2023-05-06: Scouting the Grid

• Cast: Gridman, Neo Getter Team (Go Ichimonji, Sho Tachibana, Gai Daido)
• Where: Tsutsujidai - Kamesan Park
• Date: U.C. 0097 05 06
• Summary: Neo Getter Team follow up on their anti-BioNet operations, beginning with scouting out Tsutsujidai. Go's abrasive personality almost sees he and Gridman coming to blows.

---

<Pose Tracker> Neo Getter Team has posed.

"It's a little early for cicadas, isn't it?" Gai Daido wonders as he and his teammates wander Tsutsujidai. They're each in their colour-coded, reinforced pilot suits, his own heavyset bulk clad in dark green.

"Some colonies go in on specific seasonal weather all year-round," Sho Tachibana explains, adjusting the cuff and gloves of her crimson suit. "This one doesn't quite have the full theming of Winter Wonderland, though, it's just... a city during summer."

"Bunch of weird stuff in the reports. How accurate - "

Go Ichimonji, in blue, shrugs, cutting Gai off. "If it's come down from the Administrator it's probably accurate. Ugh, this heat stinks, though. Is climate control busted or something?"

"Maybe once we get into the guts of the place we can figure that out," Sho says thoughtfully as they come out into Kamesan Park. "Gai, what do you think?"

Gai frowns, looking down at some kind of complicated device. "Emissions seem... normal, to me. Slightly low, if anything, but if the developed portion of the PLANT is just this ward, power usage would be on the low side."

The team take shelter under a tree, Sho folding her arms and leaning against it. "So they're probably not hanging out in the underworks or maintenance... under the ward, at least."

Go fidgets, throwing a couple shadow-punches. "So what's next, then? How are we gonna find 'em off this dead end?"

"We take a break," Gai says firmly.

"Great." Go's deadpan is heavy enough to flatten out a crop circle. "Standing around doin' nothin'. My favourite."

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

"F--feeding time."

Lanky and unkempt as ever, Samurai Calibur watches the various stray cats of Kamesan Park wolf down today's offering of food. Many signs dot the park begging visitors not to do this very action, but clearly, they cannot stop this Hyper Agent. It seems nothing can, as he squats down to pet one of the smaller cats as she eats.

Citizens mill about in the evening heat. Children yell in delight from a nearby playground, teens gather under a pavilion, and adults stroll together in pairs. Calibur observes it all, emotionless on the surface. Deep down, there's a sense of pride in the peace the city is experiencing. It was hard-won, for all of them.

As the samurai continues his watch, three unknown figures walk into the park. Calibur narrows his eyes slightly. Visitors? How odd for them to come to a city park. "Hmm."

One of these unknown beings has a complicated device. Wordlessly, Calibur brings his phone out and snaps a picture of them, sending it to each of his comrades.

---

A few minutes after the Neo Getter Team has chosen a tree to rest beneath, they're approached by a figure both unimposing and confident. Red hair gleams in the dying sunlight, and a casual tank top rests over basketball shorts. The Hyper Agent Gridman has spent most of his Saturday at a dance club camp. The choreography is coming along slowly, and everyone left in a bad mood.

Giant of Light included.

Stopping just before the three strangers, the young redhead folds his arms across his chest, looking irritable. "Who are you three? What are you doing in Tsutsujidai?" Unfolding his arms, Gridman points to Gai's Complicated Device. "And what's that thing?"

Through it all, unearthly yellow eyes half-glare at each team member in turn.

<Pose Tracker> Neo Getter Team has posed.

"Is it weird that this place is so much like Nouvelle Tokyo?" Go asks, still shadow-boxing. "Sho, you've been to colonies before."

"Texas Colony's an O'Neill cylinder, not a PLANT," Sho points out. "I haven't read everything about living in space, you know. Any luck on the power readings?"

"I got nothin'," Gai shrugs, setting his device down on the grass. "Everything looks normal. Which is weird too, of - hm?"

They're challenged.

Sho pushes off the tree and steps forward. "Wait, aren't you - "

Go, frustrated, overrides the team leader and takes point. "Who's askin', pipsqueak? It's a free colony, ain't it?"

"Go - " Gai tries to intercede, but the blue-clad pilot has a head of steam now. "Kids like you don't wanna be involved in what we're here for," Ichimonji continues. "You shouldn't be stickin' your nose into adults' business."

The three of them can't be that much older, but there's something about the way they carry themselves... They're dangerous.

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

Gridman looks first to Sho, willing to hear her out, but unfortunately...

Go jumps in, insulting the already-irritated Hyper Agent, especially on the point of his height. Gridman rolls his shoulders back, taking a step into Go's personal space.

---

Out of sight, yet close enough to intervene, two men in sharp suits 'watch' the confrontation. One has his eyes on his phone, and the other is distracted by a cat attempting to climb up his suit pants legs.

"Y--you're going to snag the fabric." Calibur says, picking up the kitten and putting it back on the ground for the third time. "I--I already fed you."

---

"You don't look like much of an adult either." Gridman's voice is low, inches away from being a snarl. "The kind of person who has to shout that they're an adult is the most immature of all."

Yellow eyes glance to Gai, but not for long, Gridman's own temper getting the better of him. He looks over Go in a long moment, eyes stopping on the shoulder pads of his pilot suit, red eyebrows rising as if to ask, 'Really?'

"Tsutsujidai is my--" A noticeable pause. Word choice is considered. "--home. Nothing happens here without me knowing about it." Gridman balls his hands into fists. "This city has been through hell. I'm not about to let anything else happen to it. And that means figuring out what strangers in pilot suits with weird machines are up to."

Gridman huffs out a little breath, trying to contain himself. "I'll ask again. Why are you here? If I don't like your answer," The young man's voice gains a metallic echo, sounding far bigger than his body. "I'll help you find your way out."

<Pose Tracker> Neo Getter Team has posed.

Go is tall for a young Japanese man, but his build is lean, wiry; the physique of someone who has been fighting and fighting every day for a long, long time. The two accompanying him are very different - Sho has an athlete's, not a brawler's, tone, and Gai... is not toned at all.

Gridman's defiant words sink in, and the red- and green-clad pilots exchange a look. Go's expression... broadens into a wide, mad grin.

"Is that a challenge, kiddo?"

"Go." Sho cuts in, a steel bite of her own to her voice. "We are not here to brawl with students."

Go turns towards his teammates. "Sho, he's obviously - "

"If he were a Saurian, he'd have changed by now - fight or flight instinct, remember?" Gai points out. "When they come in hot the scales come out."

Go hops from one foot to the other, frustrated. "But - "

"Squadron Leader's orders: Stand. Down." Sho's green eyes meet Go's blue and there's the sensation of electricity in the air.

"Tch. Fine." Go folds his arms, stepping back. "Don't come crying to me when he rips your throats out. I'm going to scout the waterfront."

The blue-suited pilot sprints off towards the river.

Sho sighs. "Idiot. We've been on standby too long."

Running a hand through her own long red hair, she approaches the smaller redhead. "You're Hibiki, right? You were one of Tsutsujidai's pilots at the GUTS Deculture Festival." She offers a hand. "Sho Tachibana. Leader of Akai Jindai during the Festival. The three of us - " she indicates Gai and the dwindling silhouette of Go - "are pilots for NISAR."

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

Is it a challenge? After a day of dance camp and a week of school? Yellow eyes flash, and a little smile crosses Gridman's face in response to Go's own grin.

"If it needs to be one, yeah." He responds, feeling adrenaline waking up his exhausted muscles. Maybe all his training with Domon is about to pay off--

But, alas, Sho stops them both. Gridman takes a step back as Go turns back to face his comrades. Wait, what's a Saurian? Scales? He definitely doesn't have any scales, no matter his emotional state.

Yellow eyes blink. Once, then twice.

Go races off after one last dig, and Gridman glares after him. What an asshole. After all that bluster, he could've at least had the courtesy to actually fight about it.

Sho doesn't give the young Hyper Agent much time to collect his thoughts, approaching and offering a hand. Gridman hesitates, then takes it, giving her a polite handshake.

"Oh, I think I remember hearing your name. Um." Gridman looks away nervously. "Not... exactly. This is Yuta Hibiki's body, but my name is Gridman. It's a long story. I'm still the same person you've heard about, uh, probably, just... A few realizations later."

A wobbly smile. He seems honest, at least.

"S--sorry for all the trouble, it's been a long day." Gridman steps back and bows to Sho and Gai. "It's nice to meet both of you."

Purposeful wording.

<Pose Tracker> Neo Getter Team has posed.

As 'Gridman' explains his situation, Sho and Gai exchange another look and arched brows, before -

"Not the weirdest story we've heard," Gai admits, standing up. "Gai Daido, team mechanic. Don't worry about the monkey. He's... abrasive, but he hasn't had a good scrap in months now and was hoping we'd root out our prey on our first visit here."

Prey? Fortunately, he's quick to explain, picking up the scanner he's been poking at. "This device tracks energy emissions and power-grid drains. We're looking for the BioNet facility operating in this PLANT, on the recommendation of some of 3G's operatives. Problem is, there's no sign of any aberrant drain or siphon on the system - so whatever the facility is, it's got its own, isolated power grid."

"We heard there was a Pseudo-Zonder incident up here," Sho continues. "The circumstances of that battle might offer us some clues."

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

Gridman offers his hand to Gai, looking embarrassed. "R--right. Gai and Sho. Why doesn't he just get a hobby or something? But, you're after..?"

Gai explains quickly, before Gridman can get agitated again. Kaworu's warning echoes in his mind, and the look in those yellow eyes turns dark as Gai speaks. "Please, let me help you with that. I've been watching over Tsutsujidai for as long as I can remember. I won't let BioNet hurt a single RepliCompoid!"

"I was at that battle." Gridman says, softly. "I can take you where it happened, if you'd like, though it's been a while. I'm not sure you could find anything helpful still. The victim was one of my classmates."

Practically radiating guilt, Gridman rubs at his left wrist and the band that covers it. "I don't want to betray her trust, but the fight is a matter of public record. There are plenty of videos."

<Pose Tracker> Neo Getter Team has posed.

"The thing that sticks out," Gai continues to explain, "Is that BioNet facilities usually have staff, and staff need feeding, and you can't just... make food appear out of nowhere."

They don't know the history of this place, evidently.

"So that means deliveries need to be made, probably in bulk, and picked up without being noticed."

"Anything you can tell us about the fight could be a help," Sho continues. "We're here to help, but we're working with very limited information."

She looks at Gridman rubbing his wrist. "... You blame yourself."

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

"That makes sense. Without a staff and power, they couldn't do much of anything. Tsutsujidai isn't exactly a normal city, but I don't think Alexis would lower himself to acting as a food delivery man." Gridman shakes his head. "No, my comrades and I have been monitoring the city for weeks. We would've seen bulk deliveries."

Gridman sighs. There's always another problem, even before he can handle the ones that are still waiting. Alexis, 000, Celebro, now BioNet is in the city, somehow? It's too much.

"Of course." Gridman pulls out his phone, navigating to a video app. After a few seconds, he finds what he's looking for and offers the phone to Sho. It's a shaky, amateur video, but clear enough to make out a silvery monster leaping to the top of a broadcast tower.

Seven heroes rise to meet the beast, and a battle rages through the city. Already ruined and abandoned buildings are torn apart, crumbling in the fierceness of the conflict. Gridman is quiet until the video cuts out -- the monster falling with a brilliant green glow.

"Of course I blame myself." Gridman murmurs. "The girl who they used to create this monster was held and tortured for months by BioNet. As Tsutsujidai's protector, I should have prioritized her. Instead, I... There was just so much else happening."

Yellow eyes squeeze shut. "I forgot about her."

<Pose Tracker> Neo Getter Team has posed.

Sho rewinds to the shot of the broadcast tower. "The approach angle... We might at least be able to find where they set her loose from."

Gai frowns. "It's not much to go on, but it's a start."

"... It's easy to feel like it's your fault, when you put yourself in a position of such responsibility," Sho continues to Gridman. "BioNet have had years to nail down their operation strategy, and this place is... is 'new' the right word for it? Nobody here knows what to look for, or would write off any unusual occurences."

"It's not something that you could handle alone. You'd need an intelligence network watching the place very carefully," Gai chimes in. "It's easy to fight the results of their experiments; much, much trickier to find the place where they're happening."

"Have you even talked to your classmate since?" Sho asks, frowning. "Seems like you oughta."

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

Gridman nods. "If it can be of any help, I can have my comrades and I take us there now. It'll only take a second."

The phone, for the record, is an odd squishy sort of creature in brilliant red. There are no visible buttons or... really anything phone-like. It's just a creature with a screen, visibly.

"Yes. Tsutsujidai is very new to existence, and even newer to existing in this plane. It's nothing like anyone could've expected. But that's all the more reason it needs to be protected!" Gridman insists. "There isn't anyone else to turn to, not really. We don't have organizations on our side. It's only me and whoever can make it here in time when a fight starts."

He takes a breath. It's clear how much this issue has been bothering him -- sweat beads at Gridman's temples, and his voice slips back into having a metallic resonance to it.

"There's only the five of us. We have to keep going." He sighs, glancing back toward a distant tree, as if he could see the blob-like shapes of his comrades now. "I know there's not much chance we'll catch them on our own, but what else can we do?"

Shaking his head, the Hyper Agent sets the little 'spikes' of hair at the sides of his head swaying back and forth. "No, of course not. I have no right to talk to her, and I don't want to serve as a reminder of what she's been through, and how much could've been avoided if I was more responsible."

<Pose Tracker> Neo Getter Team has posed.

"Hey." Gai puts a hand on Gridman's shoulder. "Two things."

"First: The Wadatsumi's right there, you know?" He points to the PLANT's central mountain, the orange Division Train ship still stuck there. "3G have a constant presence here keeping an eye on the place."

Sho nods. "I know this place is important to 'Lou-chan. She was one of the people who recommended scouting for BioNet here."

"'Lou-chan', Sho~?" Gai echoes with a grin. The squadron leader flushes as bright as her hair and corrects herself. "... Operator Pommier, I mean." It's way too late for professionalism now the nickname's been spoken, but she's trying.

"The point," Gai continues, "Is that you have friends and allies who know what you're up against and are willing to help, whose job it is to do exactly that. Second: You need to talk to her. 'The Right to do it' be damned, you're both people and you've both been through a lot. Think for a second about how she'll feel if you keep avoiding her - like people are just seeing the thing BioNet turned her into and are afraid of her. This is a time when she's gonna need friends more than anything - and you care about her enough to be one of those friends, even if you are letting your guilt blind you."

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

Gridman allows the hand on his shoulder, looking at Gai with his wide, strange eyes. It's unclear what he's thinking for a few long moments, even as Gai begins to speak.

"...It's not enough." Gridman murmurs, looking away. "It's too far too see what's happening down in the city itself. I'm very grateful, we all are, but it doesn't mean I can just relax. I'm... trying to. My friends have been telling me I need to take breaks."

'Lou-chan' gets a curious look, then a soft laugh. "Sorry. I shouldn't laugh. Alouette is a good friend of mine, and she's done so much for Tsutsujidai. But I didn't know she was dating anyone."

Gridman's going to have to VERTEX Alouette about that later... He smiles.

"I'm not sure what help to even ask for, to be honest. My comrades and I patrol the city and keep an eye on things. We don't really need help with that. And I know 3G must be doing... something useful. I don't know much about how they do things." Gridman shakes his head again. "I don't know what to ask for, or what to do, so I just keep going."

There's a genuine moment of hesitation before Gridman can even think about talking to Hass again. "I... don't know. I don't feel good about it. Maybe once I have something to show for this. Stopping BioNet, or the monster that captured her to begin with... Then I could face her again."

"Yeah. I just need to do something real for her, first." Gridman smiles faintly. "We never really talked before this or anything, she's got more than enough on her mind with her actual friends."

<Pose Tracker> Neo Getter Team has posed.

"BioNet's a global crime organization with fingers in lots of pies," Sho points out. "Even our new operation is going to be a slow effort stamping out their facilities, and most of their staff will go to ground and start over on new projects."

Gai sighs. "If we could just make them all stop... But they're so hung up on their experiments that they don't care about the harm they do. Still - even knocking over one facility is a victory, and that's whhy we're here."

He gives Sho a look and quietly shakes his head before looking back to Gridman. "Look - you don't have to tell her anything. Just be there for her, okay? You're her classmate, you should stick together."

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

"Right." Gridman sighs along with Gai. "If only it was that easy. I'd love nothing more than to stomp them all out for what they've done."

Memories of a young pilot's dying breathes echo through the Hyper Agent's mind, and he tenses up, visibly making an effort to relax.

"I--in any case. I'm very thankful for your help, here. And my comrades and I will do whatever we can to help you, please call on us. Uh, Vit made some cards..." He fumbles in his shorts pockets, only to glance back to the treeline again.

A rush of wind appears and disappears, leaving Gridman with a small card in his hand. He offers it to Gai -- revealing the VERTEX handles and phone numbers of five different parties.

"It's a little silly, contacting any of us will pretty much reach all of us, but he was so serious about it." Gridman scratches the side of his cheek, looking a little embarrassed. "But, um. There you go."

Gridman looks uncomfortable as Gai continues to encourage him to talk to Hass, but slowly... "If you feel that strongly that it's important... I'll talk to a mutual friend about it. She'll know what her friend needs best."

<Pose Tracker> Neo Getter Team has posed.

"Thanks." Sho takes the cards. "We'll keep you guys informed of whatever we find."

"So." Gai considers. "We have work to do Earthside, of course, but where's a good place to stay here? Captain Jin can probably rent us an apartment or something."

"And as for Go," Sho continues, "He might be... violent, but he's dependable in a real fight and his heart's in the right place. Try not to get too mad at him, okay? He hates BioNet more than any of us, this whole thing was his idea."

Gai nods. "We wouldn't be alive without him, one way or another."

Gridman explains he'll talk to someone about it and Gai nods. "As long as you do talk about it, instead of bottling it all up like this."

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

"Oh yeah, there's a great apartment building!" Gridman rattles off an address. "I used to stay there before, uh. A lot of things happened..." He looks a little embarrassed. "But if you need something more temporary, my comrades have really nice homes. You'd be welcome to stay with one of them."

Looking toward the water, Gridman tries to identify Go's figure, frowning slightly. "I was pretty unreasonable... Next time, I hope he'll accept my apology. Maybe we can start again." A little laugh. "Please thank him for me, for caring about Tsutsujidai."

"I'll... do my best." Yellow eyes stay faraway. "I'm not great at talking things over when I've failed. But if that's all you ask of me in exchange for helping protect the city." He looks back to Gai and Sho, smiling. "Then it's not so bad, right?"