Prologue - A Strange E-mail - FIR-Cyan [Old Format]

[1/30/2016 2:45:08 AM] While our heroine of the day, Leyla, was peacefully enjoying the web something dark was plotting its way into the surface of the net in its own twisted way. Nobody knew yet, but it all started with a new email soon leaving a notification on the corner of her screen; however, the name seemed to be a mess of corrupted text to such an extent it was unreadable. If she managed to miss the notification, her navi would also be alerted from her PET nearby as they're made to receive emails as well, likely telling her that the name was unreadable and it seemed suspicious. This weird email managed to make its way into her inbox despite the obvious filters any popular mailing system would have, which made it all the more strange.

[1/30/2016 2:56:14 AM | Edited 2:57:23 AM] Levra was unable to hear the unreliable narrator, listening to a playlist of high energy songs while browsing through her favorite web pages. Many cats were adorable on this day.

Her browsing halted as the mail icon blinked at the edge of her screen. On trained instinct, she opened her email client. Perhaps it was a notification of replies to the most recent fan fiction she wrote. However, upon looking at the newest email, she couldn't help but hesitate.

The email data on the new item's line was unintelligible. She had received some weird spam before, but this one was especially strange.


[1/30/2016 3:00:24 AM | Edited 3:01:27 AM] The awkward email with the unintelligible subject left no other clues to be seen except for the sender's address, which was a shady looking webpage made out of seemingly random letters and numbers, h12h6lm2t@onion.tor Upon hovering the mouse over it before opening, it would seem as if the corrupted subject was overlapping with the website's link, it really stood out from the rest the tat in her inbox.

[1/30/2016 3:05:49 AM] Curious, Levra looked at the email in mild confusion. There shouldn't be any harm in opening it, she thought. Letting her curiosity run wild, she opened the strange message.

[1/30/2016 3:10:51 AM] Somehow, the overlapping text seemed to act as a link of sorts when Levra clicked to open the email; for a moment, normally opening it to reveal it had nothing written in its subject, entirely empty; soon opening another tab in her browser into a weird webpage with a black background, which seemingly froze her computer into oblivion if she spent too much time contemplating or tried to close the tab, leaving her no choice but to use her navi to try and see what was going on inside her computer, as Sir Skyblue would likely suggest if he noticed.

[1/30/2016 3:17:32 AM] Levra stared at the bizarre blank page, waiting for not to load until she realized her music stopped running. She tried closing the window to find nothing would happen. This was very bizarre as she just upgraded her PC's firmware.

"Ugh, that installation must have gone wrong..." She groaned in annoyance as she reached for her PET.

"Hey Firci. Think you could do some hands-on diagnostics?"

[1/30/2016 3:20:43 AM] The navi would undoubtedly affirm in response, as travelling into electronic devices was amongst navis main capabilities, even while the objects in question weren't working. She just needed to connect him to the device in question and activate the function for him to be uploaded.

[1/30/2016 3:24:40 AM | Edited 3:26:02 AM] Levra pulled the device out of Sleep mode, not thinking much of her polite formalities. The display blinked to life as FIR-Cyan.exe rendered on the screen.

"Of course," he gave the expected response, to no surprise, as she attached the device to the machine's PET port.

[1/30/2016 3:30:18 AM] Soon her loyal companion would disappear into an ace of data off her PET, replaced by a smaller black window. As Sirfiend made his way into the computer, the window would come to life displaying a vortex of data up until the moment he spawned. It was likely Levra didn't have many chances to perform this function, but on the screen she could clearly see everything her navi did himself, and the normal PET functions for communication between other PETs and even browsing the net was still usable.

On the other hand, the vision that would greet Sir Freud was something really unusual after appearing in the usual virtual environment, the programs on her computer's main interface, which are usually represented by robots that the navis can interact with, were all gone without a trace, which would explain why she couldn't get it anything to work besides the mouse, leaving only empty hallways leading into the different programs the computer was browsing at the time, amongst those the internet browser, music player, resource monitors, computer files, hidden files, etc.

[1/30/2016 3:37:33 AM | Edited 3:39:37 AM] "What in the..." Levra stared at the PET screen, befuddled by the unusual lack of activity.

Tapping her foot in annoyance, she quickly came to terms with what she was seeing.

"Hey Firci, you need to figure out what is going on with the programs," she stated, prompting her Navi to carry out the task of resolving the issue.

[1/30/2016 3:42:08 AM | Edited 3:42:23 AM] Upon a general scan of the surrounding areas through the computer's manager, Cyan would notice some weird activity originating from the browser. If he went to investigate, he'd be greeted by all the AI programs supposed to be on the main interface scared and hugging themselves in a corner of the room, far from the tab that had just opened earlier, which he'd see actually lead to a complex set of rooms despite the black background, and they had a rather eerily designed, dark tone to them. Sadly, without the help of the browser program, he wouldn't be able to close the tab, and it seems he was missing from the lot.

[1/30/2016 3:56:13 AM] "Did'ja find anything?"
 
"All programs aside from NarwhalBrowser.exe appear to be accounted for. The newest browser tab appears to have loaded unusual data," Levra's Navi responded in a very plain tone.

"The browser is... Gone?" Levra repeated what stood out to her. She wasn't familiar with programs just disappearing while in use. They generally hung around trying to repeat an impossible task until restarted if something wasn't functioning.

"Wait," a sudden realization came over her, "'unusual data'? I think you're going to have to go check that out."

"Affirmative."

"And be more lively every once in a while."

"Of course."

[1/30/2016 4:01:32 AM] The eerie environment was enough to even shake the seemingly emotionless navi in his boots as he dared enter the tab, embraced by what seemed like a portal to another darker reality as light grew dimmer for both him and Levra's camera. The first room seemed to have nothing, but a link leading further inside; however, there were traces that something had gone through and back, and there was some data keeping the programs from leaving the browser, which could presumably mean thats where the program had been taken to. One could only wonder why such a website would be coded to target a computer in such a way, but it was almost certain viruses were at work behind the scenes. At least her computer was safe, but turning off the browser could jeopardize the programs in the main interface as the browser itself was nowhere to be seen yet.

[1/30/2016 4:14:49 AM | Edited 4:15:11 AM] Watching Fircian's visuals of the strange browser environment, she held her fist up slightly in front of her mouth as though she we're in deep thought.

"I think you ought to go... That way," she suggested blankly.

"You need to upgrade your antivirus one of these days," the Navi stated.

"I'll get around to it!" She half-shouted in a rushed tone. "Besides, you're my antivirus~"

"Yes, I'm sure the skiing dog video warrants leaving your security at jeopardy," he returned a deadpan response that felt unusually cold to Levra's ears.

"... I didn't ask for your opinion."

[1/30/2016 4:19:45 AM] As they argued their way to the shady looking link on the back of the room, Cyan would end up making his way past a hallway full of skulls, soon entering a different room with no walls and what seemed like a sea of red underneath. It was something that would seem out of a nightmare, and it led into a corridor and other platforms that extended far beyond view. However, his scanner would soon detect the presence of the browser program, meaning he was somewhere into those long corridors full of death.

[1/30/2016 4:26:52 AM] "... Who the heck programmed all of this?" Levra questions rhetorically while looking at the strange digital location.

"NarwhalBrowser.exe has been located."

"Finally, some good news!" Levra looked skyward joyously while raising her free hand as a fist.  "Well, don't make me wait. You're fast for a reason."

"Affirmative," the affirming Navi gave his affirmation before beginning his dash.

"Oh, and I shouldn't have to tell you, but try and keep an eye out for anything suspicious," Levra gave what she felt to be unnecessary advice out of cautious habit.

[1/30/2016 4:33:34 AM] The entire place, despite being so massive and having no obvious leads, was eerily calm, almost suspiciously so. Soon enough he would find the missing program curled up against a skull statue in a faraway platform, seemingly surrounded by unknown data keeping him unable from responding the navi. If he approached, his dash would soon cease as two figures seemingly spawned from nowhere between him and the navi, menacing looking viruses covered in a raging fire, a disembodied head with two red gloves. They seemed to be staring directly into the navi prepared to attack at the slightest move, and he had no chance of getting the program back unless he somehow made it to it, so a confrontation was  more than likely to be had.

[1/30/2016 4:41:45 AM | Edited 4:43:09 AM] "Viruses sighted," Levra heard the confirmation and sighed.

"You best get to busting them, then. My playlist was just getting to the best songs."

Fircian spawned a javelin and began throwing them without hesitation.

[1/30/2016 4:45:04 AM] Out of the corner of his view, Cyan would notice a turret suddenly  materializing and preparing to burst fire as he started throwing his javelins at the viruses, which    dashed at incredible speeds that could rival his own to the sides, both wanting to get away from the other to avoid concentrated fire and wanting to surround the navi if he didn't react to it.

[1/30/2016 5:00:04 AM] Fircian vaulted while tossing a javelin at the nearer of the two viruses and clearing himself from the turret's potential line of fire.

Levra stared at the screen in annoyance, unsure how long the interaction was going to take. "Those blobs of fire sure are fast..."

Then it clicked in her head as she remembered and dug around her desk for the battle chips.

"Hey, Firci, how bout we have those two tied down?"

"It would be a convenient course of action," Fircian responded.

[1/30/2016 5:04:30 AM] The javelins proved futile as the enemies dashed out of his line of fire, soon stopping and turning to face him both when he started speaking, the turret trying to nail him down already keeping some of his concentration away, stealthily guiding him closer to the pair of boxing viruses that suddenly dashed foward to nail Cyan themselves. If it wasn't for the turret currently shooting behind his back to force him foward, he would be able to create some space between them to nail both with the cobweb bomb. On another note, it seemed as if the turret was limited to firing only in one direction, having to stop to turn, but it made sure to keep firing in a straight line behind him to keep Fircian from moving away without taking some damage from the heavy bullets.

[1/30/2016 5:06:45 AM] http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/megaman/images/3/31/ChampyEX1_exe5.png/revision/latest?cb=20120301220722" alt=""/>

[1/30/2016 5:18:51 AM | Edited 5:19:13 AM] "The bomb will be ineffective at this moment," the Navi stated the result of its observations.

Levra leaned back in her seat, groaning in disappointment. "Stupid guns ruinin' plans..."

Looking back at her PET, she came up with a more immediate strategy, "Stop throwing the spears. Lancevault over those two once they get as close as possible; they should get caught in the bullets."

Fircian gave a confirmation while Levra prepared the Energy Cannon chip. Firci should have just enough time to disable the turret with a well-placed shot after the viruses experience some unfriendly fire.

[1/30/2016 5:35:20 AM | Edited 5:35:58 AM] As he waited for the quick viruses to bump closer, they suddenly seemingly disappeared from view just a couple of meters away, actually dashing at such incredible speeds for a fraction of a second that it was hard to follow them with the eye for Levra on the other side of things, both viruses appearing in front of Fircian before he had a chance to complete his jump with all that acceleration gone in an instant, now standing in front of the navi at arm's reach.

Now he was surrounded from both sides, barely having any time to react before one of those fists forming a hook shape sank deep into his body and launched him into gunfire as they were well on their way mid-swing.

Regrettably, the only way out from his position seemed to be taking either of the two hazards, a punch or the bullets. Surely a big miscalculation on judging the viruses' behavior. On the plus side of things, they were both next to each other now, just like he wanted, though it probably wasn't much of a relief as jumping wouldn't help him dodge them after moving so close.

[1/30/2016 5:47:23 AM] "Oka-- eh wha--?"

Before Levra could realize what was going on, Fircian had gone into a survival reaction state, using his grounded spear to shift his momentum into a spinning motion parallel to the floor. Releasing the spear to materialize a new one, he lunged it towards the face of one of the two viruses, preferably through its fist on the way.

[1/30/2016 5:55:51 AM] The skillful maneuvering of the navi allowed him to nail one of the viruses back through the fist, sending him recoiling a few meters away with the lance seemingly made of pure energy vanishing and releasing the virus, leaving a gaping hole dripping with what seemed like information. Not that Fiercely would notice, but the virus would be stunned in pain right after that.

The other virus was apart enough from the other to continue with his attack, shifting just enough to dig the shape of his massive fist down the slim venom navi's flank, making him feel as if something had stabbed him deep in the groin whilst being sent flying through a very brief barrage of bullets. It wasn't enough to delete him just yet, however the pain was momentarily unbearable, leaving him unable to get up from the floor. After he fell, the wall of bullets had disappeared, as the turret seemed to be repositioning itself.

[1/30/2016 6:08:03 AM] "Okay, Firci! Off the floor. You got this!" Levra shouted hastily into her PET in attempted encouragement as she shoved the Energy Cannon chip into place. "Go Go Gadget Cannon!"

Fircian finally recomposed himself as the cannon materialized around his arm.

"G-get that turret!" She shouted with noticeable panic as she switched the chip out to get the Cobweb Bomb ready to hopefully stop the virus before it could land another attack like that after the turret was taken care of.

Fircian took aim and fired.

[1/30/2016 6:14:50 AM | Edited 6:18:28 AM] The cannon effectively blasted off the turret into a messy array of data vanishing into thin air, a gruesome explosion following the trajectory of the high speed blast from his sudden cannon arm. It saved him from the impending danger as he was just about to get shot at.

However, the other other viruses weren't lagging behind, the one that had just punched Firci turning around slowly and moving foward in a straight line to meet him whilst the other did the same a few meters behind, leaving him without many options as the overwhelming pain still wasn't letting him jump off the floor quite easily.

It wasn't unthinkable for someone else to be in the same situation as her, but it seemed as if for better or worse they weren't alone, another blast similar to the one she had just used destroying the virus over Cyan into what seemed like a million particles from behind Cyan before the virus could get another chance to attack.

"Whooo! Nice shot! Looks like we made it here just in time." exclaimed a navi from a few meters back with an over the top, hyper tone, the figure of what seemed like an asgardian god running from behind with a guitar strapped on his back.

---------------------

[1/30/2016 10:07:05 PM] Levra sighed, annoyed by the amount of surprises. "Firci, who is it now?"

Taking a moment to loose another javelin at the damaged remaining virus, Fircian responded to the presence of the Navi behind him, "My user requests identification." A warm welcome, as always.

[1/30/2016 10:12:05 PM] The virus now in motion again ate the lance to the face like a tasty treat, vanishing as his data frame slowly fell apart. The other navi walking next to Cyan put on a big smile and offered a hand to help him up, "That was an awesome fight, but it was pretty dangerous. Are you okay?"

The new navi seemingly ignored the question, however, and it was soon interrupted by the browser program crying out tears of happiness by the time Cyan got off the floor, rushing to glomp his savior, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

[1/30/2016 10:21:14 PM | Edited 10:21:24 PM] "My data structure is still stable--" Fircian was cut off mid response after being floored by the browser program's sudden contact. "I redact my previous statement."

"Levra, NarwhalBrowser.exe has been recovered."

Levra gave her PET device a congratulatory pat, "Alrighty, good work! Now let's see to our guests."

[1/30/2016 10:29:27 PM] A vaguely familiar voice resonated from the other navi as its user seemed to be using the speaker communication feature built in the PET much like those in online multiplayer games, the navi himself crossing his arms and tapping under his shoulder, as if waiting for his user to finish talking, "I'm glad I told Val to scan the area. Did you also get here through one of those weird emails?"

[1/30/2016 10:40:02 PM] "The weird one with the messed up text? Yeah," Levra responded to the other user.

Fircian, after an amount of floor time, gently pushed the browser program aside as he returned to his feet and turned to look at the other Navi.

[1/30/2016 10:51:09 PM] "That's really strange. I can only guess this is some sort of automatically generated server to send infected emails from. It seems as if the viruses are executing specific tasks rather than infecting people's computers, otherwise we would be surrounded by them by viruses by now." he explained, almost as if he was talking to himself, suddenly raising his tone as if he was then addressing the other person, "Anyway, this place is dangerous, we should go soon. Do you need help escorting back your program?"

He probably didn't notice himself, but to her the voice coming from that navi sounded like one of her classmates from a different class, though the memory would be far too vague to recognize him.

Responding to his user's prompt, Fircian broke his silence, "I would advice against another encounter, if that is what you are asking."

Gently placing her palm to her forehead, she replied, "You know what I meant: are you okay?"

"Affirmative."

Vainly whispering, knowing full well her Navi would still hear her regardless, she spoke to the other user, "We're still working on his social skills."

[1/31/2016 1:07:17 AM] The other navi openly chuckled and waited for Cyan to take the lead since he had no idea where to go from there. His user was meanwhile hiding one of his own behind the microphone.

Since his user stayed silent, the navi opened up the conversation yet again by the time they started walking back, "By the way, sorry we ignored your question earlier; my name is Valhallen, feel free to call me Val."

[1/31/2016 1:17:15 AM] Shifting his view towards the other, Levra's Navi returned the formality, "I am called Fircian."

"Not the warmest of conversationalists..." Levra mumbled  to herself over the interaction, finally setting the battle chips aside as they were no longer necessary.

[1/31/2016 1:33:14 AM] Turning away from her PET, Levra started fiddling with her computer to see if the programs had started back to working again. Fircian doesn't make for the most interesting conversations to listen in on, so it was a good time to try and be productive.

[1/31/2016 1:37:36 AM] "Fircian, huh? You may be a pretty reserved navi, but at least you get to hear the cute voice of your owner more, right?" Valhallen teased as they walked to the other room, "I wish mine was more like that, he usually never speaks until it's needed."

"Perhaps a trade would be in order," Fircian said plainly in reply to Valhallen.

Meanwhile Levra practically jumped for joy as she finally got her jams back through her headphones. All she needed now was for the browser to become functional again so she could close down the tab that started it all.