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Post by Nightshade on Jul 22, 2017 8:18:35 GMT -8
It had been a month since Nightshade's last meeting with Thrash. Work was submerging the feline navi so much he hardly had any time to dedicate to his Daemon training. He had surprised his teacher with a new form last time, able to hybridize his systems to the point of being able to move around in a Dark Matter body of his own. The more he learned from her, the more he felt his powers rise. Shane himself was a little worried about Nightshade 's slow evolution in what could be effecfively called a Half Daemon. He had to admit that Thrash was a nice teacher though. Nightshade effectiveness in virus busting had increased by 1800%
The man had visited the Garadi mansion again. He had promised Minerva he would have allower her to try his 6 shooter and he was a man of his word. As such, he had invited Minerva to the ONB Shooting Range. Nightshade wanted to spend his free time with his "big sister" as he called it and Shane had taken this opportunity to honor his promise.
A small Ping popped in Thrash's Pet. Nightshade was asking permission to connect.
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Post by Tiefy on Jul 23, 2017 5:35:57 GMT -8
As it would happen, Shane is unlucky enough to have been delayed right at the gate. As in, the front gates of the Vineyard compound have locked themselves electronically, barring his access to the premises unless he feels like climbing up a 15-foot stone wall - and that method of entry probably has considerable security in the way as well. Attempts to bypass the lock or use the call function have been equally unsuccessful... and the reasons for all of this trouble become quite evident as the conversation between his Navi and the system administrator begins to flare up...
<We have been over this already, and I see no reason to allow debate on the matter. Your irresponsible punk of an Operator will not be entering the premises, and neither will his weapon. And my forbiddance of this little 'field trip' of his stands, as well.>
...Well, this day is off to a fun start already.
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Post by Nightshade on Jul 23, 2017 6:11:29 GMT -8
Nightshade gave out a long sigh and sat down on the floor, looking up at the towering Daemon before him. "Come on, sis. A promise is a promise. you know how stubborn he is. Besides he is not asking to come in, he invited both Lady Nina and Lady Minerva to the ONB shooting range. There are top tier weapon instructors specialists surveying the whole thing, I would say it could be helpful in case something might happen!"
The feline navi paused for a second, gathering his thoughts and curling his tail around him. "Besides, you will be able to look at everything not simply while in the PeT, but thanks to the Dimensional Area technology that's come out a while ago we'll be literally standing in the same room!"
The cat navi hopped up at the Daemon in a hug "Please, big sis do it for me, I promise everything will be alright!" He pleaded.
Shane took that moment to chime in. "I would also like to have two quick words with you about something rather important. I thought there would be no better opportunity than doing it face to face, literally."
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Post by Tiefy on Jul 23, 2017 6:29:32 GMT -8
<No.>
Thrash has become accustomed to her student's clinginess by now, her ability to remain aloof and indifferent a testament to the Daemon's patience. Still stubborn as a mule, however.
<There is no point to continuing with this nonsense; Minerva is not of legal age to operate a firearm in this country, and there is no situation that I can imagine that would be improved by her possession of such a thing, or by possessing the skills to operate one. Given your master's severely-lacking discipline when it comes to waving HIS around, I have strong doubts about the ONB's training regimen as well. You are welcome here as always, but HE will depart before I dispatch security and have him removed for trespassing and solicitation.>
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Post by Nightshade on Jul 23, 2017 6:40:50 GMT -8
"But Thrash, he-"
"It's fine Nighty. I'll come back another time. You go have fun. Just know one thing Thrash. People make mistakes. But anyone deserves a second chance."
Nightshade seemed slightly sad to see his NetOp turn around and walk away. He looked up at the Daemon again. "He was trying to excuse himself, sis. Did you really had to? He is not a bad person... it just takes times for him to adjust..."
Nightshade would stare at Thrash's old mask, before slowly gaze at each one of her main cores before he was back to the creature's "face" again. "...I am sure you both will warm up to eachoter eventually."
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Post by Tiefy on Jul 23, 2017 7:23:04 GMT -8
<I have already lost a master between an ONB stooge and a gun. I will not have it happen again. Besides, if my Operators have need of a weapon, they have one at their fingertips.>
...Is it even possible for a gelatinous blob to display pride? There's definitely something to the way that Thrash holds itself high as it speaks the second half of that sentence. The first half, not so much... then again, that explains a fair deal of the Daemon's dislike for Shane, and probably the ONB in general to boot.
<The ONB was full of buffoons like him in my day, as well. Young and brash, too eager to brandish their authority and make names for themselves as 'heroes'. I'm sure your little database will be more than happy to tell you just how many of those dreams my claws have shattered. They seemed to amuse my first master, however... he particularly enjoyed seeing how quickly they would drop the 'hero' routine with the offer of a bigger paycheck. You'd be surprised how many would-be 'Net Saviors' started to see things our way after a little convincing...>
And now the Daemon's cores are glowing more dimly than usual, as Thrash loses itself in nostalgia...
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Post by Nightshade on Jul 23, 2017 7:42:20 GMT -8
"...Yet here you are, teaching an ONB buffoon how to do stuff." Nightshade chimed in after a moment of silence. "And this bufoon really really likes your company. Tell me the truth, sis, as much as you like life now you'd wish to go back to your glory days, right? The days you were known as a fierce presence on the battlefield and not a booze producing machine."
He wouldn't her let her go, though. Nightshade was pretty content where he was. He couldn't tell if it was the core within him giving him that felling of safety while near Thrash or was him himself liking her company that much. "Maybe that's why you train with me. To relive those old days..."
His look turned serious now. A serious Thrash had never seen him display. "...why don't you...help me more than simple training. You have power, experience. I...I would really, uhm..." The cat navi began stuttering in his usual shyness. He kinda knew what he was going to asked was alomst impossible, but deep down he wished for it to happen. "...I would really like if you could...join the ONB too...and...well...help me. We lack a Criminal Ops specialist and well...I feel like you would be..." He would stop midway, forseeing a sound no from his friend.
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Post by Tiefy on Jul 23, 2017 8:58:27 GMT -8
<... ... ...>
... ... ...
<...Nyehehee... BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!>
And so it begins. The Daemon's body seems to lose its composure entirely as its surface rolls and boils, the light of its cores pulsing violently and rapidly. All while Thrash's howling laughter echoes through the area, with no sign of stopping. Despite any of Nightshade's own attempts to intervene or interrupt, Thrash does not stop laughing. Not until a system notification breaks the mood.
*DING!*
<-heheehee... excuse me for a momen->
In what is neither being excused nor long enough to be a moment, a camera feed window opens behind Thrash - the view appears to be from a PET's onboard camera, showing a familiar office. Whoever is holding the PET now is moving, towards the front door...
[Shut everything down, start the IncuBus. Your pet Official hasn't shown up yet, so we're gonna go track him down.] [Oww! Let go of my arm! What's the big deal, it's just that stupid cop wanting to show off his gun again!] [He's the one who sent the invitation, and I'll be damned if I'm not gonna hold him to his word if he decides he wants to be tardy. Besides, I'm not gonna say no to a firing range session. I even got Orthos cleaned out for the occasion...]
Through the feed, Nightshade can hear the distinct sound of a shotgun being cocked.
[Now hurry up, the car's not going to start itself!]
*byooop!*
And the two Navis are left in silence once again. Thrash has set a thick-fingered hand across the eyeholes of its mask.
<...NOW look what you've done.>
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Post by Nightshade on Jul 23, 2017 9:15:24 GMT -8
Nightshade shyed away and looked down on the digital floor as Thrash laughed. He would shuffle his feet claw as well as he waited for her to calm down. He would be mentally kicking himself for asking,the small portion of his face showing beneath mask and helmet a vibrant red. He would shrink further away from Thrash when he heard her Ops' chit chat.
"S-sorry Thrash..."
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Post by Tiefy on Jul 25, 2017 1:18:26 GMT -8
Oddly enough, Thrash doesn't seem to be terribly upset, still chuckling lightly... that's about the only cue Nightshade can really pick up on. Amorphous monsters with motionless steel masks for a face aren't terribly emotive.
<No, no, this is what you wanted. A fun day out on the shooting ranges, a chance for your Operator to redeem himself and get to know the little clan that I am tasked with watching over. You should be thrilled, and therefore waive any right to complain or voice disapproval of whatever happens next.>
As Shane strolls away from the outer wall of the Argent Ivy compound, a faint rumbling noise draws his attention towards what appears to be a very large, rectangular segment of the grass off to the side of the road lifting off of the ground by one edge. A hidden mechanical hatch in the ground, comprised of two feet of metal and concrete topped with a layer of soil and sod, pushed up by a set of powerful steel pistons underneath to reveal some kind of wide, paved tunnel... a hidden parkade driveway?
*BWOOOOOOOOONK!!!*
A loud, trumpeting roar emits from the depths of the pit, giving Shane a few moments notice before a blinding stream of radiance issues forth from the darkness. One might at first assume that these are headlights from an approaching vehicle, before quickly dismissing the notion - these are far too violently bright to be mere headlamps on a civilian car. And then, the loud purr of a heavy, unsilenced engine, the screeching of rubber against pavement...
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Post by Nightshade on Jul 25, 2017 1:31:19 GMT -8
"...f*ck" he cursed diving to the side of the road as the thing moved forward to avoid getting killed.
Nightshade tilted his head at his sister. He wasn't sure if she was angry or amused. Maybe both. He let out a ping on Nina's PeT to get her attention.
"Um...excuse me...Lady Nina..." he shyly called out for her. "My NetOp had problems at work, so that is why he couldn't make it in time."
Making sure Shane heard his words as well as well as the implied message: "Don't tell them what happened with Thrash"
"We...uhm...we are so sorry for the wait." He made a small bow at her, the whole scene looking cuter than he expected. And that isn't always a good thing.
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Post by Tiefy on Jul 25, 2017 3:49:27 GMT -8
The monstrosity that blasts forth from the tunnel onto the streets ahead is like nothing Nightshade has ever seen in his life. It's as if somebody turned the Batmobile into a crazy gothic dragster-limousine, slapped on an extra set of wheels and gold-plated every inch of unpainted metal, set skull motifs into the hubcaps, turned the entire rear portion into a gigantic chrome-purple demon skull with perforated exhaust pipes for horns, and then topped the horrific metal beast off with what appear to be rocket thrusters at the back of its fifteen-meter length. Whatever the hell this thing is, there is no way that it would be street-legal in Electopia, or even in parts of Netopia. This titanic abomination that barely classifies as a vehicle screeches to a halt not nearly far enough away from Shane, its engine still growling like a starved animal as the driver's-side window rolls down...
"Oy! You're late!"
...Given what Shane has already experienced in dealing with this woman and her terrifying Navi, this is frankly par for the course.
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Post by Nightshade on Jul 25, 2017 4:02:32 GMT -8
Shane rose from the ground and dusted off his leather jacket. "Sorry, Miss Garadi. I hade a few troublemakers to take care of. May I?" He asked permission to get inside the rater...strange...car.
Nighthshade gave a little chuckle and looked out at Thrash. "See? He likes you."
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Post by Tiefy on Jul 25, 2017 9:06:20 GMT -8
"You're the one giving directions, and providing the authorization to get in. It'd be a real short and confusing trip without ya."
The crimson-haired beermaiden has dressed light and efficiently for the occasion, and is even already wearing a set of ballistic protection goggles over her glasses - this somehow makes her look even MORE dangerous and volatile than usual. With a snap of her fingers, the rear door of her garish and outlandish vehicle opens, revealing the spacious, velvet-lined passenger cabin within - this thing clearly used to be some sort of party limousine before whatever nightmarish, abominable makeover put it into its current state. Two of the reclining seats are already occupied - the familiar face of Minerva, wearing a rogue-ish green hooded ensemble with her skull-print headphones underneath, looking bored and irritated as can be; and an open, heavy black case containing the most horrifying weapon Shane has ever set eyes upon. Design-wise, the thing is somewhere between his own six-shooter and a classical coach-style shotgun - a Lupara-style break-action hinged frame, with a revolving magazine built into the breach. The cylinder has eight chambers, built to line up with the twin barrels of the weapon and load two rounds at a time - the case contains a number of similar 'spare' cylinders, and what appear to be caliber conversion sleeves for loading different sorts of ammunition. That would explain why the locking lug holding the frame shut is so thickly built... the weapon itself is sturdy and stout, with a solid-looking wooden stock reinforced by metal rings, raising the question of just what kind of firepower this thing was expected to handle. A pair of small grooves have also been bored into the left side of the frame behind the cylinder - if Shane had to guess, the pump-action grip on the front of the gun serves the dual purpose of rotating the cylinder and ejecting spent cartridges from the chamber through those slots. The barrels of the weapon are onyx-black and well-polished... though it's the muzzles that warrant the most attention. The gunsmith responsible for this thing was clearly going for a blunderbuss-style look, an ambitious goal for a double-barreled gun. The result is a pair of 'tall, skinny' muzzles that flare out at opposite sides, moulded and shaped to resemble a pair of howling dogs... or perhaps monstrous gargoyles modeled after dogs.
And THIS is what she wanted to bring to an ONB firing range!?
"...Do yourself a favor, try to make this as boring as you can, or else she'll wanna do this every week."
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Post by Nightshade on Jul 25, 2017 10:12:59 GMT -8
"I knew you wouldn't be that thrilled with this, Lady Minerva. That is exactly why I made sure to have this ready." He pulled out a pass with her name and photo on it. "I thought you would like a lv1 access to our archaeology lab." The cop would then gently settle it on her lap before climbing inside and closing the door.
"I do hope you will wait for a few moments though so that I can properly introduce you to my partner." He added with a chuckle.
In the digital world, the daemon would feel the hug Nightshade was giving her tighten as he tensed up. More over, she could clearly feel a strong wave of embarassment and shyness waving off the little cat beside her.
"Is...is it really that necessary?" Nightshade whined. "I don't want to hold them up from their activities."
Aside from the puzzled expressions of the entrance guard, no one dared to have Shane's authority or his Lv5 clearance questioned. The group would arrive in the main hall, where they would be welcomed by the staff and gently asked to give them their PeTs. Once they complied and signed a few papers for their first time in the range or the other ONB studios they were left with Shane to make way. About three minutes from the main hall, the ceiling changed shape. There were an assortment of panels projecting more than just light. Navis could be seen moving around from that point on and interact with humans even. Sure, they werent solid enough to pick up real objects, but they seemed to be solid at least to have a mild physical presence within that area. The wonders of Solid Vision and Dimensional areas.
And right in the middle of the hallway, waiting for the three to step into the Dimensional Area, there were a tall reptilian navi with grey armor and a smaller feline looking one in a black and green suit partially hiding behind the first one, shying away.
Nightshade wiggled up further behind Thrash with his usual shy demeanor when the three arrived.
"Lady Nina, Lady Minerva...this is Nightshade." Shane told the women with a chuckle.
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