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[SeriousConcentrate]

“Howdy! SnowMan, are you doing well? I hope you're having a spooooooky month!

I can guess what brought you, and it's not just trick or treat (Right?). The dish. It's spinning round and round and not getting enough sunlight-the viruses are gonna get grumpy. But hey, I think I know the problem...”"

She points out, unnecessarily, the issue at hand-while offering him a bucket of cyber candy with the other.

"Too warm up here for my cold blood, Goto, but still good to see you." He ignored the holiday comments; most AI developed their own quirks after awhile - or had them programmed in, like he did - and he wasn't one to judge. "Yeah, I'm here on problem resolution, like usual." He looked over in the direction she pointed...

In the distance, SnowMan spots a 20 ft tall Mettaur (with a pirate hat and an anchor rather than a helmet and pick) slowly lumbering over the nearby sandbars-singing an incomprehensible virus shanty-it’s bouncing up and down to its own manic rhythm, seemingly enjoying itself.

"Mettool, mett metta metool...mettool mettoo metool tool toola...mettool metta, metta, metta mettool!" (Sung to the tune of Spanish Ladies)

Well. Each of its dance steps sends a minor shudder through the entire server. The Mega Mettaurs very size is simply drawing too much resources and sending errors flying through the panels OS-he doesn't seem to be actually attacking, however. He'd probably do a lot more damage if he was...

As a general rule Mettaurs are a lot like digital termites-they look for weaknesses in digital architecture and undermine them, which makes a system more vulnerable to infestations of more powerful viruses...


“The big fella is throwing off the balance equations for the dish! The more be bounces around, the harder it is to control the skew...I've never seen one so big, myself. Maybe it's just that time of year? Brisk autumn winds, the crunch of leaves underfoot...but how would he know that? The odd part is he's not really attacking...on purpose...”
 
What do you do?

...and added "I can see why the problem is still here." Snowman racked a round into his rifle. "I'm going to see if I can drive him back into the web - think he's a little too big to be iced. And Kauko'd probably have my hide if I just deleted a rare virus like this. At least if he's out there, I can catch him again. Do you know where the nearest port out is, Goto?"

[Dwarmin]

Goto pulls up a floating holographic of the area mapping out various ingress and egress routes.

“The closest thing aside from where you came in leads to the Mr. Weather Survey Comp in Internet Area 132. They seem to have activated some old embeds to collect data on the efficiency of our collector.

That's not too far from here, but it is pretty remote...it leads all the way to the Skywave! I've always wanted to go up there since WindKnight mentioned it.

We're running at 71.891% solar efficiency, by the way! Or we were till the Big Fella showed up. I guess we can always do better, right?"

When it comes to wireless signals, they are generally divided into three areas ordered by their distance from the Earth-the Groundwave, the Skywave, and the Astrowave. All Navi know the high level net areas are very dangerous-much like the deeps of the undernet, they seem to go on forever-and those that go too far never return. Some are areas of beautiful desolation overlooking the Earth, with nothing but rare viruses to keep you company, while others are rumored to be harshly protected by various criminal, government, or corporate entities (so some combination of the three) like their own fiefdoms.

Right now its still being developed, or perhaps rebuilt, day by day-but perhaps, one day it will link the entire world together-like the world was said to be linked before the most recent Carbon Age Collapse. All that is left now is a ring of old, malfunctioning satellites in decaying orbits-bearing the faded, painted flags of countries that no longer exist on any map. Even some of the continents themselves are gone, buried beneath the sea.

The sarcastic voice of SplashWoman, an old Data Ghost, echoes in Snowmans mind.


[Yeah-it didn't help them then, Snow-so why would it change anything now?]


...

There was a time when she and he would be working together on tasks much like what he is doing now. But, times change...and now the mission is up to him.

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Driving him into the Skywave seems like a good idea. With a little luck he'll find some other place to stomp around in. Or at least get lost." Snowman took a deep breath through his nose. An operation like this was really a two-NAVI job - one to 'guide' and one to 'encourage'. He would just have to do both and find a way to loop around the giant Mettool to get home, then throw up a Firewall. He checked his chips to see what Lumi had outfitted him with before crashing: Attack+1, Airshot, Barrier, and IceSlasher. A decent assortment, and with his rifle set for single shot instead of full auto he could do this.

"Keep cool and keep your head down, Goto. I'll take care of this before you know it." The NAVI headed out and found a nice rise of sand he could see both the egress to the Skywave and the giant Mettool from. Taking a knee, he scoped down his rifle and aimed for the back of the virus's helmet - he wasn't out to kill it (probably couldn't alone, not with as much protection as it had on it), but he did need to get its' attention, and it was an easy target. He fired off a few rounds, racking each new bullet with a blazing speed that came from a decade of experience of fighting viruses.

"Come on, you overgrown lump! You don't come get me, I'll put you on ice!"

[Chevaleresse]

Score, having noted SnowMan's move to the solar panel, elected to go to something more suited to her current skillset.

"Acknowledged. I'll be clearing threats in the Cross Theater Square. Ping for backup if needed." She performed a regular once-over of her system before departing, attempting to ensure that she wasn't missing any new instabilities in Kauko's absence.

[Dwarmin]

"Driving him into the Skywave seems like a good idea. With a little luck he'll find some other place to stomp around in. Or at least get lost." Snowman took a deep breath through his nose. An operation like this was really a two-NAVI job - one to 'guide' and one to 'encourage'. He would just have to do both and find a way to loop around the giant Mettool to get home, then throw up a Firewall. He checked his chips to see what Lumi had outfitted him with before crashing: Attack+1, Airshot, Barrier, and IceSlasher. A decent assortment, and with his rifle set for single shot instead of full auto he could do this.

"Keep cool and keep your head down, Goto. I'll take care of this before you know it." The NAVI headed out and found a nice rise of sand he could see both the egress to the Skywave and the giant Mettool from. Taking a knee, he scoped down his rifle and aimed for the back of the virus's helmet - he wasn't out to kill it (probably couldn't alone, not with as much protection as it had on it), but he did need to get its' attention, and it was an easy target. He fired off a few rounds, racking each new bullet with a blazing speed that came from a decade of experience of fighting viruses.

"Come on, you overgrown lump! You don't come get me, I'll put you on ice!"

*plink plink plink*

Mettaur helmets are universally nearly indestructible, and the big one is no different-Snowmans rounds plink off the construction-yellow pirate hat with no apparent effect. The monstrous virus turns around slowly, scans the area, and finally spots Snowman.

"Mettoooooooo!"

The ground begins to shake as the Mega Mettaur raises is its anchor-pick and begins to lumber after him angrily!

NetRace begin!

Spoiler: Quick Rules (click to show/hide)

((Note: This is a foot race, but otherwise the rules are the same!))

How to Race
A race is comprised of a series of legs (different parts of the race track). Races have 3 to 6 legs. Each leg has a difficulty (Easy/Normal/Hard). When racers roll to overcome a leg, they use the leg’s difficulty.

Your vehicle uses your stats & skills, and anything that affects it affects you too. Each racer also tracks their Velocity, which measures their relative position to other racers. Velocity starts at 3. Velocity cannot go below 0. Each leg, all racers try to take the lead by picking a skill and rolling at the same time.

Use any skill you can narratively justify: Speed to drift a tight corner, Bravery to do a risky stunt, Coding to overclock your car, etc. You can only use each skill to overcome a leg once
per race. Racers add the number of hits rolled to their Velocity. Each leg before rolling, racers can spend 1 Velocity to interfere with the race by using a roll, power, or
chip. Navi Powers can only be used once per race. When damaged, racers can reduce either HP or Velocity. Chips/powers that move you a range band give +/-2 Velocity, and cannot move 2 range bands.

Stats
Race Goal: Snowman must reach the end of Leg three before the Mega Mettaur overtakes him!

1st place/Snowman: 3 Velocity
Skills Used: None
Chips/Powers Used: None

2nd place/Megataur: 3 Velocity

Leg One (Easy)
Snowmans first obstacle is stand of digi-trees over a low, sandy area-they're clumped together enough that the Megataur shouldn't be able to squeeze through easily-but he should be able to. Hopefully the rough terrain should allow him to make some distance! How does he get through?

Score, having noted SnowMan's move to the solar panel, elected to go to something more suited to her current skillset.

"Acknowledged. I'll be clearing threats in the Cross Theater Square. Ping for backup if needed." She performed a regular once-over of her system before departing, attempting to ensure that she wasn't missing any new instabilities in Kauko's absence.

Score performs a routine diagnostic and finds nothing amiss, unless you count a number of new 'patch notes' which are awaiting download-mostly Kaukos recent adjustments to the PET. Also a security notification that you might have a new teammate soon-ZombieMan.EXE? Kauko has mentioned that Navi before...

...At best you'd end up like ZombieMan...He's sort of creepy...

...

The actual make up of the Cross-Theater Square changes as it is redesigned for promoting various cross-films. This weeks cinematic release is “The Corrupted Core”, featuring veteran Navi actors and actresses, along with their human operators as they face the horrors of the ‘Corrupted Core’…thus, the entire square is depressingly designed to resemble a 'post-apocalyptic' server, blasted to kingdom come by data bombs and populated by robot-zombies and ghost like viruses.

Score hears a chirpy voice in the distance...and sees the crowd of Navi long before she sees what they are gathered around...it's a short, brightly colored (like a box of cereal, the sort with way too much sugar) Navi with a bunch of little bells all over him. What sort of combat capability do these offer?

“It is the year 23XX. The world has been devastated by laser war! Humanity lives only in sheltered energy domes-at the behest of their nightmarish Maverick overlords who control their oxygen-the ‘Corrupted Cores’-who enjoy lives of digital leisure and command absolute control. Today, they will choose four more humans and captured Navi rebels to take the ultimate test…24 hours! Survive their hunters-both digital and real-and become rich and powerful. Fail, and be deleted…this summer…they must learn to fight together, if they’ve any chance to survive…are we all prepared to enter, the CORRUPTED CORE?”

Advertising in this place, really isn’t what she is worried about. What she is worried about is that ClownMan has actually shown up. In person. The FAMOUS Navi actor! (or so the file tells you) He’s promoting his movie! And he seems to be enjoying himself-he's really into it, and the crowd is feeding off his energy.



Score may briefly wonder if ClownMan has been miscast-his cheerful nature seems completely at odds with a supposedly scary movie, and his dramatic speech is somewhat ruined by the tinkly bells on his shoes. Still, there is a problem-the sheer amount of Navi tourists attempting to visit the server has jumped a hundred fold, and they’re going to overwhelm the system in short order unless she manages to get them to leave. The crowd itself is made up of Navi of all sorts of designs, from all over the world, snapping pictures and eating snacks. And more are showing up every moment...not a single one is paying any attention to Score.

Time for some crowd control?

[Chevaleresse]

Score looked over the crowd with a sort of dull annoyance. Movies were all well and good, but did they have to do this here? She perused her options for a moment. Shouting over the crowd wasn't likely to work, and putting a barrier up over the entrance would only delay the problem.

Time to make a scene, then.

The NetNavi pushed her way forward a bit, trying to get as central as she could, before abruptly whipping out her oversized sword and planting it in the ground. She then attempted to conjure a big, red, alarming-looking warning to get everyone's attention.

"This server is becoming unstable due to traffic. Please vacate the area until such a time as a login queue can be established."

[rustytengo]

Hearing a very district message alert, one that she reserved for a certain somebody Circe slowly roles over on her bed to read it.

[Hey...I know we've had our differences. That's not a great way to start off these sorts of things, is it? Well, I've seen you sniffing around...wait, let me start again.

I want to bring you on board. For the thing I can't talk about, but I know you're interested. We'll meet up later. As a show of trust, I'm giving you some system keys, if you want them-it'll let you link your homepage with mine. Maybe we can trade some spring cleaning? It'll be good for getting you know the rest of the team...see you soon, Circe.]

...

Narrowing her eyes at it she considered ignoring it but seeing the system keys she smiled and looked over her schedule. She wasn't required to be anywhere any time soon so she might as well check it out after all having access to his systems could prove useful. "Wakey wakey Zombieman dear. We have some old friends to visit." Circe said as within her PET a hulking form began moving to the new access points that appeared "Yes...old...friends." it says as it enter the point.  Zombieman.EXE enter into the Living Room Net-Router

[SeriousConcentrate]

Snowman was fast as hell - it was by far his best physical attribute, and being able to outrun anything while still taking potshots back at it had long served him well as a tactic. So, to put it simply, he just booked it as fast as his Speed would allow, parkouring over, under, and around the trees in his path.

[Dwarmin]

Score looked over the crowd with a sort of dull annoyance. Movies were all well and good, but did they have to do this here? She perused her options for a moment. Shouting over the crowd wasn't likely to work, and putting a barrier up over the entrance would only delay the problem.

Time to make a scene, then.

The NetNavi pushed her way forward a bit, trying to get as central as she could, before abruptly whipping out her oversized sword and planting it in the ground. She then attempted to conjure a big, red, alarming-looking warning to get everyone's attention.

"This server is becoming unstable due to traffic. Please vacate the area until such a time as a login queue can be established."

"....Booooooo!"

The rowdy Navi don't stoop to throwing things yet, but most of them seem not so inclined to leave either. Most of them instead bring out their analogues of cellphones and begin recording Scores image.

ClownMan bounces over to Score, eager to be wherever the center of attention happens to be at.


“...Hey hey hey! No need to shut down the party! Not until the thing, you know? The thing? ...You read the patch notes, right? Are you in character yet?”

Oh dear...

Snowman was fast as hell - it was by far his best physical attribute, and being able to outrun anything while still taking potshots back at it had long served him well as a tactic. So, to put it simply, he just booked it as fast as his Speed would allow, parkouring over, under, and around the trees in his path.

SnowMan Speed Test vs Speed 4/Easy Difficulty:
(2, 6, 1, 1) = 1 hit!
+1 Momentum! (Now 4)

Mettaur Strength Test vs Strength 4/Easy Difficulty:
(2, 6, 1, 5) = 2 hits!
+2 Momentum! (Now 5)

Stats
Race Goal: Snowman must reach the end of Leg three before the Mega Mettaur overtakes him!

1st place/Snowman: 4 Velocity
Skills Used: Speed
Chips/Powers Used: None

2nd place/Megataur: 5 Velocity

...

While Snowman squeezes, hops, and bounces around the trees, the Mettaur simply plows through them with a massive swing of his anchor, sending trees flying!

The Mettaur catches up, and with a jaunty hop, smacks the ground-a shockwave splits the ground and heads straight toward him! -1 Momentum!

Leg Two (Average)
Snowman is faced with a relative flat, low lying area-small stable islands and knee high water are in his way! A huge shockwave is heading right toward him!

METOOOO!

Narrowing her eyes at it she considered ignoring it but seeing the system keys she smiled and looked over her schedule. She wasn't required to be anywhere any time soon so she might as well check it out after all having access to his systems could prove useful. "Wakey wakey Zombieman dear. We have some old friends to visit." Circe said as within her PET a hulking form began moving to the new access points that appeared "Yes...old...friends." it says as it enter the point.  Zombieman.EXE enter into the Living Room Net-Router

ZombieMan takes a few wrong turns before he finds the living-room Net-Router (many of the routes read ACCESS DENIED, though Circe suspects she could get through them if she wanted) which represents the front of the house. She's just never entered from this side before...

...

The Net-router acts a high volume data buffer-slowing the amount of programs who can enter the server, lest the house systems be overwhelmed. As a place it's quite beautiful on the inside-the area no visitors are allowed-with smooth holographic walkways, carefully tended digiplants, and calmly flowing waters. In the center is the holographic memorial to Splashwoman, her three pointed trident defiantly thrust into the air. The area in front of it acts as a general meeting zone and ‘airlock’, and it all ways resembles a series of booths at a border crossing-each one is manned by a hard working Mr. Prog who can take a small fee for allowing entrance. Kauko comes to see most of the people he does business with here, and traveling Navi occasionally use the area to rest and restock supplies on long journeys.

All weapons and combat chips are prohibited in the hub-using them can get you ‘banned’ (read: deleted) from the server, pronto, and it's one of the servers most potent defenses to quickly remove intruders.

The exact outside of the hub is a different story, however-after Kauko built this area, the space he left unused was quickly populated by all sorts of minor netmerchants, navi entertainers, and various unscrupulous hawkers who huddled under the safety provided by the proximity of the Lehtonen Household-the security system is still active here, and blasts any trouble makers without delay. Kauko makes no attempt to drive them off unless they bother customers or interfere with business.

...

It seems your problem is close…a frantic Navi is hopping and down and trying to get your attention, a bit outside the gated area-she's manning the counter of an online shop named 'Spins Sweet & Hot & Delicious'. She resembles a humanoid figure, with all the accoutrements-but you don't think she is one of Kaukos 'projects'.


“...Hey, you! I don't recognize you, but you're reading the right codes so...come on over and help. We've got a lot of customers to handle today!”

By customers she apparently means Mr. Progs. There’s more here than you’ve ever seen in one place-hundreds, easily! All of them are shuffling toward the Navis stall in a more or less orderly procession, like a pack of well behaved tourists. Each of them carries a delivery order to be filled...the sheer number of them seems to have been the cause of the alarm.

“…Right, so I’m judging by the blank look on your face, you need some help? I'm overloaded with business-I may have taken a few too many online orders...and we're gonna need to get those little coins from them. I trust you know how to bake digipizza?”

Um...

[Chevaleresse]

"I am not 'in character,' no." Confused, she browsed through her own filesystem to see if there were any mentions of the square or this particular Navi. "I am attempting to prevent a server crash. This crowd cannot be sustained by the present infrastructure; it could give way at any moment."

After checking the notes, Score attempts to hypothesize how she might physically brace up the server with her hardlight.

[rustytengo]

Zombieman tilted his head at the person addressing him. "Pizza...not...mis" before he could finish Circe chimed in from the outside "Help them out Zombieman. It should be within your programming and besides if we do it we can mark it down as a favor he owes us." Nodding at the order Zombieman nods to the girl addressing him "Yes...help...pizza...time." he says cracking what could be a smile as he moves over to start assisting as was requested of him.

[SeriousConcentrate]

Risky... but maybe I could use this...

Snowman activates his Barrier and lets the Shockwave hit him, hoping to use the attack as a damage-boost and gain some ground!