Categories > Games > Mega Man > Phoenix Evolution
AN: Yay, a new plot twist has temporarily broken through writer's block and this chapter was able to be written. Anyways R&R!
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Chapter Ten
The hem of the navy coat snapped at her legs as Kaie turned the corner to enter the stadium's security command on the first floor. Her sky blue eyes were narrowed because of the recent and disturbing news that circled amongst her already troubled thoughts. The monitor screen displaying the NetTeams jacked into the system sat on a small desk with a lone keyboard for accompaniment. She scanned the list of names looking for a specific person, hoping he was easy to locate for Kaie didn't have time to manually search the entire stadium. There, in the gym using arena 3; the girl breathed a sigh, waved a goodbye to the attending supervisor and left for her destination.
The journey was devoid of people and Kaie let her pace quicken until she could see the refracted light coming from the gym. Two teams were working out in the open facility as she calmly walked through the entrance and equipment to reach the arenas. The NetOps automatically looked up from their exercises when they heard the glass door click back into place. Surprise and awe were written on their faces but Kaie ignored them for the moment.
She stopped next to the control panel and glanced through the thick glass at the sparring pair, a hand hovering near the call button. Chaud looked handsome in the black and red Navi protection gear the arena had generated. A fleeting smile graced her lips before the reason behind the pending meeting crushed the momentary freedom of thought. Her fingers pressed the key.
The arena's signalling halted the match and Chaud turned to find Kaie Tama standing outside the chamber. Curiosity entered his expression as he opened the only door and stepped into the frame.
"Can I help you?" he asked bluntly.
Kaie noticed he was an inch taller than she was. "Yes you can" she replied "but I need to talk to you in private."
"Now?" She nodded and Chaud called back to his NetNavi. "I'm jacking you out ProtoMan." The boy entered a combination into the keypad to save the match stats and jacked his PET out of the system. The Navi gear dissipated to reveal the faded red t-shirt and black track pants that he wore.
The spokesperson of TamaMedia led the renowned NetOp to the family suite, a place where the conversation was guaranteed not to be overheard by other NetTeams passing by. They sat comfortably in the soft armchairs in the reception room while one of Kaie's personal staff poured cups of tea for the pair.
Chaud seemed to be studying the girl, his head was slightly to the side and a crease deepened on his forehead. Kaie leaned forward to put the cup down and then rested elbows on her knees as her hands clasped each other.
She got straight to the point. "We know BlazeQuest Games has had trouble with the solo NetNavi called Dominion and that is why TamaMedia is requesting your help."
"You've encountered Dominion?" His back had stiffened and his demeanour changed.
"Unfortunately, we have." Kaie grimaced. "They crashed our experiment labs' computer systems about eleven months ago."
"That must have been just after we repelled the power-obsessed Navi from one of our high security enterprises last year" the boy mused. "How did you counter Them?"
"We locked Dominion out of the higher levels in our systems and rebuilt stronger firewalls and security codes to keep Them from further access. They've been sporadically attacking us ever since."
"I had wondered why the frequency of the disappearances of our low security Navis by Dominion lessened." Chaud paused before continuing on. "So why do you need BlazeQuest help?"
The Tama girl absently rubbed the fingers of a hand over the thumb muscle. "We've been keeping tabs on Dominion so we would have advanced notice if They tried a full scale strike into our systems again. It's reported that They have been hanging around the databases where information regarding the Questing Tournament is stored. We think that Dominion might try capturing the NetNavis gathered at the stadium."
"How can we be of service?"
"We were hoping BlazeQuest could help monitor TamaMedia Stadium's outer security."
Chaud took a moment to assess the resources BlazeQuest had at the moment that would be available for such a task. Business was currently soaring along so there wasn't a lot to spare, though an association with TamaMedia would definitely be beneficial for the future.
Meanwhile Kaie waited nervously for the other NetOp's reply. She really didn't want a repeat experience of Dominion's initial attack at the stadium as TamaMedia's strongest guard navis were occupied protecting their highest classified research back at the experiment labs.
The boy broke the tension that had grown in the silence while the pair had been contemplating. "I'll get a security team onto the problem immediately."
Relief relaxed the sore neck muscle that had been tense ever since Kaie had received the disturbing report of Dominion. "Thank you."
"No problem." The NetOp stood to take his leave and arrange the security support for TamaMedia. "If I may?"
She stood as well. "I'll walk with you a ways."
Chaud nodded and they entered the corridor, turning right towards the stairs for the upper levels.
"There is something I want to ask you Chaud."
He glanced over at the girl. "Yes?"
"Well, I was wondering what you thought of our Questing Tournament."
"It's different than the other tournaments I've participated in but challenging I think. I've found it interesting to know that simple tasks set in the right environment can really test a person's skill."
"Have you entered your own company's Questing Tournaments before?"
"No." Chaud noticed that her eyes flickered towards the floor and her jaw tightened at his reply. "I am invited to so many others. Between them and work, I decided BlazeQuest tournaments would be my holidays."
Kaie returned his grin. As she also worked for her family's company, she knew how tiring balancing huge amounts of pressing work could get. They paused at the bottom of the staircase where their paths parted.
She turned to Chaud and gave him a short bow. "Thank you again. I really appreciate this."
He waved it off. "I won't refuse help when Dominion is involved." Then he disappeared up the steps.
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Lan leaned against the wall of the passageway across from the gym, waiting for his friends to show up so they could walk to the stadium arena together for level five. Being on time wasn't strong suit of his but Lan made an effort to be early during tournaments (he hated being disqualified). Lan heard slow, deliberate steps coming from the stairwell and the boy glanced up to check if it was Maylu or one of the others.
His brown eyes widen when he recognised the unmistakable form of Kaie Tama, the person who defeated him and MegaMan in the N1 Grand Prix and a powerful opponent. Lan was about to turn away and pretend he hadn't noticed her when Kaie locked her attention on him. The boy felt slightly confused for there was emotion written on her face instead of that extremely frustrating, serene expression that he knew.
Kaie came to a stand still once she was level with him. "Lan Hikari" she said with a nod. "How's the tournament?"
He beamed. "It's excellent. I can't wait til MegaMan and I win this."
She nodded again. The next thing Kaie spoke of was unexpected by Lan. "You were one of the people who defeated World 3." It was a question but her tone made it seem like the statement needed an answer.
"Yeah. We fought them heaps of times and they kept getting their buts kicked."
"So," Kaie tapped her mouth with a finger, "if there was a disturbance from people like World 3, would you fight?"
"If there's trouble then call on us. MegaMan and I will send them packing."
The female NetOp smiled. "Then I know who I can count upon." She didn't given Lan a chance to reply as she walked off down the passage.
MegaMan piped up from Lan 's PET pouch. "What is the world coming to for World 3 to be brought up?"
"Dunno" Lan shrugged. His gaze swept up the other end of the corridor then returned to observing the NetOps who were finishing up their exercising in the gym. Lan identified NetTeams 2 and 22, only because they were a part of the top 10 NetTeams vying for a spot in the finals. He was about to do another sweep of the passage for his friends when the door to a net arena opened; he looked on curious because he had missed this team in his count for their chamber was one that didn't share a wall with the open gym.
The NetTeam was a superb duo that Lan compared to Chaud and ProtoMan, it was Brice and PhoenixMan. He saw that she hadn't abandoned wearing grey for practice as she had donned a full length, dark body suit. PhoenixMan seemed to be talking to her as Brice pressed some buttons on the control panel, her back facing Lan.
"Hey, Lan" someone yelled.
His head whipped around at the sound and found Maylu and Skylar jogging towards him. They approached from the way Kaie had left; his eyes shifted behind the pair and saw that Kaie was still in the corridor.
Lan blinked as a strange thought crossed his mind. The back view of both Kaie and Brice were extremely similar for some strange reason, even their NetNavis Phoenix and PhoenixMan were almost identical. He wondered if there was any connection between the two girls, if there was it would probably be interesting at that.
His friends caught up to him. "Chaud and Tora are going to meet us in the stadium" Maylu told him.
"Right" he replied as Lan fell in step with the girls and they made their way to the fifth and final competition level of TamaMedia's Questing Tournament.
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Chapter Ten
The hem of the navy coat snapped at her legs as Kaie turned the corner to enter the stadium's security command on the first floor. Her sky blue eyes were narrowed because of the recent and disturbing news that circled amongst her already troubled thoughts. The monitor screen displaying the NetTeams jacked into the system sat on a small desk with a lone keyboard for accompaniment. She scanned the list of names looking for a specific person, hoping he was easy to locate for Kaie didn't have time to manually search the entire stadium. There, in the gym using arena 3; the girl breathed a sigh, waved a goodbye to the attending supervisor and left for her destination.
The journey was devoid of people and Kaie let her pace quicken until she could see the refracted light coming from the gym. Two teams were working out in the open facility as she calmly walked through the entrance and equipment to reach the arenas. The NetOps automatically looked up from their exercises when they heard the glass door click back into place. Surprise and awe were written on their faces but Kaie ignored them for the moment.
She stopped next to the control panel and glanced through the thick glass at the sparring pair, a hand hovering near the call button. Chaud looked handsome in the black and red Navi protection gear the arena had generated. A fleeting smile graced her lips before the reason behind the pending meeting crushed the momentary freedom of thought. Her fingers pressed the key.
The arena's signalling halted the match and Chaud turned to find Kaie Tama standing outside the chamber. Curiosity entered his expression as he opened the only door and stepped into the frame.
"Can I help you?" he asked bluntly.
Kaie noticed he was an inch taller than she was. "Yes you can" she replied "but I need to talk to you in private."
"Now?" She nodded and Chaud called back to his NetNavi. "I'm jacking you out ProtoMan." The boy entered a combination into the keypad to save the match stats and jacked his PET out of the system. The Navi gear dissipated to reveal the faded red t-shirt and black track pants that he wore.
The spokesperson of TamaMedia led the renowned NetOp to the family suite, a place where the conversation was guaranteed not to be overheard by other NetTeams passing by. They sat comfortably in the soft armchairs in the reception room while one of Kaie's personal staff poured cups of tea for the pair.
Chaud seemed to be studying the girl, his head was slightly to the side and a crease deepened on his forehead. Kaie leaned forward to put the cup down and then rested elbows on her knees as her hands clasped each other.
She got straight to the point. "We know BlazeQuest Games has had trouble with the solo NetNavi called Dominion and that is why TamaMedia is requesting your help."
"You've encountered Dominion?" His back had stiffened and his demeanour changed.
"Unfortunately, we have." Kaie grimaced. "They crashed our experiment labs' computer systems about eleven months ago."
"That must have been just after we repelled the power-obsessed Navi from one of our high security enterprises last year" the boy mused. "How did you counter Them?"
"We locked Dominion out of the higher levels in our systems and rebuilt stronger firewalls and security codes to keep Them from further access. They've been sporadically attacking us ever since."
"I had wondered why the frequency of the disappearances of our low security Navis by Dominion lessened." Chaud paused before continuing on. "So why do you need BlazeQuest help?"
The Tama girl absently rubbed the fingers of a hand over the thumb muscle. "We've been keeping tabs on Dominion so we would have advanced notice if They tried a full scale strike into our systems again. It's reported that They have been hanging around the databases where information regarding the Questing Tournament is stored. We think that Dominion might try capturing the NetNavis gathered at the stadium."
"How can we be of service?"
"We were hoping BlazeQuest could help monitor TamaMedia Stadium's outer security."
Chaud took a moment to assess the resources BlazeQuest had at the moment that would be available for such a task. Business was currently soaring along so there wasn't a lot to spare, though an association with TamaMedia would definitely be beneficial for the future.
Meanwhile Kaie waited nervously for the other NetOp's reply. She really didn't want a repeat experience of Dominion's initial attack at the stadium as TamaMedia's strongest guard navis were occupied protecting their highest classified research back at the experiment labs.
The boy broke the tension that had grown in the silence while the pair had been contemplating. "I'll get a security team onto the problem immediately."
Relief relaxed the sore neck muscle that had been tense ever since Kaie had received the disturbing report of Dominion. "Thank you."
"No problem." The NetOp stood to take his leave and arrange the security support for TamaMedia. "If I may?"
She stood as well. "I'll walk with you a ways."
Chaud nodded and they entered the corridor, turning right towards the stairs for the upper levels.
"There is something I want to ask you Chaud."
He glanced over at the girl. "Yes?"
"Well, I was wondering what you thought of our Questing Tournament."
"It's different than the other tournaments I've participated in but challenging I think. I've found it interesting to know that simple tasks set in the right environment can really test a person's skill."
"Have you entered your own company's Questing Tournaments before?"
"No." Chaud noticed that her eyes flickered towards the floor and her jaw tightened at his reply. "I am invited to so many others. Between them and work, I decided BlazeQuest tournaments would be my holidays."
Kaie returned his grin. As she also worked for her family's company, she knew how tiring balancing huge amounts of pressing work could get. They paused at the bottom of the staircase where their paths parted.
She turned to Chaud and gave him a short bow. "Thank you again. I really appreciate this."
He waved it off. "I won't refuse help when Dominion is involved." Then he disappeared up the steps.
--------------------
Lan leaned against the wall of the passageway across from the gym, waiting for his friends to show up so they could walk to the stadium arena together for level five. Being on time wasn't strong suit of his but Lan made an effort to be early during tournaments (he hated being disqualified). Lan heard slow, deliberate steps coming from the stairwell and the boy glanced up to check if it was Maylu or one of the others.
His brown eyes widen when he recognised the unmistakable form of Kaie Tama, the person who defeated him and MegaMan in the N1 Grand Prix and a powerful opponent. Lan was about to turn away and pretend he hadn't noticed her when Kaie locked her attention on him. The boy felt slightly confused for there was emotion written on her face instead of that extremely frustrating, serene expression that he knew.
Kaie came to a stand still once she was level with him. "Lan Hikari" she said with a nod. "How's the tournament?"
He beamed. "It's excellent. I can't wait til MegaMan and I win this."
She nodded again. The next thing Kaie spoke of was unexpected by Lan. "You were one of the people who defeated World 3." It was a question but her tone made it seem like the statement needed an answer.
"Yeah. We fought them heaps of times and they kept getting their buts kicked."
"So," Kaie tapped her mouth with a finger, "if there was a disturbance from people like World 3, would you fight?"
"If there's trouble then call on us. MegaMan and I will send them packing."
The female NetOp smiled. "Then I know who I can count upon." She didn't given Lan a chance to reply as she walked off down the passage.
MegaMan piped up from Lan 's PET pouch. "What is the world coming to for World 3 to be brought up?"
"Dunno" Lan shrugged. His gaze swept up the other end of the corridor then returned to observing the NetOps who were finishing up their exercising in the gym. Lan identified NetTeams 2 and 22, only because they were a part of the top 10 NetTeams vying for a spot in the finals. He was about to do another sweep of the passage for his friends when the door to a net arena opened; he looked on curious because he had missed this team in his count for their chamber was one that didn't share a wall with the open gym.
The NetTeam was a superb duo that Lan compared to Chaud and ProtoMan, it was Brice and PhoenixMan. He saw that she hadn't abandoned wearing grey for practice as she had donned a full length, dark body suit. PhoenixMan seemed to be talking to her as Brice pressed some buttons on the control panel, her back facing Lan.
"Hey, Lan" someone yelled.
His head whipped around at the sound and found Maylu and Skylar jogging towards him. They approached from the way Kaie had left; his eyes shifted behind the pair and saw that Kaie was still in the corridor.
Lan blinked as a strange thought crossed his mind. The back view of both Kaie and Brice were extremely similar for some strange reason, even their NetNavis Phoenix and PhoenixMan were almost identical. He wondered if there was any connection between the two girls, if there was it would probably be interesting at that.
His friends caught up to him. "Chaud and Tora are going to meet us in the stadium" Maylu told him.
"Right" he replied as Lan fell in step with the girls and they made their way to the fifth and final competition level of TamaMedia's Questing Tournament.
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