2022-06-09: Question

• Log: 2022-06-09- Question
• Cast: Lamia, Yuta Hibiki, Akane Shinjo, Rikka Takarada
• Where: Tsutsujidai High School
• OOC - IC Date: 0096-06-09
• Summary: The Bettermen follow up on Lamia's intent to communicate with Gridman. Lamia sticks to communicating the way a monster ought to, at least.

---

<Pose Tracker> Lamia has posed.

         - HOURS AGO -

         "If you wanna talk to Gridman, hey, be my guest, though. ... don't tell him we're enemies, okay? ... I'm pretty sure we go to the same school, and it's gonna ruin the vibe."

         Thinking back to those words Akane said weeks ago, it's only now dawning on Lamia that perhaps, there was a failure to completely communicate his intentions. Hopefully, this won't upset Akane too badly, though given her attitude towards this "Vessel of Light"... It doesn't matter, in the end, what he's about to do is the only feasible way to approach, at least for someone like him. Subtlety has never been his strong suit, much to the chagrin to the rest of his kind.

         "And to reiterate, after we've helped you with your pointless curiosity, you will deal with the Root of Evil, correct? I may have deferred myself to you in matters regarding the King of Ruin, but you will find me hard-pressed to remain cooperative for long when it comes to fixing some girl's sandcastle."

         A tall Somnium draped in green snaps Lamia out of his own thoughts, arms crossed impatiently as he waits for his answer.

         "The Root of Evil has yet to act. If you are so deeply concerned, you are free to take care of the problem yourself."

         Rather than Lamia responding, instead, another Somnium speaks out, her tone of voice surprisingly dry and flat to the point where it's hard to really discern any intent behind it, though it doesn't stop the previous Somnium from scrunching his face up in offense.

         As if to prevent the situation, Lamia simply moves forward from the rest of the group, turning his head as if motioning them to follow. He doesn't speak, but the fact that he's going through with this plan is enough of an answer for the disgruntled member...

         - NOW -

         It's a boring, average day at Tsutsujidai High, with boring average Tsutsujidai weather. For some, the dullness of it all might be repetitive, but for others, the nice lull of quietness is probably appreciated. Unfortunately however, the peace doesn't last. It never does.

         The effects are subtle at first, as various students complain about suddenly feeling sluggish, but as the minutes pass, it's clear something is wrong. The simple act of lifting something of the ground requires what feels like a herculean level of strength, and it's only slowly getting worse.

         The cause of this phenomenon doesn't take long for those at school to discover, especially for the students whose first instinct was to try and leave.

A massive monster hangs over the high school, wings outstretched to keep it suspended in air. It's kaiju that has appeared to help several times before, the entity known as Betterman, though it looks different than before.

         Its lower half has been replaced with a strange, honeycomb ball-like structure, the strange new appendage nearly as tall and wide as its own upper body. It is also, very transparently, the source of the problem, as a large ball of condensed gravity is visible inside it, excess energy spilling out of the various holes as its clearly ready to fire...

         And yet, the Betterman doesn't, instead, its beady eyes simply look down at the school, as if waiting expectantly.

KTS: Lamia has deployed in Betterman Cataphract.
KTS: Lamia has deployed as a Rival.

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

Ordinarily, one would take an abscence from school after having been almost killed by a junior swinging around sawblades, but - once he'd been treated, Yuta hadn't wated to crawl in a hidey hole and lick his wounds. Orie had been immensely helpful in cleaning and sewing the gash in his shoulder as well as providing him with a couch for that evening, the same one he'd been nursed back to the waking world on by Rikka earlier in the schoolyear.

She'd asked shockingly few questions about the whole affair, too. Actually, hasn't she always been kind of like that from the get-go? Yuta had wondered.

In the present, with his sewn and bandaged up shoulder hidden by his uniform, Yuta went about his day as normally as he could. His intention, of course, was to stop putting off going to Akane's.

The best opportunity for that would be lunch. "Hey.." Yuta had said shortly before first period began. "Uhm..well..there's some soup I made - it's a spanish veggie recipe ... so - let's meet on the roof for lunch today. I made plenty." Today's gonna' be the day. It has to be.

    Unfortunately, today would not be the day.

"Nn...it's like - it's like my body's full of lead instead of blood..."

The only thing in my backpack are books and a couple of canteens for me, Sho, Rikka and Akane..but I feel like it's going to drag me to the floor. There's no way this is normal -!

"this is bad.." "- eh? Calibur?!"

Before Yuta can start asking questions, he's being dragged out with a tremendous effort on the part of Samurai Calibur, his backpack and all that belonged in it left behind, in the middle of the hallway. "Wait, isn't that kaiju in the sky.."

"betterman. w-we have to hurry.."

Thankfully, getting out of the area of effect of Lamia's gravity well eased the strain on the both of them enough that they could meet up with Rikka and the other Neon Genesis Junior Highschoolers, and pile into the Synchrotank.

"Why is Betterman doing this?" Yuta wonders, and receives an answer from Gridman, of all people, whose face on the screen of Junk fizzles worriedly. "I don't know. But you should be careful, Yuta - I have a bad feeling .. Betterman could be the most dangerous fight you've ever had, if that's how things go."

" .. got it. I hope he's not here to pick a fight .. I don't want to fight anyone if I can help it." Yuta resolves. "But what he's doing to the school could really hurt people if left alone. If the only way to stop him is to fight him, then .."

Calibur interjects, "t-that's...uhm..that's jumping to conclusions, a bit .. if you really believe what you said, yuta, then .. believe in your convictions a little more." with a small smile.

" .. yeah. That's right. Alright, I'm going. Take care, everyone - and, Rikka...er.."

Yuta scratches his cheek awkwardly, "N-no, it's nothing. Nevermind. Let's try our best, thanks for supporting me."

With a deep, calming breath, Yuta raises the arm with the Primal Acceptor on it. "ACCESS -"

    "FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!!"

Gridman Primal rises from the ground in a warbling whirlwind of light, standing bravely before the airborne Betterman. "Betterman...I don't know why you're doing this, but please stop. If you continue, you'll hurt the students here..!"

KTS: Yuta Hibiki has deployed in Gridman Primal.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has changed loadout.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"Oooh, that's, uh..." Akane thinks for a second. Her Spanish isn't nearly as good as her French. (No Tarabaman shows.) "... ahahaha, I swear I know the name, but I can't remember it..." She laughs at herself a bit, then eventually says, "... Okay."

It's way more substantial than she's comfortable eating... but it's also hard for her to say no in a way that feels honest. She's a bit cornered... she *guesses* she can eat Yuta's soup.

... things conspire to change their trajectory, though.

In some ways, Akane is totally checked out from her little paradise; in others, she's extremely attuned to it. Feeling the world get distinctly *heavy* is among the ways in which she's the latter.

It would be so, so easy to assume this is on her, of course, if you knew she was doing what she was doing but not *how* she was doing it; honestly, even if you did, it might be plausible. She's perfectly capable of setting things up in advance to get messy, after all.

... It'd require you to believe she's just a little better a liar than she seems to be, though, because when she drops a gel pen and then can't actually get it back off the floor, she looks visibly agitated. "... What the..." Her lips curl into a frown, and her hands ball into fists. At significant effort, she gets out of her desk.

... to actively *address* this problem -- if, indeed, she wants to address it -- she's going to need to go home, she thinks, as she looks up toward 'Betterman.'

Then again...

Akane doesn't have anyone who'll help her in the way Calibur helps Yuta; she has to stumble and stagger her way out of the area of the Somnium's effect herself. "Nnngh -- *come on*," she hisses under her breath, as she sees Yuta's own departure out of the corner of her eye. "This sucks," she mutters. It'd be nice if Alexis made this that easy for *her*.

... she's been a little cautious of asking him for too much help lately, but... ugh, she's definitely not going to get back home in time if she doesn't...

She grits her teeth in exasperation, pulls out her phone, and starts texting.

> Alexis. Come pick me up.

She waits impatiently for a few minutes; unlike Calibur, who freely uses his full strength, though... Alexis doesn't even bother to teleport, here. He pulls up in a three-wheeled two-seater car of a type common in the OCU, instead. "Oh, *now* you figure out the brakes," Akane says, getting in with a faint roll of her eyes.

---

Due to her distinctly late start, Akane doesn't arrive home until Gridman has already taken the field. "Hrrm..." She chews at the straw of an empty cup of coffee, trying to figure out what her play is. ... Maybe she doesn't have one, she thinks -- why not just let some Vessel-on-Vessel violence happen?

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

School has been pretty uneventful lately. It's been nice. These quiet, uneventful days are exactly what Rikka wants to protect, as boring as they might be from time to time. It looks like today might be another average day...

...But, this peace can never last for long.

It's not unusual for school to invoke feelings of sluggishness, heaven knows Rikka just doesn't feel it some days, but this... it's getting to be too much.

"...I'm going to see what's going on." Rikka says, standing from her desk. ...It's hard. It feels like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. Just standing feels like it takes an immense amount of effort. And once she's out the door, even just pulling out her phone to send off a message back to Calibur and everyone takes everything she's got. They're probably on their way already, anyway - which is good, because she's going to need a hand.

Before long, she's joining Yuta and the others in Synchrotank, taking her seat at the head. Rikka takes a breath. ...She feels like she can breathe a little easier, now.

Yuta asks why Betterman is doing this... and Gridman speaks. Rikka frowns.

"...I don't want to hurt him either." She agrees. She pauses, when Yuta starts to say something to her... but, he seems to change his mind about it, so she lets it drop. Right now's hardly the time to press him on it, anyway.

"...Yeah. Stay safe out there, okay?" She says with a nod as he performs the Access Flash. With that, she turns her attention to the Betterman.

"...You helped us before. Why are you doing this now?" Rikka asks.

KTS: Rikka Takarada has deployed in Synchrotank.
KTS: Rikka Takarada has changed loadout.

<Pose Tracker> Lamia has posed.

         It's hard to tell if the feelings of Yuta and Rikka reached the Betterman, or if it simply decided for itself, but the crushing gravity that's been building up suddenly disperses, allowing for the rest of those still inside the school to easily evacuate.

         Cataphract waits a while longer, its gaze locked on Gridman and the Synchrotank, until they're the only three left.

         "So called Vessel of Light, and those who would ally themselves with them. Answer me... Why are you here?"

         Though the Betterman does not speak, Yuta (and Gridman) and Rikka can hear Lamia loudly in the back of their head, rather unnervingly as if he was standing right behind them.

         "And why do you fight?"

         The second question is punctuated with the kaiju finally descending downward, wings tucked against its back as it lets gravity carry it down. The weird, orb-like lower half begins to unfurl itself like a flower, the weird strands of flesh reshaping themselves back into a pair of legs as Cataphract stretches out one of the newly reformed appendages to drop against Gridman's face.

         Though notably shorter than the cyber warrior, the strength and weight behind the attack is anything but lacking, and as the Betterman regains its footing, it follows up by attempting to deliver a rising forward knee to Gridman's stomach.

         "I wish to find out."

KTS: Lamia targets Yuta Hibiki and Rikka Takarada with Shock.
KTS: Lamia targets Yuta Hibiki with Pondus Kick!
KTS: Lamia shocks Rikka Takarada, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Lamia has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki blocks Lamia's Pondus Kick, taking 1260 damage!
KTS: Lamia has engaged Yuta Hibiki

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

    "I'm here, because .. - I treasure this place..!"

Gridman's head inclined slightly as Yuta looks over his shoulder, the sensation of Lamia speaking directly to him being strangely uncomfortable, though not entirely unfamiliar. Of course, there was nothing behind him.

Gridman shifts his weight onto the balls of his heels to hurl himself into a single backflip that allows him to avoid Lamia's initial descent, having just enough time as he rises back to his full height to launch his own armored leg forward to meet Betterman Cataphract's knee in an explosion of sparks, with the two strength laden titans contesting their might.

Still, Gridman is able to leverage his weight to push away. He's even stronger than Gridman..!

    " - and I fight because I wish to protect it, and all the people who live here!"

Gridman's feet pound against the blacktop as he sprints forwards, careful to avoid actually striking at the school despite knowing that it would be repaired by the next day if he did. After all - There's still a possibility not everyone got out. I have to force him back..!

Friction sparks skid as Gridman launches a lightning fast kick at Lamia's head, using the momentum to pivot his whole body and attack likewise with his other leg a heartbeat later. "I answered your question, so answer mine. Why are you doing this?"

Inside the Synchrotank, the Neon Genesis Junior Highschoolers were brainstorming. "b-betterman barely flinched from that kick..."

Vit scratches his cheek, looking shockingly unsure, "Yeah. I mean, Somnium can basically turn into whatever they want .. that form might be compact, but it's packing way more physical might and endurance than Gridman has right now. Even if Max goes out, he can probably overpower him, so..."

"The answer's obvious, then, right?! The only choice is to blow Betterman to bits before he can adapt into a new body. I'll - "

    Vit pulls Borr back into his seat by a twin-tail.

"Not so fast, buckle back up, gorilla boy. Or did you forget we're still in the middle of the city, right in front of the school?"

" - ... tch...so, what do we do? Nothing at all?"

"Remember, Borr, our goal isn't to destroy Betterman, just repel it. In that case, we only need an attack that can pierce his defenses..."

" ... i'll go." Calibur murmurs. "Are you sure you can cut him?"

    "yes. as long as I time my entry right."

Max nods, "Then, when you see an opening, we'll be counting on you."

Calibur pulls his headset off, breathing in deep, " .. yeah, leave it to me..."

KTS: Yuta Hibiki has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki targets Lamia with Flash Kick!
KTS: Lamia has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Lamia's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Lamia blocks Yuta Hibiki's Flash Kick, taking 2000 damage!
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has engaged Lamia

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

There are... a lot of things Akane *could* do about this. But then -- she did sort of know this was coming, even if she didn't quite realize that... *this* was what Lamia had in mind. This is her world, after all, and there's an extent to which this undermines her control of the place.

... but that would require working with Gridman, and doing the mental gymnastics involved in that is a little bit beyond her as she is now. So instead...

"Hmmm... Alexis, can you take a look at this one from up close for me? I can keep tabs on the fight with a drone, but in case things get a little crazy..." Still supporting her tablet with one hand, she lazily spins her utility knife with the other. "Well! I'll trust your judgment."

... does she really?

At any rate, Alexis... begrudgingly goes along with it (though you'd never know it from his obliging tone). "Of course," he says, pleasantly-enough, and in the next moment, the car that drove Akane home no longer has its driver.

Instead, Alexis stands atop a building not far from the fight, still as an obelisk, observing. Where in the fight against Reine Noire he had been... normal enough for such a strange being, today things are a little different. Specifically:

He broadcasts and receives no psychic signal whatsoever. He can be seen -- but certainly not communicated with.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

"...Was he just trying to lure us out...?" Rikka considers, as she notes the shift in the atmosphere as the intense gravity disperses. She frowns a little. ...What would have happened if they hadn't confronted the Betterman...?

...Well, it's not like they were ever not going to. At least not she can breathe something of a sigh of relief as the school is evacuated. The other nearby structures should be doing the same, too.

And then, he speaks - or rather, they hear his voice. The hair on the back of Rikka's neck stands up and she looks behind herself quickly. There's nothing, of course, but it's still unnerving. Suppressing a shudder Rikka turns her attention back to the fight - and Lamia's questions.

"Tsutsujidai is my home. My friends and family all live here. I'm just doing what I can to keep them safe. ...And I don't want to make Gridman fight all on his own for their safe, either." Rikka replies.

The kaiju descends, and attacks Gridman!

"Are you alright? That looked powerful..." Rikka asks. ...How are they supposed to stand up to him? She looks back, listening as the Neon Genesis Junior Highschoolers brainstorm. A frown crosses her face. ...It really doesn't seem like they have a whole lot of options, but at least it sounds like there's a plan in place.

"...Then I'll try to help keep him busy until then." She decides. Synchrotank unfolds into its standing state and moves to the side quickly - away from the school, out toward where it's more open. Rikka points the mobile suits hands at the Betterman and opens fire. It's not a lot, but any heat they can take off of Gridman to give him more room to move, the better.

KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Lamia with Hand Vulcan Fire!
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Yuta Hibiki
KTS: Lamia's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Lamia blocks Rikka Takarada's Hand Vulcan Fire, taking 870 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Lamia has posed.

         "I see..."

         Lamia's voice is a little wistful, a tone that really doesn't really match the aggressive appearance of the Betterman.

Cataphract's wings unfurl as it retreats back after its clash with Gridman, using them to control itself to carefully control where it lands even as it has to put up with the hail of small bullets peppering themselves into its hide.

         "Can you defend a Dream that doesn't want it? Can you love a Dream that views you as little more than a foe to vanquish?"

         Reaching an arm behind its back, the Betterman lets out a pained snort as it dislodges the blade embedded in its back, the sound of meaty muscle fibers audibly ripping off of it until its fully unsheathed. Now with a mighty roar, Cataphract raises the weapon overhead, before suddenly throwing it at Synchrotank, the bladed weapon spinning through the air at incredibly high speeds.

         "If this Dream... This World one day truly wished for ruin, how would you respond? Could you go against both the very thing and ones you love? Do you believe you know better? ...Could you still even love it?"

         The monstrous amalgamation slowly begins running towards Gridman now, its meaty legs building up speed until its wings have enough air underneath them to allow the creature to glide. Whether the blade connects with Rikka or not, the thrown blade now boomerangs back to it, two massive mitts grabbing onto the improvised weapon before it has a chance to escape as Betterman Cataphract leaps into the air.

         "Vessel of Light and his friend, if you do not have the resolve to answer or face these sorts of questions, leave now, while you still can. "

         Swinging the 'sword' around its head much like one would wind up a bat, Cataphract punctuates its last sentence by bringing the razor sharp weapon down full force, its edge aimed at Gridman's armored clavicle in a rather half-hearted attempt to bisect them.

KTS: Lamia targets Rikka Takarada with Void Rupture Flying Saber!
KTS: Lamia targets Yuta Hibiki with Void Rupture Saber Rend!
KTS: Rikka Takarada blocks Lamia's Void Rupture Flying Saber, taking 2325 damage!
KTS: Yuta Hibiki fails to parry Lamia's Void Rupture Saber Rend, taking 5520 damage!
KTS: Lamia has engaged Yuta Hibiki

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

"Yeah - I'm still good to go!" Yuta uses Gridman's hand to return a thumbs up to Rikka. If he could smile with his face armored as it was, he would have. Though, his high-energy wasn't to last.

"That's..." - it was a difficult question to answer. At least, if you were answering thoughtfully. Someone who didn't think about it would probably immediately say of course, and maybe someone who thought about it for a minute or two would accept that it was impossible.

    " - .. Rikka!" Yuta worriedly faces the Synchrotank.

Yuta, don't lose track of him..! Gridman warns in his head, but it was too late.

    Inside the Synchrotank..

"It's a good thing we're pretty much in a walking bunker.." Vit murmurs, "Ouchie." while rubbing his bumped head. Calibur picks himself up off of the grated flooring, grunting while grasping at Max's extended hand so he could be assisted up. Borr lets out a muffled groan of displeasure, having been pitched forward into Vit's chest forehead first from the impact.

"i..i-should go..opening or not." Calibur affirms.

    Back with Gridman..

Yuta cries out, having raised his right arm, bracing it with his left in a cross-block to try and deflect Betterman's cleave. Sparks flew once again when the edge harshly bit into Gridman's armguard, only -

During the struggle in which Lamia had the advantage of gravity and leverage, Gridman's shaking right arm develops cracks at the shoulder. "N...mnnngh...!"

Gridman is forced down, a gnarly gash traveling across his arm and lower thigh from his guard giving way. The cyber giant tucks and rolls to recover as best he can. My shoulder...even though I'm in Gridman's body right now, my wound still carried over...

Gridman's right arm hangs limply. I - can't use it to fight with anymore..

    "ACCESS CODE: GRIDMAN CALIBUR!"

From a pylon of bright blue light, a silver sword adorned with an almost box-cutter like yellow guard shoots out from Lamia's flank, aimed to skewer him straight through.

Unfortunately, he lacked the acceleration to drive himself in very deep, and he gets stuck in Betterman's hide as a result. "Gridman, now..!"

    " .. Calibur..!"

I can't give up! Yuta thinks to himself, his mind flashing back not even half an hour prior.

if you really believe what you said, yuta, then .. believe in your convictions a little more.

"Betterman .. love .. is like an intrusion! That's why, even if I'm treated like nothing more than this world's enemy..even if, to get the 'happy end' I'm shooting for I have to stand against the entire world that I wish to protect .. I can say that I'll still hold that love in my heart!"

While Gridman retorts to Lamia's earlier questioning, he held his good arm in a balled fist at his side, waves of rainbow colored light pulsing as it gathers in his Primal Acceptor.

The presence of Alexis Kerib was one that went largely un-noticed, being as quiet as an ominous shadow. Only one of those present had the wearwithall to do so, leaving Vit with an uncharacteristic frown on his face as he'd taken to manning Calibur's station once he'd left.

Gridman sprints forward, feet pounding across the blacktop as he bolts straight ahead and raises his fist, intent on slamming it right into Calibur's hilt. "CALIBUR!"

    "SPAAAAAARK BEAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!"

The scattering waves of light release at point blank in an attempt to drive Gridcalibur through Lamia and punch a hole in him, suffusing his upper body in a smattering of energy blasts released from the punch.
Yuta Hibiki uses Hyper Reloader
Yuta Hibiki uses Install

KTS: Yuta Hibiki has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki targets Lamia with Spark Beam!
KTS: Lamia fails to retreat.
KTS: Lamia fails to react to Yuta Hibiki's Spark Beam, taking 4770 damage!
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has engaged Lamia

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

... Ah, Alexis thinks. This is the weapon the Betterman has chosen, to wield against something with lives unlimited. An... uncharacteristic adaptation, but a fascinating one.

It is of little consequence, he thinks. Gridman is... incomplete, and the rest of the people of this world... hollow. Empty. Even as the pretension of alternative posibilities presents itself, they remain superficial beings, incapable of love at all.

Alexis, of course, completely misses some of the subtext layers here.

---

Akane, of course, is too far to receive Lamia's words -- but she can hear Gridman's through her drone. She notices the weakness in the arm, too; is Gridman... did something *happen* to him? She ought to move on this -- no, she's slightly smarter about this type of thing than Anti. Don't interrupt your enemy while they're in the midst of making a mistake.

'My friends and family all live here.' Of course. The whole reason Rikka is fighting is because she's part of this artifice. That much, at least, Akane can understand -- misguided, and profoundly so... but it makes sense. Perhaps she ought to encourage her to stop -- after all, if Akane guarantees her friends and family will be safe if Rikka doesn't move... where's the motivation?

'Love is like an intrusion,' and Gridman intends to hold that love in his heart. ... that -- does that really matter? She can't... there are so many things happening outside. To leave -- to open herself to the world again, to wake up from the 'dream' -- would mean to face them alone.

... Akane slips out of her seat and onto the ground. This is -- a lot.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

A thumbs-up. Well, that's a good a sign as any, at least. If he's still good to go, she is too. ...But first, Lamia has questions for them. Rikka winces from the sounds as the blade is dislodged and, despite being slightly distracted from the questions presented to her, raises Synchrotank's arms. The blade crashes into the mobile suit's bulldozer blade shields at high speeds, the sheer force of it almost knocking Synchrotank off its feet even through the shields.

"Sorry about that..." Rikka says through gritted teeth, to the others who were similarly thrown about. But more importantly...

"Hibiki...!" Rikka gasps, shocked at the sight of Gridman's wounded arm. Is he going to be able to keep fighting in that condition...? It looks like he's going to try, at least. Rikka takes a deep breath. She can't give up, either.

Even so, Lamia's question lingers in her mind. Rikka frowns, listening as Hibiki gives his answer. 'Love is like an intrusion', huh...?

"...I don't know. It's not like I've thought about that..." Rikka admits. "...But, if something I love is wishing for ruin, then I have to hold my hand out. If they don't take it, then to pull it back from the brink. I don't know if I'd say I'd know better... but I'd have to try anyway. Maybe that's selfish, but..."

Synchrotank dodges to the side, hands pointing out toward the Betterman. She has to keep moving... if she stops for even an instant, Synchrotank will be left open. Rather than unleashing another volley of vulcan fire, the fingers fold down this time to send a spray of birdlime at the Betterman. Usually used to seal gaps in damaged colony walls or hold together crumbling structures, maybe it'd be able to restrict its movement long enough for Gridman to act - even if only for a moment. She's not expecting too much, against something that strong...

KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Lamia with Birdlime Launcher!
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Yuta Hibiki
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Yuta Hibiki
KTS: Lamia's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Rikka Takarada rattles Lamia, making his next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Lamia blocks Rikka Takarada's Birdlime Launcher, taking 960 damage!
KTS: Rikka Takarada begins a Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> Lamia has posed.

         The attack connects, and as Gridman seemingly falters, Cataphract prepares to follow up on its attack. It pauses however, as Yuta finally works up an answer and goes back on the offensive. The Betterman, although tough, still desperately attempts to fly out of the way to the attack, but a sudden shot of birdlime binds the monster's wings, allowing the Spark Beam to properly connect with its target.

         To say there's resistance is an understatement, even though the move pierces through its defenses, the sheer amount of layers that Cataphract has soaks a lot of the damage, though when the light from the beam dies down, there's a sizeable hole that goes halfway through it now embedded in its chest, the ridges around it thankfully cauterized to make the sight at least a bit palpable.

         It takes a few steps back while dropping its sword, its empty hand moving to cover the open wound for a moment. It looks down, seemingly assessing damage, before snapping its head back up as it lunges forward at Gridman in retaliation.

Two massive arms grab hold of the digital soldier by the chest, bringing Gridman (and Yuta's head) down to its level as it stares for less than a second, but what feels like eternity.

         There's a weird, almost oppressive tension that builds in the air, and the weird feeling the back of the two high schooler's head suddenly becomes a horrible sinking feeling in the pit of their stomach...

         As quickly as it was there though, it vanishes, and Cataphract breaks the awkward staring spell with a shrill roar before throwing its head back and butting it into the Hyper Agent's head with more than enough force to send them fumbling back.

         Meanwhile, as the Synchrotank continue to skirts around, Cataphract's usually limp tail decides to spring to life in an effort to stop it, stretching outward as it aims to sweep the refurbished mobile suit off its feet.

         "Love is like an infection... That makes sense. I suppose that's why it easily passes down to others. Hopefully the hand you extend can spread the love you feel right now... Until the day where you can offer that hand however... Show me your best. Or leave. It matters not in the end, though like many things, this body is temporary."

KTS: Lamia targets Yuta Hibiki with Psycho Glory Squared!
KTS: Yuta Hibiki fails to parry Lamia's Psycho Glory Squared, taking 6360 damage!
KTS: Lamia has engaged Yuta Hibiki
KTS: Lamia targets Rikka Takarada with Ahriman Stab!
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Lamia has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Yuta Hibiki
KTS: Rikka Takarada fails to evade Lamia's Ahriman Stab, taking 3480 damage!
KTS: Lamia has engaged Rikka Takarada

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

Vit brings his thumb up to chew on it gently in thought. " . . . " That shadow .. I almost didn't notice it. But, rather than a fly on the wall, it's more like seeing a hole instead. What does his presence here indicate? With that and Betterman's sudden attack here .. is this all Akane Shinjo's doing? Or did Alexis-Kerib instigate it to try and stop Yuta from reaching her today .. or maybe it was all just one big coincidence, hm?

No matter how you looked at it, rationally, someone was pulling strings here. It'd be too ridiculous for it all to be coincidence, right? Even though that was certainly the case, someone like Vit couldn't accept such an answer. It was far too convenient for Alexis-Kerib and far too inconvenient for them.

If it's a coincidence, then our luck must be seriously very bad. As Lucky Cool Nice Guy Vit, I can't accept that at all.

"Hey, I mean, I know things aren't looking great, but don't you look way too tense right now? It's creeping me out." Borr comments.

"Oh .. you know .. - well, what can I say? This Vit's a big worry wart!" he says, sticking his tongue out. Nothing productive will come from telling them about that bastard slinking around right now. If I mention it to this hothead or to Yuta especially, they'll want to run off and try to ring his neck. Getting our stomach blown open from that sucker punch he gave us hurt way too much last time, so I'd rather we wait to fight him when we're as strong as we can be, considering the current circumstances.

Just knowing he's watching is enough information to work off of for now. Vit thinks, as Borr blanches, "Uh huh. That was even grosser, nevermind."

Gridman reels back, tumbling across the ground with the jewel on his head beginning to pulse at a fast pace, like a warning alarm. "Gh...the color lamp is going off.."

Leveraging himself with his good arm, Gridman pushes himself back up. Calibur had shot off into the distance after having been punched through Betterman Cataphract. I'm almost out of time.. Yuta thinks.

"My best, huh .. I think I understand what you're doing now." There's no reason to fight anymore...

"I'm done fighting." Yuta says, Gridman standing tall, one hand over his injured shoulder. "Sorry, but I'm not really a battle junkie .. and, if it's my 'best', then .. I think my 'best' might be the me who can solve problems without using his fists."

Gridman fizzles, like an illusion of light, and Yuta pops out of Junk's screen. Calibur returns moments after him. "A..agh..."

"y-your shoulder.." Calibur murmurs, causing the wincing Yuta to draw his eyes to it. "Oh..."

The stitches had torn, and now an ugly red splotch was quickly spreading over his uniform starting from his right shoulder. "I-it's okay, it doesn't hurt as bad as it did before.." he says, putting on his strongest face.

"Eh? But if you're losing feeling in your shoulder, that's actually way worse. I hope it's just the adrenaline .. - er." Borr stops, realizing that Rikka hadn't actually been told yet about the attack that had happened before. It was pretty unlikely that the shifty Orie had volunteered that information, either. " .. uh, I guess it slipped our mind to tell you about his shoulder, sorry." Borr lamely apologizes to Rikka, with Yuta bowing his head. "Y-yeah. Once Betterman leaves, I should head to the nurse's office, I think.." Though the nurses will all probably have evacuated, and I don't know how to fix broken stitches..

Vit, as wallpaper, keeps his attention on monitoring how Alexis-Kerib would respond to Gridman's surrender.

KTS: Yuta Hibiki targets Lamia with Pass!

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

The more Akane listens to the three of them talk -- or, well, the two of them...? Two and a half? She's not getting Lamia's slice of their conversation, though she can imagine the questions -- the more her despair turns to anger. Putting words to why would be a challenge in itself; she certainly can't quite understand why it is that they're answering the way they are. If she were to wish for ruin, they should just -- leave! Staying, trying to help -- those are just bigger dangers.

"... Uggghh, I don't get why he's even asking stuff that would get these kinda answers," Akane eventually groans out. "Alexis, is it any clearer from over there?"

Alexis remains silent.

Gridman (Yuta)... says that the 'best' him is someone who can solve problems without his fists. Oh, Akane thinks -- he's a better person than I am, too. "Guess I already kinda knew that, but the confirmation kinda sucks," Akane mumbles to herself, purposefully vague on whether she's responding to Alexis's stillness or to her own train of thought.

---

Being observed curtails Alexis's options. The sheer fact that Vit keeps an eye on him is something of which he may well be aware; his gaze switches from Gridman to Synchrotank, a near-imperceptible shift of his body.

"Hm," Alexis reflects, quietly, to himself. "I suppose I'll need to direct their attention elsewhere, for the moment... novice drivers shouldn't shift gears without a clutch, after all." Akane's increasing vulnerability has become obvious; Alexis clearly needs to find a way to turn that elsewhere.

That shadow floats on; after a moment, it breaks the line of sight between Synchrotank and itself, and disappears.

It's good to know, at least, that these Vessels of Light lack a killer's instinct. Alexis is, if anything, *more* confident than he was coming into this.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka winces. For the briefest moment she feels a weight - not like the physical weight from before, but something inside. It fades away quickly, but the memory of it lingers. What does it mean...?

There isn't a whole lot of time to dwell on it. Rikka is suddenly surprised as the Betterman's tail, up to this point inert, suddenly lashes out for Synchrotank's legs. She tries to dodge around it, but doesn't quite move quickly enough - the lashing tail sweeps Synchrotank's legs out from underneath it, sending it crashing to the ground. Rikka does, at least, have the time to pivot as she falls to collide with empty road, rather than the school gate.

It'll be rebuilt either way, certainly. That doesn't mean she's okay with smashing things, though.

Synchrotank rises with its arms to support it... positioning itself so that both water cannons point right at the Betterman, water pressure building. Rikka prepares to fire...

...But then, Yuta decides that he's done fighting. Rikka pauses, and eases on the pressure, the charging of the cannons subsiding. His reason... it's a very poignant one. She doesn't like fighting, either.

"...Sorry. If Gridman's done fighting, I am too." Rikka says. "Did you get what you came here for?"

She turns the speakers off briefly and removes her headset to turn around to where Yuta has emerged.

"Welcome ba-" She starts, before her attention immediately turns to the rapidly blooming splotch of red. "Hibiki!?"

Rikka stands up quickly.

"I can't believe you all let him go out there like that...!" Rikka says with a huff. Borr says that it slipped their minds to tell her, and Rikka frowns.

...She knows, intuitively, that there probably wasn't really any other way. It's not like Synchrotank could have stood up to the Betterman on its own. But that doesn't mean she isn't going to worry.

"...I can help you." She says. With a sigh she collapses back into her seat, returning half of her attention to the Betterman, hands hovering over the controls with a hint of trepidation, just in case he decides he hadn't seen enough yet.

KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Lamia with Pass!

<Pose Tracker> Lamia has posed.

         ""So this is your answer? The Vessel of Light and his friends are soft...I suppose however, it is the type of touch this place needs..."

         The irony of Lamia calling someone soft isn't completely lost on him. He's definitely lost his edge too. A side effect of the Fruit he ate all those years ago, but... He doesn't regret having done it.

         The fight over, the Betterman shudders and heaves, before suddenly becoming rigid. The monster's eyes become dull, and its once vibrant colors are slowly consumed by spreading grey splotches.

         Eventually, the proud kaiju is little more than a glorified statue, the breath of life it once had, having completely left it.

         In the distance, a man in leather walks down the evacuated streets, occasionally tripping over seemingly nothing as he makes his way towards an alleyway.