The Pain Of Loss Chapter 19 – The First Obstacle
Mayl: You're posting three chapters at once?!!
Me: Well, duh!!! I wasn't able to upload Chapters 17 and 18 on our working computer at my house, and getting them on the crap computer is a real pain in the butt!!!
Blizzard Wolfang: This is still ridiculous. You should upload just one a day...
Me: Well, first off, that would kill the point of this conversation. This IS Chapter 19!!!
Mayl and Blizzard: ...
Me: Secondly, I WOULD'VE uploaded one a day, but I was in no mood the day I finished 17, and when I finished 18, I wanted to, but then there was that computer bit I just mentioned.
Mayl: You really need Microsoft Word on that thing...
Me: Tell me about it. That Notepad bit doesn't work half as well. #Sighs, then shrugs# Anywho, everyone, no suspense here. Just enjoy the battle with Magnetman.EXE!!!
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Skullman blinked a little bit, looking around as the battle party moved through the Undernet. Iceman blinked, turning back and looking up at Skullman. "What's wrong with you?" Skullman looked down to Iceman, his eyes narrowed. "Somethin's in the air. I don't like it one bit..." Protoman blinked, hearing sparks of electricity. He looked up, then hastily shifted his gaze to the rest of the party behind him. "EVERYONE, SCATTER!!!" Just as a Magnet Bomb shot down from the air, everyone jumped back, watching it explode into the ground. Magnetman Omega chuckled and floated down. "Not bad at all. You all managed to dodge my assault. Well, mostly..." Sharkman grit his teeth, holding one arm. Some of the electricity from the blast had numbed it, but there was no severe damage. Protoman walked forward, his Hero Sword appearing. "I take it that you're a copy of Gauss' old Navi..."
Magnetman chuckled, shaking his head. "Sorry, Protoman, but I'm the real thing. I remember everything, right down to how that pathetic runt Megaman deleted me on the air plane! But he's not here to save you now..." Magnetman yelled out and slammed one fist down, sending a Magnet Line forward and behind him. All the Navis in the group were immediately drawn down to the ground. Roll grit her teeth, trying to move, but getting no where fast. "D... darn you, Magnetman!!!" Thunderman tried to move, but was quickly brought down, lying on his stomach. Magnetman chuckled and looked behind himself to the crippled Thunderman. "Science lesson, pal. Electricity powers up Magnets!" Once he turned his attention from Thunderman again, he walked forward towards Roll, forming a Magnet Bomb and holding it ready. "This girl's still a real threat to our group's goal. I'll delete her FIRST!!!"
Just as he raised the Magnet Bomb, prepared to slam it into Roll's head, something slammed into his back, knocking him forward and onto his side. He winced, looking at a leaf sticking to his back. Woodman stood tall, his hands held out. "You're not going to touch her." Magnetman grimaced, thinking to himself. 'So much for an easy victory. I'd forgotten, Woodman's a Wood Elemental. My Magnets won't have any effect on his body...' Magnetman stood, cracking his knuckles. "Well, I guess you're the only thing standing between your friends and deletion. Not much of a defense, really."
Sal's image appeared behind Woodman, her eyes narrowed into a fierce glare. "It's going to be more than enough of a defense to take you down, Magnetman! Woodman, get ready for a fight!!! Grass Stage, slot in!!!" She slipped the chip for Grass Stage in, covering the area in tall grass. Just as the others were about to stand again, Magnetman created another Magnet Line, smirking. "Sorry boys and girls, but this is a one-on-one fight. Don't worry, though, you'll all get your turns!"
Back at the old Nebula base, Kali watched the screen as Woodman prepared himself for battle. Her eyes narrowed seriously, her fingers drumming over the sphere. "This is going to be a very interesting battle. Magnetman may be an Omega Navi, but Woodman's element and that stage pretty much levels out the playing field. I guess it all comes down to which Navi's got the best strategy..." She looked down into the sphere, giggling a bit. The sphere's conversion was now 87% complete. She stroked it gently, looking into the black cloud beginning to envelop it. "It won't be long now..."
Back on the battle field, Magnetman and Woodman had already begun to fight. Both were locked, literally, in hand-to-hand combat. Woodman growled, a serious look on his face. "You won't lay one finger on my friends..." Magnetman grinned through grit teeth, struggling against Woodman just as much as Woodman was against him. "A weakling like you doesn't stand a chance, I'd suggest you quit while you're ahead!!!" Magnetman yelled out and sent two Magnet Bombs at Woodman from the sides, impacting directly. Woodman fell back a bit, landing on a grass panel and beginning to absorb energy from it. "It's not gonna be nearly that simple!!!" Woodman jumped up into the air, slamming down hard and sending Wood Spikes beneath Magnetman at all sides. Magnetman hollered out, flying up into the air a bit as the spikes made contact. He caught himself in mid-air and touched down on the ground smoothly. "BI-POLAR TACKLE!!!" Magnetman rushed forward as a blue copy of himself appeared behind Woodman. Woodman's eyes shot wide as this happened, taking the full impact of both blows. He yelled out, dropping to one knee and shivering. Even for a Wood Element, this was an enormous amount of electrical energy to absorb.
Magnetman raised his hands into the air, forming a Zap Ring and throwing it forward. Woodman jumped to the side, skidding a little onto one of the Magnet Panels. "You're good... but I'm better!!!" Sal smirked, nodding to Woodman. "Lance, Slot In!!!" Immediately, three spears pierced into Magnetman's back, sending him forward. He caught himself by using his magnetic energy to parallel himself off the ground. "Why you..." Magnetman looked up as he said this, just to come face to face with a Bamboo Sword. Woodman slashed Magnetman across the chest, sending him stumbling back. He held back any cries of pain, immediately forming an Elec Sword. "You're tiring out, Woodman..." Woodman narrowed his eyes, holding a defensive stance. "And you're weakening with every blow." Magnetman chuckled, drawing his sword back. "I guess it comes down to this... LET'S GO!!!" Immediately, both Navis charged each other. Woodman may have had a high enough defense to hold his own, but with the combination of Magnetman's speed and power, he was definitely in a bind. Sal grit her teeth, biting her thumbnail anxiously. 'What can I do to help... I GOT IT!!!' Just before the swords made contact on both Navis, Sal slid a battle chip into her PET, gripping it tightly. "I hope it activated in time..."
As the Navis clashed, a bright flash filled Undernet 1. As the flash died, Magnetman and Woodman stood, backs to one another. Magnetman's Elec Sword vanished seconds after he and Woodman were visible once more, his collapse following quickly. "H... How did you...?" Sal grinned, giving a Peace sign to the screen. "I slid in a Barrier 200 just before you two slashed at each other. I honestly wasn't sure if it would activate in time!" Woodman dropped to one knee, panting heavily. Magnetman grinned, cackling a little. "None of you will stand a chance... When Kali's plans are carried out..." With those last words, he vanished into a cloud of data. The Magnet Line that had the other Navis bound to the floor vanished soon after. Roll rushed to Woodman, kneeling down. "Woodman, that was great!!! But are you going to be alright?!" Woodman stood, holding a slash mark in his side. "Just a little worn out... I'll be fine to go on with you guys." Roll smiled, putting her hands over the wound and sending some healing energy into it. Woodman blinked, then nodded down to her. Roll nodded back and turned, looking into Undernet 2. "Guess that's our next stop. Let's get going..."
Kali grimaced at this sight, standing up from her chair and holding the orb in both hands. "Hmph... I failed to notice they have a Navi of every element but Fire... Still, with three out of four, they still have enough strength to hold their own. I have to delete that Wood Element first..." She grinned, a black flame forming behind her. Immediately, Flamman appeared behind her. She turned, walking forward and glaring to him. "You failed me once, Flamman, but I'm giving you a final chance. You are the most powerful Fire Elemental Navi to date. THAT is why you are back. Fail me again, and I will make sure not even a scrap of your data remains..." Flamman cringed at the thought, the nodded, being teleported to Undernet 2. Kali smirked, walking up to the screen and holding the orb. "When this Woodman falls, then all the rest will come tumbling down... They'll be at my mercy."
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Sal: Heheheheheheh...
Mayl: What's she in such high spirits about?
Me: What else? If my Navi beat an Omega, I think that I'd be a little excited too.
Ice Man ( Original ): Hey, where's Lan?
Me: Oh, he's in the infirmary. After what Kali did at the end of last chapter, he was kinda in need of medical attention...
Mayl: #Glares right to Kali#
Kali: #Returns the glare, her fists clenched#
Everyone else: #Watches as a massive cat fight breaks out, then sweatdrops as Kali's flung through a wall#
Mayl: C'MON, KALI!!! I GOT LOTS MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM!!!
Me: #Sweatdrops enormously and looks to Roll# Please tell I'm having a horrible, horrible nightmare...
Roll: #Shakes her head, dumbfounded# ... I think you need to run, Death. You DID create Kali, after all...
Me: #Nods a bit and shifts into the body of a baby fox, jumping into Roll's arms and shivering#
Everyone else but Roll, Kali and Mayl: YOU WUSS!!!
Me: HEY!!! I VALUE MY LIFE!!! Anywho, folks, considering I live through this, I'll see ya'll next chapter!!!