2022-05-08: The Island of Death 2: Ikima's Assault
- Log: The Island of Death 2 (of 3): Ikima's Assault
- Cast: Jama Warrior Ikima (NPCed by Dr. Hell), Zoia Surovy, Kaworu Nagisa, Rei Ayanami, Ouka Nagisa, Orpheus Zevon, Alloy Kaas (Alouette "Alloy" Kaas), Misato Katsuragi (NPCed)
- Where: Off the coast of OCU Japan
- OOC - IC Date: (April 30) May 8th, 2022 (0096)
- Summary: With the strange island having awoken and revealed itself to be the Eighth Angel Jophiel under the control of Jama Empire warrior Ikima, NERV and the Black Knights must combine forces to keep it from making landfall.
<Pose Tracker> Dr. Hell has posed.
Last Time: A bizarre phenomenon crawled out from the hell of the Kyushu Zone.
A sheet of ambulatory flesh the size of a small island, the creature crawled slowly across the sea, seemingly on a slow path towards the Japanese mainland; and, NERV feared, Tokyo-03. Meanwhile, the nemesis of the Jama Empire, Build Base, had their own fears; of the Jama, and the imperialistic forces funding NERV. Forces were sortied in a desperate fact finding mission to confirm just what kind of monster was threatening Japan, and how to deal with it. The rival political factions clashed, each wanting to preserve their secrets from the scientists on the other side, as the beast was slowly woken by the struggle.
The 8th Angel was declared: Jophiel, Angel of Wisdom. However, the puppetmasters behind its rampage were also revealed: Ikima, one of Humanity's oldest and worst foes, fighting for the hideous Jama Empress. The Jama have somehow enhanced Jophiel, and Ikima has called up an army of the dead: the souls of the animals and people Jophiel has consumed on its crawl from Kyushu, literally dragging the beast closer to Tokyo. Several units were swallowed by the monster.
NERV Supercarrier: "Over The Rainbow", some 25 minutes after revelation of 8th Angel.
Misato Katsuragi sits at the heart of a council of war.
"The Commander isn't here." Misato says, slapping a fist on the table to reinforce the point. "We have no choice but to look the other way, right now. As far as I'm concerned the Black Knights aren't here. They're mysterious vigilanties who are shooting at skeleton whales instead of us. And if they do sneeze and shoot at us, then I guess the skeleton whales will eat them. Our only priority is the Angel."
"What about our lost personnel?" Makoto Hyuga asks, frowning.
"MIA until proven otherwise. Our-" Misato pauses, swallowing, and iron shrouds her face again. "The pilots have been through certain death before, and I'm not calling it until the Angel's gotten close enough to the coast that the N2 option is the only one we have left. Your job, pilots, is to avoid my having to nuke the Sea of Japan."
"No matter what's going on inside, Ikima and his army are an existential threat to all human life. Stop him, and whatever nonsense he's doing to the Angel, and we're one step closer to killing it." And saving my kids, Misato cannot bring herself to say.
She lets herself hope, just a little, as the Over the Rainbow crew work tirelessly at repairing, refueling and rearming mechs. Jophiel floats forward, dragged by an enslaved army of mecha-sized skeletons, human and animal pressed together in a blasphemous amalgam of horror. In the clouds, on a chariot made of a storm front, dread Ikima laughs, waiting for the humans to challenge him.
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has deployed in RGM-109 Heavygun. KTS: Rei Ayanami has changed loadout.
<Pose Tracker> Zoia Surovy has posed.
"I didn't think it was even possible to have control over an Angel," Zoia murmurs as she squirms uncomfortably in Evangelion Unit-Z2's entry plug.
It's still bothering her that she can't account for every sample tube. It seems like a small thing now, though. Unit-Z2 crouches on the deck of the Over the Rainbow, where the crew are diligently reloading the Katyusha rocket system and scraping gunk off the Evangelion's feet and calves in preparation for another launch. Orders file through, and the blonde girl nods quietly, going over a few things mentally.
People she nominally likes (and some she doesn't) are missing. Her gut doesn't hit her with anything close to a feeling of despair. Something else is going on, and as much as she isn't sure what it is, she's out here for a reason. As the ground crew signals readiness to her, she exhales and slips her hands into her control grips, focusing forward.
The people inside are undoubtedly counting on them. There's no time to be scared or stressed. Not right now.
Unit-Z2 stands at the edge of the carrier's deck, raising a hand to its heavily plated forehead as if shielding its eyes from the sun in the process of surveying the scene. There are far too many skeleton whales for her comfort, saying nothing of the chariot of storms. Pieces move through Zoia's consciousness as she makes a few calculations. She wasn't privy to Katsuragi's meeting - only some overarching objectives - and she didn't exactly get detailed instructions beyond that.
So it's up to someone.
"Everyone," she says clearly, tapping into her comline - and extending it to let any incidental terrorists eavesdrop if they so wish. "We need to give ourselves more time. Focus on the dragger units first - the skeletons. If we can slow down or stop the Angel, we'll have more time to think."
She scowls and hunches her shoulders, and Unit-Z2 hunches with her, dropping into a crouch with hands on the deck. The bracing spars on its legs fold out with loud thuds as she takes aim across the paths of the skeletal whales. Targets wink to life on her view window.
"Please do your best, everyone!" she calls out sharply. "Firing!"
The Katyusha rockets unload in a wreath of flame. Zoia fires in sequence, turning Unit-Z2 subtly to fan the field of projectiles in a steady right-to-left trajectory. She's calculated their ballistic arcs to drop rockets hopefully onto the backs and upper ribs of the skeleton army, trying to scatter and shatter as many of them as possible.
The objective is simple enough. Slow the Angel down. Buy those inside time. Buy the continent time.
KTS: Zoia Surovy has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Zoia Surovy targets Dr. Hell with Katyusha Rocket Spread Fire! KTS: Dr. Hell blocks Zoia Surovy's Katyusha Rocket Spread Fire, taking 2730 damage! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has deployed as a Sub Pilot for Rei Ayanami! <Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Kaworu had deployed only momentarily during that battle--out in Unit-04, to defend the HMS Over the Rainbow with an A.T. Field when Ikima made himself known and brought down the lightning, literally. Build Base had send out fighter pilots to attack NERV's battleship, too, but they're a firmly secondary concern now.
It means that, during the council meeting, Kaworu attends in his plug suit: black and indigo, striped with metal at the ribs, an 06 marked at his collar. He leans on one window, a metal wristwatch hanging from one hand. He holds it close as he listens, and nods once when Misato bottom-lines the updated mission for him and his fellow pilots.
"Understood," he says simply. "We'll see it done."
It's an easy-seeming confidence that belies one fact: he's terribly worried about Shinji, too. But... Shinji went in after Asuka. Things will... work out. The best thing Kaworu can do to help him--the same thing he conveys to Alouette, who no doubt wanted to dive into Jophiel to chase after Asuka--is to make sure that the Eighth Angel and the Jamamusi who would control them make it no further to land.
Once the Evas remaining are re-prepared for launch, Kaworu approaches Rei in the cage. There's another familiar presence in the HMS OtR, but... he pretends not to notice it. Instead, after explaining his intent to his fellow Child, the two soon deploy in the same entry plug, Rei seated in the throne of Unit 00's soul, Kaworu hovering in the LCL beside her.
"Agreed. Before anything else, we need to stop their approach," Kaworu states calmly, responding to Zoia's communication. After gazing at Ikima up in the clouds on his chariot, then down at the skeletons that precede Jophiel's approach, he looks over at Rei. "I'll deploy an A.T. Field to help defend the shoreline, First. You take care of the attack. Agreed?"
'Agreed' rather than 'understood' might be a strange thing to say when Kaworu outranks her. Even so, that's the approach he takes.
KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Rei Ayanami KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Rei Ayanami with Prospect! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa assesses Rei Ayanami's prospects, increasing her SP!
<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.
At the council:
Rei Ayanami, whose injuries have now recovered to the level where her plugsuit provides enough neck support, sits and listens. She watches the Lieutenant Colonel and hears what she says. The question of what it is that a skeletal whale would eat passes through her thoughts, but it is a disjointed image. The Lt. Colonel produces a number of them, but Rei knows she means well; or at least, Ikari seems to think so.
Her eyes had turned at that time to Zoia for a moment. She seemed to be considering a reply, but thought better of it.
NOW
EVA-00 emerges from the unit lift deck and walks forwards. It maneuvers to a clear position, to obtrude as little as she can, and after this EVA-00 sits down. Not a typical tactic, but a contorted position -- somewhat strained, honestly -- turns out to make a lot more sense once Rei positions the 440mm long-range sniping rifle towards the the direction of the Angel.
The integrated optics module in the Sniper Rifle, though not quite as impressive as one used for ultra-long-range energy weapons fire not so long ago, does produce a distinct space in the clear panoramic view of the entry plug. A subsidiary view. It rises upwards - it snips out a disk of cloud and opponent -
Magnifies - now just Ikima
Magnifies - Now just Ikima's upper body
Magnifies -- the wobble is disorienting, and Rei Ayanami says
"Tsk,"
as a subtle muscular tremor somewhere in the great sequence of interconnections makes it too tenuous. Too tenuous, at least, for now.
The zoomed-in disk swings down in a blur as Rei is able to draw a focus and then fire once at a low angle towards one of the dead cetaceans.
"... It's noisy," Rei says.
KTS: Rei Ayanami has activated the Resupply Spirit Command. KTS: Rei Ayanami targets Dr. Hell with Sniper Rifle Sighted Shot! KTS: Dr. Hell fails to evade Rei Ayanami's Sniper Rifle Sighted Shot, taking 3300 damage! <Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
A Few Days Prior:
Aurum-1 is sealed within the familiar fluid-filled confines of a Moderator, her arms restrained at her side and her naked body clothed only in various high-tech sensors. At least... it's mostly the same. Something seems different.
"Mixture at fifty percent. It seems there is minimal erosion due to exposure alone." A familiar man's voice. Kindly, in reserved. His shadowy figure is looking over the various panels next to the glass tube within which is housed.
There is a smell to the fluid now, one that isn't there normally. It's a smell that brings back many unpleasant memories. Much like the sound of another person's voice causes her to involuntarily tense.
"Physiological results are within expected range." The old woman's voice sounds pleased, "There's no reason for us not to proceed with the psychological portion. Load combat data through the primary and secondary neural interfaces." The figure of the man hesitates, looking back at the screen momentarily. But eventually he turns back to face Aurum-1. Is that guilt, in his eyes? Using combat data to train is nothing unusual, why would he...
Present Day:
Ouka Nagisa stares at the image of Jophiel coming through her monitor, sweat beading across her brow. It's rare she sees a foe that daunts her ... but this one does. She was trained since her memories began to face down any opponent, any army, no matter how numerous and deadly and through combat seek victory. Even against foes so debased to conduct themselves with white phosphorous, cluster munitions, depleted uranium slugs or even reactive munitions.
These creatures do not care for conducting war crimes. Indeed they do not seem to care for humanity's rules at all.
She takes a deep breath to center herself as she watches Jophiel approach: A blaphemous amalgam of bone and corrupted souls. Ikima riding his chariot laughing mirthfully at the destruction he has wrought.
"Aurum-1, ready to deploy..."
The top hatch of an underwater carrier snaps open releasing a spray of bubbles followed by a machine being shot up through the sea water! The machine carrying the First Boosted Child explodes from the surface of the sea in the path of Jophiel in a maelstrom of foam and steam. The machine draws its beam rifle and starts firing at the skeletal chariot, aiming at arms and leg joints to slow it down even a few scants moments even as it approaches, while her mobile unit's thrusters labor against the recoil and to keep her above the water's surface.
All the while... the activation of an IFF beacon indicates another armed force has joined the fray: G-Hound.
KTS: Ouka Nagisa targets Dr. Hell with HG B. Rifle Volley! KTS: Dr. Hell blocks Ouka Nagisa's HG B. Rifle Volley, taking 2475 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. A line that never holds more true than in the situation unfolding now. What had been considered a simple enough mission had all but flipped on its head. In one moment having to go handle an extraction mission of materials without enemy acquiring information had all but turned into a fight for their lives. Even now. . .
<"Kallen?! Karma?! Can you hear me?! Answer!">
The events had been unfathomable to what had transpired, seeing as the beast the size of a landmass itself all but consumed everything in its path. Even now he had been doing all he could to try and confirm the safety of the lost Black Knight members. There was little he knew of their status as of yet, though if they truly were gone. . .
In the time that Jophiel was revealed compromises were clearly being made on both sides. While Build Base probably had a preference on the matter it was apparent now more than ever that priorities had changed. Especially when it came to Nerv's final option. If they had to go the nuclear option to handle the Jama forces, it wasn't going to be something that affected just a portion of Japan.
"They're willing to go down with their ship to stop this enemy. . .Tch. . .
It's not something that Orpheus is willing to do however. He understands the weight of this battle, he understands the consequences. But if he has to choose between death and escape, until he's achieved his own goal it's not something he'd refuse to happen. Which simply meant for him, just like with any other mission. . .Failure wasn't an option.
As of the time of the conflict, while the offer to allow some of the Black Knights onto the Nerv Super carrier was offered, there were few who liked the prospect. It was one thing for a truce, but trusting them to resupply them and not try something for later? It's a tough call. One that Oz makes the decision to lead on, the white Knightmare being one of the first to take the offer ultimately which convinced some of the other pilots to follow his lead. While the supplies from Evangelion to KMF where likely far and few, he'd allow for them to provide him with any sort of weaponry they had on hand to restock him with. Though any maintenance on his machine. . .That even for him still had been a firm 'No', that had been sent out over his comms to the engineers and technicians of their team.
As it stood now, the time to fight was getting closer and as it was it seemed like he'd be taken a lead till those within the Angel were accounted for or they received further orders from their own command. All seemed like it was just about ready for sorte till by chance alone. . .He sees that person through his screen as he makes his way to his unit. A boy of red-eyes and gray hair. A young man wearing a plug-suit and a six upon the collar. It's a face he knows. . .All too well. A face he wants to question. . .A face that brings relief and distress all at once.
<"All allied forces. . . "> A familiar voice echoed through the open channels. For anyone and everyone to hear. <"Until this operation is over, coordination with the Nerv Units is non-negotiable. . .Any intel accumulated on the battlefield will be fed onto this channel so as to allow both Nerv Command, and pilots can coordinate as needed. . . And Nerv. . .Understand this. . .These people here are trusting you with their lives. If for any reason there's to consider your group leaving us to dry. . ">
A camera within the sorte area can see it quite clearly as the Byakuen's arm changes into a combat ready canon, aiming at the internal structures of the carrier. He understood this was a rather. . Rough way to garner trust with new 'allies', but given the doubt the Black Knights would have had, it was understandable that some reassurance even if a bit threatening was needed to be given.
<"As long as we understand this give and take. . . We'll get along well enough.">
There's much more he wants to say, much more he wants to do. He wants to let that person be aware that he'll be relying on him. That he'll keep an eye upon him in return. But. . .Such things on the battlefield weren't necessary. Only action would be deemed an absolute. With that reason alone along the others: Aurum-1 launching. Eva-00 launching. Unit-Z2 launching. . .From within the Nerv Supercarrier one can heard the confirmation to control:
<"Codename Oz, Unit Byakuen. . .Launching!">
Like the rest the unit deploys following after the larger units, a tiny thing in comparison to them, watching as they begin the assault, handling the skeletal monstrosities with beam fire and more. It's at this time that as they begin the process of taking fire at those units does the Byakuen begin to assist. Prepping itself it lowers into a kneeling position as it takes aim. The rifle like weapon upon its arm holstered as it prepares it shot, a shot that goes the mile to provide support fire for the Eva 00. A shot that provides necessary cover fire for the allied sniper unit.
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has deployed in Type-01/C Byakuen. KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Orpheus Zevon targets Dr. Hell with Precision Shot: 70mm Liquid Sakuradite Explosive Cartridge! KTS: Orpheus Zevon rattles Dr. Hell, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Dr. Hell blocks Orpheus Zevon's Precision Shot: 70mm Liquid Sakuradite Explosive Cartridge, taking 3750 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Kaas has posed.
*** CODE BLUE ***
She watched Unit-02 and Unit-01 pass into the maw and everything in Alouette wanted to use every capability within her multi-limbed goliath Unit-Null/Sigma to grab onto her friend. Kaworu's order breaks through all the urge and desire and as quickly as the signal is processed by her brain from her ear the Evangelion unit is in motion. The explosive muscle force the monster mecha are capable of are surprising even to their experienced pilots at times.
The impact of the first foot fall is a bloody gash in the flesh but Alouette is accelerating in incredible speeds, ready to grab anyone along the way as she makes her egress to the sea and back to the Over The Rainbow.
The water optimized side effects of Unit-Null/Sigma makes it a short trip and Alouette is gathered for the next staging. Intel is exchanged with Black Knights members that were not additionally enveloped during the Angel's transformation. Something felt familiar during the exchange, and when when spoke on the comms, complex emotions threatened to make a dynamic situation more so.
"Oz..."
Alouette spoke softly, unintentionally over the shared frequency. She breaks a long stare and fog with a flurry of blinks, and switches comms over to direct frequencies.
"Nagisa... He said... that sounded like Zeddy. Could he be O..." Alouette cuts herself off, remembering where they are suddenly. In an blink she is focused, adjusting controls and monitors and readying for launch.
"Acknowledged. Unit-Null/Sigma, Beginning Hunt."
The enormous ship is rocked as the Evangelion detaches and goes subsurface, racing in for a strike.
KTS: Alouette Kaas has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Alouette Kaas has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Alouette Kaas targets Dr. Hell with Pass! <Pose Tracker> Dr. Hell has posed.
Rockets launch, and beams fire.
There's a shimmering of a familiar hexigonal pattern in the air, but the color's off. It's green? There's pressure in the air, as the storm covering the advance of the Angel grows in size and intensity, Ikima sneering down at the struggling humans. Bullets fly, and the bloody, skeleton soldiers dragging the angel are penetrated. Beam lasers fry a shark headed monster man, and rockets incinerate half a dozen ARM Slave sized goliaths. There are sparks of purple energy coming from each downed enemy, that fly off into the air. Some vanish, others reach down into Jophiel.
And more horrors of bone, weeping waxen flesh and horrible Jama enchanted metal rise from the tortured angel, ripping their way out like beasts of prey from a wicked cocoon.
"Hopeless fools." The general intones, "You march against the elements themselves. Japan shall be the birthplace of a new Jama Empire! We shall inherit the earth! See how it leaps to our command! Storms! Strike down these abominable golems that stand before us! Kill Steel Jeeg!" Ikima gestures at Unit-00, and a flash of lightning screams down at the unit!
The mass of Jophiel turns at the others; a skeleton the size of a building reaches out to grab at Ouka and Orpheus as they fly around sending pot shots, attempting to drag them closer to the mainland. Another pair of skeletons grab a third and launch it directly at Zoia, looking to send a suicide bomber to crush her. Beneath the ocean, a tendril of flesh launches at Unit-Null Sigma, trying to adhere to the Evangelion and drag it in.
KTS: Dr. Hell targets Rei Ayanami with Storm of Ikima Aimed Shot! KTS: Dr. Hell targets Ouka Nagisa with Grip of Living Death Strangle! KTS: Dr. Hell targets Orpheus Zevon with Grip of Living Death Grip! KTS: Dr. Hell targets Zoia Surovy with Grip of Living Death Assault! KTS: Dr. Hell targets Alouette Kaas with Grip of Living Death Strike! KTS: Zoia Surovy fails to evade Dr. Hell's Grip of Living Death Assault, taking 3450 damage! KTS: Dr. Hell has engaged Zoia Surovy KTS: Zoia Surovy has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has failed to disengage. KTS: Alouette Kaas's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Alouette Kaas blocks Dr. Hell's Grip of Living Death Strike, taking 2160 damage! KTS: Dr. Hell has engaged Alouette Kaas KTS: Orpheus Zevon successfully evades Dr. Hell's Grip of Living Death Grip KTS: Ouka Nagisa fails to evade Dr. Hell's Grip of Living Death Strangle, taking 4840 damage! KTS: Dr. Hell has engaged Ouka Nagisa KTS: Rei Ayanami fails to react to Dr. Hell's Storm of Ikima Aimed Shot, taking 3600 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Zoia Surovy has posed.
At least Kaworu agrees with her. Zoia presses her lips together even as she opens fire. As much as she's not really a senior officer, there's a part of her mind that's compartmentalizing combatants and maneuvering them in her thoughts. The entire thing is breaking down into a chess match, and not trying to maneuver her way to winning is inconceivable.
The green AT field flares, and Zoia narrows her eyes with a bite to her lower lip. "They really have managed to gain control of it, huh," she murmurs, brushing back a lock of hair instinctively. She lets her rockets reload, holding her position for now.
The general starts shouting at them. Zoia's stomach tightens slightly, and she looks down at her control board, then up again with a rush of breath through her nose. "...Da, he's just monologuing," she transmits over the team line - one she's keeping open to any incidental Black Knights up to tap in. "Just ignore him and keep the focus on impeding its progress--"
She cuts off as a skeleton is abruptly hurled at her. "Eep!" she squeaks.
Unit-Z2 raises its arms to try and swat the skeleton out of the air, but it can't manage it, and ducking to one side on the narrow bow of an aircraft carrier is out of the question. Zoia has one way she can go: Backwards. She at least manages to keep the skeleton from clinging to her face, but the collision staggers the pale blue Eva. She squeaks in pain as she's jerked in her seat, the Eva stumbling and weaving a little before she's able to collect herself.
"I don't have time for this," she mutters before setting her jaw and shouldering forward. Rockets at this range are out of the question. She clenches her fists in the control rungs.
Unit-Z2 knits its hands together and surges at the skeleton. The power cable scrapes the deck behind the Zaftran Eva as Zoia surges in and swings a two-handed blow, attempting to hammer the skeleton hard and knock it off the bow of the carrier.
"It wants to get grabby, doesn't it," she mutters. "That's going to make things harder."
KTS: Zoia Surovy targets Dr. Hell with Giant Hammerblow! KTS: Dr. Hell blocks Zoia Surovy's Giant Hammerblow, taking 2170 damage! KTS: Zoia Surovy repulses Dr. Hell, forcing him to disengage. <Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Kaworu gazes up as a familiar voice sounds through the open channels, from the Black Knights through NERV. Some relief of his own enters his ever-present smile, along with an older fondness. So this is where he's ended up... All considered, it makes sense. It would be nice if Orpheus could have ended up living a peaceful life, but he knows why that just wouldn't or couldn't have happened.
<"Understood, Oz,"> he transmits back through Unit-00's comms--definitely that voice Orpheus knows well. <"Rest assured, we have no reason to do any such thing. Let's continue to cooperate through the end of this mission.">
Alouette transmits her own concerns to him. He chuckles a little and sends back to her, "We'll discuss it later, Alouette. Our priority right now is the defeat of the enemy and the rescue of the pilots swallowed by the Eighth Angel."
He turns his attention then to the incoming new IFF belonging to G-Hound. One side of his mouth quirks up even higher. "Hmmm..." He looks down at Rei. "Yes, it certainly has gotten livelier," he remarks as he sends out a shimmering, crystalline A.T. Field to block Jophiel's way forward, attempting to keep it from moving towards the shoreline of Japan.
As powerful as Kaworu's A.T. Field is, though, there are a lot of secondary concerns that reduce its efficacy. For one, keeping it porous enough to allow attacks *in* towards the skeletal forces dragging it forward means there's some room for them to push back. For another, focusing their defenses on keeping the Eighth Angel at bay means both he and Rei are vulnerable to the lightning that sears down towards Unit-00. He hisses quietly, teeth gritting, at the powerful impact as it lands on the orange Evangelion; his grip tightens on the seat of the entry plug.
Despite this, he looks to the primary pilot and murmurs, "Are you all right, First?" His smile is gone as he turns a tight stare at the armies of the dead that weep out from the Angel. Their suffering is more palpable than ever. "...We really must put them to rest as soon as possible. I'm counting on you..."
'Shinji,' he mouths. As far as anyone listening is concerned, though, he's urging them onward. Only Rei, sitting next to him, might notice differently.
Usage: +spirit <command> [on target]
KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Alouette Kaas, Orpheus Zevon, and Zoia Surovy with Awe. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Rei Ayanami KTS: Kaworu Nagisa inspires awe, increasing Orpheus Zevon's Morale! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa inspires awe, increasing Alouette Kaas's Morale! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa inspires awe, increasing Zoia Surovy's Morale! <Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
It did not take long for Aurum-1 to understand the guilt behind the man's eyes. Combat data is typically recorded and taken from machines in battles on relatively footing. This one was not. This was the recording of a one-sided slaughter: Data taken from conventional military units meeting a foe they were underequipped and unprepared to face. A foe which, quite frankly, paid no more heed for the humans it tred upon than a human would for ants.
Imagine then what it is like seeing that, and then experiencing that same kind of creature in the flesh. Seeing it dragged by visions of twisted, screaming, mindless death as more monstrosities tear themselves from the body of the angel.
She knew that her role in this fight would be minimal, but for a moment she wondered if there was any point to it at all?
Suddenly a skeletal hand reaches toward her Mass Produced Mobile Unit!! "Too late..." she mutters to herself, even as she tries to pull off an evasive action. That same hand then grabs her, crushing her unit within its grip as her cockpit is bathed in red alarms begin to wail. Unfortunately the incredible brute strength of the beast is too much!! She considers ejecting, briefly...
... but fortunately the beast seems less interested in crushing her as flinging her towards the main land!!
The Heavygun crashes against the surface of the water with enough speed and force that it's more akin to smashing against concrete. The unit actually skips across the surface before Ouka's instinctual combat training kicks in allowing her to manually angle her thrusters to reduce her spin and prevent her from crashing into the shoreline.
Taking a few breaths to recover Ouka raises her hand to the faceplate of suit... "No." She says, resolution finally coming into her voice, "If I turn away from this horror..."
An image of Seolla, of Arado, of them screaming... crying in a dark place she can't reach:
They are worth Hell.
Driving forward both both control sticks of her unit forward, attempting to drive directly into the skeleton that just threw her with all the force that the Heavygun can muster!! Then, pulling a page from Arado's playbook, trying to PUNCH the monstrous abomination!! Should she succeed though she'll draw her hand back to reveal that the actual intent was to drive a primed grenade straight into the beast's chest.
<All friendly units, this is G-Hound pilot 2nd Lieutenant Aurum-1. I'll do what I can to distract and slow down the ancilliary forces. Provide escort for the Eva units as they proceed to attack the main body.>
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Rouse Spirit Command. KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Ouka Nagisa targets Dr. Hell with Cooked Grenade! <Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.
Other thoughts, other words, come in through the frequency. Over the air-waves.
"... Leave them out to dry?" Rei asks. It is a quiet question, perhaps largely rhetorical. Her head turns slightly, a minor luxury now appreciated for once. To indicate she's asking Kaworu, perhaps since he seems to know that man. "Why would we abandon them? They are also human beings."
Skeletal soldiers are demolished. It feels fruitless. Stone against stone; it is simply different stones, distilled by life or by man, in contention, animated by other forces. At this point Ikina speaks, and his words are not very meaningful to Rei, because while she recognizes some of the terms, such as 'Japan' and 'storms,' others are either things she has only seen in passing reference in literature, or --
The Angel is moving. Rei's head turns, even as she spots the G-Hound unit that has erupted from the ocean. The Sniper Rifle has exhausted its magazine, so for a fleeting moment the gun is silenced --
An electrical arc runs through EVA-00! Enormous surges of power; Rei cringes inwards as the bronze-sheened walls become briefly visible as the illusions of synchronization are disrupted. The plug is purged as part of the surge protection, and Rei breathes out afterwards hard enough to put little bubbles of cavitation in the LCL.
"... It surprised me... this is not going to make progress, I think..."
Eva-00, despite the loss of the plug, does not move!! This is the wonder of being on a friendly vessel! Some damage control crewman, trained in the finest UFO catcher games of Earth and space colony alike, is already activating a crane, but reconnection is going to take a minute. Fortunately, Rei has five -- or at least, four, and some change.
Rei continues to breathe heavily. Kaworu may have a peculiar (or, perhaps, not) sensation that there is someone else tuned in -- silent, but there is that subtle imposition, isn't there? Just as he is behind Rei, something is behind him. It could be electrical injury feedback from the lightning strike. That might explain it.
"Aurum One," Rei states -- which gets sent outwards, the context-sensitive filter that keeps every single mumbling utterance inside of the throne of the soul from being sent out to the whole wide world (as opposed to the MAGI, of course - but you can trust them) making it an authentic transmission. "Covering. Land if needed." And sure enough, the rifle comes round, sending plunging bursting rounds of immense munition inwards.
But Rei, while doing this, glances several times towards the clouds.
KTS: Rei Ayanami has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Ouka Nagisa KTS: Rei Ayanami has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Rei Ayanami targets Dr. Hell with Sniper Rifle Aimed Shot! KTS: Dr. Hell blocks Rei Ayanami's Sniper Rifle Aimed Shot, taking 2050 damage! KTS: Dr. Hell blocks Alouette Kaas's Pass, taking 0 damage! KTS: Dr. Hell blocks Ouka Nagisa's Cooked Grenade, taking 2040 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.
There's a certain level of comfort that comes with Kaworu's understanding.When it comes to Kaijus and Angels, of monstrosities beyond the scope of man, it is a rare occasion where the pilot of the Byakuen feels somewhat out of depth. Though there is one thing that has wrang a cord with Orpheus with this encounter.
<"Will you stop your barking, already?">
Perhaps it was something that even when traveling out into the sky could be difficult to hear. Especially from the smallest of these so called 'Golems' that had taken to the battlefield, though those biting words were directed to the general of this Jama army. Attempting to cut the chatter of this enemy short.
<"It seems it doesn't matter which empire you fight for, you're all the same. You make any excuse to raise your nose at those you consider below you. Honestly if it was just your attitude that was rotten, I could have pitied you. . .However. . .">
Up to this point, the Byakuen had been providing support fire to the Eva 00, knowing that was where Kaworu was, it seemed like that was where he wanted to be most. To aid in the one he could almost consider family. Something he'd have wanted to provide more of. . .Protecting those that he hadn't been able to which he held fondly. Though how does one protect from a bolt of lightning? You don't, and the fact that such was brought down on the 00, brought down on Kaworu. . .It's something that makes him seethe. No it's not just that. . .Even more so. . .
The white KMF had to move from the striking range of the lightning, only capable of watching what transpired before a follow up attack was provided. A colossus of a skeleton reaches out for the Byakuen intending to ensnare the small unit. Though, rather than just outright dodging the KMF uses its smaller stature to its advantage. A Slash Harken is propelled from the unit wrapping about the forearm of this monstrosity, the pilot waits and waits till the pristine moment just before it ensnares the unit to dodge and then. . .Using the Byakuen's maeuverability, rides up the building like skeletal structure just as if it were a building that a KMF might traverse the side of with its Harken.
<"Aurum-1. . .Allowing such a thing to be slowed down won't suffice to assist your allies. So allow me to put this to rest so they can focus on the target. It'd leave a poor taste in my mouth to let someone who disrespects the dead in such a fashion think this is enough to make anyone worried. . .">
Perhaps it was a remark filled with hot air, but this Jama empire, this general had rubbed him the wrong way. So if his words could return the favor, he had no issue. He'd let his fangs gnaw at these bones till they returned to the dirt they originated from. At this point the KMF was already traversing the forearm of the Skeleton that had only just lobbed Ouka. The small unit traversing up the forearm, to the upper arm, even making it to the shoulder before it prepared its canon once more. The slash harken would propel itself once more sinking into the empty eye-socket of the creature before Oz let the Byakuen be dragged into the actual skull of the beast just as she had intended to plant a grenade in its chest. If Ouka had been planning to give it 'heart problems', then the Byakuen was about to give it the worst headache of its life.
The sound of gunfire would echo from within the skull of the colossal, bullets attempting to propel from the inner part of its skull, all the way to the back of its head as the smaller unit provided in the support of toppling the building like monstrosity.
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Orpheus Zevon targets Dr. Hell with Precision Shot: 30mm High-Initial-Velocity Tungsten Armor-Piercing Ammunition! KTS: Dr. Hell fails to evade Orpheus Zevon's Precision Shot: 30mm High-Initial-Velocity Tungsten Armor-Piercing Ammunition, taking 5900 damage! <Pose Tracker> Alouette Kaas has posed.
Distractions
<"We'll discuss it later, Alouette. Our priority right now is the defeat of the enemy and the rescue of the pilots swallowed by the Eighth Angel.">
"Copy."
Distractions
They mean something.
Undistracted. Alouette sways through the water always more like a crocodile than that which she and her Eva truly share DNA with. With such irony then as Unit-Null/Sigma and her pilot approach the Angel, does a tentacle-like tendril strike out at them.
With grace of a Russian Ballet the attack is deflected, nothing but the crushing impact of the ATField against their own being damaged. On course, barely delayed and certainly undeterred Alouette Kaas brings the combined efforts of NERV, Britannia, and other invested parties to the front of the War on the Angels.
"Copy Aurum-1. Unit-Null/Sigma Engaging Subsurface."
The pressure in the pod increases as the fibers and cartilage like structures tense and grow taught. Controls change and shift, lights flicker, dim, or change entirely as Alouette drives the attack.
Outside, in the Sea: Unit-Null/Sigma flares out for just a moment as it's four extra limbs fly away from where they had been protecting the Evangelion during it's transit. With a propulsive burst forward, the Eva dives into the flesh from under, feet first. Her form like a pirouette, the arms slash with a raking across trying to tear through ATField flesh and bone, pilot forcing the controls with fury and grit teeth.
"Rei. You. Can't. Die."
KTS: Alouette Kaas has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Alouette Kaas targets Dr. Hell with Spines of Raking! KTS: Dr. Hell retreats from the attack! KTS: Dr. Hell fails to react to Alouette Kaas's Spines of Raking, taking 7200 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alouette Kaas's Geass Directorate Survivor activates, causing Sparkle!
<Pose Tracker> Dr. Hell has posed.
The Beast reacts.
Zoia's Evangelion literally hammers its way out of the monster's grip, freeing her for the moment. Kaworu's projected ATField is subtle in its workings but does its job, clashing only a little against great Jophiel. Kaworu can sense, very strongly, that the Wise Beast is in pain: whatever this offshoot of Liliem did to it, they've managed to briefly subvert the natural order. Ouka is given enough room to ram a fist down one of the skeletons's chests, the deposited grenade exploding the thing into dust.
Alouette slams directly into a weak spot in the ATField, ripping through layers of flesh and causing a caustic cyst to explode, sending deadly, oozing pus exploding into the already abused ocean! There's a shudder within the monster!
Ikima sneers at being cheeked by a bunch of teenagers with attitude. Leaning out from his chariot in a more gutsy move than the cautious general normally employs, perhaps making a tactical error against these new Jeegs. Regardless, lightning forks down from the clouds, striking at Zoia and Orpheus's units heedless of the Angelic matter they destroy.
The Angel responds in kind. A whale skeleton bursts out of a flesh pocket, moving to slam into Ouka's machine and tackle her overboard. Another skeletal whale bursts out from beneath, tracking Aoulette and snapping at her underwater Evangelion. Finally a great hand made of thousands of human bones and melted, waxen Angelic flesh reaches out to grip Unit-00, hoping to trap the great metal giant!
KTS: Dr. Hell targets Zoia Surovy with Storm of Ikima Trick Shot! KTS: Dr. Hell targets Orpheus Zevon with Storm of Ikima Rapid Fire! KTS: Dr. Hell targets Rei Ayanami with Grip of Living Death Strangle! KTS: Dr. Hell targets Alouette Kaas with Grip of Living Death Shove! KTS: Dr. Hell targets Ouka Nagisa with Grip of Living Death Crush! KTS: Alouette Kaas's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Alouette Kaas blocks Dr. Hell's Grip of Living Death Shove, taking 1050 damage! KTS: Dr. Hell repulses Alouette Kaas, forcing her to disengage. KTS: Rei Ayanami blocks Dr. Hell's Grip of Living Death Strangle, taking 2200 damage! KTS: Dr. Hell has engaged Rei Ayanami KTS: Zoia Surovy has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Ouka Nagisa blocks Dr. Hell's Grip of Living Death Crush, taking 3849 damage! KTS: Dr. Hell has engaged Ouka Nagisa KTS: Zoia Surovy fails to evade Dr. Hell's Storm of Ikima Trick Shot, taking 4400 damage! KTS: Orpheus Zevon successfully evades Dr. Hell's Storm of Ikima Rapid Fire <Pose Tracker> Zoia Surovy has posed.
Lips drawn together, Zoia glances to one side to watch Unit-Null/Sigma move. She reaches for a comm toggle. "Alouette," she says softly, "please be careful, alright...?"
For the moment, Zoia's in the clear - lightning aside. With a gasp, the girl again throws an arm up to try and block something she has no hope of shoving aside conventionally. There's a flash as Unit-Z2's AT field kicks up, but it can't fully stop the lightning blast. The bolt snaps through and punches into Unit-Z2's torso, staggering it and leaving an ugly black scorch smeared across armour.
As pain blazes across her breast, Zoia clenches her teeth and tenses up, squeezing her eyes closed for a couple of seconds and trying not to cry out. "Hang in there," she whispers, half to Unit-Z2, half to herself. She opens her eyes again, giving her head a brisk shake. Unit-Z2 follows suit, with a rumble that sounds like it's part machine and part giant dog shaking rain out of its fur.
Once again, Unit-Z2 straightens up, shambling to the edge of the Over the Rainbow's flight deck. Zoia takes stock of the field.
The Evangelion... hops. Then again. It looks like a gigantic kid trying to peek over a too-tall fence.
"Okay," she whispers to herself, tapping a finger against her chin. "Okay, okay. There's got to be a way."
As a transmission comes through, the Seventh Children looks towards Aurum-1's machine. "Aurum-1," Zoia transmits back, "we hear you. It looks like they're relying on those skeletons to move the Angel. Do you have any area-of-effect weapons? Explosives would be great here."
Unit-Z2 gesticulates broadly, holding its hands out and then widening them to create an effect like an expanding fan. "They're skeletons! Bullets won't do as good against them. If you've got explosive or concussive weapons, use them as broadly as possible. Scatter their bones around and knock them apart. If we can stop them from towing the target, it'll give us a lot more time...!"
KTS: Zoia Surovy targets Rei Ayanami, Ouka Nagisa, and Alouette Kaas with All-Out. KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Rouse Spirit Command. KTS: Zoia Surovy orders an all-out attack, raising Ouka Nagisa's Skill! KTS: Zoia Surovy orders an all-out attack, raising Rei Ayanami's Skill! KTS: Zoia Surovy orders an all-out attack, raising Alouette Kaas's Skill! <Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
As Jophiel's pain washes back on him like the crushing fall of a tsunami, Kaworu's smiles strains into a grimace, and he clutches his chest as if he might unclench its tightness. Even so, he doesn't look away from them.
"I know. I'm sorry," he whispers. "We'll put an end to this soon." There isn't anything else he can do for them, anyway.
Rei asks why they'd abandon them. "We won't," he tells her with all the confidence of one in a position to make sure of it. "But they seem more used to inter-Lilim conflict. I suspect it's that experience that leads them to be wary of us." It isn't actually that simple, but to him, it's as reasonable an explanation as any. It's not exactly wrong, either.
The plug is purged in response to the lightning strike; it takes a moment for it to be re-injected. Kaworu senses a presence at his back, and it eases some of the tension Jophiel's pain brought unto him. He looks over his shoulder and smiles warmly, an open-hearted acknowledgement sent out through his thoughts.
She, too, is important to him.
She isn't the only one, though. When Orpheus--codenamed Oz--snaps at Ikima, Kaworu looks chuckles. He hadn't intended on paying the Jama warrior any mind any more than Zoia had, but it does make him happy to see Oz (or rather, hear him) get riled up on his behalf. "Thank you, Oz, Aurum-1," he transmits--since Aurum-1 has made her position more explicit, even if her reasons for it are far less personal. "But don't forget to mind your own defenses, too."
Alouette voices her concern for Rei, and quite passionately. How curious... Have they had a chance to meet, too? He files that for later. Right now, Zoia sends out suggestions for how to handle the skeletons. They're all sound ones, so Kaworu lets her. For the time being, he adjusts the crystalline A.T. Field to let the ocean current seep through, then speeds it forward to create micro-currents behind their attacks against the undead drudgers to better shatter them apart upon impact. It might help weaken the grip of that waxy-skinned bone arm as it reaches out for Unit-00, too--and perhaps unsettle Ikima as the sea itself seems to reject him and his army.
KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Dr. Hell with Shock! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Orpheus Zevon KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Rei Ayanami <Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
'Aurum One, Covering, Land if needed.'
The image of a pale girl, her neck in brace. 'Ayanami tries her best, and she's never hurt anybody that isn't a giant space bug.' A young boy's defense with finger pointed accusatorily at her sibling.
The loud rapport of sniper rifle can be heard as Eva-sized munitions are driven forward by explosive charges. Instinctually, the Boosted Child takes the opportunity to raise her machine's shield in front of her to block or intercept the next attack!! She takes the opportunity to land on the offered deck, which in turn gives the overtaxed thrusters of her unit a much needed chance to cool: The ports still glowing red hot.
That's when the white KMF rushes forward to follow up her own attack while admonishing her for her lack of... ambition, perhaps? Meanwhile the much smaller unit rushes up the forearm of the mecha sized skeleton before driving itselfdirectly into its skull!! The end result of the combined assault is that the entire beast is reduced back to so much dust and ash
Dust to dust...
'Rei. You. Can't. Die.'
'Ayanami tries her best...'
A skeletal whale rises out of the water, crashing into her machine's shield with enough forceand intent to knock her overboard!! The First Boosted Child grits her teeth as her hands remain tight on the controls, her machine's feet digging shallow scratches through the deck as sparks shoot around her. The other side of the deck approaches her from behind, into the abyss and whatever horrors are waiting for her there as well...
... <I must try my best too.>
The Heavygun re-engages its thrusters, even as the metal of the ports start to melt and fuse, driving the shield back against the whale skeleton!! She sacrifices her shield to allow her to push off of the beast, driving herself up and over it as she draws the remaining grenades from the belt! Zoia's wish, it seems, is her command...
A volley of primed grenades rains from above - none thrown carelessly, all thrown with the exact purpose of scattering the remaining vanguard of deathly abominations dragging the tortured beast towards its destination.
Drei...
<The grenades are on a three second charge!>
Zwei...
<Prepare to take advantage of any holes in their lines that you can...>
Eins...
The thrusters on her machine sputter as the exhaust ports fuse shut. She begins her uncontrolled descent! It would seem that Kaworu's request has gone unheeded. Whether she falls into the claws of some beast, or into the arms of her allies, now will be determined completely by their actions.
Null... Ash to Ash.
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Ouka Nagisa targets Dr. Hell with Grenade Volley!
<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.
Jophiel is moving closer. Ikima is involved but Rei is not sure he is as decisive to the Angel as she had thought. It is inexplicable to her that someone would try to protect something like an Angel - that something like this would be necessary - but, well, Rei is learning a lot about the world in a lot of ways. Her breath is still accelerated.
Z2 is guiding her attention forwards. Towards the creatures. Rei realizes she is right, and states with soft urgency, "Colonel, explosive equipment," but then SOMETHING erupts out of the ground - a whale, a graveyard, a swirling waxed-molded hand of alien flesh that dwarfs even EVA-00. Rei brings the machine around
("Dammit!!!" wails the crane operator, who had been JUST about to reconnect)
to raise the rifle and it is too slow by half-breaths; the great hand is coming down and is even contorting a way a hand should not, pressing partially against the Over the Rainbow's deck and partially against EVA-00.
"Nn - nngh," Rei breathes out. Silent exertion of will gets her to press the control-sticks' switches in the sequence that pops out the compartments in the shoulder pylons that contain the
In the plug, things seem to slow down for a moment. The battle and the presence recedes. Something was said to someone, and even as the enormous writhing macroscopic-on-macroscopic parody of the Lilims' chosen form glitters in the background, there is a memory of a response.
progressive knives. Rei brings up the freer of Unit Zero's hands to grasp one of the hilts, feeling her heart beat in her chest as she thinks with desperate premonition of terror of how there is someone in here important - yes, Kaworu is
"Liar. You always lie. A man lies to a woman. A woman lies to a man. They both know it and they won't stop. Even the liar, liar, is a lie."
important to her; it is a dawning realization, but it is not simply that he is a NERV administrator, is it? He has been kind. He has been supportive. Some of it has been terrifying, even aggravating, but there is something behind his eyes she had not seen before, and
"You resemble a man, don't you?"
it is something she wants to protect; perhaps as she wanted to protect Ikari, perhaps
"That resembles a woman, doesn't it?"
a different feeling; but if she cannot at least get loose, then perhaps someone who cannot be replaced will suffer, or die. Rei draws out the progressive knife in a backhanded grip. She brings it up to stab down,
"Them first," and then the feeling of that third-party observer fades and the blade doesn't stop in the Angel's flesh but keeps going into the forearm of EVA-00!!
Rei's wrist glows and fumes and bubbles in the entry plug and she screams, quite understandably; screams as EVA-00 shudders and lurches and then reaches up for the OTHER one as its monocular head droops downwards, shaking several times as if attempting to resist an imposition or shake off a rainy day's effects on hair it does not have; as the scream fades, Rei, slumping forwards and struggling with suddenly bound controls, forces out in a low and miserable monotone, "not - now, I won't -"
WRENCH! The controls pull backwards as Rei throws herself back hard enough to strike the pilot's seat cushions and make a sound *despite the liquid buffering* - the right control is shoved forwards as the Evangelion, with its SECOND progressive knife, begins to carve into the finger-like protruberance. Its pinned hand, spasming for a moment, makes a gesture not unlike what Jophiel's own might have been, aiming to hold that limb in place -
And to PULL, to put more pressure against the blade, to bring the flesh and bone to the shimmering, vibrating blade.
"It's - fighting me," Rei pants into the gloom even as EVA-00 lurches forwards, aiming to stab and rend into the webwork between fingers. Glittering spiderwebs of shattering, eroding AT Field are splendid interludes to the actual, nasty, fleshy business that EVA-00 is getting to with its spasmodically brutal blows. The knife comes up at one point --
Wobbles to turn towards the Evangelion's head (looming enormously in the seaside light) -- and then shakily turns back to aim towards a vasty knuckle instead. "No," Rei wheezes out afterwards. "The enemy-"
KTS: Rei Ayanami has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Rei Ayanami has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Rei Ayanami has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Rei Ayanami has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Rei Ayanami targets Dr. Hell with Progressive Knife Drive! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa shocks Dr. Hell, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Dr. Hell's You Have No Power Over Me activates, and his spirit endures. KTS: Ouka Nagisa rattles Dr. Hell, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Dr. Hell blocks Ouka Nagisa's Grenade Volley, taking 3600 damage! KTS: Ouka Nagisa has engaged Dr. Hell KTS: Ouka Nagisa begins a Formation attack! KTS: Dr. Hell fails to parry Rei Ayanami's Progressive Knife Drive, taking 7680 damage! KTS: Rei Ayanami has engaged Dr. Hell KTS: Rei Ayanami completes the Formation attack! <Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.
<"There's nothing to thank. It's only natural.">
Whether that had meant it was only natural for him to protect Kaworu. . .Or simply he disliked the thought of someone using the dead to their own gain was left in the air. Almost like the Byakuen was in those final moments before the skeleton was returned to dust. Thankfully as the skeleton had been turning to dust, its frame had already been toppling. Assuredly not a pleasant way to land, but lowering itself did allow for the KMF to find a proper target to zip-line to safety. Which ironically enough for the BK unit was back onto the surface of the super carrier. The machine all but grinding atop the Super Carrier's structure, possibly ruining a bit of a paint job as it found itself luckily not all but going into a free-fall at the disposal of that creature.
Though, just because one attained a properly landing didn't mean one was safe. As it was Ikima was already preparing another assault. A personal strike against him and Zoia as he brings down the lightning similar to what he had done to the 00 before. It's again not something he can defend so easily, but seeing the wind-up for it before, having some idea of the timing. . .And perhaps a bit o fluck, he ends up pulling away and dodging from the blast of energy with no issue. It seemed at the very least in regards to Kaworu's concern, Orpheus wasn't one that needed to be worried about when it came to his defenses.
If anything now that he had broken through the last attack, there was a chance for a counter and it appeared the Nerv kids were all too well situated to prepare it. Ouka, in particular setting up for what could very well be the end of this. Her charges would go off in three seconds if that was the case. . .Orpheus prepared himself in a sniping position as well, If he followed up her strike with an explosive round of his own then perhaps they could put a substantial blow into this monstrous entity, they could suspend its motion and avoid the worst case scenario. . .If that was the case. . .He'd prepare the sakuradite shells. The explosive rounds would surely prove useful in the follow up strike. So as the blast of those charges go off. . .He takes no time at all to take his shot between the lines. His attack fired off at precise locations, letting each round explode in conjunction for the follow-up.
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Orpheus Zevon targets Dr. Hell with Precision Shot: 30mm High-Initial-Velocity Tungsten Armor-Piercing Ammunition! KTS: Dr. Hell fails to evade Orpheus Zevon's Precision Shot: 30mm High-Initial-Velocity Tungsten Armor-Piercing Ammunition, taking 6490 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Precision Attacker activates, causing Nullify! KTS: Dr. Hell's Kikaiju has been disabled. KTS: Dr. Hell has deployed in Kikaiju. KTS: Dr. Hell has changed loadout. KTS: Alouette Kaas has activated the Accel Spirit Command and Has Engaged with Dr. Hell KTS: Alouette Kaas targets Dr. Hell with Death From The Abyss! KTS: Dr. Hell fails to retreat. KTS: Dr. Hell fails to react to Alouette Kaas's Death From The Abyss, taking 9120 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alouette Kaas's Geass Directorate Survivor activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Alouette Kaas has engaged Dr. Hell <Pose Tracker> Alouette Kaas has posed.
'...please be careful, alright...?' Zoia's voice over Alouette's comm brings a strong response, her body easing for a moment.
"Zoia."
Alouette has never experienced this before. Her heart feels like its echoing, in every beat, across the entire plug. Thudding in her ears almost deafening. Then it was quiet. Everything seemed to slow or stop and the moment streched forever.
Louder and Louder like a train or a wave a sound grew. Things seemed to pick up speed and Alouette was pulled from a moment she didn't understand, to fighting off a whale carcass. In a moment it was all over and Alouette had one thing in mind.
"REI! ZOIA! ASUKA!!!"
The multi limbed Evangelion tears itself along the undersurface, criss-crossing itself in a fractal pattern of damage on it's way to the surface to back up the other pilots. The first thing she sees, is falling Heavygun suit, and Alouette makes a run to try to and help that pilot...
Alouette made if not efficient, copious use of her multiple appendages, trying to help her friends, and now her allies.
<Pose Tracker> Dr. Hell has posed.
Plans are made, and activated. Somewhere in the depths of a boat, Misato Katsuragi quietly marks Zoia down for further tactical training. Kid's got a knack.
Ouka manages a special hit as her unit crashes into the sea, sending gore and meat flying everywhere. Orpheus's explosive rounds devastate the Jama infantry, working with Ouka's ordinance and Zoia's planning to rip apart the skeletal horde, purple soul energy being lost wildly.
Ikima scowls, slightly, as he realizes his part of the fight is lost. He's already quietly working on how to shift Himika's wraith towards one of his colleagues; he can feel the Dragon Queen of Hell's rage at her investment of power and human souls shake the underground prison of the Great Jama Empire. Another day denied the sun, denied life.
Another day with the human race crushing their throats. Ikima scowls, looking directly at Rei Ayanami for a moment.
As the Evangelions do what Evangelions are designed to do: kill Angels.
Unit Null Sigma comes from below, its progressive tentacles grappling with a great depth of the beast and allowing, finally, the ATField of the Angel to be made contact with. It doesn't quite break, but we finally have confirmation that something exists to be broken. The monster can be killed, instead of simply picked apart to reform. Alouette is covered in gore and misery, but she makes a road of retreat for Ouka and Orpheus.
Rei thumb wrestles. This is a bit reductive but its also true, as a thumb the size of her Evangelion tries to crush and consume her. Rei does what she does best, cuts a part of herself off in order to protect the greater whole. A progressive knife is driven into the unholy, tortured flesh of the Angel. It parts, contact is made as Unit-00 presses its advantage.
And for just a second, because we're fighting a magical threat, and the rules of magic briefly apply.
Rei Ayanami can feel it, like a brief eye contact across a crowded room. Unit-01 takes a slow breath, moving with animal certainty.
The two Beasts look away, and mystery again reigns, but the message is clear: inside of the depths of the horror, SOMETHING is alive. There's hope.
If you can survive to find it again. Jophiel slows down, the Jama magics dispersing, the monsters unable to plunge it forward, but an Angel is still an Angel. Can it be stopped? Can our lost friends be saved?
Find out, next time!
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
"Even so, I can be grateful for natural things," Kaworu gently counters Orpheus. Beyond that, though, he doesn't argue. They *do* both have an audience, and Unit 00 is in trouble--much more so than Orpheus's Byakuen. When the battle is over, should he seek him out to speak with him, or let it be? ...He'll let Orpheus decide. He has so much of his life and Euliya's left to live, and Kaworu would rather not give the old men cause to look too closely at Codename: Oz. If that means they pass in the night without a further word after the end of the battle, so be it.
Alouette screams the song of her soul, reaching out with her voice to the connections she's made since coming to NERV Japan. At the same time that she wrenches Null-Sigma through the underside of the Eighth Angel, she reaches out to catch the falling Heavygun suit to rescue the G-Hound agent that came to their assistance. Kaworu smiles to see it.
Or perhaps he smiles at something (someone) else, that presence that denies him and tears him down. He doesn't argue with her, either, accepting all her accusations. He doesn't like to lie--avoids lying whenever possible--but those are only direct lies. There are lies of omission, lies of silence, lies of pretending not to know... even lies of resemblance. He resembles a man; she resembles a woman. Even if he were to say that resembling a thing doesn't make them that thing would mean that the lie is then in their very form.
So he doesn't protest. He simply listens, empathy in the softness of his eyes, the faint curve of his lips.
Whether she's right or not, he comprehends that she's suffering too. He doesn't mind letting her vent on him for the moment while she's able to. (Maybe one day he'll notice the parallels to Shinji and Asuka. For now, though, it doesn't occur to him.)
"I understand," he murmurs at the end of it. "You should know I've made my choice."
As Rei struggles, as she strikes the seat beneath her with force even through the liquid LCL, Kaworu leans in towards her and carefully sets an arm around her shoulders. It's as much to cushion her injured neck as it is to reassure her against the searing agony of a knife in her (her) arm as it is to lend her support against the enemy--one who, through everyone's combined blows, finally crumples to a halt well away from the Japanese shoreline. But the Angel itself isn't yet defeated. Within, life struggles... and where there is life, there is hope. There is always hope.
"Good work, everyone. Withdraw to the deck of the HMS Over the Rainbow for now," he transmits to the allied forces. Then he looks to his companion. "Our part is over, First," he murmurs. "Now we just have to trust in Shinji and the others."
With a smile, he holds out to her a hand.
<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
Another Where, Another When:
Adler Koch sits in his office, tapping the metal plating upon the bridge of his nose with his index finger. The dull ache it produces reminding him of the price of compromise: Of allowing Aguilla's 'dolls' to make their own decisions. What is it again? Emotions draw out untapped power?
... so far all he has seen it draw out was a gun into Argent-1's hand.
He frowns down at the schematic sheets he is looking at. One after another is moved aside. Too slow. Too lightly armored. Too focused on melee. Too focused on range. Not enough power output.
"No, no, no." He crumples the papers in his hands before tossing them all into Cero's face. "None of these will do for Aurum and the GEIM System. As I said: NO compromises!"
Cero grimaces as the paper ball tossed at him bounces off his forehead. He's used to this by now. "With all doue respect, Dr. Koch, Aurum desperately needs something more resilient than we've been giving her. She disables safeties and pushes units beyond their specifications."
Adler has already stood up and turned his back to Cero. He stares out the window at one of his projects: A massive, triple bladed arm module complete hydraulic pistons. A cruel weapon from a cruel mind. He harumphs, "The GEIM System is designed to bring a weaker pilot to meet the demands of a powerful machine. Are you suggesting that we waste it on her meeting the demands of our most powerful pilot to meet the demands of a weaker machine?"
The younger doctor's hands clench the clipboard he is holding tighter...
"No." He says...
'... we might lose her trying to fulfill your mad dreams in a machine that is falling to pieces around her,' he thinks.
Here and Now:
Aurum-1 tumbles, unable to do much to control the attitude of her descent. Still she is still able to watch the battle's conclusion unfold around her. Her grenade barrage had its desired effect and allowed: Orpheus' explosive rounds ripping through the softened infantry, and Rei's Unit 00 thumb wrestling the beast. Alouette screaming just in time for her unit to crash through the surface of the water.
Into the Abyss, where beasts lurks. The Heavygun isn't designed well for fighting in the water. Especially not without its maneuvering jets. Still Aurum-1 has to make a cruel choice: Sink, or eject and risk being afloat amongst the beasts.
Before she can decide a beast grabs ahold of her - and luckily it's a friendly one. Alouette hauls a similar blood and seawater splattered Heavygun out of the surf. Once returned to the deck the machine collapses. Its pilot asks:
<Was that enough?>
Golden eyes gaze out through the optical sensors, out towards the Angel... her fingers hovering over the switch to activate her return beacon. Not yet. Horror or Hope, whatever this creature contains, she will not turn away.
... she never turns away.