2025-02-16: Choujin Operation No. 1

• Cast: Lina Lombardi, Ren Takeda, Gauma, Aphrodia, Knight
• Where: Nouvelle, Tokyo
• Date: U.C. 00100 02 16
• Summary: A kaiju suddenly appears in Nouvelle Tokyo, and gets answered with some new heroes among others. The question still remains where did it come from and who possibly made it despite it's defeat. Also, Gridknight and Dynazenon have a brief throw down at the end after the battle's over.

---

<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.

"It's quite noble of you to perform this sort of outreach yourself, Councilor," Alteur Steinbeck assures Graien Grusman, NUNE's Councilor in Charge of Industrial and Energy Strategy -- insofar as NUNE matters. Certainly it's in Graien's best interests to cling to it, despite being a man of the AEU. He taps against a desk on the Air Christmas, glancing out a viewport toward Nouvelle Tokyo.

"Whether we like it or not, we need the OCU right now." Graien paces back and forth in his hotel room.

Alteur nods. "We agree, of course. Even if we dig out all of Huffman's sakuradite reserves tomorrow, we'll still be in a shaky position when it comes to power generation. The Orbital Ring can't satisfy all needs anymore -- and the PLANTs still have us on the back foot... I have faith that your negotiations with the OCU will bear fruit."

"You'll be the first to know how it goes. I'm going to get settled in my hotel room." Graien signs off.

Alteur's eyes track out the viewport again, as he slides two fingers into the grip of a black, key-shaped object with two circular slots on its side. Two large, bullet-shaped objects, in turn, find their way into the holes.

His other hand comfortably slides similarly into a black and white device with a clear cylinder near its front. One might expect a helical shape to rest in that cylinder -- but instead, a mass of DG Cells has formed a network of hexagons along the interior. The second device slides along the first; it reports in the overlaid voices of Kyoji Kasshu and Rain Mikamura:

"Ace Killer." "Eleking."

A stream of motes of white light comes forth from the cylinder; the capsules he'd inserted coalesce into a new, singular form:

"Thunder Killer."

Seizing the new capsule, Alteur slides it into the Loading Knuckle again; a second -- emblazoned with a Gundam's form, with heavy red-and-yellow shoulders and an exaggerated V-fin -- follows a moment later. Again, the voices report as he swipes the device across the Knuckle:

"Thunder Killer." "Ultimate Gundam."

A gong sounds, and the Alteriser reports:

"DG Thunder Killer."

////////////////////

A massive kaiju forms, spontaneously, in the center of Nouvelle Tokyo, just opposite Hotel Glavas. The face of a real kaiju meets the eyes of a life-size Gomess sculpture -- then track up past them, toward a particular hotel room. A giant claw on its left hand swipes through it, unyielding and vicious.

Only then does the kaiju begin a proper rampage. As it pushes through structural steel and concrete, the grey sections of its body start to take on the familiar hexagonal structure of DG Cells, armoring up with whatever's available.

////////////////////

Within minutes, Volfogg has picked up Akane -- and a few others -- and deposited them at Bay Tower. In situations like this, 'which branch' matters less than 'which operators can we get to seats in less than five minutes.'

Akane is already trying to get to grips with what they know of the situation; moment-to-moment response is Hana's job, and as anxious as it makes her, she entrusts that fully to her.

This is not Galactron's day -- Akane is needed for her expertise, not her strength.

//////////////////////

Alteur issues an announcement over the Air Christmas PA system:

"Per our agreement with the Japanese diplomatic corps, we're not weapons free. All personnel are to report to their stations and wait for further instruction. As of now, there is a standing order to take off if the kaiju reaches the megafloat structure we're docked with."

A moment passes. "Contact Councilor Grusman's security detail and let them know that the Councilor is to be evacuated with all due haste," he adds.

... It's important to keep up appearances. KTS: Kaiju Navi has deployed as a Boss for 5 opponents. <Pose Tracker> Ren Takeda has posed.

Nouvelle Tokyo was some place that as an agent of Terminal, he was bound to visit. Ren Takeda already heard about the kaiju attacks that seemed to love Tokyo settlements, so he decided to see what the fuss was about.

Especially as he had a bit of away time still before he had to go back to Aticassia. He was a member of Earth House, but he was already working a bit behind the scenes to make life hell for the bullies and such. And he was on Earth to figure out a good MS he could find a way to get some units for the others in his House. They were a bit strange, but he was appreciative of them all the same.

Now the teenage student had retreated to the hotel rooftop to see a good, glorious view of the sky with a bottle of water in hand.

And that's when he gets a first class view of a kaiju suddenly appearing. It wasn't his hotel, but it was still well... there.

"Well, there goes my day." He whips out his phone. Seeing the alert, he sends a message to his parents.

<< Kaiju appeared on my visit. I'm going. >>

He gets a pair of responses a second or two later.

With that, he puts the phone away and reaches to the side of his belt.

A flick of his thumb sends the bright green star with a clip upwards before he reaches up to catch it. Looking at it, then down at the pendant he has on has Ren smiling, "Watch over me, Liora. I need to fight now."

With that, he raises the green star to the sky, held between his thumb and index finger, "ULTRA--"

The star is brought down to his forehead, "--CHANGE!"

With that, he runs forward even as his body shifts visibly. His head becomes encased in white material, a fin appearing curving forward on his head. The green star from before is mounted right in the center. His eyes become yellow lens and his mouth becomes a solid piece. The change travels downwards forming not the traditional red of an Ultra, but a navy blue color as his primary coloring. A star shaped color timer appears on his chest as the change goes down.

Ultraman Solis had arrived, and his first task? Slow the Kaiju down so help can arrive. He needed something big to do that, and he thinks he has the right idea. Especially as that kaiju seems to be doing something to give itself armor.

Solis flies forward, doing a front flip in the air to help give him some momentum as electricity charges around his hands. He comes down in front of the kaiju, along with his hands aiming for the kaiju itself as polarizing electricity sparks to life around both of his hands even as they come down on the kaiju wherever he can nail it along with the Ultra's full weight as he tries to drive the kaiju suddenly into being face down as best as he can even as his own feet touch down. If anyone was not aware of the kaiju attack, they most certainly are now as the large Ultra lands and causes a tremor upon doing so.

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

        "Miss Lombardi, it's too dangerous! We still need to do field tests with the unit before deploying it into active--" The poor member of the 3G tech team assigned to dissuage Lina from getting into the recently-finished Custom peeks out from behind her clipboard.

        "Well, that kaiju isn't going to wait for us to do a test flight or three, eh?" The technician gives little resistance as Lina gently pushes her to the side and walks past, turning back to give her a grin and a thumbs-up. "Besides, you all are some of the best techs I've ever had! I don't need to test it out to know it's good!" And before even getting a response, she breaks out in a sprint to the hangar.

        "...Y-Yes, ma'am..."

        Lina barely has time to get into her normal suit before hopping into the cockpit of her new ride. Her hands trace along the controls as techs bark out preparatory measures, their voices soon drowned out by the surging of the engines. It had been too long since she had been in a brand-new cockpit. It felt good. Just what she needed. The jets begin to push her forward, the runway below her beginning to shorten as the blue skies come closer.

        "All systems are go, you're cleared for take-off!"

        "Lombardi Custom, engage!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve9AqVst_lM Lina Lombardi BGM - Comona

        A green craft traces along the skies of Nouvelle Tokyo. A Variable Fighter, with wings outstretched and cutting the air. However, the first thing one would say it looked like, with its wings cutting a zigzag at the flaps and aileron, a similar ruffle to the stabilizers and rudder at the back, and most striking of all, a sharp pair of eyes and a beak painted at the jet's nose, would be...

        ...A shining falcon, streaking through the sky, clad in emerald.

        <<Lombardi Custom Airborne Warning and Control System, designation "AWACS Vergil," engaged. One bandit confirmed at vector 290.>> A computerized voice calls from one of the panels in the Custom's cockpit, giving an overview of the area.

        "Let's come in hot, then!"

        As the Custom swoops down towards the behemoth, it lets loose a barrage of missiles that wind through the air towards the monster.

        <<Fox 2.>>

KTS: Lina Lombardi has deployed in GBR-VF01 Lombardi Custom (Fighter Mode). KTS: EN Barrier activated! No matching attacks. KTS: Lina Lombardi targets Kaiju Navi with AAM Array Fire! KTS: Lina Lombardi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lina Lombardi's Nuovotipo activates Focus! KTS: Ren Takeda: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Ren Takeda targets Kaiju Navi with Galactic Hammer! KTS: Ren Takeda has completed their actions for the round. KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 34. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 75. KTS: Kaiju Navi engages charge against Lina Lombardi's AAM Array Fire! KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Lina Lombardi's AAM Array Fire, taking 2800 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Aphrodia has posed.

Rikka Takarada enters the Bay Tower command room alongside Akane, sliding the black and gold coat of 3G Red's chief on over the casual outfit she had been wearing just before the kaiju appeared and adjusting her tie. There's no time to put on the full uniform, with the crisis situation steadily elevating - the basic accoutrement will have to do for now.

"What do we know about this so far?" Rikka asks, observing everything going on with a frown. That kaiju... Could it be? After the broader Shuffle Alliance's disbandment, she never kept up communications with the Crest Holders... at times like this, a part of her wishes she did - but she never could've imagined they'd face a situation like this. They'll have to do what they can with who and what they have now.

"We don't know what it's capable of. Prioritize evacuations while we gather more information - enage only if necessary." Rikka directs.

It isn't the Mu Gundam that's needed right now, either. It's Rikka's will and drive to keep people safe.

---

Overlooking the kaiju and the freshly-ventilated Hotel Glavas, a mote of light descends from above. It builds, growing into a blinding light... and when the light fades, there is what can only be called a Gundam - yet one currently impossible with the technology of this day and age - in its place, colored in dark blue, black, and purple. It stands still in mid-air, its arms folded in front of itself as it stares down upon the kaiju as it begins its rampage.

Its neutral stance does nothing to betray the look of fury and disgust currently twisting the face of its pilot.

"Detestable... What have you done?" Aphrodia mutters to herself. "Is this another part of your scheme? ...I will not allow this travesty to continue."

Its arms unfold and stretch outward, its wings spreading wide.

"Come! Let us dance, Halphas Boese!" Aphrodia calls - and the Gundam, Halphas Boese, descends. It races toward the kaiju, drawing one of its beam scythes. The curved blade crackles to life.

"You should not be." Aphrodia declares. "In the name of Aphrodia, I deem you an existence that must be eliminated!"

Halphas Boese flies across the Thunder Killer, swinging its scythe to rake it across its form as it flies past. KTS: Aphrodia targets Kaiju Navi with Single Scythe Slash! KTS: Aphrodia has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage guard against Ren Takeda's Galactic Hammer! KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ren Takeda's Galactic Hammer, taking 5220 damage! KTS: Ren Takeda bypasses Kaiju Navi, preventing it from Guarding the next attack! KTS: Kaiju Navi engages parry against Aphrodia's Single Scythe Slash! KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Aphrodia's Single Scythe Slash, taking 1920 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Gauma has posed.

Yomogi Asanaka stands before a smoldering ruin of a double-boiler. He quirks his lip and scratches his head, not quite frustrated but...

"Guess I'll just get something from work," he sighs. Right. That's safe, right? Though, he doesn't have shift today...maybe he should ask. He's reaching for his phone when the skyline parts to allow a new entrant. "Kaiju...?" he asks, surprised. "The Eugenecists found a new one? I guess."

Predictably, the phone in his hand starts buzzing within seconds. Chise's number, but Gauma barks through it the second he picks up. "Hey! Yomogi! It's a kaiju! You can see it from your house, right?! Let's go!"

Koyomi's voice chimes in from off-mic: "I don't know if this is a good idea, Gauma," with some worry.

"If it were a good idea it wouldn't be worth doing!!"

       *

Two analysts with orange bands pinned to smart black suits sit at operator stations further up the board. One is a chubby man who has placed out a single Starship Oregon Trail E model above his console: Akihisa Taki, an GGG Red non-particle physicist. The other looks like he was carved out of stone sitting in the seat next to him, an incredibly intensity to him even as he quietly analyzes data coming in; Shinji Kaminaga, a GGG Red tactical analyst and Taki's coworker on a particular project.

"No doubting it...these are the same waveforms DG Cells give off. They might as well have scooped them off the ground back then," Taki reports.

"We should expect bioelectric warfare," Shinji notes, his eyes flicking to Akane, with no incredulity for so much younger a girl being his supervisor's supervisor.

Soon, the sky is rent by a bright red plane, followed soon by the thunder of a racer-like car that takes up the whole road racing down a main drag. Behind them, a soldier like a dragon jogs up. In the bay, a submarine shoots up one of the open drainageways-slash-rivers that run throughout the city. Koyomi in Dynastriker adds again, "I SWEAR I saw that thing flash with DG Cells! Seriously! We shouldn't even touch it! They probably have to torch the whole neighborhood now already!"

"Keep our distance?! Can do!" Gauma says, affirmatively, and then adds, "Let's combine!"

Despite a groan from Koyomi, the machines leap toward each other shifting, changing, interlocking...

"COMBINE DRAGON! DYNAZENON!!"

And a unified hero emerges from the whole, thick submarine-trunk legs sinking into the concrete. Right away it brings its arms up, the fingertips revealing themselves as cannon barrels, and beads of light fire downrange to score across the kaiju's bulk.

"DG Cells...those were that near disaster ages ago, right?" Yume asks, quietly.

"Yeah," Koyomi confirms. The fire stops, as tension enters his shoulders. "The Devil Gundam's composite nanocells...they can control machines and even people. Just be careful."

"Yeah? Not a problem then!" Gauma hollers, and Dynazenon flexes its full strength. "Nobody can control me!!"

"DYNAZENON! BATTLE, GO!!" KTS: Gauma has deployed in Dynazenon. KTS: Gauma's Promises! And Love! And...!! activates! KTS: Gauma targets Kaiju Navi with Photon Bullets Dash-and-Fire! KTS: Gauma has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Gauma's Four Hearts In One Giant activates Wall! KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage parry against Gauma's Photon Bullets Dash-and-Fire! KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Gauma's Photon Bullets Dash-and-Fire, taking 2250 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.

Solis comes down in force, and Thunder Killer finds itself half-dragged, half-beaten to the ground with an acrobatic maneuver. The missiles detonate along its body with a steady bam-bam-bam-bam, prompting a high-pitched screech. Even if the response is a little ad-hoc, it's clear that the world still has heroes -- that when humanity would struggle with a force, a Giant of Light will come.

... and a strikingly dark Gundam, but that's beside the point. What's also beside the point is Thunder Killer's talons as that scythe sweeps through. It scrapes against golden-steel claw, leaving scoring but not quite finding purchase.

Last to join the fray is Dynazenon, the mechanical beast that has become Nouvelle Tokyo's... protector? in recent days, at least against certain threats. It anvils its claws against itself like a shield, and the energy bullets of Dynazenon's fingers ping-ping-ping off them in turn.

Thunder Killer's response to its attackers is swift and vicious. Solis receives an immediate reprisal with that heavy claw, crackling with electricity; it continues to sweep through to Aphrodia, though by that point much of the electrical energy has bled off.

Lina gets a less immediate response. /Some/ body feature -- it is hard to tell, in truth, which parts of the creature's head (if any) are sensory organs and which are others -- glows bright, then emits wave after wave of energy in crescent-shaped waves that seem to pound into the ground when some of them make impact. Even being /near/ the strike can lead to serious damage.

It finally whirls around toward Dynazenon, sweeping its tail forcefully. Lightning crackles around it -- and when it strikes, it's with a thunderclap on impact.

//////////////////

Alteur watches as Air Christmas prepares to take flight. He remains on the PA system; he continues to watch the chaos through a viewport.

It's already accomplished everything he was hoping for, of course.

"If it changes direction toward us," he says, "be prepared. We'll fire if it gets within one kilometer." Appearances. He knows that there'll be less need for those soon. He needs answers to his questions -- to the nagging sensation that he and this world are both out of phase, yet uniquely free. It's been building ever since the Empress's last incursion.

The truth that lies just beyond his imaginary memories lies tantalizingly close. If the world were just a bit more chaotic, if he could just get access to one more of the access points of 'that'...

/////////////

Akane looks to Shinji and Taki, giving them a firm nod. "That's what I was getting, too. I just don't get why it's like this. There's seriously no sense of, like, aesthetics here, you know? That's not a natural kaiju, but it's just... someone throwing whatever they can at a wall and hoping it sticks." She sips at a tomato juice box.

"Not a fan."

Another sip. "Lombardi's all we really have right now, but that discharge could get scary. Better get the Electromagnetic Eraser ready." KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Lina Lombardi with Lightning Killer Cutter! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Ren Takeda with Thunder Claw! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Gauma with Thunder Tail! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Aphrodia with Talon Strike! KTS: Kaiju Navi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lina Lombardi has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Lina Lombardi engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Lightning Killer Cutter! KTS: Lina Lombardi's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Lina Lombardi successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Lightning Killer Cutter, taking 0 damage! KTS: Aphrodia has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Aphrodia engages parry against Kaiju Navi's Talon Strike! KTS: Aphrodia's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Aphrodia successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Talon Strike, taking 1650 damage! KTS: Ren Takeda engages parry against Kaiju Navi's Thunder Claw! KTS: Ren Takeda's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Ren Takeda successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Thunder Claw, taking 2520 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 17480 KTS: Gauma engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Thunder Tail! KTS: Gauma successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Thunder Tail, taking 5040 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

        <<Projectiles on your 11 through 2.>>

        "Got it, Vergil!" Lina slams the controls to the side, performing a barrel roll to the left, slipping past the barrage of energy as she sharply inclines. Looks like the rest of the calvary is here, including... "H-Hey, is that an Ultra?! It's definitely not Orb or Ace... they're not quite so... blue. I'll have to tell Shozo later." The Custom circles the perimeter of the battle zone, taking inventory of the other two. "Red guy's new to me, and... a Gundam?! Well, as long as it's not attacking me."

        Taki and Shinji's report is relayed to Lina, causing her to click her tongue. "DG cells mean it's probably best to keep my distance. Got just the thing! G-Option, engage!" Under the Custom's wings, two cylinder-shaped objects are deployed, which open up into turrets that hover around the fighter. Lina focuses hard, maintaining a mental connection to the turrets as they approach the Thunder Killer, circling around it to fire shot after shot.

KTS: Lina Lombardi targets Kaiju Navi with Alternating Fire! KTS: Lina Lombardi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lina Lombardi's Nuovotipo activates Focus! KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage evade against Lina Lombardi's Alternating Fire! KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Kaiju Navi moderately reacts to Lina Lombardi's Alternating Fire, taking 3150 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Ren Takeda has posed.

With no clue where the eyes are on the kaiju, Solis can only look at it's body movements for queues. And with the kaiju getting hammered, he actually has to step away to get a better view thanks to all the explosions. His guard is still up, however, and that allows him to bring a hasty hand around to stop the electrical claw.

It certainly doesn't stop the electricity coating it as the Ultra pushes it to the side with both hands.

The Ultra actually turns it's head to look at the helpers it has. The giant mechanical beast looks almost like a kaiju, but at the same time he senses something different. And that was a different model of Variable Fighter.

Shaking his head to refocus, the newest Ultra grabs at the Kaiju to attempt to get hold of the tail of the kaiju. And heaves.

Deciding they need a little more room, he aims the kaiju back at the destruction it has caused, trying to put it in a more open area and away from any more possible destructive targets.

In other words, the kaiju is getting yeeted right back where it came from and up some. KTS: Ren Takeda targets Kaiju Navi with Ultra Throw! KTS: Ren Takeda has completed their actions for the round. KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 41. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 100. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Ren Takeda's Ultra Throw! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ren Takeda's Ultra Throw, taking 2400 damage! KTS: Ren Takeda rattles Kaiju Navi, making its next maneuvers more difficult.

<Pose Tracker> Gauma has posed.

Taki grimaces. "Is that its eyes? Ears?? This is what we keep Yumi around for! They're responding, anyway!" shortly before the energy blasts come out. "Whoa! Non-minovsky energy projectile!"

"Sufficient heat could turn the air into a plasma," Shinji posits.

"Electromagnetic readings should work for that," Taki agrees, then glances to Akane. "We haven't seen an 'artistic' combination like this since Celebro went dark. Think it's him?"

Shinji does not pipe in, reading the screens like they held the secrets to the universe. At some point, the EM Eraser lights up as ready-to-go, a task he must have seen to.

       *

"AH HECK" Gauma yelps, and Dynazenon BACKFLIPS away from the sweep of DG Thunder Killer's tail, electric lines crackling along the scant few millimeters' gap between Dynazenon's face and the crack of the tail. Dynazenon slams down hard on the streets, waving its arms decisively. "Close!!" Koyomi yelps.

"Those bullets just bounced off," Yume pipes in. Yomogi murmurs, "Is that something the Devil Gundam could do, too?" Koyomi: "Yeah..."

Gauma roars, "Then take a load of THIS! Burst Missile! STRIIIIIIIIIKE!"

The missile silos on Dynadiver's legs spring open, releasing corkscrewing missiles all over DG Thunder Killer! "Try some of these!" KTS: Gauma targets Kaiju Navi with Burst Missile Strike! KTS: Gauma has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Gauma's Four Hearts In One Giant activates Valor! [Big-Scene] Ren Takeda> It's cool. Figured you were typing something up. Lol. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Gauma's Burst Missile Strike! KTS: Kaiju Navi moderately reacts to Gauma's Burst Missile Strike, taking 4500 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Aphrodia has posed.

The same waveforms... A frown crosses Rikka's face. That's her suspicions - or at least her fears - confirmed, then. DG Cells...

"Then we'll accelerate evacuation procedures. I don't want to see anyone having to deal with DG Cell infection." Rikka says. And, what's more... Akane say it isn't natural, someone throwing whatever they can at a wall and hoping it sticks. So there's a /someone/ involved here. Her brow furrows. Taki suggests Cerebro. That's one they haven't heard from a while... and one she isn't eager to see again, after what he's done.

---

Aphrodia clicks her tongue dismissively as the beam scythe fails to find purchase. The claw races toward Halphas Boese, and Aphrodia shifts the scythe to redirect it. It digs into the armor, but leaves the machine's core untouched. Halphas Boese retreats back. Two of the Mega Beam Cannons unfurl from from its wing binders, unleashing twin beams as Aphrodia puts some distance between Thunder Killer and herself.

And with space made, she is able to assess those who have responded.

"Giant of Light... Your intervention is most fortuitous." Aphrodia notes aloud. She makes herself be heard - audible even to those without conventional communication devices. A mechanical kaiju, as well, and a human pilot. These are the ones who have risen to defend against this attack.

"Defenders of humanity," Aphrodia addresses. "I am Aphrodia - she who would lead this world down the proper path."

Halphas Boese strafes the air, making itself a moving target even as Aphrodia relays her introduction.

"Our goals align. Let us correct this matter." KTS: Aphrodia targets Kaiju Navi with Double Mega Beam Cannon! KTS: Aphrodia has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage evade against Aphrodia's Double Mega Beam Cannon! KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Aphrodia's Double Mega Beam Cannon, taking 2925 damage! [Big-Scene] Lacus Clyne> You coming in this round, Knight? Or next? Shozo has disconnected. [Big-Scene] Grid Knight> gonna let you guys go on the backfoot maybe? [Big-Scene] Grid Knight> i've got my pose ready to go [Big-Scene] Kaiju Navi> Okay! One more round it is, then [Big-Scene] Grid Knight> Go for it. [Big-Scene] Shinji Kaminaga> *can do*

<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.

Lina comes in with a barrage, and it finds some purchase... but a beam -- like, say, Lina's turret fire -- proves to be a decidedly mixed idea, at best. While the creature can absolutely be hurt by it, it doesn't all seem to take -- and the reason for this becomes apparent a moment later: much of that energy settles in the monster's Color Timer, then issues forth again, right back at Lina.

SUltraman Solis has some success with maneuvering the kaiju; while there's no way in Nouvelle Tokyo for something of this scale to move safely, he wrangles it away from primary thoroughfares with a heave, even as it tries to push him around in kind. It slowly pulls back to its full height, arms flailing just slightly as it finds its balance. It needs a little more time to stabilize, though, which gives Dynazenon a chance to bombard the DG Cell growth with missiles, putting some damage back on the ancient titan.

Despite that growth, the regeneration seems weak by any metric one might care to apply. It doesn't seem to be casually communicable, at least -- the cells go inert once they leave the body, which will probably be to Dynazenon's relief when the beast goes for a full-force body-splash into them.

Upon impact -- whether with the target or the ground -- Aphrodia pockmarks the kaiju's body with beam fire. She finds herself contending with the electrical discharge of the monster, playing havoc with everything it touches, though -- giving tit for tat as it reorients more completely. Once again, it rights itself -- seemingly still more than ready to fight.

///////////

Akane looks to Rikka, nodding. "Yeah... we don't want a repeat of something like Shinjuku. It looks like evacuation is going okay, at least." She entrusts that part to other operators; evacuation coordination isn't her direct job unless she's out on the field.

Taki pitches Celebro as a source. "... We can operate with that as a theory for now," Akane agrees. "It looks like stuff he'd have had access to, I think..."

///////////

Alteur stares out toward Tokyo Bay. It holds nostalgia for him -- why, he cannot quite say. It teases at the edges of his mind, tantalizing in its glittering beauty. He is struck all at once by a memory of it, of a giant not unlike Solis or Gridknight thrashing in the bay against a robot roughly Dynazenon's size. It was a combining machine too, he realizes.

The memory seems impossible. The waterfront was clear -- to find Nouvelle Tokyo in such a condition would require Alteur to remember a time before the Universal Century, a time he wasn't born for.

Not in this world, anyway.

A giant like that... that's a power meant for him -- no, a power /made/ for him, a gift of the cosmos that is his right. A power humanity gave the name 'Ultraman,' in some time that Alteur remembers-and-doesn't, some time when brilliant men like him steered the era.

That nostalgia, passed through a man whose name he half-remembers...

... that's the most important thing in Alteur's heart.

"Captain Neumann, have you heard word from Councilor Grusman?" he asks, knowing the answer.

"Hotel Glavas is destroyed. His man in the lobby says he's dead."

Alteur shakes his head. "Then we have no reason to wait anymore."

Air Christmas prepares for takeoff. As Nouvelle Tokyo becomes smaller through the viewport, Alteur looks down on it. This new generation of heroes...

Why should he believe they can recapture the beauty of that halcyon era? KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Lina Lombardi with Killer Reverse - Earth Beam! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Aphrodia with Thunder Discharge! Toikou Yottsuri has arrived. POT: Toikou Yottsuri is now set observer. KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Gauma with DG Cell Growth Smash! KTS: Aphrodia engages react against Kaiju Navi's Thunder Discharge! KTS: Aphrodia successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Thunder Discharge, taking 4464 damage! KTS: Lina Lombardi has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Lina Lombardi engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Killer Reverse - Earth Beam! KTS: Lina Lombardi's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Critical Hit! Lina Lombardi poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Killer Reverse - Earth Beam, taking 5880 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Ren Takeda has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Ren Takeda has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Ren Takeda fails to engage Evade against Kaiju Navi's DG Cell Growth Crush! KTS: Ren Takeda's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Ren Takeda successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's DG Cell Growth Crush, taking 2850 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 14630 Kaiju_Navi has changed Boss level to 3 KTS: Gauma fails to engage guard against Kaiju Navi's DG Cell Growth Smash! KTS: Gauma successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's DG Cell Growth Smash, taking 3520 damage! <Pose Tracker> Ren Takeda has posed.

Solis was expecting some counter shoving. He didn't quite get a good grip, so instead finds himself busy with the tail moving him around before he ends up having to let go due to the shove.

He does a hop and a flip over the tail as that seems most likely to him, getting brushed by it and rolling a bit to get back up.

By then he is looking up to see where the kaiju went. Or who it went after. That someone actually talked with him gives him pause. The answer comes not in words, but rather... in the mind if that's possible. The mental voice sounds young. Not quite the full maturity of a disciplined warrior, nor an adult. But somewhere between that of a child and what one would expect. << It is good to have allies. >>

Looking up to see where the kaiju went, Solis brings his hands to either side straight out and then together. A rapid series of star shaped shots shoot out that start to spin as they fly at the kaiju. The barrage is quick and multiple as it tries to zap the kaiju. KTS: Ren Takeda's Focused Insight activates! KTS: Ren Takeda targets Kaiju Navi with Ultra Laser Shots! KTS: Ren Takeda has completed their actions for the round. KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 50. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 95. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Ren Takeda's Ultra Laser Shots! KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ren Takeda's Ultra Laser Shots, taking 1500 damage! KTS: Ren Takeda begins a Formation attack! <Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

        Lina's focus being split between piloting the fighter and the Option allows her little time to react to the energy coming back at her, impacting her wing and causing the entire jet to rock.

        <<Systems at 60%.>>

        "Ghhh! Energy's no good, then... gonna have to..." The underside of the fighter folds out, letting a pair of taloned legs extend out, with two arms following as the GERWALK lands on top of a skyscraper. "That'll stabilize me a bit... the right aileron got a lot of that..."

        As she takes a second to catch her breath, the nose of the fighter turns to the Halphas Boese. "Lina Lombardi, 3G Green. If you've come from outer space, then allow me to welcome you to Earth. I'll be glad to give you a tour once we're done here." She turns to Solis. "Same for you. I know a couple people who'd be real interested in you."

        The GERWALK raises its right arm, a 3G supply pod soon shooting over it to drop a Fastening Launcher into its hand. "I'd like to see this thing bounce nails back at me!" She takes aim at the Killer's Color Timer, firing several nails into it.

Lina Lombardi transforms to GBR-VF01 Lombardi Custom (GERWALK Mode) KTS: Lina Lombardi targets Kaiju Navi with Nail Shot! KTS: Lina Lombardi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lina Lombardi's Nuovotipo activates Wall! KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Lina Lombardi's Nail Shot! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Lina Lombardi's Nail Shot, taking 3000 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Gauma has posed.

And, as Akane indicates: "I have asked my 'buddy' to facilitate evacuations on the ground," Shinji notes.

Taki mutters as he reviews the data. "Not seeing a lot of DG splashing. The Ultimate Gundam could infect things even with its blaster fire. No sign of that kind of spread." He glances to Shinji, whose gaze never breaks from his monitors. Finally, Shinji decides: "Short-term contact should be allowable." He cranes his head to Akane, a perfectly serious report.

       *

"WHOA!?" Gauma yelps as the DG Thunder Killer hurls itself at him as though from the top rope. He brings up Dynazenon's arms in a cross-block but the devil thunder tyrant crashes across the whole machine, smashing it flat to the pavement. There's a loud, decisive shattering sound from the legs, but Dynazenon only gets itself back up after Aphrodia chases DG Thunder Killer away. "Hey, good shooting!" he calls to Aphrodia, and then gets Dynazenon up...and again yelps, "Whoa?!" as the whole giant wobbles.

"Something wrong with the legs!" Yomogi yells. All their cockpits fill with an external-view-that-can't-exist of a massive gash through Dynazenon's left leg, pumping some unknown lubricant uselessly into open air. "Got us...We'll have to fight through it!" Gauma yells.

"Can we do that..." Koyomi asks. But the reply is firm from Dynawing: "Obviously!!"

The twin heavy cannons across Dynazenon's back swing down into firing position, and Yume cries out: "Forgot-the-name BEEEEEAM!"

Nobody can hear Gauma yelling "/Penetrator guns!/" as twin dense spears of light rush toward DG Thunder Killer, raking across its hide! The blast force is enough that Dynazenon crumbles completely to its knees, and Gauma yells, "Crap!"

"Hey....!" Koyomi says, panic surging through him. "Heyyy it's looking this way! Captain, we have to move!"

"I'm WORKING on it!" Gauma grunts, struggling with Dynazenon's controls. But...

"Come on, you! Where's that can-do spirit!?" Gauma taunts the machine, which does nothing. KTS: Gauma targets Kaiju Navi with Something Beam!! KTS: Gauma has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Gauma's Four Hearts In One Giant activates Strike! KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Gauma's Something Beam!! KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Gauma's Something Beam!, taking 3900 damage! KTS: Gauma completes the Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.

As the sounds of battle ring out throughout Nouvelle Tokyo, bestial roars echoing off buildings and missile explosions raking the sky, down at the ground level, a small motorboat putters through a waterway under a bridge. Upon it are two people, a green-haired woman with glasses and a tall man in a suit with spiky grey hair that covers one of his eyes.

"It seems it's time to intervene," says the man, staring out at Dynazenon locked in combat with Thunder Killer. His eyes narrow slightly.

"There are others on the scene, though" the woman responds, a sing-songy tone to her voice.

"Doesn't matter. They're making a mess of things," the man says, resting his hand on the handle of the red sword strapped to his waist.

"Go on, Knight! Do your best!" the woman tells him.

"Of course. That's my duty," Knight declares. Staring up into the sky, Knight's blue eye widens and fills with burning, glowing red energy, bursting out into a light that covers his entire body, and then

/////////////////////////

A starburst of red light appears in the sky above Nouvelle Tokyo, and wreathed in shadow but glowing with lines of yellow energy, a giant falls from the heavens. As his orange foot touches the ground, time seems to slow, cars and dust being kicked up from the force of the impact. Standing up straight, his purple body gleams in the light as debris rains down from the sky as he turns to face the kaiju. To some of the people in attendance, the giant is recognizable as Gridknight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDzWgXBrP5E

Gridknight's visor glows a deep red, and he charges at Thunder Killer, unleashing a flurry of martial arts moves, ending with a flying kick. % "TEYAH!" KTS: Knight has deployed in Gridknight. KTS: Knight targets Kaiju Navi with Gridknight Martial Arts! KTS: Knight has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Knight's Gridknight Martial Arts! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Knight's Gridknight Martial Arts, taking 2175 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Aphrodia has posed.

"We don't." Rikka agrees, and then nods. "It's going smoothly - there haven't been any unexpected complications so far."

Nouvelle Tokyo is used to kaiju attacks - and as strange as this one may be, it's not as bad as it /could/ have been. She does her best to direct the efforts - she may not know kaiju as well as the others but /this/ at least is her specialty.

---

The mega beam cannons fire - and the kaiju retaliates, unleashing an electrical discharge. Halphas Boese attempts to retreat out of the way, but it proves to cover too much space. Electricity crackles over the Gundam's form, and even its advanced systems suffer from the overload.

"Insolence." Aphrodia hisses to herself, as Halphas Boese slowly. She grips the controls tightly - were it any other machine, they may well shatter in her grip.

She exhales, recentering herself as the others present address her - putting the mental mask on once more as well.

"Indeed." She replies. She accepts the mental communication with ease, not unfamiliar with such things. Still... how fascinating. Are they sending even their young, now?

Lina addresses her - and there's a moment before Aphrodia responds.

"The courtesy is appreciated - but I am already well familiar with this world, as its guide." She responds evenly. Dynazenon congratulates her on her shooting, and she allows herself a hint of smugness.

"You are welcome. Continue the fight - I would see more of what you are capable of with that mechanical kaiju." She replies.

...It is then that another appears - another Giant of Light, engaging Thunder Killer at close range. And yet,

This attack has drawn much attention, it seems.

"Be warned. The one responsible for this atrocity... they are attempting to coopt an ancient system designed to safeguard this world - one that has existed for 12,000 years." Aphrodia announces. "This is only the beginning."

The Mega Beam Cannons fold back in once more as Halphas Boese moves to close the distance between Thunder Killer and itself. As it draws closer, the remote weapons launch from Halphas Boese's shoulders - twenty-four wire-guided beam sabers.

"Crush it!" Aphrodia commands - and they heed her direction, racing and snaking through the air to approach Thunder Killer from all directions, biting and slashing at it as they pass. KTS: Aphrodia has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Aphrodia targets Kaiju Navi with Feather Squeeze! KTS: Aphrodia has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Aphrodia's Feather Squeeze! KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Aphrodia's Feather Squeeze, taking 3300 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.

Ultraman Solis comes straight for the kaiju again; Thunder Killer takes shot after star-shaped shot, but much like with Lina before, it absorbs part of the energy into its Color Timer and turns it into a deadly barrage of its own. It's not that easy to fell -- but it does still seem severely damaged in areas where its chest array couldn't absorb the blows... it's giving as good as it's getting, but for how long? The Belial-like chest array seems to be having problems handling both absorbing enough of Solis's energy /and/ firing it back out toward him.

Lina similarly has /much/ better luck with the nails. It certainly can't bounce those back, and even the DG Cells can't fully absorb the mass and energy being put into them. The body similarly struggles with the increasing amount of beam fire -- the beam from Dynazenon leaves the kaiju smoldering...Gridknight's kick puts it firmly on the ground, even if it doesn't achieve much penetration through that armor. The monster lets out a screech, trying to pry itself up with mixed results; it has to quite literally hook an arm onto an office building to right itself. While it's overwhelmed, Halphas Boese closes in with those remote beam sabers, elegantly carving into its 'flesh' and rendering DG Cells inert.

Overdesigning a kaiju does not diversify its moveset that much, it turns out; DG Thunder Killer is still, at its core, Thunder Killer, with Thunder Killer's moves and just a bit of extra bulk. Even as it falters, it continues its assault; yet again, it sprays waves of energy from /some/ part of its face, at any rate. Lina receives another blast from the creature's head for her trouble, much the same as before -- GERWALK is the perfect combination of fast and maneuverable for an urban battlefield, so it's limited in its options.

Solis gets some closer attention, as does Dynazenon; the creature is clearly closing in on its demise, but it intends to make that as painful of a prospect as it can. The Ultra gets a wide-angle discharge of electricity from the creature's body at Dynazenon -- which concentrates a moment later into a striking claw that sweeps across both it and Gridknight. Aphrodia, though, receives the worst of it. That energy concentrates back inward, then enters into the monster's blinking color timer; it rips across the ground and then up toward the much smaller Gundam, threatening to engulf it.

/////////

Akane nods to Shinji -- though she does give him a /bit/ of a look at the emphasis on 'buddy.' Then again... 3G's always attracted people with mild relational weirdness. She can't exactly get on him for that given every time she has too much emotion she starts playing rhyme games or word chain with herself. The DG report gets another nod. "... Good --"

She had something else to say, but it's interrupted by the return of Gridknight. Akane brings a hand to her chest, eyes widening a little. ... She's happy to see him again. It's... it's been a while.

She looks to Rikka, offering her a small smile. "We'll have to catch up when this is over," she says -- but that's all she says, giving Rikka space to do her job. It saves lives. KTS: Kaiju Navi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Ren Takeda with Killer Reverse - Ultra Beam! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Aphrodia with Timer Lightning! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Knight with Thunder Claw! KTS: Kaiju Navi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Gauma with Thunder Claw! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Lina Lombardi with Lightning Killer Cutter! KTS: Kaiju Navi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lina Lombardi has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Ren Takeda engages charge against Kaiju Navi's Killer Reverse - Ultra Beam! KTS: Critical Hit! Ren Takeda poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Killer Reverse - Ultra Beam, taking 7920 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 6710 KTS: Lina Lombardi has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Aphrodia has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Aphrodia fails to engage evade against Kaiju Navi's Timer Lightning! KTS: Critical Hit! Aphrodia poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Timer Lightning, taking 9240 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Lina Lombardi engages charge against Kaiju Navi's Lightning Killer Cutter! KTS: Lina Lombardi's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Lina Lombardi poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Lightning Killer Cutter, taking 5197 damage! KTS: Knight engages guard against Kaiju Navi's Thunder Claw! KTS: Critical Hit! Knight poorly guards Kaiju Navi's Thunder Claw, taking 5670 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Gauma fails to engage parry against Kaiju Navi's Thunder Claw! KTS: Critical Hit! Gauma poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Thunder Claw, taking 5940 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Kaiju Navi anchors Gauma, preventing him from Evading the next attack!

<Pose Tracker> Ren Takeda has posed.

The return of that lightning sends the Blue Ultra backwards, explosions appearing around him as he tries to push into the attack. His arms crossed, it's a large boom that obscures him.

Realizing that physical attacks are not the way to go, Solis has a thought.

It didn't absorb his very first attack. That one...

Raising his hands, Solis lashes out not with beams, but with something else. Something that he would have preferred to not use, but in this case it can setup what needs to be done. Telekinesis reaches out to try to grab the kaiju and lift it straight upwards, with it facing the sky.

It's an effort on Solis's part as he tries to move it to being safe to blow sky high. And even worse, it's showing. The timer on his chest has gone from green all the way to red, and flashing.

His mental voice calls out to the others present. << Take it out now! I can't hold it for long! >> KTS: Ren Takeda targets Kaiju Navi with Ultra Telekinesis! KTS: Ren Takeda has completed their actions for the round. KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 56. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 100. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage guard against Ren Takeda's Ultra Telekinesis! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ren Takeda's Ultra Telekinesis, taking 2625 damage! KTS: Ren Takeda roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable. KTS: Ren Takeda begins a Formation attack! Lina Lombardi transforms to GBR-VF01 Lombardi Custom (Battroid Mode)

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

        "Suit yourself, signora!" The GERWALK launches itself from the roof and towards the Thunder Killer, unfortunately taking the brunt of its attack in the process.

        <<Systems at 24%.>>

        "Personally, I prefer the air, but if you wanna ground me, I can play that game too!" As the fighter swoops towards the ground, it unfolds even more, taking on a full humanoid form, standing tall with the falcon on its chest, its wings at its back, and a head that resembles a flight helmet. As it hits the ground, it skids on its feet, sparks flying as friction brings it to a halt. Rushing towards the Thunder Killer, it reaches towards its back with each hand, the sharpened edges of the wings detaching to form a pair of blades.

        "Delta Wing Blades!"

        As it charges, it swings the blades in a circle, whipping the air around it into a vortex, kicking up dust and debris.

        "CICLONE ALARE!"

        The Custom brings the blades down to bear on the Thunder Killer, bringing the full force of the gales it summoned.

KTS: Lina Lombardi targets Kaiju Navi with Ciclone Alare! KTS: Lina Lombardi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lina Lombardi's Nuovotipo activates Wall!

<Pose Tracker> Gauma has posed.

Buddy is just what you call your work partner, right? Shinji's face reveals not one lick of irony. Then: "Boundary wave action," Taki announces. "Something's rising!"

And something is, alright. "Gridknight," Taki mutters. Shinji turns his attention back to his monitors. "I do not believe it will require adjusting response level," he says, either unaware or purposely ignoring Gridknight's personal relation to the people in this room.

Dynazenon has fallen, struggling to stand with damage to its legs. And to its rescue...comes a hero.

"A...giant...?" Yomogi murmurs, awestruck. Maybe he's seen other Ultramen, but for just a moment, all other thoughts have fled. A savior in black looms above them, moving instantly to battle. "He's so fast!"

Gauma feels like he's stared into that visor...and mutters, "Who's this chump?"

He manages to get Dynazenon onto a knee, at least, but that's when the electric claw rakes across Dynazenon and Gridknight both, and all pilots cry out at the rough ride Dynazenon puts them through! "Gah!" Koyomi growls, knocked completely over. Dynazenon lays totally prone, down and out.

"Not yet..." Gauma seethes, and swings out Dynazenon's arm so that one of the wingtips at Dynazenon's wrist swings up into its palm - and starts gushing energy! He jams it down into the ground, sending a quaking wave toward DG Thunder Killer. "NOT YET!" KTS: Gauma has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Gauma has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Gauma has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Gauma targets Kaiju Navi with Dyna Saber Ground Surge Cut! KTS: Gauma has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Gauma's Four Hearts In One Giant activates Wall! KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Lina Lombardi's Ciclone Alare! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Lina Lombardi's Ciclone Alare, taking 4725 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has been defeated! KTS: Lina Lombardi completes the Formation attack! KTS: Kaiju Navi accepts Gauma's Dyna Saber Ground Surge Cut! KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Gauma's Dyna Saber Ground Surge Cut, taking 3510 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has been defeated! KTS: Gauma repulses Kaiju Navi, preventing it from Charging the next attack!

<Pose Tracker> Aphrodia has posed.

Second had told her they were back... but it's still just as much of a relief to Rikka to finally see Gridknight in action again. Especially now, when they need all the help they can get.

"We will." Rikka agrees with Akane with a nod and a smile of her own before returning her attention to her work.

---

The Feather Squeeze carves into Thunder Killer - but its effectiveness seems to have earned her the kaiju's ire. Energy is concentrated into the color timer, then explodes outward, up toward it. Halphas Boese braces itself as it tries to dodge out of the way -

And everything is consumed by lightning. An overwhelming storm of electricity, which it disappears into. There would be nothing left of a lesser machine - but when it clears, Halphas Boese is still there. Its armor is blackened even further by electricity, and fury gleams in its visor.

"...Enough. I will tolerate this no further." Aphrodia seethes. Its body shifts somewhat - similar to the Waverider Mode seen in some other Gundams. Energy pours off of Halphas Boese - and then it accelerates rapidly, seeking to ram straight through it with the gathered power. It circles back around...

"Detestable creation... return to the nothingness from whence you came!" It accelerates once more, the surrounding energy flaring brighter and brighter. KTS: Aphrodia's Replay activates! KTS: Aphrodia has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Aphrodia has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Aphrodia has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Aphrodia targets Kaiju Navi with Burning Flare! KTS: Aphrodia has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.

Gridknight flips backwards after delivering a kick to Thunder Killer's body, only to catch a claw swipe - he holds up his arms to block, but there isn't enough time, and he's pushed back, sending cars flying everywhere from the shockwave.

Knight makes no other noise than a small grunt of exertion, his forehead timer beeping ever so slightly. He makes another grunt as Dynazenon plunges its saber into the ground, leaping into the air with a flare of his rear thrusters to evade the explosion of pavement.

/What an idiot./ Knight thinks to himself. Standing on top of the building, Gridknight clasps his hands together and draws them apart slowly, red electricity crackling as a glowing red sword forms out of thin air. It doesn't have the sentient personality of the original, but as Knight knows intimately, sometimes a copy can be just as good.

"GRIDKNIGHT CALIBUR!"

Firing his rear thrusters once again, Knight rockets into the air and winds up for a wild, loose swing, bringing the sword down on Thunder Killer with a deadly blow.

"KNIGHT"

"CALIBUR"

"END!!!!" KTS: Knight has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Knight targets Kaiju Navi with Calibur Slash! KTS: Knight has completed their actions for the round. [Big-Scene] Grid Knight> KNIGHT CALIBUR END EXCEPT I DONT HAVE THE EN FOR THAT SO ITS JUST A NORMAL SLAAAAAAASHHHH KTS: Kaiju Navi accepts Aphrodia's Burning Flare! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Aphrodia's Burning Flare, taking 6216 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has been defeated! KTS: Kaiju Navi accepts Knight's Calibur Slash! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Knight's Calibur Slash, taking 2850 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has been defeated!

<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.

Solis shifts from trying to wrestle the kaiju to trying to hold it back telekinetically -- and /that/ pays massive dividends. Working together, everyone has a much better shot -- those blades of the Battroid rip into it. Indeed, everyone seems to have the same idea -- close and tear through. Aphrodia pierces through the kaiju's midsection, while Gauma and Knight slash through it on either side. The kaiju begins to fall to pieces, and a moment later, explodes in fire. A job to be left for the cleanup crew, it seems.

But who is it that put this forth? What is that system that Aphrodia claims they're subverting, and what knowledge of it does she have? What ahs Gridknight been doing...?

//////////////

Air Christmas continues its flight path away from Nouvelle Tokyo. Today, it'd be gauche to say anything else...

... but tomorrow, Alteur will have much to discuss with the international media.

/////////

Akane forces herself to get back to work -- which, right now, means getting up and looking at Taki's readings. ... it's going to be a long night.

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

        <<Bandit has been incapacitated. Mission complete.>>

        The Lombardi Custom sheathes its blades and raises its fist in the air as its pilot begins to celebrate in her native tongue. "[That's how we do it! This thing really is amazing! Bravo!]" The Battroid turns to the other combatants and gives a jubilant thumbs up (an important function in any 3G robot, to be sure). "On behalf of the Grand Glorious Guard, thank you all!"

<Pose Tracker> Ren Takeda has posed.

Solis, after holding it up, releases the telekinetics.

Afterwards, he stands up straight and looks around. The shock comes when he looks at Gridknight. That has the Blue Ultra staring.

As if figuring out something. He finally sends out. << You are not an Ultra... interesting. >>

Turning, Solis crouches before leaping upwards, hovering in the air and looking back for a moment. << My name is Solis. I hope to meet you again. >>

Then he turns and takes off and picks up to speeds that make most craft go 'WTF?' before he disappears in a burst of rainbow colored light.

Secretly, Ren Takeda reappears on the ground. He's not going to stick around as he pulls out his phone and starts to walk away, breathing heavily. He types into it a quick message.

(( Extraction needed. Kaiju down. )) And hits send before he makes for the edge of the city. [OOC] Lina Lombardi says, "lina's gonna be like "see, we didn't need to test it" and the poor tech from the first pose will be like "you almost died""

<Pose Tracker> Gauma has posed.

Dynazenon lies battered but not beaten. Gauma is quiet, some seething thought in his head, but the Tokyo natives all breathe sighs of relief. "I guess that thing just saved us..." Yume says. "Do you guys know him?"

"I think he showed up a couple years ago, didn't he? During all that mess with the weird colony?" Koyomi says, dredging his memory. "I'm more worried about that system that one woman was talking about. What was that about?"

Yomogi just huffs a relieved breath. "He's pretty strong. Guess we're just lucky he's on our side."

<Pose Tracker> Aphrodia has posed.

Halphas Boese comes to a stop. It returns to its normal form, looking down upon the wreckage of the kaiju with a hint of satisfaction.

This is not the end, as she said - but she can take /some/ joy in meting out a well-deserved punishment.

She regards Lina briefly as she offers thanks - and replies with only a curt nod. Halphas Boese rises then, and flies off -

- and once it is out of view, becomes a mote of light and disappears. [Big-Scene] Aphrodia via Anita Rosetta> That's it for me! Thanks again!

<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.

As Thunder Killer crashes to the ground in tiny pieces, Knight stands over the body, hunched slightly as he lets the Calibur dissipate. Then, he turns around. In the glow of his visor, Dynazenon slowly comes into focus in its reflection, like he's staring directly at Gauma.

With a sudden motion, Knight lunges at the mecha /fast/. KTS: Knight targets Gauma with Gridknight Brawl! KTS: Knight has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Gauma engages guard against Knight's Gridknight Brawl! KTS: Best Defense! Gauma successfully guards Knight's Gridknight Brawl, taking 2925 damage! KTS: Gauma has been defeated!

<Pose Tracker> Gauma has posed.

Koyomi spots the glare in that turn first. "Hey, guys, I think hey HEY HEY YO HEY!" Koyomi yells, transitioning without even noticing to what was for a long time probably going to be his last words.

That fate eludes him today; Knight knocks Dynazenon square across the face and sends the red giant toppling. "Why YOU!!" Gauma yells, jerking the controls. Dynazenon thrashes, but...

It just can't stand, not now.

"'ey! Get down here so I can beat the crap out of you!!" Gauma yells.

Yume sighs, "Boys," and then adds, "I don't think we can do much but leave, here."

Dynazenon raises its fist at Knight and achieves nothing else. "NOT A CHANCE!" [Big-Scene] Flay | Alouette Pommier> the girlies are throwing hands ooooo

<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.

Gridknight stands over the fallen Dynazenon like a predator about to devour its prey, a menacing aura rippling off him so distinctly the pilots can almost see the waves. He looks like he's about to strike again, and then- % /Bee-au./

/Bee-au./

/Bee-au./

Gridknight's forehead timer pulses with an unmistakable sound and light - he's out of time. He growls, and suddenly vanishes, fading out like a deleted image on a monitor.

/////////

On the ground below, Knight walks out of the miasma of dust, head down. His work is done for today.

<Pose Tracker> Gauma has posed.

Gauma sneers. Maybe Gridknight sees himself as predator, but Gauma will never be prey. He rears back, using all he can arrange of Dynazenon's power to prepare to sock Gridknight when he comes in for the kill--!!

And then the giant disappears in a puff of artifacting.

Koyomi hurls a sigh like a softball. "What the heck was HIS deal!"

Gauma grunts, growling low in his throat. "Figure it out later. Separate and let's get out of here. Yume, I need a lift."

Dynazenon's components untangle themselves, preparing to make their getaway with Dynawing carrying the still-damaged Dynadiver. Hoisted into the air, Gauma crosses his arms in his cockpit, jaw set in displeasure.

<Pose Tracker> Lina Lombardi has posed.

        "...Well, at least that ended quickly." The battroid waves to the components of Dynazenon as they disengage, then assumes fighter mode to return to base.