OtaRockman.exe -Ch. 2- Up to Pre-Con Day #1

[TheDoc]

Read and review... or die at the hands of a Double R-Shadowman Attack!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 1: Setting the Stage

The year is 200X, and the Darkloids have once again appeared. Yet, as with every time they surface, the Cross Fusion Team appears to beat them back. But this time, things might not be so easily done...

The convention center in Baltimore’s inner harbor is being redesigned for the upcoming Otakon convention. Many people have heard of the exploits of the Cross Fusion Team now, and have heard tales of the Darkloids’ terror. But since the Baltimore area has had no issues with such events, nothing is being done. They believe that they’re immune; that they’ll be safe from anything. They’re wrong...

Technicians from one of the advertising groups, Holotech Inc., are hard at work setting up a demonstration system, aiming to project a complete digital world into a display room through photon manipulation. The goal is to generate a world that can be seen, but not touched; a sort of “safe” dimensional area.

“How’s the power tap coming, Bill?” one of the techs asked quickly, poking up from a hardware panel.

“Just about ready to finish connecting it. Are all of the circuits set to go?”

All except for one... the projection controller. I’ll be right back, gotta get it.” With that, the technician got up, walked up to a crate and removed a board. The central core of it glowed a deep purple. The technician noticed this and stopped. “Is it supposed to be this purple?” he asked.

“I don’t know, they never tell us anything. We’re just paid to install these things, y’know?”

“True, true. Oh well, let’s get this thing running.” He installed the board and closed the access panel. “All set for power!”

Bill had just finished connecting the power tap when he mentioned that. “Let’s turn in for the day. We’re all set to go here.”

“I hear that. Let’s hit a bar or something.” The two of them walked out of the room and left the center, going straight for the nearest bar. One figure remained. He simply grinned and walked away.

Back at Dentech City, Lan Hikari and the gang just finished preparing for the convention. He and the other Cross Fusion Team members are taking a welcome break from things. And what better place to relax than an anime convention?

“Hurry up, Lan. I’ve got to finish writing my panel speech. New games don’t present themselves, you know.” That voice belonged to Chaud Blaze, young NetBattler and a company CEO.

“All set here. Now let’s get to the airport and meet the rest of the group!”

Chaud nodded and the two left to grab a bus. They only packed clothes and their PETs, with the exception of Chaud, who took a business briefcase in addition.

The bus arrived at the airport about a half-hour after they left. They breezed through security, using their status – and their Synchro Chips – to act as a passport. The rest of the group was waiting at the gate.

“You’re late, you two...” an older, long-haired man declared. It was Dark Miyabi, Shadowman’s operator.

“Eheheh, well, you see...” Lan tried to excuse everything.

Maylu simply smiled. “Can’t think of a smart excuse this time?”

“Aw, man, if we were using my chopper, we’d be outta here in no time!” Charlie Airster piped up. “We could even stop by my ranch down in Texas!”

Laika sat relatively still, only perking up to mention a blunt idea. “Stop your squabbling. Save it for our vacation.”

Dingo couldn’t keep still, though. “I can’t believe we’re going to Baltimore! I’ve never been there in my life!”

“JAL Flight 118 for Baltimore is now boarding. If you are in the First-Class section, please present your boarding pass and enter the plane. Thank you.

Enzan smirked. “You lucked out, kid. We’re right on time.” Lan laughed a bit, and everyone walked on. It’d take a good while to fly over to Baltimore... at least twelve hours, anyway. On the plus side, they’d get a day back.

Back in the States, the day before the convention-goers would be arriving, a group of young adults was chatting on a forum. They were putting their own finishing touches on their attendance.

One of the organizers, affectionately called “Tabby”, made a post. “Alright everyone, we’re all attending as various members of the Cross Fusion Team and their Navis... as well as a few evil people, just because we’re open-minded like that ^_^ I’m looking forward to seeing you all there!”

Another member, called “The Doc”, replied. “About time... at least I’m only about four hours away right now. It’ll be easier for me to get there than it was a week ago. Anyway, I’m out. Catch you all tomorrow.” He logged off right after the post; some things remained to be packed. Namely, a traditional Japanese outfit, gray, deep red and purple. It was inspired by the ninja Miyabi, and he’d be wearing it for the entire convention.

The rest of the replies to the topic were – for the most part – of the “See you there!” types. One stood out, however... and even though it was promptly deleted by an Admin, it was an ominous one... it simply read “... fools.” The user was unnamed, the e-mail address was nonexistent, and the avatar was static. No one knew who it was.
_________________
Busily plotting for Otakon 2011... here's to hoping I don't leave my cameras behind this year.

Avatar taken from Ryouko's OtaRockman 2010 gallery - it's just my head, please don't delete me! x.x

[Midnight]

Hmm. I like what I'm reading so far.

Seeing as this is only the first chapter, and that I've never read any of your works, I'm not sure what to expect from this. However, what I do know is that this story has some good potential in it, especially if you plan to use the Otakon group as part of the story.

I do fear a little bit about self-insertions in general, but for now I can just give the benefit of the doubt and say that you're probably going to keep yourselves in check.

I really look forward to seeing how this develops.
_________________
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

[TheDoc]

Okay, two things. First, the insertion of the OtaRockman group is especially for plot reasons. There's going to be a larger role for us than simply con-goers, especially since this is set in a universe quite similar to the EXE universe, only with obvious real world locations. Everyone's going to have a large part in this. Well, almost everybody, seeing as I can't work with everyone in the group. Makes for too many characters.

And second...
Batoru-chippu, "Chapter Two", slotto-in!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2: Arrivals

The first group of people to arrive was the group from the States – nicknamed OtaRockman considering their theme this year. They beat the Cross Fusion Team by three hours. Once landed, they made a beeline for the hotel to make sure things were straight. As soon as things were good, they changed into their costumes and made way for the convention center. By the time they arrived at the convention center, the Japanese group had landed and was going to a summer house owned by Yai’s family.

“This’ll be a fun year!” Tabby exclaimed, standing in line in her Dark Blues costume. She had always preferred the Japanese names to anything else, opting to use the Japanese name of the character that the ProtoMan Navi was based on. Others had done the same with MegaMan and a few other Navis, and even the characters.

The “Doc” simply stood there shaking his head. His appearance was drastically different than normal; he brandished a long-haired dark wig, a scar down the right side of his face – crossing the eye, and a traditional Japanese garment. Right down the shoes. “Tabby, you’re as energetic as you were last year.”

“I always am!” Tabby responded in a chipper tone.

The rest of the group laughed. Loudly. The Doc reached into a bag and started pulling out PETs, giving one to everyone. “Here guys, custom-made PETs. No custom Navis yet, but I’m working on that.” Everyone grabbed one and thanked him. Apparently he managed to scrounge up not only enough money to go to the convention in costume, but to enhance the realism of everyone else’s. They were all playing around with them, tweaking them to their own individual tastes, right up until they picked up their passes.

When the Japanese group finally got there, the line was long. Chaud was bored out of his wits, as was the rest of the team. When they got to the counter, however, they were met with surprise. At least, Chaud, Lan, and Miyabi were, anyway.

The man at the counter simply looked at them and said “I could’ve sworn I saw people dressed just like you guys a couple of hours ago. I thought they were fan characters... but they must’ve been mainstream anime! Haha!”

Chaud stepped up. “We’re real people, OK? Listen, I’m the CEO of a major company, and my friends and I here are all members of the Cross Fusion Team. And we have the Chips to prove it.” They all pulled out their Synchro Chips.

“Okay, I believe you. Go on through! Go ahead! You don’t have to pay, just don’t hurt me for thinking you were fake!”

Lan chuckled. “Okay, then. Let’s go, guys!” They all grabbed their passes and signed them, and walked back out. Soon they crossed paths with the OtaRockman group.

Both groups kept walking without taking much notice to the others. Only the Doc and Miyabi came into direct contact. They bumped into each other, and out came their PETs and chips. Both bent down to pick them back up, neither looking at the other’s face. They simply blindly grabbed for whatever they could, then kept walking, only stopping to mutter a simple “Gomenasai...”

Back at Yai’s family summer house, Miyabi reached into his pocket and pulled out his PET and chips. They were all fakes, reproductions made for costuming; or at least he thought so, given their plastic covering. The PET wasn’t even in working order! He was furious. Lan and Chaud came into the room. “What’s going on, Miyabi?” Lan asked.

“Shadowman is gone...” Miyabi replied. “Someone has him... and my Synchro Chip, as well.”

Chaud piped up. “It’s probably someone at the convention, and they probably don’t even know they have him. We’ll simply ask around tomorrow.”

At the Days Inn, where the OtaRockman group was staying, the Doc did the same thing as Miyabi, only to his surprise, all of the chips he removed from his pocket looked extremely authentic, unlike the plastic kind he had for his costume. The PET was metal, and had a full-color LCD screen. He looked in awe at the PET.

“Miyabi, I do not recall us renting a hotel room,” a voice mentioned from the PET. The Doc looked down and saw Shadowman’s upper body on the screen.

“What did you call me? Did you just call me Miyabi?” The Doc asked.

Shadowman sighed. “Yes. Dark Miyabi, my master and ninja mentor.”

The Doc just laughed and laughed. “I’m no ninja mentor! I’m just a programmer from the States... hey, wait a minute...”

“You are not Miyabi!? Then where is he?! I demand to know!!”

“I don’t know where he is, but I think I know how I came into your possession. I must have ran into him and picked up his PET and chips by accident! It’s all a misunderstanding here!”

“Then will you return me to him at first opportunity?”

“You have my word, Shadowman. I may not be your master, but I’m certainly not a bad person!”

“We would get along well if we were partners, I gather... whoever you are...”

“Call me Pat, Shadowman.”

“Very well, ‘Pat’.”

Pat then went to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phew. That was a pain to tweak together. Look for chapter three soon, hopefully within a day or two. Rest assured, things WILL happen. And they'll start with this coming chapter.
_________________
Busily plotting for Otakon 2011... here's to hoping I don't leave my cameras behind this year.

Avatar taken from Ryouko's OtaRockman 2010 gallery - it's just my head, please don't delete me! x.x

[Nenji]

All I have to say is be very careful how you make other characters relate with your's (i.e you), but most importantly be careful about how you portray other forum members. I'm not saying you've neccesarily done something wrong, but ficcing real life people can be a problem sometimes if they don't appreciate the personality given to them in the fic.
_________________

Previously known as "HiKaizer"

[TheDoc]

I'd hate to disappoint you all, but I will be shutting the door on this fanfiction... at least for now. It needs to undergo a major rewrite, almost completely from scratch. It will debut once again, but not until August. And its debut venue shall be the Baltimore Convention Center, during what else but Otakon!

Until then, I hereby request that a moderator either lock this topic or that some way be found to remove the topic completely. The last thing that is needed is two threads for two versions of the same fiction.

In the meantime, I shall be entertaining you with a fanfiction based around a fangame project I am working on. Until August, be entertained episode-by-episode with MegaMan NT Warrior Synch, a project I hope to expand from fanfiction and fangame, to the level of a fanime.
_________________
Busily plotting for Otakon 2011... here's to hoping I don't leave my cameras behind this year.

Avatar taken from Ryouko's OtaRockman 2010 gallery - it's just my head, please don't delete me! x.x