FicWad

AN: I own the TamaMedia battle chip, Restore.
Warning: contains stylised violence (well I don't know about that but people do get harmed, kinda, you'll see)
This is a long chapter by my unfortunate short average and I'm extremely happy about that fact. Yay, onto the finals we go! ^_^ R&R!

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Chapter Twelve

NetOps started entering the stadium for the finals of the TamaMedia Questing Tournament during the morning instead of the usual time after lunch. The unsuccessful competitors and their NetNavis took seats in the first row for they were the best in the house. TamaMedia had not yet revealed the format of the finals yet everyone knew that they would be fantastic. The NetOps and navis chattered, waiting with anticipation for the finals.

The change in time for the finals had been announced to the NetOps at dinner the night before and notices had been pinned up in each of the common rooms just in case someone did not know. Fat chance that any one would be found ignorant of details pertaining to the finals, there were some wild rumours floating around the stadium. Unsure whether to believe a single one of the rumours, most NetOps chose to hope the one about the format being a battle royal was true. Despite the meaning sounding dangerous and hard, a battle royal would test the combatants' strategic mind and endurance to be the last one standing and claim the title of Tournament winner.

A shadow shifted in the corner of the stands. It too was waiting with as much maybe even more anticipation then the humans it was hidden from, though for an entirely different reason. The time was almost right for its plan to be put into action and then it will have its victory. Just a little bit longer, not yet but soon.

The majority of the NetOps had arrived within five minutes. There were a few people left to come; namely Maylu, Lan, Chaud. Brice was missing as well.

Time was up. It didn't matter about a few absent people; They had all it needed to go ahead with its plan.

The space of the large stadium filled with an intense foreboding as the NetOps were stunned into a sudden silence. Every single navi had just disappeared in an instant. A rumour flashed around the crowd that the hologram generators must have failed. NetOps checked their PETs to see if they had returned, but were greeted with blank screens and error messages. Nobody needed to tell the TamaMedia staff that was something was wrong, they were already running back and forth, busy working on the problem.

Brice walked into the TamaMedia Stadium and looked around the arena at the unknown shock. Chaud, Maylu and Lan hurried through the entrance behind her, abruptly stopping at the head of the stairs. An agitated member of staff quickly related the situation to the still Brice. Failure of the hologram generators was highly unlikely, considering they were equipped with several backup systems. She headed down to the arena where the most powerful generators were.

Once Brice had stepped into the arena, PhoenixMan became visible and solid by her side. The brunette had a bad feeling about all of this, one that she hadn't been able to shake of the past few days. Something else was wrong here.

There was a flash of blinding light in the centre of the arena, its purity raked though with incandescent blackness. These blemishes condensed and a shadow rose up to unfurl into a disfigurement of data. It was human like, tall and bulky. The thing had a broad chest while its waist, neck, wrists, and ankles were impossibly thin. There were five claws on each of its hands and feet. It had an elongated head covered in short, curved spikes that pointed downwards. Two red slits were perched above a gash of a mouth with no visible nose. Its entire body was covered in that sheen of darkness from which it had emerged.

All the missing NetNavis suddenly reappeared behind the clawed monster, tightly bound and helpless to save them-selves.

Chaud, Maylu and Lan ran to join Brice on the arena floor, the rest of the NetOps paralysed with shock, fear and who knows what else. A glint of determination entered Chaud's eye as he sprinted; how dare he come here. Lan jumped to a halt beside Brice and wondered if his talk with Kaie Tama had been an omen of this. Maylu had no idea what was going on but Chaud and Lan were taking action so she followed to see if she could help.

That monster didn't seem like it was friendly and they wouldn't let her fight alone. Brice was surprised at the three people standing next to her, but worry wormed through it as they could and probably would get hurt. Roll, MegaMan and ProtoMan appeared thanks to the still running generators and joined PhoenixMan in front of the NetOps as well.

Lan got a good eyeful of the monster now that he was closer, it towered over the humans even though it was half across the stadium floor. "What is that?" he said disgustedly.

"We are Dominion, puny human! We are power!" its voice struck out with energy and the navis flinched.

His jaw ached as Chaud's teeth clenched from trying to keep his anger in check. How the hell did Dominion get past the security team BlazeQuest put onto task at TamaMedia's request. He glanced over at Brice to see her reaction; shock had stiffened her limbs but a slight trace of fear flickered behind her set expression.

"Oh no" she whispered faintly. No not again. Not here, not now. Brice knew why Dominion was here.

They pointed at the group with a single claw. "And we came to collect."

Hell, Lan was confused now and by the looks of it Maylu was as well; sufferable Chaud again seemed to know what was happening.

Dominion's desire shaped an invisible force that pulled and tugged at PhoenixMan. He tried desperately to resist but his boots refused to get a grip on the ground and he slowly slipped towards the awaiting claws. Every second drained him of precious energy and the NetOps were pinned to the spot by the force, unable to aid him. MegaMan and Roll managed to grab each of PhoenixMan's arms and pulled backwards with all their strength. He stopped moving forwards but they could get no further than that.

It was heading for a very difficult time in fighting against Dominion with all the navis in a solid state rather than pure data, let alone defeating Them. The stakes heightened as the NetOps other than Brice on the stadium floor realised they were incredible danger from the monster navi as well.

"What is going on?!" Lan shouted. This was not going to be like those other fights with World 3.

"We desire PhoenixMan!" They screeched, still dragging at PhoenixMan.

ProtoMan had stayed behind with Chaud and the others when Roll and MegaMan went to the fire navi. He kept a wary eye on the intruder; the humans were vulnerable if Dominion chose to attack them instead.

MegaMan briefly let go of the arm he had gripped to fire his Mega Buster. They were direct hits but Dominion shook off the impacts as if they had been but a small irritation.

Chaud saw that they needed a distraction urgently. "ProtoMan go!"

ProtoMan nodded and set to attacking Dominion. He tried multiple hits; all were backed by his rapid speed so he was able to get out of range before getting damaged. The navi was hoping Dominion was losing control over his paralysing force by the constant attacks; he was trying to give Roll and MegaMan a better chance of escaping with PhoenixMan, who was still being drained of energy as each second passed.

Dominion had had enough of this pestering little NetNavi and sent him flying with a hard thump to the chest with a clawed hand. It was just the thing ProtoMan was looking for. They momentarily lapsed in their control and the others were able to drag PhoenixMan well back and behind the row of humans. The force around the NetOps weakened and then died all together so they were able to move.

ProtoMan landed heavily on the arena floor in front of Chaud and Brice.

"ProtoMan are you all right?" Chaud asked, concerned. They couldn't underestimate the collective power Dominion had from corrupting the data of stolen navis.

"Yes." He winced as he stood up. "It was just a little fall."

Dominion threw shadow balls at the defiant NetNavis. They sent the attack towards the humans as well, for good measure.

Chaud, quick on his feet, downloaded a barrier chip and ProtoMan protected them as best as he could from the multiple shadow balls. Roll dived out of the way but several balls hit her in the back and sides. She fell heavily. MegaMan had more success, dodging the few that were following him.

Dominion briefly blocked the NetOps connection to MegaMan, Roll and ProtoMan. Lan tried to download a chip to MegaMan but it was instantly rejected.

A large shadow ball went cruising towards MegaMan; ProtoMan was still occupied and Roll was out. It split up into smaller orbs, surrounded MegaMan and then hit him simultaneously. He was helpless as each one left him slightly more paralysed. Dominion created chains, just like the ones on the imprisoned navis and manoeuvred them around the fallen Roll and MegaMan. They were then dragged across the arena to be held up along with the other chained NetNavis. MegaMan continued to fight but the bonds were too strong to break. Dominion decided a little pressure was at hand to get what They wanted. They released several huge shadow towers at the NetOps. The remaining navi couldn't possibly save them without leaving the others vulnerable to the other towers, especially when Dominion had cut his connection to Chaud.

Chaud made his decision fast and ordered ProtoMan to protect Lan and Maylu. PhoenixMan was still in danger of being captured while he was running low on energy. Both Brice and Chaud refused to further expose PhoenixMan to Dominion.

The shadow towers roared down on the humans and the remaining NetNavi. Chaud and Brice waited until the last second to move out of the way. PhoenixMan moved with them so they were still together and the NetOps were between him and the power-hungry corruption. Chaud suddenly shoved Brice to the side, their momentum pushing them to the ground. A tower thundered pass. Brice was wide eyed when she stood as she realised the fate she had just escaped. Chaud gingerly got up too.

Dominion's many voices boomed around the stadium, making the other NetOps in the stands quail.

"Give us PhoenixMan!"

"No! I will not let you take him," Brice visibly shook with anger "even if it costs me dearly." She pushed a button on her PET. "Phoenix stream in, upload."

The NetNavi Phoenix appeared in the arena at Brice's command. All the other NetOps and navis were instantly surprised that Kaie Tama's NetNavi heeded the call of another NetOp. Chaud however knew who the person was behind the guise of Brice.

Dominion laughed at Brice, a long, evil peal of laughter. "No NetNavi is going to get in the way of my desire for power."

Phoenix and Brice stood firm in front of PhoenixMan, refusing to yield even slightly. Chaud, Lan and Maylu did not move an inch either.

"We know who you are, you can't fool us. We know your past, we know your present, and we know you. Give us PhoenixMan, or we'll start deleting all these pathetically treasured navis." Dominion said menacingly, and then They dug further into Brice. "Here's your choice - one piece of data for twenty-three lives."

I won't let this happen. "No" Brice said softly, defiantly. I won't, I won't!

"As you wish." Dominion struck out so fast that many did not see whom They had targeted.

The NetOp Storm suddenly shouted from the stands. His navi RainMan fell to his knees within his bonds and started disintegrating. Watching another navi being deleted was saddening; seeing your own was heartbreaking.

Then something entirely unexpected happened. PhoenixMan shot out his right hand towards RainMan, the tip of his fingers curled. A golden light encircled the navi in a stunning aura. The deletion slowed to a trickle, and then even slower so that only one piece of data was being deleted at a time.

Dominion was not impressed at all. "Give up PhoenixMan."

Again Brice, Phoenix and PhoenixMan refused and again a NetNavi felt Dominion's tainted claws. This time Obelix fell and Brice cried out in unison with Audrey, as they were friends. PhoenixMan repeated his actions with Obelix as he had done with RainMan this time with his left hand; there was the golden light and then the slower deletion.

"Give your self to usss" They hissed venomously. Even the NetOps drew back from the obsessive hunger burning from the mass of corrupted data.

PhoenixMan started breathing heavier and seemed to lose a large amount of energy rapidly. ProtoMan was by his side in an instant and held the fatiguing PhoenixMan up. Holding one deletion was bad but two was extremely taxing in the best of conditions; it was almost impossible to hold them very long in his weakened state. PhoenixMan didn't have enough strength to hold another and still have energy to defend himself against Dominion, or to stand up for that matter.

Phoenix knew this and was prepared to stop the next deletion herself. Dominion did not give a warning this time but as Phoenix had predicted, They were working down the line and Roll was next.

Before Dominion struck, two things happened at once.

MegaMan realised the danger to Roll. He was bound right next to her. MegaMan strained so hard at his chains that they broke, but it was too late for him to save her.

Phoenix used all her speed to get to Roll before Dominion did. As Dominion's claws slashed down to delete Roll, Phoenix shielded her and took the full force of the attack on her back. Both Roll and Phoenix gasped from the intensity of the blow.

"No!" Brice choked. "No. Not Phoenix."

MegaMan rapidly cast off his broken shackles and caught the fiery Phoenix as she slid to the ground. She lay limp in his arms but the disintegration of delete had yet to fragment her data. The NetNavi was strong he knew, but that would not be enough to save her. PhoenixMan almost flew over and took Phoenix into his own arms, despite further weakening and holding the other deletions. The NetNavi laid his head against hers and lent some of his last remaining strength to her.

"Hang on for just a while longer," PhoenixMan whispered to her. "Just hang on."

ProtoMan quietly tensed in battle readiness. No matter how focused Dominion was on capturing PhoenixMan, the humans behind him were still in danger.

PhoenixMan gently laid Phoenix on the floor for the deterioration had begun and there was only one way he could stop it. He and MegaMan slowly turned to Dominion. Rage was burning through both navis and through their NetOps; one for targeting Roll and the other for damaging Phoenix.

"DOMINION!" Brice shouted in her temper. "I've had enough! You will never have PhoenixMan's power or any other NetNavi, solo, ultimate or otherwise. This is where it ends!"

PhoenixMan was nearing the extreme limits of his energy levels, more than what another navi could have lasted, and Phoenix was being deleted fast. "You know chips I need Kaie" he yelled across to the jet haired girl.

Those in the crowd not utterly transfixed on the situation were struck with confusion despite the danger and terror in the arena. The utterance of the Tama girl's name snapped a couple of NetOps out of their hypnotic state, for they searched the stadium stands for the Kaie's absent presence.

"Are you ready, MegaMan?" Lan shouted.

"Ready as ever."

Chaud and ProtoMan nodded at each other, silently acknowledging what they had to do next.

Brice threw a battle chip to Chaud then one to Lan, who caught it in surprise. "You'll need these," she said calmly though strain showed clearly on her face. The chips were Level Four Boosters; it tripled the attack power.

Lan and Chaud shouted together. "Level Four Booster battle chip, download. Cyber Sword, Wide Sword, Long Sword battle chips, download."

"Restore battle chip, download. Final Gun battle chip, download."

PhoenixMan's energy was completely regenerated by the Restore battle chip. He stopped holding the deletions as his deletion barriers continued to feed on the energy he had already given to them. The navi steadied his new artillery.

ProtoMan, MegaMan and PhoenixMan released their attacks at exactly the same time. Wild yet controlled energy thundered down on Dominion. There was nothing in the world, cyber or real, that could have stopped the combined power of two Triple Program Advances and a Final Gun attack combined.

Dominion screamed in a thousand voices. They had been so close. Their data was being torn apart into minute sections, which were then deleted from the entire cyber network. The stolen NetNavi data could not be retrieved, less Dominion returned again to trouble the world. The chains binding the captive NetNavis dissipated into particles and they were able to move freely.

As the last remains of Dominion were deleted, PhoenixMan returned to Phoenix's side. Brice, Chaud, Maylu and Lan joined their NetNavis. PhoenixMan summoned golden flames to encompass Phoenix's entire body and her body turned to bright energy the same colour as the flames. He had to give up half of his full energy capacity to activate the anti-deletion procedure that had been written into her program.

As RainMan and Obelix were still connected to PhoenixMan, their deletion was stopped and their NetOps were able to retrieve most of their data.

The golden flames suddenly winked out of existence, Phoenix lay unconscious and her appearance was unscathed. PhoenixMan held her hands tightly between his. He knew she would be all right but it was agonising to know he almost lost Phoenix.

Brice ordered the TamaMedia staff to switch off the hologram generators and they obeyed with due haste. All the NetNavis were returned to their PETs and jacked out of the system so they could not be damaged any further, regardless of the utter defeat of the threat. The NetOps left the arena immediately; they needed to be somewhere other than the stadium to recover from that short but traumatic experience.

Maylu gave Lan a high five, and then hugged him furiously and unexpectedly. Lan blushed a warm pink colour.

Brice was holding out her PET and looking greatly worn, even a little diminished in the middle of the stadium's floor. Lan, Chaud and Maylu peered at her screen over the girl's shoulder. Both PhoenixMan and Phoenix could be seen in the console's monitor. Chaud placed hand on her shoulder in a gesture of comfort. He understood everything; Brice was truly Kaie Tama and PhoenixMan was a solo NetNavi. It took Lan and Maylu a little longer to figure it out.

"I guess I have some explaining to do" Kaie said absently.