Railgun Online, Accelerated World: Book 1, Awakening

Usurper King, Zant

"There!!" Violet Sparkplug pumped her fist. "I did it!! And.. er.. holy heck? When did the Master Sword get here!?"

"Well.. " said Black Midnight curiously. "She was so enraged, she didn't even realize her sword was the Master Sword program. Of course.. since the program is bonded to her.. it's physical form can be pulled back into data form temporarily until she logs out of that virtual world.. now that it awakened to Mikoto Misaka's rage... however.. is the intelligence inside awake..?"

"Mikoto?" A small voice spoke from the sword. "Is.. that you?"

"Hmm guess that answers my question.."

"FI! Thank goodness." said Sparkplug. "I got worried there for a second.."

"They're.. clapping." Fi murmured.

"What?" Mikoto looked up to see that many of the spectators were clapping and cheering.

"My my!" One avatar who looked like a short set of stubby box shapes, was typing away on some sort of calculating device. "This isn't in the records.. a Level 1 defeating a Level 6! And not just that, but she didn't even use her Main Unique Ability! the Rainbow Stance.. I'll have to add this."

"Wow.. they.. are enthusiastic about this." said Sparkplug.

"Of course." Midnight explained. "They of course don't know that you've already gained a number of battle related experiences through your life.. so it's impressive to them."

"Quick question.." said Mikoto. "Would you have jumped in.. if it was apparent I was going to lose?"

"No.." said Midna. "If it were one of the Scientist Avatars, coming to recapture you, then yes, I would have intervened, however, this is merely a duel, had you lost you would've still regained the Master Sword's activeness through your immense emotion, and at the most you would've lost 10 Burst Points.. hardly a lot, especially given that I have given you a vast amount of the Burst Points I have gained."

"What?" said Mikoto. "You.. but.. if you lose all your points. you lose Brain Burst forever right? Why.. did you give me so much!?"

"Don't ask questions." said Midna, though Mikoto thought she felt her voice soften a bit. "I merely don't wish to lose my means of obtaining a real world body."

"Hey.." said Mikoto. "So.. aren't we supposed to log out now? This was a timed duel right?"

"Yes... strange." said Midna. "I mean.. I'mm still here because I'm spectating.. but you.. should have logged out by now.."

The avatars sitting on the bridge waved and shrugged, as if they weren't sure what was going on either.

"Well.. well.. well.. Midna.. I never thought I would find you in the Brain Burst Program..."

A soft voice, deadly calm, and deadly soft whispered out from behind Sparkplug.

"YEAGGGHH!!" Sparkplug jumped away, as she turned quickly around to see the figure who was standing behind her.

"Th-Thevos!?" Mikoto whispered.

No.. it wasn't Thevos.. While this character wore the same tall pointed mask.. the same long sleeved robes, he was different.. there was no hole in the mask with an eye peering out.. the mask covered the full face.. and he stood VERY unusually straight...like a living scarecrow looking down upon a deadly silent cornfield..

"Zant!" said Midna.

"Gant?" said Mikoto.

"No.. Zant!" said Midna.

"Wait.. " Mikoto said. "As in.. the ACTUAL Zant from LoZ Twilight Princess!? THAT Zant!?"

"More like the rogue program Zant from Hyrule Online." Midna growled. "Pretty dangerous.. coming in here without an Avatar fro Brain Burst.."