2023-04-22: Pink Cat-astrophe
- Log: Pink Cat-astrophe
- Cast: Catherine Vuitton (as Armor of the Week), Julia Ampere, BP-119 Duke, Alouette Pommier, Liam 7-020, Sousuke Sagara, BP-110 Deckerd, Zan
- Where: Nouvelle Tokyo
- OOC - IC Date: 0097 04 22
- Summary: The Brave Police have rested on their laurels for far too long. The rise of the Pink Cat Crime Syndicate is now!
<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.
Recent days have been quiet. Peaceful even. One could be forgiven for thinking the Brave Police and other organizations that protect Nouvelle Tokyo have largely driven its criminal element into deep hiding or sent them packing entirely! So it truly is a shame then, that those relaxing, almost carefree days have to come to an abrupt, screeching stop. Of course, the end of peace is often not exactly an obvious thing. Not something one sees coming in advance.
On the other hand, sometimes the break of peace is a gaudy shade of pink that stands out no matter where you are, and can't help announcing itself! In this case, it is in fact the latter, as some familiar machines begin clawing their way up through the streets. A set of Fromage tearing out from the ground, causing small quakes to herald their arrival. And what could these machines be after today? The answer to that doesn't seem to be exceptionally clear. They're not targeting banks or anything with monetary wealth. Rather, they're splitting up and moving to different parts of the city? To factory and warehouse locations. Are they trying to steal materials? Is this an operation to gather materials for something new? If so, the targets seem a little odd. Who needs industrial quantities of ink for a robot?
The answer for that becomes rapidly obvious when a certain voice begins laughing over a... loudspeaker? It sounds somewhat like a megaphone really. "OOooohoohoho~! Go forth my gorgeous Pink Cats, we have SO MUCH lost time to make up for, and our stunning Arsene won't perfect itself!" Of course it would have to be Vuitton. Who else would use Fromages after all? Or just do this so blatantly, instead of trying to steal materials in a way that doesn't grab attention?
KTS: Armor of the Week has deployed in Fromage. KTS: BP-119 Duke has deployed in Duke Fire. KTS: Alouette Pommier has deployed in Guardienne Aviaire. KTS: Liam 7-020 has deployed in MPMZ-17 Ichinana. KTS: Zan has deployed in BT-104 Zan Orca. <Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
It really has been quiet, hasn't it? Quiet, peaceful... But of course, all this peace and quiet has done wonders for providing opportunities to Scheme. And what's better than Scheming with a colleague that shares your tastes?
The Fromage emerge and spread throughout Nouvelle Tokyo... but they're far from the only machine on the scene. The Dynamo Queen, in its purple and gold color scheme, is here as well - and where it is so too must be Julia Ampere, as she keeps a close eye on her console. Her Electrocrawlers are also on the prowl, and someone needs to direct them! That's the one downside of relying on drones, rather than loyal minions.
"I must say, Pink Cat, dear, I'm quite intrigued to see what you're cooking up." Julia remarks with interest, briefly looking away from her screen.
Only briefly, though... She knows how these things tend to go. That may be part of why she agreed to lend a hand.
KTS: Julia Ampere has deployed in Dynamo Queen. KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: BP-110 Deckerd has deployed in J-Decker.
<Pose Tracker> BP-119 Duke has posed.
"Duke, the seismic readings in Nouvelle Tokyo are intensifying," Regina Argine remarks from her operations booth in Brave Police HQ as another shake rocks the building. "The epicentre is... moving? Hmm. Stand by for triage and casualty analysis."
"Understood, my lady," the ambulance rushing through the streets of the hi-tech city announces, its headlights flashing to the rhythm of its synthetic voice.
Then the street ahead of it ruptures, a massive armadillo-like machine clambering out of the fissure!
"Alert! Criminal element approaching! EMERGENCY CHANGE!" Veering out of the way, the ambulance rolls and unfolds into a white-armoured robot in a three-point crouch, safely clear of the Fromage's approach.
First on the scene, BP-119 Duke pulls himself up to his full five-metre height and brandishes his badge. "This is the Brave Police! Surrender your machine and submit to justice!"
The Fromage sweeps one leg absent-mindedly, the massive, rotund machine sending Duke's comparatively tiny form flying into the air to fall down into a subway access, blocking it entirely. "Ooof!!"
"Duke!" Regina calls out.
"I am functional, my lady, but I do not believe the criminals will listen to reason! Requesting reinforcements and authorisation of force!" Duke picks himself up, only his pride wounded, and prepares to enter combat.
"Approved! Fire Roader en route to your position!"
"EMERGENCY COMBINE!" The incoming fire engine breaks into parts as Duke leaps towards it, snapping into place as reinforced combat armour that brings the Brave Police Robot up to a much more respectable 18 metres in height.
"DUUUUUUUUUKE! FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!"
The combined Brave Robot launches himself to stand opposite the Fromage, blocking its path.
KTS: Julia_Ampere has deployed as a Boss for 3 opponents. KTS: Armor_of_the_Week has deployed as a Boss for 3 opponents. KTS: Sousuke Sagara has deployed in ARX-7 Arbalest.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Business with Kaworu Nagisa brought Alouette Earth-side today. And an attack by one Asciel Colette forecasted for the next day has Guardienne Aviaire stationed on standby in the city's old Marine Refuge base directed by Shigeru Akamatsu.
This means that when the tremors strike Nouvelle Tokyo, Alouette is enjoying a coffee at a local cafe.
Citizens are prematurely evacuated, kept calm by the city's local forces while a very recognizable ambulance speeds by.
It quickly becomes clear this is not, in fact, an earthquake, but a mass movement of... mousebots? What? Alouette barges into the island's base's hangar. "Have the carpenters ready for cleanup! I'm going in!" She calls to whoever's heading the place, climbing into the cockpit. Ugh, the Dive Suits are all they got.
"Ignition Drive!" The graceful scion of Braves soars, discarding mirror coating to reveal herself before another familiar machine. "Guardienne! AVIAIRE!"
An Ichinana soars close by, sensors identifying it as friendly, piloted by Liam. "Liam... it's her." She transmits, privately, clearly pointing out the Dynamo Queen they fought in Tsutsujidai. "What do you say to a rematch?"
Guardienne Aviaire emits a single Program Ring. "What brings you to Nouvelle Tokyo, Madame Energy Thief? Striking a deal with that tacky cat lady? You can do much better than that." Obligatory banter aside, the electrocrawlers were a huge problem last time. The Program Ring's aim is to disrupt and jam their sensors, hopefully making their queen more susceptible without her minions at full functionality.
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Julia Ampere with Jam! KTS: Alouette Pommier has completed their actions for the round. KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Armor of the Week with Goad! KTS: BP-119 Duke has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
Liam has been on standby ever since another science criminal--an entity Kaworu described as a 'destroyer of civilizations'--attacked Tokyo-3. An earthquake in the greater Tokyo region--especially a relatively mild one--is not cause for NERV's attention. But then the call comes in, along with footage of both the Dynamo Queen and Catherine Vuitton's minions. Liam sortied immediately.
His Ichinana makes good time, its Scrander firing as it flies in the pose characteristic of its big Super Robot brother. The IFF paints each Fromage in red, and Liam frowns behind his helmet's visor as he races over the rooftops. There's so many of them. But luckily, there are also friendlies on the scene.
"Alouette!" There's relief in his voice in the return transmission. "Seconded. Falling into formation." The Ichinana rolls left, and gracefully goes vertical, pulling its machine gun to its shoulder. Its legs tuck into a sort of half-crouch in mid-air. It pulls the trigger, and sends short, controlled bursts downrange to hammer the Dynamo Queen's defenses--to exploit the opening Alouette graciously made for him.
There's no witty banter from Liam, for now. He's still processing that this is BioNet, and taking square breaths.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Julia Ampere with Ichinana MG Burst! KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
Sousuke Sagara, it turns out, lives here. He's in his apartment, as one might be, reviewing ARM Slave technical manuals, as any mercenary worth their salt ought, when the communication device on the table that looks out across the city beeps to live.
<<Sergeant Sagara,>> the voice of the Arbalest's AI announces. <<There has been a science crime incident in the vicinity. The Dynamo Queen has been spotted. We can respond.>>
His hand pauses from where he's taking notes. "...roger," he says, and puts the pen down. "Perform preflight on your own, I'll be there shortly."
<<Roger.>>
*
<<Marking responders. Duke, Brave Police. Deckerd, Brave Police. Guardienne Aviaire, Gutsy Global Guard. Zan Orca, NERV. Ichinana, Photon Power Laboratories.>>
"Attackers...is that the Pink Cat Gang?"
<<Affirmative. The unit category is 'Fromage.' Pilot data found in archive. I assess their fashion sense as 'excellent.'>>
"Don't need to know about it."
<<Yours could use some work.>>
"Don't need to know about that, either!"
AL continues, <<The other attacker is Dynamo Queen, last encountered in Tsutsujidai. Caution: She successfully thwarted our attack at that time.>>
"That won't happen again," Sousuke says, tensely.
<<....roger,>> AL says, slightly too late. <<Engage combat when ready.>>
A flicker in the air atop a rooftop is the only warning before Arbalest fades into view, melting out of a flash of electric blue light. He's already got his shotcannon in hand, firing a round downrange toward the Dynamo Queen, before leaping down from his perch to the ground.
<<Tagging responders. Guardian Aviaire and Ichinana assisting on Dynamo Queen. Recommend coordination.>>
"I'll let you handle it."
<<Roger.>>
KTS: Sousuke Sagara targets Julia Ampere with Boxer 57mm Shotcannon Slug! KTS: Sousuke Sagara has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Alouette Pommier jams Julia Ampere's sensors, reducing her accuracy. KTS: Julia Ampere's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Julia Ampere blocks Liam 7-020's Ichinana MG Burst, taking 2170 damage! KTS: Julia Ampere's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Julia Ampere blocks Sousuke Sagara's Boxer 57mm Shotcannon Slug, taking 1800 damage!
<Pose Tracker> BP-110 Deckerd has posed.
PREVIOUSLY AT BRAVE POLICE HQ:
An earthquake? While they're technically approved to deal with disaster relief, they don't normally don't have to unless called. Yuta's completely fine with just sitting this out and leaving it to Duke and Regina, up until he gets a notification that it's actually a criminal attack. He nearly falls out of his office chair when he gets that update, Deckerd turning to look at him with concern.
"Yuta?"
"Gah! Deckerd! We gotta go!"
NOW:
A police car and a giant armor vehicle come barreling down the street, sirens at full blast as they arrive on the scene. With a loud screech the smaller car comes to a stop, a door opening as Yuta steps out. He takes a moment to assess the situation, and more importantly, the giant mecha anteater-thing, before turning to nod at the car as he suddenly pulls out his police badge and holds it high up into the air.
"Brave up! J-Decker!"
The police car drives forward, the larger truck now leading as it begins to unfold into most of a giant robot, save for a giant gaping hole in its chest. It's quickly filled however, as the cruiser leaps into the air, folding in half and completing the machine.
"J-DECKER!"
A holster on J-Decker's leg opens up, shooting out a folded rifle into the air where it's immediately grabbed, as the Brave Police takes aim at the strange rampaging machine.
"Hold up! Brave Police! Step out of the robot, you're under arrest!"
A few, mostly harmless shots are fired at Vuitton's robot, more so as a deterrent than anything else.
<Pose Tracker> Zan has posed.
A couple blocks away was some construction work. At least until this happened. The Super AI train lifts off as everything gets back aboard. Instead of engaging directly, the giant train unleashes supporting laser fire to cover the change of the fellow Braves and get it's attention.
By then Zan has launched in his rarely used orange ORCA form from the second car and the train has taken to circling the battlefield.
Zan hovered overhead as he kept his form's nose and tool gun pointed at the ongoing conflict. "These must be the Brave Police."
Once their transformations are done, Zan hovers down near them staying overhead mostly where he can maneuver. "Brave Police, I am BT-104 Zan. Allow me to assist despite not able to use my full capacity."
"Carpenters, rescue and evacuation operations! Avoid the battlefield designated!" Zan calls out.
Out of the train shoots six overgrown orange cylinders as the newest addition to his arsenal deploy and start to work finding endangered civilians and getting them out of there.
KTS: BP-110 Deckerd targets Armor of the Week with Gun Mode: Suppressing Fire! KTS: BP-110 Deckerd has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Zan targets Armor of the Week with Supporting Laser Fire! KTS: Zan has completed their actions for the round. KTS: BP-119 Duke goads Armor of the Week, reducing its Intuition drastically. KTS: Armor of the Week fails to charge. KTS: Armor of the Week partially guards BP-110 Deckerd's Gun Mode: Suppressing Fire, taking 5360 damage! KTS: Armor of the Week fails to Charge. KTS: Armor of the Week successfully avoids Zan's Supporting Laser Fire Roux Louka teleports in. POT: Roux Louka is now set observer.
<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.
"Oh darling, my Pink Cats and I will be more than happy to collaborate more often~." Seems she's enjoying having allies as well. She is of course in ONE of the Fromages, she always takes the field in some form... but there's no telling which is which from an outside glance. Her particular tastes and pride won't let any one Fromage look less than PERFECT, so each is identical in every way. It also makes them easy to just hop into and use. No special command setup altering one unit or another.
And then she sees one of the intruders bouncing off the leg of a Fromage, not that she recognizes which one in that form off the top of her head. "Of course we have party crashers already. Cats, see what you can do to send the Dork Police packing~." The one who bounced, Duke Fire it seems, finds himself with a close up problem. As that same Fromage attempts to wrap its claws around his arms and simply hurl him out of the way.
Deckerd sees an amount of success, as his shots keep the robot in question from advancing closer and leave a few grooves dug into its armoring. However! Its mouth begins to glow, and soon enough a burst of what looks like liquid fire rips out from the muzzle, carving a line up the street as it races to the Police Robot! Doesn't exactly look like the WORST thing to get hit by, but it's definitely going to smart all the same.
Zan seems to have a bit less luck, with his lasers grazing against the third Fromage. The paint is singed and it does have to stop and stare at the train-based Brave Robot, halted from its path for a moment. This oversized armadillo similarly to the last, breathes out a short burst of almost magma-esque flame. "Really, do not a one of you have ANY sense of style? Hohoh~ No flash or accent to your colors in the least. You're all nearly as bad as that atrocious... No, I refuse to speak of that foul substance further!" Well, that was especially bizarre.
KTS: Armor of the Week targets BP-119 Duke with Fromage Claws Grab! KTS: Armor of the Week targets BP-110 Deckerd with Heat Beam Blast! KTS: Armor of the Week targets Zan with Heat Beam Blast! KTS: Armor of the Week has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Zan's Force Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Zan blocks Armor of the Week's Heat Beam Blast, taking 780 damage! <Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
"I do so look forward to it. Let's celebrate by putting on a marvelous show today, shall we?" Julia enthuses.
Almost as if on cue, an accusing voice reaches Julia's ears. She adjusts to spot the source - and, a smile crosses her face as she recognizes Guardienne Aviaire. Julia chuckles in response.
"Tacky, hm? I must admit, I find her aesthetics quite agreeable, myself! She knows who she is and what she wants, and I can only respect that." She replies. "As for why I'm here, well! I suppose you could say I'm stretching my legs. It has been far too long since I've had any excitement - so do provide, won't you? I expect great things from you."
Julia frowns a second later, though, as her screen becomes a little fuzzy. This is reflected in her Electrocrawlers, too, as it becomes that much more difficult for them to function. She's certainly learned from their previous encounter... She's earned a point of approval.
She isn't alone, either. The Dynamo Queen soon finds itself coming under fire from an approaching Ichinana. Without hearing the voice, she can't recognize the pilot - so for now she turns, claws raised to intercept the incoming machine gun fire.
"Are you... one of the defence force, perhaps?" She wonders, curious. "Well! Let's put you through your paces, shall we?"
Next comes the Arbalest. It, too, opens fire, and the Dynamo Queen shifts to intercept the incoming shotcannon blast.
"Ah... you I remember as well. This is a veritable reunion, isn't it? I'm pleased to see you all in good health!" Julia comments brightly.
And with that, the Dynamo Queen makes a mighty leap. It orients itself in mid-air, unleashing a burst of beam turret fire toward Guardienne Aviaire before finishing its jumping arc - positioning to slam both of its claws right down on top of Liam's Ichinana before turning to strike the Arbalest with a corkscrew punch.
KTS: Julia Ampere targets Alouette Pommier with Beam Turret Spray! KTS: Julia Ampere targets Liam 7-020 with Claw Tantrum! KTS: Julia Ampere targets Sousuke Sagara with Corkscrew Punch! KTS: Julia Ampere has completed their actions for the round. KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Armor of the Week's Fromage Claws Grab, taking 3170 damage! KTS: Armor of the Week has engaged BP-119 Duke! KTS: BP-110 Deckerd blocks Armor of the Week's Heat Beam Blast, taking 2520 damage! KTS: Sousuke Sagara has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: [Mirage] Sousuke Sagara's Irregular LD Activation activates, and he slips into a mirage. KTS: Sousuke Sagara fails to parry Julia Ampere's Corkscrew Punch, taking 0 damage! KTS: Julia Ampere has engaged Sousuke Sagara! KTS: Alouette Pommier fails to react to Julia Ampere's Beam Turret Spray, taking 5760 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Julia Ampere's Immaculate Scheme activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Liam 7-020 blocks Julia Ampere's Claw Tantrum, taking 5500 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Julia Ampere's Immaculate Scheme activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: Julia Ampere has engaged Liam 7-020! <Pose Tracker> BP-119 Duke has posed.
"Fire Shield!" The kite-shape snaps out of Duke Fire's left forearm and he lifts it to ward off the crushing grab of the Fromage, as Deckerd arrives on the scene and transforms into J-Decker!
"The kid's here," Regina mutters. "Tch."
"My lady - " Duke forces out, pushing back against the Fromage. "Such remarks are hardly becoming of a maiden!"
He gains enough purchase to leap clear of the Fromage, landing near J-Decker and drawing his own pistol. "Engaging suppressing fire!"
Beams lance out from the Fire Buster towards the Fromage.
"Analysing hostile chassis," Regina reports. "Stand by, Duke Fire, J-Decker."
"Acknowledged." Duke Fire continues laying down blasts from his weapon.
KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Armor of the Week with Fire Buster - Pistol Volley! KTS: BP-119 Duke has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Zan has posed.
Satisfied with staying airborne, that prevents the fires from doing more than singing it seems. At least until there's a glimmer on the back as the Zan Orca flips over. And seems to come out of the entire thing unscathed nearly. The flames literally had little effect. Instead of staying airborne, however, the Orca flies at the Fromage.
"Zan Change!"
And changes shape in mid-air. The majority of the body folds under around the nose, the thrusters shifting to be on it's back as the legs shoot out and arms separate to either side. The tool gun ends up in a hand.
It's smaller than said Fromage, but that doesn't mean the 20 meter robot can't pack a punch of it's own. Or in this case, a jet assisted kick!
The strange part about this match up? Zan in this form is so much smaller than the others. But no less Brave as he pushes off the kick to get back into hovering in the air. "Thank you for the recharge!" Black panels gleam along the chest area, despite slightly smoking.
Flame is not effective against a solar powered robot.
Zan transforms to BT-104 Zan Robo
KTS: Zan targets Armor of the Week with Flying Kick! KTS: Zan has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Sousuke Sagara has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
Something flickers on Liam's IFF: a faint, intermittent signal he recognizes as an Arm Slave who helped him fight Julia in Tsutsujidai. Are they helping again? Maybe it will be different--Liam hopes it will be different--
The Dynamo Queen leaps for him. Despite its unorthodox, crab-like design, he knows just how agile it is, and how dangerous those claws are. The Ichinana has no shield, but it does have a blade of Super Alloy Z; in the space of a few seconds, it slots the machine gun and draws its sword. It darts to the left, out of what Liam thinks is the main angle of attack, and raises the weapon, bracing the flat with its other hand.
The Dynamo Queen spikes the Ichinana like a volleyball. No--it drives it into the earth below. The mass-produced Mazin slams into the concrete outside a convenience store with enough force to smash through to the utility lines beneath. Water sprays upwards as the stricken machine teeters. Its leg armor bears stress fractures in dozens of places; the hydraulics groan, forced to bear more than they were ever designed to.
For a moment, it looks like the Ichinana is going to topple over. Then it steps forward, planting a foot down. "Good strike," Liam says, through gritted teeth. His voice is knotted with tension. "Here's mine." The Mazin stumbles a little as it charges, but Liam fires the Scrander and body jets in short bursts to compensate for its damaged legs. It raises the Super Alloy Z blade, which gleams in the sunlight, and then brings it down at one of the Dynamo Queen's arm-joints. Liam is trying to hack through it in a single blow, and there is... surprising bravado behind it. Or maybe just a desire to inflict something that will hurt.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Julia Ampere with Mazinger Blade Swing! KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the fashion sense. Personally, you wouldn't catch me dead in one of those." She snaps back, never mind the fact she literally has a dive suit.
When Julia likens this to entertainment, Alouette's face tenses up for a brief moment, before Julia's signal briefly cuts out from the jamming. That's fine, too.
In short order, the Dynamo Queen is back at capacity with a mighty spread of beams flying Aviaire's way. "Emission! PROTECT WALL!" Alouette roars - but Julia's clever - the beam turrets are easily able to lodge themselves in areas of the armour not cover by the indomitable wall of reflection. "That was an impressive trick." She compliments, slowing easing in the mindset of a contest of skills.
Sousuke, arriving in the Arbalest, almost seems to fade into the attack, completely unscathed. Internally, Alouette credits AL for that one. But Liam takes a nasty hit himself... and she scrambles to send off encrypted data that Aviaire's OS has learned in the last battle against Julia, both to Liam's Ichinana and AL. "We'll need to change up our tactics a little if we're going to win this time." She cautions, over the comm lines. The jamming was effective enough... but they need more than that.
"Javelins," She calls, emitting a second Program Ring. "FIRE!" From within, the ring, a wave of missiles flies forth in all directions, surrounding the massive crabby Dynamo Queen as they prepare to explode.
KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Liam 7-020 KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Sousuke Sagara KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Rouse Spirit Command. KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Julia Ampere with Flare Javelin Trick! KTS: Alouette Pommier has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> BP-110 Deckerd has posed.
"Ugh!"
J-Decker grunts as he reaches for a rather plain looking riot shield, blocking the worst of the blow with it but still experiencing a discomforting amount of heat that makes him 'sweat' underneath his helmet. The shield fairs worse though, as despite being treated to deal with such abuse, it begins to slightly melt and warp from the prolonged exposure.
"GGG! Duke Fire!"
The Brave Police finally fully notices he's not alone, and just gives both robots a silent nod as he slams his shield into the ground, embedding it into the concrete to make some makeshift cover which he immediately takes advantage of, crouching behind it as he also uses it to help him stabilize his gun for his next shot.
"Now!"
The barrel on the J-Buster extends as he lines up he waits and lines up his shot, aiming a concentrated burst of pink energy directly into the Fromage's muzzle.
"Deckerd!"
Yuta has found an alleyway to stay safe in, shouting in concern for his robot friend as he braves the attack. That said, he should be fine. That GGG robot and Duke are on the scene to help as well. Though, now that he thinks about it, if Duke's here, doesn't that mean Regina is here as well? He loudly huffs and crosses his arms, an indignant look on his face. Actually, Deckerd could definitely handle this by himself.
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
Sousuke doesn't reply to Julia's barbs. AL asides to him, <<I do not believe she is actually pleased.>>
The Dynamo Queen leaps - impressively - and then smashes down and lashes out. Sousuke drops the Shotcannon and immediately reaches for his monomolecular cutter, but it's going to be off, he can already tell. Slightly bad angle, but he needs to--
Instinct does what his thoughts don't; Arbalest's unblinking green eyes flash, the vents on its back and shoulders open and unfurl into long heat-venting plates, and a BLAZE of brilliant light stops the Dynamo Queen's attack completely cold. It bounces off as surely as if she'd punched some fortress's impervious armor. The corkscrew punch spins itself out against a chaotic whorl of burning blue-white-red light. Eventually Arbalest leaps back, landing back on that rooftop it started on, as Sousuke huffs out a breath. <<Lambda Driver activation confirmed.>>
Sousuke huffs out a breath and says, "Log data to Zulu-1." <<Roger.>>
Worked up now, Sousuke leaves the Shotcannon where it lies, and charges forward.
A voice responds, automatic and male, to Alouette. Of course, she knows what AL sounds like. <<Roger. Be advised the Sergeant is attempting melee maneuvers.>>
The Arbalest is a nimble thing, and as the Javelins explode all around the Dynamo Queen, Sagara joins Liam in driving a weapon into it and attempting to simply cut open from there.
KTS: Sousuke Sagara targets Julia Ampere with GRAW-2 Monomolecular Cutter Slash! KTS: Sousuke Sagara has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Julia Ampere's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Julia Ampere blocks Liam 7-020's Mazinger Blade Swing, taking 1200 damage! KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Julia Ampere! KTS: BP-110 Deckerd has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Julia Ampere has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Julia Ampere successfully Intercepts Alouette Pommier's Flare Javelin Trick KTS: BP-110 Deckerd targets Armor of the Week with Rifle Mode: Single Shot! KTS: BP-110 Deckerd has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Julia Ampere rushes into the attack! KTS: Julia Ampere's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Julia Ampere's Unassailable Ego activates, and her spirit endures. KTS: Sousuke Sagara enervates Julia Ampere, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Julia Ampere partially guards Sousuke Sagara's GRAW-2 Monomolecular Cutter Slash, taking 3720 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Sousuke Sagara's Where'd He Go!? activates, causing Deject! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Sousuke Sagara's Battlefield Mastery activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Sousuke Sagara has engaged Julia Ampere! KTS: Armor of the Week fails to rush. KTS: Armor of the Week partially guards BP-119 Duke's Fire Buster - Pistol Volley, taking 2945 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke begins a Formation attack! KTS: Armor of the Week fails to rush. KTS: Armor of the Week successfully avoids Zan's Flying Kick KTS: Armor of the Week fails to Evade BP-110 Deckerd's Rifle Mode: Single Shot, taking 5800 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] BP-110 Deckerd's Sharpshooter activates, causing Insight L1! <Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
"Suit yourself! Your style is your own, after all. To go against what your heart desires... that is the greatest fashion crime of all." Julia replies nonchalantly to Alouette. It takes a second, since she has to get communications back online. It might say something that that is her priority, over restoring full control over her Electrocrawlers. "...And, my thanks, for the compliment."
When she goes to attack the Arbalest, though... a brilliant light bursts forth. Is it just light? It stops her attack as solidly as steel. ...A grin slowly crosses Julia's face.
"Oh, now you are very interesting." Julia enthuses. "I don't suppose you'd tell me what happened just now?"
The Ichinana is spiked to the ground - and finally, the pilot of the Ichinana speaks.
"Ah - I recognize you now!" Julia comments brightly, regardless of the tension in her voice. "...I must say, I respect your tenacity."
The Super Alloy Z blade is raised, and then brought down toward one of the Dynamo Queen's arm joints. The crab-like robot shifts, pinning the blade in between claw and armor before it can reach.
"And your cleverness!" She enthuses. At this close of a range... all of the Dynamo Queen's point defense turrets rotate inward toward Liam's Ichinana, peppering it with a volley of beams!
Nearby, a Program Ring is emitted... and suddenly, a wave of missiles erupt forth in all directions! She seems to have been anticipating something like this, though, as the point-defense turrets rotate outward just as quickly and blaze once more.
The Javelins are detonated one after another... but in the end, while they may not have been able to damage the Dynamo Queen, the smoke from their explosion is enough. Suddenly, the Arbalest is upon her.
"Ah! Well then...!" Julia says. It's too quick for her to try to block - so, she charges the smaller machine, looking to ram into it. Its carapace shifts, allowing the monomolecular cutter to bite in - that section is more heavily armored, but it'll still be able to carve quite the chunk out of it.
And then, the Dynamo Queen extends its claws and its upper body spins violently, looking to catch the Arbalest in its swing before it can escape. And then, Julia calls out.
"Oh, darlings...!" She requests.
They can guess what she might mean by this, though by virtue of Alouette's jamming, it takes a little longer than one might expect for there to be a response.
...And then, they leap from the shadows - several Electrocrawlers jump out, looking to grapple onto Guardienne Aviaire and siphon away some of its energy.
KTS: Julia Ampere targets Liam 7-020 with Beam Turret Focused Fire! KTS: Julia Ampere targets Sousuke Sagara with Spinning Claws! KTS: Julia Ampere targets Alouette Pommier with Electrocrawler Draining Grapple! KTS: Julia Ampere has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Julia Ampere rattles Alouette Pommier, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Alouette Pommier blocks Julia Ampere's Electrocrawler Draining Grapple, taking 4092 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Julia Ampere's Immaculate Scheme activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: Julia Ampere has engaged Alouette Pommier! KTS: Julia Ampere begins a Formation attack! KTS: Liam 7-020 blocks Julia Ampere's Beam Turret Focused Fire, taking 6120 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Julia Ampere's Immaculate Scheme activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: Sousuke Sagara has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Sousuke Sagara fails to parry Julia Ampere's Spinning Claws, taking 7540 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Julia Ampere's Immaculate Scheme activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: Julia Ampere has engaged Sousuke Sagara! <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"I can at least respect that." Alouette almost smiles when she hears Julia's own fashion opinions. "It's one thing to know what you want, and another thing altogether to assume what others want. It's good that you know the difference."
"Brave Police!" She calls, as J-Decker seems to recognize her as 3G. "I'll trust in your courage to take care of... the mousey cheesy ones!" Officially designated as Fromage? Well, that's apt, she supposes.
Her eyes widen in shock as Julia seems to see her plan coming from a mile away as the beam turrets repel the missiles, though. Still.. their intended purpose is fulfilled, allowing the smoke from the explosion sufficient cover for Sousuke and his monomolecular cutter and Liam and his Mazinger Blade both to strike true.
After the jamming, Alouette expected Julia to mostly write the electrocrawlers off as a tactic... she turned out to be very wrong. The electrocrawlers latch onto Guardienne Aviaire, not allowing the much larger machine to do much of anything to resist as the energy flowing through the Pseudo GS-Ride is slowly drained. "W-well played... I wasn't expecting that at all." She concedes, but even as she does, her hand hovers over a large red button. "But I bet you weren't expecting this, either! EMISSION!"
Even if Guardienne Aviaire's energy is dwindling, she still has tools at her disposal to turn the key to victory. This one looks like a magnifying glass wielded in two hands - and it seems to absorb the energy the electrocrawlers are attempting to steal.
"Gravity lens set! GRAVITY MAGNIFIER!" This is a trick much like the one GaoGaiGar and Mic Sounders used against the Combined Primeval - gathering energy into a single point and firing it. The heat-wave of energy punches through the electrocrawlers latched onto Aviaire first, much like ants to a magnifying glass - and then attempts to cut through the Dynamo Queen's barrier by clashing through it with more concentrated energy.
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Julia Ampere with Gravity Magnifier! KTS: Alouette Pommier has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.
Vuitton of course is having just such a laugh over the Brave Police and their attempts. "Even by your standards, you're just so empty and soulless! Worse than a plain grey business suit!" Duke is just so... serious and stiff! Still, he IS effective. His shots land perfectly, sending the Fromage tumbling backward into a ball. There's just one issue. The Fromage curling up seems so natural... because it is! Not long after the machine is sent rolling, it comes barreling back in, only to unfold after hitting an incline to leap at Duke and tear at his shield and armor with two sharp swipes of its claws!
The lack of effect in Fromage's fire blast is something that has the pink-clad woman scribbling out a note and handing it back to her subordinates. "Fireproof are we? Oh but it's so hard to make a good outfit that way you know!" Despite the odd nature of her remark, she seems to have a plan for dealing with it, as the Fromage observes Zan going airborne, begins to run forward and... seemingly accidentally trips, faceplanting on the street? Yet still, it causes Zan to soar over the normally much larger robot. The Fromage is quick to pull itself up however, grasping purchase with its tail and flinging itself at Zan to try out a dashing claw sweep. See what a more melee oriented weapon can accomplish.
Deckerd... his sniping shot is flawless. The J-Buster's shot blows through the muzzle, sending the whole head up in flames! The cockpit of this machine, thankfully, is not in the muzzle or head, close to all that heat and risk of exploding. "Oh my, so this one has himself more together! Cats, unleash the diamonds~!" The heavily damage Fromage pulls open its chestplate to reveal the secret within. A wrecking ball covered in diamonds?! Rockets shoot the weapon outward on its chain, lashing out to try and crush Deckerd into a building! She must be feeling cross about how he ruined her Fromage's beautiful face.
KTS: Armor of the Week targets BP-119 Duke with Fromage Claws Swipes! KTS: Armor of the Week targets Zan with Fromage Claws Swipes! KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Armor of the Week targets BP-110 Deckerd with Special Diamond Attack Whiplash! KTS: Armor of the Week has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Zan has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Zan fails to Parry Armor of the Week's Fromage Claws Swipes, taking 3590 damage! KTS: Armor of the Week has engaged Zan! KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to parry Armor of the Week's Fromage Claws Swipes, taking 5940 damage! KTS: Armor of the Week has engaged BP-119 Duke! KTS: BP-110 Deckerd has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: BP-110 Deckerd has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: BP-110 Deckerd parries Armor of the Week's Special Diamond Attack Whiplash, taking 1035 damage! KTS: Armor of the Week has engaged BP-110 Deckerd! <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
The Ichinana rips its sword free, trailing bits of metal--not nearly as much as Liam hoped. Frustration twists his face, despite Julia's compliments--or perhaps because of them. In his head, this has gone beyond simply stopping a science criminal. She's BioNet. She's BioNet. He has to--
A series of tiny implants turn tension and fear into a carefully-modulated adrenal response. Retreating would be wise, but Liam is too invested--too stubborn, too reckless--to manage that. Rather than withdrawing in the face of the withering barrage, the Ichinana charges, sweeping its sword back and forth to block some of the Dynamo Queen's fire.
To his credit, though, Liam doesn't entirely tunnel-vision. "<Alouette,>" he transmits, remembering their last talks. "<Not okay.>" More of the Ichinana's armor comes off, revealing sparking wires and straining substructure.
"Even if you beat me," Liam says, "I won't let you win. Won't let them win!" The Scrander fires. The Ichinana drives forwards, Mazinger Blade held out like a jousting lance. Aided by the machine's fully-functional jets, Liam tries to impale the larger machine, to rip through armor and barrier alike.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Julia Ampere with Mazinger Blade Revenge Strike! KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> BP-119 Duke has posed.
Duke collapses his shield and moves to draw his blade - but all too slow, a synthetic cry of pain echoing from his speakers as he staggers back from the claw swipe.
Not for the first time, Regina grips her control console in worry.
"Soulless... or not... I will stop you! You... will... surrender!" Duke Fire pronounces. "FIRE SWORD!"
The great blade gleams as he pulls it free of its sheath.
As Liam charges in on the Electrocrawler with his own blade, so Duke Fire closes with the Fromage, tongues of fire lashing across the edge of his sword.
"YIELD!" He bellows, bringing the blazing brand down in a vicious carving slash!
KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Armor of the Week with Blazing Cleave! KTS: BP-119 Duke has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Zan has posed.
The claws cause Zan to crash into the ground as his flight path is disturbed by them. Raising up again, the smaller robot puts away it's gun.
"Oh, you want to claw me? I think I will tie this 'Cat' thing up." Zan states.
The construction gun is attached to the hip before it reaches up and pulls waht looks like a really simple looking overgrown hook. Bringing the hook back as he leaps into the air with some jet assistance, Zan takes aim for a swing from way out there.
And a series of rockets ignite on the hook as he swings the weapon, a length of cable showing it's basically a hook on a chain as it tries to rocket itself right into the Fromage, aiming for the face at that!
The orange robot swings the weapon upwards after that as it retracts back to a more manageable length.
"Take that, ugly!" Zan declares.
KTS: Zan has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Zan has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Zan has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Zan targets Armor of the Week with Guided Hit! KTS: Zan has completed their actions for the round. KTS: BP-110 Deckerd has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting BP-119 Duke <Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
<<Unable to comply,>> AL responds primly to Julia's request.
"Don't talk to terrorists!" Sousuke snaps, yanking the Monocutter free and leaping away from the charging Dynamo Queen. He's fast, and amid the buildings, and with Arbalest's stealth suite, it's all too easy to lose him for several moments.
Soon, he re-emerges, lunging out from an alley it's hard to imagine how he got to, and--
This time, when Julia's claws come in, the barrier doesn't happen. He tries to hold the spinning weapon aside, but even if he'd held off the first, the second slams into Arbalest, and a succession of further ones send Sousuke crashing completely into a drug store.
Sousuke wheezes out a breath. "AL, damage..."
<<Class B damage to most of the frame. Your defensive move narrowly stopped it from bisecting us completely.>>
"Where the hell was the Lambda Driver," Sousuke spits, forcing himself up shakily.
<<I don't know. Perhaps you were not focused. I understand music is highly suggested to help maintaining calm and focus during a stressful situation.>>
"I don't need music, AL," Sousuke grunts, forcing Arbalest to stand. He holds up the blade, and focuses his eyes and attention on the tip of his monomolecular cutter.
<<Are you certain? I have downloaded over 500 popular tracks from leading artists. Network security is not a concern.>>
"Don't waste your disk space on those!!"
<<It's not a problem. Modern audio compression algorithms are highly efficient. Oh, that one did it.>>
What AL is referring to becomes clear, as Arbalest's fins open and the whole machine becomes faintly lined by shimmering, almost numinous light.
Arbalest charges, then, pushing off with forces that seem to defy the tiny thing's capacity as it charges to drive hard into the Dynamo Queen. It sweeps the monomolecular cutter - a knife, rather than a sword - but if Julia doesn't move her entire arm might slice right off from a force far greater than that blade could produce!
Sousuke, inside, is mostly just yelling.
Sousuke Sagara transforms to ARX-7 Arbalest - Lambda Driver Online
KTS: Sousuke Sagara: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Sousuke Sagara targets Julia Ampere with Lambda Monomolecular Cutter Pierce! KTS: Sousuke Sagara has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Julia Ampere has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Julia Ampere has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Julia Ampere's Force Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage. KTS: Julia Ampere partially guards Alouette Pommier's Gravity Magnifier, taking 4650 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alouette Pommier's Vividity activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: Julia Ampere partially guards Liam 7-020's Mazinger Blade Revenge Strike, taking 7200 damage! KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Julia Ampere! KTS: Liam 7-020 roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Julia Ampere's Unassailable Ego activates, and her spirit endures. KTS: Sousuke Sagara enervates Julia Ampere, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Julia Ampere partially guards Sousuke Sagara's Lambda Monomolecular Cutter Pierce, taking 6000 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Sousuke Sagara's Where'd He Go!? activates, causing Deject! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Sousuke Sagara's Battlefield Mastery activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Sousuke Sagara has engaged Julia Ampere! KTS: Sousuke Sagara: Will Barrier Activates. <Pose Tracker> BP-110 Deckerd has posed.
"What!?"
J-Decker seems almost caught off guard by the Fromage's hidden attack, though be it through either skill or really good instinct, he reaches for his baton and attempts to swat the massive ball away.
It's a bit hard, what with only having access to one hand. There's considerable strain on the Brave Police's servo motors as he struggles to move it, but eventually, he's able to move the massive sphere of metal to the side, now lining up the barrel of his gun with the exposed innards of the machine.
"Duke!"
The way Duke answered that question concerns Deckerd, and it's not just the labored way he said it. But, at the moment, he doesn't have the time to butt heads with his fellow officer over his own personal outlook on their personhood in an attempt to improve it, he's got a crime to stop. He can at least ease Duke's attempted rush in, as he finally pulls the trigger on his rifle again, unleashing a longer and more concentrated beam that not only lets out a deafening sound, but causes his arm to bend in a 90 degree angle from the recoil.
KTS: BP-110 Deckerd targets Armor of the Week with Rifle Mode: Finishing Shot! KTS: BP-110 Deckerd has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Armor of the Week fails to Parry BP-119 Duke's Blazing Cleave, taking 6780 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke has engaged Armor of the Week! KTS: BP-119 Duke completes the Formation attack! KTS: Armor of the Week rushes into the attack! KTS: Zan anchors Armor of the Week, forcing it into close range. KTS: Armor of the Week partially guards Zan's Guided Hit, taking 4920 damage! KTS: Zan has engaged Armor of the Week! KTS: Armor of the Week fails to rush. KTS: Armor of the Week partially guards BP-110 Deckerd's Rifle Mode: Finishing Shot, taking 4710 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.
Duke shows a hint of something more. A little less proper and more emotionally charged. For that, he gets the audible sound of the lady running this little show clapping for him. It could perhaps be taken as sarcasm, but really, she finds these interruptions much more fun when they're less rigid. Still, it's only a small step. But even that deserves a reward. And so as he ignites the end of his blade, cleaving it down across the Fromage, its chestplate shoots off. Easily carved through and then some, but in doing so, the ultimate weapon is set free and primed. "Consider this a memory to grow from!" Her Fromage drops into an almost ballet-like pose, twirling as the Special Diamond Ball fires out. Its motions are simple, and yet each planned by those inside, to bring the wrecking ball back and fling it at Duke again from several difficult angles! She might ACTUALLY be trying to crush him into so much scrap and components!
Luck swings in Zan's direction in an unexpected way. Namely, the moment he releases his attack, he can hear blinding rage in her voice! "Ugly? UGLY!? Do you have even a SINGLE functioning sensor or camera in there? To call either my Fromage or I such a thing...! Riled up as she is, she can't even properly defend against him as he deals catastrophic damage. Binding the machine in chain and hook, dragging through the entire head and ripping it out, bringing most of the entire Fromage forward along with it! In her rage, she's unable to communicate an effective plan to those at the controls properly, leaving them to grab at the hook and attempt to pull Zan in, to cause a collision that would damage both machines!
The last of the Fromage trio was already severely damaged before Deckerd took another shot. The thundering, focused beam shreds into its torso, striking its power source. THAT is enough to snap Catherine Vuitton back to her senses. She orders all hands to eject from her precious Fromages... but this one, with it so near to exploding, has its controls weighed down as it rushes toward Deckerd with its limited seconds of operation. As punishment for so thoroughly trashing her beautiful, darling Fromage, she's having it ram Deckerd with the diamond ball, trying to pin him down! "Ohohooo~~~h! If I must forever be parted from this one, I must at least make it stunning! Diamond Gorgeous Finale!"
Her voice trails into the distance, suggesting to Julia that she should try to make her escape quickly, as this will no doubt catch the attention of those she had been tangling with!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets BP-119 Duke with Special Diamond Attack Finale! KTS: Armor of the Week targets Zan with Fromage Claws Grab! KTS: Armor of the Week targets BP-110 Deckerd with Special Diamond Attack Finale! KTS: Armor of the Week has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Zan has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Zan has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Zan rushes into the attack! KTS: Zan partially guards Armor of the Week's Fromage Claws Grab, taking 3170 damage! KTS: Armor of the Week has engaged Zan! <Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
"Yes, yes! I'm glad you agree." Julia replies to Alouette. She sounds... genuinely pleased! "One's appearance is as a message to the world, you know. It should be one's own choice what message they wish to present!"
And... she's surprised to get an actual response from the Arbalest, even if it's to tell her no.
"Well, I suppose it was worth a try. Still, a fascinating mystery such as this was more than enough to make this all worth it, so I simply must thank you for that much." Julia replies to AL.
Indeed - Julia had left them for just the right moment. But she isn't the only one with tricks up her sleeves. Alouette possesses a rather fascinating tool - a magnifying glass, but for energy. It punches through the Electrocrawlers, with harmlessly detonate into little more than scrap before continuing onto the Dynamo Queen itself, carving straight through the barrier and right through the armor.
"My, my... How intriguing! No, I certainly didn't." Julia remarks. "I-"
She's about to continue, but Liam accelerates abruptly. She moves to try to get out of the way, but in the end she can only move to mitigate the damage. The Mazinger Blade impales the Dynamo Queen - and then, is torn right out, causing the machine to stumble back.
"With that mindset? I wonder how much you'll be able to accomplish..." Julia considers in regards to Liam.
Light shines over the Arbalest, again - and then, it charges. Her armor has already taken heavy damage so she shifts for the side that's taken less -
Where the knife strikes, the armor splits. Julia's eyes open wide in surprise.
"What in the world...?" She gasps out - for once, taken aback. "Ah, that settles it! I simply must know your secrets. Perhaps if I put the squeeze on you..."
Both claws - what's left of them - surge out toward the Arbalest, looking to grab it and squeeze... and, simply letting go once she's felt he's had enough.
She turns toward Liam, next.
"You have a lot of drive, but where is it taking you...?" She considers. She rushes toward him, striking the Ichinana with her claws...
...And it's at that point that he might realize that some Electrocrawlers have been creeping up on him, too - with Julia's attack as the signal they rush toward it, charging toward the Ichinana and opening fire with a burst of electric blasts at a single, concentrated point!
Guardienne Aviaire is next, then. Both of the Dynamo Queen's claws raise at it and open. Energy builds within, and builds - and then is fired off in a powerful burst. But she isn't done. She leaps in after the electric attacks, bringing her claws down in a single powerful slam before finishing it off with a powerful upper-body spinning attack!
...And as this attack volley concludes, she hears Catherine's voice trailing off into the distance.
"Well now... it seems like this will be all for today. You all have been rather lovely. Look forward to what I have planned in the future~!" She says and leaps back.
She moves to retreat - but there may be time for parting shots, if there's anyone left to make them.
KTS: Julia Ampere has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Julia Ampere targets Sousuke Sagara with Double Clamp! KTS: Julia Ampere targets Liam 7-020 with Electrocrawler Focused Attack! KTS: Julia Ampere targets Alouette Pommier with Shocking Combination! KTS: Julia Ampere has completed their actions for the round. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to parry Armor of the Week's Special Diamond Attack Finale, taking 7020 damage! KTS: Armor of the Week has engaged BP-119 Duke! KTS: Sousuke Sagara's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Julia Ampere anchors Sousuke Sagara, forcing him into close range. KTS: Sousuke Sagara blocks Julia Ampere's Double Clamp, taking 7920 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Julia Ampere's Immaculate Scheme activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: Sousuke Sagara has been defeated! KTS: Julia Ampere has engaged Sousuke Sagara! KTS: Liam 7-020 fails to react to Julia Ampere's Electrocrawler Focused Attack, taking 7590 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Julia Ampere's Immaculate Scheme activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: Liam 7-020 has been defeated! KTS: Julia Ampere has engaged Liam 7-020! KTS: Alouette Pommier partially guards Julia Ampere's Shocking Combination, taking 6806 damage! KTS: Alouette Pommier has been defeated! KTS: Julia Ampere has engaged Alouette Pommier! KTS: Julia Ampere completes the Formation attack!
<Pose Tracker> BP-119 Duke has posed.
The massive, diamond-studded wrecking ball hurtles towards Duke Fire, who angles his blade to try and bat it aside!
It's too fast. Too heavy. It crunches terribly, dead-on into his chassis, sending scarlet and white plates flying to a mechanical scream of pain, his left arm ripped asunder by the impact!
And yet.
He holds.
Duke Fire pulls himself back up to standing, assessing the battlefield. Julia's opponents have fallen, but the Electrocrawler is retreating.
"J-... J-Decker. Captain. Prioritise. Retrieving friendly pilots. I will. F-F-F-F-F-Finish this."
The Fire Sword is dropped to the street with a clang. "Fire Buster." The red-barreled handgun is magnetically launched into Duke Fire's functional right hand. "Suppression Mode." He has to manually attach the weapon to the hose mount on his fire engine armour in order to get it to extend properly rather than utilise the automated system, but he does manage to line up a shot on the Fromage.
"Soak this."
He pulls the trigger and a blast of high-pressure water sprays from the Fire Buster, driving the Fromage away from himself and his Brave Robot colleagues!
KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Armor of the Week with Fire Buster - Pressure Blast! KTS: BP-119 Duke has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
Liam committed to that strike--maybe even overcommitted. But there's no denying the satisfaction he feels when the Dynamo Queen's barrier flickers, when its armor crumples inward with a tremendous CRUNCH. Hunched forward in his seat, Liam grips the Ichinana's sticks, and grins. His jaw is tight, and there's a ferocity in his eyes that's becoming less and less rare.
"Enough," Liam says, and it's an answer--a tenuous answer, but an answer--to Julia's rhetorical question. "Take your drones, and--" A pause. Julia is looking at the Arbalest and there is curiosity sparking in her voice. Liam's guts twist; BioNet does not need new playthings. It does not need to funnel more technologies to the Crucible, so it can make more super-soldiers.
"I--" That's all he gets out to Julia's next question, because the Ichinana gets dogpiled by Electrocrawlers.
To his credit, Liam handles it better than last time. The Ichinana twists in mid-air, taking the blow with the side of its body that still has armor left. It tips over, smoking violently, but the fall is somewhat controlled; the head, with the cockpit inside, doesn't smash into anything on the way down. Liam stays where he is, feeling entirely too much like a fish in a tank with a cat prowling outside. "<I'm all right,>" Liam transmits, to the other two. "<Machine's totaled, but I can punch out. As soon as they leave.>"
There is a marked improvement from where he was sitting the last time he fought Julia. At least he has that.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Liam is troubled, and his Ichinana, for all its Super Alloy Z, is taking a heavy beating. "Liam! You can't- I'll cover your escape!" She instantly transmits back, but somehow he really does get that battered, beaten machine moving for one final strike.
The three of them, combining their efforts, come very close to putting an end to the Dynamo Queen's marvelous scheme. But she's just done just yet as she unleashes a barrage of finishing attacks on the trio.
"PROTECT WALL!" Alouette sees the telegraphed massive blast from the claws - she flips the shield to cover the damage... but Julia isn't done yet. The ambush with the claws was not a part of her calculation, and there's no way she can adjust the wall output in time to offset it - before she feels the final uppercut blow from the claw. "Hhhh... it's not over, I can still-" She insists - but Julia.. calls off the attack, and makes her escape. Alouette just watches her leave with stunned confusion.
"...She showed mercy again." Alouette comments, to her teammates, as Liam explains he can eject no problem. "I almost want to say I don't understand her at all... but I do." It's like a game. It doesn't excuse all the damage she and her coworkers did, but at least she has some dignity.
The Carpenters are already at work, and although Guardienne Aviaire will need proper maintainence and time to ensure the Pseudo-GS Ride's at full capacity... at least Alouette can say the worst that happened was her coffee break being rudely interrupted.
<Pose Tracker> Zan has posed.
The brave train robot is brought in close, and rammed into by the Fromage. Instead of falling back the line of the hook reels him in as he holds on to the weapon with both hands.
A second set reveals itself as they unfold from his arms and uses the momentum to try to finish off the Fromage by grabbing on to it before the jets on the smaller machine fire off.
Instead of out right destroying it straight up, Zan's sensors pick up something. Piloted machines?
Once whoever was piloting it ejects, Zan does what he does best. Punch the machine hard with all four arms.
Afterwards, Zan turns to look for the last one. That Dynamo Queen is concerning as he notes the downed pilots. "Iron Railer!" The massive train flies down, moving to hover over the downed trio protectively in a show of force.
Zan starts flying over after finishing his fight and looking to the other Braves to make sure they made it out as well.
He also remembers to check in with his Carpenter squadron and send a trio to help the downed pilots among other things.
"Pilots, sound off? Everyone alive?" Zan asks in concern as he scans.
KTS: Zan has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Zan targets Armor of the Week with Hammer Punch! KTS: Zan has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
<<I think she likes us,>> AL says.
Sousuke grits his teeth and FOCUSES. The claws come down and for a few precious seconds they STOP, like they'd hit an invisible, unbreachable wall. Sousuke grits his teeth and feels his eyes burn as the slamming claws compress against something, something -- Arbalest thrusts its arms out to both sides, the physicality helping him visualize the barrier, but...
At the last seconds, the wall fails and the claws SMASH down, crushing Arbalest's arms into useless accordions of junk.
<<Class A damage to both arms,>> AL notes, and there's an explosive sound as he ejects both of them.
Sousuke watches the Dynamo Queen leave.
"Useless," he seethes.
Meticulous, he spins, the Arbalest's head vulcans activating to full power and obliterating the fallen arms and monomolecular cutter.
It turns back, watching the Dynamo Queen jant away.
<<This outing had better results,>> AL notes.
"ECS," Sousuke says, cold.
<<Roger,>> AL replies, and Arbalest vanishes in a flash of electric blue.
KTS: Julia Ampere's Dynamo Queen has left Julia Ampere teleports out.