Rockman.EXE:The College Years-3-82:Great Battle of Light(sp)

[Midnight]

Now THIS is more like it. I'm impressed. I actualy made it through most of the combat this time, and a lot of tactics were used that were actually quite clever. I still believe, though, that the combat was still a bit linear, and the chapter concept as a whole a bit dull and superfluous, but I have to admit that this is one of the best combat sequences I've seen out of you yet. This is surely the start of an upswing--don't let it go to waste.
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Today, these three players are after Big Bucks! But they'll have to avoid the Whammy, as they play the most exciting game of their lives! From Television City in Hollywood! It's time to 'Press Your Luck!'--Rod Roddy

The Kingdom of Loathing: An Adventurer is You! // I ♣ Seals

Avatar by Spork. I very much appreciate it! <3

[LgacyDX]

This is what I like to call a good battle. This chapter is very good and I loved how Yutaka and CrashMan used different battlechips to come forth with different strategies. I'm really pleased with this chapter. It's much better now and this review gives me more of a reason to look forward to more of your fic. I hope the finals come soon because it'll only be a matter of time.
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Mega Man: New Generation *Updated to Chapter 1-14*
Wanna join Hi5? Click here.

[TheWebbuilder]

Now this is a marked improvement.

Although I still felt that this episode was at the same level as your basic Stream filler, it is a lot better than what we were suffering though. And I do mean suffering.

Now for the required nitpicking. <_<

I kinda felt like Dex was slightly out of character for most of the chapter. I had a hard time seeing him just up and giving away his chips without any prodding, but that could be just me.

As towards the fight itself, it was good. But it's finest moment was CrashMan's opening move, everything after that was just a little drab. Especially the Fire/Ice Tower trick, which has been abused in the anime, but moreso in fiction.

8/10.

You've got a chance to save this season, so beware of losing it now.
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[Abiisan]

Nice job, I believe that this is a great start towards getting back on your old track. I was glad to see an incorporation of strategy in the storyline and just more detail in general. It pleases me to see this story's return. Also, I found it impressive that you were able to so quickly change your style around and come back with something very different. Nice job and keep up the improving.
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Formerly known as LunarSun

Banner and icon by Xhunter17

[Anime Master ZERO]

CHAPTER 3-42
VideoMan Revolutions

“Lights!”

“Check!”

“Camera one!”

“Check!”

“Camera two!”

“Check!”

“Camera three!”

“Check!”

“Aaaaaaaaand action!”

“Wind Cutter!” An empty film spool materialized onto the field and a tape of film wrapped itself around it until it filled to a formidable size before it was launched forward, hitting the maroon Navi that was currently engaged in combat. VideoMan laughed at his opponent, seeing how easily his first attack had damaged him when the battle was just barely underway.

“You’re making this too easy,” he smirked, “Wind Cutter!” The green-teethed Navi launched another film reel and struck his opponent again.

“Program Advance: InfiniteVulcan1!” The maroon Navi got back up and his arm changed into a chain gun. He pointed towards his opponent and fired.

“Tape Wind!” Long strips of film lashed out from VideoMan’s arms and formed a protective barrier that protected him from the attack.

“Fast Forward!” The film Navi’s green markings changed to red and he instantly started dashing around the field at an incredible speed.

“VideoMan, it’s time for the ending.” VideoMan heard his operator’s orders and complied. Using another Tape Wind, he wrapped his film around his opponent and trapped him in its grasp. He continued to tighten his hold until the Navi logged out.

“And cut and print!”

“Very good, VideoMan!” Narcy Hide said with ecstasy. He got up from his director’s chair and squirmed about with joy, which caused his opponent to back away before breaking off into a full run, dropping his rarest chip onto the floor on his way out of the building.

“If we keep this up, Narcy, we’ll be able to make it through this tournament no problem,” VideoMan chuckled.

“And soon I’ll have all the funds to start my own studio! I can just see it now! The world of film shall be graced by my works. The moviegoers will rejoice. And most importantly of all, I shall inspire the people and the world shall appreciate the beauty of pink! Yes, we shall make the world pink!”

* * *

Lan stood inside a phone booth with the receiver pressed against his ear. For some reason, the phone function on his PET was on the fritz so he had to make his call through another means. He tapped his finger impatiently on the top of the phone as he listened to the ring tone for the tenth time.

“Come on, you lazy bastard,” he muttered quietly, “Get off your ass and answer the phone.” After the seventeenth ring, he finally heard someone pick up.

“NetPolice headquarters. Manabe speaking.”

“Hell, Manabe. This is Lan,” Lan quickly identified himself.

“Oh, Lan. We were expecting you to call. But why didn’t you contact us with your PET?”

“Long story.”

“Anyway, let’s hear your report.” Lan waited for a few seconds as he was put on speakerphone before he began filling in his superiors on the situation.

“And that’s basically it,” the brunet finished ten minutes later.

“Thank you, Lan,” Kifune said, “Report back to us again if anything else comes up.”

“Just make sure you don’t leave me waiting on the phone for a century,” Lan replied with a hint of sarcasm in his voice before he hung up.

“That last comment wasn’t necessary, Lan,” MegaMan piped up.

“Sorry, I’m just a little on edge right now,” Lan apologized, “Having to wait for someone to pick the phone for so long; it’s just so irritating.”

“Now you know how I felt when I kept nagging you to do your homework back in elementary school,” MegaMan chuckled.

“Hearing you nagging me was also irritating.”

“Touché, Lan. Touché.”

“Let’s go get something to eat.”

“Okay.” Lan stepped out from the phone booth and snapped on his rollerblades. He skated through the streets as he made his way to his favorite snack place. Upon his arrival, he ordered a large chili fries and sat down at one of the tables to eat it. He placed his PET in front of him and activated the display so that he could speak to his Navi face-to-face.

“Lan, you’re still as gluttonous as you were when you were a kid,” MegaMan sighed. He opened up a window and started rummaging through Lan’s files. He found a pair of picture files and checked it to see if they were the ones he was looking for. They were. He took them out and closed the window before displaying the images in the corner of the PET. The first was a photo of Yuuichiro and Haruka Hikari when they were younger holding two baby boys. The second was a picture that had been taken last year when MegaMan was occupying the Hub robot showing the twins with their arms draped around each other’s shoulders and giving V-for-victory signs with their free hands while grinning widely. Lan saw the images his brother had just put up and smiled.

“looking at those again, Hubert?” he teased.

“I told you, Lan! It’s Hub, not Hubert!” Lan laughed at his Navi’s outburst.

“I know. I was just teasing.” MegaMan frowned but soon joined in with his twin.

“You know, Lan, we hardly ever get moments like this,” the blue Navi said thoughtfully when the two of them finally calmed down, “You know, a chance for two brothers just to spend time together. Albeit we’re not in the same physical realm, but you get the idea.”

“I know. I miss moments like this, too,” Lan replied. MegsMan sat down on the floor of his PET and looked at his operator. He held out his hand and pressed it against the window. Lan looked at the blue Navi for a moment before bringing up his own and placing it in front of MegaMan’s on the holographic display.

“Hub…”

“Lan…”

The twins gazed at each other for a few minutes until Lan finally broke off to finish his fries. When he did, he picked up his PET, deactivated the display, and returned it to its case before leaving. He made his way to Beach Street and sat down on the dock facing the water, taking out his PET and holding it so MegaMan could also watch the waves.

“We should do this more often, MegaMan,” Lan whispered.

“I wholeheartedly agree, Lan.”

Unbeknownst to the Hikaris due to their attention being diverted elsewhere, there was a commotion outside of the DNN station. A television producer had just thrown out a purple-haired main wearing a green silk scarf and a frilly pink blouse and the two of them were now engaged in a heated argument.

“Come back when you have some material worth showing!” the producer shouted.

“You know what your problem is? You have no taste!” Narcy shouted back.

“No one wants to watch stuff that’s been filmed all in pink! Now get out of here before I call the police!” Narcy squealed in frustration and stormed away from the TV station. With him leaving, the producer gave a smug smirk and re-entered the building.

“I’ll get back at them,” Narcy mumbled to himself, “I’ll show them. The name of Narcy Hide will be well known throughout television and films!”

“Narcy,” VideoMan piped up, “May I make a suggestion?” Narcy knew his Navi always had something worthwhile to discuss, so he listened to him carefully.

* * *

Approximately eighteen minutes later, Lan finally got up.

“Ready to go, MegaMan?”

“Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

“Okay.” Returning his PET to its case, Lan proceeded back to the MetroStation hoping to catch a train before the rush hour crowd. Unfortunately for him, that was not to be the case as his attention was suddenly diverted towards the TV station by a loud cry.

“What was that?”

“You have e-mail, Lan!” MegaMan piped up. The headbanded NetBattler took out his PET and read the message that his Navi pulled up.

Lan,
Trouble at the DNN TV Station. Investigate.

“Is that it?” he asked upon finishing.

“Apparently.”

“Well, we’re already nearby so let’s go.” Lan walked over to the ledge and jumped down into the TV station’s parking lot before heading inside. He displayed his Net Savior ID and made his way up to the editing room, where the source of the commotion appeared to be coming from.

“Net Savior!” Everyone in the room turned at Lan’s announcement as he entered.

“Thank God you arrived.”

“What’s the problem?” asked Lan.

“We’ve got viruses inside the system. They’re destroying all the broadcasting programs.”

“Leave it to us.” Lan took out his PET and clicked it onto his wristband, “Jack in!! MegaMan, power up!”

MegaMan landed inside the editing room’s computer and immediately found himself surrounded by viruses.

“What’ve we got, MegaMan?” asked Lan.

“Skarries, Drixols, Trombies, and WuLongs,” the emerald-eyed Navi reported, “And they’re all PINK!”

“Take them out.”

“My pleasure.” MegaMan morphed his hand into his buster and started firing. Meanwhile, on the catwalk just outside the editing room’s window inside the studio, Narcy was watching the action on his PET.

“Is that MegaMan?” he wondered aloud.

“This makes it even better, Narcy,” VideoMan chortled, “I’m going to get some footage.”

“Okay.”

As MegaMan continued deleting the viruses, VideoMan appeared behind one of the programs and focused his camera-like eyes on him.

“Record.” His whisper was just audible enough for the command to kick in but not for MegaMan to hear him. He kept a close watch on his soon-to-be opponent, taping every single move he made. After a few minutes, the viruses were all destroyed and VideoMan logged out.

* * *

“That’s that,” Lan announced as he jacked out MegaMan.

“Hey Lan,” the blue Navi piped up, “we still need to find the one who was responsible for this.”

“How can you be sure it was someone’s doing?” asked one of the producers.

“This was definitely planned,” Lan answered, “Viruses normally attack randomly. However, these ones had a set target. But who would attack the station?”

“Hey, Lan. All the viruses I fought were unnaturally pink,” MegaMan called out, “Which means…”

“It has to be him,” Lan realized.

“Narcy Hide!” the brother exclaimed simultaneously.

“Mr. Producer, someone’s at the NetBattle machine inside the studio!” a station aide shouted. Lan looked out the window and saw that the one at the NetBattle machine was none other than Narcy Hide. He quickly bolted out the door and ran as quickly as he could to the studio. He burst through the doors upon his arrival and skidded to a stop on the stage.

“Narcy Hide!”

“Ah, Lan Hikari. I was hoping to run into you,” Narcy said, “Let’s have a tournament battle.”

“That’s it? No explanation of some ludicrous plan that would make no sense whatsoever?” Lan’s expression changed from one of accusation to one of confusion.

“I just simply want to battle,” Narcy answered, “so I can use the tournament winnings to dominate the film industry and make the world pink!”

“Yep, he’s still as insane as ever,” MegaMan said nodding.

“Fine, we’ll battle, then. Jack in!! MegaMan, power up!”

“You’ll be surprised what we can do this time,” Narcy assured as he kissed his PET before holding it forward, “Jack in!! VideoMan, power up!”

Both Navis landed inside the NetBattle machine and their Battle Point counters appeared when their operators slotted in their Battle Point chips.

“I’m wagering twenty Battle Points!” Lan declared.

“And I accept,” Narcy replied.

“Let’s do it, MegaMan. Battle routine, set!”

“Execute!”

“Lights! Camera! ACTION!”

BATTLE START

“Mega Buster!” MegaMan held up his buster and started off the battle with several blasts.

“Take one! Tape Wind!” Lengths of film poured out from VideoMan’s arms and protected him against the shots. Once his opponent ceased fire, he then began his attack.

“Wind Cutter!” An empty film spool appeared in the air and VideoMan wrapped his tape around it until he filled it up before launching it at MegaMan. The blue Navi jumped to the side and let the reel fly right past him.

“SuperVulcan Battlechip in, download!” Lan and dragged and dropped the chip onto his Navi and MegaMan’s hand morphed into a gold and crimson chain gun. He held out his new weapon and started firing a rapid assault of bullets.

“Fast Forward!” VideoMan’s movements suddenly sped up and he dodged the attack with ease, leaving a trail of brief afterimages of himself.

“AreaGrab Battlechip in, download!” As soon as the green-teethed Navi returned to an upright position, he instantly teleported elsewhere.

“Stay sharp, MegaMan!” Lan warned, “He could appear anywhere.”

“Too late!” VideoMan laughed as he appeared behind MegaMan. The blue Navi turned around and saw his opponent looming over him. He tried to get away, but his movements were too slow as VideoMan leapt up into the air. He seemed to stay suspended in that position for a few seconds before his foot struck out and kicked MegaMan in the chin, knocking him back.

“MegaMan, are you okay?” asked Lan.

“I’m alright, but that REALLY hurt,” MegaMan answered as he got back to his feet, rubbing his chin with one hand.

“Hang on, bro. Soul Unison: Nova Soul Battlechip in, download!” There was a flash of gold light and MegaMan emerged from it wearing his Nova Soul armor.

“Comet Impact!” A burst of energy erupted from his hand as he thrust it forward and struck VideoMan in the chest. The film Navi got back up and smirked.

“Not bad. But it still won’t beat me!” VideoMan held up his arms so that his film was facing MegaMan, “Make copy!” The strip of tape between his arms began to glow and a burst of light shot out and landed on the floor in front of him before taking on the form of MegaMan. The copy instantly brought up its buster and started firing. MegaMan dropped out of Nova Soul and ran as fast as he could to avoid getting hit.

“Lan, I could use some help here!” he yelled.

“I’ve got the perfect chip. MagBolt2 Battlechip in, download!” Lan slotted in his chip and watched as MegaMan’s hand transformed into a magnet. He held it out towards his clone and pulled him in. As soon as it made contact with his weapon, it disappeared.

“Of course! Magnets can erase video tapes,” MegaMan realized.

“Hmph. It’s going to take more than that to erase my tape!” VideoMan held up his arms and produced more clones. Before long, he had a massive army of MegaMan copies all waiting and ready to attack.

“How are we going to take them all out at once?” MegaMan wondered as he looked at his clones.

“I have a plan, MegaMan,” said Lan, “IceStage Battlechip in, download! Soul Unison: Elec Soul Battlechip in, download!” The entire battle grid suddenly became a massive skating rink and MegaMan transformed into Elec Soul.

“MegaMan, hit the ice with a Lightning Blast!” Lan commanded.

“Roger! Lightning Blast!” MegaMan held up his hands and formed a ball of electricity that he shot into the air. A few seconds later, numerous thunderbolts rained back down. Several copies were struck down and erased while other bolts hit the ice, which conducted the electrical current and hit everything that was standing on the cold crystalline surface.

“You won’t get me!” VideoMan sneered. He launched a Wind Cutter upward and his reel hit the ceiling. Moving quickly, he hauled himself up and cleared the ice just before the electricity reached his location.

“Using the ice to conduct the electricity was a clever move,” Narcy commented, “However, we won’t lose.”

“Don’t be so sure,” Lan said with a smirk, “AquaWhirl3, LongSword, MagBolt3 Battlechips in, download!” MegaMan switched out of Elec Soul and he began to spin in place as a tornado of water surrounded him. He spun towards his opponent and a sword blade suddenly stuck out from the waves. VideoMan saw t his and tried to free his reel from the ceiling, but found it was no use. He was hit several times by the LongSword and the water from the AquaWhirl3 splashed onto his film. When MegaMan finally stopped, he held out his newly acquired magnet and pressed it against VideoMan’s chest, sending a powerful shock through his body. Once he had attached his opponent to his weapon, he delivered a powerful uppercut and struck him on the chin before kicking him in the abdomen. VideoMan stumbled back and coughed; however, that was the least of his worries.

“My footage has been erased!” he cried.

“You’ll pay for that!” Narcy squealed, “Crest of Arcadia Battlechip in, download!” Lan swore loudly as his opponent slotted in the shimmering white chip and a white light engulfed VideoMan. When it finally died down, he had the Crest emblazoned on the top of his projector. With one yank, his reel came free of the ceiling and he launched it at MegaMan. The blue Navi ducked and the attack hit the wall behind him. But VideoMan wasn’t done. Just as MegaMan was getting back to his feet, the black and green Navi rewound in his film and allowed his trapped reel to pull him in. He flew towards MegaMan and kicked him in the face with both feet before pulling his weapon free.

“Tape Wind!” Great lengths of film poured from VideoMan’s arms and wrapped themselves tightly around MegaMan. He tightened his hold around the blue Navi’s neck as he chortled evilly.

“MegaMan!” Lan watched in horror as his Navi was having his life squeezed right out of him.

“VideoMan, let’s wrap this up!” Narcy commanded.

“Narcy, he can’t hear you. The Crest of Arcadia has robbed him from your control!” Lan quickly explained. And true to his point, VideoMan completely ignored his operator despite the fact that his actions were still along the lines of Narcy’s orders.

“Lan…” MegaMan gasped, “Can’t…breathe…”

“I won’t let it end like this, MegaMan,” Lan assured the blue Navi, “I won’t let my brother down.” The brunet had a chip that could help in this situation, but he didn’t know how long he’d have to search through his folder to find it.

I’ve only got one shot at this, so this better count. Reaching into his folder, Lan’s fingers sifted through his chips until he fell upon one. He gulped once and pulled it out. What he saw was a welcome sight.

“Salamander Battlechip in, download!” Lan slotted in the chip and MegaMan’s body instantly flared up and the flames shot up into a fiery column. VideoMan cried out as he was burned and his Tape Wind loosened its hold. MegaMan quickly pulled the film off from around his neck and slipped away from the rest before moving to a safe distance, his body still burning brightly.

“Take this!” The emerald-eyed Navi jumped into the air and the flames took on the shape of a giant dragon.

“Wind Cutter!” VideoMan launched his attack at his opponent, but it was rendered useless when the dragon opened its mouth and swallowed the reel. The film Navi cried out as flames traveled down his tape until they reached his arms, which then started burning.

“Let’s do it, MegaMan!” Lan cried, “Style Change, go! HeatShadow Style!” While still inside the Salamander, MegaMan’s clothes and armor changed from blue to red and his helmet was customized into the shape of ShadowMan’s cowl while a red scarf appeared around his neck.

“Muramasa Battlechip in, download!” A steel-bladed sword appeared in front of MegaMan and he grasped the hilt firmly, instantly triggering the blade to give off a powerful dark aura as a result of all the damage its wielder had received from his opponent.

“This is the end! HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” The Salamander opened its mouth and completely swallowed VideoMan, engulfing him in flames. The green-teethed Navi screamed in pain as MegaMan flew through the blaze towards him and slashed. He reappeared behind him and the fire died down. VideoMan’s blackened and burned body collapsed and MegaMan was declared the winner.

“No! This can’t be!” Narcy squealed in frustration.

“You lost, Narcy,” Lan said firmly, “Now hand over the Crest of Arcadia.”

“I will not accept defeat!” Narcy argued, “I’ll fight you again!”

“It’s over so just fork over the chip.” Just then, VideoMan cried out as a white column of light surrounded his body and he disappeared. At the same time, the rest of Narcy’s Battle Points dropped to zero.

“Narcy Hide,” the silhouette of the mysterious organizer of the Battle Network tournament appeared on the film director’s PET screen, “by refusing to hand over your rarest chip to your opponent upon defeat, you are thus disqualified from the rest of the Battle Network tournament.”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

“Lan, let’s just get the chip and get out of here,” MegaMan urged upon his return to his PET.

“Good idea.” Lan walked towards Narcy and prepared to take the Crest of Arcadia. However, before he could even get close, a pair of purple energy blades cut a hole in the ceiling and R Harpuia flew in.

“I’ll take that chip, if you don’t mind.”

“Waya!”

“Don’t get in my way, Hikari.” R Harpuia landed on the stage and picked up the Crest of Arcadia while keeping Lan at bay with one of his lightsabers.

“See you later, Hikari.” The Cross Fused NetBattler then flew back out of the hole he had cut and disappeared from sight.

“You know, Lan, maybe it’s for the best that we let him take the chip,” MegaMan suggested, “Remember what happened last time?”

“Right. The attack on SciLab. Well, I guess I’ll help myself.” Lan took Narcy’s PET and scrolled through his chips. After a while, he slotted in a blank chip and downloaded a VideoManSP before returning the Personal Terminal to its owner. He left the TV station and stood back on the dock to stare at the horizon again.

“That was a great move, Lan,” said MegaMan, “I would’ve been a goner if you hadn’t used that chip that way.” Lan took out his PET and looked at his Navi.

“MegaMan, you’re my brother and I love you like anybody would love their brother. I’ll always watch your back.”

“And I’ll always watch yours, too.” MegaMan raised his arm and pressed it against the window. Lan slid his hand over the screen and placed it in front of his Navi’s. The brunet then pressed his PET against his chest and hugged it.

“I could never stand to lose you, Hub,” he said quietly.

“I promise we’ll always be together,” assured MegaMan.

-----------------------------------
End of chapter 3-42.

CHAPTER PREVIEW
Lan: A fragment of Sean’s tortured past still haunts him.
MegaMan: And it’s somewhere out there on the net.
Lan: Poor guy’s been through a lot already. I don’t want him to be reminded of his pain.
MegaMan: Sean’s a strong person. He’ll pull through somehow.
Lan & MegaMan: Next time on Rockman.EXE: The College Years, “A Frozen Memory”.
Lan: He’ll face the demon of his past head-on.
MegaMan: And he’ll finally put that memory to rest.
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[LgacyDX]

Okay, this battle was good. Another Disqualification in the tournament and I don't want to forget about the first time with CustomMan. Anyway, when are the finals going to start and will we see the true power of the Crest of Arcadia? We won't know for sure until you decide when it will happen.
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Mega Man: New Generation *Updated to Chapter 1-14*
Wanna join Hi5? Click here.

[Midnight]

Well, I am impressed again. This turned out to be quite decently done. Combat was a little on the bland side, but it at least did not involve a compilation of yelling out attacks--some of it was actually quite interesting to see played out.

My only gripe with this chapter is that you made Narcy's character FAR too shallow in this chapter--having nothing other than being hell bent on his victory. Other than that, this was actually a good job. The momentum is building back up--keep on it.
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Today, these three players are after Big Bucks! But they'll have to avoid the Whammy, as they play the most exciting game of their lives! From Television City in Hollywood! It's time to 'Press Your Luck!'--Rod Roddy

The Kingdom of Loathing: An Adventurer is You! // I ♣ Seals

Avatar by Spork. I very much appreciate it! <3

[Flame Buster]

Nod Nod

*points to Midnight's post*

The battle was good, but it seemed as though none of these have much of a plot to them.
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[TheWebbuilder]

That was just... well... bland.

Although the combat situations were dressed up a lot better than they have been in times past, the bulk of the moves used in the fight had been performed before in the anime. True, the combat was less linear, but it needs more original stuff and less previously seen moves.

And yes, your plots are lacking horribly. You can get away with a plot-less chapter once in a while, but the way you're running from one filler to the next is just plain annoying.
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[Anime Master ZERO]

This chapter was really supposed to focus more on the relationship between Lan & MegaMan despite the title & the preview.
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[LgacyDX]

I knew for a fact that chapter was about those two. I wish there was a chip that would awaken MegaMan's true power such as SaitoBatch (BN6 Giga Chip). I know that we'll see it in the finals.
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Mega Man: New Generation *Updated to Chapter 1-14*
Wanna join Hi5? Click here.

[Viewtiful Starman]

Well, I can't really say I felt that you got what you were going for there... While I did notice a bit on that, it felt kind of forced and there wasn't that much of it.

Anyhow... the last chapter was pretty good, but I didn't like this one much. I was expecting something a lot more interesting since you were using Narcy, but it was just a very basic idea with his first stream plot, and yet another random tournament fight.

Also, one small thing I noticed. While I don't think you did it every time, and it's not a problem if you do it in moderation, following your strategies with a detailed description of the strategy from one of the characters gets a bit annoying when it's done too much and sounds VERY forced. While sometimes it might need pointing out, it can be pretty easy to figure out when you describe how it happens

[Abiisan]

I can see that you are making a good attempt to incorporate any review suggestions you make, but the problem is that I can see where you do and don't incorporate it. Though this chapter and the last have been much better than those just before them. I think it would be better to not begin the revival of this fic with fillers or relationship-builders. What this story needs is a huge plot twist or developement that makes us, the reviewers, feel as if we have come out of the chapter with something new to hypothesize and think about. I personally liked the chapter and respect your attempt at trying to make a full change, but the making changes in mechanics and detail just aren't the same as forwarding the plot.
Good job, by the way, of writing narcy in character.
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Formerly known as LunarSun

Banner and icon by Xhunter17

[Elementalman.EXE]

Okay. Rants

Narcy seemed to be ... Well. like a random person. He seem shallow and nothing like himself in this chaptar.

I hope your not going to go back to airing this immediatly. It would suit you better if you took alot of time, didn't try to rush. Remember, Quality is way better than Quanity.

ANd, I think it may be a good idea to bring back Beta Readers. They could offer some good help.

Numerous times I felt like MegaMan was going to reach out and start kissing Lan

Overall: A little bland, and thin on the plot. 7/10
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Elementalman.EXE
Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted.
1000 Post on Sept. 18 2005 at 6:29pm

[Fan]

You should bring back the Style Changes, it's fun to see them. And don't forget the beast Outs.
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If you're reading this, it's obvious you have nothing much to do.

[Fan]

Delete this, please.
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If you're reading this, it's obvious you have nothing much to do.

[Abiisan]

My guess is that he is gonna bring in the beastouts at the end of this little saga revolving around the tournament. I wouldn't bring it in earlier, because there is still too much that needs to be explained and in general cleaned up. In other words, there is no reason to add more clutter. Also, I personally was not sad to see the style change usage die down and am pleased to see a revival of some of the old souls he came up with.
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Formerly known as LunarSun

Banner and icon by Xhunter17

[Anime Master ZERO]

CHAPTER 3-43
A Frozen Memory

Defending against Breaking-element attacks was never easy and Axl knew that fact well. His opponent, DigMan, had been relentlessly attacking him with his drills and had given the redheaded Navi a run for his money.

“Axl, stick this under his treads,” Sean ordered, “MegaEnergyBomb Battlechip in, download!” A silver ball with four blue evenly-spaced switches appeared in Axl’s hand and he flew in towards DigMan. He ducked under the drills and placed it on the floor just in front of him before pulling away. He then turned around and watched as his opponent’s treads rolled over the bomb and detonated it. The blast successfully managed to force him off balance and caused him to top over onto his side.

“A weakness of Navis with treads is that once they’re down, they can’t get up.” Sean smirked and watched as Axl came up on DigMan from behind and started shooting at him. Daniel slotted in a RockCube and his Navi used it to support himself as he tried to push himself back up. Once he was finally back on his treads, DigMan readied his drills.

“Where’d he go?” he wondered when he didn’t see Axl anywhere. His answer came when the scarred Navi jumped onto his back and started blasting away at his head. He tried to counterattack, but his arms were too short to reach, so he resolved to shaking him off, which proved difficult for his stiff structure.

“Axl, shoot his neck,” ordered Sean, “That seams to be a weak spot in his armor.”

“Got it!” Axl crouched down lower and started pelting plasma bullets into his opponent’s neck until he finally logged out.

“Great battle, Sean,” Daniel congratulated as he handed over his rarest chip, “That was a great match.”

“You and DigMan were great, too,” Sean replied as he accepted the chip and put it away in his pack.

“Well, best of luck for the rest of the tournament.” Daniel bid farewell and left.

“Amazing, Sean!” exclaimed Axl, “We’ve got seventy-three Battle Points already. Another twenty-seven and we’ll qualify for the finals!”

“The thing is that with my current score, most of my opponents will be declaring the wager,” answered Sean, “And because of that, they’re going to try to keep me from getting into the finals by wagering less than what I need until I hit ninety-nine, in which case there’s no choice.” Axl said nothing for a few minutes, but then replied with a simple “okay”.

“So where do you want to go now?” he asked. Sean thought for a moment.

“Kotobuki Town,” he finally answered. He quickly boarded a train to Marine Harbor and then used his old KotoPass to get onto the KotoLine. When he got off, memories seem to flood back as he came into the familiar surroundings. He looked up at his old apartment and felt a slight jolt inside his body, causing him to twitch. Axl looked up at his operator with a concerned expression.

“Are you okay, Sean?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine, Axl,” Sean replied, “It’s just that being here brings back a lot of memories.”

“Then why did we come here?” the redheaded Navi wondered.

“Ever since I finished serving my sentence after disbanding Gospel, I’ve tried to do everything I can to make amends for the terrible things I did. But no matter what I do, I still feel like I haven’t done enough. Like I still have yet to atone for my crimes.”

“And yet here you are at nineteen, ten years after that happened. Jeez, Sean. You really beat yourself up hard.”

“How’s the radiation level, Axl?” asked Sean.

“Radiation is still present, but it’s dropped enough so that it doesn’t do much harm to humans,” Axl reported as he did a scan.

“Thanks.” Sean walked into the old apartment building and pressed the elevator button. Nothing happened.

“Elevator’s not working.” He took out his PET and clicked it onto his wristband, “Axl, see if you can get it to start. Jack in!! Axl, power up!” A thin red laser shot into the jack-in sensor under the elevator button and Axl materialized inside the system.

“What am I looking for, Sean?” he asked of his operator.

“Look for a piece of data called ElBitEv,” Sean instructed.

“Roger that.” As Axl started running through the server, he failed to notice a set of eyes watching his moves. After a few minutes of searching, he finally found the ElBitEv and returned it to its original location. As soon as it locked into place, the elevator started up.

“Good work, Axl. Jack out.” Sean logged Axl out and stepped into the elevator. He pressed the button for the top floor and leaned against the wall as the doors closed and he rode up to his old penthouse apartment. Upon entering using his old key, he found everything was just the way they had been when he left.

“Why exactly are we here, anyway?” asked Axl.

“I have to find something out.” Sean walked into the next room and over to his old desk. He was surprised to find that the computer still had power left despite all the years of nonuse.

“I could’ve sworn the power was shut down after I left,” he murmured to himself. As he worked on the computer, a distant hollow voice seemed to call out to him.

“Shuryou…”

The crimson-eyed teen looked up and turned his head to see who had spoken, but there was no one there.

“Axl, did you hear something?”

“I thought I heard a voice, but it could’ve been my imagination.”

“I don’t think so. I heard it, too.”

“Shuryou…”

“There it is again!” Sean looked around the apartment, but nobody else was present in the room.

“It’s been too long, Shuryou Gospel…”

Sean’s gaze turned to the computer monitor and an image of a Navi frozen in a block of ice appeared. His pupils shrank as the memories flooded back into his mind.

“FreezeMan…”

“At last, you’ve returned to once again spread fear throughout the net. I have waited ten years for your return, Shuryou.”

“Could someone please fill me in?” asked Axl.

“FreezeMan used to be my NetNavi back when I was the leader of Gospel,” Sean explained, “I thought he had been deleted.”

“Indeed, I had been for a while,” FreezeMan responded, “My data remained scattered throughout the vast Gospel server, but it slowly came back together over time and finally I was reborn. And I’ve been waiting here ever since. Now that you have returned, Shuryou, Gospel shall resume its reign of terror.”

“No, FreezeMan,” Sean said quietly, “Gospel will never rise again.”

“What?”

“I disbanded Gospel a long time ago. I put my past and all the pains it brought behind me. I’m not the frightened little boy I used to be, FreezeMan. I have no desire to seek revenge.”

“Shuryou, your mind has been altered!” FreezeMan bellowed.

“I’m not Shuryou Gospel!” Sean snapped, “FreezeMan, I created you out of my hatred for society and my thirst for revenge. I was driven by my emotions. But I’m not like that, anymore.” He paused in his speech for a moment before continuing.

“I don’t want to be associated with you anymore, FreezeMan. I have a new Navi, now. Axl is the symbol of my new life. He’s more than just a NetNavi to me. He was created and given to me out of friendship. Axl’s my friend, FreezeMan, and you’re nothing more than an unwanted part of my past.”

“Then I shall delete this Axl, for it’s clear that he is the one who has poisoned your mind.” The ice surrounding FreezeMan cracked and it suddenly shattered, allowing the frozen Navi to step out from his frigid prison.

“Sean, what should we do now?” asked Axl.

“Maybe this is what I’ve been searching for,” Sean answered, “Maybe we defeat FreezeMan, I can finally forgive myself for all the things I did.”

“I’m ready to do whatever you want me to, Sean,” Axl said. Sean took out an adapter and plugged it into the computer’s jack-in port. He then beamed his Navi in and watched as he appeared in front of FreezeMan.

“It’s time to put this memory to rest, Axl. Battle routine, set!”

“Execute!”

“The glory of Gospel shall rise again!”

BATTLE START

“I’ll delete you and bring Shuryou back to his senses,” FreezeMan growled as he and Axl circled each other.

“Sean’s been through enough pain,” the redheaded Navi shot back, “He doesn’t need you to remind him of the past. I’m going to beat you so he can finally put his mind at ease.”

“Your lies do not fool me. Ice Tower!” FreezeMan raised his hand and stalagmites made of ice shot up from the floor in a line towards Axl. The younger Navi quickly ran to the side and started strafing around his opponent, firing at him with his Axl Gun with every chance he had.

“ElecReel3 Battlechip in, download!” Sean’s PET registered the chip and Axl’s left hand changed into a pair of sharp sparking prongs. He pointed his weapon at FreezeMan and discharged a bolt of electricity, hitting him squarely on the chest and electrocuting him.

“I’ve never seen that chip before,” the icy Navi muttered.

“You’ve been cut off from the world for so long, FreezeMan. Things have changed,” Sean replied.

“I will free you, Shuryou,” FreezeMan swore, “from the manipulative grasp of this child.”

“How many times do I have to tell you? I’m not Shuryou Gospel anymore!” But Sean’s words went unheard as his former Navi unleashed another Ice Tower attack and surrounded Axl with the frozen spikes, imprisoning him in between them.

“HotBody3 Battlechip in, download!” The ice quickly melted and Axl stepped forward with his entire body on fire. He quickly curled up into a ball and flew towards FreezeMan, slamming him on the chest and bouncing back on the rebound.

“Ice Tower!” More Ice Towers shot out of the floor and Axl landed and quickly jumped onto one. Each time a new spike appeared, he abandoned his current perch and jumped onto the recently-created one.

“Icicle Fall!” Raising his hands over his head, FreezeMan summoned several giant icicles and they started dropping onto the field. As Axl leapt from one Ice Tower to the next, one of the falling obstacles fell on top of the one he had just abandoned, smashing it into several ice shards.

“You can’t keep running from me forever!” FreezeMan cried.

“Try me!” Axl shot back. An icicle suddenly landed on the Ice Tower he was jumping towards and he flew over the pile of crushed ice and landed on the floor.

“Icicle Fall!” More icicles fell from the air and one-by-one they slammed into the redheaded Navi.

“Hold on, Axl. I’ll find something for you.” Sean dug around inside his folder for something that could help. Unfortunately, he realized then that he had already five Mega Chips, so there was no room left for his LifeAura.

“I’ll just have to make do with something else,” he mumbled, “LeaderRaid Battlechip in, download!” ProtoMan and Colonel appeared on either side of Axl and faced FreezeMan.

“What’s this?” the ice Navi demanded. The two sword-wielding Navis charged up and suddenly unleashed a dual attack. ProtoMan dashed ahead and slashed with StepSword while Colonel used CrossDivide. When the attack ended, they disappeared. Axl slowly got up and leaned his hand against a nearby Ice Tower.

“How’s that, FreezeMan?” he asked cockily. FreezeMan stood there with three slash marks in his chest; two were in opposite diagonal angles and the third was horizontal, all three of which were centered on a single spot on his body.

“I won’t allow you to gain victory,” he growled, “IceStage!” The floor suddenly became frozen solid and Axl slipped away from his support and slid along the ice.

“I’ll end this once and for all.” FreezeMan held out his hand and several ice pixels gathered together until they formed a sword made entirely out of ice. He grasped the hilt and walked towards his opponent.

“I won’t abandon Axl,” Sean yelled, “ElecBlade Battlechip in, download!” Just as FreezeMan swung his sword down, Axl raised his arm and blocked it with a sparking steel blade.

“Sorry, FreezeMan, but dying isn’t on my itinerary.” He quickly grabbed hold of his opponent’s arm and used it to propel himself between his legs. Upon reaching an Ice Tower, he pushed himself off with his feet, extended his wings, and flew back up onto his feet. FreezeMan turned around and fired several Mountain Spears only to have then knocked away.

“Then I’ll deal with you up close and personal.” The frozen Navi readied his sword and charged forward.

“I don’t think so!” Axl activated his thrusters and dashed away along the ice. Any obstacles that were in his path were used to propel himself towards FreezeMan and each time he made a pass, the two Navis swung their swords and their blades clashed.

“Come on, Axl,” Sean urged, “You can do it. Think of something. Anything!” Back inside the server, Axl slid to a stop against a spike from the Gospel server pathway and dropped to one knee.

“You’re tired already,” FreezeMan smirked.

“Far from it,” answered Axl.

“Regardless, you must realize that you are doomed.”

“I don’t think so.” Axl plunged his ElecBlade into the frozen floor and countless volts of electricity shot through it and hit FreezeMan from below, causing him to yell out in pain. The scarred Navi got back to his feet and readied his sword.

“Sean, give me something to draw him in,” he called to his operator.

“I think I know what can help.” Sean took out a MagBolt3 and slotted it in. Almost instantaneously, Axl’s right hand morphed into a magnet and he used it to pull in his opponent. FreezeMan plunged his sword into the floor and raised another Ice Tower for extra support to keep himself from getting drawn in, but Axl simply struck the floor again and the electric shock caused him to let go and he finally hit the magnet.

“This is for Sean!” Axl drew back his left arm and slashed multiple times with his ElecBlade before plunging it through the wound his LeaderRaid had made earlier. The tip of his sword came out of FreezeMan’s back and the two of them remained in that position.

“I have failed you, my master…” The ElecBlade was removed and FreezeMan fell forward, landing heavily on the ice. He said nothing and his eyes darkened before they closed. Slowly, his body disappeared pixel by pixel until nothing remained. The ice disappeared and Axl stood by himself inside the Gospel server.

“He’s finally gone,” Sean whispered.

“Sean,” Axl’s voice brought the grey-haired teen back to reality, “what now?” Sean thought for a moment and then answered.

“I’m going to take out the Gospel server permanently.” He jacked out Axl and began the process of deleting the server hard drives. After an hour, everything was gone, but there was still something he had to do. For the next five hours, Sean went to every single server in the apartment building and removed the hard drives from them all. By the time he finished, he had two large bags full of them.

“Time to head out, Axl,” he informed his Navi. Taking the two bags with him, Sean left the apartment and headed over to a dumpster. By sheer chance, a garbage truck had just come by to empty it. He quickly threw the hard drives into the rear and watched as the compactor crushed them.

“How are you feeling, Sean?” asked Axl. Sean stood in silence as he watched the action take place, but then closed his eyes and gave a satisfied smile.

“Much better, Axl. Much better.” He turned around and headed for the MetroStation. The servers in the apartment were nothing more than empty shells now and all the software had been erased. The last physical remnants of Gospel were now gone from the world. And Sean was glad for it.

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End of chapter 3-43.

CHAPTER PREVIEW
Lan: IceMan, AquaMan, and BubbleMan have a very strong friendship with one another.
MegaMan: The three of them have faced many challenges together.
Lan: Together, they can pull through for one another.
MegaMan: And that’s what’s important.
Lan & MegaMan: Next time on Rockman.EXE: The College Years, “Triumphant Aquatic Friendship”.
Lan: Having friends is good.
MegaMan: And those three have an unbreakable bond.
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[LgacyDX]

This story is very good. I really look forward to the next chapter. Nonetheless, Sean finally got rid of everything that reminded him of his horrid past and now with a bright future ahead, I know he'll do well.
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Mega Man: New Generation *Updated to Chapter 1-14*
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[Abiisan]

That was a pretty good chapter, if a little off-plot. It would be kind of cool to have something emerge as a result of the remains of the gospel server, whether or not the were destroyed. This story is undoubtedly getting much better, but even with the improved writing style and revival of so many old souls, it still really needs to get back on course toward the finals. If not that, it at least needs something new. In other words, it is a great story, but it is too familiar. On its own though; it was a good chapter.
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Formerly known as LunarSun

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