2022-09-05: Melancholy

• Log: 2022-09-05- Melancholy
• Cast: Akane Shinjo, Celebro, Yuta Hibiki, Rikka Takarada, Jana Cektru, Sayla Mass, Shota Hebikura, Renais Cardiff, Alouette Pommier, Liam 7-020, Haruki Natsukawa
• Where: Tokyo - Kabukicho Red Light District
• OOC - IC Date: 0096-09-05
• Summary: Tokyo's Kabukicho district faces intercessions from two kaiju. One seems to desire nothing more than a duel with a Vessel of Light; the other is content to cause chaos as it will. One world's God surveys the world she found so lacking; one alien reaps the fruits of her labor.

---

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"Oho... Tokyo, is it? A classic! Very bold, too -- the heart of Japan! Which area are you thinking of? I'm sure you've got a wonderful kaiju planned, too..."

Akane taps at her lip with the straw of her tomato juice. "Well... as far as area goes, I'm thinking Kabukicho. I remember there being a lot of crime there from the newspapers when I was little, so I can count on them to help me out." She's short-circuited the step of actually asking for help, here; stomping around in their stomping grounds will bring them out to bite at their opponents as they're drawn out.

Surely.

"As for the kaiju, I was really thinking just Mecha-Ghoulghilas again. We got really close that time..." Closing her eyes and sighing a little, she says, "I don't really have any new ideas, either."

Alexis notes, "That's fine, of course -- but you do lose the element of surprise, you know... you should really consider a new one." The words fall from his mouth a little too quickly -- too urgently -- to simply be the enthusiastic counsel of a friend.

"... Nah. We've got a good thing going. It beat Hell and Heaven -- I'd say that's the kind of thing that deserves an encore! Anyway, I'm counting on you! ... I'm going to park myself on a rooftop and dramatically watch things, okay?"

"If you insist. Instance -- Abreaction!"

---

Despite having really cleaned up its act in the last couple of decades, Kabukicho is still a red light district -- a place just a little too comfortable for the criminal element. Pachinko parlors, virtual playgrounds, adult establishments, and restaurants form the district's economic backbone.

A lot of them are also front businesses for organized crime groups. The money flows in and out as it does in such places.

The bad news, of course, is: BioNet mostly doesn't operate here. There are small fronts here and there, to be sure -- but BioNet and its affiliates mostly packed up and moved to Nouvelle Tokyo recently. The ratio of attention drawn to upside, quite frankly, favors no one here -- not Akane, not BioNet, not the small-scale local criminals who have moved in.

Which leaves... Mecha-Ghoulghilas, parked in historic Theater Square. It's almost... expectant -- it's not here to rampage. It's here to challenge someone... though a kaiju probably can't be too picky.

Orderly evacuation begins before long -- and calls start going out as Mecha-Ghoulghilas roars, awaiting its challengers. Some of those calls are official requests to kaiju control organizations for assistance; others, however, go out through informal channels -- eventually making their way to today's Deculture Festival events...

---

Akane herself stands atop the nearby Hotel Glavas-slash-Tondaile Cinema, a building which stretches over 100 meters into the sky -- conveniently tall enough to let her look down on the battle. "All right, Vessels of Light," she says, settling in on top of a slab depicting Nalgus, one of the earliest Taraba Kaiju, as it rampages. "I'm gonna show you guys that last time was a fluke."

KTS: Akane Shinjo has deployed in AMK-01 Mecha-Ghoulghilas.

<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.

An evacuation order ripples through the STORAGE and NERV infrastructure. People scatter from Tokyo - from the very heart of Kabukicho, no less.

Observing from an alley, a man in hazard gear stares on, eyes scanning the impassive kaiju disintrestedly. "No fun," he declares.

And he turns, a hole in space opening behind him.

The gloom of his false Hero's Gate covers the place, a murky green and black that somehow illuminates it just enough for these absurd rods and cones to parse.

Two more stones into the Gacher. Twist the valve, slowly, carefully - a fine grind was required for such essences as these. Steady. Stable. He was getting better at this.

Two coins clink into the output tray. Rubber-clad hands pick them up. A piercing, boring intensity. Yes. These would do. He reached into a pouch with his other hand, producing three more.

Five coins. A combination he'd calculated before. The resonance should function. A fine test. It was time at last. "Now to test," he says out loud.

The gate opens behind him, deeper into the core of this...unfathomable space. To its true heart. He spread his legs, stancing square. It felt right, to root himself. He raised it, the Riser he'd stolen, and held up the first set of his Kaiju Medals. But before that...He slipped in the access card, a sickly green thing, with his true and false faces both upon it.

        "KABURAGI: ACCESS GRANTED."

Each coin in turn, inserted by meaty fingers. He knew their titles, their purposes. Their names hardly mattered.
"Ultra-Ancient Monster."
"Ultra-Ancient Dragon."
"Space Combat Beast."

He registered each within the riser, sliding it down slot by slot. "GOLZA. MELBA. SUPER C.O.V."

And as the power swelled within the space, as the world around him PULSED with something unimaginable and the very essences of the kaiju crystallized began to riot, he clicked the button on the Riser. A curious excitement in this ape-beast's chest. This would be so much....

"Kiete karekareta."

IN KABUKICHO:

The air rents and screams, coils of power crackling and forming a storm-like current in the air, rapidly ascending. Only he hears the Riser roar above the thunder: "TRI-KING!"

What descends is a massive thing, a vaguely draconic head, frilled down the spine with blue crystal. It's a vibrant red and gold, its eyes a piercing, inner-lit blue.

It screams, a piercing noise like screeching brakes. And then, unlike Mecha-Ghoulghilas, it doesn't wait an entire second before gathering ghastly power into its belly and firing blasts of neon-yellow light in every direction!!

KTS: Celebro has deployed in Super Combined Monster Five King.
KTS: Celebro has deployed as a Boss for 4 opponents.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has deployed in GAT-01D Long Dagger Fortestra.
KTS: Sayla Mass has deployed in ARX-107 Saint Lance - MS Mode.
KTS: Sayla Mass has changed loadout.

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

Music blares. Furniture is pushed to the sides of the room. Yuta's feet leave the ground, legs folding up into his chest as he flips, landing gracefully, knees bending slightly. A little smile crosses his face. He totally nailed that one. He's about to try the next move, when --

bwee! bwee! bwee!

Beneath his wristband, Yuta's Primal Acceptor is beeping and flashing. "Not now... I really need to practice! Come on, Shinjo!" Pulling out his phone, he taps on Rikka's number quickly. They've got to get out there with Synchrotank!

---

The whole crew has come along with Yuta today. After the last kaiju was such a rough battle, nobody wanted to let Yuta go out alone. "I'm sorry to drag you all out here." Yuta says, sitting in a chair next to Junk. Gridman waits on the screen, looking out at them all.

"Nonsense. We're here for you." Max puts his hand on Yuta's shoulder. "We wouldn't want you to fight alone."

"Besides. No matter the foe, we're strongest together!" Gridman adds, making a determined gesture. "It's what we're here for, Yuta!"

Yuta nods, smiling at Gridman. "Right!"

Once Synchrotank arrives at the scene, The Neon Genesis Junior High students stand with Yuta in front of Junk. "Be careful, Rikka. Let's both go home safe and sound once this is done." He gives Rikka a smile, and then holds his arm across his chest.

"Access... Flash!"

The NGJHS add in their own callsigns, and all five of them disappear into the computer with a flash of light. Their combination goes much faster this time, Gridman appearing at half-height once more, before getting quite a bit taller with the addition of his companions.

Brandishing Calibur, Full-Powered Gridman stands before Mecha-Ghoulghilas. "You won't hurt the people of this city!" Gridman calls. "We're here to stop you!"

Is Akane watching? Yuta wonders to himself, in the moments before the battle begins. He can't see any of her little drones around. Would she leave Tsutsujidai for something like this? He glances around, looking across the nearby buildings.

If you're out there, Akane, please stay safe.

KTS: Yuta Hibiki has deployed in Full Powered Gridman.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has deployed in SAA-1 Sevenger <Haruki>.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has changed loadout.
KTS: Jana Cektru has deployed in MPMZ-17 Ichinana TG Tector Gear.
KTS: Shota Hebikura has deployed in MPMZ-17 Ichinana.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

The Deculture Festival continues, and Rikka... well, she's not entirely into today's events, but she still feels a bit of obligation to be there - to make an appearance for the sake of making an appearance. It's nice that everyone's enjoying themselves, at least. She needs that kind of energy lately. It proves to be an uneventful day, at least...

...Or, it did, until a certain call goes out. A kaiju, appearing directly in Tokyo's Kabukicho district... And Rikka groans. Not now, of all times... It's not like she was enjoying herself or anything, but that doesn't mean she likes seeing everyone else's fun get interrupted. It isn't long before this is punctuated by a call from Yuta.

...And from there, it isn't long before Synchrotank gets on the move, collecting Yuta and the NGJHS before heading toward Tokyo - where they come face to face with a familiar sight.

"...It's... that one again. Do you think she's just... proud of it, or is this Alexis's doing?" Rikka asks with a frown. She doesn't really relish the idea of fighting Mecha-Ghoulghilas again. They barely scraped by last time... and they very nearly lost Guy in the process. Can they pull through a second time?

...And, she wants to say it's Alexis, but... the way it's just standing there, waiting for them - that doesn't really line up with his previous behavior. But if it isn't him, then it has to be... Akane. But the thought of her sending a kaiju to attack the outside world... it's concerning.

She's a little lost in thought... but, she's suddenly startled out of it with another kaiju appears, much more aggressively.

"What is that!?" Rikka asks, surprised. It doesn't look like one of Akane's... what is it doing here? Is it a coincidence that they're both showing up at the same time?

Yuta's words shake her out of her train of thought.

"...Right. Yeah. Stay safe, Hibiki... I'll be right there with you." She replies with a nod, watching as the five of them depart... and reappear, as Gridman. Rikka takes a deep breath and a moment to steel herself.

Alright... they have to do this. Can't afford to hesitate when there's kaiju on the scene, right in front of them.

<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.

Jana Cektru is expecting trouble sooner than later. Kaiju trouble, in particular. Akane didn't exactly give any other impression, after all. So she's at the office, ready to be called on if it becomes necessary... and is not out in Kabukicho! Not at first, anyway. But when the official calls go out, Jana insists on joining the team to go and handle the matter.

Soon she arrives on the scene in her heavily-armored Ichinana, the Tector Gear displayed prominently. She is there in time to see Gridman appear, to see the Mecha-Ghoulgilas, and then, suddenly--

"A fusion!?" Jana says over the radio in surprise, her Ichinana coming to a stop near where the lght basted through part of the city.

"It would seem that there's more than just Miss Shinjo's design at work here..."

She looks to Gridman then, and nods.

"...I will focus on the interloper."

Not alone, she assumes. She hopes. She hasn't fully tested the limits of this machine...

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        It's been a while since Sayla was in the cockpit. A long while since she's been in position to deploy. But today, well. Today she was in the right place at the right time. Her intention had been to meet Renais and talk but-

        It seems Kaiju had other ideas. The Saint Lance speeds over the horizon towards Kabukicho, an M9 maglocked to it's underside. The message from the Gridman Alliance reached her. "...Is this Alexis acting alone, do you think? Or has she finally left Tsutsujidai?" She asks this to her 'passenger' through contact comms.

        As they come over Theater Square, though, there are two Kaiju. One is distinctly Mecha Ghoulgilas the other... she has no idea. "This is Heart-2 to Shuffle Alliance forces," she transmits over tightbeam, before the Minovsky pollution gets too bad. "I'm here with Club-6 to provide backup. Kabukicho won't mend itself like Tsutsujidai, so we need to be careful. Evacuation is proceeding apace, but we're in a tight spot for fighting. Let's do what we can."

        Now, however, Sayla starts disengaging the maglocks. "Renais, I'm going to get as close as I can and release your Gernsback. Make it hurt." And then, the Saint Lance flies overhead and suddenly pulls up, launching Renais and her Gernsback on an offensive arc at Mecha Ghoulghilas, before transforming from Flight Mode to MS Mode, and landing with a crunch, turning rapidly, and firing a grenade from the wrist mounted grenade launcher at Mecha-Ghoulghilas, to keep it busy while others attack. Sayla Mass is not the sort to let an enemy attack first any more if she can help it.

KTS: Sayla Mass targets Akane Shinjo with Scramble Grenade!

<Pose Tracker> Shota Hebikura has posed.

The lives and times of STORAGE had not afforded the team much time for connection. A relentless schedule of kaiju attacks and support tasks with the greater Plural Tokyos had not broken for a real break, alternating among civil unrest, the wages of science criminals, enormous angry lizards, and several quasi-biblical threats from outer orbit.

Things were simply busy, and the team was scattered because of it. Captain Hebikura stood in the STORAGE Command Center, watching a monitor. On it, another mission was ongoing.

Yoko, in Windom, had been tasked with overseeing moving several 'Items of Interest' acquired by NERV agents in the prefectures. The collection was stewarded by Yuka in what looked like a camera case with a router strapped to it, but was actually a very high tech jamming device. The case contained scattered detritus from Genegarg, the Space Shark, which emitted very high levels of Space Radiation.

Hence, escort by giant robot. With Sevenger in reserve, Hebikura had hoped to handle whatever came in the afternoon without over-extending his resources. He had been confident! The plan had felt good.

He should have known it was today that would be the worst test. He never felt confident on days that actually went well. That was his known pattern.

And then things got much, much worse. A threat they had already faced, appearing on the news - and a terrible premonition turned triple-combined Lord Monster -- right in the middle of Tokyo! Grimacing with the arrival of the keening royal, Hebikura 'puhs' a breath. "No mercy at all, hmm?" Tapping his neck radio, the captain has to make a call.

"Haruki. You're up in Sevenger. I'll find something. We'll have to trust the rest of the Civil Defense forces to handle the Kaiju we've already seen." His voice drops for a moment. "Maybe we'll be spared by Grid-man again. If not him, Kabuto. We'll just have to trust them to do our jobs."

"We're fighting to buy time until people can get to safety." He adds, moving down to the hangar and pulling a helmet off the racks. "Remember you've got to get yourself to safety too."

---

Without either of the Special Aerial Armors available to Hebikura, the captain deploys in the team's reserve Ichinana, painted in STORAGE tan with blue and yellow accents. Approaching from the air and dropping towards the Super Combined Lord monster, a built-in speaker on the 'smaller'-framed robot transmits a sedate warning:

"Warning! Please clear the landing zone!"

It isn't the flying Mazinger knockoff that lands on Tri-King, but a targeted spray of bullets from above.

Immediately noticing Jana, Hebikura pulls around to try and help the fellow Ichinana.

"Are you with Civil Defense? I'm glad you showed up! Let's keep it away from the shelters."

KTS: Shota Hebikura targets Celebro with Ichinana MG Burst!
KTS: Rikka Takarada has deployed in Synchrotank.
KTS: Rikka Takarada has changed loadout.
KTS: Shota Hebikura has activated the Prospect Spirit Command targeting Haruki Natsukawa

<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.

Hebikura's arrival is a reassurance immediately to a certain Doctor, who had briefly contemplated having to be alone until the others showed up. So his answer is, "Today I am! Dr. Cektru, with STORAGE, on site to assist."

A beat, "Let's."
%She brings her machine to bear, and the Ichinana lifts one metal hand up near its face, fingers up and together, thumb in. It makes the hand into an ideal delivery mechanic for a beam...

"I'll try to lock it down for the moment!" she calls, and then announces, "Chain Beam!"

The white beam rockets from the side of the Ichinana's hand towards the kaiju, a move that might be entirely too familiar to some, or might just look like a fancy trick. Regardless, if it hits it will stymie efforts to move at least a bit.

KTS: Jana Cektru targets Celebro with Chain Beam!

<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.

        "Hard to say," comes Renais' reply to Sayla, hanging from the cockpit harness as her M9 clings to the Saint Lance's underside. "Now that Tsutsujidai is crossing over with our reality, I think she can act in ways she couldn't before. She's like a cornered animal right now... desperate and unpredictable. She'll act in ways she wouldn't have. Best to assume it's her."

        Sayla gives her the plan, and she nods, "Understood, Heart-2. I'll tear it apart." She grins grimly, reaching back to pull out the Gernsback's monofilament knife as the Saint Lance drops it. The shoulder shields tilt outward, giving her a modicum of an airbrake as she plunges down onto Mecha-Ghoulghilas' neck. The G-Stone on her arm keens and flashes. "RrrraaaAAAH!!!!"

KTS: Renais Cardiff has deployed in M9 Gernsback.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Ever since the Deculture Festival attack that left Guy injured and GaoFighGar destroyed, Alouette hasn't left her office in Orbit Base very much. Of course, she hasn't been sitting around doing nothing; Alouette's the type to always contribute if she can. Instead, she's been trying to find a way to recreate the destroyed GaoMachines. Although she has the programming data available, starting from scratch on the machines themselves will take quite a while...

But in the midst of her work, 3G receives word of a kaiju attack in Tokyo..! With Guy bedridden and Mamoru and Ikumi busy guarding the Orbit Base, 3G has no King of Braves to send - so Alouette volunteers herself instead. Normally, Alouette would assume a kaiju attack in Japan would be the work of BioNet, which she is more than capable of handling, but she notes that they don't often operate in Kabukicho...

Arriving on the scene, Alouette spots Gridman and Synchrotank fighting Mecha-Ghoulgilas again, a very familiar scene. Her initial assumption about BioNet was half-correct; this must be Akane acting independently. Attacking Tsutsujidai isn't enough for her anymore then, it seems...

This is the third time Alouette has piloted the Long Dagger, but it's the first time she's flown it under normal circumstances, out in the open like this. Especially nerve-wracking is the mobile suit being coordinator-use, but she vowed not to be ashamed of what she is anymore. She steels her nerves and manouvers the Long Dagger towards Ghoulgilas, briefly greeting those on the scene. "Rikka, Gridman! Renais! Neither of the King of Braves could make it today, but I'll do what I can in their stead."

Along with Renais is a woman she vaguely recognizes: Sayla Mass. She worked with Guy a lot back in the day, and although Alouette never formally met her, she knows she's trustworthy.

She aims her rifle towards Mecha-Ghoulgilas.

"I'll focus on this one! I already know its tricks, after all." She just wishes that in these battles, she could know what *Akane* herself was thinking.. she's either brave in her own way or scared if she's beginning to attack the real world.

KTS: Alouette Pommier has deployed in GAT-01D Long Dagger Fortestra.
KTS: Renais Cardiff has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Renais Cardiff targets Akane Shinjo with GRAW-2 Monomolecular Cutter Thrust!
KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Sayla Mass rattles Akane Shinjo, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Sayla Mass's Scramble Grenade, taking 2730 damage!
KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Renais Cardiff's GRAW-2 Monomolecular Cutter Thrust, taking 5280 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Renais Cardiff's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Renais Cardiff has engaged Akane Shinjo!
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Akane Shinjo with M703 Beam Rifle Sighted Shot!
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Alouette Pommier's M703 Beam Rifle Sighted Shot, taking 4935 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alouette Pommier's Analyst activates, causing Designate L1!
KTS: Celebro's Physical Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Celebro fails to react to Shota Hebikura's Ichinana MG Burst, taking 1440 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Jana is not alone. Her usual bodyguard got the call as well, and deployed to support her and the other STORAGE officers.

        A GAT-01D in stock NERV colors strides down a street, exercising due care--the pavement deforms visibly in its wake, but the pilot is trying not to crush cars and damage buildings. They're good at it, too; the machine moves with fluid grace, despite its bulky over-armor. It stops in an intersection, its frontal cameras focusing on Mecha-Ghoulghilas.

        "Kaiju sighted," Liam says, over the local STORAGE tightbeam. His voice is at once intensely focused, and devoid of everything else. "Orders, Dr. Cektru--"

        A surge of alien energy washes through the air, and Liam's sensors light up with readings he doesn't recognize. Not a Fold phenomenon, most likely--something different. Liam's jaw tightens beneath his helmet. Dr. Cektru has chosen her target, and his job is now to support her. "Engaging," he says, and the Long Dagger starts jetting its way down the street, briefly popping up behind the buildings with each boosted leap. The Tri-King is not a small target, fortunately, which gives Liam ample room to just unload on it with the CIWS. Soften it up, study how it reacts, get within optimal engagement range.

        Liam didn't learn anything about dealing with kaiju while BioNet trained him. Why would they? They were the ones unleashing them.

KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Celebro with Igelstellung 75mm Multibarrel CIWS Dash-and-Fire!
KTS: Celebro successfully evades Jana Cektru's Chain Beam
KTS: Celebro fails to rush.
KTS: Celebro's Physical Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Celebro partially guards Liam 7-020's Igelstellung 75mm Multibarrel CIWS Dash-and-Fire, taking 927 damage!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Celebro!

<Pose Tracker> Haruki Natsukawa has posed.

"Two!? Without Yoko or Windam??? Even with you Hebi-san..."

         Haruki lets out a startled shout, followed by an annoyed whine as the reports roll into the office. Great, just when Yoko and the Windam were deployed to take care of sensitive business elsewhere. That's just his luck. Still, even being short a member, it's his duty to protect the city, and sulking about the less than ideal circumstances isn't going to get him anywhere. Besides, he forgot something important. He's never seen Hebikura pilot upclose, and if he's as good at piloting as he is karate, well...

         Just as quickly as his bad mood came, it disappears. The STORAGE pilot slaps his cheeks to hype himself up.

         "Kay! I'll buy as much time with Sevenger and come back safe, SIR!"

         Giving the STORAGE commander a hasty salute, Haruki runs off to get ready for deployment.

---

         Flying in next to Hebikura's Ichinana, the Sevenger lands down on the city road beneath, the earth underneath it quaking as nearby cars are raised into the air from sudden impact. The Commander has the sky, so that means Haruki will take the ground.

         Waddling forward at a speed that one could generously call a run, the tin can of a robot pulls out a massive machine gun that it aims at the abomination of a kaiju's center of mass.

         There's a small flurry of bullets that fire from the tip of the weapon, before it stops, the gun audibly jamming up after a few seconds of fire.

         <"Ack! I mean uh... This is Haruki Natsukawa! I'll be laying down suppressive fire until everyone's evacuated, so any help is appreciated!">

         The pilot's voice is surprisingly cheery, despite the fact that he's desperately trying to unlodge whatever it is that made his gun stop working.

KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa targets Celebro with Autocannon Shot!
KTS: Celebro successfully evades Haruki Natsukawa's Autocannon Shot

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

The second a second kaiju shows up, Akane feels a spike of frustration. Sure, she did this expecting BioNet backup -- but she was expecting robots! Guys with guns! Something that felt less...

"... Some kind of souped up version of some other kaiju?" Akane responds, a little incredulous. She hops up to her feet where previously she'd been sitting, and her voice rises, shrill and annoyed: "That's -- Hey! HEY! I'm the one doing that bit right now!" Her nose scrunches up as she looks at the chaos of Tri King's assault. "No fair! And no sense of drama, either!!"

Oh well. It's clearly someone capitalizing on her attack; that just means she gets to take credit (read: blame) for an even bigger problem. That's fine.

It's not long before multiple civil defense units start to arrive -- as do Synchrotank and Gridman, on time as always. As Gridman's gaze sweeps across the buildings, Akane folds her arms and tries to look imposing; it wouldn't do for Gridman to see her looking weak or irritated. She forces a confident smirk, and calls, "Let's see how you handle this one, Gridman!"

She has no words for Rikka; there's nothing she can say to her. ... why does she have to keep fighting, though? This isn't her fight. She could go anywhere but here, and yet she keeps coming back for Tsutsujidai's God.

Akane stares at Synchrotank for a long time -- and then, a moment later, at Gridman (read: Yuta). The two of them...

... just what is a Repli-Compoid...?

...there'll be time for those thoughts later, if it turns out they matter. Right now, she has a kaiju fight to watch.

Mecha-Ghoulghilas almost immediately meets with tremendous opposition -- Sayla deploys a grenade and a much larger, more animated bomb, and both of them hit the kaiju one after another. Even drastically reinforced, the long neck of Mecha-Ghoulghilas remains a weak point; Renais stabs into it, and that leaves it reeling for Alouette to fire a perfect, clean shot that leaves it wide open.

Despite the fact that what Akane is aiming for is defeating Gridman, Mecha-Ghoulghilas... seems more interested in its other opposition. Synchrotank and Gridman do receive attention in the form of a quick sweep of the mouth-mounted heat array, but it's Alouette and Renais that receive the real aggression.

"What the heck...?" Akane mumbles to herself, as Mecha-Ghoulghilas's neck armor folds forward to form a drill; it trundles toward the Shuffle Alliance and 3G forces, thrashing its head around and trying to carve off pieces with the spinning tip.

"I made you to defeat Gridman!" she complains, stomping her foot.

... stable that time! She's getting better in those heels.

KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Yuta Hibiki with AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Rikka Takarada with AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Alouette Pommier with AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Pierce!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Sayla Mass with AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Bash!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Renais Cardiff with AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Spin-Up!
KTS: Rikka Takarada blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl, taking 2000 damage!
KTS: Yuta Hibiki blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl, taking 1200 damage!
KTS: Alouette Pommier rushes into the attack!
KTS: Alouette Pommier partially guards Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Pierce, taking 5880 damage!
KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged Alouette Pommier!
KTS: Sayla Mass fails to Parry Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Bash, taking 3800 damage!
KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged Sayla Mass!
KTS: Renais Cardiff retreats from the attack!
KTS: Renais Cardiff fails to react to Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Spin-Up, taking 3520 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.

A fusion, alright. Once you see Tri-King, if you know your kaiju history, its makeup is unmistakable. Its head looks like two heads, with a long neck terminating in what appears to be the face of the Ultra-Ancient Dragon Melba with the face of the normally hood-skulled Ultra-Ancient Monster Golza stuck in its maw. Melba's vibrant red, Golza's muscular, almost wrestler-like physique; and lined in the gold of the fiersome Space Combat Beast, Super C.O.V. Looking closer, it's even deeper than that, as the face of Super C.O.V. forms the bulk of its belly. The glowing blue crystalline components must be Super C.O.V., as well.

For just a moment, it sweeps its eyes up to the rooftop Akane's yelling at it from. Stares. Just long enough for her to know what happened.

Recognition. This is not a thoughtless, roaring beast. Not the way Kaiju often are.

Then it turns its attention to the squad coming at it.Two Ichinana; insipid. The machine gun fire from Shota pelts across its armored hide, plinking off to minimal effect; the other, it swerves, surprisingly nimble, and evades the incoming fire altogether. It shifts its stance, preparing to sock the flying pests out of the sky with those huge, clawed fists, but Liam's fire arrives. Tri-King slightly adjusts its posture, sweeping its huge tail around to smash Liam out of the sky mid-flyby. It does this so cleanly that it's able to juke completely aside from Sevenger's assault.

It does something one might parse as taking a deep breath, and then the heads of Melba and Golza, atop the beast, as one release a mighty roar. A sonic blast rattles the area, shattering every window for miles; more than that, pinpoint blasts come from the eyes of Melba's beaklike face, which the Tri-King kaiju sweeps across the cityscape, blasting away into hopefully-empty buildings and presumably-occupied Ichinana.

Then it rounds specifically on Sevenger, and Super C.O.V.'s eyes light up in its belly shortly before waves of searing yellow and black race downrange toward the tin-can robot!

KTS: Celebro targets Liam 7-020 with Melba Tail!
KTS: Celebro targets Haruki Natsukawa with Flash C.O.V. Shot!
KTS: Celebro Changes attack to Haruki Natsukawa and Jana Cektru with Sonic Melbanic Ray.
KTS: Celebro targets Haruki Natsukawa with Flash C.O.V. Shot!
KTS: Celebro Changes attack to Shota Hebikura and Jana Cektru with Sonic Melbanic Ray.
KTS: Jana Cektru blocks Celebro's Sonic Melbanic Ray, taking 2700 damage!
KTS: Liam 7-020 rushes into the attack!
KTS: Liam 7-020 partially guards Celebro's Melba Tail, taking 2378 damage!
KTS: Celebro has engaged Liam 7-020!
KTS: Shota Hebikura blocks Celebro's Sonic Melbanic Ray, taking 1350 damage!
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa successfully Evades Celebro's Flash C.O.V. Shot

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

Allies arrive, bolstering Gridman's spirits. "Thank you for coming, everyone. Let's do our best, together!"

Jana gets a nod from Gridman, and Alouette a smile. "Thank you. We're glad for your strength! Heart-2, we're grateful for your guidance, as always!"

As Mecha-Ghoulghilas begins to move, Gridman moves into a defensive stance, ready for the creature to come racing at him. But... it doesn't? Yuta blinks in surprise. "What..?" A beam attack is caught with Calibur, mostly turning it away. The monster seems to be targeting...

"Alouette! Renais! Be on your guard!" Gridman yells. "I'll try to get its attention! Borr, let's go!"

"Finally." Borr replies. "I've had a grudge against this thing since last time!" The drills mounted on Gridman's shoulders spin to life, letting out a high-pitched noise as they speed up. In unison, Gridman and Borr shout, "Twin Drill Break!"

Launching from Gridman's shoulders, two drills race through the air, crashing into the side of the kaiju. Doing their best to force their way through Mecha-Ghoulghilas' armor, they quickly begin to lose power and slow. Once they've expended their full strength, they go flying back to Gridman, docking into place on his shoulders.

"Face me, Mecha-Ghoulghilas! I am your true foe!"

KTS: Yuta Hibiki targets Akane Shinjo with Twin Drill Break!
KTS: Akane Shinjo successfully avoids Yuta Hibiki's Twin Drill Break
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        Sayla scores a solid hit, and lands firmly, and Renais follows up and sticks the landing. "Good work, Heart-2. Gridman, Astral Dragon- what do we know?" Look she hasn't had time to read all the reports.

        She only has seconds to ask though, as Mecha Ghoulghilas neck swings toward her. Without room to evade, or time to pull up her shield, she activates the holdout saber and tries to duck under the blow- it's not enough to grant her room, and the Saint Lance is knocked prone and in close range of the Kaiju-

        Which is when she catches someone calling out to the others. Damnit... A laser comm is beamed to Alouette, as Sayla makes her next movements. "Madamoiselle Pommier," she switches fully to French. "<I'll link you into our communications fully, but I ask that you keep my presence here a secret. Deal?>" Sayla doesn't wait for the affirmative, as Alouette is shared Sayla's targeting and defensive data. She wants the girl to stay alive. 3G have lost enough already.

        She comes back to her own situation- it's hard to get up under Mecha-Ghoulgilas' swinging neck, but prone is worse. The missile binder in the leg opens, and Gridman moves to open an opportunity. "Now!" She launches the High Explosive missile at a strange angle, shooting *under* Mecha-Ghoulghilas' neck, only for it to suddenly arc upwards as the psycommu control directs in into Mecha-Ghoulghilas underbody, and Sayla gets ready to make her move.

KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Sayla Mass targets Akane Shinjo with High-Explosive Psycommu Guided Missile!

<Pose Tracker> Shota Hebikura has posed.

Hebikura has become used to dealing with Kaiju from the perspective of someone who was smaller than them. There were ways to charge into the natural flinch reactions of larger creatures, strike with heat and light and sound.

None of these tricks even remotely work, the heavy machine-gun rounds scattering ineffectually on the bulk of the fusion lord monster. With the flash of intelligence and measuring gaze, derisive Kaiju-eyes looking-down at the pair of Ichinana, Hebikura gets the gist of how badly he's overextended.

"It's intelligent! Haruki, watch out!" He shouts, winglets flaring backwards. There's too much to react to - too many abilities the monster could have. Sonic blasts ripple out, and Hebikura guides his flying machine up, racing the waves of sound around a parking garage and ducking around the emptied structure of tiny model cars that explodes violently in an eruption of concrete, toothpick-like signage, and a cacophony of carsounds.

"Cektru, try to stay mobile!" He grunts, pivoting his unit up and over the broken structure. "Not that you can really dodge sound..."

Bringing the arms across the Ichinana's chest, orange power gathers at the emitters.

"Let's see if you like the heat!" From the air, the Ichinana's chest array finishes charging, firing a scouring heat beam down across the Melbic crown of the head where the sound beam came from.

KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Sayla Mass's High-Explosive Psycommu Guided Missile, taking 4890 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.

        Renais plunges her knife deep into Mecha-Ghoulghilas' neck, blade slipping between armor panels and into the kaiju's internals. She grips onto it with three limbs--the narrow surface is problematic, even for the agile AS. She yanks her knife free and tries to leap away before the titanic mecha-kaiju can retaliate...

        and takes its drill bits full-force, her ears full of the sickening grind of metal-on-metal as it knocks her away. The Gernsback skids to a halt along a side-street, stopping only a few meters from a Don Quijote storefront. The theme song rings in her ears as she pushes the AS onto its feet. Sheathing the monomolecular knife, she glances over at the damage readouts--nothing critical yet. A series of nasty scars has been through her armor, though...

        "I'm still in this!" she reports, dashing back toward the fight, head-vulcans rattling as she sweeps them across Mecha-Ghoulghilas' body. "Kitbashed piece of shit...!"

KTS: Renais Cardiff targets Akane Shinjo with AM 11 12.7mm Chain Gun Burst!
KTS: Shota Hebikura targets Celebro with Burning Fire!
KTS: Akane Shinjo successfully avoids Renais Cardiff's AM 11 12.7mm Chain Gun Burst

<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.

Jana regards the Sevenger with a pleasant look that doesn't transmit over the radio and doesn't linger long given the situation. But jamming gun or not... "Then help you will have," Jana says over the radio in turn. Liam asks a question--and he seems to get it all right He's engaging now, "Just be careful. We don't know the full capabilities of this combination of kaiju."

Shota advises she stay mobile--and frankly, Jana imagines that's the best way to be here. That sonic blast gets a raise of her shield, and the heavily-armored Ichinana just tanks the blow as best it's able, though the vibrations shake it hard enough to almost knock pieces off.

"Very intelligent..." She considers, thoughtfully. "And it resists weaponry."

She considers, and then shifts to the side, moving along nearer to that tail that was aimed for Liam. "Leave him alone," she says, letting it go over the radio.

"I know how to deal with you..."

Again, the Ichinana lifts its hand, the other arm moving to support it in an L. Then, she starts firing beams while she moves, rapidly loosing blast after blast of energy as she tries to move around to its flank.

<Pose Tracker> Haruki Natsukawa has posed.

         Sevenger stops trying to unjam its gun as Haruki notices that Tri-King is charging up for something. What that something is, he doesn't know, but he's ready to take evasive maneuvers!

         He finds out soon enough however when the kaiju fires a beam directly at him. Grabbing hold of one of the control levers, Haruki planned to move his robot out of the way by simply moving to the side...

         Unfortunately, he yanked the controls too hard, and the massive cylindrical robot topples over unto the ground with a deafening thud, allowing it to just barely duck under the monster's counter attack. While that's good, his current situation is less than ideal because now he needs to get back up... Something easier said than done, given that he's become somewhat accustomed to just calling for Z when he's grounded these days!

         Well. It's fine, he can use this to his advantage somehow. He just needs to think, what would Yoko do....

         Wait, he doesn't know what Yoko would do! Panicking as he tries to come up with something, he eventually settles on a plan. He's just going to roll with it. Literally.

         Taking advantage of the STORAGE robot's perfect round shape, Haruki rolls Sevenger across the ground like a giant can, picking up surprising speed as he drives the 50 meter robot directly into Three King's legs.

KTS: Jana Cektru targets Celebro with Rapid Emerium Beam!
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa targets Celebro with Sevenger Kabuki Attack!

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

"It's good to see you both!" Rikka replies, as Sayla announces the presence of Heart-2 and Club-6 - herself and Renais. She's definitely relieved to see people she knows here. But Sayla reminds them, too, that they need to be more careful here than usual. Rikka nods. "Right."

And, there are other machines, too... she's only somewhat familiar with STORAGE, but they've been helpful before.

"You're all from STORAGE, right? Stay safe out there." Rikka urges. She'll trust them to handle the other kaiju. Dealing with Mecha-Ghoulghilas... it feels like her responsibility, a little. And there's another familiar face, as well!

"Alouette! We're glad to have you." Rikka replies. She might not be a King of Braves, but she doesn't need to be - Alouette's presence on its own is reassuring enough.

Sayla asks a question... but Rikka doesn't get to answer it right away, because Mecha-Ghoulghilas goes on the attack! Synchrotank's arms raise quickly, the kaiju's heat beam carving a line into the bulldozer blades and forcing the the mobile suit back. Strangely, though, the kaiju's attention seems elsewhere besides Gridman... thankfully, Gridman is on the job.

"This is a souped-up version of the first kaiju we fought - it attacked Tsutsujidai's Deculture Festival. Be careful, it's dangerous. It has drills, heat rays, claws, explosives..." Rikka pauses with a frown. "...Actually, it might be quicker for me to just send you the combat data from that fight."

Rikka taps away at Synchrotank's console. She's a quick typist, at least, sending everything she has over to Sayla's Saint Lance before turning her attention back to the fight.

They have to pin it down somehow - if it gets wild, things could go really bad pretty quickly. Well, there's one way she can try that, at least. Synchrotank's hands point at Mecha-Ghoulghilas, one of the fingers folding downward to unleash a spray of birdlime at it in an attempt to hinder its movements!

KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Akane Shinjo with Birdlime Launcher!
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Alouette Pommier
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Sayla Mass
KTS: Jana Cektru has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Liam 7-020
KTS: Rikka Takarada rattles Akane Shinjo, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Rikka Takarada's Birdlime Launcher, taking 2436 damage!
KTS: Rikka Takarada begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Celebro charges into the attack!
KTS: Celebro partially guards Shota Hebikura's Burning Fire, taking 2070 damage!
KTS: Celebro's Physical Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Celebro fails to evade Haruki Natsukawa's Sevenger Kabuki Attack, taking 1425 damage!
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has engaged Celebro!
KTS: Celebro fails to react to Jana Cektru's Rapid Emerium Beam, taking 3150 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        The Long Dagger lands in another intersection, casings clattering to the ground around its feet. Liam frowns behind his visor as he comes to several conclusions: it's smarter, tougher, and more agile than it looks. The head suggests another fusion monster, though he hasn't seen any of the components before. Jana orders--tells--him to be careful. "Understood," he says.

        'It's intelligent!'

        "Acknowledged," Liam says, but he thinks: is it like Anti? He hits the jumpjet pedal, and the Long Dagger rises above the buildings, spraying more CIWS fire from its head vulcans--

        Liam sees the change in the kaiju's body language a second before the tail comes. He hits the verniers, and the Long Dagger twists in mid-flight, turning the heavily-armored Fortrestra--and the shield, still racked on its upper arm--to face the strike. The tail slams into the Fortestra, knocking the Mobile Suit down the street. Thrusters ignite beneath it with a booming roar, arresting its momentum. G-forces press against Liam's chest, but the augments mean he barely feels them. The Long Dagger lands outside a boba shop, its head snapping up to face Tri-King. Jana has bought Liam a few precious seconds to breathe.

        "Reengaging," Liam says. The Long Dagger unlimbers its beam rifle, tucking it to its shoulder as its pilot lines up the reticles. A few moments later, beams of white-hot particulate matter race across the skyline, aimed for the kaiju's center of mass.

KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Celebro with M703 Beam Rifle Beam Shot!

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Although Alouette's beam shot deals a clean hit, it isn't long before Mecha-Ghoulgilas comes crashing towards her, with a ferocity it never reserved for her in the last battle. Its drill pierces through the Long Dagger's Fortestra and pieces of metal whirl across. Alouette's eyes widen in shock before she regains control of the Long Dagger. Renais is given similar treatment, although her unit doesn't sustain quite the damage that Alouette's does. Why is it targeting *them* instead of Gridman like last time? she wonders. Could it be that without a King of the Braves on the field, it's simply attacking the next closest targets?

Not long after, she receives an encrypted comm from Sayla Mass, who transfers her own communications to Alouette's screen. Sayla Mass, Shuffle Alliance. Renais and the core of the Gridman Alliance are operating with them too, which explains where they get all their non-NERV intel. "Merci! And understood.. you have a Brave's word," she returns to Sayla, still winded. After that hit she just took, she's more than happy to accept any support she can get.

Switching from the beam rifle to the beam sabers, Alouette thrusts her left saber towards the kaiju's neck: it's weak point.

KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Akane Shinjo with ES01 Beam Saber Thrust!
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
CHANSYS: No channel with that name or alias found.

KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Renais Cardiff
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Alouette Pommier's ES01 Beam Saber Thrust, taking 6000 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alouette Pommier's Analyst activates, causing Designate L1!
KTS: Alouette Pommier has engaged Akane Shinjo!
KTS: Alouette Pommier completes the Formation attack!
KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Sayla Mass
KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Rikka Takarada

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Despite Gridman insisting that he and Mecha-Ghoulghilas are each other's true foes, Mecha-Ghoulghilas ducks its body low and narrowly avoids the speeding drill missiles. It seems like it simply does not care to engage Gridman here, in this place, in this world. That's not to say Gridman goes totally unassaulted, mind you; the smoothbore guns rotate toward the Hyper Agent and fire off a quick blast.

"Oh... I get it!" Akane says, sudden and bright. "Getting rid of all his friends before you go in for the kill!" Akane gives her kaiju a lot of credit here, it seems. "Smart... last time fixating on Guy and Gridman really left us pretty..."

She gestures vaguely, as that guided missile comes for Mecha-Ghoulghilas. It can't attend to both the vulcans and the missile at once; it shifts its legs and body to one side, angling its armor such that the vulcans ping harmlessly off at odd angles. The actual missile to the underbelly leaves a deep gouge, though -- almost through the armor entirely. Both Shuffle Alliance associates receive shots from the shoulder-mounted beam array -- Sayla a little more aggressively than Renais.

Rikka's birdlime launcher quickly locks down all of that, however; the legs lose valuable seconds dealing with that birdlime, slowing the machinelike kaiju to a crawl. Mecha-Ghoulghilas's drill-panels snap back open for a rapid pulse from the heat array -- a little more threatening than what it brought to bear before, but...

Her gaze tracks back to STORAGE for a little while. It's... hard to say why, but this situation feels -- familiar, somehow. A lot of familiar presence on this battlefield... just something in her gut, though.

While Akane's not paying that much attention, Mecha-Ghoulghilas rounds on Alouette. Unfortunately, pulling itself out of the birdlime gives it that 'snap' of freed momentum, and it ends up whipping its neck directly into the oncoming saber -- in a spot not far from where Renais hit it earlier. There's a large hole there, now -- and Mecha-Ghoulghilas, furious at its pain, smashes the heavy metallic caps over its once-cute claws directly for Alouette's Dagger.

Akane glances back, and settles back down a bit to watch. Whatever has the hair standing up on the back of her neck is -- probably nothing.

KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the STrike Spirit Command.
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Yuta Hibiki with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Blast!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Sayla Mass with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Rapid Fire!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Renais Cardiff with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Rikka Takarada with AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Pulse!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Alouette Pommier with AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Thrust!
KTS: Rikka Takarada blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Pulse, taking 1410 damage!
KTS: Celebro retreats from the attack!
KTS: Celebro fails to evade Liam 7-020's M703 Beam Rifle Beam Shot, taking 2700 damage!
KTS: Alouette Pommier fails to Parry Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Thrust, taking 4320 damage!
KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged Alouette Pommier!
KTS: Yuta Hibiki blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Blast, taking 3570 damage!
KTS: Sayla Mass blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Rapid Fire, taking 3290 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.

Sevenger, the largest and heaviest of those attacking Tri-King, might have some hope of stunning it, but unfortunately, it has been knocked flat. The others are cycling through weapons, desperately trying to find something that hits. Hebikura goes for the Ichinana's signature Burning Fire, a blaze of heat scorching even the armored hide of the Combined Monster, but as the beam persists, it turns its eyes on him and starts marching right at him, just wading through the blaze, the glowing blue eyes of Golza's head focused on him with total intent.

Jana's blasts pelt Tri-King's side, which it can do little but swat at. Those make it stagger, forcing it off to one side and knocking it into a tall office building that obligingly supports it with only minimal caving in.

Liam continues firing on it from behind, but while it keeps walking away from him and it doesn't do much but yelp at the assault.

Then Sevenger rolls down a whole-ass highway and slams into Tri-King's ankles.

It looks down at the precious good boy robot.

Its eyes ignite.

It screams, a shockwave of sound and light blasting down DIRECTLY into Sevenger, rattling the entire machine and also liquifying a bunch of the street.

It traces that blast up toward Hebikura's Ichinana, a rattling blast of sound and light shaking the MP Mazin violently. As for Liam and Jana...

It regards them, briefly, with keen eyes.

And turns away, unconcerned.

KTS: Celebro has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Celebro has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Celebro targets Shota Hebikura with Gol Melba Cannon!
KTS: Celebro targets Haruki Natsukawa with Gol Melba Cannon!
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa fails to Evade Celebro's Gol Melba Cannon, taking 4185 damage!
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has changed loadout.
KTS: Shota Hebikura has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Jana Cektru
KTS: Shota Hebikura has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Liam 7-020
KTS: Shota Hebikura blocks Celebro's Gol Melba Cannon, taking 4185 damage!
KTS: Celebro targets Jana Cektru with Despirit!
KTS: Celebro targets Liam 7-020 with Despirit!
KTS: Celebro despirits Liam 7-020, reducing his SP drastically.
KTS: Celebro despirits Jana Cektru, reducing her SP drastically.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Jana Cektru's Otherworldly Calm activates, and her spirit endures.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa: Will Barrier Activates.

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

"Aww man!" Borr laments, watching their drills sail over the kaiju. "That's embarrassing."

Another round of fire is caught with Calibur's hilt, Yuta grunting as a few bullets get through his defenses to strike Gridman. "Like Rikka said, we've fought this one once before! I thought we destroyed it -- but it was a close battle." Gridman crouches down, then leaps into the air, turning in an easy frontflip as he charges toward Mecha-Ghoulghilas. "That drill is the most dangerous thing it has! We need to try and disable it as soon as we can! It'll try and charge you if you get too close."

'Getting too close' is exactly what Gridman intends on doing. He lands to the side of the kaiju, bright colors glittering in the sunlight. "Alright, let's get his attention, Max!" Max replies with a shouted, "I'm ready, Gridman!" Together, they shout "Full Powered Punch!"

Gridman winds up and punches hard. "I won't let you hurt my friends!" Yuta cries, determination in his voice.

KTS: Yuta Hibiki has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki targets Akane Shinjo with Full Powered Punch!
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Yuta Hibiki's Full Powered Punch, taking 3600 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Yuta Hibiki's Telepathic Link activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Yuta Hibiki's Mediumship activates, causing Nullify!
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has engaged Akane Shinjo!
KTS: Yuta Hibiki begins a Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        The missile hits it's mark, even as Renais buys her the opening. The downside is the sudden swarming of beams that she's still too close to escape. Sayla's shield comes up, and it mitigates some of it, but the Saint Lance is still seared. "Damnit... No wonder Guy had trouble."

        It's this time she notices something. Something that should have been obvious. "It's targetting Miss Pommier!" She sends the communication out hurriedly. At the same time, the combat data is received. "Information received!" As Mecha-Ghoulghilas moves, Sayla looks for an opening that's still not there. Damnit. Fine... Where's the weakpoint in this armour, something that- There!

        Another missile fires, this one not high explosive but with paint and an electronic marker and normal, run of the mill explosives. And she sees the point Gridman lands. "Club-6, Astral Dragon, go for where I hit!" The marker will hopefully highlight on Renais' monitors- assuming she can land it. "Put him down!"

KTS: Sayla Mass targets Akane Shinjo with Psycommu Guided Marker Missile!
KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Renais Cardiff
KTS: Renais Cardiff blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot, taking 3225 damage!
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Sayla Mass's Psycommu Guided Marker Missile, taking 3590 damage!
KTS: Sayla Mass continues a Formation attack!
KTS: Renais Cardiff has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.

        Renais drops to one knee and hunches behind a shoulder-shield, as Mecha-Ghoulghilas' beams cut deep, glowing gashes into it, and one leg besides. "Ugh...." The shield goes red on her damage readout. Critical damage. It can't take another hit like that. "Starting to run low on defensive options," she reports.

        A spot on the kaiju's neck pings on her display in the wake of Sayla's strike, and she grins. "Perfect. Roger that, Heart-2! I'm going in with the shotgun!"

        This is it. Akane can't be allowed a victory--especially not outside her space. Alexis even moreso. This is an example to them both. Heroes... Braves... will fight. Defend. Save.

        Renais may not be a person, nor a hero, in her own mind.

        But she's a Brave.

        She grabs the Boxer and breaks into a run, keeping an eye on her distance...

        Range marker goes green. She leaps, touching down on a building and sliding along roof-tar. She hammers the trigger, sending a torrent of shot downrange, trained on the weak spot Sayla tagged.

KTS: Renais Cardiff targets Akane Shinjo with Boxer 57mm Shotcannon Shotshell Magdump!

<Pose Tracker> Shota Hebikura has posed.

In the moment, Hebikura really does think that maybe he's opened up the monster for a reprisal - a circling, searing attack would surely befuddle the monster. He doesn't have quite the right fighting style for the descendant of Mazinger - really, he's used to something with a lot more weight and bulk.

Dropping to the street as the chest array cools, Hebikura's smaller machine isn't ready for the utter contempt shown by Tri-King.

Advanced on, with the Golba head keening and screeching, the Captain's eyes go wide. It couldn't be going for him - Haruki, up front. Liam or the Doctor, to either side. He's partially right, with Sevenger taking the full-power brunt of.

"Get out of the way!" He shouts, expecting the beam to pan around -- and it doesn't. All the secondary fire goes to him. As the arms of the machine cross over the still-warm chest, the braced Mazin is washed over by the surface-melting strength of the beam's dispersed energy, causing alerts and dangerous wooping alarms to start beeping in the buckling and overheated cockpit.

Coughing, Hebikura reaches to toggle fire suppression and emergency coolers. "Is everyone alright?" Sevenger, in the near distance, took the far worse hit. "Sevenger? Haruki!" He told him! The idiot boy! He told him to come back! And that meant the robot, too!

That means someone has to tackle the Kaiju before it rampages further - and if Sevenger is down - that still leaves STORAGE. Hebikura's not expecting to be saved by Ultraman today.

Flying along the shattered street with overheating flight surfaces, the mini-Mazin pushes for the Super-C.O.V. central chest array. Ejecting the onboard Mazinger Blade into a two-handed grip, the dwarfed mecha couches the sword and lunges, shoving the blade in with a skidding landing.

Then, with a scream of thrusters, adding the vertical takeoff force to drag the blade across all of the C.O.V. chest and up to the head!

KTS: Shota Hebikura targets Celebro with Mazinger Blade Topple Strike!

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka's birdlime manages to do the trick... but in response, she finds a pulse from the kaiju's heat array fired directly at her. Synchrotank actually has to stand up for this one, quickly unfolding and planting its feet firmly in the ground as it raises its shields to defend from the oncoming attack. It manages keep itself from getting pushed back... but, the bulldozer blades are starting to look a little worse for wear from the punishment they've been put through.

"Is everyone doing okay?" Rikka asks. She may still be a little on edge from the last time they fought this kaiju. Synchrotank's still holding up okay for now, but how about everyone else...?

...Well, Sayla has the right idea. They need to finish this quickly.

"...Okay!" Rikka replies. Synchrotank returns to tank mode, both cannons fixating squarely on Mecha-Ghoulghilas - on the spot marked by Sayla, where Gridman struck. She waits for Renais to move in first with her shotgun... then immediately follows it up by unleashing both cannons at Mecha-Ghoulghilas, full blast! The sheer force of it is enough to push the tank back - if it were still in mobile suit form, it undoubtedly would've run the risk of knocking itself over.

KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Enable Spirit Command.
KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Akane Shinjo with Extreme Extinguishing Burst!
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Yuta Hibiki
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Alouette Pommier
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Renais Cardiff's Boxer 57mm Shotcannon Shotshell Magdump, taking 9360 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Renais Cardiff's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Renais Cardiff completes the Formation attack!
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Rikka Takarada's Extreme Extinguishing Burst, taking 3769 damage!
KTS: Rikka Takarada roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Alouettes beam saber makes a direct, powerful hit on Mecha-Ghoulgilas, leaving the pieces of metal which hide the fleshy appearance of the original Ghoulgilas scattering and shattering around it. She doesnt have much time to capitalize it as the kaiju immediately counterattacks with a forceful claw. Alouette tries her best to parry it with her already deployed beam sword, but the claw all but snaps the blade handle in half. Mecha-Ghoulgilas doesnt stop there, and it continues its assault on the Long Dagger, rendering the Fortestra smashed into pieces as well.

"I-I'm not so sure my unit can take another hit like that! I'm moving to the back lines," she calls out weakly, as she sets off a volley of vulcan fire to cover her retreat. She *could* keep fighting, like Guy did, she knows exactly where to hit next, but two injured Braves at a time like this that can't happen.

The others have also caught onto the kaiju's targeting pattern on her, and they move to focus fire on Mecha-Ghoulghilas. Alouette can't and won't let them down.

Alouette Pommier transforms to GAT-01D Long Dagger
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Akane Shinjo with Igelstellung 75mm Multibarrel CIWS Retreating Volley!
KTS: Akane Shinjo rushes into the attack!
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Alouette Pommier's Igelstellung 75mm Multibarrel CIWS Retreating Volley, taking 1035
damage!
KTS: Alouette Pommier repulses Akane Shinjo, forcing her to disengage.

<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.

As the Tri-King fights and fights, it proves itself a very dangerous opponent indeed. Jana wonders if she's miscalculated the amount of force necessary to help with things like this. Will her assistance be enough for them? There's no time to moon over it. And her eyes widen as she notes the attacks coming in t the others--

"Dr. Cektru here, reporting fine." Is everyone all right? Well, it doesn't look like Haruki is. Jana reaches out with her mind, trying to sense whether he's in there, but she doesn't really know him...

When the Tri-King turns to look with keen eyes at her and at Liam--when it simply looks away as if they are no threat--Jana narrows her eyes. "Don't let it get under your skin, Liam. Your skills can make the difference here! I know it!" The things she has seen in her life have prepared her for such a terrible foe--but the Tri-King is no less terrible for that preparation. Dr. Cektru marshals her reserves.

The street is in very bad shape. And Jana looks at her systems--the Ultraseven Imitator needs to recharge before it can unleash another set of attacks... if even that will be enough. Instead of concerning herself with what-ifs, Jana has her Ichinana draw and prepare its machine gun, suddenly darting forward to get a clear shot. "I'm going in!"

Her trajctory takes her closer, though she's taking up the rear to start with, and specifically puts her machine and its powerful armor between the kaiju and the Sevenger... assuming it stays where it is.

KTS: Jana Cektru has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Liam 7-020
KTS: Jana Cektru has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Jana Cektru targets Celebro with Ichinana MG Full Barrage!

<Pose Tracker> Haruki Natsukawa has posed.

The lightning and following shockwave Tri-King emits sends Sevenger hurdling across the ground uncontrollably, the massive robot rolling away on the floor until its eventually stopped by an empty building. Sadly, the massive amount of electricity seems to have burnt out its battery, as the mech's yellow eyes suddenly dim out, and there's no further response from Haruki on the radio.

         As if on queue however, Ultraman Z descends from the sky not too long after, giant Z-Riser in hand as it rushes down Tri-King, jumping into the air and spinning before bringing the energized weapon down across the monster's chest.

         "They said the monster was intelligent. Do you think there's a chance to get it to leave?"

         Inside of Riser Space, Haruki asks Z a question. The giant thinks for a moment, rubbing his chin as he tries to gather up the knowledge in his head that he learned during his training.

         "That's... Golza, Melba, Super COV??? Haruki, this is just a hunch, but I don't think this monster is natural! It could very well be here just to hurt people. "

         Not natural? So it was made as a weapon? Or maybe it's like that Namegon... Haruki's not sure, and Z's answer isn't the best... However, he's really not in a position to stop and look for a better one. He'll just have to hope a clearer answer to his question shows up sooner rather than later.

KTS: Haruki Natsukawa targets Celebro with Z Strash!
Liam 7-020 transforms to GAT-01D Long Dagger
KTS: Celebro fails to retreat.
KTS: Celebro's Physical Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Shota Hebikura rattles Celebro, making his next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Celebro fails to react to Shota Hebikura's Mazinger Blade Topple Strike, taking 2430 damage!
KTS: Shota Hebikura has engaged Celebro!
KTS: Celebro's Physical Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Celebro fails to evade Jana Cektru's Ichinana MG Full Barrage, taking 2340 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        What is Haruki doing? He's grounded in front of a kaiju, which is arguably the absolute worst place to be in any kaiju fight, but yet--

        Liam blinks, once, as Sevenger goes rolling, and slams into the kaiju's ankles. All the while, the Long Dagger pursues it, striding down the street as it takes shots of opportunity. Haruki seems to have hurt it, but...

tLiam sees what can only be described as malicious intent in the kaiju's eyes. "Move!" he shouts, a half-second too late. The Long Dagger comes to a halt and braces as the shockwave rips across the street. The kaiju turns back, looks at it, and it's rooted to the spot, rifle aimed and ready. Liam sucks in air--somehow, it feels like it's looking through his robot, at him--mixing terror with the adrenaline-induced tension.

        It turns, and goes off after the other combatants. Somehow, that's even worse than being attacked. It means he's not worth it.

        "Holding firm," Liam says, when Hebikura asks his status. The tension bleeds through his monotone, the sound of someone on the edge of anger, but mostly hollow. Jana's voice reaches him a moment later, steadies him. "Understood. Purging Fortestra."

        A blinding flash erupts from the Long Dagger's chest. Explosive bolts detonate, one after another, and the heavier jacket armor falls to the ground in chunks. The core frame of the Long Dagger is leaner, more nimble--and it jets into the air, whipping both beam sabers off their racks. The Mobile Suit falls at the kaiju's back, twisting the sabers in a reverse grip--and then tries to bury them both, to the hilt, in the thing's body.

        And then, a flash--

        "Ultraman?" Liam says. Who's in there?

KTS: [Spirit Defense] Liam 7-020's Catecholamine Regulation System activates, and his spirit endures.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Celebro with ES01 Twin Beam Sabers Thrust!
KTS: Celebro fails to react to Haruki Natsukawa's Z Strash, taking 3420 damage!
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has engaged Celebro!
KTS: Celebro fails to react to Liam 7-020's ES01 Twin Beam Sabers Thrust, taking 4700 damage!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Celebro!

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

The fist Gridman introduces to Mecha-Ghoulghilas's side leaves it unbalanced, a single leg raised. When it comes down, it slams into one of the shops at the base of Hotel Glavas; unfortunate for anyone looking for a New Yark-style hot dog in Japan in the immediate future.

Its leg is now also quite stuck in that shopfront, which forces it to go even more on the defensive. Sayla's missile -- well, yet again, nothing it can do about that; the Saint Lance's attack hits true, lighting up Mecha-Ghoulghilas on everyone's monitors, weak points and all. All at once, everyone manages to capitalize on it in their own ways; the first one into the breach, though, is Renais.

The Gernsback dumps shells into that weak point repeatedly, getting a perfect vantage from atop a bowling alley currently closed for business; Mecha-Ghoulghilas's body rocks back, and eventually the shots leave a full-sized hole in its midsection, wires of every color poking out from what is otherwise an empty void.

Rikka swaps to tank form for stability and then unloads everything she has; this outright topples the kaiju from its already shaky footing, sending it crashing back into Theatre Square and partially across an arcade.

Akane scowls as Alouette goes into a high-speed retreat, purging armor to do so; the peppering of vulcan fire creates a safe space for her to retreat into without actually leaving the fight. Ultraman hits the scene at the same time, and Akane pinches the bridge of her nose, pushing up her shattered glasses a tiny bit as she does so.

"They're all... they need to learn to leave this problem alone. This is just between me and the Vessels of Light. I don't mind Ultraman showing up, but the rest of you need to stay in your lane!!" she complains, from the roof.

Mecha-Ghoulghilas slowly pries itself out of the rubble, its body sagging. Evidently, it has no interest in leaving slights unanswered; even as it starts to crumble, Akane's will pushes it onward. One of the beam arrays has broken off, but that's fine; all it really needs are the smoothbore guns.

The barrels snap from target to target -- pointing first at the Gernsback, the Dagger, and the Saint Lance. Gridman is next in line. By the time it gets around to Synchrotank, both barrels finally run dry, leaving Mecha-Ghoulghilas vulnerable...

... but with a barrage like that, who'll be left to capitalize?

KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Detonate Spirit Command, reducing the AMK-01 Mecha-Ghoulghilas to 1 HP!
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Yuta Hibiki with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Penetrator!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Sayla Mass with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Penetrator!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Renais Cardiff with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Core Shot!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Rikka Takarada with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Core Shot!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Alouette Pommier with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Core Shot!
KTS: Alouette Pommier blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Core Shot, taking 8040 damage!
KTS: Alouette Pommier has been defeated!
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
KTS: Rikka Takarada blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Core Shot, taking 8040 damage!
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki fails to rush.
KTS: Akane Shinjo rattles Yuta Hibiki, making his next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki partially guards Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Penetrator, taking 7320 damage!
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Akane Shinjo rattles Sayla Mass, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Sayla Mass fails to Evade Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Penetrator, taking 7320 damage!
KTS: Sayla Mass has been defeated!
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
KTS: Renais Cardiff blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Core Shot, taking 8040 damage!
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.

<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.

Tri-King's armored hide cheerfully endures the assaults upon it. Still, it's not without effect. Hebikura's Ichinana sweeps in and strikes up the entire front face. That one does force the Combined Monster to stagger back, stumbling from the blow.

That leaves room for Liam's Dagger to crash in, carving Tri-King's side open with an explosive flash; but more than that...

"Ultraman," the body of Shinya Kaburagi says within Tri-King's riser gate. His words are for him alone. What he says, how he sees it, is difficult to express, but the shining form of Ultraman slashing at Tri-King, searing pain ripping through the Kaiju Risen fusion, gets his attention with total focus.

"Subject shows agreeable durability against conventional weaponry," he says to nobody. "But exhausts itself too quickly. And, it lacks extreme measures."

He draws up his Riser again. "Commencing phase two," he announces to the void. One Medal, a great, gaping eye: "Strange Creature." Another, a beast like a crab. "Space Sea Monster."

He scans them. "GAN-Q. REICUBAS."

The thing piloting Shinya Kaburagi's flesh watches the unfolding display, and pushes firmly upon the Riser's trigger. "Kiete karekareta," it breathes, excited.

Outside, all anyone can see happen is Tri-King's fists suddenly change, from great big clawed fists as one might expect, to a whole new pair of monsters. One, the massive bulging eye of Gan-Q, a beast with an eye for most of its torso, let alone its head; and the other, one of the claws of Reicubas...no, looking closer, it's the space crab's face with one of its claws lodged in it. A Super-Combined Monster...

Within the Riser Gate, Kaburagi hears: "FIVE-KING."

That's when Jana comes around. Her peppering of gunfire scatters across the enhanced Five-King, but then it raises Gan-Q's eye against the fire, and space distorts before it, before her own bullets fly right back at her! Then, it raises the arm of Reicubas, firing blasts of fire from that pincered hand over and over, warding off and peppering Hebikura, Liam, and Ultraman alike!

KTS: Celebro targets Jana Cektru with Energy Reflect - Physical!
KTS: Jana Cektru successfully intercepts Celebro's Energy Reflect - Physical
KTS: Celebro has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Celebro has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Celebro targets Haruki Natsukawa, Shota Hebikura, and Liam 7-020 with Flaming Bullet Barrage.
KTS: Liam 7-020 rushes into the attack!
KTS: Celebro enervates Liam 7-020, reducing his Morale significantly.
KTS: Liam 7-020 partially guards Celebro's Flaming Bullet Barrage, taking 4935 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Celebro's Kiete Karekareta activates, causing Deject!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Celebro's The More Hurt, The Better... activates, causing Nullify!
KTS: Celebro enervates Shota Hebikura, reducing his Morale significantly.
KTS: Shota Hebikura blocks Celebro's Flaming Bullet Barrage, taking 5170 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Celebro's Kiete Karekareta activates, causing Deject!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Celebro's The More Hurt, The Better... activates, causing Nullify!
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa blocks Celebro's Flaming Bullet Barrage, taking 2775 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Firing both cannons like that, at maximum power, is always draining on Synchrotank. The mobile suit finds itself stalled for a bit... just as Mecha-Ghoulghilas elects to get its revenge for what they've done for it. Everyone receives a devastating barrage on gunfire - Rikka can only elect to raise Synchrotank's shields and hope it proves enough. The gunfire smashes into the bulldozer blades, still red hot from the heat beams its taken... and eventually smashes through, barraging Synchrotank itself. Rikka grits her teeth as the mobile suit is rocked by gunfire. The damage is severe, but in the end Synchrotank is still left standing - though it's ability to actually fight back is rather limited from the extent of it.

Still - there's one last thing she can do.

"I'm- I'm still okay." Rikka announces, tapping away at her console. She winces as sparks begin to fly from the machines around her, but fights through it - she knows they're not going to fail on her just yet. "We need to finish this before anyone else gets hurt. Club-6, I'm diverting all resources to aim support. And Gridman... here's something for you, too."

Once she's done with Synchrotank's console, she taps away at Junk, too, to send Gridman some valuable data. She only hopes it'll be enough.

KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Akane Shinjo with Designate L1!

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

"Ultraman?" Yuta murmurs, coming out of his punch, watching the other Giant of Light land. Leina did mention this world had its own defenders -- of course one would appear to help. Raising his voice, Yuta shouts,"Thank you for coming! We're greatful for the help!"

Everyone's attacks rain down on the unlucky kaiju. Gridman watches with a slight sense of satisfaction. That hope crumbles in his chest as Alouette is forced from the fight. Her machine is in seriously bad shape -- would she land safely? Yuta grits his teeth. They can't worry about that now. But -- then Heart 2 is shot down. "No!" Yuta shouts, reaching a hand out, as though he could catch the falling craft.

"We have to end this, now!" Vit chimes in, a rare tone of concern in his voice. "Our allies can't take much more of this!"

"Right!" Gridman nods. The kaiju prepares to fire on him, and Gridman leaps into the air again, managing to weave through some of the gunfire. Yuta cries out in pain as some still finds its mark -- but Gridman continues, all the same. "Max, I'm counting on you!"

At the apex of his jump, Gridman seems to spin in midair. "Full Powered!" Gridman shouts, "Super Lightning!" Max adds his voice, and together, they shout: "Kick!"

The full weight of the Vessel of Light comes down on the kaiju, aiming for the middle of his neck. Hopefully, he can snap it clean in half, and remove that threat..! The city was taking so much damage, and it wouldn't regenerate, nor would its people. Yuta wishes he could close his eyes against the destruction, but he grits his teeth. He had to end this fight.

KTS: Rikka Takarada designates Akane Shinjo, making her easier to target and opening her to indirect fire.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki targets Akane Shinjo with Full Powered Super Lightning Kick!

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        The combination attack works, and this is when Sayla sees what she thinks is her chance it's losing weaponry... only for Sayla to see what it's doing. "Take cover-" She yells starting to run, to dive into the alley beside the recently reworked arcade-

        But it's not fast enough, and one round from the smoothbore cannon takes both the legs off the Saint Lance- while the other shreds the shield and impacts the arm heavily, crushing it.

        There's a scream over Sayla's comms as the physical force behind the attack is carried through to the cockpit and the Saint Lance lands with a crunch, tearing up the tarmac. Sayla herself is silent- a mobile suit is not meant to take hits that size. Hopefully she'll only black out for a short period.

KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Yuta Hibiki's Full Powered Super Lightning Kick, taking 6380 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Yuta Hibiki's Telepathic Link activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Yuta Hibiki's Mediumship activates, causing Nullify!
KTS: Akane Shinjo has been defeated!
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has engaged Akane Shinjo!
KTS: Shota Hebikura has activated the Prospect Spirit Command targeting Liam 7-020
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Shota Hebikura has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.

        Renais' shots strike true--but she earns attention for her efforts, and Mecha-Ghoulghilas trains its cannons on her. She hasn't seen this one before; she tries to bring her undamaged shield to bear, but the smoothbore rounds barely seem to notice. The Gernsback's right arm ends up sheared from its joint entirely, the same leg left with its skeleton exposed. Mercifully, it misses the cockpit, but it hardly seems to matter... she's just able to see the Saint Lance smashed as the impact collapses the bowling alley's roof around her. She drops into the rubble, unseen...

"G...ghh... fuck. You're not gonna kill me that easy," she groans through her teeth, digging herself out of the rubble with the Gernsback's remaining arm. "Heart-2. Heart-2!" she yells into the comm, to no response.

        Shit.

        The Gernsback's main camera is shaken and damaged, but it shows a clear shot through the rubble... she's still got the Boxer. Assuming it's not jammed. With a bit of effort, she loads in a slug, one-handed. She steadies the shotcannon on a pile in front of her, and waits for Gridman's strike. If that's not enough to take the kaiju down...

        "Nnh... fuck... YOU!" she yells. Her G-Stone glows, and a blazing tracer arcs across the sky toward Mecha-Ghoulghilas in Gridman's wake.

KTS: Renais Cardiff targets Akane Shinjo with Boxer 57mm Shotcannon Slug!
KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Renais Cardiff's Boxer 57mm Shotcannon Slug, taking 3690 damage!
KTS: Akane Shinjo has been defeated!

<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.

"Ultraman!" Ultraman 7, in specific. Jana looks with surprise as they get unxpected help, but it is reassuring too. She will have to step up her game with such a helper on the scene!

"Yes," she says. "We can do this." This doesn't go over the radio, as she mostly just talks to herself as she examines the creature--but then her eyes widen again as she sees the now SUper-Combined monster...

Space distorts, and bullets fly. The Ultraseven Imitiation Array powers on once again, and Jana's Ichinana swings a hand to blast away the whole array of bullets meant to come back at her, stowing the machine gun as the Tector Gear directs it backward to crash into the melted streets feet-first. There is a terrific noise.. but the Ichinana stands, even now.

Raising its hands and arms into familiar formation, the Ichinana begins to gather power through the Tector Gear, motes of energy opening wafting towards it from a disance as it goes. "...Liam," she says. "We need to strike together, now. With all your energy!"

Suddenly, a beam starts to form from the side of the Ichinana's hand, cascading forward and using all the energy the machine can muster to take on the Five-King!!

KTS: Jana Cektru has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Liam 7-020
KTS: Jana Cektru targets Celebro with Wide Shot!

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Alouette makes a dashing retreat, but isn't enough as Mecha-Ghoulgilas unleashes one final desperate attack. It's not even close, the Long Dagger's shield without the Fortestra can't nearly hold off so much gunfire, and with its engines exhausted, it isn't able to dodge in time, either.

With that, the mobile suit goes craaashing down into the streets of Kabukicho, Alouette managing to escape the burning pile of machinery in the last second. The Long Dagger is a ground based suit, luckily, so it is not a very steep fall. Alouette suffers quite a lot of minor injuries though and she'll definitely have to spend some time at the hospital like Guy, it seems.

As a Brave, Alouette didn't want to give up, but in a pile of mobile suit rubble, what *can* she do? "I'm sorry everyone ... unit is destroyed... you better stop them!" is what comes out of Alouette's comms to the rest of the combatants on the field once she's able to talk again. She then switches comms back to the Main Order Room, who have been supervising the battle up until now, and no doubt are already scrambling a rescue team together. "Hana! Please send the medical corps over to Kabukicho as soon as possible!"

Hana, despite her panic, immediately responds. "R-Roger! They're already on their way. Oh, thank goodness you're okay... we were really worried." Hana turns her attention to Chief Shigeru Akamatsu, who'd been watching the battle grimly. "I have confirmation of Alouette's status! She's injured but currently conscious. The medical team is on their way!" Akamatsu's face returns to his usual smile, albeit still a worried one. "Glad to hear it. Braves are made of tougher stuff, but she's still a kid at heart. Don't think we could live with ourselves if she didn't make it." Electing not to leave things on such a grim note, he adds "Between her and Guy though, that medical team's gonna be busy as hell these days."

KTS: Alouette Pommier's GAT-01D Long Dagger has been disabled.

<Pose Tracker> Haruki Natsukawa has posed.

"Sudden evolution? Haruki, this kaiju is really dangerous! We need to stop it before it wipes out the city!"

         Ultraman Z hastily raises its arms up to create a barrier, the construct of light immediately breaking and cracking from the force of the attack and the giant lets out pained alien grunts.

         Haruki however is still hung up on the kaiju's intelligence. Namegon. The mysterious sad kaiju that attacked Koji Kabuto's brother... There's a thought forming faster and faster in the back of Haruki's head, something that is causing a lump to form in the back of his throat.

         "Haruki!"

         Z's voice, the sound of their beeping Color Timer, and Yuta's voice snaps Haruki out of it, the thought leaving his mind as he remembers that, right, he's currently fighting for his life. Shoring up the battered and abused barrier with all the willpower and muscle he can, the Giant of Light muscles through the last of the attack, the light screen shattering at the final moment.

         Quickly catching his breath, Ultraman Z raises his arms up high, tracing a visible Z pattern through the air with them before crossing them together in a T-shape.

         "ZESTIUM BEAM!"
         "ZESTIUM BEAM!"

         Widening their stance to brace themself for the recoil of their own attack, Ultraman Z's arm suddenly lets out a concentrated and constant stream of energy, directly into the newly born Five-King.

KTS: Haruki Natsukawa targets Celebro with Zestium Beam!

<Pose Tracker> Shota Hebikura has posed.

Within his heart, Jugglus Juggler had been willing to see if, with Sevenger defeated, they could save Tokyo from Tri-King themselves, the three of them, without Ultraman. When the Ultra descended, Hebikura's first thought was to be a little offended.

"It's not like we were defeated without you, Ultraman." He grumbles, the riser slash buying the smaller machine time to follow through and boost away, landing a short distance away on the shattered road. Turning about, the Ichinana braces both hands on the greatblade it carries, staring up the length at the massive monster as it grapples with Ultraman.

It's a wonderful view of the malevolent monster power overflowing from the evolution into Five King. "Five? Seriously? You can't just keep adding parts!" He complains bitterly.

A spray of flaming bullets turn the ground into a second sea of flames, but the bullets are heavy and explosive. The Ichinana's sword sweeps heavily through the flaming blasts, but instead of deflecting or dispersing they just detonate. He just doesn't have the scale to smash the lesser flames aside, so he is swarmed. They need to create an opportunity - some kind of momentum to capitalize on. His position is bad, so - "Liam, I'll create an opening. I'm counting on you to use it." Hebikura transmits.

Diving through the sweeping flames, Hebikura draws power to the chest array once more, panels of orange winking online in sequence, reflecting a flame within as the hull endures a flame without. The levels aren't good on the meters, not quite cooled, reactor pushed too hard.

It had to be cool enough, even in the firestorm created by the power of five fused Lord Monsters.

To fight, he could keep trying like himself, or to win, he could...

"Now... how did Koji fight? This is still a Mazinger-type... That'll be the key." Re-gripping the controls, Hebikura pushed away the doubts within him, the petty one-sided squabble with Ultraman and 'being saved'. Now, how did that one fight again? When there was only a hope in giving it his all, it really did get easier.

"Rust Squall!" Hebikura shouts, and the gusting blast clears away the burning heat before him. A corridor opens, and the Ichinana pushes through, firing machine gun until empty at the exposed belly containing the Super COV parts. Once the magazine clicks, the machine stops and zags laterally across the evolved monster, pelting the chest again with the grenades -- fully expected to be soaked, but each having to be answered and exerting a staggering pressure.

Would there be enough reactor power to fire? Hebikura wasn't sure - but the weapon would either be ready or not. He drew in a breath, as the Ichinana bore its chest. "Breast--!" He shouts, the array sparking to a roaring inferno and firing out. Just enough, with a single drawn in breath. "--Fire!"

KTS: Shota Hebikura targets Celebro with Ichinana Full Volley!

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Rikka provides telemetry data amid Junk and the consoles sparking -- and it's definitely enough to make sure everything lands. Renais and Gridman both put it into immediate action.

Mecha-Ghoulghilas's body spasms as Gridman's kick sends it down into the base of the hotel Akane's perched on; a few abandoned cars go flying as it lands, landing end-over-end on each other. Akane herself goes into a quick spin -- it looks dramatic, but it's actually just a mandatory part of maintaining her footing. For an instant, she looks very confident in heels.

(It's a necessity for not falling.)

Renais fires a slug into its midsection, lancing through the hole everyone left earlier and out the back, into the pavement. With its midsection pulverized, Mecha-Ghoulghilas explodes; when the dust clears, there's... nothing of consequence. The piece of its shoulder guns that snapped off remains, at least; everything else has been pulverized.

Akane takes a moment to survey the chaos. ... Closer, she realizes. If she'd had just one fewer defender to deal with -- a better location choice, or a more forceful ally than this mutant combined King -- she could have done it. Mecha-Ghoulghilas has them dead to rights.

"Hmmm... getting closer for sure!" she enthuses. She'll have to follow up with 3G... with (as far as she knows) most of their combat power firmly down, she can probably get them to back off and at least focus on their more pressing cosmological concerns.

Or at least otherwise underline that she's not worth pursuing.

As for Gridman and Synchrotank... soon, she thinks. She can smell blood in the water now.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        The Long Dagger plants a foot against the kaiju's back, and kicks off, twisting into an arcing backflip. It lands a hundred yards away, its feet skidding across tarcmac until it comes to a stop. "Target's defenses holding," Liam says, as the GAT-01D rises, and twists its sabers into a standard grip. Frustration seeps into his voice--

        Its hands change. Liam blinks once, twice--just to make sure he's not seeing things--and sees that ripple of motion as the thing raises its pincer. Fireballs sail through the air. Liam jukes to the right, leaping into the air; some of the blasts race beneath him, slamming into the parking garage below. The Mobile Suit shudders around him as the next two fireballs hit home, catching it low in the stomach and left thigh. Flame erupts from each impact. Liam reflexively reaches for the remote extinguisher control as bits of slag rain down.

        "Understood," Liam says, to Dr. Cektru and Hebikura both. "Closing to engage." Those words: 'I'm counting on you', 'We need to strike together.' Can he do it? This thing's shrugged off almost everything he's thrown at it so far. But he has his instructions, and it is not in his nature to disobey. (Just to fail.)

        As the thought pops into his head, a secondary beacon vanishes, like a candle being snuffed. "Alouette?" Liam says, a horrible, sinking feeling twisting his guts. Not even the presence of the Ultraman--or Alouette herself, for that matter, saying she's fine (she won't be fine if these kaiju keep rampaging), can dull it.

        The battered, burnt Long Dagger jets into the air again, clearing a small office building and landing by Five King's right foot. Liam lashes out with the right beam saber while Hebikura and Dr. Cektru take the more direct approach; the first strike targets where the Achilles would be on a person, and the second and third try to widen and deepen that cut. The Mobile Suit surges upwards, trailing the sabers through what should be muscle.

        One thing is true for both humans and many kaiju: they can't fight if they can't stand.

KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Celebro with ES01 Twin Beam Sabers Combo!
KTS: Celebro has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Celebro successfully evades Shota Hebikura's Ichinana Full Volley
KTS: Celebro fails to parry Liam 7-020's ES01 Twin Beam Sabers Combo, taking 5940 damage!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Celebro!
KTS: Celebro fails to evade Jana Cektru's Wide Shot, taking 4350 damage!
KTS: Jana Cektru roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
KTS: Celebro fails to retreat.
KTS: Celebro fails to evade Haruki Natsukawa's Zestium Beam, taking 7080 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

Gridman chases after the dead Mecha-Ghoulghilas, trying to prevent it from destroying the hotel. He reaches out, trying to stabalize the building. Once the building is no longer shaking, Gridman raises his head, and --

"Shinjo?" Yuta asks, coming face to face with the girl. "You -- left, to do this..? To hurt these people? This city won't -- fix itself, like ours does!" Gridman's face is unmoving, but Yuta's voice is heavy with emotion. "Why -- why? Why are you doing this? How can you watch people hurting, when -- their pain affected you so much, in the past! I don't understand! You've hurt my friends, people trying to help us, and -- look!"

Half-desperate, Yuta reaches out, terribly gently. He's going to try and pick Akane up, to show her the destruction of the battlefield. Maybe, somehow, the reality of the destruction would get through to her? Maybe, seeing it up close? Deep down, he knows this isn't going to make a difference. Gridman and his companions are silent. Everyone knows this is foolish.

If Akane avoids Gridman, or tells him to leave her alone, Yuta will listen. There's no desire to force her to do anything, just a desperate, exhausted boy trying to make his reality make sense.

"I have to -- Heart 2, she's in the rubble of her robot." Yuta lets Akane go, if he's picked her up, placing her gently back on top of the hotel. "Please. Please, Shinjo. I can't bear -- I can't --" Yuta's voice breaks, and Gridman turns away.

Skirting around the outside of the battlefield, Gridman makes his way to the rubble of Heart-2's crash site. With careful, slow movements, he searches for her. Bits of twisted metal and destroyed parts of the city are stacked with great care off out of the way. "Heart-2? Can you hear me? Please, say something!"

If Yuta is able to find Heart-2's body, he'll carefully pick her up. If not... he's going to kneel there, next to the rubble. He simply doesn't have the heart to battle.

<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.

That evolution, that intent in its gaze...What malice is this fivefold king hiding?

Questions for later. Hebi goes to harrass Five-King to keep it occupied, and it does that admirably; it jukes and weaves, managing to actually avoid most of the Ichinana's attack by simply spinning about, or batting blasts away with its limbs. It finally comes to a stop, sweeping Reicubas' claw up toward Liam in a move to knock his blades away. But the Long Dagger is a nimble machine, and slips around that ploy, carving a long line in Five-King's arm. It shrieks in reply, which in turn means it's simply unprepared for what follows.

Jana's Ichinana strikes a familiar pose.

So does Ultraman Z.

Two ultra-esque beams scathe the bright red carapace of Five-King, sending it scrawling and screaming, waving its arms as numerous explosions pepper its body, sending it flying a good half a block.

The shelves in the 7-Mart a good mile away collapse inward, tinily.

It lands on its feet, though, Five-King does, its huge wings flapping as if it might take flight. But instead, sensing the power it now contends with, and its own reserves, it pauses.

And in a dark space, Shinya Kaburagi's body says, "...stiff resistance."

And then there is a flash of light, consuming Five-King in electric crackling, and it dissolves into motes of darkness.

Gone, as suddenly as it appeared.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Yuta extends a hand to Akane -- and despite herself, she's curious... or maybe she just wants to see if he'll crush her in that hand. She hops in, perfectly content to go along for an objectively very risky ride, seeing the destruction.

Her expression is decidedly blase. "I don't see what's wrong with it. My kaiju are going to cause problems in this world whether I want them to or not. If you've got some sappy garbage about how I should stop:"

"Nah. Hard pass! Haaaaaaaard pass."

Still, though -- 'how can you watch people hurting, when -- their pain affected you so much, in the past!' That question nags at her for a second.

"If I'm stuck out here until I kill you, I don't mind playing by this world's rules a little longer. It's not like I'm going to have to do it again after that." It's an easy answer to give. "This world sucks already. None of this is actually a big deal when you look at it like that. People get hurt like this every day."

She hops back off of Yuta's hand onto a rooftop, when he allows her to; she slowly walks away, with a glance back and a small smirk. "I don't need anyone anymore, Mister Gridman. This would really be a lot easier if you'd just... act the way you're supposed to."

She turns her face back away from Yuta, as his voice breaks. "Good luck finding 'Heart-2.'"

She steps behind an HVAC unit.

In the next moment, she is gone.

<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.

        The mangled mess of Renais' Gernsback stands. It limps, right leg barely moving, dragged along with each step... but it emerges from the rubble of the bowling alley.

        She hears Gridman--Yuta--speaking to Akane. She thumbs the speaker button... no connection.

        She can barely articulate how she feels right now. Sayla might be dead. She doesn't know, yet... but the thought makes her want to lash out. Destroy anything at hand. tears roll down her face. She screams, her voice ringing out and echoing through the cockpit. She tears off the mask and cries out where nobody can hear her, where nobody can see her.

        ... but in the end, she can only scream so much. Her throat is raw. Her cheeks glisten with tears. Near the Saint Lance, the Gernsback's cockpit opens. She dons her coat and steps out.

        "Let me get it open," she says over her comm. "Gridman, Astral Dragon... I'll need help getting her out. I shouldn't touch her." Her voice is hoarse. A little quiet. She crawls up onto the Mobile Suit, and after a moment's searching, she pops open a panel and engages the emergency release. The cockpit hatch opens.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

"'Shinjo'? Is Akane here?" Rikka asks, surprised. She left Tsutsujidai...? She seemed so hesitant to do so before... She tries to push Synchrotank forward to join Gridman - to see Akane, to ask her why... But in Synchrotank's current state, it can't move far enough. Rikka feels a pang like a stab in her heart. Akane... and hearing Yuta's pain through Junk only makes everything feel worse. Her friends are hurting, and she's not sure what she can do to help them. She shuts her eyes for a moment, and takes a deep breath.

...She might not be able to help with the emotional pain, but she can help with the physical, at least. Gridman is helping Sayla, so Rikka leans down to pick up her first aid kit.

...It feels like she's had to carry it with her way more than she'd like lately, even if she has yet to actually need it.

"Gridman... how is she? I'm coming over." Rikka says, stepping out of Synchrotank and hurrying over to the Saint Lance. She pauses, as Renais points out that she shouldn't touch her. It takes a second to click. "O-oh. Yeah... Let me help."

Rikka will do what she can. She's a little distracted, though she doesn't let it affect her work.

Just like last time... they might have stopped the kaiju, but it still feels like everything is awful afterwards.

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        There's good news, for Yuta- it doesn't take much digging. While the lower limbs are wrecked, the nutter is replaceable. And years of warfare have made for sturdier cockpits. The Saint Lance may lead to a few weeks of mechanics swearing at her- but Sayla herself is alright. Renais pops the cockpit's emergency release, explosive charges go off, and the doors blast open.

        Sayla is inside, unconscious, but breathing and still strapped in. One of the panoramic screens of her cockpit is shattered- but she's easy enough to retrieve. Her helmet is opaque right now- a safety precaution wherever she pilots. How beat up she is will be a further assessment. But she's alive, and not in danger of dying from this.

<Pose Tracker> Haruki Natsukawa has posed.

         Is it gone? Did it die? Haruki's not sure, and honestly, he's a bit too exhausted to care either way at the moment.

         Ultraman Z lowers his arms, letting them drop to his side as he visibly exhales. He feels like he's forgetting something after all of this, like there was a plan he was supposed to follow. Wait plan. THE PLAN. THE PLAN TO COME BACK IN ONE PIECE AFTER STALLING FOR TIME!

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

Yuta's breathing hitches with a sob, as Akane replies to him. Gridman can't cry, of course -- but Yuta's a mess. She didn't mean it. Akane -- wouldn't kill him. Akane doesn't want to see people hurt. She's the girl who was so hurt by Bloody Valentine she retreated from the entire world. You don't mean that, Yuta wants to say, but his voice dies in his throat.

As Renais and Rikka approach, Gridman takes over. "Thank you." He watches Renais open the cockpit, and then reaches inside, gently picking Sayla up. Gridman places her down on the sidewalk before the two girls. "Rikka, now is an excellent time for your first aid kit. I believe I am almost out of time. My companions will return to aid you."

Indeed, Gridman's light is flashing. After a few moments more, he vanishes in a burst of light. Inside Synchrotank, five people emerge from Junk. Tears immediately streak down Yuta's cheeks, and he covers his face. "Sorry. Sorry. I'm -- this is stupid. Sorry."

The Neon Genesis Junior High Students look at each other. Each wondering how to handle this situation. The moment stretches on, until Calibur steps forward, wrapping his arms around Yuta. "We--we understand. Your feelings echo in o--our hearts."

Max, then Borr, then Vit do the same. A group hug around the young man, their arms holding him tightly until his breathing evens out once more. Gridman watches from the screen of Junk, perhaps wishing he could join in.

"Yuta, if you need to, you can stay here. We'll go help the girls." Borr offers, stepping back first.

"Yeah. I'll keep an eye on the Synchrotank. You can just rest." Vit gives a rare smile, leaving one of his hands on Yuta's shoulder.

Yuta shakes his head. "No. I want to do this. Everything I do is about protecting people, I'm not going to look away when things are hard. I won't leave Rikka to deal with this alone."

With pride in his voice, Max nods. "Very well. Then let's be on our way."

Calibur opens the door, turning sideways as he exits. The four of them hurry across the ruined square to where Rikka, Sayla, and Renais wait. "How is she?" Yuta asks, worry on his face. "Does she have.. someone we can call?"

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka looks up at Gridman, offering him a quiet nod. She lets Gridman handle the problem of actually extracting Sayla - he'd do a much better job at it than she would.

Gridman vanishes and Rikka moves to check up on her - and before long, Yuta, Max, Borr, and Calibur come to join them.

"She's... alive, at least. Just unconscious. I've done all I can here... we should probably ask our 'mutual friends' if they have somewhere they can help her properly." Rikka says. It's a possible source of relief, at least. And then, Yuta asks if Sayla has someone they can call and Rikka goes a little pale, feeling a little sick to her stomach.

...Oh god, Leina. What's she going to tell her? She promised that she'd look out for Sayla for her... and then she got hurt anyway. Realistically, she knows that Leina probably figured things like this would happen and wouldn't blame her for it, but she still feels awful, and is dreading actually... calling her about it. But...

"...Y-yeah. Yeah, she does. Hold on." Rikka says, drawing out her phone. She feels like this is gonna suck...

<Pose Tracker> Celebro has posed.

<poem> Amid all the confusion and worry, a clue is missed, in an alley not so very far away.

He surges out of nothing, this horrible meat body lurching hard into a pillar near a ruined office park. He sucks in deep, pained breaths. "So this is..." he croaks out, then swallows an unfamiliar fluid this meaty body produced. He lurches another step forward, his body, which seems pained but otherwise untroubled, making a hideously inhuman slorsh-CRACK, like a bag filled with goop and laboriously crackling bone.

Another step. Forced breath.

He opens his hand, regarding the five medals within.

He opens his other hand, regarding the chunk of broken-off clay and armor there.

Despite the labor of his walk, his face twists into a mockery of glee, one side of his lips curled upward.

"Kiete karekareta," he breathes, and lurches out of view.