2022-06-15: Scintilla
- Log: 2022-06-15- Scintilla
- Cast: Alexis Kerib, Koji Kabuto, Jana Cektru, Tetsuya Tsurugi, Roux Louka, Liam 7-020, Anita Rosetta, Sayla Mass, Haruki Natsukawa
- Where: Fujinomiya
- OOC - IC Date: 0096-06-15
- Summary: A kaiju makes an attempt on the life of Shiro Kabuto, OCU Third Squadron's Captain and brother of Koji Kabuto. The local Ichinana team gives it the bum's rush... but why attack this person at this place? What unknown hand is pulling the strings of Tsutsujidai's kaiju as they make their way into the real world with greater frequency and intensity?
<Pose Tracker> Alexis Kerib has posed.
Fujinomiya is one of those places that might lead you to forget how things have gone over the last decade, if you sat there long enough. The marks of time passing in the world here are warm, kind ones; network pole density is high, power distribution is safe and clean, the view is gorgeous and unpolluted.
(Of course, Area 11 lies just beyond the horizon.)
The sun sinks lower and lower. The cicadas begin to let out their loud, high-pitched cries -- and a maneuver test finishes, allowing them to be heard over the din of the movement of the Ichinanas presently in testing.
The cockpit of one such machine -- more vibrant than the others, with bright golden horns, royal purple limbs, and a brilliant red chest array -- pops open, revealing Shiro Kabuto -- OCU Third Squadron's Captain, former pilot of Robot Junior, brother of Koji Kabuto. Despite the day's labor -- three mock battles and two advanced motion tests -- it looks essentially untouched, and Shiro looking like he could go another four hours without even resting. A few of the technicians give a well-deserved round of applause.
"Thanks for coming in on your day off," one calls, as a nighttime fog starts to roll in a tiny bit. "You're the best Ichinana pilot we've got -- we'd be at sea when it comes to running these tests without you, Third Squadron Captain!"
Another pulls off to the side, noting, "We might be able to improve the standard loadout for the Ichinana without a significant cost increase, judging from these numbers. We might need to make some small sacrifices here and there, but the Mazinger Blade could become part of the default armaments... we might want to lower the reinforcement on the arms." He taps at his personal device, glancing from side to side. "... We specifically picked today for clear weather conditions... strange that it's this foggy. The tests are over so I suppose it doesn't matter, but I wanted to get some clear photos of the machine after --"
A faint 'whoosh' cuts through the evening air as the sun loses its desperate battle to remain in the sky, and Fujinomiya plunges into black. A second joins the first a moment later.
One bone white tentacle wraps around the technician's right leg; the other smashes straight into Shiro's Ichinana at an undefended full rest, very nearly crushing its midsection. The machine, of course, is essentially trashed; it sinks to its knees, and Shiro himself almost falls from the head-mounted cockpit. He scrambles back into it, taking it into a controlled fall; it's not very *heroic*, but when you get ambushed like that, you take what you can get.
Barely visible through the mists, as another technician trips the alarm, is a kaiju that might be familiar to attendees of Sheryl Nome's concert in Tsutsujidai, with a grinning lower maw and several eye-like protrusions from which tentacles snake out and then retract.
The color scheme differs, though. Where once Gonglee was silver, it's now taken on a bright purple sheen; where once it was purple, it now sports a bright silver in turn; its red upper 'eye' now sinks into black. All of its tentacles have a bone-white sheen. Two of the tentacles crackle, leaving electric arcs through the air.
KTS: Alexis Kerib has deployed in Gonglee. KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi has deployed in Great Mazinger. KTS: Koji Kabuto has deployed in Mazinger Z. KTS: Anita Rosetta has deployed in MPMZ-17 Ichinana. KTS: Anita Rosetta has changed loadout. KTS: Jana Cektru has deployed in MPMZ-17 Ichinana TG Tector Gear. KTS: Sayla Mass has deployed in RPT-005 Wildschwein M. KTS: Sayla Mass has changed loadout. KTS: Liam 7-020 has deployed in MPMZ-17 Ichinana. KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has deployed in MPMZ-17 Ichinana.
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
The New Photon Power Lab is just switching over to the night shift, so Koji and Sayaka have agreed to meet up with their old friend Sayla Mass to talk some more shop about the future of Photon Power. They're just settling down at a table in the lunch room, when that alarm rings out over the city. The old alarm, the one that hasn't been used in ten years. Ice down his spine, Koji meets Sayaka's gaze, and they both rush up to the control room.
"First report's coming in now," the technician at the comm console informs them as they rush in. "It's an attack on the Ichinana testing field."
"Shiro came in today," Koji points out, swallowing.
"3rd Squad Captain's Ichinana is disabled but he's alive at the moment."
Koji swallows again, fists clenched tightly, conflicting impulses warring within him - and then Sayaka puts her hand on his shoulder. "It's Shiro. Go. I'll handle it."
He takes another look at his old friend (the love of his life) and that fear and panic solidifies into determination. He nods once, then tears out of the control room, making for the emergency tram to the Old Lab's hangar.
KTS: Roux Louka has deployed in MPMZ-17 Ichinana.
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
Jana Cektru was here to do some testing on her own Ichinana, though she's been sitting near it watching for now, since they're focusing on the best pilot. She's still fairly new to the machine--her own is much like the usual, except that it has heavy black armor plating along the chest and the head, obscuring where it would usually fire beams from. It is accordingly not exactly stock, so she's been waiting to try it out. However...
"Oh!"
A kaiju appears! Out of nowhere! And that alarm rings out shortly thereafter. Jana moves from the crowd to run towards her own unit before it's likewise knocked over. "Liam!" she calls. "Take that one there! We'll help together!"
She is, strictly, a researcher rather than a pilot... but it's not going to stop her from helping. In short order, her Ichiana roars to life.
"Dr. Cektru moving in to provide assistance!"
Her Ichinana turns, adopting a dynamic pose, hands up--and from one of its raised hands, energy begins to gather along the palm!
A chaining beam of white light crashes towards the kaiju, hoping to harm its ability to go through with this nefarious moment!!
KTS: Jana Cektru targets Alexis Kerib with Chain Beam! KTS: Alexis Kerib successfully evades Jana Cektru's Chain Beam
<Pose Tracker> Tetsuya Tsurugi has posed.
Was this a fortuitous day, or an inauspicious one? Tetsuya Tsurugi tends to spend most of his time these days over in Tokyo-03, fulfilling his role of Coach for the young Evangelion pilots who valorously defend NERV and beyond. But today... he happens to be at the Photon Power Labs, a day away from work to spend with family, a category of people which shall soon expand to encompass one more little soul.
The happy couple are sitting peacefully on the balcony of their two storey home, watching the setting sun and just... enjoying the quiet moment together. Tetsuya holds Jun's hand in his, the other placed on her swollen belly. "It won't be long now," she says. The day is coming up, swiftly and inexorably. Tetsuya Tsurugi, father. "I can hardly wait," he replies with a tenderness that few outside of this little bubble of humanity have ever witnessed from the Hero of the Skies, "I have so many things I want to show you, little one. And--"
Suddenly, a sound cuts through the reverie. A noise that both of these people know all too well. "That siren," Tetsuya says with a start. "Is it Asura, or--?" He double-takes, offering Jun an apologetic look, but his wife only nods sympathetically. "Give them hell for the both of us," she tells him. The husband nods and without any further words exchanged between the two, he vanishes into the swelling night.
---
NOW
---
The fog-swathed sky ignites with a flash of light. An arc of crimson cuts through the haze as something both old and new descends upon the battlefield. A familiar IFF lights up across friendly sensors, there's only one person that aught to be piloting anything labled 'G.Mazinger' around here.
The prophecy becomes reality the moment it erupts from the fog, surging in on a horizontal approach, a blade extended from its knee as it goes to ram straight into the tendril seizing that poor technician at its root. The roar of "KNEE IMPULSE KICK!" is as bellowing as it's ever been, but rarely has it had this much fury behind it. "Koji, I'm here to help. Sakuya filled me in!"
"Whatever this thing is," Great Mazinger's eyes flash as it lands, digging a pair of troughs into the earth with its mighty feet, "We're going to teach it what it means to mess with our own...!"
KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi targets Alexis Kerib with Knee Impulse Kick! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to rush. KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi anchors Alexis Kerib, forcing him into close range. KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Tetsuya Tsurugi's Knee Impulse Kick, taking 1875 damage! KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi has engaged Alexis Kerib <Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"Tetsuya!" Thank god, Koji thinks, letting out a breath he didn't realise he was holding. "Just like old times." Z steps up next to Great, tapping one fist against the back of the other Mazin's. "Let's make this thing pay. IRON CUTTER!"
KTS: Koji Kabuto targets Alexis Kerib with Iron Cutter! <Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.
ONCE MORE INTO THE SUCTIONING WELL OF EARTH'S GRAVITY
Roux Louka had arrived at the invitation of noted science hero and war comrade, KOJI KABUTO, in order to try out an Ichinana. This had put her in the testing field area, where she had --
Tried out an Ichinana! That mostly happened earlier in the day. For like five hours. This will be important later, and mostly involved the obvious basics of operating the machine as well as doing some obstacle courses and participation in the latest of the mock battles. ("Shiro, you got so big!" Roux Louka last saw him somewhere in Europe before the UNPLEASANT MEMORY of what happened around Dublin.)
The plan was to do the same again tomorrow, potentially letting her write a reasoned report of some kind. Maybe even submit some sort of a PURCHASE ORDER, further spreading the dark designs of Photon Power to the stars themselves.
Either way, Roux - presently in a T-shirt and sporty underpants - considers her travel case. "One-piece or slacks..." Roux muses to herself, having brought her two owned outfits that are not sweepy space fashion OR completely pedestrian. When something tenses up. A sudden feeling of hostility that displaces something like 'what do I want for dinner' and 'can I go shopping or does everything close up early' with --
THE ALARM BLARES.
So that's what that sounds like here, Roux thinks, already in the hallway. She attempts to do a bank-leap off of a hallway, discovers that Earth's gravity isn't just a suggestion, and does a somersault before making it to the elevator and whacking on the hangar elevator button.
IN THE ELEVATOR, Roux clicks through to the Londo Bell operation mode. "Louka! I'm going to the hangar!"
...
ding!
Roux runs down the gantryway, vaults into the cockpit, and pulls down the cowling. As it lights up, Roux pushes the controls forwards. "Launching!" she continues on autopilot, the machine moving forwards responsively, even eagerly!
It takes her three tries to grab a machine gun, which is probably not encouraging. ("Right," Roux thinks inwardly. "I'm in the head.")
KTS: Roux Louka targets Alexis Kerib with Pass! <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
Technically, Pilot 7-020 is still on medical leave. He's still recovering from multiple lacerations, and an accompanying infection that could've been far more serious if his immune system weren't on top of its game, and aided by modern antibiotics. The tactically sound decision is to stay at his apartment, isolated, and within reach of backup in case someone made another attempt to capture him.
But sometimes, the tactically sound decision is the decision the enemy is expecting. And on a deeper level, Liam is absorbing what Lucine and Nidaime told him: he's in danger, but he's free now. He still can't bear the thought of not being useful, but... getting out and doing things feels like rebellion, like hitting back at the people who used him.
And as it so happened, a new transfer to NERV--Doctor Cektru--needed a little escort on a trip to the Photon Power Lab. Secure, within allied territory, and an opportunity to learn new things.
There's a monitoring booth near the far end of the field, well-armored and equipped with sensors to observe various tests. Liam sits to one side, drinking water from his metal thermos, as the techs gather their data.
The sun goes down. The fog starts rolling in.
"Huh," says one of the techs. Liam's picked up just enough Japanese to understand her. "Thought it was supposed to be clear tonight."
Liam's eyes widen. His heart beats--
"One moment," Liam says, and he steps into the lift. The door closes behind him.
Less than thirty seconds later, the door opens, and Liam emerges at ground level into thick fog. "Doctor Cektru!" Liam cries, looking through the crowd. There she is. Liam waves at her--
Whoosh. Whoosh.
Tentacles, from the fog. Liam's guts twist as sickening recognition sinks in. It's alive?! It's back, here? "RUN!" he shouts, to the gathered observers. "Go, GO!" He gestures towards the main lab, with its sturdy walls.
Doctor Cektru... is not fleeing. Liam stares at her for a moment, then nods, grimly. "Moving to assist," he says. As something great and black rushes onto the field, Liam dashes for the nearest Ichinana, clambering up the ladder to its cockpit. He's never used one before, but he has no choice. Kaiju A. Liam doesn't know its name, but aside from the coloring, it's identical to the one that attacked the concert. his time is different. This time, Liam can fight back.
The Ichinana takes a single step forward, shrugging free from the supports. In its cockpit, Liam holds the joysticks with white-knuckled hands, taking each step slow and steady. "Pilot 7-020 of NERV, deploying in support, Doctor Cektru." He pulls one stick back, pushes the other forward, adjusts the pedals. The Ichinana lunges forward, barely ducking beneath Koji's swing as it throws a right straight punch at Gonglee's center of mass.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana CQC Strike! Incoming attacks:
KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Koji Kabuto's Iron Cutter, taking 4230 damage! <Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Fujinomiya City is a nice, peaceful place - perfect for someone like Anita, who loves to spend her days off in peace and quiet. She rarely comes planetside these days, so when she does she prefers to make them count. She's dressed in a nice, casual hoodie and long pants combo, a bag of souvenirs for her friends back on the Ra Mari hooked onto one arm.
It seems like the day will close without incident... and then the fog rolls in, soon followed by an alarm that splits the evening silence. A grimace crosses Anita's face. She knows that alarm - it's the sound of an attack. She might be with Londo Bell now, but before her transfer she was with the OCU's forces. This is her first time hearing it be used for its intended purpose.
...What should she do? She really just wants to spend the rest of the day lazing, but... people could be in trouble. Winter Wonderland briefly flashes into her mind. A grimace crosses her face and then she groans, breaking into a run toward the practice grounds. The bag she was carrying goes flying - she'll pick it back up later if it's still there, provided she remembers, but right now it's just weighing her down.
The closer she gets, the thicker the fog becomes. In response, her cybernetic eyes flash green. Her vision sharpens, and she can see outlines through the fog.
"Come on, I need something I can- There we go." She says, as her gaze settles on a large figure laying on the ground. One of the training Ichinanas, toppled over in Gonglee's initial assault. "If I remember correctly, the cockpit should be..."
She moves toward the head, grasping for the cockpit hatch and prying it open. The pilot is still alive - dazed yet conscious, but in no condition to fight.
"Come on, out you get - I'll take over from here. I'm a friend." She says, climbing inside. She takes the pilot's place and grasps the controls, shutting her eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath.
...It's been a while since she was seated in one of these, but she still remembers how it works. Back when she was still with the OCU, she was trained in one before being switched over to the Variable Fighter division.
The Ichinana draws itself to its feet and draws its machine gun from the weapon rack as it steadies itself.
"Anita Rosetta, on the scene." Anita announces, turning her attention toward the Gonglee. "Hmm... let's see, how about... this."
For a brief moment the Ichinana readies itself, before unleashing a Rust Squall toward the kaiju. Not the most potent attack she could launch at the moment, but she doesn't need it to hurt - her hope is to disperse some of the fog, to make it easier for those not currently in machines to escape.
KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Roux Louka's Pass, taking 0 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Liam 7-020's Ichinana CQC Strike, taking 3630 damage! KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Alexis Kerib KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Alexis Kerib with Rust Squall! KTS: Alexis Kerib blocks Anita Rosetta's Rust Squall, taking 1230 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
It was honestly just going to be a conversation about the logistical and political problems about Photon Power to the colonies. And maybe some casual chat and poking about what's going on with those two. It would have only been a little awkward.
The alarm changes all that. Sayla's familiar enough with these. So of course she follows Sayaka and Koji to the control room, clearance be danmned. "...Do we know what it is?" And Koji's running off already.
"...Sayaka, there are spare units in the hangar, right? I'm going to go back him up. I'll make sure everyone survives this." Her tone is very firm, but... Sayla hasn't been in the cockpit since the One Year War, right?
Right?
In the hangars, Sayla looks around. An Ichinana would do but- she sees something to one side. "I knew it couldn't all be Ichinanas..." She runs past a technician. "I'm taking the personal trooper, it's all cleared with Director Yumi!" (It is not.)
------
Above the field, a Wildschwein M leaps from it's subflight system, loaded for kaiju. It's normal armaments have been replaced with a Chester Cascade, leaving it with little more else for armaments than a Circle Zanber and Iron Cutters on the right arm. Definitely a Fujinomiya City Special. And it's pilot sees the target. "...Is that... from Tsutsujidai?!" Damnit. Damnit. The heavy vulcans of the Chester Cascade fixture open up on the Kaiju, as she tries to make sure. It doesn't look exactly like what Rikka described.
Meanwhile, on loudspeakers. "Koji, is Shiro okay!?" She yells, taking up a support fire position behind the Ichinana's. Sayla sounds... a little panicked, instead of her usual calm demeanor. Maybe she wants to spare Koji, Sayaka and Leina pain she's experienced. Maybe she's lost too many people, and doesn't want to lose another. Maybe it's both. But alert newtypes can feel the concern and terror that she's not giving voice to.
KTS: Sayla Mass targets Alexis Kerib with Laser Vulcan! KTS: Alexis Kerib blocks Sayla Mass's Laser Vulcan, taking 1350 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Haruki Natsukawa has posed.
NERV, NISAR, and the Photon Power Labs share a pretty nice partnership. At least, Haruki assumes so. It might be a bit more complicated than that, admittedly, but the politics of how organizations and companies deal with each other is something that will forever be lost on him. What he does know though, is that he's been assigned to watch over the new motion testing.
Basically, he's just a body, a glorified mall cop, especially since they didn't even send him with Sevenger or Windam. But that's fine, he figures, it's not like kaijus or any criminal organizations would have any interest in Ichinanas anyway.
It is extremely saddening to learn however, that like many things, Haruki was wrong about this.
With no SAA to pilot, his first instinct being to reach for his Z-Riser, however, once he remembers where he is, he pauses and thinks. He's got an idea. An awful, reckless idea, in all honesty...But...
"Kay! This is Haruki Natsukawa of NERV's STORAGE, borrowing an MPMZ-17 Ichinana! Any and all damage to this unit should be ran through Captain Hebikura so it can be deducted from my pay! Sorry in advance!!!"
Covering his butt legally the best way he can, Haruki deploys in one of the many, many stock Ichinanas, the unit springing to life as it moves in to intercept the Gonglee.
While the controls aren't that difficult to get used to, as they're pretty close to Sevenger's in the basics, there's something really throwing the pilot off right now... It's small. Well, not small. It's reasonably sized while the SAA units that he's used to driving around are all pretty big. Perhaps, maybe, possibly, it would have been better to just call on Z.
Well, it's too late now. He'll have to learn as he goes. And 'go' he does, as the Ichinana raises its shield arm up to brace itself, before crashing into the Gonglee's face full force in a desperate attempt to unbalance it and grab its attention.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana Shield Bash! KTS: Alexis Kerib blocks Haruki Natsukawa's Ichinana Shield Bash, taking 1260 damage! KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has engaged Alexis Kerib
<Pose Tracker> Alexis Kerib has posed.
Shiro, uneasily-positioned in the cockpit, thumbs at the comms and gives a, "My Ichinana's trashed -- if I try to stand it back up the chest array's probably going to cook off." He knows the Ichinana like the back of his hand, after all; even if it's become popular in the OCU and some elements of the Federation cross-bloc apparatus... in a lot of ways, it's Shiro's machine first and foremost. "... otherwise, just a little rattled. Looks like I'm gonna be sitting this one out." A second passes, before he closes with a warm, "Thanks for the save, bro."
The beam from Jana's custom Ichinana forces the kaiju to make a choice: squish a human or retract a tentacle. ... For all else you might say about it, the kaiju is a bit of a coward; it withdraws that tentacle back into the eyelet it came from. It at least avoids getting *hit* with anything as a result. Tetsuya, meanwhile, gets a rush *toward* him, across the test field -- but it comes up short, and gets pounded into the ground by that bladed knee.
Koji intervenes -- and gets the kaiju to at least withdraw its tentacles from the general direction of the Ichinana and focus on defending itself. There's still that *other* one out there, of course -- but the Iron Cutter carves a large chunk out of one and it promptly withdraws that one. The follow-up from Liam -- a hard straight punch -- rocks the kaiju, though it seems to be holding up still.
While a squall isn't a hurricane, Anita's attack starts out looking promising indeed -- until the kaiju throws up an electrical barrier, scattering the particles and rendering them inert. It maintains that barrier as Sayla fires the laser vulcans, too, and even while Haruki approaches with a shield; while a few shots do puncture, and the momentum does put the kaiju a touch *off-balance*, it remains hale and hearty.
Whatever has been done to the kaiju, it's a far bigger threat than the similar beast that attacked Sheryl Nome's concert.
"Hmmm... good," a shadow reflects to itself, from the top of one of Fujinomiya's tall, spire-like buildings. "An interesting mix of actors... and some that ought to recognize the monster." Perfect. Between this and the intervention on the moon, happenstance has been eliminated. The world's defenders are left to choose between coincidence and enemy action. "... Strange, though. I'd thought that the light of this planet differed from..." His gaze lingers on that custom Ichinana. "Hm."
Those who closed get a response more about removing them from the creature's general area than about dealing damage; that barrier dispels itself, for the moment, with a forceful pulse, pushing back against Haruki's Ichinana, Liam's, and Great Mazinger. The Wildschwein and the customized Ichinana get a little more personal attention of the type you'd expect from Gonglee, as the creature lashes out with tentacles, trying to draw them closer.
Two more tentacles streak for Roux and Anita's machines; these, unlike the others, crackle with electricity like a different-yet-similar kaiju: the one that attacked Ptolemaeus Lunar Base near a month ago.
The one who gets the *least* attention is the guest of the hour: Koji Kabuto. Instead, Gonglee continues to beat on Shiro's downed Ichinana in a way that *feels like* it involves making direct eye contact the whole time. It's at this point that Shiro actually abandons the machine and *sprints* for it; he'll need cover.
KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Tetsuya Tsurugi, Haruki Natsukawa, and Liam 7-020 with Power Sucking Armor Wave. KTS: Alexis Kerib has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Tetsuya Tsurugi KTS: Alexis Kerib has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Sayla Mass KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Jana Cektru with Tentacle Assault! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Sayla Mass with Tentacle Assault! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Roux Louka with Power of Mecha Trembulor Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Anita Rosetta with Power of Mecha Trembulor Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Koji Kabuto with Demoralize! KTS: Jana Cektru has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Jana Cektru fails to evade Alexis Kerib's Tentacle Assault, taking 3450 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Jana Cektru KTS: Sayla Mass fails to react to Alexis Kerib's Tentacle Assault, taking 4140 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Sayla Mass KTS: [Lucky] Anita Rosetta's Serious Mode activates, and luck goes her way! KTS: Anita Rosetta successfully evades Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Discharge KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi blocks Alexis Kerib's Power Sucking Armor Wave, taking 900 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib repulses Tetsuya Tsurugi, forcing him to disengage. KTS: Alexis Kerib demoralizes Koji Kabuto, reducing his Morale drastically. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Koji Kabuto's Divine Will activates, and his spirit endures. KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Roux Louka, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Roux Louka fails to react to Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Discharge, taking 3720 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Roux Louka KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Liam 7-020, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Liam 7-020 blocks Alexis Kerib's Power Sucking Armor Wave, taking 3300 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib repulses Liam 7-020, forcing him to disengage. KTS: Haruki Natsukawa blocks Alexis Kerib's Power Sucking Armor Wave, taking 2250 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib repulses Haruki Natsukawa, forcing him to disengage. <Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Koji exhales fully as Shiro cuts in over the radio, patching his voice through to the others as his brother abandons the wrecked Ichinana and bails for proper cover. "Priority defense target is leaving the combat zone. He's okay, guys."
Koji holds 'eye contact' as the kaiju continues to trash the black and purple Ichinana... And he grins. "Alright, buddy, if that's the way you want to play it. Come in, Sayaka."
"I'm here, Koji."
"He's okay. I'm going to hit this thing with everything I have."
In the control room of the Photon Power Lab, Sayaka smiles despite himself, hearing not Doctor Kabuto, but Koji Kabuto over the radio for the first time in years. "We've got your back, Koji."
"I know." He clicks the radio off, and flicks a few other switches. Mazinger Z's eyes glow brighter, a fiendish yellow glare to cut through the fog, growing brighter and bright until -
"KOUSHIRYOKU BEAAAAAAAAAAAAM!"
Golden white Photon Power lances forth, the beam boring into the body of Gonglee as Koji holds the gaze! Don't make eye contact with a Mazin.
KTS: Koji Kabuto targets Alexis Kerib with Koushiryoku Beam! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Koji Kabuto's Koushiryoku Beam, taking 2550 damage!
KTS: Jana Cektru has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has disengaged. <Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
Jana is concerned for Liam, naturally--but her calculation is that he's safer in the cockpit of an Ichinana than trying to run away with his injuries. ...Besides, it will let him feel useful, and she's gathered that's important to him. But whatever the right choice was, this is the choice she's made--and as she manages to get the kaiju not to squish a person, she feels it was the right one.
But while she is lad of that, the creature sure does push back. lashing out with tentacles, it manages to grab her machine's leg, jostling her terribly and dragging the custom Ichinana much closer. "Hmph--if you think that'll be enough--"
She spots Shiro fleeing, and moves to hack down at the tentacle to free herself, jumping backward in her machine to pull its machine gun in a full barrage of covering fire!!
KTS: Jana Cektru targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana MG Full Barrage! <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
The technician is freed, but he's not the only one in immediate danger here.Shiro scrambles free of his downed machine, and a weight lifts from Liam's chest. Kabuto--that's--Doctor Kabuto's brother? The same Doctor Kabuto that's here, in Mazinger Z?
Relief and jealousy tangle in Liam's chest. He'll have time to process once this thing is dead.
Liam's Ichinana overextends into the strike. Servos whine in its hips and legs as its mass strains against the struts and braces and endo-structure holding that mass in place. In the cockpit, Liam grits his teeth and slowly pumps the right pedal, stabilizing his machine. It would've been easier in a Wanzer, but he can already tell this thing is a very different beast from something running on MULS-P. It's much, much larger, for one.
But the radio is clearly marked, at least, and Liam powers up the transmitter. In a situation like this, it's vital he cram as much information into as few words as possible. Each breath spent not killing is a breath wasted.
"Allied pilots, Pilot 7-020 of NERV transmitting. Kaiju provisionally unnamed, personally noted as 'Kaiju A'." The one Liam mentioned when he talked to Anita and Eight about what happened at Sheryl's concert. The young cyborg's Ichinana reaches back, fumbling a little before it pulls its shield free. Controlling the fingers is something Liam knows, but hasn't had to do, much less in this format, for months. "Kaiju A last sighted at Sheryl Nome concert in Tsutusujidai. Controls or generates fog for concealment, primary armaments consist of tentacles. Poorly-armored ambush predator. Deployment against hardened force suggests poor strategy or undemonstrated capabilities. Be careful."
And then, as if it's calling his bluff, Gonglee hits back. The wave of force slams dead-on into the shield, knocking Liam's Ichinana off its feet. The machine traces out a low arc before landing on its back with a hideous crunch of metal on tarmac. A grinding screech splits the air as it skids a dozen or so yards. In the cockpit, Liam's sees scrambled displays and falling power readouts, and his eyes widen. "Allied p--" he transmits. "--dvised, --aiju fielded at Pto-- --electromagnetic drain and discharge."
At the same time, the Ichinana rights itself, sparks crackling along its frame. Its scrander is still intact, which is a testament to the engineering team's talent, but the armor all along its rear is stripped and bent. It's still got its shield, too. Liam thumbs on a switch, and the machine's jets--battered, but functional--ignite behind it. The Ichinana rockets forwards, going from zero to 'excessive ramming speed' at what should be pilot-disabling acceleration. It's not a move to make lightly.
Liam's Ichinana only wavers a little--due to residual electronic interference--as it tries to slam into Gonglee, shield-first!
KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Jana Cektru's Ichinana MG Full Barrage, taking 3450 damage! KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana Shield Bash! KTS: Alexis Kerib blocks Liam 7-020's Ichinana Shield Bash, taking 1260 damage! KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Alexis Kerib <Pose Tracker> Tetsuya Tsurugi has posed.
The behavior of this kaiju-- not <ki>kaiju, Tetsuya has to remind himself-- is... odd. Unusual, even. Why is it so focused on Shiro's Ichinana? Tetsuya stoically reciprocates Koji's knuckle-bumping gesture, but his eyes are on the strange beast and its frankly somewhat... fiendishly hyperfocused assault.
Did someone put a hit out on Shiro's head...? It's not like criminal organizations aren't wont to use kaiju to do their dirty work, but why? The boy's about as stubbornly upright as his blood-and-not-blood brothers. Tetsuya's unease settles like a stone in the pit of his stomach, but if it's doing anything to disrupt his battlefield focus...
Well, it's not really showing just yet.
A wave of force pushes Great Mazinger back, the giant's dark limbs crossed protectively across its face and torso. When the blastwave clears, the armor is scorched and scalded, but from the gap between the arms, a pair of golden eyes blaze with wrathful light. "Hmph. it doesn't seem to appreciate me being in close quarters. Too bad."
Great Mazinger's wings spread wide, its thrusters scream as it surges across the ground. "For it! SCRAMBLE DASH!" Ordinary human beings wouldn't be able to tolerate going from zero to near-mach at the drop of a hat, but Tetsuya Tsurugi is not an ordinary human being. He may not be a Newtype, but nothing about the man is 'normal.' The fact that he can retain consciousness as he goes to charge bodily into Gonglee, using his own machine's wings as oversized blades, is testament to that.
KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi targets Alexis Kerib with Scramble Cutter! <Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.
'Seven O-Twenty? Is that York's brother?' Roux, inevitably, thinks when Liam broadcasts his own identifier outwards. But the main contagion, if one can be said, is that Sayla Mass is taking it as seriously as a heart attack. Roux's grasp on the control sticks tightens.
NOW she can see it - despite the fog and the gloom (which is vaguely unsettling in its own right, a major contributor to why she did not just pop caps) - and others vectoring in. Roux clicks off the safeties on the Ichinana machine gun and raises it up for sighting.
Maybe they're going to pulp whatever this is, Roux thinks. Anticlimax, but then I can still go get dinner -- the good news is Shiro speaking. Roux exhales, sighting in and--
An electrified tentacle sweeps forwards and the Ichinana, to its debit in the accounting books of the sky, is not so swift and agile as to leap away from Roux's light motion on the controls. It strikes the side of the machine and knocks the entire thing over with an enormous KTANG! that is accented by the thin high noise of Roux Louka screaming!!
With grim effort, she pulls herself together. The hurling is undone, partially, with a roll to lay upon the belly - Roux, looking up, sees a novel perspective. A perspective on the undulating thing that has a squamous, disgusting air she does not like in the slightest; not helped by the tingling in her arm that had gotten a tiny fraction of that current.
Her eyes narrow. "This is private property, you horrible-- ugh!!" The reticules backing up the iron sights on the weapon lock in. "Go to hell!" And THIS is when Roux pulls the trigger, sending a magazine-emptying barrage of fire that keeps a relatively central-mass fire zone even as the Ichinana hefts itself back upright.
"..... This thing was attacking Sheryl Nome?!" Roux says in vivid horror as Liam's update trickles through. This is when she pops in one of the spare magazines.
KTS: Roux Louka has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has disengaged. <Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
There's a lot of voices coming in - some of them Anita recognizes, through familiarity or by reputation. Honestly, if this many people were going to show up to help, then maybe she would've been just fine ignoring it...
...No, that isn't good logic to use. What would she have done if she decided to ignore it and no one else had shown up?
"Everyone alright?" Anita asks. Her attention turns to the kaiju, then, 'hm'ing to herself as the Rust Squall is dispersed by an electrical barrier and tapping her fingers against the controls. "So this is 'Kaiju A'. Thanks... 7-020. Looks like this one's got a barrier of some kind."
...She doesn't like calling him 7-020 rather than Liam, but if he insists on using the number in a combat situation then she won't go against that.
And then, the kaiju retaliates - one of the tentacles lashes out for her Ichinana, crackling with electricity. That's new. In response, Anita ascends, her Ichinana flying upward with a spin. The electrified tentacle just narrowly misses. From above Anita takes aim, unleashing a burst of machine gun fire in response.
From above, she gets a good view of the situation, and as a result she is able to observe the pilot of the downed custom Ichinana abandons the machine and makes for a break for it. Anita waits for him to pass under her before descending, interposing her machine between Gonglee and the fleeing Shiro. She takes aim at the kaiju, ready to fire if it tries to go after him.
KTS: Roux Louka targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana MG Full Barrage! KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana MG Burst! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Tetsuya Tsurugi's Scramble Cutter, taking 3780 damage! KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi has engaged Alexis Kerib KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Roux Louka's Ichinana MG Full Barrage, taking 3450 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Anita Rosetta's Ichinana MG Burst, taking 3540 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
The call of Shiro being okay- and retreating, let's Sayla breath a bit. That just left the Kaiju to deal with. "Thank goodness." There's an obvious sigh of relief, as she readies and-
And then Liam confirms it, and at the same time, Gonglee grabs Sayla's Wildschwein and pulls it in roughly as she is bounced around the cockpit- a dress and a light jacket ARE NOT proper piloting gear. Gh. She forgot what it was like to sortie without permission and unprepared. Maybe it was a bit of a thrill at the time, but not her priority thought. She can hear the Wildschwein's armour buckling.
"...Back off!" She yells, activating the photon emitters on the Circle Zanber, which starts spinning like a buzzsaw, slicing at the tentacles and trying to get them to let her loose. The high pitched buzzing and blue sparks of Photon Energy attempt to slice through. She has to hope it's enough.
KTS: Sayla Mass targets Alexis Kerib with Circle Zanber Precision Slice! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Sayla Mass's Circle Zanber Precision Slice, taking 4185 damage! KTS: Sayla Mass has engaged Alexis Kerib
<Pose Tracker> Haruki Natsukawa has posed.
Haruki's Ichinana is predictably pushed back, and the pilot scrambles with the controls inside the cockpit to get the machine to stop, eventually finding the appropriate lever to pull which causes the mechanical giant to break in midair in an extremely harsh manner. Thankfully, the seatbelt works wonders in keeping him from flying out, even if it nearly knocks the wind out of him, but he doesn't have time to catch his breath. He needs to help push the kaiju back.
Mentally flipping through his unit's loadout, Haruki eventually remembers that this thing has an assault rifle. Or something like it, anyway.
"Alright! Preparing to fire! Watch out!"
Flying back and circling around the Gonglee as best it can, Haruki's machine unholsters the machine gun from its hardpoint. He braces the weapon with both hands and takes aim at the kaiju, giant robot fingers pulling on the trigger as it launches multiple bursts of suppressing fire at it.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana MG Burst! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Haruki Natsukawa's Ichinana MG Burst, taking 3240 damage! <Pose Tracker> Alexis Kerib has posed.
Photon Power rips through Gonglee (...Generonglee?) and gets it right in the fleshiest middle section; Jana's Ichinana switches back to solid-state ammunition and a solid slice of it finds purchase, too.
There's actually... a *lot* of bullets, come to think; people seem to really enjoy that Ichinana machine gun! Some of it pings off of the purple 'armor' along the edges, but just as much hits that silvery midsection; it seems a little starved for power, or maybe just in need of a quick breather, because it doesn't have that barrier up nearly as often.
It does bring it up to briefly defend against Liam's shield bash -- but it can only do that briefly, this time, letting out a high-pitched screech as it's knocked around a bit. That screech pitches higher, angrier as Sayla carves into those tentacles; a few get left with nasty slashes, and ultimately evaporate. Gonglee (... yeah, Generonglee) can protect itself -- but not forever. (... There's something familiar about the strangled noise it makes -- at least for Sayla. Nailing down what that familiarity is might take time, though.)
By the time the (extremely coordinated!) barrage of bullets is over, Generonglee (we're going for it!) is left with no small number of pits and rips in itself; the interior is mostly hollow darkness... though wires of red, yellow, blue, and green slice through and protrude from some of its wounds, fraying where the attacks have left them ripped.
"... A pity the young man is retreating... I could have pushed things along so much faster," that shadow laments from its perch. "I suppose there's no need to rush, though; this world's defenders have plenty of time to work their way around to a conclusion."
Anita's Ichinana and the Mazins, this time, get the meat of Gonglee's attention. The two thickest tentacles reappear, both crackling with electricity, and one each heads for the Mazins; Anita, meanwhile, receives an un-electrified tentacle that tries to crush her machine starting at the shoulder.
The rest of the defenders have to deal with something else entirely: the fog. While it was already fairly thick, now it's like a soup; sensors start to flicker and fail in response to it, as if it were chaff, random heat bursts -- something for *every* sensor suite. Even a Newtype's sixth sense of the malice on display would feel a little fuzzy and indistinct, here.
For some, this is *all* they get; for Jana and Liam, though -- two smaller tentacles pierce the mist, carrying an electric payload.
KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Anita Rosetta with Tentacle Crush! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Koji Kabuto with Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Tetsuya Tsurugi with Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Liam 7-020 with Power of Mecha Trembulor Precision Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Jana Cektru with Power of Mecha Trembulor Precision Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Sayla Mass with Jam! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Haruki Natsukawa with Jam! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Roux Louka with Jam! KTS: Alexis Kerib jams Haruki Natsukawa's sensors, reducing his accuracy. KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Anita Rosetta, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Anita Rosetta fails to evade Alexis Kerib's Tentacle Crush, taking 6600 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Anita Rosetta KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi blocks Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge, taking 5301 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Tetsuya Tsurugi KTS: Jana Cektru rushes into the attack! KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Jana Cektru, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Alexis Kerib rattles Jana Cektru, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Jana Cektru fails to react to Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Precision Discharge, taking 4185 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Jana Cektru KTS: Alexis Kerib jams Sayla Mass's sensors, reducing her accuracy. KTS: Koji Kabuto fails to evade Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge, taking 5301 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Koji Kabuto KTS: Alexis Kerib jams Roux Louka's sensors, reducing her accuracy.
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"Graaaaaaaaahhh!!" Electrical energy surges through Mazinger and Koji grits his teeth as the consoles in the Hover Pilder spark. Fortunately, he's wearing a new suit. It resembles his old suit but it's a new weave with new armouring on the arms and legs, and very importantly, it's properly insulated, so he is able to reach over and flick a few more switches on the console. "Hey, Tetsuya, it's free energy. Redirecting surplus power to the chest array. Let's give our guests a proper cookout, huh?" It won't be fully charged yet, but the winglike emblem of Mazinger Z is beginning to glow a fearsome red.
Meanwhile, charged particles begin to seep from the Mazin's face grille. "Let's see if we can't blow them away! RUST HURRICAAAANNE!"
A wind of photonic particles surges forth, battering the kaiju, dissolving armour and stripping flesh from... a wire endoskeleton? Weird. More importantly, the kaiju will be forced back by this, allowing the defenders to properly reposition for the counterattack.
KTS: Koji Kabuto targets Alexis Kerib with Rust Hurricane! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Koji Kabuto's Rust Hurricane, taking 3525 damage! KTS: Koji Kabuto repulses Alexis Kerib, forcing him to disengage. KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has disengaged. KTS: Liam 7-020 fails to rush. KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Liam 7-020, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Alexis Kerib rattles Liam 7-020, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Liam 7-020 fails to react to Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Precision Discharge, taking 4185 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Liam 7-020 <Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
A tentacle rushes towards Anita's Ichinana. Her first instinct is to get out of the way and she does so, halfway - but then she remembers that she's blocking for someone! If she moves, she runs the risk of putting him in danger. So she doesn't move - instead, bracing her machine for the attack. The tentacle strikes, caving in the Ichinana's right shoulder and sending the machine crashing to the ground.
Anita grunts at the force of the impact. It's not pleasant... but she's pretty tough, at least. She can handle it.
"...Good thing these things are built sturdy." Anita notes. As casual as she sounds, she knows this damage puts her at a bit of a disadvantage... but, it's fine as long as Shiro was able to get out safely. If it causes any problems for her, she'll deal with them as they come.
Unfortunately, there's another complication - the fog. She's close enough now that she can see Gonglee - sorry, Generonglee - just fine, but it can only get worse from here.
"If you wanted to get close, all's you had to do was ask... I've got a present for you." Anita says, making some adjustments to the machine gun. It's a little difficult with the Ichinana's damaged shoulder. For the sake of the others, she warns, "Grenade, coming in hot."
She takes aim and fires, launching the grenade right for the kaiju!
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana MG Grenade! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Anita Rosetta's Ichinana MG Grenade, taking 4080 damage! <Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
"I am all right," Dr. Cektru confirms for Anita. "My machine is still in functional status."
That may or may not remain the case though at this rate; she finds that the fog disrupts all her sensors and gives her a headache to boot. Her sense of where the malice is fades; her sense of where the things around her are is hurt. And this means that when the electrified tentacle suddenly shoots out of nowhere, it hits hard, battering through her systems and giving her a sudden feeling of dread that feels altogether unnatural.
"What... is this monster?" she wonders, over the comms.
But she can't allow it to rampage, or herself to get out of control. So she eushes in, and lifts the Ichinana's hand again, bringing its arms perpendicular and letting the side of its hand shine--before starting to emit a series of bright blue beams, one after another, crashing towards the monster!
KTS: Jana Cektru has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Liam 7-020 KTS: Jana Cektru targets Alexis Kerib with Rapid Emerium Beam! <Pose Tracker> Tetsuya Tsurugi has posed.
"What--" A tentacle wraps around Great Mazinger's cranium. This is, as the kids might call it, something of a sticky wicket. Normally when things grab a Mazinger's skull, it's because they're trying to yank out the pilder unit and do terrible and unspeakable things to both pilot and machine once separated. This time, Tetsuya does not need to worry about that specific dark fate.
Instead, he has to worry about several thousand megawatts of power being blasted through Great Mazinger's skull. Tetsuya grits his teeth to keep from biting his tongue as the convulsive shock courses through Great Mazinger's body. Electricity scorches across his controls, the air charges with enough ions that electricity arcs between his molars, sizzling across old (super alloy Z) fillings as the cockpit fills with the faint scent of cooking meat, but...
Like Koji's, Tetsuya's rubber suit is... Uh... Rubber, in large portion. His body is protected, even though Great Mazinger's circuits are not so lucky. But Tetsuya also has a distinct advantage over his adoptive brother by comparison.
...After all, Genergonglee is not the only thing on this battlefield capable of weaponizing electricity.
"Is that how you want to play it?" Tetsuya growls, grabbing hold of his electrified control, somehow muscling through the convulsions that would normally paralyze his arms. With a roar, he bids Great Mazinger to grab hold of Genergonglee's tendril with one hand as the other...
...Lifts a finger to the sky...!
"Very well! We are the ones who stand in the full light of heaven! You, monster whic dwells at the gates of hell, behold!" A thin spark of electricity shoots up into the surrounding haze, even as Koji's rust hurricane stirs the sky into a tremendous, whirling storm. "Come forth, lightning! THUNDER--"
Lightning...
Blasts down out of the sky, directly into the horns at either side of Great Mazinger's head. Horns that have, incidentally, been absorbing portions of Genergonglee's own lightning this entire time. "--BREAAAAAAAK!" With a clap of deafening force, Tetsuya levels his free hand's index finger at Gonglee's core. That same lightning pours backwards through the tendril, lashing across to Great Mazinger's finger, and then goes to slam directly into the Kaiju's main body...!
But in the end... which of these two is made of more lightning...?
KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi targets Alexis Kerib with Thunder Break! <Pose Tracker> Haruki Natsukawa has posed.
The more they push back, the more the kaiju does too. This really is an uphill battle, but so long as everyone keeps pushing, they should be able to keep it under control until Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger come up with something. They will come up with something, right? They always did when he was a kid, so there's no reason to believe they won't. Again, just need to buy time...
As he reloads the Ichinana's gun, the fog that was already present grows thicker. There's a small part of Haruki that considers this fair, given the amount of lead that was fired at the kaiju, but he still lets out an audible groan as he mumbles to himself about unfairness.
Just complaining gets one nowhere though, and he's quick to think of a way to fight through reduced visibility. It's a very simple solution too... And the more he thinks about it, really dumb. So he's not going to think about it!
"Grenade! Avoid flying upwards for too long!"
Haruki shouts out another warning to the group as he grabs hold and unpins one of the grenades mounted on the Ichinana, before blindly throwing it upwards to where he thinks Gonglee's head might be. So long as he isn't too far off, it should hit. SHOULD being the keyword.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Haruki Natsukawa targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana MG Grenade! <Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.
AMMO LOCK IN. (Huh, Roux thinks as the ammo meter fills with little bullet icons. I kind of like that. I bet Judau would like that too.) By the time she looks back up:
"Miss Mass! Don't stay too close!" The foot pedals get worked as Roux executes a tactical maneuver, which is what you call it when you move at an angle while holding a shield and/or gun. "Those damn tentacles--!!"
It's certainly not looking good, although, Roux thinks, what the hell is it even made of? Her eyes narrow. The fog, though, begins to thicken. Dimness. Darkness. She moves closer but everything seems to be getting foggier. For a moment, she wonders if this is a sign that she got a concussion, but--
She is closer than she wants to be. For a moment Roux teeters on the moment of decision-- should I close to melee range? Without a beam saber?? Impossible. Ridiculous. But at this level of density, if I pull back - wait.
Her eyes flick towards a button. A thumb button.
Roux mashes it three times, sending three underslung grenade-shells from the Ichinana even as Koji unleashes the withering Hurricane. Bounce, sling, THOOM-THOOM-THOOM-- The skin, the hair on her bare arms tenses upwards.
And a moment later - "Kyah!" - THUNDER BREAK erupts downwards, the immense light of that flash shining through the fog. With painful brightness!
"I don't have any idea, but from reports it attacked a Sheryl Nome concert," Roux answers Jena, in tones of undue dudgeon - perhaps fandom. "From how it's behaving, I'm guessing it hides itself in the fog and then strikes with its tentacles. But it's no - match - no, no," Roux trails off, "no I'm not going to jinx it."
KTS: Roux Louka targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana MG Grenade! KTS: Alexis Kerib blocks Jana Cektru's Rapid Emerium Beam, taking 1350 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Tetsuya Tsurugi's Thunder Break, taking 5673 damage! KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable. KTS: Alexis Kerib blocks Haruki Natsukawa's Ichinana MG Grenade, taking 2940 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Roux Louka's Ichinana MG Grenade, taking 3150 damage! <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
"Affirmative, Anita," Liam transmits, as the radio's ECM hardening finally decides to do its work. More likely, the energies playing haywire with it died down to the point where it could. "Affirmative, Unidentified Pilot." That would be Roux." Target displays morphology of Kaiju A and EM drain and redirection of Ptolomaeus Kaiju."
Generonglee (sure, let's do it) takes a crushing hit, and keeps its footing. Liam's Ichinana jukes right, its shield scraping along the kaiju's energy barrier with a crackling hiss. "Target displays more robust physiology." And those wires... Liam looks at them for a long moment, lip between his teeth. They don't look like they're there to conduct anything--are they structural?
Generonglee doesn't give Liam the chance to ponder that further. That tentacle whips out, and the cyborg rushes forward to keep from losing the kaiju in the fog. The limber appendage wraps around the Ichinana's midsection, and lets loose with a violent electrical discharge. For a few moments, the machine is a black silhouette illuminated by sparks and pops of lightning. Smoke rises from its plating as the tentacle withdraws.
In the cockpit, Liam pulls the sticks back, eyes focused on flickering displays. "System short," he says, his voice going hollow. "A--attempting reset."
Helpless.
Shiro is safe.
Helpless.
It's then that Liam realizes what happened to the woman he's supposed to be helping. "--Doctor Cektru!"
'Grenade!'
Liam sees something arcing upwards. He doesn't know Haruki, but he recognizes an opportunity when one appears. He drives both sticks forwards and pulls a secondary trigger; the Ichinana lurches forwards, and a ferocious, metal-stripping wind blasts from a grating. It's not enough to clear the fog, but it might be enough to shove Generonglee around. Or hurt it. Or maybe redirect that grenade towards it.
Liam has had a very bad few weeks and part of him just wants to hit the kaiju until it's all mangled wires and broken clay(?!). Reality is not lining up with this wish so far.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Alexis Kerib with Rust Squall! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Liam 7-020's Rust Squall, taking 2480 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 27172
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
The Zanber pays off, and Sayla darts back using the Wildschwein's thrusters. As Roux moves to provide covering fire, Sayla nods. "Much obliged, Roux!" Yeah look it's quicker than using 'Miss Louka'. She lands, only to feel-
"This pressure...!" She can't make it out, but it's there, and somehow familiar and she hates it. But she'd need more time to narrow it down. But she needs to keep mobile. And she can hear them discussing it. Not that Sayla has much more information than anyone else. This is information she shouldn't have.
"I've got no more idea than you do." Sayla responds to Jana. "I think Roux has the right idea, but it's sturdy for an ambush predator." She starts sending power to the Mega Cannons, powering both at once. Let's see what this Chester Cascade can do...
"Banisher, firing!" She shouts, and the twin beams of green energy surge towards the Kaiju, hoping to put a serious hole in the monster, the huge power of the weapon unleashed in a sustained blast.
KTS: Sayla Mass targets Alexis Kerib with Mega Cannon Banisher! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Sayla Mass's Mega Cannon Banisher, taking 6175 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Alexis Kerib has posed.
Landing a few solid strikes with the electrical limbs seems to have gotten that barrier up and running again to at least some extent -- though not as much, perhaps, as the kaiju's handler might like. As the Rust Hurricane starts to blow away the fog (... and make those pits in the kaiju's exterior much worse), the kaiju gets rocked by a grenade shot! It staggers back, the 'eye' at the top of its fleshy silver-purple slit seeming to roll back a bit.
*Several* grenades pound Generonglee; while they don't instantly put it down, and it manages to put up a barrier to at least defend itself against the reflected, refracted power of a Giant of Light... it's starting to sag. It can keep going, but its claylike exterior and hollow, wire-filled interior seem to be falling apart.
Liam adds yet more wind and rust, which narrows the target profile of all those grenades; the orblike eye nearly *cracks* from the repeated blows, at this point.
Nothing is quite so brutally effective, however, as is Thunder Break; that finger points, and while Generonglee is designed to absorb energy, it's not *quite* Devadadan. Light and lightning rip through its body, and it spasms as it tries to deal with all of it at once.
... The Banishers on the Chester Cascade are a near-perfect match, though. They punch through the center, leaving a clean hole; it's not endgame -- but it's surprising that it *isn't*, given the sheer force on display.
Alexis realizes he's being observed -- or at least, that the gaping void he leaves in the wake of his passing is getting noticed. The flames at the back of his head flick, and he does his best to move away. Time for him to let this go, he thinks -- the damage has been done.
... well, not all of the damage. But the remainder needs time to come home to roost.
Perhaps it's Alexis's frustration at being observed that leads Sayla to receive the meat of Generonglee's attention, next. There's not a lot of subtlety or complexity to its attack; it just turns, deploys several of its tentacles, and begins beating. Haruki receives what might be called, generously, the 'off-hand' side of this beating, some of the tentacles whipping between him and Sayla at an even clip, back and forth, battering both.
As it weakens, Gonglee does its best to leave everyone with more than a little something to remember it by; everyone who doesn't get placed in that tentacle beatdown is treated to the remainder of the energy it was able to absorb and refine from Thunder Break. Burst after burst of electricity issues out from its body in all directions; for good measure, it trundles across the testing field, the remnants of its body shaking; it seems to be making sure everyone's close enough to eat at least a little agony at *some* point.
KTS: Alexis Kerib has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Alexis Kerib has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Sayla Mass with Tentacle Beatdown! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Haruki Natsukawa with Tentacle Crush! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Roux Louka with Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Koji Kabuto with Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Liam 7-020 with Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Tetsuya Tsurugi with Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Jana Cektru with Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge! KTS: Alexis Kerib targets Anita Rosetta with Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge! KTS: [Spirit Defense] Koji Kabuto's Divine Will activates, and his spirit endures. KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Koji Kabuto, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Koji Kabuto fails to evade Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge, taking 5301 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Koji Kabuto KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 98. KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Jana Cektru's Otherworldly Calm activates, and her spirit endures. KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Jana Cektru, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Jana Cektru blocks Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge, taking 5301 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Jana Cektru KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 134. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Liam 7-020's Catecholamine Regulation System activates, and his spirit endures. KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Liam 7-020, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Liam 7-020 blocks Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge, taking 5301 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Liam 7-020 KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 170. KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi blocks Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge, taking 5301 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Tetsuya Tsurugi KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 206. KTS: Haruki Natsukawa rushes into the attack! KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Haruki Natsukawa, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Haruki Natsukawa fails to react to Alexis Kerib's Tentacle Crush, taking 6600 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Haruki Natsukawa KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 242. KTS: Anita Rosetta fails to retreat. KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Anita Rosetta, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Anita Rosetta fails to react to Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge, taking 5301 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Anita Rosetta KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 278. KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Roux Louka blocks Alexis Kerib's Power of Mecha Trembulor Heavy Discharge, taking 5301 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Roux Louka KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 314. KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Alexis Kerib enervates Sayla Mass, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Sayla Mass fails to Evade Alexis Kerib's Tentacle Beatdown, taking 7800 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Hollow activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Shallow activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alexis Kerib's Superficial activates, causing Deject! KTS: Alexis Kerib has engaged Sayla Mass KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 350. KTS: Koji Kabuto has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Koji Kabuto has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Koji Kabuto has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Koji Kabuto has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Roux Louka has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Haruki Natsukawa KTS: Haruki Natsukawa has activated the Trick Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
More electricity. More flashing red warning lights in the cockpit, but Koji endures, gritting his teeth as Z staggers, tapping buttons and flicking switches to divert the energy surge more and more to the chest array.
"Tetsuya! Full power to the heat arrays!" He forces Mazinger Z to stand to its full height, the crest on its chest flaring with that crimson flame. "DOUBLE --"
The flame glows brighter, shading to orange.
"-- BURNING --"
Koji shunts even more power, pushing the capacity of the heat sink beyond standard limits for Breast Fire, the heat sink flaring to a crackling amber-white inferno. Mazinger Z brings both its arms above its head, plants its feet, and flexes, thrusting its chest - and the blazing array upon it - out!
"-- FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!!!"
A hellish inferno blazes forth, bathing Generonglee in terrible heat. It might be fashioned of clay, but it's cooking way, way too hot to withstand this assault for long!
Particularly since it's about to get hit again.
KTS: Koji Kabuto targets Alexis Kerib with Breast Fire!
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
That barrier may defend against Jana's attack, but she isn't down or out yet. She notices the orblike eye nearly cracking, and the Generonglee...
"It's slowing!" Jana calls to the others. "A little more, and we'll have defeated it!"
But Sayla has replied to her--and she considers that. "I'm inclined to agree, but I can't really get away!"
But Liam calls out to her, and it's a good thing, too, because she gets battered, hard; the heavy discharge shatters into her systems, pouring around the mecha and wreathing it in lightning. Jana grits her teeth, and she feels that otherworldy pressure again--
"I am all right, Liam. Thank you! Together, we will destroy this creature. I know that you have the skill to make that happen--and I believe in your ability!"
She wills her presence towards him with her words, broadcasting reassurance that could easily be missed as just part of the broadcast of her radio. But it is more.
And then she recovers herself, the Ichinana marked by the Tector Gear raising its hands into an L-shape, left arm upright, right arm bent. Energy gathers through the armor plating on its shoulders and chest, glowing deep blue--
And then from the side of the Ichinana's arm comes a powerful beam! "Deploying... WIDE SHOT!!"
...It might look familiar to some people, for some reason. But it's blue, and it's a stream of energy that continues to crash outward.
KTS: Jana Cektru has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Liam 7-020 KTS: Jana Cektru targets Alexis Kerib with Wide Shot! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Jana Cektru's Wide Shot, taking 4350 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 16647 KTS: Jana Cektru roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Koji Kabuto's Breast Fire, taking 6400 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 10247 <Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.
"Oh my god! It has holes in it and it's still going?! Is it like that horrible hexagon thing?!" Roux says, vaguely remembering news reports of the big blue Angel thingy. She decides to express her appreciation for this by firing the remaining rounds in the clip at the Generonglee(?)'s center mass --
The thought-flow of center-mass trickles in odd directions, making her look towards Sayla's machine. And this is when the kaiju's death-rage truly kicks in. The first wave of electrical force that reaches her hits the Ichinana's weapon first -- crackling with force, the grenade ammo hopper suddenly explodes as instability triggers the loaded round! Roux swings the arm to throw the thing away before it can burst harder--
Which means the Ichinana takes one square on the breadbasket. Staggering back, Roux screams as there's another crackle that washes through the cockpit, however buffered, and she gasps -- forcing the shield-arm round to absorb, with a huge melting arc, another wave --
And several realizations pass through her, like a veil lifting.
One: This is what the Earthnoid pilots were all dealing with! This is what's behind their style! Even the ZZ's not like this. This weight and heft -- I understand it now!
Two: Suddenly being slammed forwards, almost hitting the windscreen of the Ichinana's cockpit with her cheek and getting partially thrown onto the dashboard, one leg splayed up -
And three: I'm... angry? Not afraid? Huh.
The kaiju is still stomping forwards. Eyes narrowing, Roux calls to Haruki: "Hey! Grenade guy! Cover me," even as she crawls back into the control seat, throwing her hair back and glowering with her head slightly tilted back.
"You," Roux informs the kaiju, "suck completely! You're ruining a beautiful evening, and all you've done is sow destruction! Earth is too precious to have garbage like you standing on it!"
The Ichinana stomps the ground, crouching slightly. The arms wrap forwards. The cockpit interior heats further (the very first electroshock completely fried the AC module as it was) as something ELSE begins to convert stored photon power into something else entirely. "Breast....."
A sudden lurch back. OH NO IT'S NOT. With a crackle and snap of strained electronics, Roux shouts, "F I R E !" as another incinerating ray arcs at the kaiju!
KTS: Roux Louka has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Roux Louka targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana Full Volley! KTS: Alexis Kerib successfully avoids Roux Louka's Ichinana Full Volley
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla's Wildschwein, frankly, eats shit as it's left leg is crushed, broken and sent flying under the battering her PT takes, as she's forced to a knee and as to support herself with a single arm as the barrage continues, rattling in her cockpit with no effort. That's gonna be bruised ribs, some bumps to the head and... yeah, a nasty bite on her tongue which will be leaving a metallic taste in her mouth for the rest of the fight. It will hurt, but it's bearable.
There's another crunch of the right arm as rthe elbow joint dents inwards, and locks at an awful angle. The thigh of the Wildschwein might as well be digging into the ground, but she's up enough to aim.
"...I can't fire the banisher, but I can still get a blast out of the megalasers," Sayla mutters to herself, routing power. The Wildschwein is basically totaled anyway, what's a little risk of burning out the reactor between friends. Roux let's out a speech and Sayla... smiles. She sounds like she's quoting something right out of Persimmon.
She can hear Koji shouting again, like he did when he was a teen. And the feeling in those words pick up to her other senses. She smirks a little. It explains a lot too. "Growing up but not growing out of it, huh Koji?" She mutters to herself, before quietly swearing as just a little bit of blood dribbles out of her mouth on onto her dress. Tsk. Still. "...I wonder if this is why Amuro went back." She's not broadcasting, but melancholy and envy radiate a little.
"Mega Lasers, Firing!" She shouts, letting noff another green blast from the twin cannons, this one less sustained, more rapid. The Wildschwein's reactor rumbles under the strain, but it's still going. For now.
KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Sayla Mass targets Alexis Kerib with Mega Lasers! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Sayla Mass's Mega Lasers, taking 3849 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Tetsuya Tsurugi has posed.
There's nothing quite so satisfying as landing a solid Thunder Break. Of all the weapons in Great Mazinger's arsenal, that one in particular has become both iconic of the majin, and a favorite of its pilot. But in spite of it all, all the damage pouring in from the heroic actions of a nearly-full squad of Ichinanas, the devastating onslaught pouring out of the Chester Cascade, and the might of not one but two Majins, the Generonglee still stands, still struggles, still manages to unleash another blast of that deadly electricity. This time, some of it is Great's own, but that much was anticipated. Shocks and pops sizzle and burn across the Majin's controls, its electrically resistant circuits being pushed to their absolute limits by currents surging for far longer than they were designed to handle.
But all of that heat has one key benefit.
"You read my mind, Koji!" Tetsuya answers, turning a big red dial all the way up to its maximum. Panel by panel, Great Mazinger's own primary thermal radiator-- its iconic chest fin-- begins to glow with mountain-melting heat. In perfect sync with Koji, Tetsuya roars, "DOUBLE--"
Great releases Gonglee's tendril, tearing it away from its face as its chest-fin fully activates, the double-majin's collective heat purging what's left of the scattered fog.
"-- BURNING --"
Great Mazinger's own chest-mounted weapon is actually slightly less powerful in terms of pure wattage than Mazinger Z's-- slightly. The soaring Majin sacrificed some surface area on that fin in exchange for the durability required to survive its Great Boomerang maneuver, and for the sake of aerodynamics. But the difference is not so extreme that they aren't comparable-- and Great's does actually push slightly higher temperatures in exchange. But that's all pedantic detail. The important thing is that the chest fin is glowing with a tremendous, world-scourging light. Great Mazinger steadies itself and turns its torso toward the Kaiju, arms thrust out and down at either side. With a roar, the Majin's torso-fin flashes one last time...!
"-- FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!!!"
A calamitous blaze erupts from Great Mazinger's chest, joining Mazinger Z's own thermal onslaught in perfect and devastating harmony. As the two blasts race towards Generonglee, the ground melts in their wake, leaving roiling waves of magma to cool and glass in their passage.
This classic combination... is the power of the twin Majins!
KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi targets Alexis Kerib with Breast Burn! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Tetsuya Tsurugi's Breast Burn, taking 6600 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Tetsuya Tsurugi's For My Child's Future! activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Alexis Kerib has been defeated! KTS: Tetsuya Tsurugi roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable.
<Pose Tracker> Haruki Natsukawa has posed.
Trying to push through the tentacle onslaught, Haruki ultimately fumbles when one of the tentacles manages to clip his Ichinana's wing, leading to the follow up limbs easily finding their mark as the pummel the unit before it eventually crash lands loudly on the ground, creating a distressing sound that's comparable to someone dropping a bag of nuts and spanners on to the ground.
This is it. This would be the part where he calls forth Z to help, especially since his machine is on its last leg. And yet, they're all so close, and everyone is trying really hard, it'd feel a bit disrespectful to 'give up' on his ride... That's right, he can't give up on the Ichinana just yet. It might not be his machine, but it has gotten him this far, it's only fair he carries it over the finish line.
Fighting his way through the various airbags that now surround him, Haruki one more grabs hold of the controls, forcing the battered robot back up on its feet. With the scrander broken, the only means of propulsion his Ichinana has is its legs, something that's taken full advantage of as it bursts into a full on sprint.
"Argh! Don't underestimate the Ichinana or the pilots here, you jerk!"
The Ichinana unpins and throws a couple of grenades at the Gonglee to help soften it up as it continues running forward, only losing some speed as it bends over to pick up a discarded machine gun which it promptly starts firing blindly, only stopping to throw the gun away once it's emptied.
"Kay! This is it, Breast Fire! Now I'm leaving it up to you, Mazinger Z-san and Great Mazinger-san!"
The Ichinana digs its feet into the ground as it grinds itself to a sudden halt, its arms now flexing to the side as it puffs its chest out to release a searing beam of red.
KTS: Haruki Natsukawa targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana Full Volley! Incoming attacks: KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Haruki Natsukawa's Ichinana Full Volley, taking 4130 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib has been defeated!
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Electricity roils outward from Generonglee. Anita's Ichinana is still fairly close. Her machine soaks it in, electricity flowing through its systems. Anita winces. It's insulated from her pretty well, but she can feel the machine lock up a little... But, it's still standing in the end, and that's the important thing. Anita retreats backwards, taking aim and unleashing a hail of machine gun fire into Generonglee! She doesn't stop firing until the gun begins to overheat... but this heat is redirected to the Ichinana's chest array, which is beginning to glow red hot.
Anita draws out a grenade and hurls it at the kaiju - but this is only a distraction, to set up what comes next as she takes aim.
"Breast Fire~." Anita recites, entirely too casually. ...She might be way too laid back for this kind of thing. But, it does the ticket - it's hardly a match for the might and teamwork displayed by Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger, but the powerful beam that erupts out from the Ichinana is not to be underestimated.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana Full Volley! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Anita Rosetta's Ichinana Full Volley, taking 4430 damage! KTS: Alexis Kerib has been defeated! <Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
It's weakening. Good. Liam's lips pull back from his teeth as Sayla's Wildschwein puts a hole clean through Gonglee's midsection. The Ichinana takes a step forward, its left arm thrusting the shield forward while the right one pulls back for a punch. Two bolts of lightning sear through the fog, and Liam is prepared to meet them--
Except he's not, completely. The shield is not adequately insulated against an electrical discharge of this magnitude. Electricity courses through the Ichinana's frame; a series of ominous pop-pop-pops echo through the cockpit as it blows out the surge protectors, one by one. The robot jerks violently, like a puppet on twisted strings. Liam barely manages to keep it upright. By the time the blast reaches the cockpit, it's dulled enough that it doesn't kill Liam instantly. It shoots out of a display to his right, frying it, before leaping to him.
Liam screams into the open channel, raw and pained and feral. It trails off into sharp gasps. Smoke rises from his chest
Jana's talking to him, specifically. It cuts through the adrenaline surge, channels it, helps him focus it. The thought is so alien to him that it almost feels invasiv, at first--things will be okay, because he will help make them okay. He'll do more than survive, this time.
He'll win.
Liam glances to one of the three functional cameras, and sees the two Mazins striking a pose. The Ichinanas are joining in, one after the other. Liam's machine twitches once, but plants its feet firmly on the tarmac, balancing its weight. At Liam's command, it raises its arms above its head, and flexes.
"Breast Fire!" Liam's voice hitches in the middle. It's all hollow, concentrated intensity, with only the tiniest bit of heart.
But the Ichinana is still a Mazin. The burning heat that pours from the V on its chest is no less powerful than that of its fellow mass-produced machines. Liam holds down the button until he hears heat alarms, and only stops two seconds after that. Hopefully nothing burned out.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Alexis Kerib with Ichinana Full Volley! KTS: Alexis Kerib fails to react to Liam 7-020's Ichinana Full Volley, taking 7080 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at -15842 KTS: Alexis Kerib has been defeated!
<Pose Tracker> Alexis Kerib has posed.
The downside of going somewhere that everyone is going to have the same thing, in the Universal Century, is that their team choreography becomes unparalleled. Let's be honest: Parsing out whose Breast Fire takes out what part of Generonglee's body is a fool's errand, because there's *so much of it* and *all of it is ripping everything apart.* The Kaiju becomes intimately acquainted with what happens when you try to take the full magic of Photon Power on in the seat of its -- well -- power!
(Let's not forget our Ultra friends, of course; the Mega Lasers put out Gonglee's eye, and Wide Shot carves off half of its tentacles.)
Really, though, all of that belabors the point. There's so much going on -- so much raw, concentrated heat and energy -- that the kaiju seems to simply vanish. A few pieces of it slough off like clay at first, but for all practical purposes, the beast gets completely obliterated, one final screech marking its end.
There's something just a little desolate-feeling about it... a the kaiju's final cry seems almost lonely, for those whose understanding of the world tends toward layers beyond the physical.
Despite that, though: It's good work and a city well-defended. The testing field and surrounding consoles and trailers are ... in a bit of chaos, granted -- a few of them are just outright wrecked -- but the mood is positive, despite everything; the technicians (and Shiro!) are cheering the Mazin team (with bonus Wildschwein!) on, and their smiles are bright.
Still -- why here, and why now? Tsutsujidai's kaiju -- and those with similar composition -- have started popping up more and more places... what line connects Ptolemaeus Lunar Base to a contentious piece of Von Braun real estate, and in turn, now, to Fujinomiya? Who's pulling the strings here...?
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Scored, pitted and sparking, Mazinger Z slowly relaxes, returning to a vigilant position. Koji exhales again and wipes blood from the corner of his mouth. "Good work, everyone. Pilder off."
The bright yellow eyes dim as the little hovercraft pops free of Z's cranial socket, Koji deftly piloting it down to the testing field and finding a spot of flat ground to set down on. The propeller wings fold back up, and Koji pops the cockpit, pulling his helmet off and leaping out of the seat to rush over and hug Shiro, who easily reciprocates.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
The kaiju is soundly defeated. Anita's Ichinana stands still for a moment, almost as if rebooting. With a sigh, Anita leans back in her seat for a moment. ...She's going to be a little sore after getting thrown around like that, but... she can't help but smile a little at the cheering in the background. She knows it isn't for her, specifically, but it's nice to be appreciated. Seeing the reunion between Koji and Shiro is nice, too.
But then she frowns, thinking back.
"So... anyone else think that was weird?" Anita asks, as she lowers the Ichinana to the ground so she can disembark. "Why here? I mean... I'm glad it didn't, but there's a perfectly good city to terrorize not far from here."
Was it just a random kaiju attack...? Though, mentioning the city reminds her...
"...I hope those souvenirs are okay. I wonder if I can remember where I dropped 'em..." She considers to herself.
<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.
The Ichinana containing Roux settles back afterwards, radiating steam.
Roux slumps back in the seat.
Which has now been thoroughly soaked with sweat.
"You want to know what's weird? I took a shower *twenty minutes ago* and this THING... Eghhh... hold on, can I open a window or something...?"
She looks towards where Koji is embracing Shiro, smiling to herself.
"Control, this is Roux Louka - uh, everything's online, I can support recovery, but, seriously, where is the window control. The ventilation died."
<Pose Tracker> Tetsuya Tsurugi has posed.
Technically speaking, this was less a double burning fire and more a... sextuple burning fire?? Octuple if you cound the extra beams? There are very few things on this planet that can survive that kind of power, and Generonglee is not one of them.
For a brief moment, this particular section of Japan lights up like an oversized thermonuclear furnace. Then the heat fades, and all that's left is glass and ash. Great Mazinger is battered, but not catastrophically so. It's been through worse, but likely only because of the pure amount of backup it and Mazinger Z benefited from today. If nothing else, near-tragedy though this may have been, this battle is probably going to move quite a few Ichinana purchases. Good news for the lab's bottom line.
"Koji, I'm going on ahead," Tetsuya calls over comms. "Shiro, I'm glad you're safe. Everyone... Well done, thank you all for coming to our aid today. Unfortunately I can't stay and chat." Great Mazinger's wings spread wide, its thrusters ignite as Tetsuya adds, "I'm technically on leave and my wife is expecting me at home. Until next time!"
Woosh! There goes Great Mazinger, sailing towards the Photon Power Labs in the distance for some much needed repairs. Until next time, indeed...!
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"Say hi to Jun for Shiro and I, Tetsuya!" Koji calls into his earpiece as Great Mazinger takes to the skies once more. "Roux, manual release for the canopy is the lever over your head."
He looks around at the assembled Ichinanas (and the Wildschwein Sayla brought out) and can't help a fond smile coming to his face. "Everyone, again, thank you so much for coming to our aid. You've helped save my little brother's life, and that's something we'll remember."
"As for whoever sent that kaiju..." An assassin-type is a weird thing to send. This doesn't feel like a random attack. "... If they wanted to make this personal, well. Mission accomplished."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
It's a rather unceremonious *drop* from her cockpit when Sayla hits the emergency release on the doors and lands, somewhat awkwardly, on all fours before standing up with a wince. "This was a lot easier on the White Base..." She mumbles, before moving forward a few steps to get clear. She looks over to Koji and Shiro and... smiles. The little reminders that sometimes people do make it out okay. With that she looks to medical- she's not badly hurt but some painkillers would be *wonderful* right now.
She looks up to Tetsuya, and cups her hands as though she'll be heard over Great's engines. "GIVE JUN MY BEST!" She shouts. She really needs to find time for a visit... Ugh.
"Miss Louka!" She shouts, up to Roux's sauna of an Ichinana. "Could I get a lift?" It's a long walk, okay!? And she's 33! That might as well be old age in the Universal Century.
As she does, her mind races. Why would a Tsutsujidai Kaiju target Shiro, of all people? He's a target, but to go to this effort implies a vendetta. Does Shiro even *have* enemies? Koji starts talking to everyone, and she looks up and smiles again. "I can't speak for anyone else, but the best way to thank me would be if you," her eyes fix on Shiro, an edge of mom voice in her tone, "don't try and get back in the cockpit until you're fully recovered." Her eyes flick to Koji. "Unlike *some* Mazin pilots I know." She looks around. "The 3rd clearly has some people they can call in to cover your recovery in a pinch." So many Ichinanas...
Something comes to mind. "...There's not going to be any classifications on this, is there? I need to let Leina know Shiro's alive and well enough, given the circumstances." And texting 'Shiro almost got eaten by a kaiju. -Sayla' is not going to get her in the younger Ashta's good books. Really it's a terrible way to someone something happened to their ex they still kinda care for.
Still, she's pulling out her phone. "I should send an all clear to the foundation, too..." She taps.
Koji's phone will buzz.
>There's some people you should meet. I'll arrange it. They might be able to help work out why this happened. -Sayla
<Pose Tracker> Haruki Natsukawa has posed.
The last cry of the Gonglee resonates with Haruki somewhat, its loneliness not being completely lost on him. He's not sure WHY or HOW, but it does cause him to pause and think. Kaijus are living things too, so it's only fair that they'd have needs and wants. Needs and wants they truthfully, never really delve into that much. So theoretically, if they did... Would they have had to fight today? Was violence the only option? Did they ultimately do the right thing?
It had to be, otherwise that worker would have died today, but still...
It's a lot of heavy things to think about all at once, but he's cut off from his introspective as the Ichinana he's in suddenly topples over, the actuator in its legs finally giving way from the sudden stress.
There's a sharp, pitiful yelp on the radio that thankfully cuts off as the machine faceplants onto the ground with negative grace.
"Ah... That's right... CAPTAIN HEBI-SAN IS GOING TO KILL MEEEEEEE! I'M GOING TO BE EATING INSTANT RAMEN AND PEANUT BUTTER FOR MONTHS! NOOOOOOOO!"
Haruki can only hope that if he prostrates himself before his boss, the dock on his pay will be merciful.
<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.
Roux pops open the canopy, releasing near-visible steam. She slouches backwards.
"THANK YOU," Roux tells Koji, with evident heartfelt meaning. He probably has gained a 'call Roux Louka to assist in an illegal mission' point. It's that relief.
The Ichinana steers forwards, step-by-step, to put a hand down to escort Sayla up to the cockpit. Roux is still in a T-shirt and underpants, which she steadfastly does not offer an explanation for: "You think Leina's that serious about Shiro...? That's good to let her know, though. If I found out someone I cared about had been in horrible danger like, three weeks later, I'd kill somebody."
<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.
Roux adds to the departing Haruki, "Try mixing them! My boyfriend ate that for nine months and he's fine!"
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Shiro takes Sayla's mom'ing with a casual grace. "Yeah, well, I think the medicss would kill me if I tried to do what this big lug does." He elbows Koji in newly-bruised ribs with a precision that indicates he's real good at picking up on where his older brother's injured, causing the older pilot to wince. "Right, come here, you - " Affectionate headlocking immediately follows, only to be interrupted by Koji's phone buzzing. He checks it, then looks to Sayla and nods once.
"... Judau's constitution is something else," he remarks dryly as Roux calls after one of the Ichinanas.
<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.
Is this what it's like to be a part of something bigger?
Liam's Ichinana has been through the wringer, but it's still got enough functioning actuators to do one last important thing. It raises its arm and brings its hand to its brow, saluting Great Mazinger as Tetsuya flies off to return to his family.
The chatter turns to less life-threatening matters. Liam sits perfectly still, breathing deeply as the adrenaline washes out. It leaves behind weakness, as it always does, but this time... this time, it's not all bad.
Liam's Ichinana limps back to the observation booth, and settles into a low crouch near the ladder. A moment later, Liam clambers out, favoring his left arm slightly but otherwise functional.
He looks across the tarmac at Koji and Shirou, and that little flare of warmth returns. He's still jealous, but... Koji's brother lived. That worker lived, too. That's something.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla is just as happy not to press, given the state of the cockpit. Pilot suits are sweaty things at the best of times, and if it's boil alive or at least be able to breathe, she knows what she'd pick.
"Oh, you didn't hear? The two of them dated for a few years." She's not super loud, she's not gonna poke Shiro there while he's injured. "It didn't work out but... Well, there's no bad blood there, at least." She smirks. "Still, it was sweet while it lasted. I have some photos somewhere..."
She hears Haruki's dismay, and blinks. "...These were damages caused during a mission, I didn't think they'd cut Bright's funding that much...."
Then a second. "Judau. Ate. What?" She pauses. "...Koji, get in touch with Boss and tell him to clear some stools. My treat for everyone who stuck around."
What an odd reaction to someone else's diet.
...Or Sayla just really wants some more of that Ramen and this is a less selfish excuse. Either or.
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Koji grins and starts texting Boss. He doesn't blame Sayla for making that call, the big man and his goons Nuke and Mucha make what's probably the best ramen in the entire Solar System. As rewards for heroic endeavours go, this certainly ranks highly among them!
<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.
"Hm, that's nice," Roux half-sighs at what Sayla says.
"I *was* about to get dinner anyway," Roux concurs, before adding in a quieter tone, "He made it once, on the fleet. It was horrible. But it was the kind of horrible I can see why someone would accept... and he did it all for Leina, anyway..."
"..."
"And probably because it gives you g" The scene abruptly shifts before Roux can finish the sentence.