2024-06-08: Pride and Prejudice

• Log: 2024-06-08 Pride and Prejudice
• Cast: Elan Ceres, Suletta Mercury, Miorine Rembran, Guel Jeturk, Trem Firmal, Secelia Dote, Eight Orlodhari, Liam 7-020, Stella Loussier, Chise Asukagawa, Flay Allster, Lucine Azul, Sayla Mass, Arianna Passerini, Lavnadim Orlodhari
• Where: Asticassia School of Technology - Dueling Grounds
• OOC - IC Date: June 8, UC 0099 (2024)
• Summary: Guel has challenged Suletta to a rematch duel to reclaim his bride and his pride. But Suletta is determined not to lose, either. At the end of their duel, who will be the Holder?

---

<Pose Tracker> Elan Ceres has posed.

        It started two months ago, when a new transfer student to Asticassia saw a groom mistreating his bride and, despite her fear, took action to stop it. The nosy hero defeated the arrogant groom with a mobile suit that should not be, and so the results were annulled, but the previous state of being was not restored.
        
        Now that the arrogant ex-groom has returned, suit repaired, certainty in his skills to defeat his foe, he aims to reclaim his title, his future, his bride. His pride is on the stake.
        
        The nosy hero, long suffering from the prejudice of her classmates, was thus called to the room where the conditions of duels are determined. The arbiter was one with a mien of ice while his more jovial, sharper-tongued compatriots looked on. All around them, the wall that doubled as a monitor shifted from an overview of the school to the logo thereof.
        
        The nosy hero, Suletta Mercury. The angry ex-groom, Guel Jeturk. And between them, the arbiter Elan Ceres began the ritual with the proper words and motions:
        
        "Both parties, deposit your souls on Libra's scales. The duelists are Guel Jeturk and Suletta Mercury. The location will be the seventh tactical testing sector. The one-on-one code will apply. Any objections?"
        
        Silence. The rest of the Dueling Committee watched on--Shaddiq, Secelia, and Rouji. Elan raised one hand to the first duelist: "Suletta Mercury, what is your stake in this duel?"
        
        When she hesitated, Shaddiq Zenneli volunteered, "Our duels require both combatants to place something on the line. Money, an apology, a woman..."
        
        Guel snorted without breaking eye contact with Suletta. "You're the only one who'd bet women." But then, wasn't that what he was fighting for, in the end? He ignored Shaddiq's laughing response, staring straight ahead and waiting.
        
        Ignoring their banter, eyes still on the first duelist, Elan re-prompted, "Suletta Mercury."
        
        "Oh -- right!" Suletta clasped her hands together, fingers splayed, as she looked to Elan with alarm. "Um..." It might have seemed Suletta's nerve would waver, as she hummed -- before determination entered her eyes, her circular brows knitting with focus as she looked up at Guel. "Please apologise to Ms. Miorine."
        
        Without missing a beat, Elan raised his other hand to the second duelist: "Guel Jeturk, what is your stake in this duel?"
        
        "The same as last time," Guel replied. That is, Suletta takes her mobile suit and leaves, and order is restored to Asticassia.
        
        "Alea jacta est," Elan intoned. Latin, meaning The die is cast. In other words, there was no going back for either of them now. He spread out his fingers as if to encompass the world, then clapped his two hands together as if the world were something so tiny and narrow that it could be captured therein.
        
        "The duel is approved."
        
        And that would have been it, except--
        
        "The same as last time, Guel?" Secelia lilted, lounging back on the couch as usual and admiring the handiwork on her white nail polish, before offering a sly leer towards the once-disgraced Former Holder. (Rouji, next to her, was content to stare on, holding his Haro to his chest.) "Are you sure~? You can still keep your dignity intact and say this was a fluke. You'll have no excuse if you lose again, you know."
        
        Guel retorted, "If you want to duel me, issue a challenge, Secelia."
        
        "I'm just giving you some advice~" She shifted her posture, fist propping up her cheek. It wasn't like she had any stake in it other than personal interest (and some light investments, but that's just Slush Fund money). Still, she continued, "And I'd advise reconsidering to save yourself while you still can~"
        
        Guel started to lunge forward--
        
        "Stop it!" Suletta cried, clasping her hands together. "L--laughing at someone who, who doesn't run away, is... it's wrong!"
        
        --only to be caught off guard by Suletta unexpectedly calling out in his defense. Brow furrowed, he looked back towards her, momentarily speechless.
        
        Suletta's eyes were scrunched shut as her hands grasped together, as if uttering a prayer -- a prayer, perhaps, to the terror of speaking up... but even though she was terrified, she spoke up, anyway. Even though she was ranked 41st in the Piloting Program -- even though Guel scared her terribly -- she had to speak up.
        
        For Secelia, there was no real surprise at Suletta's declaration, drooped eyes targeting the redhead at such a response. There's no outward exclamation, but a half-parted mouth with the expression of 'huuuuh?' was (hopefully) emotionally obvious.
        
        Hoh. That's the lay of the land. Her mouth closed up, giving a silent, overelaborate shrug at the declaration. Never run away? Something to remember.
        
        And it would be something Guel would remember, too.
        
        But that was then, when the duel was approved--
        
        ===
        
        --and this is now, when the duel is about to commence. Elan Ceres remains in the Dueling Committee room with his fellow committee members, watching the massive wall-screen that overlooks the room and displays the two duelists deploying in their mobile suits into the aforementioned seventh tactical testing sector. One of many sections of the front built for mobile suit combat testing, its holographic panels are currently set to imitate a lush, misty, forested mountain range, rocky, barren flats interspersed with copses of trees.
        
        Elan's mannerisms and dress are prim as usual; he sits on the central platform that doubles as a table, back straight, legs together. Shaddiq, Secelia, Rouji and Trem all watch from the couches circled behind him. Elan's pretty face seems as indifferent as ever, but he carries out his duty with grace and gravity.
        
        "With mutual consent by both parties, we will now begin the duel," he announces--not just to those directly involved with their duel, from the duelists themselves to their support, but all of the many, many people who now watch this historic duel unfold, both within and outside of Asticassia School of Technology. Because of this mixed audience, he continues, "As always, victory will go to the first one to break the blade antenna of their opponent's mobile suit. The observer shall be Elan Ceres from Peil House. Both parties, face off."
        
        Suletta looks at Guel, through the video feed -- and she needs prompting to remember the vow Miorine taught her. "Um... victory is... never decided by, mobile, suit performance, alone..." Her recitation is slow and hesitant.
        
        Guel doesn't flinch or show any signs of nervousness - in fact, his hands aren't on the controls at all, with his arms folded. "Nor by the skill of the pilot, alone," he continues the Duelist's Oath, before settling his hands on the Darilbalde's controls.
        
        Together, they chime, "The result itself is the only truth."
        
        "Fix release," Elan concludes.
        
        And so, the battle to determine the Holder--the one who will earn Miorine Rembran's hand in marriage and be set to inherit the mega-corporation Benerit Group--begins.

<Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.

Do you know? Do you know? Have you heard the news?
There'll be another duel today in the seventh tactical testing centre!
Does she think she's a brave hero? Does she think she'll get the girl?
Oh, a country bumpkin! Oh, a witch!
But be careful, brave witch. There are rules in Asticassia.
Do you know what they are?
Do you know? Do you know? Do you know what they are...?

        Before Suletta starts her day, she calls her mother.

        "Mom, I know what you said, but... everyone at school calls me a witch," Suletta says, as she tugs on her drab teal boots.

        "Ah?" Prospera Mercury asks, her mask sitting out of frame of the camera as she rests a hand on her cheek and watches her daughter. Her light amusement carries through, as she asks, "... and what did I say?"

        "That you'd remember raising a witch," Suletta says, as she tugs on her jacket. "And you don't."

        "When you know the truth, you can withstand a thousand lies," Prospera encourages her, smiling warmly. "It can be hard to fit in when you go somewhere new... if they weren't talking about Aerial, they'd just find something else. But I know you'll show your classmates just how wonderful you are, so long as you keep going out there. "

        "I don't like them saying those things about Aerial," Suletta frowns.

        "If anyone causes problems," Prospera promises, "your mom will vouch for you." And hearing that, Suletta zips up the last of her teal uniform and smiles, reassured by her support.

        "Now," Prospera says, "don't you have to leave?"

        And that smile turns to shock, as Suletta looks down to the clock on her phone, and gasps. "Oh, no! W-well, g-good luck at work, mom!"

        "Thank you," Prospera smiles, leaning on the heel of her hand. Unlike her daughter, she's unflappable as always. "Good luck to you, too, Suletta."

        ) o +

        Prospera doesn't need luck at work; she's come prepared.

        She hands a data stick to a man, a smile on her lips -- her eyes unreadable from that mask across her face. "Your help in the inquiry was invaluable," she says. "Thank you very much."

        "You blackmailed me," Vim Jeturk scowls, as he looks from the stick to the woman. "Don't be sarcastic."

        Prospera's smile doesn't shift, though her footing does, as she half-turns from him with that same polite tone. "Let's not meddle in each other's business from now on," she invites him, turning slowly -- as if to keep him in view for the longest possible time, before she turns and begins walking away.

        "How did you know about the assassination attempt?" Vim asks her retreating back -- and her footsteps pause, as she hears him. She turns, holding up a finger to her lips as she smiles to him from over her shoulder.

        "Call it a trade secret."

        ) o +

        The grassy knolls of Asticassia are a lovely place to relax, between classes. Plenty of open space -- and plenty of space to see people coming, which is why Shaddiq Zenalli has called his father, now.

        "... why didn't Delling object to Shin Sei's request?" Sarius Zenelli asks from behind a rich desk, held in the palm of Shaddiq's hand. "Vim Jeturk's defending them bothers me, too."

        Sarius pulls up a profile on that mysterious woman, over the camera feed; dutifully, Shaddiq reads from it. "Prospera Mercury, representative of the Shin Sei Development Corporation. She belonged to the Mercury Development Group, married in the field, and gave birth to Suletta Mercury. Injuries to half her body from a resource mining accident... so," he adds his own commentary, thoughtfully, "that explains the headgear and right arm."

        "She's officially in charge of development, too," Sarius adds, his voice a touch tinny over the phone connection.

        Shaddiq laughs, entirely good-natured. "How would she find funds and infrastructure in that backwater? Unlike Jupiter, Mercury doesn't supply us with critical materials. And there's no record of her registry as a mobile suit engineer."

        "In that case," Sarius says, "who could have built that machine?"

        Shaddiq hears activity from the road behind his hillock, and turns his head to make sure no one's coming -- but it's just Miorine, flying past on a Haro Scooter, with no interest in him.

        Yes... that woman... has no interest in him.

        Pity.

        "Shaddiq," Sarius calls his attention back to him. "You look into the daughter."

        "Yes, father," Shaddiq says, looking back to his phone. The call ends, and he leans back to lie against the grass, hands folded behind his head. He thinks of Miorine, and he says, "... things are getting interesting."

        ) o +

        "Huh?" Suletta asks, as she looks down at her phone. "It's Mr. Elan! He wants me to come to -- to --" She holds out her phone to her new friend, Nika Nanaura, panic crossing her features. "W-w-w-where is the Duelling Committee Lounge?!"

        Luckily, Nika knows where to point her. She might not be important enough to go there, but every student knows the place.

        ) o +

        Suletta rides the elevator down from the Duelling Committe League, after Elan declares the duel set, as if she doesn't belong. Though it is vast and spacious, she stands right at the reflective doors, staring at the exit -- and her eyes, reflected in bronze. She waits for the doors to open again, hands slack by her sides, so that she can escape -- so that she can get out of their hair.

        When Guel speaks up, she startles, her head jerking just so to the side to look to him. She looks back down, and answers the elevator doors: "... it's because 'if you run, you gain one'." She looks up, just in time for the elevator to chime, the doors opening for her. She steps out, gesturing, in front of her, with her hands, still not quite able to look at Guel. "F-for example, i-if you're facing, a strong enemy, by running away, you'd gain safety and security." She turns, still perpendicular to him, as she demonstrates with her hands.

        "If you fight," she insists, at his protests, "y-you might lose!" She looks to him, through all those protests, her hands clasped loosely together. "It wasn't a fluke," she tries to insist on the truth. "Isn't that... just another way of saying you lost? Right?"

        She hurries to assure him: "But either way, it's okay." She lifts a hand, as she counts out, on her fingers: "If you move forward without running, you gain confidence in yourself, or experience, or recognition. You gain a lot more than you would by running. That's why," she points a single finger out, "'if you run, you gain one'. And," she holds out a second finger, "'if you move forward, you gain two'..." She holds both her fingers out, staring at them, as if invoking a magic spell.

        "My mother taught it to me," she adds, gently, as she draws her fingers in closer to her face and presses their pads together. "My mother is always strong and kind." She turns to Guel, her smile finally shining, as she says: "My life's goal is to be like..!"

        But she realises he's already walking away, and her enthusiasm deflates, as she sinks. "... I don't get him," she mutters, to herself.

        ) o +

        Within Aerial's cockpit, Suletta receives her instructions. State her name and -- "R--right!" She barks, startling. "L P 0 4 1. Suletta Mercury, Aerial, launching!" And since she's allowed to leave the MS Container, it releases her -- as Aerial lands upon the earth, throwing up a cloud of dust at her feet.

        The vows are spoken -- and Aerial runs to the edge of the cliff she's released on, with slow, lumbering steps which carry her WEIGHT through every impact. When she leaps off, though, and takes to wing... she's called the Aerial for a reason.

        "I'm going to win," Suletta promises, "and I'll stay at this school with Ms. Miorine!" Everyone splits off from her -- and everyone are all of the GUND-Bits attached to her machine, two affixing to her rifle while the others roam at large. She fires green beams, but none of them quite manage to score a crushing blow.

        None of them are supposed to.

KTS: Suletta Mercury has deployed in XVX-016 Gundam Aerial.
KTS: Miorine Rembran is now subpiloting for Suletta Mercury.
KTS: Guel Jeturk has deployed in MD-0064 Darilbalde.

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

Unlike Suletta, Miorine does not call her Mother. Even if she could leave this place, she has never visited her grave after the funeral. Since that day, she's been running - and running, to the point where it felt like she never stopped. Not until recently, when she was on that ship, when she was leaving. And made a decision, to gain two.

So instead, it is a subdued ritual as she stands at the entrance to her Greenhouse, eyes trailing over tomatoes in different stages of growth. Perhaps in her eyes, this place has always been more representative of her Mother in her life, rather than some marker with a cold, inert body.

Resisting the urge to check upon her tomatoes one last time, she turns around.

"I'm going out, but I'll be back soon."

It is a choice, once again, to gain two.

To fight for a future that is hers to decide.

-=-=-

The next time Miorine is seen, it's on the comms screen inside the Aerial, popping up without giving Suletta any notice she was here at all. Like the first time they met, she's wearing a bulky yellow normal suit with a grey helmet.

"Suletta? I changed your contact settings so you can hear me in the Aerial." Her surprise isn't unexpected, but Miorine just bulls through it, "Don't you get it? Your future and mine depends on the outcome of this duel." Lifting a hand, she curls that pinky finger up as if indicative of a deal struck, "Don't forget the deal we made."

-=-=-

"Father, there are many more people arriving to observe than the dueling committee expected." Lauda notes, as he follows behind Vim, who does not so much as turn to look at him, "Don't tell me the Committee can't handle it." "There are protocols-"

Vim raises a hand to silence him, still not looking at him as he walks, "The group is about to announce our takeover of NUNE's judiciary. You think I care about procedure? It's good business sense that potential investors be here to watch a Jeturk Heavy Industries suit crush this upstart. Handle it."

Before Lauda could so much as flinch, Vim continues, "Anyway, did you make the arrangement?" "Yes, but..." "But, what...?" He snarled his displeasure at the word 'But'. Lauda closed his eyes, and began again, as if it was a soft retraction of that word, "My brother doesn't need cheap tricks like that to win."

-=-=-

The campus was abuzz, because indeed, everyone was watching. In the cafeteria, on the school steps, students crowded in to watch on each other's datapads, tablets, phones. All of them had on a stream of the tactical testing center like it was a championship sporting event. Indeed, in many ways it was, because for one of the first time in a long time, a livestreaming experience was available to those outside of the school. All one needed was the link. For now however, they were chatting as they waited for the show to start.

"Have they started?"
"Any minute now."

"I wonder who'll win."
"It's got to be Guel, come on!"

"Odds are 8.6 to One!"
"I'm going to win big today!"

One University Student, newly arrived and still jetlagged from her return from South Britannia, tried to focus on her classwork, but instead she found herself putting down the stylus, and keeping her eyes glued to that screen, but didn't speak, since she was sitting in her room by herself

Within a special viewing area of the Tactical Testing Area, Jeturk investors and shareholders, various Ambassadors from the blocs, military officials from the Gaia Sabers, and executives from SAL all sat together to watch, the area full of screens to give them control over their viewing experience. Servers hastily recruited from the Front Management Company staff moved in and out to offer them drinks.

"From what I hear, Jeturk's boy has this in the bag..."
"I wouldn't be so sure, there have been rumors about... this girl. They say she beat him before?"
"Tabloid nonsense. Everyone knows you want a proper mobile suit, you buy Jeturk."

A large woman with a perpetual smile, dressed as a server, handed the guest of honor his drink.

"Councilor, your drink."

The long haired Councilor Gilbert Durandal took it from Feng Jun, waiting a few moments, before checking the slip of paper that had been passed to him under the champagne glass. Wordlessly, he hid it away.

-=-=-

"How could you forget!? I taught it to you already." Miorine shouts over the comms, as Suletta stammers over the Duelist's Oath, but after that, she just watches, allowing her irritation to come down slowly, but then comes the moment.

'Fix Release'

'I-I'm going to win.'

And despite herself, Miorine raises that finger again, as if trying to convince herself to trust in that deal.

KTS: Suletta Mercury's Move Forward, Gain Two activates!
KTS: Suletta Mercury targets Guel Jeturk with  The Sphere of Jupiter ~ Long-Barrel Beam Rifle Targeted Shot!
KTS: Guel Jeturk fails to engage charge against Suletta Mercury's  The Sphere of Jupiter ~ Long-Barrel Beam Rifle
Targeted Shot!
KTS: Critical Hit! Guel Jeturk poorly reacts to Suletta Mercury's  The Sphere of Jupiter ~ Long-Barrel Beam Rifle
Targeted Shot, taking 5390 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Suletta Mercury's The Witch from Mercury activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Suletta Mercury bypasses Guel Jeturk, preventing his from Guarding the next attack!

<Pose Tracker> Guel Jeturk has posed.

===== THREE HOURS UNTIL THE DUEL =====
===== JETURK HOUSE HANGAR =====

A crimson cockpit opens, and Guel Jeturk cuts off the mechanic who greets him as 'young master' with a lunge, grabbing him by the collar of his normal suit to pull himself closer. "What the heck did you do to this mobile suit!?" He demands, glaring vividly at the man.

Surprisingly, the mechanic replies without fear - Guel's maintenance team are familiar with his hotheaded and brash demands, weathering them with the dutiful diligence of people who get paid by one of the strongest corporations in the Benerit Group. "We added a 5th-Generation Decision-Making Extension AI. It's still only a beta version, but it makes composite Bayesian predictions from previous battle data - "

Guel has no patience for the technical explanation, because what it boils down to is - "Am I not skilled enough to win!?"

His building rage, however, is interrupted by a hand on his shoulder - he's pulled back, and barely manages to meet his father's own angry gaze before a painful sting erupts across the left side of his face, the force of his father's slap sending him crashing back into the cargo restraints securing the machine.

Vim Jeturk floats above him, his business suit a stark contrast to the normal suits worn by the other mechanics crew. He spreads his left arm wide, proclaiming: "I gathered these staff members, and had this machine developed, just to make you win. There's no room here for childish pride!"

Guel is silent, looking down at the gleaming crimson armour under his feet, as Vim continues: "If you want to be treated like an adult, then win and reclaim the title of Holder!" His silence continues for a long moment, before he looks up at the gold-and-green visor of this AI-assisted, high-tech mobile suit.

"... Yes, father."

===== THE HOUR OF RECKONING =====
===== DUELING COMMITTEE CHAMBERS =====

As they ride the lift down towards the hangars, Guel breaks the silence to Suletta.

"Why would you say something like that?" He's leaning against the wall, jacket over his shoulders as usual and arms folded. "Don't you want to laugh at me, too?"

He turns as they leave the elevator, insisting that he wouldn't run or lose if he had to face a strong enemy, and that 'last time' was a fluke. Suletta insists otherwise, and he replies "If I hadn't let my guard down, I would have won."

        'Which is another way of saying you lost, right?'

Guel grits his teeth, now sure he's being mocked, but is taken by surprise again when Suletta says it's okay, and looks towards her as she explains the deeper meaning of her phrase. "That's quite a philosophy," he allows, and Suletta explains that she was taught it by her mother.

As the redheaded girl gazes off into the distance, exulting her parent's praises, Guel brings his hand up to his left cheek where the sting of his father's 'admonishment' still lingers, gaze drifting away in turn as that hand clenches into a fist.

"A good parent, huh?"

By the time Suletta turns towards him again, he's already walking away towards the Jeturk hangar, fists balled tight.

===== SEVENTH TACTICAL TESTING SECTION =====

===== THE DUEL BEGINS =====

The pods containing the mobile suits whirr along the tracks the run beneath Asticassia, towards the designated dueling grounds. The MS Container from Jeturk House deploys, revealing... NOT the bright magenta Dilanza Suletta recalls dispatching in her first ever duel.

No, this Jeturk Heavy Machinery mobile suit leaping from the pod is crimson, clawed talons raking the rocky ground as it lands. Great convex panels fold out from behind its shoulders (shields?) as it combines two crimson segments of emitter staff.

"KP 001, Guel Jeturk, Darilbalde," Guel announces himself, then pilots his mobile suit over to cover behind a raised clump of rock, igniting both ends of the Darilbalde's beam polearm as Suletta' beam blasts rake the ground nearby.

"That's a diversion," he mutters. "Those drones are coming in from 3 o'clock..."

The Darilbalde suddenly launches out of cover and lunges straight for the Aerial, leaping up over the rocks to vault into the air, and hurling the Beam Javelin towards Aerial!

        (In the cockpit, Guel grunts in confusion.)

KTS: Guel Jeturk targets Suletta Mercury with Ishvara Flying Kunai!

<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.

"Is my presence there really necessary?" Trem asks, sitting inside of her dorm room in Asticassia. The light of the laptop -- the one that the school did not issue her and did not know existed -- was almost blinding. Her screen is almost a stark white, in the dark of her room.

You'd have to sit right in front of it, to see what is on that screen.

"It is," her benefactor says. His voice, surprisingly youthful, is smooth and friendly as ever. "This has caught the eye of important people all throughout NUNE. I need my eyes there."

"Master..." Trem frowns. "...These duels. They're insignificant. Children playing at real battle. We both know--"

"Yes. They're mere beasts." It's dismissive, with a soft laugh. "But don't forget: a beast's fangs are still sharp."

Trem's silver eyes, aglow in the laptop's light, look down. "...You're right. I'll go."

"I know you will." A smile plays across his face, washed out as the bright screen is. "Good."

-=-=-

It is Trem Firmal's first time at the Dueling Committee. She knew where the room was -- every student at Asticassia knows where the Dueling Committee's room is, after all -- but never bothered to go, despite being a Piloting track student. Still, she comes, walking beside another Peil House student.

"Trem..." he says, looking at her, picking at his collar a little nervously. "...Are you sure? I know Elan vouched for you. But there's a lot of rules, and you can't interrupt it, and--"

"It's fine," Trem says, with a pleasant smile. She looks at the young man, who withers a little. "I'm always told I should take things more seriously. I just want to watch."

"Still! You could from anywhere else--"

"Mm. I don't think so," Trem says. She smiles pleasantly at him. "These duels... they're significant, right?"

"Y-Yeah..." he relents, with a sigh, before the Dueling Committee room's doors open with a soft, mechanical hiss. Trem looks at him -- she smiles, once -- and then she steps through, her pale pink hair bobbing. The door swishes closed again behind her.

And thus, Trem is here when the duel begins. She sits on one of the room's sofas, a little behind Elan. She watches, silver eyes curious -- her head ilted to the side.

Right, the broken blade antenna, she reminds herself.

Her eyes shift towards Guel Jeturk, first. A young man of impeccable upbringing; skilled as a pilot; with a bright future, as a future CEO. Then, towards Suletta Mercury. A mysterious unknown; a transfer student, like her; someone with no background or even House.

'Fix release.'

She looks at them, then sits back in the sofa. Her eyes are on the happenings, today, as she promised -- as Aerial and Daribalde fly at each other, in their first titanic clash.

What will they see?

<Pose Tracker> Secelia Dote has posed.

Secelia is not a person to watch things lying down. All throughout, there's been the slow tug of the Burion Company representative working behind the scenes; A few bits of insurance, a few bits of options and other such investments shifted around in preparation for the Aerial's rematch. As soon as the first murmurs of Guel's declaration had rung out, there was already a text placed to start some calls and shorts. Just invest a bit more in Jeturk's open funds, suggest a few more supply route preparations for the oncoming duel, and most importantly: Check up on Suletta's background a bit more.

"Still nothing, Rouji?"
"Not that I can see. The Aerial is cleared for dueling, so officially..."
"It can go." Rouji's Haro beeps red in approval. CLEARED! CLEARED!
"Mercury's not a place to properly build a suit like that...Well! Let's just do our duty, even if Elan's the official one this time around~"

Elan as the Witness, Guel as the Duelist, Miorine weighing her hopes on the so-called Witch, and the girlie herself as the impetus. Ah, she could see the tension already. The little things that make school life so exciting.

-=-=-=-

The day of the Duel drew near, Secelia tapping at her phone for a few before slipping it away. Taking the time to stretch her legs before the duel proper, back on a support column inside the Dueing Committee room. "Heeeeh, quite a number today. Lucky you, lil' girl from Mercury." A crooked smile, moving over to sit next to Rouji. "So? Odds?"

"You know I don't gamble."
"Neither do I! Come on, just say the odds."
Rouji scoots in and whispers. The sanctity of the Duel was 'iron-clad', so to speak.
"Mmh, I'd weigh a bit more on the over-under." A shrug as she lounged back, eyes twinkling with the aura of witnessing a soap opera.

Kick back, watch, and see what sort of backing both sides have secured.

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

Miorine gripped both sides of her phone far too hard in her normal suit, as she watched the visuals of the stream, surprised by the mobile suit on the other end, "It's not a Dilanza?"

Before she snapped at Suletta imperiously, "That just means they're serious. Good start but don't lower your guard!"

Her mind was already trying to think ahead of what Jeturk might pull here, since this mobile suit was an unknown.

"I heard from the last earnings call that Jeturk was working on drone technology, so be ready for surprises! They might have figured out countermeasures against your bits."

Her face goes close to the screen as she yells, "You better expect ANYTHING! Do you hear me!?"

Definitely the thing to say to the girl with anxiety mid-combat when she just had a Beam Javelin thrown at her.

KTS: Miorine Rembran has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Suletta Mercury
KTS: Suletta Mercury's Move Forward, Gain Two deactivates!
KTS: Miorine Rembran targets Suletta Mercury with Warn L2!
KTS: Suletta Mercury accepts Miorine Rembran's Warn L2!
KTS: Miorine Rembran warns Suletta Mercury, making her next attacks more accurate!
KTS: Best Defense! Suletta Mercury successfully reacts to Miorine Rembran's Warn L2, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Suletta Mercury's Move Forward, Gain Two activates!
KTS: Suletta Mercury engages guard against Guel Jeturk's Ishvara Flying Kunai!
KTS: Suletta Mercury poorly guards Guel Jeturk's Ishvara Flying Kunai, taking 2970 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

To the surprise of a number of people, Eight and Lavnadim Orlodhari are both here. The Admiral and her Captain are in uniform, the Magallanica Defense Force's symbol on both of their left arms. Why they've been invited is a mystery to some--but Eight is a potential investor. Magallanica has need of military materiel, after all.

So it is that she and her husban are at the special viewing area, with SAL executives who mostly don't like her. She accepts a drink, of course. It would be rude not to.

"Her technology is very interesting," Lavnadim comments ot the rumors. "It is not conventional, but it was quite effective in the footage of the last duel. And she is quite familiar with it..."

"Can she hold out against superior concerns?" Eight asks her husband. "Maybe."

She shrugs, after a mmoment. "...If you're going to have duels like this, I suppose you can't make assumptions about how they'll turn out."

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

Admiral Orlodhari and Captain Ordlodhari are both met by a large, smiling woman server with a tray of drinks.

"Drink?" She asks, before noting as if answering her statement knowingly, "I've worked enough events like this to know that often there are few surprises."

<Pose Tracker> Elan Ceres has posed.

        On the surface, Elan seems to maintain the passive, stoic calm that he's known for. However, his gaze doesn't drop away from the massive screen overlooking the battle, even when Trem--a member of his own House, the one he's supposed to be Head of--entered the room. He pays no mind to her now, or to Suletta and Rouji discussing the betting odds, or to Shaddiq simply lounging about with a smile. Elan has been waiting to observe this duel for a long time.
        
        The Aerial opens with beam fire, and the Darilblade responds with a hurl of a beam javelin. Suletta has Miorine on her side--but Guel has an entire team of professionals. Suletta has that strange Gundam that might well be a GUND-ARM--but Guel has Jeturk Industry's latest, bleeding-edge mobile suit. It could still go either way.
        
        The result itself is the only truth, and there is only one result that matters to Elan.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Liam's apartment in Tokyo-3 has felt smaller and emptier ever since he moved in with Lucine. Part of it is the simple fact that he moved most of his things, leaving only the essentials behind--including the secondhand media center he cobbled together after NERV first put him up there. The old couch is still there, too. Liam sits there right now in a tank top and shorts, a sparkling water in hand. His other hand holds his cellphone, which displays a VERTEX window.

        On the TV, the duel. It looks like Liam is not paying much attention, but he keeps pace with both the conversation and the stream.

        >LIAM7020: Here they go. Those don't look like Bits to me. They move like them, though.
>LIAM7020: That's not a Dilanza, though. Jeturk trying to move some new machinery, or is it a one-off?
>LIAM7020: God it's all so showy. Rich kids playing with their rich kid toys.

<Pose Tracker> Stella Loussier has posed.

        "Hah! Look at these chumps. Playing so carefree. I don't know why you take part in these things."

        In a house somewhere, Auel Neider leans back on the couch, watching the duel starting out. His question is directed towards his fellow Extended, Sting Oakley. Who is sitting at the dining room table nearby, reading off a datapad. Sting calmly replies back, "Recon. Observe and record. That's what we're here for. You should actually try and do it some time."

        Auel waves his hand dismissively, "Nah. That's too boring. You know, we should charge in on one of these duels some time and teach them a REAL lesson." There's only a brief pause before he asks, "Hey Stella, do you know this girl... Uhhh... Suletta?"

        Sitting at a window, head resting on her arm as she stares out at the 'outside', she simply replies, "Stella doesn't know her."

        "She's the student who was arrested on claims of using illegal mobile weapons technologies."

        The fourth voice causes Stella to perk up and turn to look, a smile forming on her face. Sure enough, the helmeted man known as Neo Roanoke walks into the room. Stella jumps up, rushing over to him, "Neo!"

        Neo offers a smile in return, raising a gloved hand to pat Stella on the head. He then turns his attention back to the stream of the duel, "She's the daughter of a low ranking Benerit Group company CEO. Beyond that there's not much information about her. But she doesn't seem particular important. Her machine however..."

        Neo stops patting Stella to walk over closer to the stream, which causes Stella to frown in disappointment. Neo watches the duel closely as it plays out some more. After a few more moments he murmurs, "Strange..."

<Pose Tracker> Chise Asukagawa has posed.

Two more attendees are far, far away from Asticassia. One hasn't been to school in years; another hasn't been to school in months.

Young redhead(??) Chise Asukagawa sits at the table in the absolute disaster that is Koyomi Yamanaka's room, a pile of candy on her left and a bag for wrappers on her also left. She's leaning back against the floor-chair propped up against Koyomi's bed, sucking on a lollipop and watching the beginnings of the event.

The older man in the room rolls over from where he's watching a gaming glitches compilation, his bowl cut bangs hanging over his eyes as he peers. "Thought they canceled the Gundam Fight," he says, disinterested. "What is this, a local league?"

Chise pops her lollipop out of her mouth. "Nah, man, this is how they do arranged marriages now."

"...huh...?" Koyomi says back to her, confounded. He looks back at the screen, where the camera briefly pans past the observation deck. And--

"Hold on, did I just see Cap'n?" Chise says, looking at the similarly surprised Koyomi.

        *

Relatively Close to the Action Actually, then, is a man with hair on the border between flame red and vibrant pink. He looks like he might have been a little rough around the edges at one point in his life, with a jagged S-shaped scar on his cheek and deeply sunken eyes and the kind of face that just cannot quite stop glaring. He's dressed for the gig, at least, in a fine shirt and black pants and shoes, the kind of outfit that fades totally into the background in environments like that.

Gauma, who has lost the links that create such things as surnames, stops at the back of the room for a moment, gazing across the mix of people and the blasting drama of the machines above.

"...is this the kind of place you'd come," he murmurs to himself, distracted for just long enough that a more seasoned temp nudges him in the hip to get moving.

"heck," he mutters, quietly, and then skitters slightly too urgently for his role across the room to set down a platter on the buffet table, and pull the silver dome aside with gloved hands.

Inside is a large helping of crab legs.

<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.

Flay Allster is among those invited to the VIP box to witness this highly-anticipated duel. As a dignitary for NUNE, certainly, but she's also a recent alumni of Asticassia - so there's a bit of a special interest in the outcome of the match for her.

Flay was never exactly one of Guel Jeturk's 'fangirls'. Guys like him just simply were never her type, ugh, way too forceful! But his opponent... they say she's some kind of 'witch', commanding technology that's clearly forbidden, whether it's Psychoframe, or something even worse. But fair's fair in a duel, that's what the Committee decided.

"Oh, he's got to be desperate. That's a new machine, isn't it?" Flay comments at the arrival of the Darilblade to no one in particular, absently stirring the straw of her cocktail. At her age, it's hard to tell whether it's alcoholic or just a regular sparkling drink.

Flay sets the drink down, watching a lot more carefully - and quietly, as the early clashes of the duel play out. "I guess that Rembran girl must be pretty pleased with herself... securing such a powerful protector," she mutters to herself.

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        There's a few things about this Suletta person that give Lucine reasons to root for her.

        For one:

        >LUCINTHESKY: I hope Suletta does okay.
        >LUCINTHESKY: all this talk about her being a bumpkin and a witch
        >LUCINTHESKY: feels like, if she wins, it might take these rich kids down a peg.

        Mercury and Mars are different planets, but she sees a little of herself in the perky pilot.

        ... if she had retained some more of her former spark, that is.

        "Don't let them get you down, Suletta..." Lucine murmurs to the TV, as if it could somehow convey her message, as she glances back down at her phone, for Liam's texts.

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        Rather strange are the whims of fate that led Sayla Mass to getting a seat in the VIP box today- She had, after all, simply dropped by to visit Leina and just happened to be here on the day of an influential duel. Arriving a few hours early due to an opening in her schedule isn't that strange, nor is giving Leina a few hours to rest and recover rather than dropping in on her by surprise.

        And that would have been it, had someone not recognized her. And then someone leaked to someone that a One Year War hero connected to a Cathedra hot shot was here, and that maybe it would be a good luck to find her a seat in the VIP booth, you know, for optics. Someone else mentioned the potential possibility of controversy for having her there.

        And you know how PR people feel about a good controversy.

        Sayla sat in her luxurious seat, not far from Chairman Durandal and Eight and Lahvi. A good place for non-business guests. It's rare that Sayla Mass is in an environment that makes her, of all people, feel like she's underdressed and undermoneyed. This is one of them. The mega rich are, apparently, a different breed from the quite rich.

        Having refused a glass of wine for some sparkling water, Sayla watches the theatrics of the duel. "I assume it's not always this extravagant," Sayla says to no-one in particular before taking a sip of her water. On the other hand... it's a similar sort of theatrics to the nonsense the Crest Holders would pull- if, admittedly, less to her tastes.

        There was a somewhat comforting idiocy to what they did, that often grated on her nerves.

        Still, she kind of missed it now.

        She drums her fingers on the arm of her chair. It should be... an interesting experience.

<Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.

        It's fast!

        The Aerial raises her shield against the Beam Javelin, as everyone returns to defend her, all her Bit Staves fitting back into her Escutcheon. The Javelin glances off with a violent CLASH, spinning into the air. A moment too late, though, Suletta realises she's not safe -- when it turns, in mid-air, and crashes back down from above.

        She manages to jump away before it skewers her and destroys her antenna... but it's a near thing. Shocked, Suletta can but ask: "What just happened...?"

        Aerial is strong... Aerial can defeat anything. Coming up against this Darilblade, with its own ferocious might... "... is that a different mobile suit from before?" Suletta asks, dumbfounded.

        But Miorine tells her they have surprises, and -- "Countermeasures?" She asks, with a small and mousy voice.

        If he can counter everyone, then -- then she has to just keep shooting him. She fires with her Beam Rifle, the Bit Staves not empowering it any more, but she realises just how sturdy he is very quickly.

        And so -- lumbering, great, and giant -- her jets sweep her behind the Darilblade, to fire a shot square into his back.

        No one said the right thing had to be the honourable thing.

KTS: Suletta Mercury targets Guel Jeturk with Standard Primary Beam Rifle Shot!
KTS: Guel Jeturk engages block against Suletta Mercury's Standard Primary Beam Rifle Shot!
KTS: Critical Hit! Guel Jeturk poorly blocks Suletta Mercury's Standard Primary Beam Rifle Shot, taking 4200 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Suletta Mercury's The Witch from Mercury activates, causing Sparkle!

<Pose Tracker> Guel Jeturk has posed.

The beam javelin impacts the ground where Aerial once stood, and now it's motionless it's clear to all and sundry - the polearm is still gripped, by the forearm of the Darilbalde detached from its owner. As the red mobile suit moves to reclaim its weapon, an attachment port is clearly visible on its right elbow joint.

The discussion of Jeturk's recent investments into drone technology bear weight immediately, as the dark Shell Units on the Darilbalde light up with a steady green and it splits its polearm into two separate beam weapons - and an additional pair of arms detaches from shoulderblade mounts, igniting beam sabers of their own as they take up salute positions just behind the suit. Finally, those massive curved shoulder panels detach and begin orbiting around the Darilbalde - before it leaps forward again, meaning to strike hard at the Gundam Aerial!

The overhand strike with both weapons is clumsy and easily dodged by the Aerial, which Suletta nimbly guides into Guel's blind spot, beam rifle aimed for a devastating shot that will surely disable the -

         - The 'Ambika' shoulder guards slide impossibly into the space between weak point and rifle barrel just before Suletta fires -

- and the Mercurian pilot is offered maybe half a second to react as the Darilbalde's extra pair of 'Ishvalda' arms, saber blades buzzing, cut in towards Aerial with broad sweeps, guided by the kind of mercilessness only AI can provide, without Guel even turning his machine to face her.

KTS: Guel Jeturk targets Suletta Mercury with Type-B Drone Sweeping Slash!

<Pose Tracker> Arianna Passerini has posed.

Arianna Passerini isn't a student here. She is an independent contractor who may have brought some of the higher-value Mobile Suit parts currently in use *here and now*. And that is why she is watching this duel...

On the big screen in the mess hall of the Tempo Profundo.

Most of the remainder of the crew is here - the Tempo Profundo is in dock, awaiting an opportune moment to depart, or a high value contract to be closed. Ernest, a big beefy man, is sitting directly under the fume hood because he is hitting a vaporizer now and again. Arianna herself has a glass of wine; Otto and Sureti are eating pan-baked calamari from a big bowl. (They overestimated its appeal when they opened the pop-up counter. Maybe next time, no squid.)

"So," Arianna says. "If you're here," a tip of the wine glass to Ernest:

"And you're here," Sureti. "And you're here," Otto. "Then who's listening in case we need to move in the queue?"

Otto, piqued, says, "Rose said she could manage it. She hates the big man's vape anyway. Oscar's in the bath." ("He's been in there for an hour," gripes Sureti.)

Arianna purses her lips, shrugs, and goes back to watching.

"So this is someone from Mercury, or is that just her last name?" asks Ernest after a few seconds.

"Dunno," Otto answers, laconically. "There's some folks out there, though. You ever been out there, cap?"

"No," Arianna says. "Fuel cost's high. I'm not even sure we'd have enough tankage for round-trip at all. And they'd probably know it..."

There is silence, and silent animation, as weapons fire begins. Despite being, on average, 15 years too old to attend this academy, the crew of the Tempo Profundo lean forwards and watch. Twisting around -- "Heh!" says Ernest. "That's right, get in his six! I got ten on the Mercury girl."

"Against the scion of Jeturk? You're on," Sureti answers.

NOW there's something to involve them. Whose bet will be fulfilled? Sureti claps her hands when the Jeturk expertise shows itself with more arms and mobile armor but not the usual way that's meant.

<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.

"We are betting on the duel?" Trem asks, looking briefly away from the monitor and at Secelia. The pink-haired girl tilts her head; the two long locks of hair in front of her ears sway, too, when she does that.

"What are we betting?"

Then, she glances at Elan. There is a flicker of hesitation in her eyes, as she considers him for a moment. Like she should say something, for his getting her in here...

...but she decides against calling attention to it.

Trem is quiet for a moment more, as the duel begins in earnest. The Aerial moves fast -- and that's the first thing to make Trem raise her eyebrows. She scoots forward, on the seat, as Suletta takes her shot for the back of the Daribalde. The way Guel responds, the rapid movement, and then his secondary arms coming out...

Her eyes narrow. She begins to see.

Another question comes to mind. And this time, she is looking at Elan, Secelia, and Rouji in turn.

"Who wants to win more?" she asks.

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

And then all of a sudden, unexpectedly, devices in the Tactical Testing Sector ceiling all appear, watering pouring out of them like hydrants in three hundred and sixty degrees. They are difficult to spot on their own, but the torrential rain that subsequently appears is not.

In the Dueling Committe Lounge, Shaddiq lounges with one arm over the back of the couch, "The heat management system?" And at his prompting, Rouji looks up from his eternal fixation upon his pad to confirm, "Yes. With that much water being delivered, beam weapons will inevitably be degraded."

Above, a warning is issued to the entire Tactical Testing Center by a synthesized feminine voice.

Emergency Water Cooling In Progress

Elsewhere, in a control center, Vim crows in triumph, with fists clinched as Suletta's next shot dissipates beyond just a short distance from the Aerial, the low power restrictions for dueling at the school not able to deal with this much water, "Take a good look! My plan was right on the money!" Lauda Neill says nothing, watching from his seat, upset in ways he can't give voice to, not with his father there and watching.

Up within the box of dignitaries, there were scattered chuckles, but not a single objection.

"The girl put on a good show, didn't she? She made us actually believe she could pull it off."
"She did, but Gundams are fossils that ought to stay buried."

Several of them were already arranging to buy more shares of Jeturk, but Councilor Durandal simply continued to sip his champagne, saying nothing. Whereas Feng Jun gave Eight Orlodhari a knowing look, not of the sort in which she knew this specifically was going to happen, just that something like this was going to happen.

"It's just the way things are done here on the ring."

She pretended not to look at Sayla Mass, things couldn't have gone better had she invited her here timing wise if she'd planned it from the start.

Whereas in the hangar, Miorine keeps a death grip on her phone, but if anything she looks calmer, her mind moving as if to analyze the situation, "There's no way that system would start without an anomaly. Those Jeturk House thugs... you'd really go this far?"

Moments later, Miorine's face appears on the screen of the Dueling Committe Lounge, utilizing her 'Chairman's' access as Delling Rembran's daughter to appear even while a duel is in progress to look upon Elan Ceres, taking on an imperious tone as she demands.

"Stop the duel immediately! It needs to be put on pause until you've resolved the system error!"

KTS: Miorine Rembran targets Suletta Mercury with Prevent!

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"Certainly," Eight says of the drink, and accepts. If offered, Lavnadim takes one too. It's a signal that they're comfortable, whether or not they are. And her knowing statement gets a thoughtful look from Eight. "I see," she answers. "I'll trust your judgement, and put aside my own preconceptions."

She watches the duel unfold, and it helps that Sayla is here, makes her a little more comfortable. She is in a lions' den in a lot o ways, but...

Countermeasures. Eight watches Suletta try to stab her opponent in the back impassively. Untill--

Emergency Water Cooling.

This is the way things are done...

"Is that so," Eight answers, and her nose wrinkles in distaste. Lavhi says, "...It is normal for these incidents to occur?"

KTS: Suletta Mercury engages guard against Guel Jeturk's Type-B Drone Sweeping Slash!
KTS: Suletta Mercury successfully guards Guel Jeturk's Type-B Drone Sweeping Slash, taking 3910 damage!
KTS: Suletta Mercury accepts Miorine Rembran's Prevent!
KTS: Miorine Rembran prevents Suletta Mercury's maneuvers, reducing her Skill drastically.
KTS: Best Defense! Suletta Mercury successfully reacts to Miorine Rembran's Prevent, taking 0 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Elan Ceres has posed.

        The battle rages on. Suletta opens fire on the Darilblade's back; Guel's Darilblade blocks the shot with its shoulder guards, then counters with its extra arms wielding deadly saber blades. It's a powerful maneuver, but not one that would necessarily overwhelm Suletta--not if she's truly a Witch.
        
        He doesn't look back as Trem expresses interested in joining the betting. He may have gotten her in here, but that was merely obligation. He doesn't remark until she asks who wants to win more.
        
        "They both want to win very, very much," he says softly without turning around. "That won't be what determines the winner."
        
        This is made particularly clear when the sprinkler system goes off within the seventh tactical testing ground, interfering with the Aerial's beam weaponry--which in turn puts Suletta at a distinct disadvantage. Miorine contacts the Dueling Committee, a comm window opening in the screen, and demands the duel be stopped.
        
        Elan's impassive mien doesn't so much as flicker. "Duels are never held on equal terms," he replies, a matter-of-fact statement on the unfairness of the world. "It's up to students' patrons which mobile suits and which support staff they can access. Even if this accident were set up on purpose--" and he is reasonably certain it was-- "that would still be part of his strength."
        
        Whether Guel likes it or not.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        >LIAM7020: Were you reading the chat?

        Not all of the officially authorized streams have those, of course. Liam lets out a breath, though, and thinks about what Lucine said. Where exactly does Suletta fall on the spectrum of Rich Kid?

        >LIAM7020: She's a good pilot. Something off abour the Jeturk
        >LIAM7020: what
        >LIAM7020: Lu we both saw him get in that machine right
        >LIAM7020: now what?

        As water pours onto the battlefield, Liam frowns. It's obvious to him which Mobile Suit has the advantage, now, even though he can't hear or see Miorine's protests, or Elan's response.


 <Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.
<poem>
        "No way!" Suletta yelps, as the Darilblade defends itself against her dishonourable strike from behind. She's left on the back foot as she stumbles back, the Aerial forced blow-by-blow to give ground to her foe. She meets one blade with her shield -- only for another to hit her in the back, giving as good as she gave.

        Her heart pounds, as she stumbles back to recollect herself, but even though she's anxious... she's calm, here, surrounded by her family.

        ... even so, this is getting serious. Everyone -- Suletta needs you all.

        Please.

        Cereste and Sednatta respond, slotting into her Beam Rifle to lengthen its barrel again. Even as the water falls down, she's ready to escalate her force. She fires --

        And that vicious beam --

        -- fades almost as soon as it leaves her.

        "It dissi..pated..." Suletta says, as she and Aerial look up, to the sky. "Is this water...?"

        Suletta fires again -- but it's just as Shaddiq says. Her beam degrades as soon as it's loosed, and she gasps in horror as she watches their combined might fizzling to nothing.

        ... everyone..?

KTS: Miorine Rembran has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Suletta Mercury
KTS: Miorine Rembran targets Suletta Mercury with Coordinate!
KTS: Suletta Mercury accepts Miorine Rembran's Coordinate!
KTS: Miorine Rembran coordinates maneuvers, raising Suletta Mercury's Piloting!
KTS: Best Defense! Suletta Mercury successfully reacts to Miorine Rembran's Coordinate, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Suletta Mercury targets Guel Jeturk with Pass!

</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

Miorine hears Elan Ceres' response to her demands, and while she's extremely angry she also has her wits about her because anger isn't what Suletta needed right now. Yelling at the Dueling Committee, as good as it might feel, won't help one iota, it won't change the rules, this kind of situation that her lousy father allows.

"Then you won't mind if I step in, as part of Suletta's strength, will you?"

Miorine looked over her shoulder, at a four armed mobile worker resting in the hangar, then without missing a step, leapt over the rail - the low gravity of this section of the Front carrying her down.

Dialing into her phone, she shoved off the ground with both feet, and brought herself right to the cockpit of the worker, hitting the hatch as she climbed in, "Suletta, do you read me?" She set the phone down into the comm interface, "I'll stop the storm." Gripping both controls, it powered up, a clumsy beast, wobbling this way and that way as it's thrusters turned off, and she made an abrupt U-Turn into a large maintenance tunnel cordoned off only by yellow tape marking caution.

The arms flailed as it slashed through the top layer of the tape, barreling through as it immediately started ricocheting, the worker pinballing as it slammed into one wall, then another, the girl flinching with every impact as she tried to work the controls through pure adrenaline. Suletta will each impact over the comms, as Miorine yells, "I don't care how you do it! You just have to hang on!"

However, while she'd suppressed her anger before, here she used it, yelling at the cockpit, to the heavens, as she mobile craft suddenly zipped down a linear rail shaft, it's four arms clumsily gripping a train car full of students that were currently moving 'down' the shaft through the levels.

"My lousy father! This time, he won't get his way!"

Within the train students gasped, but several had the presence of mind to take out their phones, taking pictures of the mobile worker as the train lowered deeper into the shaft.

-=-=-

"Of course." Feng Jun replied Lavhi with a knowing smile, "Don't you see?" Indeed, her eyes flick away from them, upon all the men in the room. "Not a single one of them is surprised. These 'accidents' are celebrated here as simply part of the spectacle. That someone could set them up without being caught? Is proof of their power, and influence."

<Pose Tracker> Secelia Dote has posed.

"Hoooh. So that's what they've got going on under their sleeve." There's only a smile creeping onto her visage, watching the Duel with an air of nonchalantness. To see the strange movements of the Darilblade, to witness the sudden eruption of water down onto the field... "Sounds like someone wants to win, heeeeeh?"

A shrug. "There's nothing either can do about it other than deal with it, I guess. The Aerial's all beams, isn't it?" A glance over at Rouji. He's busy looking the submitted schematics...of both machines. "Isn't it?"
"Most of them. She'll be fine if she does the obvious."
"You think so? Four arms and a javelin in rainy weather? It could work."

"Still, to think the heir of Benerit Group thought that Duels would be so honorable. I hope she can put up a good fight." Lounging back, shoes on the coffee table. "Jeturk House isn't much for playing fair."

<Pose Tracker> Guel Jeturk has posed.

The Darilbalde maintains a relentless assault on Aerial, forcing Suletta to clear space.

In the cockpit, meanwhile, Guel stops wrestling with the controls, letting go of them - and watching them dance on their own, guiding the mobile suit through an artificially-sequenced choreography.

"... So you're saying you don't even need my will," he mutters to himself, slumping.

Suletta fires --

-- and the sprinkler systems come on, the deluge dispersing her beam coherency.

Suddenly the advantage is fully in Guel's field, and suddenly the fact that the Darilbalde is essentially fighting on its own doesn't matter a lot to the scion of Jeturk. "Well, that's too bad for you!" he gloats, leaning back in his seat as the mobile suit calls its drones back in and reconnects its beam javelin to its full polearm length. "Guess Lady Luck's on my side this time!"

The Darilbalde stalks towards the Aerial, then leaps upward, raising the beam javelin overhead for a cold two-handed strike.

KTS: Guel Jeturk accepts Suletta Mercury's Pass!
KTS: Best Defense! Guel Jeturk successfully reacts to Suletta Mercury's Pass, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Guel Jeturk targets Suletta Mercury with Combined Lunge!

<Pose Tracker> Chise Asukagawa has posed.

The man with magenta hair has turned his back on the screens to return to the back when all the fuss erupts and he fails his duties as a servant to totally ignore anything but his assigned purpose. Those sunken, glaring eyes scan across the screen, across the woman who comes on, across the chortling onlookers. His fingers find his pocket, find the hidden object there, but...

No.

This isn't Dynazenon's fight, however he might feel. It's not here, anyway. His teeth grit, but he turns back again, stalking toward the back with a much too intense posture for the kind of man he's supposed to be to these people.

BACK IN NOUVELLE TOKYO:

"Wow, these guys suck," Chise says, and cracks a lollipop to dust in her teeth. "Kick his ass, Mercury kid! Stick and move, stick and move!"

"Do you even know what that means?" Koyomi asks, where he has gotten back to watching the Lord of Garbage commentate competetive RadiRobo.

"Do you?" Chise asks him back, and both fall into silence.

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        The Aerial seems... more like an ARM slave than a gundam to Sayla's eyes. Closer to the proportions of something like the late Al- the Arbalest. . This is... the sort of machine that would have been on the White Base had Delling Rembrand not intervened? A thing with funnels but... no pressure? Sayla watches it carefully, as if getting a glimpse into a different world- but surely, if it is the sort of thing she had been told of in that secret meeting... this has to be a refined version. They wouldn't have been rolling out this sort of technology during the One Year War, would they?

        The sprinklers come on, and Sayla's eyes turn to the excited cherring of Vim Jeturk, her eyes narrowing slightly. She leans to whisper something to Eight and Lavhi. "...Well. I think I see where the Gundam Fight got it from." She says, quietly, knowing that the Admiral and her husband are the sorts to be sympathetic.

        The comments about fossils cause a frown of frustration. As much as her feelings about the Gundam are complicated at best but... she wouldn't be here still without it. It would be nice if there had never been need for another, but...

        Never mind. Turn on diplomacy mode, Sayla. Pretend you're trying to get money out of Britannian Nobility.

        "...The result itself is only truth indeed." Sayla murmurs, in response to Feng Jun's comment.

        Her eyes briefly glance to Durandal, taking the opportunity to see what read she can get on ZAFT's new chairman in this moment. But if anything... he seems totally impassive.

KTS: Suletta Mercury engages parry against Guel Jeturk's Combined Lunge!
KTS: Suletta Mercury moderately reacts to Guel Jeturk's Combined Lunge, taking 3919 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.

Like Sayla, the comment about Gundams evokes some thought from Flay, too. Unlike Sayla, she has a big enough mouth to actually comment back. "Kind of a silly sentiment, if you ask me. A Gundam is just a weapon, isn't it? Who cares what shape it takes?" It might sound like defending her own honour as a Gundam pilot, but it's strangely dismissive of its legacy at the same time.

Flat pauses, then, when the sprinkler system malfunctions, torrenting upon the battlefield... rendering Aerial's many beams impotent. "Well, there goes his pride..." She shakes her head, remembering how Guel Jeturk always boasted about crushing his opponents with his own strength. This must be the work of his allies, or maybe corporate backers.

"Ahh, but... if this girl's really the witch people say she is, I bet this won't be nearly enough to stop her." She takes a slow sip from her cocktail.

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

Lavhi gets his answer. He looks at Feng Jun fully when she answers him, keeping his eyes on her while Eight glances about the room as directed. She sees it--and as a Newtype she feels it, feels this room. It is worse than the usual meeting of executives.

"Hmph," Lavnadim vocalizes in return. "That may be."

Eight looks at him; they share a glance. She shakes her head.

She doees listen to Sayla, though, and gives a shallow nod to her. She s sympathetic.

The result itself...

"'Pride' isn't a result," Eight opines to Flay. "...What you say is true. But she was cleared of those charges, wasn't she?"

"...I won't count her out yet. Maybe I have a bias towards the underdog."

<Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.

        Miorine tells her she'll stop it, and Suletta asks, helplessly: "But how? I can't attack, Ms. Miorine!"

        'I don't care how you do it! You just have to hang on!'

        That anger in her voice -- and the sound of her effort -- spurs Suletta to jet backwards, trying to gain some distance from the suddenly overwhelming Darilblade. "'Hanging on' is easier said than done," she says, to herself, as she tries to gain one while Miorine finds a solution.

        The Darilblade leaps, though, and presses the argument... less like a man enforcing his will in a greenhouse, and more like an implacable machine. "I've got to hang on," she chants, to herself, as she grasps her Beam Saber, and with tremendous effort, turns that Beam Javelin away before it can carve her antenna to bits. It's carved her arm away, instead, leaving her with just the one left to defend herself. Half-disarmed, she chants, a prayer or a magic spell: "I've got to hold on. I've got to hold on. I've got to hold on. I've got to hold on. I've got to hold on."

        She summons her courage, and thrusts forward, with a vicious slash intended to disarm the Darilblade entirely. "-- I WILL HANG ON!" She yells, in a stroke she throws everything into.

        But even if she's hanging on... it won't take Guel long to finish this.

        Is this the might of Jeturk House?

        Why does it feel so different... to last time?

KTS: Suletta Mercury targets Guel Jeturk with Standard Beam Saber Thrust!
KTS: Guel Jeturk engages parry against Suletta Mercury's Standard Beam Saber Thrust!
KTS: Guel Jeturk successfully reacts to Suletta Mercury's Standard Beam Saber Thrust, taking 2820 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.

"Mm." Trem murmurs, as she considers what Elan says. It won't what determines the winner -- no, of course not.

And then the sprinklers come on. That prompts Trem to narrow her eyes. It strikes her as dishonorable, but that doesn't bother her. It rather reinforces Elan's point, and the one that he reinforces. Trem sits up, a little straighter, then.

She is still interested, despite this change. Or perhaps moreso, given how Guel tries to capitalize upon it.

"More than the skill of the pilot. Or the machine," Trem says, as the Aerial makes its desperate slash with a beam saber. "But also the people they rely on. So..."

She looks distant for a moment. Staring into space, distracted, as she considers something. "...I wonder if Jeturk House will pull this off, then."

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Was Lucine reading the chat?

        LUCINTHESKY: a little, yeah
        
        Watching the battle on the TV, Lucine folds her legs on her couch, frowning. The sprinklers turn on; if this was a normal battle, wouldn't that mean it'd have to stop? ... But it keeps going. She leans forward, then, almost about to pitch off the couch, plants a hand to push herself back.

        Lucine goes back to her phone, furiously typing.

        LUCINTHESKY: It may look bad, but
        LUCINTHESKY: The worst thing you can do in a dog fight
        LUCINTHESKY: is underestimate someone when the chips are down

<Pose Tracker> Elan Ceres has posed.

        "Haha. She's a little naive like that," Shaddiq remarks of Miorine to Secelia, still smiling. He's comfortable with how things are going. To Trem, he remarks, "Haha, don't let Secelia suck you into a bet, Trem! She'll take you for all you're worth."
        
        Elan doesn't weigh in--not on that, or on Rouji's comments on what the Aerial might be able to do to turn things around. His attention remains on the screen--and thus on Miorine for that split-second before she moves on.
        
        Then you won't mind if I step in, as part of Suletta's strength, will you?
        
        Even if she'd lingered, Elan doesn't respond to her either. But the fact that he doesn't tell her 'no' essentially means he's saying 'yes.' If forced to give an answer, he knows who he wants to win, after all.
        
        But no one asks, and so he doesn't say, nor does he interfere. As proud as Guel is, he's not so proud that he won't take advantage of his father's scheming. Elan knows this well. The victor will be determined with or without his input, as most things are. He's only here to observe.
        
        Even so, he will observe to the very end with that quiet wish in his heart.
        
        "Suletta Mercury," he murmurs to the girl on the massive screen as she holds on with all her might, "if you really are a witch, you can survive this situation."
        
        Really, if one didn't know Elan better, one might think he was cheering her on.

<Pose Tracker> Guel Jeturk has posed.

'Hang on', Miorine demands of her groom, but the Darilbalde's Decision-Making AI has already reached its Decision:

Attack, attack, attack.

And so the red mobile suit presses the assault, swinging again and again at Aerial in the middle of the rainstorm. With the Gundam now deprived of the majority of its offensive options, Suletta can only depend on her saber.

What follows is a fierce assault as the red lion of Jeturk hounds the white gazelle of Mercury, culminating in a final thrust towards Aerial's exposed back, in a mirror of the shot Suletta tried to take on him so early in the duel...!

KTS: Guel Jeturk targets Suletta Mercury with Ishvara Anchor Hook!
KTS: Suletta Mercury has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Suletta Mercury has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
KTS: Suletta Mercury engages evade against Guel Jeturk's Ishvara Anchor Hook!
KTS: Best Defense! Suletta Mercury successfully reacts to Guel Jeturk's Ishvara Anchor Hook, taking 0 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

Deeper, and deeper the train lowered, more students now were filming it. "Hey! Stop acting like this is some show!" Miorine yelled out, not realizing that given what she was doing, she really was. In the end though, despite the power she held, she did little more than have the mobile worker clutch to the train, four arms surrounding it in embrace.

She saw it though, her destination. It was fast approaching, this yellow square of light, a control room for the Front's emergency systems that existed in this tunnel. As the rail continued it's descent, she had the worker release it's grip, and she took a leap...

... of faith.

-=-=-

Within a control room for this part of the Front's environmental systems, two girls were holding their phones, facing each other, both of them in the same bulky normal suits that most students sport.

"Darn! That was so close!"
"Heck! How is she holding on for so long against Guel?"

Neither Felsi Rollo or Petra were actually looking at the glass in front of them, because neither of them expected any sort of real intervention to their actions. They'd do their part, as the Jeturk CEO had ordered, Guel would win. Both of them would reap the benefits of Jeturk's rise in status and prominence.

And thus neither of them saw the leap of the Mobile Worker towards the control room, dipping down below their vision, before rising again as the thrusters sent it barreling right through the protective layer explosively, glass shattered, spraying all over the tunnel, all over the two of them as they shrieked in alarm and surprise.

Now both girls were visible on the monitor of the worker, clutching each other, unharmed due to their normal suits but scared out of their mind. Anyone would be when facing down several tons of alloyed steel and hydraulic powered arms.

"I knew it would be you two." Miorine called out to them both over the speakers, glass still floating across the control room.

Petra stammered in fear, "Mi-Miorine! You!" As Felsi quickly replied, "Using a Mobile Craft isn't fair!"

"Not fair?" Miorine asked, sotto voce, before her voice swelled tempestuously, "LOOK WHO'S TALKING!" The Mobile Worker clambered into the control room, pulling itself in, advancing on both of the two girls as it's arms reached for them both the pair of them shrieking.

-=-=-

Some of the men in the room look at Flay, a few chuckles, one of them chides her.

"Ah, young lady. I suppose you're all caught up in the 'romance' of the Gundam mythos."

"You're George's daughter? I'm surprised you have such feelings on the matter..." He doesn't look like anyone to Flay at all, simply a middle aged man, perhaps a NUNE politician, "... after all, the way I hear it, it was a Gundam that killed him." But then he second guesses himself, "I'm sorry, perhaps I said too much. My condolences, he was a good man."

Some of them shift awkwardly, but don't respond further, but that man continues on.

"He deserved better than to be murdered by a witch."

And on that, Gilbert Durandal's eyes do turn, to look upon that man, ever so briefly. That, Sayla Mass would see. He does not look amused, but his tone remains neutral.

"Words matter. I think it would do you well to study your history, before labeling a soldier in wartime as such, Sir."

The man pales a shade, "A-Ah yes. Apologies." He mumbles out to Flay.

-=-=-

At that same moment the Heat Management fixtures in the Tactical Testing Center guttered out, then turned off. Vim suddenly rushed up to Lauda, gripping his shoulder, "Hey! What's going on!" But Lauda, as he tried to contact their two 'agents' only saw 'Connection Unavailable' to both of their phones, his eyes going wide with surprise. "Petra? Felsi?"

Miorine now lounged in the control room, right next to a console as she spoke into her phone, "Suletta. All that's left now is for you to win."

Of Petra and Felsi there were no sign. She didn't kill them right?

Right?

KTS: Miorine Rembran has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Suletta Mercury
KTS: Miorine Rembran targets Suletta Mercury with All-Out!
KTS: Suletta Mercury accepts Miorine Rembran's All-Out!
KTS: Miorine Rembran orders an all-out attack, raising Suletta Mercury's Skill!
KTS: Best Defense! Suletta Mercury successfully reacts to Miorine Rembran's All-Out, taking 0 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.

        It's... not like it was before. Before, Suletta felt like she was facing Guel, but...

        ... is the Mobile Suit really that different?

        Suletta promised to hang on, though -- and that means that she dodges to the side of that grasping hook, even though it flies in from behind. There's no sense of psychic intuition in her movement, for those sensitive to it watching her... though those who can't be sure might wonder, because it certainly looks like the sort of evasiveness a Newtype might employ.

        Even though there's no sense of Psychoframe from her machine -- or any sense that her soul is crying out for understanding.

        As the rain fades, Aerial comes to a halt, Suletta looking to the sky. "It stopped...?" She asks, voice full of wonder. Then, that means...

        Miorine's transmission comes into her cockpit, and she smiles, voice and expression aglow. "Thanks, Ms. Miorine!" She says, with an outpouring of gratitude, as she leans forward at her controls.

        "Aerial..."

        OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHwLvtq0u58 Takashi Ohmama - The Witch from Mercury

        Everyone splits from her again -- all eleven of those Bit Staves, each made just a little differently to the others. "Now it's our turn!" Suletta speaks for them all, as she draws her Beam Saber with her remaining arm, and everyone spirals out to assault the Darilblade.

        There is Mara and Luna, coming out wide -- and Saturne and Uranna, blasting ahead. All together, Venetta leads a barraging blow, everyone concentrating their fire on the Darilblade's defences.

        They're not psycommu Bits, but they work in perfect unison. They've been working together for a lifetime.

KTS: Suletta Mercury targets Guel Jeturk with The Sphere of Venus ~ GUND-BIT Unseen Trap!

<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.

"Hmm." Trem looks at Shaddiq -- and she smiles at him, her silver eyes distant for a moment. "For all I'm worth? I wonder how much that is. Any ideas?"

She taps a finger against her cheek, once, twice.

She does look back at Elan, after a moment.

It takes her by surprise. She thought that he was uninterested. But, no, Trem realizes. He is watching -- with a certain intensity that is hard to miss. Her head tilts to the side, as considers her fellow Peil House member.

Does he want Suletta Mercury to win?

Not that Guel is making it easy -- not with the fierce battering of blows the Daribalde throws into the Aerial. But, Trem thinks, there is something different about the movements. They're familiar -- and register, after a moment. Her eyes widen.

"A.I.," she murmurs, quietly but not inaudibly.

And then her eyes widen -- as the sprinklers stop, and the Bit Staves deploy, shooting out as one. That prompts her to sit upright. She isn't cheering either on.

But she is starting to smile.

KTS: Guel Jeturk engages evade against Suletta Mercury's The Sphere of Venus ~ GUND-BIT Unseen Trap!
KTS: Guel Jeturk poorly reacts to Suletta Mercury's The Sphere of Venus ~ GUND-BIT Unseen Trap, taking 4294 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        The old men turning their ire toward Flay seems to get Sayla's attention. She can't help herself. "The romance, hm?" Sayla says, just loud enough for the room to hear. "That's the word of a man who has never faced one down. Or piloted one." She glares at him, her blue eyes seemingly piercing. "Does the armchair pilot have anything of use to say, or do you have the decency to remove yourself from the adult's conversation?"

        There's ice in her voice, as she readies to say more- but it seems Chariman Durandal has decided to speak for the first time- and that gives Sayla a chance to process the use of the term 'witch'. The slightest movement of the eyes, a powerful statement. Interesting, that a ring politician would be cowed by the Chairman of ZAFT. Very interesting.

        "...how fascinating," she muses as the cooling systems shut down, and the outburst from Vim is heard. "I fear our host might be in quite poor spirits soon." This is quieter, just to those around her. Including the Chairman, Eight, Lahvi and Flay.

<Pose Tracker> Secelia Dote has posed.

"Don't worry. If they can't, then, well. I warned him, didn't I? His value's going to drop off a cliff." Lucky her. Ever since he denied her advice, she's been putting multiple short calls on Jeturk Group's finances. Ah, to know its paying off, bit by bit.

Still, she's watching. Her eyes barely left the screen all this time, the relaxed smile of a businesswoman already on her features. Don't bet on her? "Don't worry, Trem. The first failure is free. The second?" A chinjerk towards the screen.

And she watches. And waits. And...

"Ooooh, nice." An admirable lit in her voice, inflecting upwards as she watches those bits fly out. Perfect unison. Perfect and a generational leap forward, outclassing the Darilblade... "Good luck, Guuuuueeeeel~ That's what you get, I guess." Alas, advice doesn't help if it falls on someone with blinders.

<Pose Tracker> Guel Jeturk has posed.

The sprinklers let up, and Suletta and Aerial reclaim their weapons, laying down a fierce barrage of repeated fire that forces the Darilbalde to retreat, firing off clouds of shrapnel from its knee-mounted launchers to disperse the beam fire and scatter the bit staves as they surround and harangue the red mobile suit.

Then - the Darilbalde stops and plants its clawed feet, its Ambika shields raised to defend against a barrage from the front. Guel yells "Don't stop, you idiot!" but the AI has already reached its Decision.

It completely misses the second complement of Aerial's bit staves approaching from behind cover, already firing at its new blind spot simultaneously.

The Darilbalde vanishes in an explosion of dust... revealed to be on its knees, its primary forearms reduced to slag, with the beam javelin lying split in half on the ground.

"Damn it!" Guel spits, "no way you'd be tricked by a decoy that cheap!"

The Extension AI is not what replies, however.

        Guel!" His father cuts in on the video call. "What are you doing? Finish her off!"

Guel blinks. "Father? How did you - " Realisation strikes. "... The water-management system. That was your doing, wasn't it?" Shocked, the next words fall out of his mouth without thinking: "Dad, why won't you believe in me?"

         "If you want me to believe," Vim Jeturk replies callously, "then crush that Gundam!"

"Do you think I can't win if I play fair?"

        "That's the child in you talking. The result is all that matters!"

        "Brother!" Lauda Neill calls out, "Just focus on the battle for now!"

"You're just saying that for father's sake!" Guel spits, slamming a fist on the console.

Vim Jeturk continues, heedless of his son's anguish: "Why can't you understand that this duel is bigger than just you? Children should do as their parents say!"

"SHUT UP!" Guel punches his Student Identification Device, cutting his father off. The glow of the Darilbalde's gold-and-green visor fades, and the suit slumps, inactive.

"The Decision-Making AI has been disabled," one of the Jeturk students overseeing their side of the duel reports. Vim Jeturk growls. "That fool..."

The Darilbalde is wide open. The opportunity is obvious.

However -

As Aerial comes in for the finishng strike, its visor lights up again, and the secondary forearms deploy their blades to intercept her strike, attaching to the Darilbalde's elbows as it forces itself to its feet. "This is my fight!" Guel roars, pushing back against Aerial and throwing full power to his thrusters.

"My fight... and ONLY mine!"

The Darilbalde pushes, incredible thruster strength and weight forcing Aerial back through the thicketed rocks.

KTS: Guel Jeturk targets Suletta Mercury with Twin Blade Strike!

<Pose Tracker> Elan Ceres has posed.

        "Not yet, but I'd love to find out. Say, over a cup of tea sometime this week after class?" Shaddiq offers to Trem, his smile widening. Is he teasing or is he actually asking her out? Well... why not both?
        
        But then she focuses in on Elan, and his attention follows hers. The spinklers have turned off; Suletta is mounting a hell of a counteroffensive. That's interesting too, but... Elan seems to care about so little. He'd teased him too about his interest in the Mercurian miss, yet it seems like his teasing was closer to reality than he'd realized.
        
        Trem seems to be getting into it too, judging by her smile. Shaddiq glances her way when she mentions A.I.; his smile returns, however ruefully, when Secelia answers. "Was that really a warning? It sounded more like you were trying to annoy him," he says, tone amused. Sometimes things are funny because they're true. And it's just as true that those maneuvers are 'nice.' "Hmmm... Things are getting very interesting. But Guel won't let the Mercurian miss win that easily."
        
        Sure enough, the Darilblade's motions change--get stronger, more decisive, carry the weigh of a real human mind with real human experience. The transition is clear to those with experience enough to see it.
        
        Elan sees it. His expression doesn't change. But he sits a little straighter.
        
        The next thirty seconds will be crucial.

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

"Don't thank me! Win!"

But even now, telling her that sharply, Suletta can tell, Miorine is less tense. Like - just being able to do something, anything, felt good.

Miorine always wanted to fight her own battles, and thus leaving it to someone else, even Suletta was always galling for her, even if she accepted it.

But...

... it wasn't so bad, when she was a part of this girl's strength, was it?

However, even if Miorine can't know he disabled the AI, "What happened!? The way he's moving got more aggressive, does he have even more tricks hidden in that overblown suit?"

Her face suddenly moves closer to the screen, "It doesn't matter! Show them why your victory the first time was no fluke!"

-=-=-

The first man looks rankled initially, but when he sees who it is, "Ah, Dr. Mass... I didn't realize you were invited to... this event." He mumbles, "No I suppose I should leave it to the historians."

He was rather easily cowed as well wasn't he? Perhaps it is simply that they're all reading the room.

There's an uneasiness spreading across all of them, after all... things are not in fact going as planned.

KTS: Miorine Rembran has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Suletta Mercury
KTS: Miorine Rembran has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Suletta Mercury
KTS: Miorine Rembran targets Suletta Mercury with Awe!
KTS: Suletta Mercury accepts Miorine Rembran's Awe!
KTS: Miorine Rembran inspires awe, increasing Suletta Mercury's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Suletta Mercury successfully reacts to Miorine Rembran's Awe, taking 0 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.

Flay raises an eyebrow at what Eight has to say, and hears her out. "Pride isn't a result, but it sure is the number one export of the Jeturk family." She replies, with a smirk, even as the Darilbalde continues to overpower and overwhelm the Aerial with its inhuman movements. "Then again, ANY win must be good enough for those Jeturk orbiter girls." She adds, perhaps signifying personal schoolgirl beef.

"She was cleared of them, sure, but I don't see how that matters." She says, to the second point. "...Maybe she isn't, maybe she was just good enough at hiding." She frowns. "But either way. She might look like the underdog, but I don't think so. That girl's way stronger than Jeturk." She continues to watch intently, as the sprinklers halt, with the intervention of Miorine.

But her talk of Gundam seems to have gotten a bit more attention that she first bid for. One even invokes her father, killed during the Archangel's desperate escape to Earth. "You think I wasn't aware? I... I was there, you know." Flay quickly snaps back. "Your condolences are accepted, but..."

Her mind flashes back a few years. The Buster Gundam's pilot, Dearka Elsman, now a prisoner of war, laid up in the medical ward - about to be stabbed by a girl with a medical knife. Flay pulling a gun on him, hoping to finish the job and finally get her revenge - only to be pushed to the ground by that very girl.

She shakes her head, and then Councillor Gilbert Durandal himself speaks up. Her tone goes a bit quieter, losing that indignance. "I have to admit, the Chairman is right. I... want to finally feel at peace. I don't want his memory to become another weapon." She sits back down, stirring her drink absently once again.

Aside from Gilbert Durandal... that's Sayla Mass, isn't it? A woman marred in scandals and conspiracy, thanks to her revealed relation to Char Aznable of all people. Her father always hated that man, but... Sayla seems kind, and she came to her defense. "You're..." Flay says, realizing Sayla probably gets that a lot. "Well.. thanks. You must've seen a lot of Gundams in your lifetime, too, huh? But they're just weapons! Right?" She adds. "So, what do you think of Aerial?" She tries to move the conversation cleanly away from her father, pointing out the Aerial's resurgence.

KTS: Suletta Mercury has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Suletta Mercury has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
KTS: Suletta Mercury fails to engage guard against Guel Jeturk's Twin Blade Strike!
KTS: Best Defense! Suletta Mercury successfully reacts to Guel Jeturk's Twin Blade Strike, taking 3075 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

Eight doesn't know Flay, but she never appreciates old men talking down to people. She considers Flay, too. She ahs an interesting approach to it. "Hmm. You might be right about that," Eight admits. "She did already win once."

She knowss she doesn't know enough to respond, though. ...Sayla, on the other hand seems to.

'A witch', the man says, and Durandal countermands him. Eight finds that interesting.

She is quiet, through Sayla's address of Durandal for now, and so is Lavhi, though he openly looks between the two men in thought. He isn't much for dissembling, but they can read the room, too. Eight looks at Flay. "...The past should be allowed to rest," she agrees."

Eight considers. Then she adds, "Dr. Mass, I for one appreciate the voice of experience."

"I find this Aerial most fascinating," Lavhi says for his part. "It is very unusual." He mmoves on the topic, and Eight goes along with it.

Besides. Sulette is still going. Eight knows th appearancce of those Bits, and she wonders too at how she can't feel their pressure.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        >LIAM7020: Looks like their complication has a complication

        What the hell is going on behind the scenes? Liam can only assume someone intervened on Suletta's behalf--or maybe the attempt to sabotage her backfired somehow. Then there's another change in the Darilbade's movements, and Liam's lips tighten.

        >LIAM7020: That's a person piloting now
        >LIAM7020: Could still be either one of them though
        >LIAM7020: All they have to do is break the blade antenna
        >LIAM7020: Like how decapitation is an instant loss in the Gund
        >LIAM7020: Back when the Gundam Fight existed

        Liam frowns as he takes in the TV--as the Darilbade charges the Aerial, trying to bowl it over using its greater mass.

        Did the Gundam Fight ever really go away? Or was it just... an extension of this 'proud dueling history'?

        Is there an invisible thread of fate connecting him, Domon, George, and the duelists he's watching right now? Still.
        >LIAM7020: GO SULETTA ::cheer:: :cheer:: :cheer::

<Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.

        The Darilblade blocks it, but everyone's combined might is too much to block, even for a machine at the most cutting of edges.

        Everyone -- every Bit Stave at the Aerial's command (earnest request) --

        They hold fast, as Suletta tries to figure out why the Shell Unit on the Darilblade goes dull.

        "An error?" She asks, even as she keeps running forward.

        Something's different in that Mobile Suit, "But--!!"

        Suletta keeps charging, lifting her Beam Saber high to slice it down. It's one word which carries her determination to win -- the necessity of her victory. Miorine told her to win, and she promised.

        They made a deal.

        She brings her blade up to guard against his, even as his might forces Aerial back. "I don't know," she replies, to Miorine, as she struggles with her controls, "but his moves are different than before!" It's a tense situation, having him get up after everyone poured all their might into disabling him --

        -- but she feels more confident, now. She feels like she's fighting with him.

        The Darilblade's anger keeps blasting her backwards, and the Aerial, at length, doesn't fight him. Instead she drops backwards, to the ground, kicking him over her head in a motion which Sayla and others watching might recognise as startingly human for a machine. She uses his own momentum to force him away, and while it might not do much damage...

        ... how is she able to move like that in a Mobile Suit?

KTS: Suletta Mercury targets Guel Jeturk with Pass!
KTS: Guel Jeturk accepts Suletta Mercury's Pass!
KTS: Best Defense! Guel Jeturk successfully reacts to Suletta Mercury's Pass, taking 0 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Guel Jeturk has posed.

Aerial turns the Darilbalde's greater weight against it, with a too-human move that catapults the Jeturk mobile suit into the air, clawed feet separating from its ankles.

Did she land a blow?

No - they're attached on cables, microthrusters sending them rocketing back towards Aerial to latch onto the Gundam's shoulders! Guel roars, twisting on the control sticks to twist the Darilbalde in midair, dragging the Gundam along the ground and into the air in turn!

<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.

"Oh," Trem says to Shaddiq, looking at him for a moment. "Over tea...?"

She seems to give this some thought for a moment. Then, she shrugs her shoulders. "That could be pleasant! Perhaps I could bring my sled dogs?"

What? She sounds serious. Then, Trem looks at Secelia. "Hmm... so everyone gets to mess up once." She smiles again. It's a little airy and distant. "...That's almost disappointing."

And she says that just as the Daribalde slumps, the visor darkening. Almost as if she sensed it -- and maybe she did, she is rumored to be a Newtype. Her eyes lock onto the red Mobile Suit.

Then Guel roars back to life. "Hm..."

And that doesn't, immediately, bring Aerial down. No, instead, the Gundam moves with a grace and fluidity that almost reminds her of a Mobile Fighter. But, as she considers the specs of a Mobile Trace System...

No, it isn't quite right. Trem's eyes widen with delight. She smiles, bringing her hand over her mouth. "My," she says. "This has gotten terribly exciting, hasn't it?"

KTS: Guel Jeturk targets Suletta Mercury with Get Back Here!!
KTS: Suletta Mercury has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Suletta Mercury has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
KTS: Suletta Mercury engages guard against Guel Jeturk's Get Back Here!!
KTS: Best Defense! Suletta Mercury successfully guards Guel Jeturk's Get Back Here!, taking 2175 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Liam's mouth falls open, ever-so-slightly. His next VERTEX emerges at lightning speed.

        >LIAM7020: is that a mobile trace or what the hell is going on
        >LIAM7020: going to need to rewatch this

        Even as he sees it play out over the broadcast, his eyes taking in every tiny detail of the machines' body language. A thought makes its way in, unbidden. What would it be like to fight them? Either of them?

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        "It's no problem," Sayla responds to Flay, quietly. "It was incredibly galling behaviour." She does not grace the man with another look. She can feel the unease spreading throughout the room.

It's a touch satisfying, to Sayla's mind.

        "...The RX-78-2 was a weapon, but it became a symbol." She says, though her eyes are on the fight now. "Many individual Gundams are weapons, I agree. But there is a power in the symbol." Her face becomes hard to read. "For good and ill. But there's nothing stopping a symbol becoming a weapon in and of itself."

        Flay asks what she thinks of the Aerial. "...It's fascinating. I've never seen funnels- bits- that move like that." Or can't be felt at all. "Miss Mercury must be an extremely skilled pilot to wield them like that."

        Eight gets a subtle smile from Sayla. "I just have little room in my heart for people who treat war as some sort of game. Especially those who have lived it themselves."

        Lahvi speaks of the unusual nature of the Aerial. "...I swear. She moves like a mobile fighter, or an ARM slave..." It's a type of motion mobile suits normally don't have. They approximate human movement, not... replicate it. "It's supposed to be an AMBAC cockpit, isn't it?"

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

In this moment, surprisingly for once Miorine has nothing to say. It's all happening too quickly. The image of Suletta being flung away while attached to that cord.

She holds her breath.

And let's Suletta teach her again...

... how one Gains Two.

KTS: Miorine Rembran has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Suletta Mercury
KTS: Miorine Rembran has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Suletta Mercury

<Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.

        Flat to the ground, Aerial can't escape from those clawed feet. They latch onto her shoulders, and she's hoisted into the air. There's nothing her useless, chopped-off arm can do -- but her other arm is still holding her Beam Saber, and she slices off one of the cables, even as the Darilblade physically flings her across the arena. One of her legs scrapes the ground, very almost impacting -- the scrape sends up a terrible noise and a shower of dust, instead.

        It's not mercy that sees him releasing her -- it's the sharp stop at the edge of the seventh tactical testing centre.

        "This guy is strong," Suletta gasps, kept safe from the g-forces by Aerial's protection. Amazingly, she's able to react in time to get her feet under her, spinning Aerial in the air to plant her legs against the far wall. "But Aerial and I won't lose!"

        She begins running down it, before her jets engage, and she blasts off from the side. "After all...!" She cries, engaging her Beam Saber as she barrels straight towards the Darilblade. "There's still so much left on my wish list!"

        She STABS that Beam Saber down, straight for the target -- straight for his antenna -- even as her momentum carries through to send her flying bodily into his own Mobile Suit, and crashing to the ground.

        The Aerial struggles to stand -- she's sustained real damage, in this fight. She kneels on the ground, as Suletta pants and gasps, inside, visibly shaking from the effort.

        But...

KTS: Suletta Mercury has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Suletta Mercury has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Suletta Mercury has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
KTS: Suletta Mercury targets Guel Jeturk with Standard Beam Saber Thrust!

<Pose Tracker> Guel Jeturk has posed.

"Guel Jeturk doesn't lose!" Guel roars back at Suletta as Aerial charges in, setting the Darilbalde into a counterstrike stance, to parry and claim that tempting V-fin...

KTS: Guel Jeturk fails to engage parry against Suletta Mercury's Standard Beam Saber Thrust!
KTS: Critical Hit! Guel Jeturk poorly reacts to Suletta Mercury's Standard Beam Saber Thrust, taking 5640 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Suletta Mercury's The Witch from Mercury activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Guel Jeturk has been defeated!

<Pose Tracker> Guel Jeturk has posed.

... The dust settles.

The Darilbalde is kneeling, the horn where its ring-shaped antenna should be still smouldering where Aerial cut it clean through.

<Pose Tracker> Elan Ceres has posed.

        "Sled dogs?" Shaddiq echoes, surprised for once. He takes it in stride with a laugh the next minute, though. "Let's not get too serious!"
        
        Trem opines that it's 'almost disappointing' that everyone can mess up once. Shaddiq's smile turns thoughtful as he takes in the look on her face--and the way it changes to something akin to delight as the duel ramps up.
        
        Shaddiq, too, turns his attention back to the screen. Elan's has of course never left. The Darilblade hurls the Aerial away, and the Aerial launches itself at them in a blinding frontal assault as her pilot declares her will to win--to complete the rest of what's on her list. A cloud of dust and smoke rises in their wake as it lands, briefly obscuring the two mobile suits.
        
        The dust settles. The Aerial is still standing, if on its hands and knees, and the Darilblade--Elan said it at the very start, didn't he? Victory goes to one who breaks the blade antenna of their opponent's mobile suit.
        
        And the Darilblade's blade antenna is gone, a molten ring cooling where it once proudly stood.
        
                                WINNER
                                DUEL COMPLETED
        
                                PILOTING DEPARTMENT
                                LP041
                                SULETTA
                                MERCURY
        
                                XVX-016
                                AERIAL
                                2 WINS 0 LOSSES 0 DRAWS
        
        The result itself is the only truth. And the result is displayed, plain for anyone and everyone to see.
        
        Elan regards the automated notice with his usual unflappable calm. Then he pulls his student handbook from his pocket, pulls up his messenger program, and sends off a brief text.
        
        Suletta will receive it an instant later: a message from KP002 ELAN CERES, reading simply, "Congratulations!"
        
        Yes. With the exclamation point and all.

<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.

"Oh, yes," Trem says. "Sigurd, Harald, Cnute, and Bjorn are very hard workers. They will be visiting next month."

She nods seriously.

But her eyes are already back on the screen; her attention now is rapt.

The final clash comes. It happens in the blink of an eye -- but to Trem's eyes, it happens in slow motion. The Daribalde positioned for the counter; the Aerial rushing forward, beam saber stretched out. And then it's done -- a molten piece of metal, where the Aerial's beam saber cut through.

It glows, like an ember, and for longer, Trem thinks.

She continues to smile -- distantly, staring out into space. She promised him that she would be his eyes, and her eyes don't leave this.

But she wouldn't want them to.

And she has to admit, her heart is hammering in her chest. She will quite enjoy dueling, she realizes.

<Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.

        "Haa... haa..."

        Suletta gasps for breath, only to gasp in an entirely different way when Elan's message crosses her screen. "Oh!" She exclaims, her eyes widening. She barely has time to process how her heart leaps in her chest, though -- before another message pops up.

        (Isn't that Leina's --)

        And another.

        And another.

        And another, and another, and another --

        They're not registered to her phone, so all she sees are their numbers.

        MP023: You've done it!
        KM105: Congrats!
        LS138: Congratulation...
        LP175: So cool!
        KP125: How lucky!
        MP129: Well done, Mercury.

        More and more and more and more --

        "Ha-- aaahhh-- Ms. Miorine!" Suletta's stammer returns, as she cries: "M-m-my screen is, fi-filled with words! S-so many words! So many words, many words--!!" Even as Miorine chides her from accepting messages from unregistered users, she stammers and cries: "So many words! So many words!!"

        In her panic, though, she manages to follow Miorine's advice -- taking refuge in her friends tab, where only Mr. Elan's message is there for her. Suletta sighs, as if a great burden was lifted from her shoulders -- but when Miorine says they won, she lifts her head again. "Right!"

        'Now you won't be expelled!'

        "Then -- Aerial and you are both... safe?" Suletta takes a deep breath, as she crosses her arms and sweeps them out, as if she'd just played a game of baseball instead of round of Gundam.

        (It's what they do in sports anime...)

        Miorine laughs with the relief of being safe, and Suletta's lips form a delicate 'o' of wonder as she looks to her, unsure of how to respond. Her fingers press together, as she looks away, and tries to laugh herself. "Ho... ho ho...!" She can't laugh as uproarously as Miorine can, but...

        She's happier than that makes her sound, and it's all expressed in the way her hands clutch to fists as she looks back: "G-good news, right, Mio-Mio?"

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

Among the messages to Suletta is one that's probably missed in the sudden onslaught.

UL037: Great work. Nice moves! \(ono) (HARO DANCE) \(ono)

Even though the duel was done however, Leina couldn't focus on going back to her classwork.

The way the Aerial fought kept replaying over and over in her head. Wordlessly, she slipped away a Go stone again.

-=-=-

Suletta's sudden panic over the endless messaging carried over all the way to the control room, as Miorine just sighed, before replying, audibly annoyed, "Why did you set it this way? I told you that you should only accept messages from contacts who registered with you directly."

Once the chiming finishes though, Miorine speaks again, and she sounds more at ease again, "You won. We won." Gesturing a finger at the screen, she's actually smiling? "Now you won't be expelled!" There's actually cheer there. In the way she does a small fist pump in sight of the feed, "Take that, you louse of a father!" And starts laughing uproariously, even kicking her legs in the control room where she now sits alone, glass still floating all around her.

But then-

'G-Good news, right, Mio-Mio?'

Miorine's reaction couldn't be more instant, as she suddenly comes so close to the camera of the feed that she just seems to grow her face looking irritated in her displeasure, "Excuse me? What the heck is a Mio-Mio!"

Suletta explains, it's part of her list to call a friend a nickname. It's cute isn't it?

"Denied. It's super lame."

'Then how about-'

"Denied."

'I didn't even say it yet!'

"It's still denied!"

<Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.

        But of course, Miorine hates that. "I'm sorry!" Suletta yelps, throwing up her hands to defend herself from -- the image of Miorine's face coming up close to the camera. (Terrifying.) "Calling a friend by a nickname was near the top of my list, so..."

        And of course, she tries to reason with her when she denies her, "Then how about --" -- but Miorine doesn't even let her finish, and she whines, "I didn't even say it yet...!"

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        There's something so adorable about seeing Liam use those little cheer emojis. Lucine's lips turn up in a private grin.

        The battle rages on, and soon, Lucine is sending her own emojis back, along with a dancing flower pot and a banner that says 'GO SULETTA' in glowing letters.

        >LUCINTHESKY: I wonder what the Gundam Fight participants would think of all this

        That sober message is quickly followed by dancing owl emojis and more GO SULETTA.

        >LUCINTHESKY: YES!!

<Pose Tracker> Stella Loussier has posed.

        "Huh, the nobody actually pulled it off."

        The key members of Phantom Pain have continued observing the duel. Well, most of them. Stella has gone back to staring out the window. Because the duels simply don't interest her.

        It was Auel who is expressing his surprise, "I figured Jeturk would have had it down with all the money seemingly thrown into that unit."

        Sting, having shifted to the couch to what as things started to pick up, is the one to repeat, "'Victory is never decided by mobile suit performance alone.'"

        Neo, still standing behind the couch, crosses his arms, "Of course that's true. But there seems to be more to this victory than we're seeing..." He considers it for a moment before saying, "Stay away from that 'Aerial' for now. We'll have to do some more investigation first." He turns, heading out of the room.

        "Understood."
        "Whatever."

        Auel and Sting on the couch reply. While Stella continues to just stare out the window.

<Pose Tracker> Chise Asukagawa has posed.

Chise cracks a pocky stick. "Heck yeah! Put 'em away!" she applauds, clapping her hands overhead. "Smash the state!!"

Koyomi huffs, manages a small smile to see her enthusiastic, and clicks over to a Smashmasters video about firing a home made hyper bazooka at a stack of refurbished Tendi. Tenduses? Old wanzers. "Doubt it's that important."

Chise blinks up at him and flips her pocky into the air, then bites it out of the sky. "Huh? No like this is an actual apparatus of state now."

Koyomi looks at her, clear blue eyes peering out behind nose-long bangs. "...what...?"

MEANWHILE:

Gauma's shift is over. He steps out of the back door, a big screen flashing the results across the quad outside, then brings up the Literal, Actual Check he's been paid with, and heaves a breath. "...gonna have to figure out how I cash this, huh..."

...stuffing it back in his pocket, he ambles away, hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face. This isn't the kind of fight he understands, but...

Maybe something he didn't need to worry about, at the end of the day.

<Pose Tracker> Secelia Dote has posed.

As the result made itself manifest in the words inscribed in the sky, all Secelia could do is harbor a light shrug at that. Ah well. She bet on the right horse today, and she'd be making a tidy profit off of it. Repairs, Demi-Trainer maintenance, a few more ways to push the idea that the school should buy a few more and further augment their ranks with these workhorses...All in all?

"Good job, Suletta~!" Victory was hers. What else could she do but do her proper role and recognize it?

"And good luck, Guel~"
"Why are you wishing him luck?"
"Don't you see, Rouji? He's lost all his market value, especially with a stunt like that."
"...The Darilblade was stronger than before."
"And he lost."

<Pose Tracker> Guel Jeturk has posed.

While Suletta and Miorine celebrate her win - and start bickering, inevitably - Guel manages to open the Darilbalde's cockpit and crawl out from under the disabled mobile suit. He looks up at the holographic display, spelling out clearly the results of this ill-fated day, then turns his blue eyes to glare into Aerial's cockpit - the display helpfully zooms in on his face.

He's sullen and silent.

Waiting. (For her to gloat.)

<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.

"I'd say I'm used to it by now," Flay starts, when Sayla comments on that man's behavior. "People recognizing me and talking about me, I mean. I'm not really sure how I feel about it." She always wanted to be the center of attention, to be important... but this? It almost feels kind of bitter.

She listens quietly, keeping her eyes on the battle, as Sayla explains what the legacy of the RX-78-2 meant, as someone who was actually there on the White Base. "A symbol... yeah, I guess that makes sense." She nods, a little half-heartedly. "You can add whatever weapons you want, change the shape however you want. But at the end of the day... a Gundam's a Gundam." She adds, in the sense that you can't truly separate it from its history. "Sometimes it's the only way to keep yourself safe."

"Now that the Strike is really mine, I wonder what it must symbolize now..." She muses, mostly to herself, though it's not as if Sayla can't hear her.

Sayla and Eight and Lavhi's thoughts on the Aerial are all interesting to hear. "You thought so, too?" She asks, when the Aerial's mastery of bits and near-human control inevitably come up. "I bet the pilot, that girl from Mercury, must be some kind of next level Newtype to have that kind of control over them." She comments, because she currently lacks the awakening to perceive any absence of pressure.

"If you ask me, though... I think it's almost a little scary to watch. I mean, machines shouldn't move like that, right?" The Aerial and Darilbalde make their final clash... and in the end, the Aerial dives in to snap the Darilbalde's V-fin, claiming absolute victory. "But however she did it... look, she won." She says that, but she's vague on whether it's Suletta's victory, or Miorine's. "Well, good for her."

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

A weapon that is a symbol. It makes sense, for Sayla in particcular to say so, and Eight and Lavhi both have seen weapons like that in the years since the RX-78-2. But funnels, bits...

"She must!" Lavhi agrees with Sayla about Suletta's skills. d Eight notes that subtle smile. "...I'm not fond of it myself," she agrees.

But the way she moves... Yes. Lavhi agrees. "I am very curious how it is done. So far as I know, that is correct, but we see the results!"

The battle ends decisively. Eight regards the screen thoughtfully; she doesn't know this girl. She has no particualr investment in the marriage of Miorine Rembran, or taste for using her as a prize to be won.

...But it's interesting, all the same.

Eight nods to Fllay. "However she did it, she won all right."

Lavhi is thoughtful. "I can comprehend why it would frighten you! ...It is a technology that may yet symbolize something new, I think..."

Eight nods. "I don't think it'd be so easy to replicate, though."

<Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.

        Aerial's cameras catch and zoom in, though -- on something forgotten, in the victory. "Uh?" Suletta asks, as her head lifts.

        Guel...

        With a hand from Aerial, Suletta is able to get down to the ground, too -- hopping down even before her palm hits the earth. She comes to stand in front of him, and, strangely --

        -- she averts her gaze.

        "E-excuse me," she starts, as she summons the strength to look back up to him, now freed from her helmet. That sullen look... he's...

        It hurt him, didn't it?

        "I-I'm sorry!" She exclaims, as she starts, shifting forward on her heels. "I underestimated you. Well -- you were --" her hands grasp in front of her, as she looks away again, "at the end there, I could tell y-you were, you know, really strong." And in her uncomfortable shifting, finally she manages to reach her hand out -- to shake the hand of an equal pilot.

        He might be scary, but he needs help right now, too. Right...?

<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.

Trem watches for a moment longer, and then she leans back again on one of the sofas. There is a glance at Secelia.

She smiles, then. It's good to see other people enjoying this.

Trem pulls her phone from her pocket. She types out a quick message to Suletta. Belatedly, perhaps; like she realized she should have, based on the mood.

LP026: How impressive! I can't wait to see where you go from here. :)

Then, she looks at the screen. Trem blinks. Why is she approaching Guel?

She watches, looking confused.

<Pose Tracker> Guel Jeturk has posed.

As Suletta disembarks, Guel looks away, staring out at the simulated border of the dueling grounds.

She... apologises?

The bitter feeling in his gut intensifies and he hunches his shoulders, looking even further away... until she says she under-estimated him.

That gets him to turn towards her, in time to hear her call him 'really strong' and extend a hand towards him, as the golden light of her victory shines down on her.

Guel's eyes go wide.

He takes Suletta's hand - in both of his. "Suletta Mercury..." he declares, full of seriousness and intensity...

... and gets down on one knee.

"... Will you marry me?"

Wait.

What.

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

The reactions across the school are instant to the proposal, because one of the Haro drones has just crept up close enough to livestream it to ... everyone watching.

"Did he just-!?"
"I can't believe Guel-!"

The entirety of Earth House, watching on a screen suddenly leans towards the screen as they say in unison.

"What!?"

In the Dueling Committee Room, Shaddiq Zenelli bursts into laughter. "Now this is entertaining!"

Up in the control room, Vim Jeturk demands, "What are you doing, Guel!?" While Lauda asks, "Brother, what nonsense is this?"

In the VIP box, several older men who were slowly getting up to go, all stop.

"Oho."
"Young love? I suppose it is the season."

Feng Jun looked from her place as a server as she murmured, "Brave boy." She smiled, "But foolish."

Whereas across campus, Leina Ashta had buried her face in her hands from second hand embarrassment as she murmured, muffled. "Well Koji... we have a contender."

Meanwhile back in the control room, Miorine looked incredulously at the screen at this turn of events, "Huh?"

The idea Suletta had of dating? Whatever. The Sex-Crazed Girl can do what they want. This is simply an arrangement of convenience. But him asking her to marry her on live feed under the whole school?

That's an actual threat. If Suletta says yes, she's done for, she stands up, and gripping her phone with both hands she howls into the phone over the comms.

"JE! TURK! Get away from her you homewrecker! That's my groom! SULETTA! NO EXCUSES! YOU TELL HIM OFF RIGHT NOW!"

Of course, it's back in AERIAL where her comms at working, so Suletta probably only hears her incoherently hopping mad at this distance. Suddenly Shaddiq stops laughing as he gives a smile of almost second hand embarrassment, before lofting his arms in a shrug. "It's just like Miorine to get heated over something like this."

<Pose Tracker> Trem Firmal has posed.

"Uh?"

<Pose Tracker> Elan Ceres has posed.

        "..."
        
        Laughter roars out behind Elan. Elan himself remains unamused.

<Pose Tracker> Secelia Dote has posed.

The laughter has an origin.

It's Secelia.

Her stomach is going to hurt for the next few hours, a price well paid.

<Pose Tracker> Suletta Mercury has posed.

        "Aahh-!!" Suletta yelps, her other hand coming up in fright, as her hand is clasped in both of his. No, that's not -- in the sports animes, they shake hands at the end and they respect each other -- this isn't how the script goes!

        Her hand lowers, cautiously, as Guel lowers down too. She watches him, wide-eyed...

        (And in her cockpit, Aerial listens, as Miorine rages.

        Listen, Suletta. There are people at school who need you. There are people at school who care about you! So, don't...)

        His eyes are so sincere -- so intense -- he's completely genuine.

        And silence washes over the battlefield, Suletta completely, totally frozen, as if a figurine leaning back.

        "Eh..?"

        Her eyes grow wider.

        "M-m-m-marry you?" Another one -- another one wants to -- so quickly -- her life is moving so --

        Her hand jerks away, and she runs from the kneeling young man. "No way--! Waaaoooohhhh!!!" She wails, as she leaps into Aerial's hand, and Aerial lifts her back up to safety, and the two of them jet off into the distance, careless of how that might blow so much dust or worse into Guel's face.

        Within the cockpit, she keeps on chanting, a magic spell to keep her safe: "No way, no way, no way!"

        And Aerial can't tell her...

        ... that's just what Miorine said.

<Pose Tracker> Arianna Passerini has posed.

There is silence in the Tempo Profundo.

Oscar stares at the little screen in the single bath the ship has.

Rose, on the control deck, blushes slightly.

Sureti's fingers, loose, drop a calamari piece.

"This is why they charge the tuition they do," Arianna comments, to Ernest.

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

         Lucine types, cheeks bright red.

         >LUCINTHESKY: did Gundam Fights end like this????? 0.0

<Pose Tracker> Miorine Rembran has posed.

A Haro drone lists down, continuing to observe Guel's misery, but with the Gundam taking off, it's thrusters firing it had other reasons than mere observation.

HEAT AND SUBSTANCE HAZARDOUS TO HUMANS DETECTED PLEASE EVACUATE

Back in Earth House, Lilique clapped her hands together, delighted.

"This is the first time I've ever seen someone propose!" Whereas Martin, still standing, laced his fingers as he noted awkwardly, "First rejection I've seen, too." Hands on hips, Chuatury Panlunch, known as Chu-Chu to her friends just made a disgusted noise, "Ridiculous." And began to walk away, as Nika looked after her in confusion and concern, "Chu-Chu?" She looked over her shoulder, "So this was all some dumb lover's quarrel? These Spacians lead such carefree lives."

Up in the VIP box, a bunch of old men chuckle and shake their heads, chatting as they all finally do start to leave.

"What nonsense. That girl should really think of what she's turning down."
"Girls are like that when they're young you know. Heads in the clouds, uncompromising about some romantic ideal. She'll regret it before long."
"Twenty-six points already... what a precipitous plunge."
"I suppose their new model really was all show and no go."

Feng Jun merely shook her head and chuckled, "Ah. And here I wondered if I'd see something unexpected after all."

Leina finally dropped her hands in her dorm room to note, of Suletta's reaction, "Could have gone worse. I can't imagine how... but it's theoretically possible."

Miorine falls back into a relieved sigh, as Suletta babbles and wails in panic inside the Aerial cockpit, as she tells her, annoyed, "How was that so hard for you!? I swear, just freezing up like that-!"

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Liam watches, leaning closer. He sets down what's left of his sparkling water, making out the words on their lips.

        >LIAM7020: what the

        Liam's eyes stay locked on the screen, only glancing at his phone for a heartbeat

        >LIAM7020: no
        >LIAM7020: i don't think
        >LIAM7020: probably not
        >LIAM7020: i swear i will never put you on the spot like that

<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.

"You can not be serious. This guy can not be serious!" Flay groans, weakly pushing her empty drink out of the way and just setting her head down in her hands for a moment out of sheer second-hand embarrassment.

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        "...It's not the easiest of things to deal with." Sayla admits quietly to Flay. "I'd like to say it gets easier." But she can't. You just learn to manage it.

        She nods at Flay's assessment. "It will always mean something to someone, and you don't always get to decide what." So what does the Strike symbolize...? "...That will depend on what you do with it, I suspect." She whispers back, quietly.

        "...Must be," Sayla says with a restraint on her voice that doesn't say what she actually thinks of Suletta's newtype potential. "...It's not the first machine I've seen that moves like it shouldn't."

        Lahvi and Eight's thoughts are thing Sayla takes in carefully. "...I do wonder. It's certainly... a unity of movement I have never seen before." A pilot that skilled at this age is... concerning but not the first she's seen either. "A wonderful victory, if I do say so myself."

        And then. It happens.

        Sayla blinks. And blinks again. And...

        Buries her face in her hands. "Is... is there something having a horrible influences on kids and marriage these days?" ...Sorry, Koji and Sayaka. It's hard for her to shake the idea of you as kids.

        Shut up what do you mean she's only like 4 years older.

        "...We might want to make our exit. I suspect things could get very heated in here very soon."

        After all, it's not hard to feel the sort of rage simmering off a particular old man.

        Hopefully, it's not a terrible lapse of judgment.

<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.

"I understand a fine performance in battle prompting a declaration of love," Lavhi says with his brow furrowed, "But I do not think that this one was desired..."

Eight shakes her head. "No, I don't think so either."

A pause, as she looks at Sayla and laughs. "Apparently," she says, and nudges Lavhi. "At least I lucked out."

Lavnadim smiles. And then he grows more serious. "...I agree," he says to Sayla. "I believe we have seen what we came to see, yes?"

"Take care," Eight says to Flay.

Lavnadim gets some crab legs on his way out. He's hungry.