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Post by Raven8 on May 7, 2022 13:26:24 GMT -8
Nebula System Dynamics; one of the labs at the forefront of net-tech. It's here that time is moving forward, and new developments are on their way. And it's also here that a rather strange noise is rising above the hustle and bustle of everyday works and projects...
Tink. Tink. Tink.
It's faint, but it's definitely there.... is it coming from the window?
Tink. Tink. Tink...
....yeah, that's definitely the window. Is that... someone throwing rocks at it?
Tink. Tink.... CRASH!
...a large rock comes crashing through the window, shattering the glass and landing on the floor inside. A moment later, a voice rises.
Edge: ....sorry, I'll pay for that. Can Nightshade come out and play?
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Post by Nightshade on May 15, 2022 10:53:47 GMT -8
There was some rustling and commotion from the inside, probably common navis scrambling about trying to figure out if they were under attack again or not. After the main HQ fell in the midst of a virus outbreak and a couple navis coming in to steal the Panacea program, Nebula Systems Dynamics had been mostly rebuilt in an albeit more covert way. When the request of the neon green navi came through the broken glass, the whole office kind of wondered how to go about it. Nightshade.rx had gone rogue a good while ago and his whereabouts were mostly unknown. Fortunately, it seemed that Edge was quite lucky, as the feline zoanoroid was nearby. He needed to grab some of his old files still left in the NSD database, but it seems his plans to just sneak in unnoticed had been twarthed by the other navigator. Tip tap tip tap. Nightshade's claws scraped the top of the building as the navi took an interest in the being speaking his name. Seeing a familiar face and rolling his eyes at the fact, the navi dropped from his top position, flipped in the air and landed not too far from Edge without making a sound. The bug-type navi stood upright again and folded his arms, looking at the guy currently harassing a small NSD lab for him. "I'm here, Edge." He stated. "What do you want."
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Post by Raven8 on May 19, 2022 17:28:35 GMT -8
Ah, here we go. Nigthshade makes his appearance just as or possibly just before Edge tosses one last rock, a rock which hits another window and shatters it too. At this, the green Navi calls out again;
Edge: Sorry, I'm good for that too.
Edge then turns his attention to Nightshade and shoots a smile, walking around to look him over as he does so.
Edge: Hey, looking nice there, fursuit! Liking the upgrades!
Edge gives a... semi-sarcastic thumbs-up, admittedly, before he moves on.
Edge: So here's the deal; I've got a bit of a "side-quest" ahead of me. It looks like our new buddies in space stole something that's pretty important to me, and I kinda' need it back, so I'm off on a daring journey full of peril and danger in order to re-claim this object that may-or-may-not be capable of deleting reality as we know it. No promises either way, there.
And while I can probably do this on my own, I figured now would be a good time for you to get more character development to bring you along, because along the way I'm KINDA' going to be picking up something that you could be be interested in.
Edge tosses a small mystery data to Nightshade, inside is a basic file on a Navi: "Project Resonance".
Edge: See, old Res was... well, he was a total pantywaste. But he had one odd-ball thing that you might find useful. See, the kid was designed to hold a piece of blah-blah-blah random titan crap that noone really cares about. Point is, the kid had a program that let him store a whole lot of data in himself. In fact, magnitudes more data than his own file size should reasonably allow. Does this sound at all familiar to you...?
Edge gives a half-smile and crosses his arms, waiting for Nightshade to pick up on what he was inferring.
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Post by Nightshade on May 20, 2022 16:27:05 GMT -8
Nightshade rolled his eyes at the sound of another window crashing. By now he had been dealing with Edge's shenanigans long enough to know it couldn't be helped. "It took a while to get used to the data Gregar infected me with when it bit off my arm." Was all he said to the compliments about his looks. The navi's color scheme certainly resembled that of the beast and his bug powers also showed proof of his claim. He couldnt add much else because the other green navi, the neon colored one, started spewing facts.
"Right right, yes. Easy there cowboy, I have no idea who our space friends are yet, slow down a few paces so I can get some context yeah?" The cat navi would interject. It was clear Edge was here to ask for his help. Why him an not someone else was a mistery. He would be tossed a small piece of data, which he deftly caught and opened up on a floating screen.
His eyes widened slighly at the mention before shooting a glare at Edge. "He might not have lived up to expectations, but he was a good navi. Let's try to be at least a little respectful yeah?" He didn't have the chance to meet Res when he was alive, but perhaps they would have been friends if the world didn't spiral into chaos and he didn't start running after a Cybeast.
"...it sounds real familiar. It's probably not a surprise you know I was looking at ways to get a program capable of holding a whole lot of data. Something like ExaMem, for example." The feline commented, scrolling through the file. He read a few more lines before addressing the other navi once more.
"I can't deny my interest, but this is a dangerous program to have, Edge...why of all the navis in the world would you would let someone like me take it. Last time I went on a power tirade I left the world into ash and I am still trying to pick up the pieces." His words were measured, but with a hint of anticipation. That may very well be his chance, after so long...but, was that really all there was to it? Just go beat up some dudes and get something so insanely powerful? Nightshade circled around the other navi, feet claws lightly scraping the ground.
"This program bound an entity who was probably even scarier than a Cybeast. I'm not even sure if we can even classify it by normal means. Is it a giga program? Is it something even more powerful? What I wanna really know is, what would you gain from turning me into the next Generational or whatever Epithet Resonance went by?"
Closing the file, Nightshade stared at the ground for a few moments, mulling it over. He then hopped over to the green navi and placed a hand on his left shoulder.
"I'll be brutally honest. I think we both know the first thing I'd use that program for is to try and go after Gregar's strenght, wherever it may be now. Yes, I'm still obsessed about it and no, I will not easily change my mind but you probably know that. I want those powers. If I could use it to store all of Gregar's code, I could then install it to myself and... well... forget about being a Juuka, it'd basically become a cybeast myself and I'd love every second of it. All of that I craved finally under my control. Becoming a cybeast that has a navi body, who can think, walk, talk and more importantly can create way more problems than he ever did back when he was a whiny nobody who just had Gregar rabies for a while. "
Nightshade paused. He looked around at the neighborhood. He could still see the scars of collapse.
"I have already caused the end of the net once, Edge. It could very much happen again. Me trying out this crazy of a plan could very much draw our friend Forte out to play and then we'd really see some fireworks. Yet knowing all this, you are here offering me Resonance's special program. Either the people I am supposed to help you fight are even beyond all of the world ending stuff Rosso and friends have been doing these past few years that you're fine with letting me become a cybeast myself...or you've truly gone absolutely crazy."
Nightshade gently shook the other navi. "In any case, my ramblings aside there has to be a reason why you are fine with me having the program, so what is it. Spit it out."
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Post by Raven8 on May 20, 2022 17:49:02 GMT -8
As Nightshade begins his response, Edge leisurely walks over to a nearby tree, looks it over, and does an about-face. Folding his hands behind his face, the green-mirrored Navi shoots the feline a wry smile and leans back... missing the tree entirely and falling flat on his back. He remains in this position for a few seconds before standing up, brushing himself, and glaring at the tree. He then turns back to Nightshade and folds his hands behind his head again as he begins his response.
Edge: See, here's the deal, kid; when you visited the OEL, I came down from the golden throne that they have in the back room with my name on it just to help you. I knew 'ya a bit, and so I said my peace. And I've gotta' say, I stand behind what I told you, because it's all true.
But then I got to thinking.... what'd it hurt to actually believe in 'ya a bit?
See, I know that things have been crappy as heck for you, and that everyone has wagged a finger at you and said "bad cat, leave the dog alone" because we live in a world where these things are freaking' terrifying. Yeah, people talk about old-man-Eon and the other big-names that we have running around like ants nowadays, but this was one of the OG baddies that friggin' Wily didn't just want to wreck the net with, he wanted to unleash it on the real world like a kaiju or something. It's pretty natural for everyone to want to keep the thing away.
But not you.
Not going to mince words here; people think that you're dumb, Nightshade. but I got to thinking; what if it's not just stupidity, what if it's not power-lust... what if you're actually a lot braver than we all make you out to be? And what if it's more than that; what if you're right and it's a little bit of destiny?
If that's the case, then maybe I'm just the guy to walk 'ya up that mountain.
So here's the deal; if you want to keep following that path, then I'll be your guide to your new world. But if you want my help, then you're going to have to listen to me, because our goal isn't just to get you invested in dogecoin, but to give you a way to control it. How do we do it? Damned if I know, but between my smarts, ingenuity, good looks, raw power, and magnetism for the opposite sex, and your presence here, I think that we can figure it out.
Edge's hands unfold, and he reaches one out to Nightshade with a half smile, half-closing one eye as he looks on with an offer to shake.
Edge: So what do you say? Wanna' help me out and play dog catcher at the same time?
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Post by Nightshade on May 21, 2022 2:32:04 GMT -8
Nightshade kept quiet throughout most of Edge's reply. He played with Resonance's data. He raised his eyes up in the sky, tail behind him wagging slowly. What if it was destiny, Edge said. Perhaps it was, perhaps it was just his unhealthy obsession.
"You know why am I so obsessesed with Gregar? Why I keep going and going and running and running? At first it was all about power. I am not going to lie every time I allowed the fragment of the beast out to play, every time my body transformed it was just the best feeling in the world. The adrenaline rush, the desire to just destroy everything and having the power to do so. I thought I was in control, I mean I kind of was able to make decisions, but hindsight 20/20 the beast was probably controlling me. I pushed away everyone I considiered a friend and kept on chasing that high. When you live surrounded by people magnitudes stronger than you it's kinda normal to feel...useless, irrelevant. So even though I technically got what I wanted I just implicitly allowed Rosso to play me like a fiddle."
The green and black navi pulled the scarf over his mouth and nose, storing away the data of the late Generational. He heard edgebickering with a tree, the goofy nature of the OEL navi having him chuckle lightly. Now facing him, hand on hip and the other pointing at himself, he would add to his monologue.
"What he said to me is what it's been keeping me going and going, because I do not want him to be right. I don't want him to have the last laugh. I don't want what he said to be my reality, to be what defines me. I'm not just a kid vying for attention, a nobody who wants to be important and has the cool shiny thing others can't get. A kid crying because he wants to be more special than others right now without working for it, taking the easy way instead of finding a way to be special on their own. Perhaps I was, for a time, but it's not what I want to be.
Originally, I wanted that power to be able to protect people, then I sought it to get revenge on Rosso, Magnolia, what have you. I wanted to so bad to leave a mark on history, to feel special in the middle of remarkable people and in the end I did do it, look how great of a mark it is: International terrorist, wanted by both NIA and ONB. Traitor. Etc etc."
He stopped there before he really started monologuing like some sort of crazy clichè villain. He saw Edge raise an hand up. He stepped forward but hesitated, clearly thinking about all the times his attempts backfired on him, how it made things worse. Would this time be different? Would fate finally give him something after taking for so long?
"They say that doing the same thing over and over expecting different result is insanity. Well it takes a crazy guy to do a crazy plan. And at this point I am certainly not sane." He mumbled as he approached the neon green navi. "So far only one navi actually managed to pull what we're trying to do off and we both know he's way greater than I'll ever be, but if I try it, if for some miracle it works...then I guess I was right in the end, I have something in me that makes me special all along. The stupidity to attempt something so unbelievably unlikely and make it work. And perhaps, as you say, a little courage to keep on trying. It may be dumb..."
Nightshade stopped in front of Edge, squatted down and reached out. He grasped the navi's hand and gave him a light shake.
"But this time it may be just dumb enough to work. So tell me, what is our first move?"
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Post by Raven8 on May 21, 2022 18:07:55 GMT -8
Edge allows Nightshade to continue along with his monologue, just nodding his head until the very end, where he finally shakes with Nightshade.
Edge: TL:DR, buddy.
Edge takes a step back and motions with his thumb behind himself.
Edge: Our first stop is gunna' be the good old Forrest Network, assuming it's not dead again. Oh, but first...
Edge reaches behind himself and pulls out what appears to be a wallet. He pulls several bills out of it, and wraps them up into a small package. He then tosses the package towards one of the broken windows on the NSD building... only to break another window with a loud crash.
Edge: ...man, I need to work on my aim.
With that, Edge disappears.<New Topic>....whoever opens the package inside would quickly find a total of 100 scraps of paper with caractures of Edge drawn on them alongside a note. "These are Edge Dollars. Every Edge Dollar will be worth 10,000 Netopian Zenny, for that is the exchange rate the Bank of Netopia will set once I kidnap their queen.
-Hugs and kisses, Edge."
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