The City Of Love

*Edge completely devours his piece and heads for another.*

"Its a stronger version of his copy ability. It can't be used in battle sadly otherwise I'd have it installed all the time. It allows him to copy without a navi chip. Axl can you get me some readings on that gate?"

<"On it">

---

Axl scans the gate.

---

Minato steps out, "Your brilliant plan failed"

Jack: <You're sure we're on the top floor of the hotel? If we are, the only other direction those rooms could be...is down.>

~Alto, Edge & Kelphy~

Kelphy: <A code? Hm...>

Iceman: <You probably have a limited amount of tries before it issues a warning to the hotel security.>

-----

*It's a reinforced firewall that requires a 4 letter code to be opened. A small screen appears floating in between Axl and the gate.*

=====
~Jack, Minato & Razz~

Razz: <Maybe you're right.>

*He heads back into the elevator, hits the freeze button and starts examining the buttons.*

ShadowMan: <Should I jack in?>

Razz: <I don't know. There's no port.>

*Razz looks up at the hatch on the ceiling.*

"But how many tries is the problem. Too many variables. Axl. Go find a security program and use the copy ability on it. See if you can get anything. Oh yeah... the other thing about this copy ability is it doesn't just copy appearances but memory data as well."

---

Axl gets back into the elevator.

---

"Maybe there's a hidden panel? Like in a spy movie?"

*Edge starts munching down on his other piece of pizza as well.*

Jack: <There might be something on top. Someone give me a boost.>

~Alto, Edge & Kelphy~

Kelphy: <O-Oh, a guardian.>

-----

*The elevator doors turn into a regular wall and the side walls slide away, expanding the room greatly. Golden walls appear as extensions of the gate to block the now wider room. GateMan.EXE jacks in in front of Axl.*

GateMan: <This floor is off-limits. Please retreat or you will be deleted.>

=====
~Jack, Minato & Razz~

*Razz glares at Jack like "you wish" and then looks at Minato.*

Razz: <Maybe. Wanna help him climb through the hatch?>

"Tch. I was hoping to avoid battle" Alto uninstalls the program.

"Battle routine set"

<"Execute">

---

Axl's navi emblem glows again and the Axl guns appear in his hands. "A guardian program? Or are you someone's navi? Ether way there's something rotten here and that isn't cool."

---

"Don't look at me. It wasn't my idea to climb up on the elevator."

*Jack sighs*

Jack: <Fine. I'll go find a chair or a table or something.>

*Jack heads out of the elevator and into the hallway in search of a platform*

~Alto, Edge & Kelphy~

Kelphy: <He looks powerful. Do you think you need help, Axl?>

-----

GateMan: <Registered option: Death.>

*He steps forward and opens his chest, a cannon sliding out that repeatedly blasts Axl.*

=====
~Jack, Minato & Razz~

Razz: <Ugh, get back here, I'll help.>

*Razz crouches down and puts his hands together in a shell, ready to lift Jack.*

*Edge also devours it, and then goes to see what's going on with the other two.*

Edge: <What are you goin' on about now?>

"Let Edge jack in and join" Alto says.

---

Axl summersaults out of the way of the blast and retalitates with double blasts from the Axl guns.

Jack: <...Alright.>

*Jack re-enters the elevator, preparing to uppercut the ceiling panel with Razz's support*

~Alto, Edge & Kelphy~

Kelphy: <All right.>

*She steps back to let Edge jack in to computer on the wall.*

-----

*Gateman summons a large gate that floats in between him and the blasts, sucking them in. He laughs and blasts Axl again, his blast flying through the gate like it isn't even there.*

=====
~Jack, Minato & Razz~

*On top of the elevator, he finds a control panel with a jack in port and a keyhole.*

Razz: <So? Anything?>

*Edge shrugs and jacks into the wall.*

Jack: <I see a jack-in port and a keyhole. We don't have a key, so I guess that leaves us with one option. You ready CrashMan?>

CrashMan: <Hell, I was born ready!>

Jack: <Here goes! Jack in! CrashMan.EXE, transmit.>

"Hiding behind objects isn't cool!" Axl dodges again, barely.

~Alto, Edge & Kelphy~

Kelphy: <The network is structured like the real hotel. Head out and down the hallway into the elevator to meet Axl at the secret level.>

-----

*Gateman grins and a large energy hand stretches out of the gate, bitchslapping Axl. At the same time, GateMan shoots several blasts that fly through the gate, the arm, and out of the hand towards Axl.*

-----

*Spider appears inside a room much like the one they were in, except empty, without a door, and with blue wallls, floor and ceiling decorated with white linings reminiscing of circuit boards.*

=====
~Jack, Minato & Razz~

Razz: <...Hurry though.>

-----

*Crashman appears in an elevator much like the one they were in, except the walls, floor and ceiling are blue with white linings reminiscing of circuit boards. It has the same available floors and an extra glowing green button under the base floor button.*

*Spider looks around the room briefly.*

Spider: <Well, this is just great, isn't it? Good ol' empty room.>

*Spider runs out of the room and down the hallway in said direction to the elevator.*

Axl smacks into a wall but recovers quickly enough to dodge the shots. Noticeably the smack appears to have done much more damage than it should have.

Jack: <What do you see, CrashMan?>

CrashMan: <Looks like I'm in an elevator. It's got a set of buttons, including this insane green button. Shit...It's so Green...I just want to...>

Jack: <Damn it! Why'd it have to be a GREEN button!>

*CrashMan presses the green button. Jack jacks out CrashMan and jumps back into the elevator*

~Alto, Edge & Kelphy~

Kelphy: <What... whose NetNavi is that?>

-----

*The hand retracts into the gate.*

GateMan: <Prepare to be deleted, intruder.>

*He blasts Axl five times.*

=====
~Jack, Minato & Razz~

Razz: <...Tell me what's happening?>

-----

*Except just as CrashMan is about to press the green button, the elevator doors slide opened and Spider runs in.*

Spider: <I assume that's who we're after?>

*Without hesitating, Spider pulls out a card and throws it at the strange Navi.*

"I can't keep dodging forever and Axl can't take much more punishment hurry your ass up Edge!"

---

Axl dodges again but one catches him in the foot dealing heavy damage again.

---

"Axl's built for mobility but he can't take many hits. Uninstalling the program has reduced his damage taking capabilities as well compounding this. Shit Shit SHIT!" Alto swears.