Pressing further into the Okuden woods in search of challenges and more bounty targets, Delta found a section of the wood that seemed to grow gloomier and more shaded the deeper he went. The air was still and grew humid and stick, with a scent like sap filtering through the woods. At the edge of hearing, the irksome sound of skeeters buzzing scratched at his senses; it sounded like there were swarms of the things throughout the area, just loud enough for their buzzing to be annoying.

With no sight of identifiable hostiles, however, the navi had little option but to press deeper into the darkening wood. It wasn't much longer, making his way through the unpleasant warmth and cloying scent, that Delta emerged into something that looked and felt like a modest clearing between the trees. The buzzing had grown loud now, but the light had fallen to gloom by equal measure, making it all too easy to imagine seeing malignant shapes in the shadows of the trees.

A creak of ancient wood and a groan that sounded like the death rattle of some ancient beast rasped behind him, blowing a gust of hot, sickly sweet air across his back, before a pair of razor-sharp scythes swung around from either side, attempting to bisect the navi. Delta was able to avoid this initial surprise attack, but a glance back revealed an ancient, twisted and decrepit-seeming tree twisting in place and writhing as its trunk creaked and its branches rustled. All around, the other trees in the clearing seemed to shudder and sigh; the gloom made it hard to see where the branches of one ended and another began, but as the hideously scarred tree pulled itself back up, Delta could at least tell that the swinging scythe blades were only two of its many blackened branches, cracked and twisted along their gnarled lengths, but honed to lethal blades and stabbing points.

The buzzing grew more agitated, and above, dimly visible through the darkness, a series of ancient hives nestled amongst the old tree's grasping branches swayed and swarmed with insects. One hive dropped heavily to the ground beside the tree and began to spill forth a swarm of angry skeeters as the tree itself seemed to pull the dark shadows round itself and prepare to strike again.

-=Hive-Hoarder=-
GloomScythe.Tree: 300Hp (Directly South of Delta, at the edge of the clearing)(Soil)
SkeeterSkeeter (Skeeter)

Area: Yoka, Okuden Valley, Beach, Yumland, Netfrica

HP: 30
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 30 Drain (Null)
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: A swarm of Skeeters flies at the target. They will drain HP if they connect.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Drain1, Zenny
Special: Omnishoes: 30Hp (Swarming above the beehive)(Grass)

-=Bee-Seeker=-
Delta.EXE: 170Hp (In the middle of the clearing)(Grass)

-=Terrain=-
(Terrain is mostly grass in the middle of the clearing, with soil around the edges)
40% Soil

• Wood Elementals get +10% Evasion.
• Wood attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Grass.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Mud.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: change terrain hit to Coal.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood.

60% Grass

• Wood Elementals get +5 HP/action.
• Fire attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Soil.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood.

-=Objects=-
Twisted Tree North: 60Hp (Woodbody)(Soil)
Twisted Tree North-East: 60Hp (Woodbody)](Soil)
Twisted Tree East: 60Hp (Woodbody)(Soil)
Twisted Tree South-East: 60Hp (Woodbody)(Soil)
Twisted Tree South-West: 60Hp (Woodbody)(Soil)
Twisted Tree West: 60Hp (Woodbody)(Soil)
Twisted Tree North-West: 60Hp (Woodbody)(Soil)
Ancient Beehive A: 30Hp (Woodbody)(Grass)

-=Battle 5, Start!=-

((Welcome back ^.^ ))

Despite the enthralling rhythm and enticing dance partners, the consistent jostling was enough to let SeaFoam rouse at least partially from the cloying charm and she began trying to distance herself from the press of dancing bodies. It seemed almost like there were more of them than before, and the crowd was denser and more tightly packed than it had been a moment ago. There was a sense of the many dancers trying to hold on, or catch at her clothing as she extricated herself, but after a few drawn out, sluggish points of effort, the navi was able to pull herself free of the crowd and force her seemingly unwilling feet to take a few steps back and away from it again.

The glittering sparkle of colours hanging in the air shimmered and the pounding beat of the music continued to pulse; sure enough there were even more dancers than before, now that she was able to look at the group; where had the others even come from?

With clearer senses, Coral was able to see her navi finally struggle free of the many weaving columns of the peculiar cacty virus, her outfit snagging on its spines as it continued trying to encircle her and prevent her escape. Fortunately, Seafoam prevailed and got some distance, but the other detail Coral might notice was another tall-bodied cactus part forming on the end of the conga-line, making the worm longer still and clogging up the valley passage even more. Some strange reading on the PET showed its HP Value growing above its maximum as the virus proliferated in the space. If it kept growing like this, then, with their limited resources, simply busting it directly might not be easy, unless they could find some other way to deal with the problem.

Free of the press of bodies, though her feet continued to tap to the beat and the urge to sway and dance was still strong, Seafoam called out to the group of dancers, trying to reason with them to clear the path. Even as she attempted the more diplomatic path, however, the illusory party began to fray at the edges and her vision wavered and clarified; the dancers in all their lightly-dressed appeal faded and she could see the virus itself more clearly again, its many cacty bodies swaying and dancing to the beat of its own song in an ever growing and extending conga-line of congestion.

The main head of the virus focused on Seafoam, rocking back on forth on top of the lead body, then beginning to hop down the line of bodies on-beat, to keep its place as it stared at her. Its swirling kaleidoscopic eyes locked onto hers above its manic grin and though the illusion was now fading to tatters, a dire sense of confusion was clawing its way into Seafoam's mind; something wasn't right about this... She could see the virus clearly now, see its amused, gleeful grin as it danced, but her thoughts felt scrambled and acting felt difficult.

Behind her, two of her metool charges were continuing to dance happily with one another to the music, but the map-carrying met had paused and now looked back and forth between Seafoam and the grinning virus. Its eyes drew down slightly, and had it a visible mouth, the little guy might well have been frowning as it realised something was off.

Seafoam's efforts at diplomacy didn't seem to be getting any traction, try as she might, and the virus danced and snaked its way closer to her again. The line of swaying bodies leaned down so that the head of the virus could bend close to her as it hopped from body to body; it only grinned and swayed, its large eyes a myriad of dazzling colours. Below, the mouth opened from cheshire grin to toothy maw.

Completely focused as it was, the virus was caught unaware as a mattock sailed through the air past Seafoam's shoulder to knock its fancy party had from its head with a clang. The virus swayed back upright with it, still dancing to the beat and grinning like a thing possessed, but its eyes turned towards the miffed metool still standing with its group behind Seafoam. The met let out a challenging “Meep!” and held its ground but the party virus only stared at it, eyes swirling, before a fresh party hat burst into existence on its head in spray of confetti; this one was bigger, fancier, and even had a couple of little spinning pinwheels on it.


-=Delirious DJ =-
CactoCongo.Worm: 330/300(!?)Hp [Such Dancing!][1-Hit Party Hat: Reformed: Now Even Fancier than before!][Strengthen: 20][Normal]

-=In The Spotlight =-
Seafoam.Exe: 95Hp [Normal][Confusion (1 Turn)][Glitch: Toe-Tapping (1 turn, or until removed)]

-=Back-up Dancers?=-
Map-Wielding MetoolMetool (Metool)

Metools not currently attacking will guard. Entering guard mode requires an action. Exiting guard mode does not require an action.

Area: ACDC, Electown, Okuden Valley, Kotobuki Town, Dentech, Beach

HP: 40
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Whacks ground with pickaxe, sending forth a shockwave.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Throws a mattock at an enemy.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Guard1, ShockWave, Zenny
Special: Can hide in its helmet to negate damage.: 40Hp [Normal] [Just behind Seafoam] [Doesn't like the cut of this virus' jib]
Sculptor MetoolMetool (Metool)

Metools not currently attacking will guard. Entering guard mode requires an action. Exiting guard mode does not require an action.

Area: ACDC, Electown, Okuden Valley, Kotobuki Town, Dentech, Beach

HP: 40
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Whacks ground with pickaxe, sending forth a shockwave.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Throws a mattock at an enemy.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Guard1, ShockWave, Zenny
Special: Can hide in its helmet to negate damage.: 40Hp [Grass] [Behind and left of Map Metool]
Nervous MetoolMetool (Metool)

Metools not currently attacking will guard. Entering guard mode requires an action. Exiting guard mode does not require an action.

Area: ACDC, Electown, Okuden Valley, Kotobuki Town, Dentech, Beach

HP: 40
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Whacks ground with pickaxe, sending forth a shockwave.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Throws a mattock at an enemy.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Guard1, ShockWave, Zenny
Special: Can hide in its helmet to negate damage.: 40Hp [Grass] [Behind and right of Map Metool]

-=Not Meant To Be a Mosh-Pit =-
60% Normal

• No effects.

40% Grass

• Wood Elementals get +5 HP/action.
• Fire attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Soil.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood.

Valley area starts grassy and become rocky (normal) towards the virus' end; terrain is mostly even, but the valley is moderately narrow.

-=Glitch Record=-

Toe-Tapping: Balance Glitch (2 rounds, or until removed with status cure or other similar effects). The target can't help but respond to a beat that they can hear, tapping, bouncing or otherwise jigging to it. The sense of rhythm helps them dodge more effectively, at least if they dodge to the beat, but ti also hinders their ability to take proper shots and strikes when they need to, rather than hesitating for the right 'rhythm' Dodges are increased by one rank when roleplayed as being made on beat, while attacks accuracy suffers a 1 rank penalty.

Lynael let herself enjoy the calm weather and the breeze as she moved forward, though a part of her remained subtly aware of how the new bodysuit hugged her skin, at once making it more sensitive to the touch, but also dulling her sense of the circling winds around her. The settings on it had mostly been for cosmetic display, as far as she understood, but maybe there was a way to adjust its tactile feedback as well perhaps. Something to ask about if she ever saw BeastKnight or his operator again, she supposed. Without noticing she had done so, Lyntael unconsciously ran her hands across the contours of the suit as she walked; chest and sides, hips and thighs in turn, and let out a soft sigh in appreciation without really being aware of the the action.

It was only a short walk before the high bluff descended down into a tidal marshland closer to the edge of the shore again and Lyntael felt a quiet giggle urging to rise to her lips as she cautiously tested her steps in the growing mud and pushed forward through it. It was a fun feeling between her toes, and this time she wouldn't have to worry about her clothes getting indecent or needing to wash off in compromising ways. At least, she assumed the suit would clean easily if she slipped anywhere.

Partway through the tidal muds, sudden movement made Lyntael take a sudden skipping step backwards to avoid a dive-bombing virus. Wind curled about her form as she caught her balance in the slippery mud and the startled shock made her charge pulse in reaction. A warding shell of electrical energy radiated outward from her body, stabilising as it passed her strikers before it faded from sight and she looked up to locate the hostile creature.

A Fishy had just arced about after its initial rush, and more splashes in the mud to either side of her announced the arrival of more viruses alongside it; had they jumped from its back? As she backed off a step, hands raises and palms out for the moment, the bubbling of water just ahead, partially cutting off her path, showed one she knew as a substantially more dangerous species of virus, along with another shelled one. An ambush then? It seemed like it. She slid her feet in the mud, adopting a stance better for her balance and glanced about.

“I've no quarrel. Just moving through... that way...” She nodded ahead towards the rockier outcropping in the distance. “I'll only defend myself against any of you if you make me...” Given the ambush, and the seemingly thoughtless aggression that several of them looked to be showing, Lyntael was sure the words were probably a futile gesture, but she spoke them anyway and readied herself to avoid whichever of them decided to strike at her next.

As she shifted to avoid whichever hostilities came her way first, Lyntael could feel her own body more eager to respond to the threat than she really wished it would be; her charge thrummed to a warm glow beneath her skin rising to a crackling buzz within her, eager to expend itself in retribution to any virus unlucky enough to land proper contact on her, try as she might to avoid it.

Sparks rippled off her body as she held her position, weaving and evading in the slippery mud as best she could and vying to keep her balance at the same time. Twists of wind and curling breezes pushed back to help catch the moments when her feet slipped or her motions were less stable as she remained in the centre of the group of ambushers. Smaller bursts of sparks, then larger ones followed, and Lyntael could feel her charge rising and falling in a fluctuating beat alongside the rhythm of hear heart and breath; alert, but for once strangely calm amidst the sudden hostility. As a larger flood of electrical energy washed out from her in a wave of sparks, Lyntael caught her breath in the empty sensation then called out as her charge cycled back up again to answer the brief void.

“Any of you can leave, any time you want! You stop, I stop, and go on my way.” She steadied herself again, taking a deeper breath after the call and sparing a glance for the viruses that still surrounded her. Maybe some would give up, though she doubted it. She didn't truly know, one virus to the next, which of them even understood her words and which didn't. The best she could do was make the offer, and protect herself when it failed. Focus on staying safe for now.

Summary

L*) Turbulence (Auto-deflect on shot or lobbed attack)
L*) Gust (Knock Back effects are Double Strength, and attacks with them gain Wind type)
L*) First Armour: (20Hp Casing)
L1) My Heart Falters, and beats anew: (Buster Charge, 80Hp Elec Barrier) (Off-Target (1 Rank, 1 Round)), 3CD (Overcharge -3)
L2) Dodge (Watching other viruses and defending herself for the moment.)
L3) My Pain is Real, it lingers after: (Counter (On Hit): (10Elec Nova2, Knockback, Time Delay (Start of next turn): Counter (On Hit): (10Elec Nova2, Knockback))) (15Hp Sacrifice), 2CD (Overcharge +1 per Counter Triggered)
L4) My Faith Can Heal, with time for laughter: (Buster Charge, Feint, Movement, 10Elec Nova2, Knockback) (Self-Slow (1 Rank, 1 round)), 3CD (Overcharge -2)
L5) My Soul Scream, and yet I fight: (ShotBase(50)Elec Nova2, Knockback, Charge-Burner), 3CD (Overcharge +2)
L*) Fast Armour: 20Hp Casing Refresh
L6) A Loving Heart, and a second chance: (SupportBase(20) x4 Instances) (15Hp Sacrifice), 2CD (Overcharge -1 per instance effectively used)

Cooldowns and Overcharge

My Pain is Real; it lingers after (2TCD)
My Soul Scream, and yet I fight (3TCD)
My Faith Can Heal, with time for laughter (3TCD)
My Heart Falters, and beats anew (3TCD)
A Loving Heart, and a second chance (2TCD)

Overcharge: Begin: +0, My Heart Falters (-3), My Pain is Real (+1/+1 on trigger), My Faith Can Heal (-2), My Soul Screams (+2), A Loving Heart (-4), End: +0

As the crystal resolved, Lyntael took a pair of quick steps backwards and bit off a small note of surprise, before reaching out to convert the date for transfer back to Rogan. It was definitely far more than she'd seen in any previous data crystal they'd come across, and she counted it quickly as the green threads flowed to her fingertips and coiled around her arm.

“I hope that wasn't left there for someone deliberately...” She glanced around just in case, but the surrounding network remained as empty as it had been for the past few moments. A quiet chuckle from Rogan was enough to make her shrug and continue on.

“If it was some kind of dark world dead drop or payment, then they ought to have secured it more thoroughly. Don't worry, Lyntael, from what I can see the last update signature on the cache was several years ago. Just lost data.” His voice, seeming to emanate from just behind and above her shoulder as it usually did, made Lyntael glance back in that direction before casting her gaze up to the cloudy sky as she walked on.

“I can't imagine how someone could just 'lose' an amount like that... it's more than a hot chocolate and a snack...”
“Try not to worry about it, Lyntael. There are a lot of reasons that currency gets hidden or set aside where it's unlikely to be found, and just as many reasons why the hands intending to come back for it don't manage to... and to be honest, they aren't... all... nefarious or tragic. We may never know.” At Rogan's reassurance, Lyntael nodded and shrugged once, then turned her eyes to the path ahead, trying as best she could to press deeper into the territory where the viral upsurge was thought to be sourced.

((Ready for Battle 13))

Spots still wavered across her vision for a few moments more as Lyntael held her stance, watching the remaining viruses flee the scene of destruction. Her charge strained, throbbing beneath her skin and she felt herself sway to a moment of dizziness at the effort of holding it back. Once it was clear they were leaving, she closed her eyes again for a moment and tried to catch her breath as she focused on diffusing the force of her charge safely. A couple of big bursts was still all it took to push her into dangerous territory, even if she felt like she had more control. Around her, the warding energy field shimmered into visibility, crackling softly while small cascades of free sparks rolled off her in radiating fans.

After another moment she stood straight and drew a longer breath; the charge was still aggressively strong, but it as enough to press on with. Her muscles felt hot, with the beginnings of the familiar electrified burning, but the sensation was fading slowly as long as she continued to cool off. She moved to inspect what remained of the viral machine.

“Just broken code and data, Lyntael.” Rogan's voice reassured a worry she hadn't realised she felt, but he was right; the remnants were breaking apart further, but they were clearly mechanical and cybernetic, nothing more. There had been a moment, she realised, as she struck, when the thought of the twisted abomination of a navi had flashed through her mind, and the image of her brutal strike rending flesh and boiling blood had stung at her subconscious. She looked at the broken parts in front of her again.

“Y-yeah... I know.” A spark of flickering data caught her eye as her gaze traced over it, and Lyntael reached out one hand to pull it towards herself. It came as a thread, still coherent in function, and she let it wrap around her wrist and fingers before sending it away. How many of these pieces of chip data had Rogan managed to hawk, she wondered. With a last lingering look at the destroyed metavirus, Lyntael turned away to give the rest of the battlefield a cursory glance. Quick steps took her across to the purple data crystal, but she hesitated a few feet from it. She waited to give her body one more chance to shed sparks, then stepped up to it and reached out a hand. She'd never seen one of this colour before, but the data density was magnitudes higher than most of the others she'd encountered before, and it was strange to think that caches of this capacity were just forgotten and lost, left unprotected. Still careful of her cooling charge, Lyntael set about decrypting the data's outer seal.

((Open PMD))

The crash of the flaming option scorching the ground as Lyntael darted to the side was accompanied by a rolling wave of heat that she had to turn her face from. The searing heat was met a moment later by a sudden freezing splash of water that drenched her through her barrier, from the other side of her hiding place. Lyntael gasped, but for once the potentially embarrassing situation was averted by her new suit. Water ran down her body and sizzled in her hair as sparks cracked, but this time there were no traitorously thin fabrics to render transparent. Small fortunes. She spared a side glance for the lurking Bark, but grit her teeth without retaliating.

Electricity danced under her skin as her charge rose and pressed against her, yearning to release, but there were bigger threats, and if the soggy old fish wasn't going to listen to reason then perhaps it would obey its own survival instincts instead... it had to understand, the more she parked up, that harassing her further wasn't a good idea for it. A threatening pulse wave of sparks cascaded from her body as a warning as she gave the Bark a final glare, before she turned her focus to the RapidFire and took a breath before darting out form behind the pillar towards it.

Her steps were fast and light as she darted across the more open space, shifting with small sips and dodges over the damaged terrain and around other obstacles to close in on the meta-virus. Her eyes were focused on her main target, without regard to the other viruses for now – this one was a clear weapon, and with any luck, destroying it would send the other little ones running without any further violence... at least she hoped so.

As she drew closer, sudden movement made her veer a half step and spring up, her leading foot sweeping around in a shell of buffeting wind that battered away the incoming attack as her body spun and she landed again, still running. With a final crouched skid on the sandy ground as she moved into the meta's personal space, Lyntael braced low then thrust herself upwards again, leading with her left fist this time. Her charge roared and she let it flow through her, combining from her strikers into a spiralling, shearing twist of electrical force that sheathed her arm as she punched upwards and twisted her body with the momentum. There was a pressure of heat all around the virus but she tried to batter through it and land in amongst its limbs and circling options.

She didn't let herself pause, or give the virus any time to react to her presence, if she could help it; her charge thrummed at the momentary empty void and cycled back swiftly but Lyntael held it down as she moved with precision. Small, light steps darted around the massive virus as she sought to debilitate its various weapons; two quick kicks, on foot after the other, aimed at downing some of its orbiting bits, twisting around its back flank to aim two more rapid fist strikes at the back of its arm cannons, and a last thrusting palm strike at its central column as she circled back around to its front on the other side. With each strike, the insistent build of her charge demanded release, but she restrained it, letting each forceful pulse add itself to the ever growing glow of energy massing at each of her wrists and ankles.

After the fifth swift debilitating strike, the force was too much and Lyntael heard the soft growl of effort in her own throat as she took a half step back, bent one knee and launched herself up towards the virus' head – She had to hope there were important systems there, given how it looked. A flurry of wind rose around her as she leapt up, dropping her shoulder as she drew level with its head and twisting hard to bring her back leg over the top in a scything axe drop towards her target. Lightning screamed in her muscles as she felt her charge break her hold and pour outward, burning a course through all of her limbs until it found release in a flare of blinding energy bright enough to illuminate the network for miles around. There was a moment of sensory obliteration; just her body as conduit for the overwhelming flood of lightning, and all other sense and awareness burned away.

She felt herself land after a moment that felt like it lasted an hour, every fibre of her body burning with the aftermath of the torrent to electricity it had processed. Inside her, the void of emptiness yawned and howled for a few seconds, but as her heat beat again it was answered by a resounding static that hummed and rose afresh, flooding her body and suffusing her skin as she stood up again.

“I asked nicely before. Believe me, none of you want to be here any more!” The words came out as a ragged shout while her vision was still clearing from the sight-blinding flash, but Lyntael took her stance again and pushed the rising charge down as best she could. One day she would learn proper pacing... too much too fast again, but if she was lucky the show of force might save her any further effort.

Summary

L4) My faith Can Heal, with time for laughter: (Buster Charge, Feint, Movement, 10Elec Nova2, Wind-Type, Knockback, Self-Slow (1 Rank, 1 round), 3CD (Overcharge -2)
L5) My Anger Directed, 'gainst violent threat: (ShotBase(50)Elec, Wind-Type, Break, Impact, Slashing, Knockback, A), Buster Shot (30null, Disarm x 5 hits, A), Off-Target (1 Rank, 1 Round), 3CD (Overcharge +6)
L6) Full-Charge Buster Strike: (600Elec, Disarm, Melee, A) (Overcharge +8)

Cooldowns and Overcharge

My Faith can Heal, with time for laughter (3TCD)
My Heart Falters, yet beats anew (3TCD)
My Anger Directed, 'gainst violent threat (3TCD)
A Loving Heart, and a second chance (2TCD)

Overcharge: Begin: +0, My Faith Can Heal (-2), My Anger Directed (+6), Full Charge Strike (+8)End: +14

The further she ventured from established access points, the more chaotic and dilapidated the network seemed to get, but Lyntael pressed onward and kept her eyes towards the more incongruent patches of unexpected terrain scattered along the coastal path. A word of warning from Rogan came just barely ahead of her own ears picking up the sound of something violent taking place not far off, and as she glanced in the direction of the sound it was answered by the emergence of a large and exceptionally dangerous-looking viral entity. She felt like she recognised elements of others she'd seen before but some parts, at least, were wholly alien to her.

Her steps quickened, darting across the soft grass, but the larger leading virus had clearly seen her and its first reaction was a salvo of firepower; Lyntael skidded to a halt, falling into a ready stance without thinking as she glanced at the encircling addition of other viruses on each side. There was a little cover, but in the brief moment before she would need to react more decisively Lyntael looked around at each of the new arrivals, her heart rate climbing to an active pace as the beginnings of a swelling charge thrummed in her chest. Around her, the soft breeze drew in to a tighter spiral, forming a whirling buffet, and she was briefly put off by how dull it felt, with the tight new suit covering most of her skin. She banished the thought for now.

“Alright... I see you.” She raised her voice enough to carry; her focus had to remain on the larger virus – she'd already seen what it could do – but she spared quick side glances for the others. “I'd rather not fight. I don't intent to hurt any of you, if you don't try to hurt me first. If any of you are willing to leave in peace now, you can.” There was a small part of her that was pleased at how level and calm her voice sounded, in the face of the clearly dangerous and violent virus leading this pack. She didn't have much hope than any of them would listen, but trying still mattered... and if the big one was as destructive as it seemed, then a fight now would be to the safety of others in the future.

The thought took only a moment to pass through her mind, before the reaction from the lead virus made her throw herself quickly to the side, spinning to seek temporary cover from the sturdiest-looking pillar as instinct and reaction drew the humming shell of her barrier out across her body, humming with a yellow glow for a moment before fading from sight. The virus itself looked military, if she had to guess... but clearly not controlled. If she could shut it down swiftly, the others might abandon their own violence too, with any luck.

With her back to the pillar for a moment, Lyntael closed her eyes long enough to take a deep breath. Across her body she could feel the aches of her past exertions still, as some of the lingering aches and pains from the day's strains. Self-exploration and understanding aside, she was already tired and no amount of enlightenment magically made that go away. Her charge hummed and pulsed in her chest, beating as it rose to match her heart rate and Lyntael let the breath out. Focus. She squared her shoulders and prepared to dart out from her cover and strike back.

Summary

L*) Turbulence (Auto-deflect on shot or lobbed attack)
L*) Gust (Knock Back effects are Double Strength, and attacks with them gain Wind type)
L*) First Armour: 20Hp Casing (Lets see how this new suit holds up ^.^)
L1) My Heart Falters, yet beats anew: Buster Charge, 80Hp Elec Barrier, Off-Target (1 Rank, 1 Round), 3CD (Overcharge -3)
L2) Dodge (Take cover behind Metal pillar)
L3) A Loving Heart, and a second chance: SupportBase(20) x4 Instances, 15Hp Sacrifice, 2CD (Overcharge -1 per instance effectively used)
L*) Fast Armour: 20Hp Casing Refresh

-=Turn Splice at 3 Actions, 3 Actions Remaining=-


Cooldowns and Overcharge

My Heart Falters, yet beats anew (3TCD)
A Loving Heart, and a second chance (2TCD)

Overcharge: Begin: +0, My Heart falters (-3) , A Loving Heart (-4), End: +0

The soft laughter faded but the sense of joy, and relief, remained as Lyntael turned to face the way she had been hiking. It was only a moment before Rogan answered, but his question left her thoughtful. What did she mean to do now? Finding the words to describe it took consideration and she spoke slowly. Whatever else had happened in those broken moments, everything that mattered was here, now... and everything that she was, here and now, mattered. She could feel the last of her reservations dissolving as Rogan relayed directions to her and she started off again towards the apparent source of the viral overpopulation. Compared to everything else, taking care of this duty ought to be easy.

((Ready for Battle 12))

It was only a few minutes before another courier arrived, glancing around near the cafe's front before Rogan caught his eye and raised a hand. The interaction only took a moment and the updates and adjustments only a scant few moment more; he had become adept at the process by now, though he had to admit it was only a small achievement considering how normal the practice was for the majority of people. By the time he was finished, however, Lyntael appeared to have made her way past her most recent encounter and was taking a break at the edge of the cliff she was hiking along. For a moment, Rogan moved to speak up, but something made him pause.

She had her eyes closed, but a serious, focused expression creased her features and he could see small flashes of light darting across her skin every now and then. A glance at her metrics showed nothing strange or unusual, save for a distinct fuzziness and confusion of the graph that usually represented her emotional state; it was only ever an approximation at the best of times, translated from her other bio-metric data, but now it was nearly incomprehensible.

It was a few moments more before the girl lifted her head and seemed to relax, but as she stood, Rogan could see tears streaming down her cheeks. He opened his mouth but she spoke first, softly, but with a smile that stilled the worried question on his tongue. Then her smile became a laugh, and a giggle, and Rogan felt something in him relax that felt like it had been tense for... a very long time. He nodded, looking for the right response, and settled for the simplest one.

“Well then, Lyntael... What do you want to do?”
“I don't know... I know what was wrong still, I understand... and I... I'm alright. I'm good. Better. I think... I think I feel like... I'm everything I want to be.” He watched her pause, turning to look out at the sea, then the sky, then away towards the direction they had been heading.

“I think I'm ready to actually find and take care of this viral threat now. I want to see this through, now that I'm here.” As the girl looked forward, Rogan took a sip from his lemonade and consulted the details Eurayle had given them. It was still a fair amount of network distance, for a navigator travelling off established transitways at least, but it wasn't as though they hadn't set this time aside specifically for the work; they could keep going at least until later in the afternoon. He relayed fresh directions and watched his navi press onward.

Lyntael watched the group begin to move away, a thoughtful expression working its way across her features. Her stance relaxed again and she shifted to stand straight while the motion led to her hands unconsciously sliding over her hips in a far more emphatic way than was really necessary.

Barely aware of the way she let her hips sway slightly with the pressure, Lyntael frowned, then shook her head and turned to move on as well, continuing in the direction she had been heading before. Rogan's comments about the way the weather behaved around her continued to linger in the back of her thoughts, and jumped forward again now as she strolled along the top of the cliffs, glancing out towards the sea every so often.

Clouds drifted by overhead in grey clumps, moving quickly in response to the quicker winds, higher up, but... for a moment Lyntael closed her eyes again, reaching her senses outwards... but no sign of actual storms or rain. These nets weren't as well maintained as the surface level public networks, pushed down and largely forgotten underneath the newest and safest public net layer – here the beach wasn't always sunny and bright, or the weather fair... but she had to admit that the Rogue beach had a certain... natural wildness to it that felt nice, in its way.

But no storms, not really. At least, certainly not ones that blew up in seconds and faded away again just as quickly after. It couldn't really be something she was doing herself, though, could it? Surely it had to be some interaction with the dilapidated weather subsystems of the Rogue beach net, just being triggered by...

Lyntael paused again, taking a long breath and stilling her mind so she could look more closely at what she was thinking, and why. She knew, if she was honest; some part of her did at least... She knew Rogan was right, and more intrinsically than that, even... Why was her unconscious reaction to deny it, or explain how it might not be her? When had it started? The memory surfaced in response at once and understanding came with it.

The first time, the real first time, had been back in the dark, in the place where broken things fell – the description came forward in her mind unbidden, but it felt right – a place of broken and scattered things, lost in the unformed mass of all that remained closest to the void. The rules were loose, down there; what was real and what wasn't was... fluid. She'd found herself and reclaimed the broken parts of both of her, and then they'd forged something impossible together, from the ruins.

Lyntael let her footsteps drift to a halt, then sat down at the edge of the cliff, letting her feet kick free as she stared out at the turbulent sea. Her mind replayed the conflict; two sets of vision seeing all they didn't have; two broken hearts, screaming their pain at one another, and in the unformed space around them, the storm of their fractured souls crying and blazing bright. A feeling held close, remembered and brought back.

Maybe that was why she had been pretending not to notice? If she'd brought something back from the dark, something that wasn't part of her... was that what her subconscious was worried about? Perhaps. She remembered every sensation that had strained both of her selves in those desperate moments, and the two halves made a complete picture, nothing more. Nothing outside herself. A moment of dissonance in her thoughts made her eyebrows draw down; was there nothing outside that didn't belong? No sense unaccounted? Something else that didn't fit, didn't belong.

She wasn't sure where the questioning thought had come from, but let herself dive into the memories more keenly for a moment anyway. She lay back, eyes closed and spread her arms out on the grass, relaxed even as she let the emotions of the memories roll over her. She had felt such different things, and in some of those moments, the pain had become fear and the desperation not to disappear, and it had become fury and a desire to take what was hers, no matter who she had to take it from... but... in the end each feeling, each attack and shouted demand, and each soothing touch, was something she understood from both sides now, and... As she listened to the crash of the waves far below, and felt the curling breeze flow past her, Lyntael's eyes opened staring up at the sky. No... There was something else.

She let her eyes close again, her head dropping to her chest as she focused inward. Just a feeling, not quite a voice but a sense; a desperate empathy and a consoling presence, there in brief moments between them, lost almost entirely in the building static of their resonance, but always a sense of care that was the other reaching out, no matter which side of the memory she recalled. What was it? A fleeting ephemera perhaps – an echo of self born at the clashing of their souls; something that only wanted togetherness. As she explored her feelings, Lyntael felt sure that some of the thoughts weren't entirely hers, or at least that they came from some part unconscious to her... Something that shouldn't have been, something that didn't belong. She stopped and cornered the thought in her mind, wrapped it up carefully and held it close. No. She knew that feeling; she had only ever felt that way about herself, not others. Not a thing that shouldn't have been; someone who cared. A flash of feeling given form – maybe the truest part of her; the voice that, at the most desperate point of everything still wanted, more than anything, to reconcile and to heal. Something welcome, cherished and not forgotten. Nothing that didn't belong.

Lyntael felt something relax in her chest; her eyes well and spill over with soft tears, but her smile remained as she lifted her head, opened her eyes and stood, taking a fresh breath as she did.

“Rogan...” Her small smile became a grin than couldn't be contained and broke into laughter that was snatched up and carried by the wind as she turned her face to the sky. “I know who I am.”