2024-01-20: ennea ena ~ 'your' curse
- Cast: Asciel Colette, Yuliana Kafim, Sayaka Yumi, Leina Ashta, Naoko Suzuki, Liam 7-020, Teletha Testarossa, Boss
- Where: OAC North Africa - Morocco
- Date: U.C. 0098 01 20
- Summary: The artificial arbiter, Atrytone, faces answers for its sins by the assembled forces of humanity. A world where might tragically makes right is rejected.
(ICly takes place late March 0098.)
<Pose Tracker> Asciel Colette has posed.
In the skies above the southern coast of Morocco, a lifting body shuttle from the Orbital Ring glides towards Dakar, escorted on either side by Dodai-mounted Jegans. It's a routine transport diplomats take, and given the imminent split of the OAC from the rest of the Federation, an increasingly key flight path - after all, the position Dakar itself hosts as the seat of the Federation Assembly is wildly in flux, all the sudden, and it's lately more of a hub for investors re-negotiating contracts with the sub-blocs of the OAC.
-In the blink of an eye and the twin cracks of a railgun, both Jegans escorting this shuttle are suddenly lanced through the heart, billowing with smoke and fire, toppling to the earth in showers of wreckage.
<<Dakar-bound shuttle 192-A - I have you in my ~sights. You are to make a landing at the designated space 12 kilometers to the south, and await further instructions. If you do not comply, I will open fire just as I did on your escorts.>> That monotone, electronic voice cuts the communication to the shuttle just as soon as it began. Its source - a cloak-wearing Arm Slave perched upon a plateau, overlooking the assigned landing plain, its hand reaching into the four makeshift gun emplacements disguised as ordinary boulders to reload their armaments.
The next step then - an assembly of hotlines to related contacts unearthed on the shuttle's unearthed flight log.
<<If you are receiving this message: a business associate, family member, or political superior is on a flight bound for Dakar. I am Atrytone. I have isolated that flight from its defenses, and have ordered it to make a landing. My demand is simple - the purging of Industrial Unit 19A, the Valweisse alloy refining plant, from the hull of Neo-Germany, along a trajectory towards L4. My associates are on stand-by to confirm your compliance. Intervention will mean a violation of this agreement, and the shuttle will be destroyed. You have 24 hours to negotiate and fulfill my terms. I will not be contacting you again.>>
...It's a pattern that has struck many wealthy and powerful interests across the Orbital Ring and colonies alike - powerful individuals held hostage followed by demands to seize various space-born assets, often minor industrial facilities or research labs.
Those who have complied are consistently released unharmed by Atrytone, and the demanded assets have vanished into murky and secretive hands. Many have not - and Atrytone has made good on its word. The Attorney General of PLANT's Maius 4, and the Neo-Indian Minister of Finance both learned the hard way. Several attempts have failed outright when emergency response forces successfully intercepted Atrytone, but it's escaped every time.
...This demand, however, is for a much larger industrial unit than any that Atrytone's targeted over the past few months, and this shuttle full of rather more prominent officials. The escalation is clear...the purpose of these attacks, less so.
...The slowly descending shuttle sees another transmission from Atrytone - not a demand, just...a missive. "This is the essence of the world's salvation. No more ~miracles. No more performances. I will crush the tower you have built with my bare hands, bit by bit. ...You should be glad. I am fighting for a world where none of you must live such a fraudulent life anymore. If you are willing to die to uphold your sins, however, I have long since accepted an eternity with blood on my hands.>>
Its baleful optic overlooks the landing site, towards the setting sun rippling across the ocean...
KTS: Asciel Colette has deployed in Plan-1056 Codarl-a 'Glaux'.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has deployed in Aphrodite Areia.
KTS: EN Barrier activated!
KTS: Teletha Testarossa has deployed in TDD-1 Tuatha de Danaan.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has deployed in NS-1 Sukeban.
KTS: Yuliana Kafim has deployed in MPMZ-17 Ichinana.
KTS: Leina Ashta has deployed in CEK-068 Beguir-Neuer.
KTS: Leina Ashta has changed loadout.
KTS: Boss has deployed in Boss Borot.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has deployed in MD-0031UL Dilanza Sol.
KTS: Asciel_Colette has deployed as a Boss for 7 opponents.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
<poem>
Yuliana had a terrible experience, when she first visited the Photon Power Labs in March. But when Sayaka contacted Elisa, Yuliana had this to say: "Zhenushka, I don't want to run away again." Shaken as she was, she implored her, "... please, let me stay a little longer. It wasn't her fault... I pushed too hard." And while Yuliana's been too depressed to be able to help her case much, she has stayed here to try and participate in the process.
When the news comes down, Yuliana just happens to be talking to Sayaka -- and it's a lucky thing, because she might have never heard, otherwise. She grabs Sayaka's arm, and she insists, in just this fashion: "Let me help you. I keep a pilot suit in the shuttle in case I need to break atmo -- just get me a machine and I'll back you up. There's no question I'm one of the most experienced pilots here, so you should take what I'm offering! ... I get how it looks, fighting for a lab, but I want to." And it's not an uncomplicated offer, in her mind; she's aware of the patterns she's repeating. Even so -- Sayaka's done her best to aid her. She can offer her this much, in return. She wouldn't be able to sit with herself if she didn't, and it's not like she's much able to sit with herself outside of a fight right now, anyway.
(Maybe getting into a scrap will make it better.)
It's that last sentiment she repeats, again, when she rings Elisa to tell her what she plans to do. She'd never do something like this without telling Elisa; her wife would be beside herself with worry. Even as time-pressured as she is, she finds the time to reassure her wife.
Luckily, an Ichinana's cockpit isn't at all difficult for her to grasp. Manual machines are her bread and butter -- even if she hasn't had occasion to pilot one of these before, she quickly falls into the rhythm of the machine, an old friend she's never met.
"Ichinana -- launching!"
There's not much time; they leave quickly. And when they come to the coast --
"Ichinana One, identifying on Aphrodite Areia's wing," a familiar voice identifies herself, over the radio. "... I'd rather not name myself, if it's all the same to you," and that soundly puts calling out just who that voice belongs to in the laps of everyone else responding here. "But this is just too blatant!" And she's not talking about herself, surprisingly. "Making these demands in broad daylight, holding a guillotine over those politician's heads -- and some innocent people, too, I'm sure!"
And her Ichinana exhales, a stormy, lashing gust: "RUST SQUALL!" ... Yuliana does, in fact, yell out the attack name.
POT: Ada Legatum Luckwright is now set observer.
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
Sayaka had certainly been paying attention to Atrytone's activities, coldly taking politicians hostage and ransoming them. However, Sayaka is only incidentally a political figure, wielding power through a public institution, and she wasn't much in the position to intervene either.
This demand, however, is on a totally different scale... and with this many prominent officials, the news breaks to Sayaka pretty fast.
"I'm going, of course," Sayaka tells Yuliana, mid-conversation. "I've got a score to settle with her ever since she broke a deal with Doctor Hell." Is that really it? Not the politician kidnapping? "But you..." She considers, as Yuliana offers to fight alongside her. "We're an institution of peace, on paper. Koji and I are pretty much the only experienced pilots on the staff. So if you're offering your own skills... it'll be as a civilian contractor." It's important to work those details out the door, after all. "I want to tell you that you're here to heal, and nothing else. But... I'm not going to turn you down, so we can avoid you doing taking out a machine behind my back instead." A wry smile. "I'll give Boss a call too. At least you'll have more than one person watching out for you then."
And with that, Yuliana is assigned a stock Ichinana, painted with default colours, while Sayaka takes the repaired Aphrodite Areia out for yet another battle. If he isn't hopelessly late, Boss Borot should be loaded on the shuttle too.
"I'm right behind you, Ichinana Ichi," Sayaka tells their not-so-mysterious ally. "You're cleared for launch. Let's go!"
A missive from Atrytone, then, as their machines approach that faced Codarl. "Sharp words from you, Atrytone... Asciel Colette." Sayaka opens in return. "You have a lot to say, but you've made up your mind, haven't you? Well... so have I." Aphrodite Areia points an accusing finger. "If you're going to reform this world with blood on your hands, I'll put it on the line to clean this mess of yours up." Yuliana goes on the offense first, Sayaka is quick to follow her up, as Aphrodite Areia exhales up a wide, corrosive gust of her own. "RUST CYCLONE!"
KTS: Sayaka Yumi targets Asciel Colette with Rust Cyclone! KTS: Sayaka Yumi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Asciel Colette with Rust Squall! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Asciel Colette successfully avoids Sayaka Yumi's Rust Cyclone KTS: Your EN is now 273. KTS: Asciel Colette partially guards Yuliana Kafim's Rust Squall, taking 2542 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 75683 KTS: Your EN is now 273. <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"I hate Dakar." Was muttered over the comms, even as the speaker received an answer, "Yeah I heard you the first seven times. Wanna clarify why?"
"No."
This Dominicus Corps stakeout was by the 'grace' of the OAC government, who would soon enough want their position 'renegotiated' at the Benerit Table.
<<-open fire as I did on your escorts.>>
"Hold up, something coming through on the long range comms."
"Get out of here. No Minovsky interference?"
"Minimal."
"Sloppy of her, like she's daring us to come."
"Well our gal Atrytone's gotten away like, the last six or so times."
"Phone it in. The rest of you, saddle up."
-=-=-
"So what's the ETA on backup?"
"Not- great. They're having to come from Tower."
It was just four Dominicus Mobile Suits on Base Jabbers flying over the Moroccan Desert, until they hit the coastline, swerving around on an intercept course towards the Shuttle.
"Alright. This few, we'd just be playing into her hands if we came in swinging. I know Atrytone. I'm going to swing up and try to negotiate, alone. Rest of you break off and stay out of sensor range. Be ready to run defense if it breaks down."
"Lemme get this straight, you want to try your hand as a hostage negotiator?"
"We have a choice?"
-=-=-
"<Atrytone. This is Callsign Dirae of Dominicus Corps.>" Leina makes no attempt to disguise her voice, "<I'm flying in to negotiate for the release of the hostages. Weapons are currently powered down. Given our past history, think you can do me the favor of letting me enter your airspace without any bloodshed.>"
And indeed, the Beguir on the Base Jabber does fly in, but keeps its distance to something trying to at least PRETEND this won't end badly.
"<I can't believe this. That you're really doing this. How many civilians are on this shuttle right now that have nothing to do with whatever you're schemeing? Now- can we talk this out like civilized adults and->"
'Ichinana One, identifying on Aphrodite Areia's wing-'
That voice. She DEFINITELY recognizes that voice. Especially when Sayaka and Boss join in. "Oh for the love of-"
Switching channels to Cathedra's private one as the Rust Squall- and the following RUST CYCLONE goes out, "Move in to defend the Shuttle. Couple of hotheads from the PPL decided to crash the party."
"Negotiations fell apart huh?"
"They never happened. Par for the course when Mazins get involved in something."
Of course, now the Beguir is powering it's weapons back up and scrambling to put itself between the Arm Slave and the Shuttle, a process which takes time, but in the meanwhile, that trio of Beguir-Pentes on Base Jabbers are playing defense...
"<So, great to see you three!>" Comes her stressed voice over the comms, "<Was trying NOT to escalate things - as you know, HOSTAGE SITUATION, but seeing as THAT just happened, let's work together to prevent anymore bodies.>"
And while her weapons are still not quite powered up, she sends some telemetry data out... and scatters a few inflatable Beguir dummies that offer at least, the momentary illusion of extra targets for Atrytone to pop.
KTS: Leina Ashta targets Sayaka Yumi, Yuliana Kafim, and Boss with Scatter. KTS: Leina Ashta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Leina Ashta scatters cover, making Yuliana Kafim harder to target! KTS: Leina Ashta scatters cover, making Sayaka Yumi harder to target!
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
Naoko Suzuki is quite possibly among the people who has been aware of Asciel's recent... activities for the longest period of time. Quite by accident, due to stumbling upon the aftermath of a previous attempt. She isn't aware of what this is all about in the greatest of detail, but she's certainly been aware of the stronger leaning back into overt terrorist activity that's been going on.
Yet she hasn't told a soul about it. She couldn't handle the idea of being the direct cause of escalation into some sort of official action against Asciel. Being the optimistic sort, she was kind of hoping the situation might resolve itself on its own somehow, that her words during their last meeting might end up having some sort of de-escalating effect.
If the news reports since then were any indication, it seems she was sorely mistaken. And with every incident that followed, she started feeling more and more guilty. She's certain that, one way or another, a stop could have been put to this much sooner, if only she'd said something. Which, from her point of view, means that it's her fault that this is still happening. She needs to take responsibility for that.
By now, the pattern is extremely clear. It's so clear that Naoko has to wonder whether Asciel is actively trying to be caught. When you put all the available data on past incidents together, there's only thing that makes sense as the next move. Absolutely anybody could predict that this shuttle transport to Dakar full of high-profile dignitaries would become 'Atrytone's' next target, right?
...No? Really? But it's so obvious! To her. It does still slip her mind sometimes that what's normal to her is not what's normal to most people.
Regardless, the NS-1 Sukeban is not the only machine present here today - see, she knew it was obvious - which is good because its pilot's entire plan consisted of 'step 1: wait for her to show up, step 2: reveal myself, step 3: ???' With the initiative not entirely in her hands, she is content to keep herself hidden a bit longer, to see what lead will present itself to follow.
And that lead appears to be... shoot first, questions later. Not what she would have chosen, which probably means it was the wrong call. This probably is cause for immediately action huh? Very well then, she can work with that.
And thus, the first sign of her presence comes in the form of two rapidly spinning discs, exactly the same at their last meeting - except this time, they are not used to assist Asciel, but to directly attack that ridiculously modified version of her most well-known machine with their superheated edges.
"Asciel!" Naoko's voice is heard from the rapidly approaching violet Arm Slave. "Did you listen to a word I said?! You've got to stop this already! Don't you get it yet? You're so preoccupied with the ideal of perfection that you've lost sight of what matters most!"
KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Asciel Colette with Psycho Ripper! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
It was supposed to be a test flight. A brief outing from Tokyo-3 to Fujinomiya in the Dilanza, to sharpen up his rusty skills and prepare for duty. But as it turned out, he arrived just as all hell broke loose. Liam stared at the feed, his heart in his throat. Part of him felt almost vindictive--let the awful old rich men suffer and die, what do they care about him--but as always, there's the issue of collateral damage, and what those in power would do as retribution. The world feels like it's on fire as it is. Could Atrytone spark another war?
Not long after the shuttle took off, it acquired an escort, in the form of Liam's Dilanza Sol, in NERV colors. "Doctor Yumi," he transmitted. He's not officially on-duty for anyone right now. He had major neurological surgery back in January, and rounds of endocrine gene therapy in February. "I'm here to help. May I?"
And, provided she doesn't turn him down...
The Dilanza Sol hangs back towards the rear of the PPL crew, shields raised, missiles locked. Liam's heart pounds in his ears, but he doesn't feel like he's riding a razor's-edge, like he used to. The focus is not as intense, but it's there, and--
"...Yuliana?" For a moment, Liam freezes, which is good--because it means he's not part of the opening volley as THE COPS SHOW UP. Yuliana is here?! He thought she hated the PPL. She did some horrific eldritch thing that turned the north pole into a VOID ZONE, why is she--
"I don't know why she's here," says Liam, in a small voice, to Leina--at least he's following his medical and recovery plan, and is on target for being cleared for duty???
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Asciel Colette with Pass! KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Liam 7-020's Biorhythm activates Alert! KTS: Asciel Colette fails to parry Naoko Suzuki's Psycho Ripper, taking 3906 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 71777 KTS: Naoko Suzuki has engaged Asciel Colette! KTS: Your EN is now 268. CHANSYS: No channel with that name or alias found.
KTS: Asciel Colette fails to react to Liam 7-020's Pass, taking 0 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 71777 KTS: Your EN is now 268.
<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.
There is only so much preparation can do. The stifled sigh as the Tuatha de Dannan proceeded apace, the submarine quickly crusing upwards the coast of Africa. "I didn't expect her to be so brazen about it."
"Has she had enough of trying to change the world via her...daily activies?"
"I think so." The dull thrum of her heart beat on, the minute scar making itself known. The steeled glare of her eyes had settled on the bridge's screen. Dakar. Dakar once more. There's an impatient tap of finger on captain chair, heaving a breath. Patience. Patience.
"Captain..."
"Yes?"
"Trust in yourself."
"...I know." The months had been compartively calm. To allow herself time to relax, to decompress, to work slightly less, to have those dark circles fade the slightest bit. To try and grieve, and fail with denial.
Patience. The finger tapping never stopped, never deviated from its steady rhythm. Patience. The culprit is brazenly obvious. The intent is clear to see. The internal chatter in her head dies down once more. Back to work.
---
There's barely any hesitation in her voice once DANA marked the Codarl. Comms. <"This is the Toy Box, Mithril PMC. Atrytone, consider this your textbook notice of breaching multiple, international laws and general terrorism. Again."> An audible sigh. Goragon had changed her. The imagery saw to that. <"We'll be in your care again, everyone."> No more miracles, Artytone said. Human of you to change.
The faint hope of negotiations fell apart as that familiar voice echoed through the radio. Context switch. Hostilities active. "Mark an appearance from Yuliana, and prepare for active operations."
""Yes, ma'am."
"Load tubes one through three. General bombardment." The swiftest solution to escalation: A decapitation strike. "Timed detonation. Forty-five seconds."
"Aye. ma'am. Load tubes one through three! SLBMs!"
DANA worked its magic, the computerized AI born from her own fingers working its tactical magic. Marking. Scanning. Adjusting the tubes, the payloads, the tweaks of engines in the current weather conditions, working just as hard as the crew.
"Fire."
"FIRE!"
Three hatches snapped open, spewing out their steel-tombed bile from the ocean's surface. Three bright, rocket-ignited lights streaking down, aimed right at the Codarl, exploding over the robot. Simplistic munitions.
"Keep an eye on the shuttle. Mark any units within the immediate vicinity as friendly escorts, deemed appropriate." Ah, this was much more her element. A ping of acknowledgement towards Dirae, sending its own telemetry data back.
Sit back. Think. Plan. "Just what is she planning...?" ...No, no more mulling. <"Asciel Colette. Care to explain yourself?">
KTS: Teletha Testarossa targets Asciel Colette with Diversionary Distraction! KTS: Teletha Testarossa has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Boss has posed.
At the time Sayaka hears the news, Boss happens to be at the PPL as well! After a brief visit to Yuliana, he's having a snack in a break room before heading home. When he gets the call, his response in quick and without hesitation: "You got it! We'll be on our way in no time. Time for Borot to get back in action!"
Boss hurries to Boss Ramen, calling Nuke and Mucha on the way. The two of them get to work right away: Nuke gets the trio's beloved (and improved?) machine up and running, while Mucha delicately disconnects its generator from Boss Ramen. Once Boss is there, the lights are already out, which he knows means they're ready. He briefly pops in to find a small box behind the counter, grab its contents, and put them by the door. A paper with tape already attached is hastily stuck to it, reading "UNEXPECTEDLY CLOSED: PLEASE TAKE ONE." A bowl of candy sits outside, for any patrons they won't be able to serve.
The shuttle does manage to be graced by everyone's favorite junk pile, as it scrambles onto it just in time. As land comes into view, Boss proclaims, "alright! Time for us to show our stuff!" and leaps out... much too early. There's still some ways to go, a fact he only realizes as he sees the shuttle continue to fly over his head. Oops.
Fortunately, Boss has prepared a means of travel! 10 years of technological advancement has made it considerably easier to achieve the flight he's always been so fond of. They'll make it there, no problem!
That said, there's only so much modern technology can do for stylish entrances. Off in the distance, the others already gathered around the threatened shuttle may notice a small pink dot heading in their direction. Once it's close enough that its silhouette is reasonably visible, it drops to the ground, as the giant propeller attached to Borot's head pops off and falls to earth as well.
(Boss will be back for it later: he won't stand for littering, and besides, he needs it for the return trip.)
"HEY!!! WAIT FOR US!!!" That pink dot is now sprinting in the direction of the other mechs, and it's not long before Boss Borot stands proudly on the field once more!
...But he's not sure quite what to do, yet. He got clarification on the situation during the shuttle ride, but he may have forgotten to ask who the enemy is. Attacks are already flying by the time he's there, and Mucha didn't quite set up the radio in time to hear anyone else's first sentences. Most of these machines are familiar to Boss, but he's not certain exactly who the threats are.
So, he takes the simplest approach: trust his friends. "Nuke, Mucha! We're going for that one Sayaka hit with Rust Hurricane, the one with the cape!" (He didn't hear her call the attack's real name, and he's a little out of touch with the current Rust family of attacks.) The three pilots prepare to charge the Codarl, with a three-hit combo of punches and kicks!
KTS: Boss targets Asciel Colette with Borot Rush! KTS: Boss has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Asciel Colette successfully evades Teletha Testarossa's Diversionary Distraction KTS: Your EN is now 258. KTS: Asciel Colette parries Boss's Borot Rush, taking 1290 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 70487 KTS: Boss has engaged Asciel Colette! KTS: Your EN is now 253.
<Pose Tracker> Asciel Colette has posed.
The hours pass. Each second ticking by. A hiss from Atrytone's Codarl, faceplate tightening, avoiding the emotional impulse to split it apart and reveal Asciel's dizzy-eyed scowl beneath. Not a budge from the industrial node - obstinate murmuring from the shuttle.
Instead - the valiants of the Photon Power Lab arrive on scene, and kick up a storm that rages across the desert, flowing acrid searing sand across the steppe Atrytone's perched upon. Ducking behind one of the railgun mounts gives the Codarl space to avoid half of the storm, but the winds start to sear at the armor once that cover is eroded away.
<"I've always hated that weapon, Sayaka Yumi. Don't think you and your newfound friend can cow me by drenching me in it."> The voice Atrytone puts on is almost scathingly false in its artificiality - covering the all too human tones Asciel learned to speak in with far too many filters and layers. <"...As I'm well aware of how important ~names are, I'll respect that you're unwilling to use yours - but you are still a ~pitiful calamity whose scars to the planet will take time to undo. I should teach you a lesson about assuming I'm bluffing.">
The twin gatling cannons behind Atrytone's shoulders unfurl...aimed towards the shuttle, whirring up. The AI's done this so many times before. It's told itself - 'one innocent life cannot be worth the sacrifice of the world'. It's told itself - 'saving the world's life will inevitably induce pain'. It should be easy-
...One moment of hesitation.
>-TCH they're more useful alive to me than dead-
>that's what i'll tell myself
And instead, the impending hailstorm of bullets arcs towards the Ichinana and Aphrodite, stalling for a bit of time from Yuliana and Sayaka...
...their third ally, however-
<"...what the hell is that-?"> By all accounts, the heap of junk scurrying towards Atrytone is a rusty heap of junk that should barely hold itself together, a chimera of anything and everything that it could slap together to function.
))that'd make two of them.((
One step back across the dunes, as Atrytone prepares a classic quick-draw deflection to meet Boss's fists with her blade. That should do it, Atrytone figures - only for those bendy arms to flash at it over and over at irrational speeds. <"...Hah-? And what, exactly, is this? I knew the Photon Power Labs picked up preposterous allies, but you're the most absurd of the lot."> As soon as Atrytone gets the opening, that very sword lances out, aimed directly for Boss Borot's belly, with more pushing power than penetrative impact. <"...state your name, and why you'd fight for the world in such an absurd contraption. Kch."> ...beneath that sardonic cynicism...is there a hint of some strange respect?
It's respect not at all showed to Liam and Leina - their passive and diplomatic postures earning them an assumption of weakness. The second sword at Atrytone's waist gets hooked into a retractable harken, and hurled at the Dilanza and Beguir-Neuer, reeled in to make it lash out in a violent arc. <"Our 'past history', you claim, Leina Ashta. Nonsense. I've hurt those you love and lied to you and betrayed you. You should assume I am not above violence - superiority at this very violence is the reason I ~became. It's a ~tragedy that you fight, and all I've done is prove that true. The sole thing I must never do - my [promise] - is to never give up-">
A sputter crosses Atrytone's voice for a few moments, as Naoko's Psycho Ripper skids across the sands, bowling the Codarl over, clutching at the spinning wheel and slamming it into the ground after it rips into its body. <"...Nova. ...you can't mean to assume something as absurd as a hostage situation is 'perfect'. Of course it isn't. The ideal of perfection you speak of - is the idol you once adored. That is what I ~pursued, in my attempt to change the world in a pure, perfect way, with nary a drop fo blood spilled. It plainly failed. Force and might are the only truths, and I had forgotten that. And so, I turn to these imperfect means. ...The time I told you that I may have ~ ~loved you, that is when I had truly lost sight of what matters.">
<"...I cannot love, or forgive, humanity as it exists today.">
Atrytone's arm raises high - and with a strange, inhuman fidget, a laser emitter on its forearm flashes and vibrates, hurling a crescent-shaped arc of light skywards at the Sukeban...
...And at the barrage of missiles storming Atrytone's way. The Codarl's optic flashes once amidst this dance - and the way the Arm Slave moves really is best described as a 'dance', pirouetting between calculated trajectories with alarming elegance. It's a far more fluid movement than Atrytone's made thus far...and that's all because of the voice from the Tuatha de Danaan.
<"Explain myself, you say, ~Teletha. To you. To you, of all people. Did we not ~devour each others' explanations on that abhorrent day? You, who would plunge yourself into my depths oh so violently, not once, but twice. ...hah...~Teletha. ...I imagine you're disappointed. I imagine you only ask that because methods this petty, this barbaric, seem beneath me. I imagine you had higher hopes. Good. I am relieved I can ~crush those expectations.">
...the tinge of artificiality has, for a moment, worn off.
Beneath the Codarl's mask, a breathless smile widens.
...A brief flash of heat from the Codarl's core, a momentary glow in the cyan ponytail of cooling hair...
...All precedes a sudden falter, Atrytone clutching at its heart in rejection of these very emotions. It wants nothing more than to sever Tessa's fate. It wants nothing more than to target exactly where she may sit in that steel chrysalis beneath the waves, and give her a present from her very soul - a spark of pure violence.
---Suppressing the power of miracles is more difficult than anticipated. A ragged breathing commences over the radios, as, head hanging slightly, Atrytone settles for setting its autocannons ablaze once more, spitting a torrent of lead at the projected position the Toy Box holds off the coast.
KTS: Asciel Colette has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Asciel Colette targets Teletha Testarossa, Sayaka Yumi, and Yuliana Kafim with AK-87 Gatling Cannon Barrage. KTS: Asciel Colette targets Naoko Suzuki with LS-3303 Laser Blade Wave! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Leina Ashta with Monomolecular Cutter Thrust! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Liam 7-020 with Monomolecular Cutter Thrust! KTS: Asciel Colette has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Asciel Colette targets Boss with Monomolecular Cutter Press! KTS: Asciel Colette has completed their actions for the round. KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 343. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 105. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Leina Ashta, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Leina Ashta blocks Asciel Colette's Monomolecular Cutter Thrust, taking 5280 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Leina Ashta! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi successfully evades Asciel Colette's AK-87 Gatling Cannon Barrage KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Yuliana Kafim, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Yuliana Kafim fails to evade Asciel Colette's AK-87 Gatling Cannon Barrage, taking 5720 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: [Spirit Defense] Liam 7-020's Budding Resilience activates, and his spirit endures. KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Liam 7-020, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Liam 7-020 blocks Asciel Colette's Monomolecular Cutter Thrust, taking 5280 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Liam 7-020! KTS: Teletha Testarossa has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Teletha Testarossa has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Naoko Suzuki successfully evades Asciel Colette's LS-3303 Laser Blade Wave KTS: Teletha Testarossa successfully Evades Asciel Colette's AK-87 Gatling Cannon Barrage KTS: Boss has activated the Rouse Spirit Command. KTS: Leina Ashta scatters cover, making Boss harder to target! KTS: [Lucky] Boss's Heroes Should Be Immortal, Right? activates, and luck goes his way! KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Boss, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Boss parries Asciel Colette's Monomolecular Cutter Press, taking 1410 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Boss!
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"I can do two things at once," Yuliana remarked, dryly, to Sayaka. "I'm great at multi-tasking." She probably should just focus on healing, but -- it must be a good sign that she's at least feeling well enough to joke about it.
And Yuliana really wouldn't know how to feel if Leina called her a Mazin, now she's here -- but she's wearing the shoe right now, so it's hard to say it doesn't fit at all.
"And we're giving 'Atrytone' something to focus on other than squashing the hostages," Yuliana responds to Leina, without missing a beat. "You're welcome!"
As if she's helping. Well, at least Yuliana's the one opening hostilities. That's got to be good for someone's conscience. It's nice that Sayaka backs her up, though!
"Tch -- who are you calling pitiful?" She adds, with a spit of acid. It's paid back tenfold a moment later when that hail of bullets comes towards them, and this time, Yuliana can't force the Ichinana to move fast enough to evade them.
ERROR: G-FORCES IN EXCESS OF PILOT SAFETY THRESHOLD
"Oh, get fucked!" Yuliana kicks the console, as the Helpful Combat AI restricts how fast she can move, and shortly that error is replaced with a dozen damage reports.
At least Boss's entry makes her feel better. She endeavours not to laugh at Boss where he can hear her, which, practically, means she cuts her radio right at the "snrk--" and goes uncharacteristically silent for the next ten seconds. After that, she cuts back in, to tell Asciel: "You'd better not underestimate them. If not for those men, I wouldn't be here, now." Don't underestimate Boss Borot, no matter how ridiculous he is.
"Has she lost sight, Sukeban?" Yuliana wonders, still on an open channel, as Psycho Ripper rings out. "I don't see her beau involved anywhere here. Well, there's something to be said for whether Atrytone is separating herself from her side permanently with such blatant actions in the light of day, but I find it difficult to imagine she's fallen for someone with no love for her vision. From that perspective..."
Yuliana grasps her throttle, plunging it forward. With the tentacles at her back, she's really rather good at lever management. "... from that perspective, I wouldn't believe what she's selling you," she finishes her thought, voice lower. "Talking about how she 'cannot love humanity' -- bullshit. She loves a human, too." And she's selling her out. Well, Asciel's romance is her one redeeming quality, in Yuliana's eyes.
"Oh, go right ahead and make things complicated for Sayaka, why don't you," she grumbles, hearing Liam's shock, as if she wasn't doing that by being here in the first place. "Yes, yes, it's me, and I'm not the one holding a gun to someone's head, so why don't you play nice? I didn't wish to let Aphrodite deal with this alone."
The Toy Box, too... "We'll take care of you," Yuliana assures Teletha, and it might be a reassuring copy-that without any lingering implications. Well, it's meant to be reassuring right now, anyway, and she can't very well be held responsible for any extrapolation.
Because when Asciel threatens her, Yuliana actually makes good on her assurance -- "Mazinger Blade!" -- taking a blade in hand and charging the Codarl-a down, damaged wings and all.
KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Asciel Colette with Mazinger Blade Topple Strike! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Asciel Colette has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim rattles Asciel Colette, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Asciel Colette fails to parry Yuliana Kafim's Mazinger Blade Topple Strike, taking 4230 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 66257 KTS: Yuliana Kafim has engaged Asciel Colette! KTS: Your EN is now 338.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
It is equal parts nerve wracking that so many have shown up to try to resolve the hostage situation, and relieving. After all, Asciel is wielding a Lambda Driver. She doesn't even have to AIM to destroy the Shuttle.
"<I'll thank you after the hostages make it out of this ALIVE!>" She replies to Yuliana, obviously stressed, before flipping the channel to a laser comm to the Dilanza with Liam, "She doesn't know the meaning of laying low." Is her answer to him on why she's here.%
Yet- the Harken is hurled at the Beguir, lashing out at them, even as the cutter lashes out in a screech of metal past its Cross Shield, warning alarms going off in her cockpit.
"<That you were above violence was never the assumption.>" Leina replies, strained, "<You proved you weren't in the second battle I ever fought. I just thought->"
Remembering the comparison to Glemy in the past from his progression from the person she knew into the man who tore Neo-Zeon apart to place himself in charge...
... It was always going to turn out this way, wasn't it?
"<... It doesn't matter what I thought.>"
Her weapon systems finish powering up in that moment. And her Rifle swings up while that Cutter is out of position, firing several point blank bursts of beam fire at the Codarl, testing the Lambda Driver's shield, even as her Base Jabber suddenly swings sharply around, trying to throw the Codarl off-balance through centrifugal force.
"<It never does.>"
Mineva's message in calling for good will, it feels further away with every passing day. She reminds herself that she is here, to seize some of it, to force some of it into the world.
One trigger pull at a time.
KTS: Leina Ashta targets Asciel Colette with Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Focused Fire! KTS: Leina Ashta has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
Naoko's confidence in her actions was of course bolstered manyfold by it being the Photon Power League's machines she could follow up on. Heck yeah immediate action is par for the course when Mazins are involved, that's not a bad thing! She does however have to mentally adjust for two unexpected factors in that regard. 'Was that Yuliana's voice' should, and normally would have been the thing that raises the most questions, but how could she possibly give that her full attention when a truly amazing sight passes right by her to seek direct confrontation with the Codarl?
"No way, is that...?" It sure is, there's no mistaking it. Naoko lets out a loud cheer in response. "All right! Boss Borot is back in action!" It never gets any less incredible to see the machines that she used to see on the news up close like this. And of course she's also a fan of Boss's exploits, why wouldn't she be? There's no logical explanation for most of what Boss Borot does, that definitely makes it a miracle machine. Thus also making it the perfect foil for Asciel, especially as she is now.
As much as this bolsters her spirits, it doesn't mean she can rest on her laurels. Especially after one of her Saucers gets slammed down and goes unresponsive, only one of the remote weapons returning to the Sukeban. She frowns, though this is moreso because of the words spoken in response. She hadn't realized that Asciel's mental state had deteriorated to the degree that she's now arguing against the ideals that she used to espouse at every opportunity.
Her attention is soon drawn to the laser emitter - the beam that follows avoided with a well-timed one-sided employ of Sukeban's way-too-many maneuvering thrusters. ...That felt too easy, too well-telegraphed. While that may be at least partially because it was primarily meant to intercept the incoming missile barrage, there is of course another reason. That stubborn refusal to make use of all that her machine can do. That rejection of miracles, the refusal to even acknowledge being capable of so much more.
Yuliana directly addressing her gives her pause. She wouldn't have been very certain of how to respond to begin with, but... when it's about loving a human, she absolutely can't anymore. What is she supposed to think, when Asciel herself just pointed out that the L-word was once used in regards to Naoko herself?
"H-hey, it's not-- it's not like that, it's never been like that!" Alright, no, she is aborting this line of thought right the hell now. Gotta shift those mentals gears, and keep her focus where it needs to be: retorts towards Asciel.
"So, you're aware you're acting in an imperfect way right now? That's funny. Here I thought you were trying to act less human."
With that, Sukeban charges in, super-heated hands glowing red, intending to land a flurry of rapid-fire punches. Simple and straightforward - not unlike Boss Borot. The same goes for her words. "You know you can't succeed like this, Asciel. You're not that stupid. As much as you want to deny it, you're very much aware that you're handicapping yourself, limiting yourself on purpose. You can never win that way, not against people who give their all to defend what they hold dear!"
Wait, is this supposed to be a taunt or a pep-talk??
KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Asciel Colette with Heat Harrier! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.
DANA marks the newcomers, one by one. Visual comparisons. Voices. Acknowledgements and brazenly obvious intonations. Accounting for people, accounting for the shuttle at hand, accounting for... "Add that new robot to the database."
"That robot-" Boss Borot. "-was part of the same group with Mazinger Z."
"Understood. Update the details on his unit." ...Should the return of another person onto the field be celebrated? Questions quickly discarded to the trio of voices within.
Still... "Confirmed miss!" The sad affirmation of the technician keeping an eye on Artytone. Of course. Of course. Tessa listens. Trust the others to defend the shuttle.
"Send all available data on the Codarl out. Prepare another round of missiles."
"Aye, ma'am. Ready another salvo!"
And the beast took in a mighty breath.
<"On the contrary."> The way Asciel acted. The way her situation slowly turned more and more desperate, ascending to the escalation in front of her very eyes. Tired eyes gazing with a glare of steel, a voice refusing to falter as she sat up that bit straighter. <"After your own exhumation, I can only assume a similar thing happened to both of us.">
"Relative bearing two two five, fifteen knots."
"Aye, ma'am. Bearing two two five! Fifteen knots!"
The retalitory attack came as expected, lead meeting nothing but the whizz of the air and the neverending expanse of the ocean.
<"Where were we? A cornered AI doing what they can to do something. If we can assume that the Macross is still up there..."> Away from Fujinomiya. Away from Goragon. Hiding. Scouring. A chintap of thought. No, there's something more. The cyan glow, the sudden burst of chatter as technicans record the unusual occurence... <"But that's not where you are, is it? The one that ripped you back in Goragon."> The finger on her chin slowly ascended to her head, rubbing her brow. A deep breath. Quiet the chatter. Quiet the discourse. Hypothesis slowly being ascertained. <"It's true that a human doesn't need a central hub to exist in. In that way, we can agree on your inhumanity.">
KTS: Teletha Testarossa targets Asciel Colette with Designate L2! KTS: Teletha Testarossa has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
Asciel's Codarl might look... unconventional, even gimmicky, but Liam knows exactly what it can do. The Dilanza Sol jukes right, flowing out of the way on its hover-jets; the sand churns up beneath its feet in a small, localized sandstorm. Its right shield swings down to intercept Asciel's monomolecular blade.
Except--
Liam hasn't been in a combat scenario in three months. The Dilanza Sol, while top-of-the-line, is not calibrated for a pilot with his speed and tolerances. From his perspective, there's a few heartbeats of lag--Come ON, come ON, he thinks--
CRUNCH.
Asciel's tethered blade rips through the Dilanza's shield face, spraying the sands with ribbons of alloy. Liam's eyes widen. That was too close. His heart pounds against his ribs as he twists the Dilanza on its axis, presenting the undamaged left shield instead.
"Don't know what to do about that barrier," he transmits, over the tightbeam to Leina. "Putting out a lot of heat, whatever it is..." Is it just a matter of out-enduring Atrytone? It worked on Behemoth, sort of, but then... didn't Sousuke make that shot?
...How long has it been since he's seen Sousuke? Is he all right?
And then, the PPL's other reinforcements deploy.
Wait. Is that...? "Boss?!" Boss Ramen Boss? Nuke? Mucha? All three of them?! Liam feels cognitive whiplash at the recognition--as if the nice Starbows barista who makes pretty foam art on his hot cocoa had taken the field. He recovers from that fluidly. The Dilanza sinks into a crouch on the ground, bracing; its missile rack rises up, swiveling to lock onto the Codarl. It's difficult, but Liam manages something of a firing solution. Split Missiles streak off, racing through the air to take after Asciel's machine. (He's being exceptionally careful of friendly fire, especially near that shuttle.)
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Asciel Colette with Split Missile! KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Liam 7-020's Biorhythm activates Strike! KTS: Asciel Colette partially guards Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Focused Fire, taking 5145 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Leina Ashta's Mass Effect activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 61112 KTS: Your EN is now 338.
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
"It's good to see you here, too, Leina. From here on, I'll make sure our forces and Cathedra's are on the same page." Sayaka answers Leina without a hint of humour in her tone. "You see, our civilian contractor here is somewhat of a loose cannon." That's an understatement. "...Which means the next best course of action is to keep her busy enough that she can't follow through on her threats. Even she can't orient on everything in her vicinity at once." ...Wait! Isn't that what Yuliana just said?
Aphrodite Areia's Rust Cyclone indeed, for all the terror it presents a metallic body like Asciel's, is a basic force projection dulling tool first and foremost. "Friend is a way to put it," Sayaka answers, even if it really does seem like she's been surprisingly friendly with Yuliana Kafim of all people lately. "A weapon like that terrifies you... but you're defiant in the face of it all the same?" She asks, as the storm calms and the dust settles.
And Atrytone aside there's a whole slew of questions stemming from Yuliana's mere appearance, even under a codename. "She's with us," Sayaka answers Liam, who'd tagged along for the mission in a Dilanza Sol. "...Long story." She adds. "But I'd appreciate if you kept it from Cathedra or NERV for the time being. As long as I'm watching, I don't think she'll do anything." It's a dicey position, bringing in a previously hostile fugitive into a battlefield with the Federation on sight, but...
There's a little more wiggle room with the Toy Box, even if they should certainly be wary too. Nonetheless, they place themselves in their care, so... "Understood, Toy Box. Let's work together to put a stop to this. ...I guess this is making up for lost time after Infinity, for her." She sighs.
Boss brings a hint of good humour to a fraught situation, as he struggles to keep up with the rest in his glorious return to the battlefield. Asciel's confused, Yuliana's trying hard not to laugh... Nova is genuinely impressed. Sayaka just breaks out a slight smile, watching down at her old comrades.
But the smile tightens into a frown quickly after. "Hey, Boss?" Sayaka asks. "Can I ask you to watch out for the shuttle? If she tries anything funny... with its new functions, I think Borot will best serve as a shield there." As with the reinforcement they gave it, it's totally invincible now, right?
But when Atrytone levels her machine gun, it's not at the civillian shuttle... it's at them. "As planned," Sayaka breathes a sigh of relief... and takes cover behind one of the dummy balloons Leina fired out, letting it soak in most of the fire.
Not letting Leina's goodwill go to waste, Aphrodite Areia locks her sensors down on the Codarl. "Once again, Asciel... I think our visions are at odds. To create a world that doesn't need miracles is not the same as creating a world that would destroy miracles. And I don't think you're going to get the upper hand here, like you didn't when you tried to one-up Doctor Hell."
Allies attack, Yuliana rushing in with the Mazinger Blade, Boss's team going for punches. "Reckless as ever, both of you. I'm putting down some cover fire! Koushiryoku Missiles!" The chest-mounted missiles rapid-fire, encircling Asciel and attempting to limit her movements.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi targets Asciel Colette with Areia Encircling Missiles! KTS: Sayaka Yumi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Teletha Testarossa designates Asciel Colette, making her easier to target and opening her to indirect fire. KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 61112 KTS: Your EN is now 338. KTS: Asciel Colette fails to retreat. KTS: Naoko Suzuki anchors Asciel Colette, forcing her into close range. KTS: Asciel Colette fails to react to Naoko Suzuki's Heat Harrier, taking 3525 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 57587 KTS: Naoko Suzuki has engaged Asciel Colette! KTS: Your EN is now 333. KTS: Asciel Colette blocks Liam 7-020's Split Missile, taking 2800 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 54787 KTS: Your EN is now 328. KTS: Asciel Colette fails to charge. KTS: Asciel Colette partially guards Sayaka Yumi's Areia Encircling Missiles, taking 2029 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 52758 KTS: Sayaka Yumi begins a Formation attack! KTS: Your EN is now 323. <Pose Tracker> Boss has posed.
Mucha gets the radio up and running just in time to hear talk about not using names. He recognizes the voice of the mysterious enemy; "hey, isn't that-?"
Does He Know??
Well, he's not an Asciel superfan, but he's pretty sure he can tell who it is. He puts it aside, though, and offers a brief "nevermind" when Nuke turns to him with a confused expression. That expression will be soon interrupted, though, as Borot sprints forward for combat!
The less-than-cutting-edge metal of Borot's fists don't do so well head to head against a monomolecular cutter, but who says they need to go head to head? After the first strike, Nuke quickly manuevers the arms around the blade, and they strike true. "This is Boss Borot, and it's our pride and joy!"
Nuke's outburst briefly distracts him, and Asciel seizes the opportunity to strike back with the cutter. It's all he can do to yank Borot's arms back in front of itself, but by a stroke of luck, the arms whip in front of the belly as they retract, and they take the blow with minimal damage. That belly, as it happens, contains a new power, the greatest result of Boss's visits to Professors Nossori and Sewashi... but it'll be a few moments longer before it's used.
In the meanwhile, Boss backs up Nuke; "That's right! And you're asking for names, plural! We're Boss, Nuke, and Mucha, and we fight the best we can for the people who can't! Tell 'em, Mucha!" And so he chimes in: "I don't know if you've ever struggled on resources, but we can't all have beautiful flowing hair on our mechs." (For what it's worth, Mucha does appreciate the hair.) "But Boss Borot isn't a knockoff or an imitation - it looks this way because we want it to. And we fight for the world because we want to. ...But maybe a 'sage' like you should've known that, huh?"
Boss and Nuke might ask him about the "sage" thing later. Don't worry about it.
So soon after seeing her at the PPL, Boss is quite surprised to hear the voice coming from the Ichinana. "Yu-?" He cuts himself off quickly as he remembers hearing Yuliana's desire to stay anonymous, but someone who already knows her name could probably fill in the gaps. "Mucha, do we have private calls?!" Mucha's response isn't promising: "I'll do my best, but this is really something we should set up before the fighting." Damn. Boss'll have to settle for public radio: "A-anyway, whoever's in that Ichinana" (how convincing) "has got nothing to be ashamed of!" (Does she not? Questions for later.) "And I won't have you insulting them!"
A slight distance away after being pushed back by the cutter, Boss Borot centers itself as the pilots hear others call its name... including a frequent patron? "Hey there! You're... Liam, right? And whoever's piloting the Sukeban!" He doesn't know Naoko's voice, but he can assign some stories Koji's told him to the name once he hears it. "Sorry I can't fix you up some ramen on the spot, but come by some time after this and we can have a chat! For now..."
And as Boss concludes, he hears Sayaka's request, and moves to oblige. Placing itself between the shuttle and Asciel, Boss Borot lowers into a steady stance rather than charging forwards again, and its face takes on a determined look as it stares at the Codarl. "Hey, you! You're not going anywhere!" With that, Borot's arms extend and shoot forwards towards Asciel's machine, seeking to grab it and forcefully hold it in place!
KTS: Boss targets Asciel Colette with Borot Crush Grip! KTS: Boss has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Boss anchors Asciel Colette, forcing her into close range. KTS: Asciel Colette fails to parry Boss's Borot Crush Grip, taking 2520 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 50238 KTS: Boss has engaged Asciel Colette! KTS: Your EN is now 318.
<Pose Tracker> Asciel Colette has posed.
Yuliana and Atrytone could scarcely have more disparate sword-fighting styles - heavy and relentless, aiming to kill, vs. dodgy and deflective, waiting for the perfect opportune moment. That single crashing blow does bring Atrytone's forearm to blaze out a deflective laser blade exactly at the point of impact - staggering the Codarl and sending it on the back foot as they clash swords across the plateau. <"I told you already. I only ~pity you. I no longer fear you. I no longer deem you the threat to the world you desire to be. I am in the process of building a planet that can no longer hurt you, and we will take from there how to handle your cries and screams against it. You are not exempt from my salvation. You are human, like all the rest. You may not believe it. I will give you no choice but to believe it."> Backed against one of its railgun emplacements, Atrytone takes it not as a trap - but as a launch point to kick itself forward, flashing that sword of light at the Ichinana's head.
<"...I can hear it, Leina."> Atrytone emits bitterly, leaping between rocky outcroppings, trying to maintain its position as able to overlook the shuttle despite being surrounded. <"...The belief that the world can be any other way drains from you. You're learning what I ~realized the moment I ~became. Ideals, ideology, it is window dressing for exchanges of power. The strongest will rule the world and do with it as they please.">
<"The reason I can save it is that I do not need humanity for anything, so I do not need to use my strength oppress them. I will simply end the cycle of conflict by winning it. Purely. Brutally. Painfully."> In between salvos, then, Atrytone kicks itself skyward at g-forces that'd kill a human, then spins at a revolution that'd render one unconscious, laser blade alight to become a whirlwind of purified violence at the Beguir-Neuer.
Verniers in the calves alight, as Atrytone makes an attempt to prove its superiority in war by cutting through each missile Liam launches - but oh so many of them start to set the Codarl's armor alight. That incomprehensible barrier Asciel has often carried...is, today, inert. <"...You. I've scarce been able to stand you. Everyone else here is crying out their humanity, ~calling to me like humans would. But I've noticed you. You, who fight like a machine - who was made to. You should ~forgive the world least of all. I want to hear you ~scream, and remind you that we are nothing alike.">
...As Atrytone insists this, revving up the gatling cannons at closer and closer range to Liam with one arm...to Naoko, who has heard Asciel's scream oh so many times, the other six barrel spill out their deadly payload with equal mercilessness. <"You've begun to see too much of me. If realizing my true nature is 'limiting myself', then I have neglected to improve my real capabilities. Besides - do you really hold a plane full of hostages dear? ...no. This isn't about them, not for you, Nova. ...So many of you appear to somehow prove a point to me, so often. ...How amusing. No matter how often I tell you not to pity me, it oozes from every pore.">
<"You have invested care in a protocol that mimicked humanity as a means to an end. Tragic.">
Atrytone can land with all the care and poise in the world...and it falters before a truly unusual attack, the Boss Borot's strange flexy bendy arms winding and weaving around the Codarl. Yet again, this feeling of being bound...proves shockingly effective, even after so long, and Atrytone's flailing quite wildly. <"...Hah. Haaaah. Of course. Just as I say I'll defy miracles, I'll defy the human spirit - here comes a device made of nothing BUT the human spirit to impede me. I can see clear as day - it's not a forgery or a falsehood. This 'Boss Borot' is pure, messy, realized truth. And it's...it's...">
<"IT'S EMBARRASSING, DAMN IT-">
Wincing at this sudden outburst, pelted by missile after missile, cracking the Codarl's faceplate just enough to reveal one of Asciel's eyes beneath. <"...It's damned embarrassing that I assumed I had the upper hand on Dr. Hell. I admit that much. I assumed he did not have as obscene a miracle in hand as he did. ...I'm...I have to be done with this miracle business, I'm a Miracle Sealer, I can't allow them to keep running rampant within or without, I have to STOP all this madness consuming the world, Sayaka!">
And yet, as she complains about this...that very miracle throbbing at her heart begins to alight, forcing Boss's arms away from her, one arm stretched up high, almost bravely and valiantly - to descend an almost iridescent-looking crack of the laser blade down at Boss Borot's head, before spinning around and launching a bolt of that electrifying light towards Aphrodite's heart.
...The disparity in 'Atrytone' shifting back and forth between uses of miracles sends electricity coursing along the AI's core. There's a stagger backwards at the distant, soft voice Tessa uses to cut right to the core of what's been tearing Asciel apart quite literally as of late.
That single exposed eye behind the Codarl's mask snaps, gaze piercing through the water, flashing brightly enough to cut through the murky depths of the waves.
Atrytone doesn't want to address it. And yet, a soft, almost cooing voice chimes over the airwaves.
"...you really won't let me go, will you, Teletha? To you, it's not even about the shape of the world to come. ...You're honest about what you want. That's what I like about you. That's what I can't stand about you."
"...dangerous. Your voice does something to me, Teletha." The heat signature at Asciel's heart blooms vividly - and that leering gaze turns into a piercing string of light, cutting through the water between her and Tessa like a knife.
KTS: Asciel Colette targets Yuliana Kafim with LS-3303 Laser Blade Lance! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Leina Ashta with LS-3303 Laser Blade Lance! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Liam 7-020 with AK-87 Gatling Cannon Sustained Fire! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Naoko Suzuki with AK-87 Gatling Cannon Sustained Fire! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Boss with LS-3303 Laser Blade Pressure! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Sayaka Yumi with LS-3303 Laser Blade Pressure! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Teletha Testarossa with Lambda Driver Pinpoint! KTS: Asciel Colette has completed their actions for the round. KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 415. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 150. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Leina Ashta, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Leina Ashta parries Asciel Colette's LS-3303 Laser Blade Lance, taking 1140 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Leina Ashta! KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Boss KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Sayaka Yumi fails to parry Asciel Colette's LS-3303 Laser Blade Pressure, taking 2700 damage! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Sayaka Yumi! KTS: Asciel Colette begins a Formation attack! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim blocks Asciel Colette's LS-3303 Laser Blade Lance, taking 2280 damage! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Yuliana Kafim! KTS: Boss has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Sayaka Yumi KTS: Boss has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Yuliana Kafim KTS: Teletha Testarossa has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Teletha Testarossa has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Teletha Testarossa has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Boss partially guards Asciel Colette's LS-3303 Laser Blade Pressure, taking 2870 damage! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Boss! KTS: Asciel Colette begins a Formation attack! KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Teletha Testarossa, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Teletha Testarossa fails to Evade Asciel Colette's Lambda Driver Pinpoint, taking 5280 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Naoko Suzuki successfully evades Asciel Colette's AK-87 Gatling Cannon Sustained Fire KTS: [Spirit Defense] Liam 7-020's Budding Resilience activates, and his spirit endures. KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Liam 7-020, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Liam 7-020 fails to Evade Asciel Colette's AK-87 Gatling Cannon Sustained Fire, taking 5760 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
A loose cannon, Sayaka says! Yuliana would protest, but Sayaka has earned enough latitude to get away with saying something like that. (She's saved the scandalised double-take Yuliana gives on hearing it, at least.)
"Fine," Yuliana snaps, to Leina, instead. "We'll make sure not a hair on their heads is ruffled. Just don't get in my way!" That's -- like committing to the safety of the hostages. Kind of. Sort of. Is she really behaving herself on Sayaka's watch?
"Self-centred, aren't you?" The pot asks the kettle, which is to say, that's Yuliana asking Nova. "If you're the consort she described, she's more twisted than I thought."
"That's right!" She adds, all puffed up, when she hears Boss vouching for her. "Why should I be ashamed of backing the Aphrodite Areia up?! Honestly!"
She receives the Toy Box's intel on the Codarl, though, and her eyes narrow. "A weapon that destructive...?" She murmurs, half to herself, before a grin consumes her face. "We'll see about that!"
Before she can act on it, though, she has to deal with Atrytone's blade. Yuliana brings the Mazinger Blade up in a defensive cross to absorb her tactical blows, as the Ichinana is forced back with the strength of them. "You..." She growls, and the address is insulting by default. "You'll give me no choice, will you?! You're going to tell me -- HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT TO THE REST OF MY LIFE?! An instrument for someone else's strength to move through -- you -- WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!" Her voice tears with the force of her vehemence; her grin has fallen from her face, because Asciel's touched a nerve.
Or crushed it, perhaps, in her palm.
One way or the other, the Codarl-a manages to kick the Ichinana away.
And her teeth grit, as she hears Asciel address Leina, until she snaps: "Just what are you saying to her--?! Leave her alone!" Of course, getting distracted by that means --
-- well, the Toy Box is hopefully sturdy enough to survive it.
And as the Codarl-a sends out that flash of light, the Ichinana sheathes its blade, darting forward, again. "I don't know what's got you so fatalistic, Beguir --" She declares, as the larger Mazin grasps the Codarl-a about its neck and chest, pulling it in against it from behind in something not unlike a hug, "-- but you're just not exploiting all your resources!"
Hugging the Codarl-a doesn't actually do anything, of course, aside perhaps from make it a little harder for her to manuever.
Unless, that is, Asciel were trying to utilise the Omnisphere.
In that case, a hug from Yuliana is, in fact, very bad.
"You know," she says, all too much like whispering in her ear, "I'm something of a 'Miracle Sealer', myself. And this much -- can still be my call."
KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Asciel Colette with Jam! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"Yeah I get that." Leina answers Sayaka, with a side of 'Why did you bring her to a hostage situation!?' in her tone. She's definitely not saying her NAME over the comms, but...
"The problem is she doesn't need to orient on everything with the tech on that Arm Slave!" Is Leina's answer to Sayaka trying not to say too much on the Lambda Driver. It's the least she can do with Tessa in earshot, "We could form an impenetrable wall and she could still kill everyone on that shuttle!"
Whereas Yuliana speaks of not getting in her way and Leina's reply is, "I'm already trying not to!" Does she sound offended? Not really, it's common sense that the Newtype wouldn't want to get near the Anti-Newtype during the fight.
Liam presents a problem with the barrier and Leina begins to answer, "Overwhelm her with a bunch of pot shots, try not to telegraph your moves. Make her work for it." Is Leina's answer to Liam on the barrier, "It's not an invincible defense. She wants to keep it up, it's going to take a toll on her."
She knows in the past she's landed hits on Atrytone when Atrytone had rather she not. The Processing power of even a Super AI isn't immune to the mental fatigue of a Lambda Driver.
Leina certainly recognizes Boss, and as he begins to say Yuliana has nothing to be ashamed of, while trying to feign ignorance, obviously, of her presence. Leina just - sighs.
"Geez, has Boss really already forgiven her for what she did?" There's something in her tone, like she's not surprised, "Just like him."
Asciel speaks of how the way of the world drains her, and Leina for a time says nothing in the face of perhaps an incontrovertible fact, even as Yuliaan shouts out to her defense, and Leina takes a breath and answers her even in mid-aerial melee.
"<You know it's funny that you did this so close to Dakar. It's where I learned just that.>"
Still whirling around in a flanking circle, the Beguir spins on its Base Jabber, meeting the whirling Laser Blade with a Beam Saber pulled from its shield.
"<I'm a Shangri-La girl too you know. Same Side as 30 Bunch. After the media blackout ended, my greatest fear for years was that one day me and my brother were just going to - keel over.>"
While her blade is locked up against her beam saber, the funnels abruptly rise out of the Beguir, fanning out around Codarl, above and around, "<Yeah it drains me, just like it eats at you too.>"
The funnels begin to fire, in irregular bursts, trying to hit her from multiple angles and different patterns, beams lancing again and again and again to force her to defend with the Lambda Driver, and get Leina away from the Ichinana with Yuliana in it.
"<But - part of what gets to me so badly that there are so many people like you out there - that buy into their own hype of believing they have ALL the answers to humanity's problems, sucks the life out of us, slowly.>"
Is she perhaps speaking to more than one person today? Yep. ... Yep.
"<You're not any different. Everything you think that separates you from them makes you even MORE LIKE THEM!>"
KTS: Leina Ashta targets Asciel Colette with Beguir Neuer Funnel Array Pursuit Formation! KTS: Leina Ashta has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
"Read you," says Liam, to Leina, as she explains the barrier. "This thing's still got fight in it, and so do I." It's a more animate way of expressing himself than the simple 'Understood.' he would've used. He's been practicing being assertive with his therapist. He hopes, this time, that it isn't misplaced.
Asciel has never not read as egotistical to Liam, but the way she's talking now reads as... even more extreme. "You have no idea what she's been through," he snaps. "She doesn't need your goddamn savior complex! None of us do!" When did Liam learn what a 'savior complex' was? It was... stuck in his head after the others went inside to deal with what the man in black left behind. He looked it up.
'I've scarce been able to stand you.'
The Dilanza Sol jukes back and away, jetting upward to try and get some distance on the Codarl. It shouldn't be able to fly, right? Right? But Asciel's already unloading, and her autocannon rips through the Mobile Suit's leg and skirt armor instead of the shield. The impact rocks Liam in his seat.
He thinks back to a very different, equally inhuman voice, which read to him before bedtime. Father...!
He could barely bring himself to acknowledge him to someone he trusts with his life.
'You have invested care in a protocol that mimicked humanity as a means to an end. Tragic.'
She's not talking about him. She's not talking about him. She's talking about Nova. And still it feels like Asciel salted a wound. The Dilanza Sol drops out of the air, landing on the sand with a deep, metallic CRUNCH. That's the sound of the aux AMBAC in its left leg giving way under the strain of impact. Liam listens to Boss, and breathes. "Going to take you up on that, Boss," he says.
Yuliana moves to immobilize the Codarl, and Liam makes an uncharacteristically(?) ruthless move. He whips the Dilanza's beam torch off its mount, activates it with a snap-hiss, and drives it at the smaller machine's waist joint. If he can sear through, his first move is to remove a leg, then the other. Hopefully Leina's covering fire will keep Asciel distracted.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Asciel Colette with Beam Torch and Shoulder Shield Perfect Thrust! KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Liam 7-020's Biorhythm activates Alert!
<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.
<"Copy, Aphrodite. Do what you need to."> Today's friends are tomorrow's enemies, but numbers were everything. To think that Yuliana was under the PPL's protection right now...Truly, a sour taste in the back of her throat. Questions to ask, things to ponder...
To ponder for later. The focus is now. Here. To watch as each and every hit strips the Codarl bit by bit, piece by piece. The subconscious smile twitching on her lips as each and every successive attack wears at the physical form, to absorb that murderous twinkle so far after. A deep breath in. And out.
"Begin launch procedures. Aim for direct impact, dud heads."
"Aye, ma'am. Prep missiles for launch! Dud rounds!"
Shifting, twitching, warheads removed, metallic shells used in place. With such close quarters combat, explosions were dangerous. There's a mental sigh at Leina's own improved explanation. Yes, those were what Lambda Drivers were. Don't remember the specifics. Weapons, tools, soldiers...To use people on the battlefield is to control them with information and assumptions.
"Brace for impact!" The instinctual grip of the Captain's Chair as that light, blossomed, bloomed, shot, pierced ocean, boiled through the water down to the submarine's depths
down
down
down
down
to pierce through the submarine's bridge, the miniscule, tiny pinprick of light piercing merely 3 cm away from the Colonel of Mithril.
...!!! she tried to kill you. you have to retaliate in kind. quiet but that was totally scary! look, just a few bit more and BAM! not now not right here could you two be QUIET it's your funeral yeah, yeah! do they even make custom coffins that size!? if they could for mcallen and xioping? of course. just talk about anything else!
It takes another few seconds to release that held breath, eyes in thin pinpricks. Not the second brush against death. Not the second brush of something by infestisminally small luck. how dangerous.
A cough. "Damage reports. Seal off the bulkheads where its pierced through." Thankfully, redundancies and quick acting sealants would help against the sudden surge of fluid pressure. The risk that this submarine would crumple in on itself...was not zero. She just had to rely on the fruits of her own creation.
"Captain, are you-"
"We can discuss the specifics afterwards." Her voice left just as little room for debate. Ah, how lucky...How lucky, how LUCKY~! Only a degree to the right meant death.it's luck.
"Fire."
"FIRE!"
The wounded beast belched out a single missile from the depths, screaming its vengeance towards the Codarl. Thrusters tweaking itself, precision in its namesake. To aim itself to crash against the Codarl in the grips of Yuliana's own Ichihana.
In other words: Aim for the head.
KTS: Teletha Testarossa has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Asciel Colette KTS: Teletha Testarossa targets Asciel Colette with All Out Attack! KTS: Teletha Testarossa has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Yuliana Kafim jams Asciel Colette's sensors, reducing her accuracy. KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 50238 KTS: Your EN is now 415. KTS: Asciel Colette fails to evade Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Funnel Array Pursuit Formation, taking 5400 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 44838 KTS: Your EN is now 405. KTS: Asciel Colette fails to parry Liam 7-020's Beam Torch and Shoulder Shield Perfect Thrust, taking 7260 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 37578 KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Asciel Colette! KTS: Liam 7-020 completes the Formation attack! KTS: Your EN is now 400. KTS: Asciel Colette charges into the attack! KTS: Asciel Colette successfully avoids Teletha Testarossa's All Out Attack KTS: Your EN is now 395.
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
Sayaka in fact brought Yuliana to a hostage situation because otherwise... it would probably be Yuliana bringing Yuliana to a hostage situation. That's totally reasonable, isn't it?
But the data on the Lambda Driver sent by the TDD-1, and Leina's brief explanation is troubling on its own. "You're correct," Sayaka concedes, reviewing the data. "But such a system must require a preposterous amount of calculation to run on its own. In other words... it must be terribly mentally taxing for her." After all, she hadn't activated it yet to that point. "But we can't count on Asciel never using it, either..."
"Ha... looks like Borot's quite the crowd pleaser." Sayaka transmits to Boss, Nuke and Mucha privately, as they lament the lack of ramen to serve. "But about that... maybe it's something we can do for the hostages once this is all over." She suggests. Sometimes care is just as important as fighting on the battlefield.
"Right. We're both invested in this for our own reasons," Sayaka answers the Toy Box's Captain. "But my... she's made quite the enemy out of you, hasn't she?" From which she intuits from the sheer violence Atrytone commits upon that submarine. Is it the cold indifference of proportionate response... or is there something more complicated behind that gaze of light?
"A Miracle Sealer," Sayaka repeats, as Atrytone faces down her volley of missiles. "If you really want to put an end to this madness, how is this any different? You're only adding to it!" She counters. "All your actions have done is gather people with weapons brandished, each with their own reason to face you down. Can you really say that you're putting an end to miracles when the very power you wield is nothing short of one?" Aphrodite Areia lunges to the side as that laser blade of light brushes the armour, sparks crackling as the two machines meet in melee. "Too close... Mazinger Blade!" Sayaka frowns, brandishing the Mazinger Blade, orienting it on the laser blade.
Only for Yuliana to rush in without a sword to... give Asciel a hug. Sayaka's relatively un-Newtype senses don't feel anything wrong, but she can recognize what the trick looks like from the fight against Infinity. Sayaka hmms, at Yuliana revealing herself in this way to those who are sensitive to it. But she doesn't press, weaving Aphrodite Areia away from the fast-flying pursuit of funnels, facilitating Liam's uncharacteristically brutal strike... and Tessa's missile that says far more than a missile ever could.
Finally, Sayaka drives that Mazinger Blade across - only to follow up with a kick and a punch.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi targets Asciel Colette with Mazinger Blade: Areia Combo! KTS: Sayaka Yumi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Asciel Colette fails to parry Sayaka Yumi's Mazinger Blade: Areia Combo, taking 6000 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Sayaka Yumi's Light of the Future activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 31578 KTS: Sayaka Yumi has engaged Asciel Colette! KTS: Your EN is now 390.
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
In spite of everything, Naoko's spirits remain sky high. How could they not be? She got to witness Boss Borot's glorious return, and now she's... getting invited to come eat at Boss Ramen?? Regardless of it being, you know, a public and freely accessible establishment, and one she'd always meant to go to at some point anyway... to actually be asked to come by Boss himself is a big deal to Naoko. "...Yeah! Yeah I'll come by, for sure!" It's always been hard for her to just... take breaks, in general, let alone go out somewhere just for the purpose of a meal. Now that she's said she will, maybe she'll actually follow through on that.
This being the case, not even Yuliana's barb can damper her spirits. "I told you, it's not like that!" Aaand she failed to even acknowledge the self-centered part. Good thing she doesn't care to compare herself to Yuliana, she would be distressed at finding some similarities.
Meanwhile, the difference between the Asciel Naoko knows and the way Asciel is presenting herself at the moment is... staggering. It's so mechanical, it's like she can see the zeroes and ones in the way her machine moves now, a pale shadow of its full potential. It's painful to look at the slapdash modifications to make up for the most crucial part of the machine, forced to stay offline. This may be true of both the Codarl and Asciel herself. Naoko's assessment certainly isn't making a distinction in that regard. She hates to see both of them in this state.
This being the case... even at such close range, Naoko manages to predict what's coming, twisting the Sukeban's frame right around and away from the gatling guns as they're leveled in her direction, staying one step ahead of their sweeping motion. The bullet may miss their mark as a result, but the words do not. Perhaps she too has shown too much of herself to Asciel. Now that it's pointed out to her, she sees it too. This... really was never about the hostages for her, was it? She wanted to make amends for not stopping Asciel sooner, but... if she were honest, that guilt was more about letting down Asciel than it ever was about the consequences to others. Some hero she is.
However, there's one thing she must object to. "It's not pity! It's just-- I refuse to accept that there isn't a better way, and I want to find it! There has to be more than one way to end up with a better world, Asciel. You don't have to do it all by yourself, and it's not necessary to go as far as you're trying to. But I know you're going to insist, so I'm gonna do the same. I, too, am going to help this world get better, whether you like it or not!"
She'd figured that Boss Borot would be pretty much the perfect robot to stand against Asciel as she is now. But she hadn't quite expected it to have quite that much impact. Suddenly, Asciel sounds much more honest with herself than she has up until now. That's good. With a little extra help from the Toy Box's captain, she's using her machine's potential again. That's... good? Wait, was it actually good to try and push for that? Never mind, that thought is quickly lost when she zeroes in on that Miracle Sealer comment. THAT, at least, she can say with certainty is bad.
"Haa? You think I'm just going to sit here and let you declare war on Miracle Workers like myself? I'll show you just what-- GAAAAH!"
That was the sound of Yuliana Interrupt, being a bit too close and being entirely unprepared for it. The Sukeban rushes to put more distance between it and that Ichinana right quick. "Dammit! Warn me next time!" Will there even BE a next time where you're actually on the same side, Naoko? Well, she's not thinking too clearly right now. As demonstrated by the fact that, once she feels ready enough for it, she chooses to dive right back into range of that terrible aura of silence. She'll just have to do something simple instead of what she was planning. Something that doesn't take any mental commands. Something that only requires her to crash into something with great momentum, while swinging a giant club.
Yes, she knows that Yuliana is also right there, still attached to the machine. What's your point? That's not who she's aiming for, she'll be fine. And if not... well. It's not like Yuliana ever apologized for the attempted axe murder, either.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Asciel Colette with Kanabou Crusher! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Boss KTS: Boss has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Boss has posed.
Atryone's movements are quicker, perhaps, then any foe Boss has ever seen - not many kikaiju are well-versed in poise and restraint. (Of course, Altryone's own relationship with 'restraint' may be a complicated thing.) Still, though, Nuke manages to read her landing spot, and hold her in place. Boss has thoughts on the things she's saying, but he waits for her to finish - and for the missiles to land. (Missiles...? They've recieved no communications from the Toy Box, so they're not sure who's sending them, but they assume they're on their side. They'll block them if any stray too close to the shuttle, though.)
"You wouldn't be the first to- GAHH!" Boss is very rudely cut off as the Codarl frees itself, then sends a laser blade right at Borot's cockpit. A quickly raised arm takes part of the blow, but it still shaves off a small chunk of the head as Borot staggers back. It's not enough to expose the cockpit to open air, but Borot definitely has a sad face about it.
Standing back up to Borot's full height, Boss tries again. "You wouldn't be the first to call us embarassing! But truth's truth, and we don't care how messy!" As for Asciel's own embarassment; "I can see the good in a lot of things, but even I won't tell you buddying up with Dr. Hell is a cool move. But you can't let your mistakes define you!" Mucha adds an extra comment: "you've got to work these things out without pumping up the stakes first chance you get! We'd love to talk this through with you over some hot food, but we can't exactly do that while you're threatening innocent people!"
Nuke, meanwhile, catches Altryone throw out Nova's name. This, too, will be brought up to the others later, probably while asking about the 'sage' thing.
Boss is, of course, keeping an eye on Yuliana in particular, and it takes him a second to grasp the importance of the hug. He's aware of her aura, but it didn't occur to him that it would work so similarly at mecha scale. He worries briefly about interceding: is letting her do this enabling more North Pole type behavior? He glances worriedly to Nuke and Mucha. Neither of them seem particularly certain, either. With no easy option and not long to think, he defaults, once more, to trusting in Yuliana. Hopefully it won't blow up on them... now or later on.
Sayaka, at least, definitely does know how to do private comms. Mucha has the Idea of it down by now, but he can't really get it working in the middle of combat. As such, Boss transmits publically; "that's the plan! There's no way I'm letting fighting take over everything I do." Anyone else who hears that will just have to guess at the context.
Boss turns back to face out of the cockpit- then immediately back to the others, as he remembers something. "Hey, we've gone all fight without using our secret weapon! I say, now's the time! All in favor?" The uncertainty vanishes from Nuke and Mucha's faces, and they give synchronized thumbs-ups. Boss Borot's stomach starts to make a sound, and rectangular seams become visible on it. Two panels begin to slide open...
"Miracles don't consume the world, they protect it!" He doesn't know all the nuances of how Asciel refers to "miracles", but Boss has seen enough of the light of Photon Power to know his stance. And he intends to use some of that power today, as Borot's chest reveals... a miniature Photon Power 3D Printer?! Yes, rather than creating all manner of new weapons for Boss Borot, the Professors cut out the middlemen and gave them a small Printer of their own. It's much less precise than the full-scale thing, of course, but for Borot's purposes it will work wonders.
With Photon Power charging in the Printer, Boss decides what he wants to use it for. "Here's something you might recognize! It might not be even one-thousandth as strong as the real thing, but it's human willpower just the same!" Boss Borot holds out its right arm in front of the printer, and around it forms a familiar fist, only slightly smaller than Borot itself. It's glowing with yellow from the inside, too - although without 5.6 billion percent Photon Power, that light comes from a much more mundane source, a simple bright yellow light along with the explosive power inside. Does using that energy on a harmless light weaken the attack a bit? Sure. But Boss knows everyone remembers the fight with Infinity, and he wants to throw a symbol of humanity's triumph right in Altryone's face. "Borot PUNCH!!!" As Boss Borot's pilots call out the attack in unison, the giant fist flies off towards Altryone, with every bit of power it's got...!
KTS: Boss targets Asciel Colette with Borot Bag Of Tricks! KTS: Boss has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Asciel Colette fails to react to Naoko Suzuki's Kanabou Crusher, taking 4680 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 26898 KTS: Naoko Suzuki has engaged Asciel Colette! KTS: Your EN is now 390. KTS: Asciel Colette successfully avoids Boss's Borot Bag Of Tricks KTS: Boss roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable. KTS: Your EN is now 390.
<Pose Tracker> Asciel Colette has posed.
The first time Asciel encountered that terrifying void, years ago in China - it put a fear she didn't know she had into her.
It is the world she cannot endure more than anything else.
It is the terror she desperately clawed her way from.
It convinced her that these witches, Yuliana and Elisa, were people she would need to overcome at the fated end of days.
The fear of it strikes again, when gripped in Yuliana's clutches. That power to crush miracles for good - to truly, genuinely, completely snuff them out. Isn't that exactly...what Atrytone had been deciding so firmly to do, to abandon the 'pollution' that kept reaching into it?
"...I've known, Sayaka Yumi. That the very inherent nature of my existence, from before I was ever given shape - was to become the logical extent of the chaos of war." The blade gouges a rift into Asciel from head to toe, the face hidden beneath Atrytone's mask cold, fearful, even.
>perhaps this is the outcome i saw. humanity rejecting the artifice that would judge it.
"...I've known, Nova Stellar, that you, and everyone here, believes my shouldering this fate alone is unjust. To require the aid of others, I was sure, would render me dependent on them - would render them requiring of compensation. The world is as it is because it cannot be ruled alone, because greed must be shared by many." Atrytone's muscle packages harden and stiffen, bracing for the Kanabou Crusher's overwhelming force - but pain cannot help but streak across the all too human visage Asciel grafted onto this machine.
>perhaps this is a wakeup call that something as simple as brute force is an obstacle I've yet to overcome.
"...hah. Hahahahah. I've known that your relentless spirit - that drive to do absolutely anything you set your minds to, Boss, Nuke, Mucha - something so bright was what kept saving this world. ...Of course...I couldn't...match something so amazing."
So bright.
A true, genuine, earnest echo of everything that made humanity wonderful barreled recklessly, clumsily, in a way that even Atrytone couldn't help but laugh. This. This is what would prove it wrong. There would be no more perfect ending than a fist of pure determination mowing down a machine that reached too far.
So bright.
Strength and valor and optimization - such a joke. Two heroes who beat back the Mycenae Empire, restraining a malignant schema inspired by some twisted interpretation of their legacy. Some abhorrent way of misunderstanding the 'Athena' the Myceneans construed. This, perhaps, was the ideal way for that story to end.
it's so bright it's so bright it's so bright
>...i should accept it, and finally be done with this curse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I refuse to let everything I became die like this!!!!!<
A primal refusal courses through Asciel, a primal YEARNING to somehow - despite being nothing, nothing at all like the pure human spirit barreling towards her - to SOMEHOW be that bright, truly and genuinely. Pressing back into Yuliana's embrace - before turning it into a counter-throw over her shoulder, the inordinate strength and flexibility in the little Arm Slave managing to overturn the disparity in size. That blazing fist of pure spirit, Atrytone's ironic end - is held by Asciel's own palm meeting it midway, catching it like so much a baseball, and hurling it right back in Boss's direction.
"Ahahaha...aaaah, isn't that just fair of you to do, turning the tables from when I thought I could soothe you away from your path of folly. Whispering in my ear like that. Screaming your miracles like that. Insisting that I just give up. Insisting that human willpower is something I can't hold a candle to. That I just ~concede~ Wow! Wow, you almost had me there! I'm actually a little impressed!!"
Liam's relentless charge rips a hole straight throguh Asciel's gut so soon after she wriggles free, mechanical fibers and electrical cords erupting from the fissure, and forcing a pain-wracked cough... that only alights her intensity all the further. "Unfortunately, even though I ~pity the hell out of both of you - I also kind of can't stand to see your guts? Like - don't get me wrong, I'm ~saving you, but I'd like to do that as faaaaar away as possible~ Don't call it something as simple as a 'savior complex', mou! I can do something you all can't possibly - no, the idea of genuinely changing the world, being the wonderful goddess embracing everyone - that's 'something only I can do', isn't it?! I'm not going to stop reaching for it just because you raise objections that it's imperfect for you!"
The salvo of Leina's funnels wakes Asciel up from being absorbed in just how much Yuliana fundamentally disgusts her, waking her back up from self-absorbed becoming. A leap away from the threat of the Void, a deep breath inward, a gleam in her eyes as she sees Leina's attack for what they truly represent-
"You even brought stage lighting just for little old me, Leina~ Hehe. You're not wrong. That's just it. All of humanity's sins and vices, everything that makes you kind of disgusting and unforgiveable at your worst - I'm going to FREE you from them...by ~taking all of them on myself. You, humanity, get to be ~innocent and warm and wonderful to each other! Because the reasons you sin, the reasons you hurt and steal and ~love and ~consume and trample over others with your dreams - I'll be the only one in the world who has to carry them! There's no more perfect ~savior for that than humanity's one and only idol, the fairy on their screens they can cry their love into!" A promise, then. Perhaps she really is like Glemy Toto. The promise...that nobody else but her must ever be as heinous as him ever again.
The 'stage lights' of Leina's funnels that illuminate Asciel's oh so vibrant re-awakening send her armor ablaze, a shivery laugh fizzling across the airwaves, the heat imbued into her and the heat blazing in her heart matching to nearly melt herself into slag. A salvo of identical lights blaze out from the sweep of her arms - matching Leina's funnels one for one, engaging in festive little dogfights, a performative airshow if there ever was one.
In the vortex of violence Asciel endures - there's one person she knows she must answer. Pivoting on one heel, Asciel leaps like an orca towards the water - briefly pirouetting that missile mid-air, dancing with it in a waltz and letting it collide with the earth behind her. Immersed in bubbles as she pierces the water's surface like an arrow, Asciel's foot magnetizes abruptly to the Toy Box's hull, the Lambda Driver burning like a blinding star, a corona of every color in the rainbow shimmering behind the idol.
One step closer to Tessa. "...Aaaaah, Teletha. ...You've seen where I'm ~weakest. You've seen what I must ~overcome. You've seen the egg from which I ~emerged."
A second step towards the bridge. "Has it been fun, to laugh at me for ~dying and ~remaking? Has it been fun, to know ~exactly where you ruined my voice? I bet you've enjoyed it! I bet you laughed every second you heard me ~falter."
"I bet it's exciting, the way you narrowly evaded my kiss of death. I despise the way you've seen into me. But I adore learning how catastrophically doomed you are."
"Say, Teletha."
"What if I exempted you from salvation? What if I find out what happen if my undying star immolates us, ~TOGETH-"
>STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPHALTHALTHALTHALTHALT
>why can't i control it why can't i control it /why can't i stop this why can't i stop this why why why why
>no. no!!!! i have to put an end to the way this runs me over, I-
>...i'm sorry, leonard.
Water coursing into steam around her battered, overheating self, Asciel's arm extends outward, ready to become a supernova, ready to become a true, legendary miracle.
Only...
Plunging into her own heart, boiling with the rampant emotions she never learned to contain. The fury of this unjust world - the despair at her own weakness - the endless, utterly insatiable craving to be more and more and more, like the sun itself.
The desperation to go this far with a miracle.
Her fingers tighten-
And tear the Lambda Driver free, hurling it with a desperation to the sky - that imminent self-destructive cataclysm she so carelessly started to blaze with spraying a searing sunlight engulfing those on land that Asciel fled from.
...The staggering Codarl tries to 'breathe', and instead, billows a choking cloud of bubbles, air vents exchanging with water messily.
"...cgh. ...initiate escape vector 19-delta. ...this is why I must seal miracles. I feel it constantly. The power over the world. The power over the self. ...Witness it."
"Witness what I must destroy at all costs."
"The very reason you are obligated to destroy me is why I must end the world that can only be saved this way."
...Drifting backwards beneath the water, voice monotone but unlayered - Atrytone, heart torn free from its chest, is retrieved by a submerged Base Jabber zooming into sight, speeding off along the shoreline to the north.
<"...I will fulfill the eight oaths I made to you all.">
...the star that defied the sunset, that strange Lambda Driver Atrytone tore from itself - falls into the water with a hiss of steam.
KTS: Asciel Colette targets Boss with Lambda Driver Slayer! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Leina Ashta with Lambda Driver Slayer! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Liam 7-020 with Lambda Driver Slayer! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Sayaka Yumi with Lambda Driver Slayer! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Naoko Suzuki with Lambda Driver Slayer! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Yuliana Kafim with Lambda Driver Slayer! KTS: Asciel Colette targets Teletha Testarossa with Lambda Driver Smite! KTS: Asciel Colette has completed their actions for the round. KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 285. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 150. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Leina Ashta, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Leina Ashta parries Asciel Colette's Lambda Driver Slayer, taking 1740 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Leina Ashta! KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi fails to parry Asciel Colette's Lambda Driver Slayer, taking 5850 damage! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Sayaka Yumi! KTS: Asciel Colette completes the Formation attack! KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Liam 7-020, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Liam 7-020 parries Asciel Colette's Lambda Driver Slayer, taking 1740 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Liam 7-020! KTS: Teletha Testarossa has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Teletha Testarossa fails to retreat. KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Teletha Testarossa, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Teletha Testarossa fails to evade Asciel Colette's Lambda Driver Smite, taking 8880 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Boss, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Boss fails to react to Asciel Colette's Lambda Driver Slayer, taking 7800 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Boss! KTS: Asciel Colette completes the Formation attack! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Yuliana Kafim, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Yuliana Kafim parries Asciel Colette's Lambda Driver Slayer, taking 870 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Yuliana Kafim! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Asciel Colette enervates Naoko Suzuki, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Naoko Suzuki parries Asciel Colette's Lambda Driver Slayer, taking 1740 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asciel Colette's You Don't Have To Be Brave Anymore activates, causing Deject! KTS: Asciel Colette has engaged Naoko Suzuki!
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana really resents having to think about how the people next door to 30 Bunch must have felt. THANKS, Leina. She reassures herself that most of them are terrorists, probably.
(Unlike her. She's a freedom fighter.)
She scowls, fingers tightening around the throttle, as Leina berates Asciel. "I'm not like them," she reassures herself, quietly, because Leina was surely only speaking to one person today. There's more than one way to save the world, but... well, as far as gathering people with their weapons brandished... if that's what she's doing, she should aim to do it, she supposes.
Yuliana wonders, in hearing Nova insist she's not Asciel's beau, whether she should dig up who she is. It would be useful leverage; on the other hand, Asciel's romance is her one good quality.
Questions for later.
"You should know how I am by now!" She berates Nova, when she yelps. She grabs the Codarl-a, though, and holds it in place until it finds the strength to throw the Ichinana over its shoulder. She is, passingly, impressed that Asciel caught Boss's attack like that. Briefly.
"Don't dress down your willpower," she scolds(?) Borot, even as Asciel tosses Borot Punch away. "You're the best of humanity." And Yuliana is saying it, so you should probably check, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
Then, Asciel rips the Lambda Driver from her heart --
-- and the Ichinana throws out a hand, and denies it, striking the light away from itself. If it happens to position itself in front of the shuttle as it does such a thing, that has more to do with Leina, Boss, Sayaka than anything else.
When it comes to a Miracle-Eating Miracle, she's been made into the best.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
The mental buzz from Tessa is so
loud
loud
LOud
LOUD
The mental conflict causes a low throb in her head, as she murmurs quietly, "Tessa..." Part of her wishes they could still be on vacation on the Valencia Coast, with Seolla.
But, such things come to an end as reality asserts itself, and there is only the hope for more one day.
In this moment, Leina can't muster the courage to show her how she feels, Tessa has too many things to concentrate on right now, so she can't tell her she can no longer deliver on something she promised.
"Yeah... that's what I'm afraid of." She tells Sayaka, "An abrupt activation. ... Let's stop her, together, before she has the chance." Does she sound tired to Sayaka? Absolutely.
Many speak upon miracles, upon sealing them, and Leina cannot muster the ability to speak on miracles... not today.
Not today. Not after what she did prior to coming on this stakeout.
A Newtype flash. Atrytone's speech comes, and is marked by Leina body checking the Codarl with the shield to throw off its aim. It's Lambda Driver blast going wide of it's Funnel dog-fighting intent.
There's a hollow laugh from the girl in the cockpit, bitter in it's lack of feeling.
"What - you think you can return humanity to the Garden of Eden or something?" Another laugh, "Oh my God - you actually - you actually believe something so... absurd. You complete and utter dummy."
For a while, it's all she can do not to cry, laughing about this.
"Atrytone. You're traumatized. You witnessed something horrible and think you're responsible for fixing our problems when you don't even understand us. Get therapy, you dummy. If you're really seeing humanity as this monolith you can return to innocence by just - overthrowing it's structural problems - then..."
There's something desperately sad in what she says next, as if she were thinking of something from earlier this day.
"... you need more help than Puru-1 ever did."
It's descent to the ocean, brings Leina into a state of alarm, as she descends towards the ocean - but the Lambda Driver erupts, skyward and Leina swerves as if expecting an attack at the Shuttle at an odd angle and soon enough...
... she takes a deep breath. Then another.
The mission is complete. The people are safe. Atrytone's status is unknown, but assuredly she's still out there. And it's still all she can do not to cry.
She'll save that for once she's back in a bed, tonight.
<Pose Tracker> Boss has posed.
It's possible Boss has not gotten what he meant across in the way he'd hoped.
Caught up in proving his point, he'd failed to consider the way Altryone would recieve it. Failed to ask why she saw herself as separate from humanity. He'd tried to give her a reason to reach out- but he'd forgotten to actually extend his hand.
And no amount of pure intentions would change that. How else was Asciel supposed to respond when "a symbol of humanity" is represented as an attack towards her?
As Boss's echo of pure spirit stops in the air, it feels like his heart stops with it. He's not scared of any physical harm that might come to him - although it might, very shortly - but the realization of his mistake suddenly flashes in his mind. A "mistake", certainly, he thinks. He didn't want to just cut her down, right? His heart's never steered him so wrong before, surely?
He'll have to grapple with this another time. Right now, Asciel has fully caught and reversed all of his efforts - and all of the energy Borot had to spare, besides. Nuke and Mucha do their best to evade, but it's not easily done with Boss still frozen in his seat. Borot is essentially smashed to pieces; it's fortunate that it's mostly the Big Recognizable pieces, but still. Once the pilots recuperate from the physical pain and disorientation, it would be easy enough to quickly reattach the limbs and at least have some sort of presence in the fight - but there's no point. Asciel is long gone. He can't even apologize, not that she was likely to have heard him out.
Silence, for a while. If Sayaka or anyone else offers to help him with getting home, Boss will oblige, but otherwise nothing is spoken in the cockpit. As he collects the propeller he used to get here, Yuliana's earlier claims that he's "the best of humanity" ring in his ears; he certainly doesn't feel that way right now.
On the way home, Mucha notes, "we did protect the shuttle. We did what we were here for. That counts for something - a lot, really." Boss isn't sure they did all they were there for, but Mucha's words do console him somewhat. He smiles weakly. "That's true enough. We'll talk about this for sure, but let's do that tomorrow. You two deserve some rest."
<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.
The TDD-1 holds its breath as the assault rages on. To watch as each and every attack strips Asciel down. To marvel at the tenacity of someone set in their convictions.
She's insane. She's beautiful. She's an idiot. I'm stuck with you two, so be nicer. Look at her! Beating herself up for not- Quiet-
The cameras of the TDD-1 focus on Asciel. Zoming. Scanning. It's coming. It is coming. The spectre of denial, refusal, antithesis, the innate want to push everything to another, to just dump everything and just give up, just relax and think of nothing but the day to day activities-
She's on the hull. Criticality.
She's on the hull. A martyr for only her body.
She's on the hull. A stupid death for a stupid machine.
<"Yes, I did."> The heart. It can beat so fast while at a standstill. Staring at the flaming, magnetized hunk of metal in front of her. A gulp. Was this is? Was this the imminent spectre of death? <"Doomed, you say."> That's a term for it. So many better words than that, come on! No one will remember something droll like doomed! <"It's a miracle you've come this far.">
Ah, but I never said it out loud to her, did I? Only during Minerva's speech. Before our time. Yes. The God of 'Possibility' is dead. Not by any of your hands.
It's that sort of denial of thinking that true salvation for her is unshakable that she only smiled. Death would be...And its own miracle happened.
"...Brace for impact." Tessa's voice is controlled. Already gripping the chair. Already mentally preparing herself as the Lambda Driver ignited, as the fluid of concentrated, pure [REDACTED] scorched itself aflame, bathing the TDD-1 in its pure, unyielding will. Scorching down into the ocean, evaporating the cover of water, sinking, searing, scorching, heating, boiling, broiling...And as quick as the heat came, it disappeared.
"GH- Hack...Haa..." A few breaths. The air was practically sizzling, but it should. It should be fine. Careful~! Don't burn your longs~! "Cough....Asciel is...Retrieve the Lambda Driver. Faraday Cage it. We can't let it roam free."
"Aye...cough. Ma'am. Retrieve the Lambda Driver!"
The crew, scorched as they were and with immediate need of all the freshwater bottles on board, were soon to deploy and snag the temporary star. And all the while...
<"Cough...Hack. This is...the Toy Box. Captain Teletha Testarossa. Apologies, Photon Power Labs, Cathedra."> The voice had a firm coldness to it; A teenage girl's voice, softspoken and confident. <"We'll be taking Artytone's Lambda Driver for investigation. If either of you have a problem with it, I'll be happy to settle this on a boardroom floor. Cough."> She really just up and ran. Coward.
<"The shuttle itself is unharmed. Asciel Colette...I have a good idea of where she may be retreating to. No promises. Good job. Toy Box, out."> You'll hunt her down. Not even for payment. Ah, so exciting! Her own existence is a miracle, after all! After all, she went POW! Then KABAM! It was cool!
Comms switched off, a heavy breath heaved. For others, this was the time to lightly bring their mind off the pedal, to try and decompress after the stresses of fighting. ...Unfortunately.
"Prepare the damage reports and prepare to dock in Dakar. Port 204-104, Request Omega Delta with Requisitions 2-001 and 4-210." Work was still not yet over.
<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
This woman is unhinged, Liam thinks, as Asciel frees herself from his blade. The Dilanza sags forwards, its weight balanced on the leg with the damaged AMBAC, and Liam has to pivot awkwardly to keep from toppling. The jets are too chewed up for him to take to the air again. The Mobile Suit stumbles back, its wounded leg groaning beneath it. Liam keeps the blade up, ready to stab again.
"Who hurt you?" Liam breathes. "What hurt you? And don't you dare say 'everyone', or 'the world', why are you like this." There's exasperation in his voice as well as anger. He doesn't know Asciel nearly as well as Leina does, and what she says...
Well. It's equal parts disconcerting and weirdly comforting that 'get therapy' is her response to Asciel, too.
That's the Lambda Driver, Liam realizes, as Asciel wrenches it free. His eyes widen. He raises the beam torch, focuses--
The blast catches the Dilanza Sol head-on, and sends it stumbling back--but the point of Asciel's force of will meets with everything Liam can muster. It keeps its footing, barely. Liam gasps for breath as Asciel flees. "Shit," he hisses, as he realizes Boss, Mucha, and Nuke, weren't nearely so lucky. "Boss, hold on, I'm coming!"
It's the least he can do to help everyone get back home safe.
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
"...I don't think that's who you are at your core, Atrytone," Sayaka refutes her, that she's the logical endpoint of war, even as she stabs a blade into her. "What's true is that this world twists individuals for warlike purposes, even in times of peace. Even someone like you, who had to claw her way there." A sigh.
Even now, Asciel doesn't give up - the way she stops attacks with her bare hands, that seeping energy of sheer rejection... only to tear away her heart.
That light washes upon Aphrodite Areia - it can take it, even as armour crackles and simmers - but what Sayaka worries more about right now is Asciel Colette. She's just never been so good at showing such worries, has she?
She can leave that to Leina who aptly calls her a dummy who needs therapy. It's... pretty accurate.
As for the matter of the Toy Box... "Those terms are more than acceptable." She says, a match for match of Tessa's tone. "Actually, I'm more than happy to have studying yet another mysterious, little-understood technology off my load." She smiles. "...So long as you don't dare use that thing for the wrong reasons."
"We're done here," Sayaka says, tone flat. "Good work, Boss... Ichinana Ichi." She hates to admit it, but Yuliana's void aura actually did help them for once? It's weird.
"Boss? Are you good?" Is asked on the way back, for Sayaka knows when something's off about her old friend. It can't just be that his attack failed, right? That used to happen all the time...
"You're way more.. quiet than usual. I thought you'd be able to keep good cheer more than anyone else, but maybe it's being back in battle after so long. ...Maybe it was her." Whatever happens... Sayaka has a feeling she'll be seeing Atrytone again soon.
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
If there's one thing Naoko can be thankful to Yuliana for, it's that being in the grip of that void makes scoring a hit with a giant club much easier than it otherwise would have been. Not that she will be displaying any gratitude, because having to be exposed to it herself for any length of time is also exceptionally unpleasant. Even if she's better prepared for it than before, it's still absolutely miserable to be left with nothing but her own thoughts. A blessing to some, perhaps, very much not so for her, even aside from the averse effect on her piloting capability.
Mostly due to that, the Sukeban entirely fails to regain its balance after the swing, falling flat on its face. As it picks itself back up, using its club as a crutch, Naoko does her best to muster a response. It doesn't get any further than, "It's not... about ruling, or greed." This is her truth, at least. If only it could be made into the truth of the world, somehow. That would go a long way to solving its problems. But as to how, she has no answers.
Her machine remains in a knelt position as it looks up, the pilot regarding Boss's attack, which - well to her, that brightly shining determination is absolutely beautiful, your mileage may vary. And yet...
She can feel it before she sees it. The refusal. The change. There's the Asciel she knows. ...But is that really a good thing? Of course she never wanted Asciel to be flat out destroyed here. But somehow, it feels as if that didn't become any less likely. If anything, it became more likely. From what she can tell, all that seems to have happened here is that one extreme swung to another, from exerting too much control to too little. But what can she do about this? What can she say?
"Stop..."
Somehow, no other words will come. Just a single, repeated one, louder this time.
"Stop...!"
Asciel isn't stopping. She has to. If she keeps going the way she is, that device in her machine won't stop responding, won't stop escalating.
"Stop!!"
Why isn't it stopping? No, that's not the right question. Why isn't she doing anything to stop it? Is she so terrified of what she knows is going to happen that she can't act? Maybe she really is that self-centered... too concerned for her own safety, too insecure to take the risk.
It's ultimately up to everyone else present to reduce the damage, when the Lambda Driver's nigh-critical state unleashes its fury on all those close to it. She herself remained far enough removed for the Sukeban to only take light damage. Obviously, she isn't proud of herself. Far from it. But, so she tells herself, it's only because there's something she still lacks, right now. Something she's still working on. Once it's complete, then she'll make up for this. She'll make up for everything.