2024-06-15: A Parted Sky over Kamogawa
- Cast: Array Danon Ci, Tavelle Adzvin, Madoka Kyouno, Priscilla, Eldora Team, Kaworu Nagisa, Chloe, Laffinty Fin E Ld Si, Asuka Shikinami Langley, Liam 7-020, Daba Myroad
- Where: Kamogawa, Japan
- Date: U.C. 0099 06 15
- Summary: The first bolt of lightning from a distant star strikes, as the forces of the Yaman Rebellion target the mysterious facility known as Pharos, and the "legendary weapon" they harbor. But even now, the song of the Vox has already begun to sing an opening note...
<Pose Tracker> Array Danon Ci has posed.
"The target couldn't be more obvious if it tried," leads Villagiulio de Metrio Lu during the pre-mission briefing aboard his ship. Projected on a holo-screen is a map of south Japan - zooming in on the unassuming seaside town of Kamogawa...and the very assuming accompanying images of a colossal offshore facility in its waters.
"I'm told it sticks out like a sore thumb even worse in person, hah! We were pretty sure that this was the Zuvorg Alliance's embassy just by watching some of their transport shuttles - but Muginami dug up that the princess of Le Garite is staying in Kamogawa." There's a cheeky grin on Villagiulio's face, that soon sours as he gets a little more serious. "...So I'm sure of it. The mission for today is to rendezvous with some associates who're gonna dive in and try to strike them unawares. Somewhere down there in that base of theirs is the legendary weapon from a disaster that nearly destroyed this planet. If you can detain them, you go for it - but don't risk your lives. You may know it as a fairy tale, but I've seen how devastating it for myself.
"...The green demon will tear the skies..."
"...the blue demon will devour the stars..."
-- -- -- -- --
"...and the orange demon will spew darkness..."
Cutting through Earth's atmosphere like butter, a dark purple Ovid descends with barely a flicker of heat strafing its surface. Inside, eyebrows knitted together, Array Danon Ci recounted that legend he'd once considered a story to make children behave. But he knows better now. He saw for himself, that fateful day. The one that burned Yurikano alive as fuel for a disaster.
...he knew why Izo agreed to make this voyage - you could see on his face that he was wildly in love. He figured why Kirius went along - this was a deeply dishonorable slight on her dignity. And yet Array could only wonder what the pit in his stomach was that dragged him along to this faraway planet.
It wasn't love on his part. The way Yurikano barged in their lives so obnoxiusly, and singled him out as someone utterly out of his depth - forced him to suppress habits built from indifference...what was that?
"It's something I'm only going to figure out if I try," Array concludes, just before his Ovid splashes down into the waters south of Kamogawa.
The moment he does, Pharos goes on high alert. The battleships surrounding it ready their guns - optical cannons unfurl from the platforms flanks...and a request for emergency high-speed support from the rest of NERV goes out.
As the mist settles, and the shape of Array's Teneritas becomes clearer - the ships and cannons all open fire, converging on the broad-shouldered purple mobile weapon. But instead...all of their ammunition is soaked into a dome-like shield projection appearing on command in front of Array - and reflected back at Pharos, sending smoke billowing across its perimeter.
Slowly, cautiously, Array's Teneritas advances, scanning every inch of the facility for a sign. If they really do have that same "Vox" here...a calamity like that repeating on a planet with this many people...
From a hatch at Teneritas' rear, a flare blooms across the sky - signalling that Array's secured a defensive position outside of the target to the rest of the Rebellion!
KTS: Chloe's Ship-11 Alto Makhia has left KTS: Eldora Team has deployed in Eldora Soul. KTS: Daba Myroad has deployed in L-Gaim. KTS: Chloe has deployed in Ship-11 Alto Makhia. KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: Array_Danon_Ci has deployed as a Boss for 2 opponents.
<Pose Tracker> Tavelle Adzvin has posed.
Tavelle Adzvin doesn't have much of a personal connection with this part of the Rebellion.
If you asked her, she wouldn't admit a closeness to *any* part of it, precisely, but she does seem to be tied to the Pentagonian side of things, and then to a lesser extent the Terrans. She doesn't really know very much about KISS.
"The Zuvorg do like their big guns," was her only comment on the offshore facility during the briefing. It's not the biggest she's seen, but it's definitely got some kind of importance just because of its size. "There's a certain kind of person who just thinks bigger is better..."
She'd better come along. Just in case. Or just in case there's salvage to be found.
---
Tavelle is a little less certain about things now that she's actually on the battlefield.
For all that she's a good pilot, she hasn't actually... fought all that much. She salvages, and she builds weapons, but being part of a quasi-military operation is weird, actually.
She wipes her hands on the legs of her pilot suit for about the eighth time before she grips the controls again, waiting for the signal...
...and there it is!
Tavelle lets some of the other Yaman members approach first before she guns the Lestrail's engines, sending it after them in long, loping bounds, its tail extended backwards as its upper body leans forward, a strangely reptilian pose.
And that's the first look any Earthling gets at a Lestrail: a unit with a short, almost recessed head; hands with three elongated fingers and a thumb; legs that bend backwards compared to a human (or most mobile suits); and of course the distinctive long, whiplike tail.
Tavelle's Lestrail differs from the average (not that anyone has seen the average) by having a clamp-like attachment on the end of its tail and by having the back-mounted over-the-shoulder guns removed, replaced with a fan-like array of... something worn like a backpack. She's left it in its standard colour pattern, at least, mostly because she hasn't come up with a new pattern she likes.
It approaches not-quite stealthily, bounding closer and closer but never quite opening up.
<Pose Tracker> Madoka Kyouno has posed.
Madoka, as per her usual schedule on these downward days of the encroaching summer, had to stop something midway. From conversing with a mother who needed help after a particularly nasty fall weeks prior to be flexing the fingers of her pilot suit so soon afterwards, the largest thing on her mind was making up for having to abandon midway. She'd be fine; Her husband was right at the doorstep, luckily enough.
"Only one craft? Not good, not good." The over-the-phone briefing was enough to understand the general situation. One craft. Ovid. Probable attack. What did Moid say they were? Le Garite? Rebellion? Even with so much information dumped on her, she couldn't absorb it all easily...!
A deep breath in. A deep breath out. Closing the locker and slapping her cheeks, before giving the self a reassured smile. A hand grabbing at a hairband, pulling her bangs up and wrapping in a topknot. Do what you can, when you can.
"Lan. Let's do our best."
That smile only brightens. These people would be in trouble if she didn't ride it. Ergo, she shall.
From the side of Pharos, a hatch leading into a runway opens up. Madoka's fingers flex along the handles, taking another breath in and out...Her phone's dangling on a lower protrusion by the handle, the orange device glinting like any normal phone. Settle the heart down. Take a bit. Take a breather.
"Kyouno." Tadoroko on comms. The figurative (literal) head of this facility.
"Yes?"
"The fate of this planet rests on your hands."
"Huh!?"
"Vox Aura, launching!"
And out sprung the Ovid, scored along the surface of the runway in its glory, lifting off soon after and curving a wide angle along the broadside of Pharos's coast, piercing in and out of the rising smoke of the facility. It's a graceful thing in the skies, even as the pilot resorts to breathing exercises to keep mildly calm. Steer steady. Feel the movements, listen to the machine. Curve, curve, curve...
Target. Curve in, brace herself, and pierce through, the streak of green cresting before angling downwards, a simplistic, straightforward motion of just Ramming Down Onto The Ovid in question, mind completely sidestepping the question of that barrier. It should work. It should!
And on the comms. She's just. On the open radio. "Yes, yes, excuse meeeeee! Could you please tell us why you're here? I mean, you're after Pharos so there's only one thing, but could you tell me why?"
Why did she sound so perplexed about it!?
KTS: Madoka Kyouno targets Array Danon Ci with Piercer Mode - Midori Stab! KTS: Madoka Kyouno has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Array Danon Ci engages charge against Madoka Kyouno's Piercer Mode - Midori Stab! KTS: Best Defense! Array Danon Ci successfully reacts to Madoka Kyouno's Piercer Mode - Midori Stab, taking 2775 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 29525 <Pose Tracker> Priscilla has posed.
"Isn't it like, a huge coincidence that their princess happened to get here around the same time we did?" Priscilla isn't shy to ask her own questions during the briefing, because while Lord Villagiulio holds a lot of influence in the Yaman Rebellion for contributing many resources to its backbone - at the end of the day, they're a loose coalition of free agents.
"But if they really do have a weapon like that... hopefully we can stop them from ever getting the chance to use it. The people shielding them are from Earth, so they might not even have any idea what they're getting into...!" After all, from this perspective, it's quite easy to come to this conclusion that the princess is hiding things from her Earth benefactors. "So we've got to put a stop to this before it's too late, right?"
She hates to turn Earth into a battlefield, after spending time in it, but if that legend is true... Earth might turn into nothing at all if the Voxes activate again. Their coordinated attack is cautious yet efficient, though, with Array taking the lead. Captain Zamana's Blind Bet is here to facilitate them - and Priscilla's Brownie dives out towards the Harbour housing what is an obvious Zuvorg base.
Brownie is a machine built to protect others, and it will, even if it means from power as destructive as the Vox... but Priscilla can't deny she's kind of itching for a fight. She takes slow cautious movements first, she's controlling the machine physically - so it's better not to exhaust herself before the battle even starts. She had the heavy armour bolted on, so she'll be able to defend herself from a surprise attack...
When she notices a couple of kind of weirdly-shaped, yet massive 'Armours' try to arrive from a Stealth Bomber? "I see reinforcements... but at that size, they're just asking to be shot down. I'll take the yellow one!" Priscilla transmits - and jumps, aiming the tail-mounted machine gun for Kaworu's Unit Beta.
Her laser comm lines she had installed attempt to reach Unit Beta. "I'm sorry," She apologizes, as she always does before she fights - but in the Japanese she's picked up from hanging around Nouvelle Tokyo. And she fires a light round of bullets - not enough to deal serious damage to an Evangelion, just to disrupt and hinder its entry into the battle.
KTS: Priscilla targets Kaworu Nagisa with Rabbit-Tail Cannon Light Sweep! KTS: Priscilla has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa engages guard against Priscilla's Rabbit-Tail Cannon Light Sweep! KTS: Best Defense! Kaworu Nagisa successfully guards Priscilla's Rabbit-Tail Cannon Light Sweep, taking 2700 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Eldora Team has posed.
Evil and villainy is afoot! There is a secret weapon to be destroyed! This is the most important detail the Eldora Five grasped from the briefing, and it's exactly the kind of thing they've been waiting for. They won't let this terror run unopposed! "You can count on us", declares Nero, leader of the Five. "Taking down shadowy forces of destruction is our specialty!"
A large, golden, combining Armor awaits the signal; Eldora Soul stands proud, a green glow shining from its forehead, the blue bird that forms its chest gazing out into the horizon. It's specialized in ground combat, and its pilots are confident to match. Nero restlessly watches for the flare, as Jose leans back with a confident smirk. Barrio busies himself with ensuring the Armor is ready to go at a moment's notice... and Carlos is asleep, as usual.
The moment that flare goes up, Eldora Soul leaps into action! ...That's what Nero expects, anyway, and so the upper limbs of the machine move to prepare for a leap, while the rest of the machine goes nowhere. He whips his head around to glare at Jose: "You're as bad as Carlos! We're supposed to make our entrance! Right now!" Jose doesn't so much as glance up from his controls as he responds; "Cool it for two seconds, would you? If I weren't here, you'd be waltzing into enemy fire twice a week... There!"
This exclamation marks Eldora Soul's actual jump, knocking Nero around a bit until he settles back in his seat. When it does land, it's in full view of the defenses, but Jose's made sure none of them are actively firing in their direction the moment they land. It'll only take a moment for them to be targeted; but, then, they'll have to lead their shots, because the Armor starts sprinting for Pharos. Any attacks that do aim for them will have to contend with Barrio, taking control of the right arm to nimbly brandish a gold-and-green shield. "Let's see your weapons try to break our heroic spirit!"
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
A distress signal and call for help went out from Pharos to NERV HQ. The Angels are technically classified as a type of kaiju, but given how disparate where they appear from and the generally unknown status of their origins, they're also considered by some to be aliens, so NERV is technically familiar with battling alien lifeforms. When that purple Ovid descends from the heavens and splashes into the sea, only to rise up and reflect Pharos's attacks back at them--that's not unlike known enemy protocols, even if this is clearly a new type of enemy. The flare that sears into the sky, heralding the arrival of several more enemy mechs, only underscores that this is an attack and not some unfortunate misunderstanding.
Such an attack can't go ignored. Especially not when Pharos is sending out that cry for help.
Kaworu is thus deployed in Evangelion Unit Beta, transported by aircraft to Kamogawa and air-dropped, along with several other NERV pilots and units. One of them is Asuka in Unit-02. Kaworu gives her and her Eva a long look just before the aircraft hooks disengage and Unit Beta is sent into freefall.
She's far from his favorite person to work with, but they'll have to work closely going forward. She is, after all, his responsibility.
"Unit Beta, descending," he states, transmitting through Unit Beta's receivers to the other NERV mechs and support back at HQ. Madoka transmits her own message--to the Ovid, asking them why they're doing this. Kaworu glances her way, and then over to Array in the Ovid, during his descent. He's interested in that answer, too.
R However Array responds, when Unit Beta lands, it's not with a tremendous THUMP like one would expect from such a massive robot, but with a twirl, a flip, an extension of her back pylons and from them her A.T. wings, and a whisper-quiet stop on tiptoe. (So to speak. Evangelions don't have toes (that you can see). Could you imagine a robot with toes?) One of the enemy units, a pink cat-eared unit with a blank face, opens fire on Unit Beta during the descent; some of those shells make it through to batter that champagne-gold armor, but the rest are deflected when those wings arise and curve defensively around the Evangelion.
That's not the only thing the Brownie sends Unit Beta's way. There's also that comm line, and over it, the Brownie's pilot apologizes. Kaworu gives the windowed image of the Brownie a curious look. "Are you?" he transmits back. It is a sincere question.
However Priscilla responds, Unit Beta raises a single hand. As her white hair billows behind her and her wings flicker out, an orange-iridescent, hexagonal barrier appears before her--then WHOOSHES towards the Brownie to ram into it and force it back. Hit or miss, it'll flicker out too an instant later.
KTS: Kaworu Nagisa: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Priscilla with Rejection! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Chloe has posed.
~ One day in the withered ground
The rusty air hangs while no one's around
I am holding back
Here I am alone ~
Is that singing?
Music spreads across the battlefield on the allied channel shared by NERV and its aligned groups, accompanying the sweet words. The power of song is not to be underestimated! Tracing the signal will show it to be coming from above. Shortly an object blasts through a cloud, a large machine painted primarily white with red highlights. The design is close to that which the NERV personnel here have seen Chloe pilot in the past, but its polished frame and the more ornate livery suggests a newer creation. Although it's seen combat already, defending its home from the giant monsters known as Meteora, this is the first time anyone here has actually seen it deploy.
Ship 11.
Alto Makhia.
The Makhia plummets out of the sky, lacking any signs of thrust and certainly far from aerodynamic, it seems like it's going to hit the coast hard. But then it seemingly begins to slow. Beneath it, the ocean bulges upwards, the water slowly rising well above sea level as if to reach out towards the falling machine.
The Alto Makhia hits the water at well below what should be terminal velocity, quickly sinking down a dozen metres or so until its feet hit the sea floor of the shallows. The impact creates a large splash of water and rising waves, but the sea quickly settles down again, returning to normal levels.
The Alto Makhia stands up to its full height (~80m) after its landing. In the large interior cockpit, Chloe stands with the holographic versions of her Makhia's limbs covering her own. On the large set of triangular screens making up the forward cockpit wall is the sight of the battle taking place around the floating base, Pharos.
'So that's the the mobile HQ of Novumundus.' Chloe had heard of it, but this is her first time seeing it. It's impressive, making something as large as that float and even able to move.
Floating in the cockpit beside Chloe, Noa pauses in her singing to report somewhat flatly, "I am detecting several hostile units. Some of which have already engaged the Pharos defenses."
Chloe flexes her fingers, her Makhia following the movements. From her understanding, the two piloting those strange machines... 'Vox'. They are the ones that were at that NERV meeting. Though Chloe didn't interact directly with them...
"Then let's give them a hand." Chloe reaches up towards her back. The Makhia follows suit, reaching to grab the two large, identical weapons attached on its back. It brings the two railgun rifles down, dual wielding them in preparation to provide support for its allies.
KTS: Chloe targets Madoka Kyouno, Laffinty Fin E Ld Si, and Liam 7-020 with Sound Spirit! KTS: Chloe has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Chloe's Emotional Support Co-pilot activates Wall and Focus! KTS: Priscilla has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
"Cap."
That's the caution coming out of Eri Watabe, executive officer of the Novumundus research facility, Pharos. More importantly, she's the bridge officer in charge of keeping an eye out for enemy attack. "We're detecting an unknown ship on approach vector. SAL air control says it's not one of theirs. ETA 30 minutes."
Shozo Tadokoro, captain of the Pharos, sits at his console, glaring at the holographic screen to the fore, depicting an unknown ship design. "Is it them...?" he mutters.
To the side, their Le Garite advisor, ever prim and enigmatic Moid Balance T., hums. "Oh, yes, that's them. That's a Kiss-affiliated landing craft." He tips his head, though his eyes never clearly open. "They've come."
"Right," Tadokoro grimaces. "Get the defense fleet in defense position, and notify NERV. Are Kyouno and the Princess here?"
Moid tips his head to the side, checking something on his headset. "No, but I'll send for Her Majesty to come at once."
Tadokoro's grimace evolves into a full on frump. "Uehara, get TO sequence warmed up, we'll need them in the air immediately."
The woman of the duo at the center console calls back, "Aye!"
*
Soon, Madoka grabs Lan's wrist and pulls her away to battle. Lan's expression curdles with worry instantly. But she says, "Yes."
And soon after THAT, Lan is in the hangar bay of Pharos, looking up at Vox Lympha, the blue machine with the sleek Ovid lines silent before her. Even after her resolution with Madoka...it's so hard to trust it. But she places her hand on the machine's nose, staring with intensity for several long seconds. Her stomach jumps and twists. Her jaw aches and she realizes her teeth are clenched. "...let's go, Orca," she tells it, and moves to the boarding stairs, into the Vox Core that is the cockpit; into the motorcycle seat of the Piercer Mode cockpit. Bent over and gripping the handles, she feels the faint, uncanny connection of the Vox grasping at her biotelepathic waves. She doesn't say much until she hears, "Vox Lympha, TO ready!" from Uehara in the control consoles. "Guidance AI is online! Go!"
"Vox Lympha, launching!" Laffinty calls, and the blue and white plane-like shape accelerates down the takeoff ramp, trailed by ribbon-like tracers of Vox particles. She surveys the damage caused by Array's initial salvo, frown deepening. "Reflection like that...it has to be subspace defensive field...so they're already fielding them?" she murmurs to herself.
Seeing as the battle is joined - a few machines even managing to punch through the picket fleet and get feet on Pharos, to her horror - she grabs for an attachment at Lympha's side, a decidedly Earth-make machine cannon, and spins it up into position. Lympha picks the target - a rear-support unit cruising in in fits and starts - and Lan decides to pull, peppering Tavelle's approach with fire. "I can't...let them have it!"
KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si accepts Chloe's Sound Spirit! KTS: Chloe's sound spirit flares with her performance, raising Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Morale! KTS: Best Defense! Laffinty Fin E Ld Si successfully reacts to Chloe's Sound Spirit, taking 0 damage! KTS: [Spiritual Adjustment] Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Is This Friendship? activates, and her spirit is adjusted further! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si targets Tavelle Adzvin with 120mm Machine Gun Burst! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Liam 7-020 accepts Chloe's Sound Spirit! KTS: Chloe's sound spirit flares with her performance, raising Liam 7-020's Morale! KTS: Best Defense! Liam 7-020 successfully reacts to Chloe's Sound Spirit, taking 0 damage! KTS: Madoka Kyouno accepts Chloe's Sound Spirit! KTS: Chloe's sound spirit flares with her performance, raising Madoka Kyouno's Morale! KTS: Best Defense! Madoka Kyouno successfully reacts to Chloe's Sound Spirit, taking 0 damage! KTS: Priscilla fails to engage guard against Kaworu Nagisa's Rejection! KTS: Best Defense! Priscilla successfully reacts to Kaworu Nagisa's Rejection, taking 2775 damage! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa rattles Priscilla, making her next maneuvers more difficult. <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
An alert comes in from Kamogawa, with 'boots' on the ground - or rather the harbor, already, it's decided the sea approach is too slow to field an alien invasion.
So instead, an enormous plane takes off with an Evangelion bolted to it's underside, like a Colossus wearing a jet powered glider.
As it floats over Kamogawa's harbor, the girl inside of an entry plug watched her Eva's instruments zoom down upon Array's Ovid, "I have no idea what you are, or what planet you came from, but you have no idea how glad I am..."
Signalling her release, she lets her features contort into something vicious, "... that you decided to pick this fight!"
The Evangelion drops like a skydiver at first, arms outspread and legs outspreads, before Asuka jerks the induction levers wildly, forcing it into an end over end somersault.
"<What took you so long, Omega Impact? I'm already halfway to LZ.>" She grouses, as they make the way down. However on the way down...
... she spots it...
"What... is that?"
The combining armor makes it's debut, and it poses. The descending Evangelion sights it down and Asuka...
"The hell is that?"
... asks the question again!? More confused as it splashes down, sending a great rolling wave of water forward as the Evangelion's crossbow hums to life.
"<Usually I'd bother with a warning of what you're messing with but you know what?>"
The trigger is pulled and Barrio might have his work cut out for him with his shield, as what follows is an enormous crossbow bolt traveling at upwards of Mach 8 from the electromagnetic railgun, aimed right at it's lower torso.
KRAK-THOOM!
"<You REALLY remind me of someone I OWE A BEATING!>"
KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley targets Eldora Team with MM-144 EC Super-Electromagnetic Crossbow Long Shot ! KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Tavelle Adzvin engages guard against Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's 120mm Machine Gun Burst! KTS: Critical Hit! Tavelle Adzvin poorly guards Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's 120mm Machine Gun Burst, taking 3780 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Wan. activates, causing Nullify! KTS: Eldora Team has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Eldora Team engages charge against Asuka Shikinami Langley's MM-144 EC Super-Electromagnetic Crossbow Long Shot ! KTS: Best Defense! Eldora Team successfully reacts to Asuka Shikinami Langley's MM-144 EC Super-Electromagnetic Crossbow Long Shot , taking 3600 damage! Escudo Shard teleports in. Escudo Shard teleports out.
<Pose Tracker> Array Danon Ci has posed.
As the members of the Yaman Rebellion back Array up, in all their eclectic disparity, part of him feels a weight in his eyes. He's really about to go beyond swiping an Ovid and into outright treason against the Alliance and Le Garite, isn't he...?
...The other part of Array hides the shortest of smirks. "Maybe my reasons for doing this are pretty selfish after all. Hahah...sorry, Kirius, Izo. ...Sorry to you too, Yurikano."
The Evagelion units descending from the sky make Array grimace - their strange, eerie human-like elegance and mysterious barriers are certainly a candidate for what you'd make from a cursed legendary weapon. But if it's already in Le Garite's hands - those weapons are nothing like an Ovid at all. Though Array's a little reticent to say "unhelpful" things - he can't help but relay a simple "Be careful, I don't like the look of what you're engaged with. Earth weapons are unpredictable." to Priscilla and the El Dora Five.
Hands on twin holo-keyboards, Array's interrupted by the descending of two runways from Pharos, and the high speed launch of two unknown craft. There, his eyes narrow - signs of Le Garite make, enough to call those craft "Ovids" to him. But...why are they shaped so strangely? He has his answer quickly - figuring the green one is being reckless charging into the Subspace Field directly like that, Array instead recoils as the material shatters, sending Teneritas flying with the Piercer's prow buried into his Ovid's stomach.
Skidding across the water's surface, Array recoils hearing the pilot open communications for such a simple question. Standard protocol would be not to communicate too openly - not to give anything away to the authorities. But Array wants to know - and a cable unwinds from Teneritas' arms to attach to Midori.
"You sound...clueless. That Ovid you're in...if that's the legendary Vox, then you have no idea what you're doing right now...!"
That very cable used for communication then elicits a powerful electrical shock, partly to get distance from Madoka, and partly because the Makhia's descent registers as a new threat on Array's radar. In the interim, he calls in to Tavelle, a little more breathlessly, "Adzvin, what you're engaged with - I think that's what we're after here. Of course...the green demon and the blue demon. Don't underestimate it! I saw it too, after all - I was there, on Gallia IV, the day that power tore the world in half!"
Gaining just enough elevation to get the high ground on Chloe, Array pushes himself just enough to get lightheaded. Just enough to make a rash decision to call out, "You don't understand the danger of what's in that facility! So show me...just what kind of planet this is, just what kind of weapon you are, and if you're still cursed by that disaster."
The twin intakes on the Teneritas' shoulders flare and pulse - firing bolts of subspace energy over and over at the Makhia. Even just this much though...Array's already sweating up a storm.
(Array, the only way you're gonna get in better shape is two miles every morning!)
(Array, spending that much time gaming's just going to make your flight skills rust away!)
(Jeez, Array, what'll it take to get you to put in the effort you know you'll need to graduate?)
"Stop...REMINDING me...of how I couldn't keep that going without you...!"
KTS: Madoka Kyouno's The Want of Caring activates! KTS: Array Danon Ci targets Madoka Kyouno with Auxiliary Shock Wire Hit! KTS: Array Danon Ci targets Chloe with Subspace Primary Cannon Aimed Shot! KTS: Array Danon Ci has completed their actions for the round. KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 98. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 70. KTS: Chloe engages charge against Array Danon Ci's Subspace Primary Cannon Aimed Shot! KTS: Chloe's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Chloe successfully reacts to Array Danon Ci's Subspace Primary Cannon Aimed Shot, taking 2850 damage! <Pose Tracker> Tavelle Adzvin has posed.
The Lestrail can't approach by any way but in leaping bursts; it doesn't fly, doesn't swim (though it could walk along the bottom if she really had to), but boy can it jump.
It jumps onto land, flicking water off its tail, and looks around as Tavelle considers her options. She's still never been in a battle quite like this before, but she said she'd help, and she can't imagine anything good from a Zuvorg-aligned outpost like *this*, even if she doesn't really believe in prophecy.
She could at least get some analysis -
"Hey, those are guns!" Tavelle only says it to herself, yanking hard on her controls and pulling Lestrail Blader to a stop, raising its arms to protect its face and upper torso from the bullets. Its arms are pretty reinforced, but they're not exactly invulnerable.
"<Wait, it's *this*?>" she transmits back to Array, followed by: "<Why am *I* fighting it? You owe me one!>" You have to be alive to cash in a debt, though... She actually regards the Vox a little more directly. All curves, she thinks. There's barely a straight line anywhere on it. How much of a pain in the ass would that thing be to shape and construct? Especially that ... frill, or whatever.
But while she's thinking, she's also thinking about how to take it apart. Let's see how they like this, she decides.
The Lestrail raises both arms, presenting its hands palm-first. That isn't particularly worrying until the concealed laser guns built into the arms, each emitter centered at the base of the palm, begin to shine and then blast a paired blue-white beam at Lan's Vox - less a beam you can see travel and more a line that takes a moment to build up, then blasts down its entire length all at once.
Oh god, Tavelle thinks a moment later, I just challenged a legendary unit to a fight. Help?
KTS: Tavelle Adzvin targets Laffinty Fin E Ld Si with Laser Arm Cannon! KTS: Tavelle Adzvin has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
A third craft brings up the rear of the approaching NERV wing. It's almost as massive as the two stealth craft, but much bulkier, with an airframe designed to use something other than jet engines for propulsion. (It's a Britannian Float System, judging by the readings.) As the three aircraft make their final approach, it pulls into a slow, shallow dive--
And its frame pulls apart, transforming. The wings break open along joints. Arms and legs swing out from inside. The resulting machine--humanoid, enormous, densely-armored--lands in the bay, and raises its right arm. The massive cannon built into the limb swivels upwards, targeting the incoming formation.
"Opening fire," says Liam, his voice a little tight, a little tense. These aren't kaiju. These are piloted craft, all of disparate makes. It feels like it's been ages since he's had to shoot at something with another person inside. (The last time he did, it was Guy Shishioh, and those were even worse circumstances than usual.)
The Akashima's arm cannon roars to life, sending a hail of lead into the enemy formation. The smart rounds do some of the work, and Liam's stomach tightens as he watches the targeting reticle refine and relocate as more data comes in.
"Madoka, Lan, do you--who are these people?"
KTS: Liam 7-020's The Hound activates! KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Daba Myroad with Akashima Arm Cannon Shot! KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Liam 7-020's Tactical Intelligence activates Focus! <Pose Tracker> Eldora Team has posed.
The Eldora Shield can take quite a bit of scattered fire, but the opponent who appears to stop their approach is not in the business of light attacks. It drops a long way away from them, but its threat is posed right away, as that bolt of energy sears towards them: fast enough that the pilots scarcely have time to warn each other verbally.
Eldora's stride is not so easily broken, though; it can even actually run, now! Barrio whips the right arm around to hold the shield before its chest, as Jose lowers the legs into a skid, such that the shield actually contacts the bolt.
It's not perfectly executed, and the shield would struggle with the sheer force even if it was; several insistent beeps start up on the Armor's various screens in complaint at the rough hit they took. What they don't lose, though, is speed; they quickly resume their sprint, and alter course directly for the red...
What is that? The Team is used to animalistic Armors, but this is no dinosaur, nor does it seem like anything they've seen in their time with the Rebellion. In any case, it's clearly an enemy, so they'll have to settle for that for now. They'll make a note to ask about it later... and probably forget that note over drinks.
What's not so easily dismissed is the voice that reaches them through the comms. Even through its intense anger, they can tell the speaker is young; not enough for them to dismiss her combat potential, but enough to suggest this probably isn't the Evil Mastermind. It's not enough information to draw any certain conclusions from, but they certainly notice.
They don't have much time to consider this though; nor do they have time to hold back. Asuka's voice is one thing, but her words are another; Nero opens comms to retort; "Eldora V is one-of-a-kind! But if there's anyone on this planet who looks like us... you must have a habit of making trouble for Earth's defenders, huh?! Well, let us open your eyes! ELDORA ATAQUE!"
With that, Eldora Soul seeks to close the distance with a flying punch, and follow it up with a series of close-combat blows!
KTS: Eldora Team targets Asuka Shikinami Langley with Eldora Ataque! KTS: Eldora Team has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eldora Team's Bravery, Justice, Fighting Spirit! activates Focus and Trick! KTS: Daba Myroad engages block against Liam 7-020's Akashima Arm Cannon Shot! KTS: Best Defense! Daba Myroad successfully blocks Liam 7-020's Akashima Arm Cannon Shot, taking 2250 damage! <Pose Tracker> Priscilla has posed.
The other of the really big Armours made a beeline for the Eldora Team... they're teammates and Priscilla really wants to support them - especially since they didn't have time to take the initiative (or too much pride to). But in their current formation, she just has to trust they'll be okay. They're veterans, after all.
And Priscilla's eyes widen with surprise at the sheer fluidity of movement Unit Beta is capable of - she's only seen, well, her own robot move like that, and it's many meters smaller in scale. Is that thing piloted - or is it directly controlled like hers?
Whatever the answer is, right now, they're an enemy, someone who's here to protect something that's far too dangerous for this world. She'll have time to admire their beautiful Armour later. After all, most of her bullets are being curved away like it's nothing...
'Are you?' The pilot responds, and Priscilla frowns. "I really am, pilot of NERV," Priscilla reiterates, and her tone really does sound genuine. "I don't want to hurt you! But considering what you're protecting... I can't hold back against you either." Sure, her mastery of the Japanese language isn't the best, but while NERV's personnel have likely been told these are aliens they're fighting... they can communicate, it seems.
She pauses, jumping back to reposition Brownie as the Unit Beta approaches. "Did that Princess you're working with even tell you anything about the power of those weapons?" Kaworu and the Unit Beta unleash their own power, though - and those hexagonal waves of orange light are certainly unlike any party trick Priscilla has seen in an Armor before.
It flashes - and crashes against Brownie's shields, not really seeming to do any major damage to the pink rabbit Armour. But it certainly causes the installed sensors to go haywire, effectively 'blinding' Priscilla, to put it in terms of her own experience of it. "What? What in the world was that?" She grits her teeth, regaining a fighting stance. Her every sense is on edge - but they're also telling her that this must be a fierce opponent.
"I just hope you don't think you can just push me away that easily!" If bullets won't do it, then it's time to switch to some close-quarters combat. Brownie jumps back, using its relatively small size to aim a reinforced punch against the Evangelion's armour, followed by a kick while it's still in the air. She doesn't want to hurt the pilot, and she meant that... but who is she to turn down the challenge issued by the A.T. Field's rejection?
KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Priscilla targets Kaworu Nagisa with Brownie One-Two Combo! KTS: Priscilla has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley engages parry against Eldora Team's Eldora Ataque! KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley's EN Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Asuka Shikinami Langley successfully reacts to Eldora Team's Eldora Ataque, taking 1800 damage! <Pose Tracker> Daba Myroad has posed.
Daba furrows his brow as the Evangelions descend from above, the titanic entities dwarfing the majority of their machines. "Brownie, El Dora Soul, stand by for - " A whine from his heads-up-display draws his attention to the Akashima behind the two EVAs as lead projectiles fill the air between them. L-Gaim whirls, raising its solar-panelled shield to intercept the barrage, and is sent flying away from the protective bubble of Array's machine as the Polyhedron pilot is in turn assaulted by one of the Kamogawa defenders.
"Never mind. Targeting third heavy defender."
The booster pack on L-Gaim's back fires as flaps on its shins pop open, additional thrusters firing as Daba stays in the sky, the arm-mounted power launcher thrust out towards the Akashima.
"Firing!"
A lance of golden, crackling energy bursts forth from the launcher towards the heavy NERV machine.
KTS: Daba Myroad targets Liam 7-020 with Power Launcher Aimed Shot! KTS: Daba Myroad has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Liam 7-020 engages guard against Daba Myroad's Power Launcher Aimed Shot! KTS: Liam 7-020 poorly guards Daba Myroad's Power Launcher Aimed Shot, taking 4410 damage! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si fails to engage block against Tavelle Adzvin's Laser Arm Cannon! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's EN Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Laffinty Fin E Ld Si successfully reacts to Tavelle Adzvin's Laser Arm Cannon, taking 2550 damage! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa engages parry against Priscilla's Brownie One-Two Combo! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa's Will Barrier activates, negating 2500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Kaworu Nagisa successfully reacts to Priscilla's Brownie One-Two Combo, taking 1100 damage! KTS: Madoka Kyouno engages react against Array Danon Ci's Auxiliary Shock Wire Hit! KTS: Madoka Kyouno poorly reacts to Array Danon Ci's Auxiliary Shock Wire Hit, taking 3255 damage! <Pose Tracker> Chloe has posed.
Chloe isn't privy to the discussion between Array and Madoka. From her perspective she sees them clash against each other. And then that strange looking machine opens fire on her with some kind of energy bolts.
The Alto Makhia is bulky, even compared to its roughly equivalently sized allies the Evangelions. It doesn't look like the kind of thing to move fast and that becomes obvious as it doesn't even try to evade those rapid fire bolts. Instead, numerous separate panels of blue light appear covering the Makhia's front. Some of the fired subspace bolts impact against these panels. Others get past them and strike against the Makhia directly to inflict some actual damage.
Chloe is not worried.
In the cockpit, Noa reports between stanzas, "Mirror Generator operating at full efficiency. Confirming absorption of energy from the enemy's attacks. As expected, the system is functional even against non-Meteora foes."
Chloe grips the twin railgun rifles a little tighter. This machine is definitely a significant upgrade from the mass produced Makhia she's used before. With this, she'll be able to...
Chloe radios the Vox Aura, recalling the girl's name from that one NERV meeting. Chloe's voice is fairly flat as she says, <"Madoka, isn't it? We'll provide covering fire. So do what you have to do.">
~ I see that someone flies with broken wings
Without the wind, I should give in
To someone worse than I comes to the crowded sky
Now's our time to let it go ~
The Alto Makhia raises the railgun rifle in its right hand, sticking with just the one right now. In the cockpit, Noa states, "Switching to charged rounds." The Makhia pulls the trigger, multiple times, rapid fire metal bolts start blasting out of the weapon in bursts towards Array's machine. They crackle with electricity, each projectile charged to deliver a shock to whatever it hits.
KTS: Chloe targets Array Danon Ci with Ship-11 Rifles Shocking Shots! KTS: Chloe has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Chloe's Emotional Support Co-pilot activates Focus and Trick! <Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
It's a beautiful song that Noa sings. Kaworu hums along with a smile. However, it doesn't last. During the descent, he frowns slightly at Asuka's 'friendly' greeting. The two of them hate each other and so he has no reason to think she would care about how he feels. Nonetheless, he asks, "If I were to tell you I dislike the nickname 'Omega Impact,' would you stop using it, or would you use it more?"
But the two of them have their own opponents to face, and Asuka seems eager to fight hers. One glance tells Kaworu why. He's not interested in interfering, so however she responds, he'll likely leave it at that. For now, he focuses back on Priscilla--who says that she really is sorry to have to fight him. His usual crooked smile returns.
"I see. I don't want to hurt you either. But I can't allow you to attack our allies either," he replies, noting that she addresses him as a pilot of NERV. So they're already aware of who they are and who they're fighting. Curious. So, too, is the rest of what she says--as well as her follow-up question.
"Some," Kaworu replies, eyes flicking briefly towards Lan in the Vox Lympha--and from there, Madoka and Array as they do battle, Chloe supporting Madoka from behind. He looks back towards Priscilla in the Brownie. "Lilim call it an A.T. Field. You can think of it as a particularly powerful barrier that some of our units are capable of producing," he explains. "As for you, I'm curious to hear what your understanding of the situation is. Would you mind sharing?"
She isn't going to share without backing down from the fight, though, as evidenced by how she launches into a punch-kick combo, undeterred by his defenses even as she seems shaken. Kaworu bids Unit Beta draw her Heat Rapier, which sweeps from side to side to block direct impact; however, the force is sufficient to travel through it into Unit Beta's arms, aggravating her joints. That pain reflects back into Kaworu himself, whose head bows as Unit Beta retreats a step. His fingertips dance along the controls in the entry plug, and she thrusts her rapier forward towards the Brownie in a straightforward frontal attack. As basic as it is, there is strength behind it, though, for while Kaworu might not want to hurt Priscilla either--he, too, enjoys a rousing battle.
KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Priscilla with Forward Stab! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
Kaworu notes he dislikes the nickname, Asuka growls, but then, "Now? You're asking me now? I'll figure out the answer later!"
All that talk over there of Gallia IV... Asuka had been briefed on it, but that power split that world? She's not sure what to think of that, but she's sure not about to trust the word of some alien invader.
As Priscilla though speaks to Evangelion Unit Beta, Asuka asides, "<What is this!? 'I don't want to hurt you'!>"
She mimics the words then audibly scoffs over the comms, "<What are you, stupid? You think you can come to THIS planet and invade a NERV facility with a half-hearted resolve like that?>"
Kaworu however says he doesn't want to hurt her and, "Really!?" Is all she gets time to say because the Eldora V is charging down the Evangelion, and even a good twenty meters smaller, she sees the threat inherent.
Rather than fire another shot however, the Evangelion slings her Crossbow over one of it's pylons, the strap swaying like some kind of big game hunter, as she instead pulls another weapon mounted on it's back.
It Will Mean Victory - Evangelion 3.0 OST - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYS960t_C_o
It's a long staff, bladed on both ends, the Naginata ready for the charge.
As the Eldora Soul swings that flying punch, they find their momentum stalled as they're held in mid-air for just a moment by a rippling barrier of her ATField, before it drops-
-their momentum continues, as the Red Evangelion swings up the staff, slamming into the Eldora Soul's forearm, stealing the force from the attack as it merely grazes across the armor of it's arm.
What happens next is the Evangelion backpeddles, with each blow deflecting it by the staff, again, and again, and again, as if locked in some deadly dance.
"<Eheh...>" Wait, is she chuckling? It's a strange throaty sound, Kaworu's never heard it from the lips of this Asuka. "<... You must think you're some kind of 'hero of justice'? Am I right?>"
She asks, and there's something dangerous in the words, before suddenly she takes a step back, flourishing her staff around in a spin, holding it parallel to the waters now like a spear, arm cocked back like a deadly hunter.
"<Good. You've realized that I'm trouble... but the truth is...!>"
Abruptly the Evangelion surges forward, trying to literally skewer the Eldora Soul through the torso and impale it with the blade end, a hand reaching out to grab it on the shoulder with it's opposite hand.
And PULL! As if to viciously tug the armor further onto the Bladestaff, further through it's components
"<...YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH TROUBLE YOU'RE IN!>"
KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley's Passage of Emptiness activates! KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley targets Eldora Team with NGN-DO1 Naginata Skewer! KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Priscilla has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Priscilla engages parry against Kaworu Nagisa's Forward Stab! KTS: Best Defense! Priscilla successfully reacts to Kaworu Nagisa's Forward Stab, taking 1750 damage! KTS: Eldora Team engages guard against Asuka Shikinami Langley's NGN-DO1 Naginata Skewer! KTS: Eldora Team moderately guards Asuka Shikinami Langley's NGN-DO1 Naginata Skewer, taking 4165 damage! KTS: Array Danon Ci fails to engage block against Chloe's Ship-11 Rifles Shocking Shots! KTS: Array Danon Ci's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Array Danon Ci successfully reacts to Chloe's Ship-11 Rifles Shocking Shots, taking 1725 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 27800 KTS: Chloe begins a Formation attack! KTS: Chloe rattles Array Danon Ci, making their next maneuvers more difficult. <Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
Someone with a certain amount of galactic civilization's mecha development history could probably find the common genes between Array's Teneritas and the Voxes - the legendary machines seem to be based on Polyhedron Federation Ovid technology, if very high caliber. But they're sure nothing like the underwhelming grunts that Kiss and Le Garite spend so much money mutually crashing into each other.
Case in point, when Tavelle releases that laser scouter, Lan flicks a trigger on her console, and a small unit on Lympha's left arm spins open into a large shield, flickering with subspace forces. But the surprise delivery mechanism means she can't quite her shield up in time.
But it grows anyway, the shield's emitter components suddenly pulsing outward into a hemisphere dome that absorbs much of the shot's power. It returns to the Vox's wrist shortly after. In her cockpit, Lan cries out in surprise at the hit, but calls back to the bridge, "I'm fine!" She can't give in. Even as her heart hammers in her chest...
"Vox Lympha...please..." she murmurs, her hands firming on the controls. Breathe. Breathe. ...that other girl is helping Madoka. A red thread of aggravation spirals out of her.
"...Keep Madoka safe, Miss Chloe," she asks, breathlessly fretting.
And then, she chooses to answer Liam. "They're a rebel group called Kiss! They're led by..." She hesitates. How much to tell. She remembers the kind eyes of the man she knows is an enemy. "...a man named Vilagiulio. Mostly they content themselves against Le Garite directly, but they must have figured out we had the Vox here and come for your world, too! It's why Moid and I have stayed! To protect you from people like this!"
"Hn...." she breathes to herself, and then instinctively yanks the controls. In the same moment, Lympha shifts back from Warrior Mode to Piercer, transforming into that almost egg-shaped plane configuration again - and then CHARGES across the distance, galloping through the oncoming machines from Yaman until it shoots PAST Tavelle and her Lestrail. Its legs swing down, rapidly decelerating once its past and transforming back to Warrior - but as it passes, a WAVE of those blue-white particles rushes off its passage, battering Tavelle with the mere force of its passage. "I'll...get in closer...!" Lan declares, tense.
KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Wait For My Moment activates! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si targets Tavelle Adzvin with Piercer Mode Charge Wave! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Tavelle Adzvin fails to engage Evade against Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Piercer Mode Charge Wave! KTS: Critical Hit! Tavelle Adzvin poorly reacts to Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Piercer Mode Charge Wave, taking 4950 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Wan. activates, causing Nullify! <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
Someone's singing. Chloe's here. That must mean--
"Chloe," Liam says. "Thanks. Is that Noa...?"
'You sound... clueless. That Ovid you're in... if that's the legendary Vox, then you have no idea what you're doing right now!'
'Did that Princess you're working with even tell you anything about the power of those weapons?'
Oh no, Liam thinks, dread twisting in his guts. This isn't good. Are these people some sort of ragtag extrasolar Cathedra, hunting down weapons too dangerous to exist?
The surge hits him. Thought and reflex accelerate to lightspeed. He sees the enemy pilot's weapon, estimates probable range and payload type. Liam becomes suddenly, acutely aware that while Gundam-like--don't use that word, the actual Cathedra would say--he's never seen anything exactly like it. Or the oddly reptilian secondary target with the tail. His body moves with superhuman precision, operating controls originally designed for two people.
The Akashima crouches, pulling up its left arm to shield its torso. The wing of its flight mode extends like a shield. The searing wave washes over it, and the armor starts to melt beneath the heat. Red lights ignite in Liam's cockpit. He sucks in a breath, holds it for the four count, and lets it out for a four count.
"Understood," Liam says, aloud.
But is what they're saying true? Liam thinks.
"Enemy pilot," the cyborg says, his voice edging slightly towards the clipped, monotone cadence beaten into him in the Crucible. "Retreat." Please don't let anyone die over this.
The Akashima turns on its heel, tracking L-Gaim with its cannon arm. Rather than unleash another barrage of bullets, it simply fires one--a single penetrator, snapped off with uncanny precision, and steered by the smartgun to rip through the smaller machine's arm at the shoulder.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Daba Myroad with Akashima Arm Cannon Precision Shot! KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Liam 7-020's Tactical Intelligence activates Focus! <Pose Tracker> Madoka Kyouno has posed.
The sudden shield of the Ovid was an expected one, nose bashing against that warped conglomeration of technical prowess...and piercing right through it, bashing against the stomach proper and propelling forward for a few. SLowing down to allow gravity to take care of the rest, the craft veering in, tilting as the Vox fills her mind with the situation.
The vast expanse of water right under the Vox. The sheer expanse of the sky. The din of battle around her, biomechanical instincts pinging through her head, the foreign sensations of craft and human being figuratively one. The song bubbling through the comms, filling that craft with...a galvanized will. It shifts, the craft quickly parting from the spacecraft form to a humanoid one, the back wings shimmering a bright green.
<"No idea what I'm doing? Of course I know what I'm doing!"> Madoka has an idea of what she's doing. What she doesn't know is the sensation of an electric shock across her body, a jolt that halts her advance. To grab at those wires and to try and tug on them, feeling it fruitlessly pop off and wheel. Fine.
Liam's question begs the obvious answer. <"People who want the Vox for their own ends."> So goes the reasoning she's been told by Moid. Nothing further. A breath over the comms. <"And they're attacking my precious city."> Reason enough.
Watching the purple Ovid fly upwards, jetting up after another moment of mental recollection. Higher. Higher. <"Just get him-"> ...The pilot had a male voice. Yes. <"-down, okay!?"> The best thing to hope for in battle was incapacition. Following along, watching the Makhia's bolts fly overhead, the strange sensation of eyes at the back of her head. Not entirely foreign, but...interesting.
Pressing in, fingers flicking in controlled instinct, a small unit in Midori's right arm sprouting into a simple energy sword. The kind found anywhere, one that's used to bullrush towards Array, a wide swing up...
That's a complete feint to grab at his machine with her bare hands. Judo! Straightforward Judo to snag at his machine, work the speed of her craft against his own, and try, try to twist and force the movement to crash towards one of Pharos's runways!
<"I have some idea of what's going on, so tell me all about iiiiit!>"
KTS: Madoka Kyouno has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Madoka Kyouno has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Madoka Kyouno targets Array Danon Ci with Midori Martial Arts - Judo! KTS: Madoka Kyouno has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Array Danon Ci fails to engage react against Madoka Kyouno's Midori Martial Arts - Judo! KTS: Array Danon Ci's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Array Danon Ci poorly reacts to Madoka Kyouno's Midori Martial Arts - Judo, taking 3500 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 24300 KTS: Madoka Kyouno roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Daba Myroad engages evade against Liam 7-020's Akashima Arm Cannon Precision Shot! KTS: Daba Myroad poorly reacts to Liam 7-020's Akashima Arm Cannon Precision Shot, taking 5100 damage! <Pose Tracker> Daba Myroad has posed.
The single round from the Akashima spins through the air, caught again by L-Gaim's shield - and boring through to strike the S-mines stored behind it.
Daba curses in an unfamiliar language, and tries to throw the shield aside, but the secondary detonation takes L-Gaim's left forearm with it.
Deprived of the majority of his options, Daba grits his teeth. "Kyao's gonna be pissed," he mutters, and rockets out of the blast cloud towards the Akashima. "I can't do that," he replies to the pilot, as a panel opens on the Heavy Metal's right forearm and a small cylinder springs into it - a saber!
... Except he points it at the Akashima and bolts of energy fly out of the emitter as he advances.
KTS: Daba Myroad targets Liam 7-020 with Hand Launcher Saber Shot! KTS: Daba Myroad has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Tavelle Adzvin has posed.
And Tavelle has some of the knowledge necessary to trace that mecha development - but the Voxes, and their Ovid descendants, aren't as familiar to her as Zuvorg homeland or Pentagonan or Gradosian units. Wrong part of space...
...but that isn't stopping her from doing her analysis *now*. Tavelle is not a very experienced combat pilot, but she's had training, and she's got a good eye for what is going on here and now. Like that shield, for instance.
"They have something like that?" Tavelle wants one. There's real avarice in her voice - but absent one she's going to have to find another way to get around it.
She rounds the Lestrail, its tail curling as it turns. She's not expecting the transformation - that's one of the things that the Zuvorg heartland doesn't do very often - and she raises her arms as if to block shots from the fast-moving plane.
None come. It's the shockwave instead, which strikes the Lestrail, forcing it backwards, towards the water again. Tavelle braces in her cockpit, one arm pressing its length along a console to hold herself in place while the unit tilts alarmingly, righting itself by using its tail as a third leg to push itself back up.
"Ugh, Earth," she says to herself. Not all of her Bladers will fly on Earth. Some of them will, the bigger ones - but enough?
Best to save it, Tavelle thinks. Now with Lestrail back on two legs, she turns it halfway, presenting its side to the Vox instead of the front, and its tail curls round to point forward. The two 'fingers' of the clamp at the end of it are crackling as electricity builds up between them, arcing back and forth -
And then she discharges a literal thunderbolt at the Vox, lightning complete with booming thunder! A stunning bolt, disorienting and with an electromagnetic surge to blow or jam systems.
It's not all good. Tavelle's cockpit darkens momentarily as she overdraws the retrofitted, rebuilt systems; she slams the palm of her hand on the side of a console and the lights all come back on, except for one status light that remains dark and red. "Ha! I told them it'd work!" The tail is still crackling as she moves the Lestrail, starting to advance on the hopefully-stunned unit.
KTS: Tavelle Adzvin has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Tavelle Adzvin targets Laffinty Fin E Ld Si with Electrobeam! KTS: Tavelle Adzvin has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Liam 7-020 engages evade against Daba Myroad's Hand Launcher Saber Shot! KTS: Liam 7-020 successfully reacts to Daba Myroad's Hand Launcher Saber Shot, taking 3680 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Priscilla has posed.
The other Evangelion pilot joins in their conversation - this time it's a girl. "What's so stupid about it?" Priscilla shoots back. "Aren't you Earthlings? You're not our target - they are!" Brownie very pointedly gestures towards the pair of Vox Aura fighting her allies. "And... and what's it to you, anyways? Aren't you gonna focus on your own fight? It hasn't escaped Priscilla's notice that many of these skirmishes have broken up into duels - not that something like that would really matter to Asuka.
Kaworu on the other hand, is inclined to mirror her sentiment. "A shame, isn't it?" Priscilla smiles, shakily. Kaworu may not want to hurt her, but it sure doesn't sound like he's going to get out of her way, either. "It sounds like we both have no choice but to go all out!" Of course, Priscilla wouldn't be fighting this battle in the first place if she wasn't aware - it's always best to know your enemy.
Priscilla can't say she was expecting the Unit Beta's pilot to divulge that much information, though. "Lil.. im? Is that what the people of Earth call themselves?" She infers, but the more important part is what he says next. "I figured it was some kind of advanced Earth-made offensive shield system. But hey... why are you telling me this? Are you trying to confuse me?" She squints, never keeping her eye off the Unit Beta's form.
As promised, she does share her own perspective, though. "They're supposed to be these awful, world-ending, planet-destroying weapons, aren't they?" She answers, even as Unit Beta draws the Heat Rapier and uses the blade to push her back from her assault. "...Well, that's what I was told. I don't actually know about the world ending part." She realizes she only has Kiss's word to go by here, but the Zuvorg are conquerors - she wouldn't put the planet-destroying part past them.
But that Heat Rapier is coming straight for her, and her tournament-honed instincts are just as effective on a battlefield. A lunge, so she should use her own blades to stop it. She reaches for them and the force of two smaller blades clashes against the much larger one - still creating some recoil for Brownie, but significantly less than if she'd take the attack full on.
"Okay, the Armour's still up," She whispers to herself. "Still don't know everything this guy can do so better not purge it yet.." Instead, she puts the blades away in favour of a whip - cracking it out and creating enough distance to strike. "You're not bad at all," Priscilla grins, starting to really feel the adrenaline rush of combat, even if she shouldn't. "But let's see if your A.T. Shield can protect you from this!! Spark Needles, go!" The whip spreads out into needles, each electrifying as they strike against Unit Beta, and it's A.T. Field.
KTS: Priscilla targets Kaworu Nagisa with Spark Needle Whip! KTS: Priscilla has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Eldora Team has posed.
As the Eldora Team is charging forward, they hear Asuka has words for more than just them; and they don't care for it! They have faith Priscilla will hold her own in combat, but they won't sit idly by as she's insulted, nor can they accept what they percieve Asuka's mindset to be. "Cruelty is no strength!" Barrio calls out in an serious tone. "You have no place on the battlefield if you only seek to inflinct pain."
The two(?) machines(??) seem bound for collision as their punch moves to connect, Nero already preparing to convert their momentum into a stronger flurry of blows - but the Evangelion beats him to it, and seems to have his actions completely predicted. Their attacks aren't completely ineffective, but it's clearly not enough to break her guard.
"Think?! Maybe you're new to the bad-guy business, else you'd know heroes when you see them! Trust me, it's not too late to qui- ACK!"
Nero is cut off by Asuka's vicious stab, which succeeds in piercing Eldora Soul's armor. It's only by Jose's quick manuevering that they are spared a lethal blow through the cockpit; even so, the damage is severe, as the harsh sound of twisting metal screeches out from the point of impact. Even the ever-confident Eldora Team has to admit the battle is not going in their favor.
And yet, their hope is not the least bit dimmed. Being skewered on your enemy's weapon is far from ideal, but it comes with a side effect; so long as Unit-02 holds onto the Naginata, Eldora Soul is in very close quarters. Barrio calls to Nero: "Diverting power to the arms! You know what to do!" While Nero nods and prepares his counterattack, Jose speaks into the comms; "You may not know our legacy, but our words are never empty. Let our invincible power be the proof!" Then, in sync with Nero and Barrio: "DIAMANTE! CRASH!"
Eldora Soul has allowed itself to move even further down the spear, accepting the damage it entails, enough that its arms can reach the Evangelion. As the pilot's voices ring out, the Armor's arms rush forward to grip its foe by the sides, and begins tearing outwards with all its strength, seeking to rip apart as much as possible!
KTS: Eldora Team has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Eldora Team targets Asuka Shikinami Langley with Diamante Crash! KTS: Eldora Team has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eldora Team's Bravery, Justice, Fighting Spirit! activates Strike and Alert! KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley engages evade against Eldora Team's Diamante Crash! KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley's EN Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley successfully reacts to Eldora Team's Diamante Crash, taking 3440 damage! KTS: Eldora Team roots their unit, coming to a standstill and leaving them vulnerable. KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si engages react against Tavelle Adzvin's Electrobeam! KTS: Best Defense! Laffinty Fin E Ld Si successfully reacts to Tavelle Adzvin's Electrobeam, taking 300 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Array Danon Ci has posed.
"...the pilots of those reinforcement units really are night and day, aren't they?" Array relays to Priscilla and the El Dora Five. He's picked two fights with dangerous machines with unknown capabilities, and yet he cannot look away from the lumbering, lanky forms of the Evangelion units. "I can't even tell which one's the most dangerous. The aggressive ones that scream the loudest usually turn out to be less of a problem than the cool, collected ones. At least in an RPG...kh, what am I even saying?"
As Chloe's high-caliber rifles thump out, a few of them knock Array backwards in the air - before a simple command replenishes that dome-like barrier from before, sucking in the latter few bolts - then rocketing them back out in arcs surrounding the Makhia. Over an open line to the towering Ship-11, Array sucks in a deep breath, and confesses, "That machine's a very sturdy shield. It's like we're getting nowhere trading blows, hah... What, does something like that defend from, here on Earth? And what's the reason you make sure you're holding it up? ...If I'm doing something like this - who are you? Just call me Array for now."
...Why ask something like that? Something as stupid as knowing a bit more about the kind of person who'd pilot a mobile weapon like that? Is it something about how natural Teneritas feels to operate?
At least the Akashima that Daba's engaged with seems like a normal type of mobile weapon. Knowing Daba's one of the Rebellion's most important figures, Array takes the opportunity to sneak in a little "extra credit" of ingratiation. "Daba, I'll back a field behind your opponent. They should absorb and reflect the trajectory of a Heavy Metal's firepower, but I'll manually adjust the angle to help you hit." Indeed, a few smaller cubes and panels of that subspace barrier pop up at Liam's sides - trying to get the Akashima pinned down just that little bit more...
"Now. The Vox. You're both pretty inexperienced pilots, but your machines are making up for it. No. Is it something else?!" There's the faintest sense of unease emanating from Aura and Lympha alike - one that only grows when Madoka closes in with that sword. Array's hand drops down to one hip, eyes narrowing, waiting for the right move to draw his own blade.
But instead!? A careless seeming lunge forward that instead grabs Array around the waist, and -
Up, over, and back-!
With a crash of concrete and asphalt, the supremely stunned Array goes dizzy and star-eyed for a while at the incomprehensible maneuver of being judo-tossed onto the runway, Teneritas's wide, flat upper body planting the Ovid firmly upside down.
The lights start fading from Array's vision. No - his stomach's started to turn from the sudden motion sickness.
(...Array, if you keep eating that badly, you'll never last long in the sky!)
The distant memory of Yurikano's voice makes Array groan in disdain, and his grip on the controls tightens fiercely enough to hurt.
"Protecting your home town...? With something as unbelievably powerful as the Vox? The demon that tears the skies...used as a guardian of peace. You...You think you're funny, don't you!?" As soon as the words escape Array's lips, the knot in his stomach tightens at how lame it turned out. Those immense thrusters on Teneritas's shoulders ignite - and the Ovid rotates back upright like it was spun by the hand of a god, drawing the subspace sword on its left hip with renewed ferocity - and lunging in for a ferocious, gut-twisting stab to Midori's midsection.
"...So if you're a clueless local, the blue one...does THAT one have Princess Laffinty aboard? Or someone else entirely...kch. Something about you...rubs me the wrong way! Fall!"
KTS: Array Danon Ci has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Daba Myroad KTS: Array Danon Ci targets Chloe with Arquista Subspace Field Pulse Deflection! KTS: Array Danon Ci has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Array Danon Ci targets Madoka Kyouno with Pruglaun Subspace Sword Lance! KTS: Array Danon Ci has completed their actions for the round. KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 78. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 35. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa engages react against Priscilla's Spark Needle Whip! KTS: Best Defense! Kaworu Nagisa successfully reacts to Priscilla's Spark Needle Whip, taking 0 damage! KTS: Chloe engages charge against Array Danon Ci's Arquista Subspace Field Pulse Deflection! KTS: Chloe's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Chloe moderately reacts to Array Danon Ci's Arquista Subspace Field Pulse Deflection, taking 3690 damage! KTS: Madoka Kyouno has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Madoka Kyouno has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Madoka Kyouno has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Madoka Kyouno engages evade against Array Danon Ci's Pruglaun Subspace Sword Lance! KTS: Best Defense! Madoka Kyouno moderately reacts to Array Danon Ci's Pruglaun Subspace Sword Lance, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
It works, alright! That side-on positioning gives the Lympha pause, Lan's fingers tensing on the control sphere in anxiety. "What will it do," she murmurs. "Breathe..."
She doesn't like this tension, this worry in her chest, these butterflies in her stomach. Like she's being stirred up and unsettled. Lympha reacts to will and direction more than command, and it thrusts one arm forward, the subspace shield expanding itself in front shortly before the stun bolt goes off. That amazingly powerful electric beam SLAMS into the subspace shield, and crackles along its surface, fingers of lightning crawling far longer than electricity ought to before it fades away, grounding out into...somewhere. Somehow. Not here, at any rate; only flecks of it reach to Lympha's armor. Then she swings her machine gun around, leveling it for a shot, and--!
Click.
"O, oh," Lan stumbles, and carelessly throws the weapon to the seas below; instead, she calls over, "Is Iurum ready for testing!?" to Pharos.
In the Pharos' bridge, eyes turn to Tadokoro, who looks like he swallowed a bug. "I mean...it turns on, sure..." he hedges, unhappy. "I don't really have all the signatures yet..."
"Cap," Eri prompts him from the side.
"Lympha biotelepathic waves are showing good...it should work!" Haruka Uehara adds from the Vox monitoring console.
"We'll get them moving on it. Make due in the meanwhile!" Tadokoro decides. Behind him, Moid smiles, faintly. Her heart surges...does it?
"F...fine," Lan murmurs. What can she do here? What about--
She squares herself in the seat, and then leans into the control domes, pushing Lympha forward. She has to push everyone away. She has to. "Madoka's right," she says. "I won't let you hurt this place!" she calls out, and then just charges in and CHECKS Tavelle, slamming the force shield straight into her machine.
Bad news! Whatever it is, it hurts like normal!
KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si targets Tavelle Adzvin with Subspace Shield Trantem Crash! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Are Unit Beta and her pilot more dangerous than Unit-02 and hers? Well... Who knows?
Kaworu makes a thoughtful noise when Asuka doesn't immediately reject his implied request. He does indeed leave it at that, though. What he responds to instead is her mocking Priscilla and him for having no desire to do harm.
"Yes," is his response. (Simple is best.)
Lan explains the situation from her perspective: rebels called Kiss, come here for the Vox, and she and Moid are here to protect Earth from them. Madoka sums it up even more succinctly: they want the Vox for their own ends. Kaworu considers these assertions thoughtfully. He, too, has been briefed on what happened to Gallia IV, but there are a lot of holes in that information. The clearest he has is the vision Sakura Akamatsu shared, and that was straightforward in its own way.
But then Asuka starts laughing in an unnerving way in response to the Eldora Five. Kaworu eyes her briefly. Does she... enjoy others having a negative opinion of her? It may not be the same as what he's seen from Asuka other times around, but "Asuka" remains truly baffling. At least the screaming and the violence are per her normal.
As for Priscilla's reaction to the information about the A.T. Fields, and about what Lilim are... Kaworu chuckles. "It wasn't my intent, but that would be a favorable outcome," he replies. He does not remark on 'Lilim,' but he does listen to her explanation. "Hmmm... Is that so? How do they go about destroying planets?" he wonders. Gallia IV came to a violent end, so he's inclined to believe there's some level of truth to this, but as Priscilla just demonstrated, only having a small measure of the truth is dangerous. It sounds like she may not know at all, even--which is why that question is also directed Array's way. Based on what he's saying to Madoka, he seems the most well-informed of their attackers.
As for the Voxes--or rather, their pilots--Kaworu replies, "Yes, but they're under our protection." It might not sound any different to Priscilla. "But yes, it does sound that way." His smile widens when she compliments him, and her excitement transmits through her voice--and through the clash of their blades. Sparks fly, but rather than sticking with blades, the Brownie trades them out for the crack of an electrified whip that in turn transforms into needles. The warning helps; that shimmering A.T. Field rises in enough time for those needs to strike and refract off of it. That energy corruscates harmlessly away from Unit Beta--which is good, because it looks like it would've been a nasty hit if it had struck true.
"Thank you. You're interesting yourself. I haven't seen a weapon like that before; are they common in your homeland?" Kaworu wonders conversationally. As he speaks, he sweeps the Heat Rapier up, around, and forward in an attempt to feint through the Brownie's defenses, both of that lightning whip and the mech's general maneuverability. Should that deadly dance bring him in range, he'll attempt to strike clean through one of the Brownie--albeit well away from its cockpit.
KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Priscilla with Penetrating Stab! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Tavelle Adzvin engages parry against Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Subspace Shield Trantem Crash! KTS: Tavelle Adzvin moderately reacts to Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Subspace Shield Trantem Crash, taking 2800 damage! <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
They want the Vox for their own ends. Of course they do. Why can't things be simple, for once? Liam takes another square breath as he processes Madoka's answer. "Understood," he says. "Won't let them take it." There will be time to unravel this if--once--they all make it back.
Liam's face twists in a grimace as the enemy Mobile Suit(?) reels. Ammo cookoff, probably. It reminds him his own suit's right arm is loaded with explosives, and he twists the sticks ever-so-slightly. The Akashima settles into a low, limber stance, and its Float Engine starts to hum.
"I'm warning you," Liam says, and then the L-Gaim draws something that looks like a Beam Saber. Instincts engrained in Liam's nerves tell him: he's going for the charge, to close the gap and use the Akashima's bulk against it. The Mechanic Soldier's Float Engine roars to life, scooping it out of the water; its feet skim above the waves as blasts of energy chase it, slamming into its thighs and calves. The machine rocks, despite the difference in size, and smoke trails up from scorch marks on its armor. The rimary right leg motivator is fried.
Wait, what?
That's not a Beam Saber! What even is that? Liam's head whips from side to side as Array deploys his fields. "Shit," Liam growls, over the NERV comm. "Pinned down. What's that one doing?!" With Array cutting off his maneuvering room, and Daba still a very real threat, Liam weighs his options.
"This is my home," he says, switching over to the open comm. "Even if you mean well, you can't just--show up like this and--" And what? Pharos is military. Is Kamogawa in danger? Liam feels his throat tightening.
The Akashima rips something free from a shoulder-mount. A gleaming, segmented blade sprouts from the Progressive Knife's handle, and the machine steps forward, driving it at L-Gaim's legs in a wild, undisciplined stab.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Daba Myroad with Progressive Blade Slash! KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Liam 7-020's Tactical Intelligence activates Focus! KTS: Priscilla engages charge against Kaworu Nagisa's Penetrating Stab! KTS: Priscilla successfully reacts to Kaworu Nagisa's Penetrating Stab, taking 3360 damage! KTS: Daba Myroad has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Daba Myroad has activated the Valor Spirit Command. Tavelle Adzvin tosses a coin: Tails
KTS: Daba Myroad has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Daba Myroad engages guard against Liam 7-020's Progressive Blade Slash! KTS: Daba Myroad successfully guards Liam 7-020's Progressive Blade Slash, taking 3920 damage! <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
'Yes' Asuka still has trouble believing that Kaworu would be that gentle with an enemy. After all... what he is...
... what he is, seems incompatible with that kind of existence. "Yet I don't hear you making that an order to take them alive." Asuka notes, of his response.
It's not negative actually, it is perhaps just trying to figure out where his head is at, because she's more wary than usual...
... of him.
Priscilla notes that it's not Earthlings that are their target, and Asuka fires back, "<How brainless can you get? It doesn't matter where they came from, this is still a NERV facility! You even have the slightest idea what kind of hornet's nest you're kicking right now?>"
Focus on her own fight, her face appears on the comms, and Priscilla might be taken aback by how young she looks, her eyes covered with this strange asymmetric blindfold, a haze of red amongst the LCL, "<Don't you realize you just made this place a battlefield? After I take these morons out, you're next.>"
The Eldora Team however is on her, telling her cruelty is no strength, and her Evangelion, larger is still vulnerable at this range.
"<You think I care about that? Who's a hero? Who's a villain? All that matters is you're NERV's enemy.>" She twists the bladestaff, as she pulls him on the stab, but then...
... he gets closer, "<What're you...LET GO YOU ANCIENT LOSERS!>" The Eldora Soul grabs ahold, but then as the armor of the Evangelion starts to buckle and bulge beneath their assault, it suddenly... stops.
There's that strange ripple of a barrier in the air again, as Evangelion Unit-02's AT Field stops them momentarily from applying greater pressure.
The great red beast's hands twist the staff, and... suddenly, abruptly, drops down into a crouch, out of it's grasp.
And it's holding half of it's Bladestaff, a hand in the harbor, like some bestial stalker, the other at it's side.
And half of it still IN the Eldora Soul, if they look closely they'll see the joint where the staff twists into two pieces. "<Heh. How long were you practicing that one?>"
The Evangelion suddenly whips up, into a flying knee at the Eldora Soul's jaw, it's hand grabbing the other half of the Naginata and ripping it out of the armor midflight, before it lands in the harbor.
Both hands now holding half of the blade staff like two shortspear Naginatas. "<Decades? Only to fail...>"
Both blade staffs become a spinning, whirling display as she begins to advance on the Eldora Soul, striking again, and again, and again, before one short spear descends to try and sink into it's shoulder.
Before the Evangelion then crouches to the side, grabbing it's arm, trying to thrust it into it's opposite armpit
"<...ALL BECAUSE YOU MET ME!>"
KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley targets Eldora Team with NGN-DO1 Naginata Divide and Conquer! KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Tavelle Adzvin's In The Zone activates! KTS: Tavelle Adzvin has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Eldora Team engages evade against Asuka Shikinami Langley's NGN-DO1 Naginata Divide and Conquer! KTS: Critical Hit! Eldora Team poorly reacts to Asuka Shikinami Langley's NGN-DO1 Naginata Divide and Conquer, taking 5940 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asuka Shikinami Langley's Asuka Strikes! activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Asuka Shikinami Langley's This is the Dream activates, causing Sparkle! <Pose Tracker> Chloe has posed.
The rounds that Chloe fired are returned to her. Much like with the subspace bolts before, they impact against either the hexagonal panels of its barrier or against the machine itself. Though the force is barely enough to make the Makhia move. However, Chloe is starting to see orange appearing on the damage display screen in her cockpit.
Chloe's attention is drawn as the pilot they're fighting addresses her specifically. She frowns, replying, <"You're right. That shield of yours is annoying."> Briefly muting the channel, she glances aside to Noa, "Can you do something about it?"
Noa pauses at the end of a stanza to say, "I'm working on it... Give me a few moments."
Noa needs time... So a good way to get it is to keep the enemy talking, <"Array, huh? I'm Chloe, with the Augmented Shibuya defence force, Prometheus.">
On Chloe's mental command, the two rifles her Makhia is holding split in half between the top and bottom. They fold outwards, doubling their length to become almost as long as the Makhia is tall.
<"This machine was built to fight monsters far larger and scarier than you are. Monsters I've sworn to destroy.">
Chloe raises the two split rifles, twisting them to bring their tops together. Mechanisms rise out to interlock, combining the two into one giant railgun. Electricity begins to arc across the connections as the weapon is seemingly charging, not yet firing.
<"But for you, I'll make do.">
It's at that point that Noa radios, <"Madoka! I'm transmitting a patch for your weapons systems. It'll let you bypass that shield. But they'll likely be able to adapt so we'll get a few shots at most, so make it count!"> How exactly did Noa manage to work that out in just a few moments? The computational power of a Super AI is intimidating indeed.
~ Someday if I can be reach out to you
To the depths of your heart and soul
With that hope, with your wish, with your love I won't soon give in
And I'll be loved, come with me ~
KTS: Chloe targets Array Danon Ci with Nullify! KTS: Chloe has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Chloe's Emotional Support Co-pilot activates Strike and Alert! KTS: Array Danon Ci accepts Chloe's Nullify! KTS: Chloe nullifies Array Danon Ci's defensive abilities. KTS: Best Defense! Array Danon Ci successfully reacts to Chloe's Nullify, taking 0 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 24300 KTS: Chloe has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Madoka Kyouno
<Pose Tracker> Daba Myroad has posed.
L-Gaim moves its right hand towards the progressive knife, and a blade of yellow electrical energy erupts from the emitter. The contained energy does a fair job of blunting the bite of the NERV weapon, but it still cuts deep into the exposed hydraulics of L-Gaim's left knee.
Daba grunts in exertion - clearly he underestimated the strength of the much heavier machine, clashing directly with it. He checks L-Gaim's readouts, and the signals coming from the other combatants.
This is going poorly.
"I'm afraid I can't just let my allies go into battle alone," he explains to Liam. "That said - the level of protection Earth is willing to give to these ancient weapons is... unexpected."
And then - L-Gaim darts backwards, out of the reach of the Akashima's knife.
'They'll know we're here', Kyao had warned him. Might as well try to use that. "My name is Daba Myroad," the pilot introduces himself to Liam. "Take heed - beware the name 'Posaydal' and her agents."
He flips over to the Yaman channel. "Took a lot more damage than I expected. L-Gaim, falling back!"
The white machine, so similar to a mobile suit and yet so alien in design sensibility, jets up and away from the Akashima, left leg dangling slightly.
KTS: Daba Myroad targets Liam 7-020 with Shock! KTS: Daba Myroad has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Tavelle Adzvin has posed.
Neither person on either side of this duel is very confident. Lan has her tension, her worry; Tavelle is trained in how to fight, but has spent more of her piloting life as a salvager, and has been informed that she is fighting a semi-legendary unit.
And while she would put her repaired, reconstructed Lestrail Striker up against all sorts of things, she's not sure it's up to *this*.
The shield slams into the Lestrail, rocking it back - and something inside it crumples. Tavelle feels it go with the awareness she has of a machine she's personally put back together; some of the struts along the lower torso near where it meets the hip, where the front curved breastplate attaches.
"<Hey,>" Tavelle transmits, keeping the panic out of her voice. "<Lestrail Striker's going to crack if I keep this up. I've got to pull out before I start losing chunks.>" She's upset - she knows she could do better - but at the same time relieved that she doesn't have to keep fighting; that she has an excuse to run away.
...It feels cowardly, and she hates that it makes her feel relieved. But with the Blader system not really online yet, and the damage she's already taken, what could she do if she even wanted to? If this is the Princess they warned her about...
...she needs to find out more. But she's not going to be able to tonight.
Tavelle fires the laser vulcans mounted in the shoulders, spraying a hail of bolts in the Vox's face to convince it to back up. But as soon as it breaks contact, so does Tavelle; the Lestrail turning and leaping, whipping its tail behind it as it uses it for balance during its loping run.
<Pose Tracker> Madoka Kyouno has posed.
Madoka, even through everything, keeps a mental track of those bolts flying over and out. General direction, general direction...No land. No land, surely. With just a bit of luck, they'll fizzle or land elsewhere. She's happy to deduce that.
That being said, the satisfying thud of Ovid against concrete signaled a success. The air around her shimmers with a confident preen with her grip being released. It feels...Simple. Easy. Her Vox is moving how she wants it to, the green lines of energy inside and out visibly twinkling with the bubbling confidence of her mindset. A second taken to stare at her own Vox's arm, experimentally flexing those fingers. ...She could feel them...
The transmitted patch from Noa is recieved. It assimilates, quickly augmenting what's needed, disposing of the rest. Only a few lines of code, the rest considered chaff for a biomechanical machine of the cosmos. <"...! Thanks!">
<"Demon?"> Demon. The Vox was a demon. <"I'm not trying to be!"> An instinctual response back in time with the jab, reflexes taking over as that jab (It's so simple. It's so...strangely simple. Spun by the hand of a God? Then, the Demon will sever the tendon.) misses by a hair, Midori spinning on one foot, twisting its entire body weight on the tip. The other leg spinning out before setting down in a stomp to crack the concrete.
<"I'm here because I can do this!"> To swing her arm around the passing figure, to clothesline the Ovid below its massive shoulders. Follow straight, over, and through.
Knock him over. And end his charge.
KTS: Madoka Kyouno has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Madoka Kyouno has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Madoka Kyouno targets Array Danon Ci with Midori Martial Arts - Risk! KTS: Madoka Kyouno has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Liam 7-020 accepts Daba Myroad's Shock! KTS: Daba Myroad shocks Liam 7-020, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Best Defense! Liam 7-020 successfully reacts to Daba Myroad's Shock, taking 0 damage! KTS: [Spirit Defense] Liam 7-020's Budding Resilience activates, and his spirit endures. KTS: Array Danon Ci has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Array Danon Ci has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Array Danon Ci engages charge against Madoka Kyouno's Midori Martial Arts - Risk! KTS: Critical Hit! Array Danon Ci poorly reacts to Madoka Kyouno's Midori Martial Arts - Risk, taking 6840 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Madoka Kyouno's < Maru! > activates, causing Jam L1! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 17460 KTS: Madoka Kyouno roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. <Pose Tracker> Eldora Team has posed.
The Team's a little taken aback by the assertion that Asuka doesn't care about heroes and villains. Nor do they know what NERV is? Was that in their briefing? Nero does his best with what he's got: "You think whatever that is is worth your loyalty no matter what?! You can't even imagine doing something because it's right?! Even for as tough a fighter as you, I'd have a hard time buying that!"
"Ancient losers" might get more of a response from them - Jose might have gone for a "whippersnapper", even - but Asuka continuing to press her advantage takes all of their attention. Once again, their attack unsatisfyingly fails in a way they don't understand, as a strange force simply redirects their force harmlessly away from its target. She continues to mock them alongside her merciless attacks, moving at such a speed that Eldora's arms are barely so much as facing the right direction to block a spear before the next makes its move. She succeeds in her final piercing motion, too, the sound of the blow ringing in the pilot's ears. Barrio's energy readings return frighteningly low results; the situation is dire indeed.
But still, even now, the Eldora Five refuse to concede. "You've sure got us good," wheezes Nero, his voice struggling to match his emotion. "But we're not done yet!" From Barrio: "We've honed our skills for 60 years, forged in heroism and tempered in bravery. Our legacy does not end here!"
Eldora Soul kicks off the ground backwards, creating a small amount of distance while still facing Unit-02. Jose's voice is defiant through the comms: "Look and see the difference between heroes and villains!" The Armor, beaten and broken though it is, holds its arms wide in a stance Asuka may find familiar. There's a clang from each hand as metal slides into place; the right hand begins to glow red, and the left glows white. The pilots cry out in unison: "EL INFIERNO Y CIELO!" as they clasp both hands together in a bright flash of both colors.
For all the damage the combiner's taken, one component has escaped the brunt of it; the Pink Amigo on its back. Its thrusters erupt as Eldora Soul gives it as much energy as it can, moving at astonishing speeds directly for the Evangelion. Asuka will almost certainly guess what's coming; they attempt to ram her, burying Eldora Soul's hands into their enemy's armor and breaking through!
KTS: Eldora Team has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Eldora Team has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Eldora Team has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Eldora Team targets Asuka Shikinami Langley with El Infierno Y Cielo! KTS: Eldora Team has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eldora Team's Bravery, Justice, Fighting Spirit! activates Focus and Valor! KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley engages guard against Eldora Team's El Infierno Y Cielo! KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley moderately guards Eldora Team's El Infierno Y Cielo, taking 4930 damage! <Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
Lan's opponent blasts at her, and the problems with that biotelepathic link come to the fore - Lan flinches instinctively as her cockpit flashes lights and impacts, and in the same way, Lympha also flinches away. That gives Tavelle space to back up and then gun it away. Lympha might just be able to jet after her; it's been pretty fast, so far. But instead, Lan lowers her weapon. Maybe she sensed something of that pilot's worries, too. She watches her go, something unsure in her stomach. But...she sees that Madoka's still fighting. She sees that the head Ovid is still fighting. And without a weapon to her name, she charges.
From that fight's perspective, it's like Lan comes out of nowhere, descending down on Array's Teneritas to simply TACKLE it back down to the runway from afar.
Several seconds pass.
Lympha helpfully opens a channel. "Wan," Lan says mainly to Madoka, smiling, blushing with exertion, and holding her hand up like a dog's paw.
KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si targets Array Danon Ci with JERSEY CLUB SPIRIT!! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Array Danon Ci fails to engage parry against Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's JERSEY CLUB SPIRIT!! KTS: Array Danon Ci successfully reacts to Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's JERSEY CLUB SPIRIT!, taking 3360 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 14100 KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si completes the Formation attack! <Pose Tracker> Priscilla has posed.
"They've got one thing in common... they're relentless!" Priscilla answers Array, when he expresses his concern about the Evangelion units. "Oh, I'd love to find out how they get Armors so massive moving with so much grace..." She mildly gushes, before quickly moving on. "...I still don't get this 'RPG' talk, but my money's on the golden one too. I probably shouldn't think of it this way, but it's always been the kindest opponents who give me the most trouble." She frowns.
That doesn't mean she's not concerned about Asuka, too, though. "Of course it matters! Do you really think they're untouchable just because this is some kind of military base? Where else would they keep a weapon?" Not just keep it - the general chatter suggests one of the Vox Aura in the battle is being piloted by another teenager.
Ultimately, it's the visual of Asuka's face that she receives that forces her train of thought on a different course. She's really young, too, isn't she? And she doesn't think that clothing or cockpit style are commonplace, even in Earth. "...You're already thinking of your next opponent, huh? You must be someone who loves to fight, too." Is that a cruelty, as the Eldora Team put it? She's not sure.
Kaworu's reaction to her question on the other hand... is that supposed to be teasing? "So you really are toying with me... maybe you're the one here who's cruel." She says, but her tone lacks that venom - in fact, she still has a smile on her face.
How do they go about destroying planets? "Well, if I remember..." She starts, trying to recall how that 'legend' that's supposedly a true story went. "...No, wait just a minute! Even if I knew, why should I tell YOU how the planet-destroying robots you have destroy planets?" Brownie points an accusing finger towards Unit Beta. Yeah, maybe she should really let Array field this one.
Kaworu confirms the Vox Aura have 'pilots', but Priscilla is too focused on the fight, on making sure those Spark Needles really do enough damage to disable the Evangelion. "W-what?" Her eyes narrow, seeing the Spark Needle Whip retract like it's nothing. She has an idea though - as Kaworu and Unit Beta dance forth with the Heat Rapier, Priscilla simply rushes forth into it, armour and shields first.
They shatter - and to any conventional camera, Brownie disappears with it in a blinding pink light. Kaworu might suspect that's not it, though, as...
"Gotcha!" Brownie, now in its purged Full Battle Mode regathers the Spark Needles, using Unit Beta's attack to gain aerial momentum, only to force that momentum back down with an electrifying stabbing attack that was always sure to end any match in the ring. It's just about all Priscilla has left to offer today.
Seems this battle is no clean victory as some of their allies begin to fall back. "Understood, L-Gaim. Get out their safely!" Priscilla offers Daba. "Hey, old-timers... are you still hanging in there?" She adds, knowing that Asuka and her Evangelion, too, represent a deep danger - even if she's a kid.
KTS: Priscilla has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Priscilla targets Kaworu Nagisa with Pixie Stab! KTS: Priscilla has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa fails to engage guard against Priscilla's Pixie Stab! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa's Will Barrier activates, negating 2500 base damage. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa successfully reacts to Priscilla's Pixie Stab, taking 3690 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
Sparks spray up from the point of impact. Liam breathes for another four-count as the Akashima follows through, sagging to one side as it steps onto its damaged leg. Molten metal drips down its arm and torso from where Daba's cannons hit it, forming runny streaks that are just now starting to cool.
"I understand," Liam says, his voice tight. It's better than 'Understood'. "Just--" Just what? Has he really gotten this lax after months of relative peace? (There is no place in peacetime for someone like him.)
But he makes a note, regardless. This pilot was... a decent enough person, or seemed it. Liam's brows rise as Daba introduces himself, and warns him. "Liam," he replies. "My name's Liam." Posaydal. Is that a name he should know? "If we're trading notes, then..." Liam glances around the Akashima's cockpit, looking at all the reflective surfaces. "Elisa Kafim is one of the most dangerous women alive here. Don't trust her."
The Akashima makes no attempt to chase L-Gaim. "Enemy pilot is falling back," Liam says, over the NERV tightband. "Doing the same--leg's damaged. But not bad for a first sortie in this thing."
<Pose Tracker> Array Danon Ci has posed.
There's an audible wince in Array's voice at Chloe's closing line. What in the hell is he supposed to retort with?
"...Monsters, huh. Earth's fraught with so many dangers that calling the Vox a legendary weapon of calamity doesn't make you bat an an eye. It's not just Novomundus that was ready - it's this whole planet. Damn it. I thought I was picking a fight with an army, not monster slayers!"
Array thinks he's cut off communications to Chloe, reading a salvo of shock wires towards the charging Makhia to throw off its aim. He's of course forgotten that step, and so-
"...Why'd I have to get on her bad side when she's this cool...?" slips through the radio.
Anything too much more embarrassing is cut off by overhearing Kaworu's inquiry, and Array's forced to admit how little he truly understands about the Vox phenomenon. "...Damn it. Damn it, I don't really know how it happened - it all just...it came and went in so much confusion! Something about Vox Particles, and hearing rumors about important people in Le Garite taking a voyage to Earth in the aftermath. All while...all while knowing someone important to me died as part of it. ...I'm going to grab every ounce of understanding I can while I have these Voxes in my sight."
Even as Tavelle and Daba are being pushed back - even as Array realizes the defensive field around his Teneritas is flickering and fading, leaving him with nothing else left...
...Some nameless dream boils his blood. Some distant light that can only be found here ignites something that was cold.
A team of superheroes and a bright-hearted gladiator stare down beast-like monster-slayers, while a hunter stands against an exiled prince on his march to the throne. All the while, the green demon of the winds and the blue demon of the water - two things from childrens fairytales - are giving their all against, what. A nobody like Array Danon Ci?
"...for once...for once...even if it's for a second...right here, right now, I'll. I'll...!"
(You'll what, Array? If you're gonna start saying something like that, come up with a way to back it up!)
(How am I supposed to know the thing you're burning to fight back with? That's all on you!)
"...I'll still have to find out. Here I thought those old geezers were lame, shouting all sorts of names to their attacks, but now I've gotta name this weird dream I'm having...!"
---well, didn't all kinds of protagnists make 'not having a name' part of the name?
Disengaging the subspace impeller systems, Teneritas drops like a stone onto the runway again - holding a rapidly crushing arm against Madoka's impact, feet grinding into the pavement, closer and closer to the core of Pharos with Lan's impact.
The blade still in his hand ignites. And, bellowing from the pit of his stomach, Array calls, with just a moment's stutter -
"SOMNIA INFORMIS!"
With a high speed twist of the Ovid's wrist, the Pruglaun blade whirls like a drill, and Array twists with every last ounce of space and leverage he has to get that tip to claim Aura and Rympha's heads...!
KTS: Array Danon Ci's Unknown Dream activates! KTS: Array Danon Ci targets Chloe with Auxiliary Shock Wire Hit! KTS: Array Danon Ci targets Laffinty Fin E Ld Si with Pruglaun Subspace Sword Twirl! KTS: Array Danon Ci has completed their actions for the round. KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 95. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 30. KTS: Array Danon Ci targets Madoka Kyouno with Somnia Informis! KTS: Madoka Kyouno has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Madoka Kyouno has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Madoka Kyouno engages evade against Array Danon Ci's Somnia Informis! KTS: Madoka Kyouno poorly reacts to Array Danon Ci's Somnia Informis, taking 6200 damage! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si fails to engage evade against Array Danon Ci's Pruglaun Subspace Sword Twirl! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's EN Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Laffinty Fin E Ld Si successfully reacts to Array Danon Ci's Pruglaun Subspace Sword Twirl, taking 1875 damage! KTS: Array Danon Ci repulses Laffinty Fin E Ld Si, preventing her from Charging the next attack! <Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Kaworu makes a thoughtful noise at Asuka's attempted gotcha. "You make a good point, Second. Very well. All units, if you can, capture the enemy leader alive," he transmits. It's a chance for more information that way, and it sounds as though that's something they're all in need of. (He doesn't expect much from Asuka, though.) The others--they're already starting to fall back, and the only truly bloodthirsty one here is Asuka. He'll deal with her himself if needed.
He does chuckle when Priscilla accuses him of being cruel, but with a smile in her voice. "I've been called that before," he says with his mild affability. Maybe some have written a thesis about it, even.
Priscilla ultimately refuses to tell him more, though. "I see. Yes, from your perspective, that would be foolish," he concedes. "Since you don't know anyway, I suppose we really will have to capture your leader."
However, Array refutes the usefulness of that by explaining, actually, he doesn't really know either. Vox Particles, Le Garite VIPs escaping to Earth... and someone important to him dying. "Hmm. I see. Thank you for saying so." Moid may know, since he researches Vox Particles according to Lan, but as far as their foes are concerned-- "Who does know, then?"
Before he can get an answer, though, Unit Beta and the Brownie clash again. However, this time, Brownie sheds its armor in a flash of pink light. It might fool a conventional camera, and there are shouts of confusion on the bridge back at HQ, but Kaworu is indeed not fooled. As the Spark Needles stab down towards Unit Beta, she lifts the Heat Rapier to counter--but the Brownie is faster than expected, and instead of meeting those needles with a blade, they stab through into Unit Beta's arm.
Kaworu sucks in a sharp, unnecessary breath as his arm twitches. However, what in the ring was a sure fight winner does a lot of damage--but doesn't take the Eva out. Even the electricity that jolts down into her gets disippated in rings of iridescent orange. Kaworu has always been extra skillful in how he utilizes his Eva's A.T. Field.
Unit Beta pulls her arm back, yanking it away from the Spark Needles. Red fluid gushes out of the wound in its wake. Unit Beta takes the Heat Rapier with her other arm and sheathes it while leaping nimbly backwards, those wings flickering back into existence to lighten her steps as she moves from one section of the island base to another. With that greater distance created, the wings break apart into motes of sparkling, crystalline light--and then shoot towards the Brownie and explode on contact.
KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Priscilla with Distance! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Priscilla engages evade against Kaworu Nagisa's Distance! KTS: Best Defense! Priscilla successfully reacts to Kaworu Nagisa's Distance, taking 0 damage! KTS: Chloe engages react against Array Danon Ci's Auxiliary Shock Wire Hit! KTS: Best Defense! Chloe successfully reacts to Array Danon Ci's Auxiliary Shock Wire Hit, taking 0 damage! <Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
...
...
...
...
...
Asuka doesn't acknowledge Kaworu's order for some time, but then, "<Affirmative.>" That's something grudging there, but it's not purposefully defiant at least.
It's a moment that might be easily missed however due to how she responds to Priscilla. "<Untouchable? Nah. I just think you're not THINKING about the consequences of making us your enemy.>" It feels like it's so hard to deescalate just her anger here to talk this through, "<And of course I am. You made this a battlefield, which means the fighting isn't done until ALL OF YOU FALL!>"
She did say that she would follow Kaworu's orders at least but - she's definitely not sounding like it there.
The Eldora seem upbraids her about her loyalty to NERV being so unshakable, and Asuka clinches her teeth, growling, "<You have no idea what you're talking about. ... You think a bunch of alien FOGIES like you know the first thing about me?>"
It stings, them even respecting her fighting skill, it's so... it's so...
... even aliens like that girl in the Armor, these old guys were treating her like...
Why does it have to be like this? Why can't they all realize?
"<Just lie down already.>" She murmurs, as they compliment her, and for a moment, it's like her heart isn't in it.
However, they then declare, for her to see the difference, as the Combiner the pink unit suddenly fires, and the Evangelion, suddenly seeing the danger, plants it's feet, and crosses its arms in a fighting guard.
Despite it's overwhelming size advantage, the Eldora Soul crashes into it, and water sprays as the Eva is driven back across the bay, all the way to Kamogawa's Harbor, it's hands driven into it's chest, there is a gap in it's armor.
And a sickening black fluid dripping over the Eldora's soul. For a moment, the Evangelion isn't responding, it's head bowed. And they can see beneath the armor, something that looks like grey...
... flesh?
ehehehehe
ehehe
ehehe
ehehehehehehehehehe
And then it's quartet of green optics flash, and over the monitor they see the girl within howling, like a wild beast.
"<JUST GIVE IT UP ALREADY!>"
The Red Evangelion's hands abruptly grab each hand it had driven into her and rip the Eldora Soul's hands apart, using it's sudden leverage, to try lift it up to close the gap in height, as it's head suddenly erupts forward, to smash into it in a savage headbutt.
Letting go of one arm, it pivots abruptly, trying to swing it around and smash it into the bay waters, before bringing it's leg up for one final, vicious Axe Kick, center mass.
there she is
nice to meet me
KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley targets Eldora Team with Eva-02 Martial Arts Savagery! KTS: Asuka Shikinami Langley has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eldora Team has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Eldora Team has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Eldora Team fails to engage evade against Asuka Shikinami Langley's Eva-02 Martial Arts Savagery! KTS: Eldora Team successfully reacts to Asuka Shikinami Langley's Eva-02 Martial Arts Savagery, taking 4720 damage! KTS: Eldora Team has been defeated! KTS: Eldora Team's Eldora Soul has been disabled. <Pose Tracker> Chloe has posed.
'..Why'd I have to get on her bad side when she's this cool...?'
The look on Chloe's face as this comment echoes through her cockpit is one of confused doubt. 'This is who the intergalactic empire sends to cross the stars and attack us?'
If Noa wasn't dedicating so much of her processing power to operate the Makhia instead of her Ego subroutines, she'd probably giggle at the comment and Chloe's look. But since she is, all she does is count off the status of the charging railgun, "Rail Cannon output at 50%..."
Chloe counters back to Array, <"All weapons have the potential for calamity. It's what we use them for that decides whether we should fear them, or embrace them. If these Vox can destroy Meteora, then I'm all for them.">
"Rail Cannon output at 75%. Incoming enemy attack." Noa has seen this one though, used against Madoka. She's able to refocus the arrangement of the Makhia's defense barrier, layering those hexagonal plates over each other. The electrified wires, don't reach the Makhia's frame, simply discharging against those plates and, unfortunately for Array, further feeding energy into the Makhia's systems.
"Rail Cannon output at 100%."
'All units, if you can, capture the enemy leader alive.' Yeah, no. Noa's song kicks up into the chorus...
~ I chase the future I draw in my mind
And the wind is howling as I fight to the light
There is a dawning flower blossoming in the ground
If there is a fear, bring me out ~
The Alto Makhia's large railgun is now starting to positively crackle with electricity. Even as Chloe can see Madoka's Aura slamming its arm into the Teneritas. Even as Lan's Lympha comes streaking in to tackle it into the surface of the Pharos runway. The cannon continues to charge.
"Rail Cannon output at 125%."
Just how far can it go?
"Rail Cannon output at 150%."
Finally, Chloe pulls the trigger. Even this far off the coast, the resulting sonic boom likely could still shatter some windows as the large, heavy metal rod is propelled at incredible speed from the railgun, leaving a trail of visibly rippling air as in an instant it crosses the distance between the Alto Makhia and the Teneritas.
KTS: Chloe has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Chloe targets Array Danon Ci with Ship-11 Rail Cannon Charged to 150%! KTS: Chloe has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Chloe's Emotional Support Co-pilot activates Wall and Focus! <Pose Tracker> Madoka Kyouno has posed.
The impact of suit against suit is enough to bring forth a grunt of self-satisfaction, one born of plans concoted on the spot working as intended. To follow through, pushing on and pushing him back, Lan coming in behind with fortuitous timing to crash down on him.
Midori keeps relaying the instinctual state of the battelfield. People are leaving. Retreating. The tide was turning in their favor, and it only meant one thing: Their defense had been successful. A Memoria-touched girl had preserved her unit.
She barely noted how that same memoria was mutely glowing against her skin.
<"Thanks, Lan."> Courtesy begets courtesy, the radiance of happiness practically wafting off Midori.
Still, to listen on admist all the fighting; To be here for a reason. Even he doesn't know why he's gunning over the Vox, just that it's that dangerous. So he's -just as clueless, the reasoning side of her mind infers. Both of us are here and he doesn't know why he's fighting...
But he's fighting, and the best bet is to follow Kaworu's orders and...!
<"You have a dream, too?"> That's all she can really say at Array's declaration, moving into a judo stance. Low gravity. Low stance. Preparing the self for that Named Attack, the regular human in strange situations staring on. To swing forward as well, thrumming with the high of adrenaline, of trying to understand Array's motives, reasonings, self; And catching that blade right in the left shoulder. Impact. An impact that drills into the shoulder, the back fins trembling, saturating with a glow filled with the will of the self.
<"GH-"> Biomechanical receptors fired. Pain. The metal-tasting sensation of a blade drilling into the shoulder. The stifled grunt as Midori reaches out with her right hand, grabbing at the Ovid's arm. Twisting the body, wrenching away from that spinning blade. Follow the motion. Shift the gravity down. Keep holding the arm. Raise a hand. Grab the Ovid's shoulder. And use the fins giving the wind at your back to aid in the impulse of the legs, tossing him over the shoulder, the slightest of technique modifications to keep that deathgrip on his arm, to slam him onto the concrete runway.
Perfect judo. Ippon-seoi-nage (One-armed shoulder throw).
<"HN- NOW!"> Perfect timing for the aimed shot.
KTS: Madoka Kyouno has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Madoka Kyouno targets Array Danon Ci with Vox Formation - Whirling Gales! KTS: Madoka Kyouno has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Array Danon Ci fails to engage guard against Chloe's Ship-11 Rail Cannon Charged to 150%! KTS: Best Defense! Array Danon Ci successfully reacts to Chloe's Ship-11 Rail Cannon Charged to 150%, taking 4350 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 9750 KTS: Array Danon Ci fails to engage react against Madoka Kyouno's Vox Formation - Whirling Gales! KTS: Array Danon Ci moderately reacts to Madoka Kyouno's Vox Formation - Whirling Gales, taking 5490 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 4260 <Pose Tracker> Eldora Team has posed.
It's true that Nero, Jose, Barrio, and Carlos really know very little about Asuka. She's said things out loud that they have some strong opinions on, but they don't have enough to really understand what they're dealing with. To them, though, justice is a constant throughout the universe - there's nowhere where doing the right thing and protecting others doesn't exist. And so, they push onwards regardless; "What's all of this for?! What do you gain by protecting this terrible weapon, other than the power to use it? What would that do for you, or for anyone?!"
Nero will not get his answer. As they move for El Infierno Y Cielo, at last, one of their attacks connects in the way they expect. There is no A.T. Field obstructing them. The surprise they get instead is far more chilling.
It all falls apart so fast. They barely have time to process any of the following sequence - certainly not enough to avoid it. They didn't get the chance to answer Priscilla as she asked their status, but as the nearly-wrecked machine is knocked back and slumps to the ground after that final axe kick, Barrio remembers to respond. "It's shameful to say, but we're at our limit. We'll have to do our best to retreat." Nero and Jose say nothing; they don't even have time to consider the ramifications of what lies under the Evangelion's armor, too preoccupied silently cursing themselves for their failure. Even the Pink Amigo has not gone unscathed this time; nonetheless, as Eldora Soul turns away, it manages to speed them along away from the battlefield.
The three active pilots never question how they have the energy to flee after spending it all on their final attack. In the sea of critical alarms and warning signs, a small message on one of Carlos's monitors goes unnoticed.
Eldora Team teleport out.
<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
It's an interesting question. What does Asuka get?
However... she doesn't answer. It's not a question she can be truthful about anyway.
Her target escapes though, and Asuka is panting, bubbles foaming from her mouth as the Eldora Soul speeds away.
At first her Evangelion gets down on all fours, splashing in the ocean like a runner at a block, but...
... it never takes off. Instead, the Evangelion turns it's head, looking straight at the Brownie, after Kaworu knocked it back.
As she asserts to the pilot of that Armor with a snarl.
"<YOU'RE NEXT!>"
KTS: Chloe has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Laffinty Fin E Ld Si <Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
Array pulls himself free. Lan surges backward, and the edge of his blade sparks against Trantem, the subspace barrier expanding itself to full to ward off the assault.
Madoka gets Array into position, and meanwhile, Pharos bridge calls, "Lympha! We're deploying Iurum on the launch skid!"
"Right. Do it!" Lan calls back, taking one moment to fret before ducking.
A canister intended to launch a support armament clear from Pharos the whole way to an orbital engagement suddenly FIRES down the runway, but rather than get the whole way, it skids right between Aura and Teneritas and into Lan's waiting arms. It throws her the whole way off with the force of the launch, but after disappearing off the edge of the ramp, Vox Lympha soars up and into the open sky. The machine affixes the weapon to a hardpoint on the right arm, a long, thin rifle attached to a rotating base; as soon as it attaches, the base turns a deep blue like the rest of the Lympha. Is that not paint...?
Regardless: "System uplink successful! Subspace sword rifle Iurum is online!" Lan calls. She gulps a breath. Levels the weapon down.
Madoka yells, 'NOW!' and Lan finds a solution that targets the engine systems in the shoulders.
"Firing!"
A pair of force stakes fire down from Vox Lympha, punching through Teneritas and pinning it to the ground with shimmering energy.
KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si targets Array Danon Ci with Vox Formation - Flowing Intrusion! KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Array Danon Ci fails to engage react against Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Vox Formation - Flowing Intrusion! KTS: Critical Hit! Array Danon Ci poorly reacts to Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Vox Formation - Flowing Intrusion, taking 5500 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Laffinty Fin E Ld Si's Wan. activates, causing Nullify! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at -1240 KTS: Array Danon Ci has been defeated! KTS: You're out of the fight. Consider using +eject to leave the battlefield. KTS: Laffinty Fin E Ld Si rattles Array Danon Ci, making their next maneuvers more difficult. <Pose Tracker> Priscilla has posed.
"It's not something to brag about..." Priscilla contributes to the back-and-forth of Kaworu's cruelty being called into question. They really have turned this place into a battlefield, though... and while this may be an 'enemy' facility, there is something to be said about respecting foreign homeworlds.
She's so close to having even the behemoth that is the Unit Beta on the ropes - feeling the Pixie Stab go through. But it's not "match-ending" this time, merely "wounding" the Unit Beta.
"Ugh... impressive!" Priscilla grimaces, bracing for the counterattack. Brownie really doesn't have much left to give, but if Priscilla can just move fast enough, reflexively enough...
That inexplicable sparkling light grazes against Brownie's thin body, but in the end, she's safe, Priscilla sweating in her 'movement chamber' of a cockpit.
Priscilla decides to use the opportunity to make a swift retreat - conceding the victory of this 'match' to Kaworu.
While she would offer some last words to Kaworu, it's Asuka who forces her attention, and Priscilla stares down that crawl-legged Evangelion. "No!" Priscilla shouts back. "You can't! Neither of us can fight anymore. I've got no reason to keep fighting, and you're seriously in no position to..." Brownie, in its current form is easily fast enough to shake off Asuka. But despite her being on the other side, it feels more like abandoning her. But by now, they're moving to shoot down and capture Array, who led the attack in the first place
"...I'm sorry." She repeats the same words she started the battle with, whether it's to Asuka or Array. She has to make sure that at least the old-timers make it out of this in one piece.
...Still, she asserted NERV wasn't the enemy she was after, but... what on Earth did they do to that girl?
<Pose Tracker> Array Danon Ci has posed.
"...'Meteora', that's something that threatens Earth, huh. I want to see what it looks like some day, for someone like you to slay something like that." Breathless in the flurry of face to face combat with the two Vox units, Array doesn't think too hard about the way he said that to Chloe. He'd excuse his own meaning as just 'wanting to see a monster defeated'. After all, things like that were nearly unheard of in the Polyhedron.
But instead, it's Array's time. Twin bolts of fury from afar crack through the Ovid's frame - Chloe's railgun sending Teneritas staggering, and Lan's Iurum piercing the last vestiges of the subspace field desperately trying to stay online. Alarms and warnings chime across Array's screens - and his cockpit harness is already switching to emergency life support mode, much to his disdain.
"...Princess Laffinty. ...If that really is you in there. ...Hah. Guess I really screwed up something bad pulling a stunt like this. ...Then again, it's crazy how something like this wound up being the closest I could come to real talent, huh...?"
...Someone who only knows the public image of Princess Laffinty of Le Garite, clearly, to say something like that.
By the time Array's in Madoka's grip, the sheer speed he's being hurled at washes him in vertigo. Of all things - of ALL THINGS to finish him off...
Being tossed over someone's shoulder and piled into the ground, like this was all some martial arts competition - is enough to force the smallest laugh from him.
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
"Oh--that wasn't intended as a brag," Kaworu tells Priscilla, matter-of-fact. A little regretful, even.
But there isn't any time left for a discussion with the girl in the Brownie. Her smaller size, especially after shucking that armor, allows her to evade his attack--but now Asuka, having defeated her opponent, is moving onto his. He glances over at her, and Unit Beta leaps up, twirling in midair and coming down to land next to the far more feral Unit-02.
"That's enough," he states, setting Unit Beta's hand on Unit-02's shoulder. It's enough to hold Asuka in check and keep her from chasing after Brownie--a thing that benefits Priscilla, but is ultimately for Asuka herself.
But not just for Asuka. Because Asuka is ultimately Kaworu's responsibility.
Still, while these enemies have fled, their leader--or at least, the one who led them into this fight--has fallen. Kaworu will assist with ensuring Array and his Ovid are taken into custody, though there will be no ransom demanded. But for now... the end of that battle belongs to Madoka, Chloe, and Lan.
<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
The Brownie starts to retreat after the Eldora Soul and, despite that, Asuka hardly seems satisfied, "<YOU! AFTER ALL THAT TALK! DON'T YOU DARE->"
However, Unit Beta puts its hand on Unit-02's shoulder, and while it's head whips around to look at Unit Beta.
It's face plate, it's helmet, mercifully remains intact. The problem is fortunately not that Evangelion Unit-02 is out of control.
Inside the cockpit, the girl pants for a time, eyes closed beneath her blindfold, not responding otherwise, just letting herself breathe... again, and again, as events unfold and the leader is taken into custody.
Eventually with one great heave of breath, she responds...
"<... Fine.>" Even if there's resentment in the word, in this moment, it's like the anger has mostly deflated out of her.
If anything she sounds small.
SCENESYS: Akane Shinjo has posted scene #497, 'Wishes Connected', at 19:30 ET on 06/25.
<Pose Tracker> Chloe has posed.
The sight of of Array's Teneritas being slammed down into the ground by Madoka's Aura plays out on the screens inside Chloe's cockpit. It's at this point that Noa's song reaches towards its end.
~ Someday if I can reach out to you
To the depths of your heart and soul
With that hope, with your wish, with your love I won't soon give in
Seize the light ~
The trumpets triumphantly finish out the end of the song and then silence reigns once again.
Chloe lets out a single breath, as if she'd been holding it for the entire fight. She's sweating a little bit, but otherwise is relatively fine after the fight. Though she does briefly take a moment to finally consider... With all the weapons on Earth, these Vox are the ones that drew these alien invaders here? Just what is it they are capable of? They didn't seem any more or less dangerous than most mobile weapons Chloe has seen.
Well, not that it matters. Like she told the enemy pilot, Chloe is fine with them if they'll help her.
Beside Chloe, Noa reports, "Enemy leader defeated. Checking battlefield status... All pilots accounted for." She then lets out a sigh of relief herself, simulated of course, "That went better than I expected. Though I think they underestimated just how much resistance they would face. I would be surprised if they don't come at us harder next time."
Chloe simply replies with a hum of agreement as she starts to take steps forward, he Makhia following suit as it starts to wade through the water towards Pharos and the downed Array.
With Chloe clearly not willing to show any post-battle enthusiasm, Noa decides to take it to the radios, saying, <"Good work, everyone! I'm sure we've shown them that we Earthlings are not to be messed with!">
<Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.
On the Pharos bridge, Shozo Tadokoro huffs a breath and slumps in his seat, relieved. "Well, that was close," he grouses, louder than he should in front of his subordinates. He reaches up to flick on his ear piece. "This is Captain Tadokoro. Agreed, Miss Noa. Pharos thanks you for your assistance, all NERV pilots. We're confirming that all enemy pilots have retreated or been downed. ...Not sure we can give you full service under these conditions, but if you need a tow home, we'll get that started. Kyouno, Princess, don't let that Ovid try anything funny, I want that pilot alive. I'll pass follow up to our communications officer James Row."
As post-battle communication starts flowing, Tadokoro slumps his head against his head rest, rolling it to try and release pressure. "So that's Kiss, is it..."
"And a few other organizations, I think," Moid chimes in from behind him. "That'll only make them more dangerous going forward. Hm."
Tadokoro's mouth flattens and he turns a Look on Moid. "And that support fleet of yours?"
Moid makes a vague motion as if to set the whole notion aside. "Ambushed in another galactic arm. I'm afraid we'll have quite a while to wait." He turns a smile on the Captain. "So it's a fine thing you've found such reliable allies, don't you think?"
Tadokoro grimaces, then shoots a glance at Eri Watabe off to the side. "We've...got, a brig, right?"