, but movement afterwards does. The attack cannot execute if the panel behind the target is a liquid terrain type, Metal, Broken, or Missing. The attack also will not execute if there is something currently occupying the panel they would be attacking from. If the attack cannot execute, the Momogra will not move. In the case of Glass and Cracked terrain, the Momogras will still attempt to attack, but suffer the consequences of doing do as those panels will break and damage the Momogra, also causing the attack to fail. Momogra get 1 free movement per turn at the start of the turn before their first action.

Area: Okuden Valley, Hades Isle, NetVegas

HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Backstab
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Hits enemy with shovel.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Mole1, Zenny
Special: Always attacks if it is targeted, though it can attack otherwise. Only overhead-striking attacks can hit these viruses while they are not attacking (bombs, etc.): WHACKED
WindBoxWindBox (Wind & Fan)

All viruses in this family are immobile during combat, with the exception of being able to turn to face any direction it wishes. Later versions of this virus may switch between Wind and Fan effects, which requires one action, during which time all wind or fan effects cease. Bonuses and penalties do not stack if multiples of the same virus family exist on the field. Wind and Fan do not push or pull Objects, only creatures.

Area: SciLab, Yoka, Beach, Sharo, Netfrica, Hades Isle

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: Wind Effect, Northwind
Attack Accuracy: S
Attack Description: Causes a large scale gale of wind to blow across the entire field in the direction the virus is facing. This gale will constantly move all targets this virus considers to be enemies in the direction the wind is blowing, which makes it difficult to land many kinds of attacks on it and allied viruses, such as thrown attacks and close ranged attacks. All those affected by the wind will also have their barriers and auras blown off by a constant Northwind effect.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Wind, Zenny
Special: Causes short ranged attacks, such as (but not limited to) swords, melee attacks, and flame thrower style weapons, to suffer from a 30% accuracy penalty against targets they are being pushed away from. Both sides of the engagement suffer a 30% accuracy penalty with direct attacks perpendicular to the direction of the wind, and all thrown attacks.
Special: Those allied with this virus may opt to take advantage of the wind to increase movement speed or evasion by going with the wind. They do not suffer any penalties, however. Conversely, anyone may move along with the wind to increase accuracy by 10% for close ranged attacks, assuming the target is in that direction.
Special: Northwind effect to all enemies once per virus action while maintaining wind effect.: PILEDRIVEN
QuakerQuaker (Quaker)

Area: Netopia, Hades Isle, NetVegas

HP: 80
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack + Chain(2) + Earthquake
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Jumps high into the air, then slams its wrecking ball onto the ground when it lands, making the ground shake, and forming a shock wave that zeroes in on enemies.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): WaveArm1, RockArm1, Zenny
Special: High Altitude Status while Jumping.
Special: If underground or in a building, it can break through ceilings or cause a rock-fall.
Special: Earthquake: Whenever this virus lands when using its attack, all enemies touching the ground have their evasion reduced by 1 rank until the end of the next turn. This effect does not stack with other Earthquake instances, and does not affect allies of this virus.
Special: Chain 3: This attack, upon striking a target, may change directions towards a new target. This may be done up to 3 times in one attack.: SNIPED

-=Venturing Virus Vanquishers=-
VenusMan.Exe: 100Hp [Over Normal][Edge of the lava]
Vasilia.Exe: 65Hp [Normal]

-=Lava-filled Landscape=-
45% Lava

• Non-Fire Elementals lose 5 HP/action standing, 10 HP/action submerged. Doubled for Wood Elementals, nullified for Fire Elementals.
• Aqua attacks: Panel explodes, +100% Source Aqua Damage, change terrain hit to Normal.
• PanelShot: Imbue Fire.

[Three large, broad pools that take up much of their surrounds]
40% Normal

• No effects.

[the solid land forward; mostly a broad, slightly jagged strip of land between the lava pools]
5% Metal

• Cannot be Broken or Cracked except with Geddon/PanelShot, cannot be Burrowed into.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Cracked.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Furnace.
• PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Break.

[Single panel a little way ahead of the navis]

-=Battle 1, Victory!!=-
Rewards:
Vasilia: HeatBreath1Damage: 80 + Medium Lava Terrain Change + Cone Attack
Accuracy: C
Description: Blast up to 4 enemies with a cone of fiery breath. Changes terrain to Lava.
Duration: Once
Element: Fire
Trader Rank: D, 1500z, +4 VenusMan FXP
VenusMan: LavaBall1Damage: 120 + Break + Small Lava Terrain Change
Accuracy: C
Description: A bomb that changes the ground it lands on to Lava
Duration: Once
Element: Fire
Trader Rank: D, 1500z, 31 BugFrags, +1 Quaker Bounty, +4 Vasilia FXP

Vasilia lowered her hands slowly as she watched the red ball fly into the air. The tail of her hat coiled up tight but otherwise she was still as she watched the sphere fly into the air.

"oh no." She whispered and moved her hands up to cover the lower half of her head. Would noise attract the ball toward her? Would it land on VenusMan? He was already pretty beat up, it wouldn't be good if that was the case!

The ball reached its apex and feel and for a moment her view was obscured by a splash of lava and a burst of data-fragments that left her gasping. She watched as part of the data split from the rest in the sky then zipped toward her to surround her in a blizzard of colors. Her hands came up slowly, reaching out to touch the swarm of data carefully like a child tentatively touching something new and wonderous.

"Ooh! That tingles! But it was really pretty!" Abruptly the data zipped straight toward the swirl on Vasilia's finger and was absorbed, leaving behind the glowing envelope she had been chasing. The PET register the influx of cash and chip data while Vasilisa tossed out her hand to grab the edge of the letter with an excited squeal. "We did it! We did it VenusM-"

Abruptly the little wooden Navi was encased in the pillar of light from an emergency jack-out protocol. As abruptly as it appeared it was gone, and so too was the little Navi VenusMan had been helping.

Considering how odd she was, maybe that was a good thing.

"Hey, are you there?" Maru asked, checking out why VenusMan had suddenly stopped moving. He had succesfully pushed the HotHead virus into the lava, which turned out to be their push into victory. But there were no cheers from VenusMan. Instead he was just standing, frozen in motion.

"This doesn't feel right," VenusMan thought, "Something's wrong." His fist was still in the air, directly after connecting to the virus. Behind his goggles he could turn his eyes to look around, but any other motion he was trying to attempt were blocked by an internal system failure. "Maybe Vasilia will notice and help..." He could her cheer. "Yes, please notice..." He could hear his name. The first half, at least, as the second half was cut off short from Vasilia leaving the network.

Seconds passed and VenusMan still didn't move a muscle. Maru, noticing the malfunction, had already pulled her laptop by her side and had already hooked her PET onto the laptop to get additional debug information on VenusMan's systems. "Looks like Carnivore isn't liking what's going on, runt," Maru commented after a moment of checking both of the Navi's halves, "We made a mistake in the calibration of your systems." After sliding her finger across the PET, she tapped the jack-out button.

But VenusMan wouldn't jack-out. "I can sense the command. I can feel the system trying to execute it," VenusMan's thoughts continued as he closed his eyes, "Why are you resisting?"

"That must be it," Maru said as she tapped her finger on laptop's mouse in thought, "You're doing fine, Venus, but Carnivore got all confused and mixed up in the complex calculations you were doing for your attacks. He's shut himself down, because it was too much."

It remained quiet in VenusMan's thoughts as he was processing what his Operator just said. Until he suddenly shouted out loud in his mind, "I'M FUCKING LAGGING!? I'm a NetNavi! A creation on the internet! I can't lag! Wake up, you stupid, dumb attachment!" And in that instant, VenusMan lowered his fist and calmed down his posture before quickly vanishing in a beam of light.