2023-06-03: Nouvelle Tokyo: Triple Zero Flashpoint
- Cast: Gridman, Rei Ayanami, Kaworu Nagisa, Mari Makinami Illustrious, Asuka Shikinami Langley
- Where: Nouvelle Tokyo
- Date: U.C. 0097 06 03
- Summary: Three Evangelions and a Giant of Light deploy to try and save Nouvelle Tokyo from Triple Zero's encroaching corruption.
+------------------------------< Flashpoint 1.0 >------------------------------+ +--------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Exploration >---------------------+ | MANDATORY STAT: ARM | | TERRAIN: Ground | | ATTRIBUTES: Endurance | | BONUS STATS: nothing | +--------------------------< TITLE: Entry Elevator >---------------------------+ - The freight elevators for the Nouvelle Tokyo transit hub remains in service - - for the moment, though whether that will last is something of an open - - question. Triple Zero contamination gives everything an eerie orange light - - -- but the elevator, at least, still works. Getting this under control - - will be the job of NERV and the Brave Police -- but mitigating the harm to - - human life is where individual squads come into play. - - - - The elevator begins to bring the squad down slowly but surely. - - Unfortunately, 'slowly' is the operative word and already forces coopted - - by Triple Zero have begun to attack. These Labors are part of the security - - forces for the transit hub; a NERV decontamination squadron will be behind - - your group, but in the meanwhile, you'll have to fight them off and - - disable their Labors. It does take them time to regenerate if you /really/ - - tear them apart, you know. - +------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: 1 >-------------------------------+ +---------------------------------< .SRTMOO. >---------------------------------+
<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnoYveKzGbE
The Evangelions descend, standing close together upon the largest of the access elevators -- for the Evangelions are large machines. Perhaps Gridman can 'scale to match,' but Evangelions are always eighty meters, give or take a little bit based on stance. The cargo space is also laden with the decontamination team, and an extremely improvised truck which is currently cranking out maintenance power to the Evangelions.
Another truck, equally improvised, is carrying a row of battery packs. Temporary, transient things. Each one charged with myriawatts of power from the Japanese power grid -- and there are other such trucks parked upstairs! They were literally dealing with the weight limit at this point.
Rei Ayanami is seated, as is often the case, in Evangelion Unit-00. The machine stands steady, wielding a 440mm AR-type gun as its primary armament. Other ones may be able to come up when they're able to ferry down more trucks. Who knows. The real heroes are NERV's logistics agents.
Rei has been quiet, as is her wont. The operation is not an easy one. They do not deploy the Evangelions away from Tokyo-3 if the situation is easy.
Triple Zero.
A light of nihilism.
Death, that will not perish.
Imperishable. The enemy of life.
The enemy of all things.
Would the 10th Angel fight it?
"I hope that Ikari will be well," Rei comments quietly to her co-pilot, even as they reach low enough into the transit hub for several Labors, ominously luminous with the orange light of Triple Zero, to open fire!
The first volley comes from a relatively small labor, and puts some subtle dings on the layers of special restraint armor on Eva-00's leg. Rei blinks several times, and looks outwards. "... are they automatic?" Rei asks, raising the AR but not yet firing it.
It will be a matter of mere seconds before the lift reaches the bottom, and then, the way is clear.
FPT: Rei Ayanami has acted with Armor and Sight.
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
On Friday, May 26th, Alexis Kerib and several members of Oath Over Omega unleashed kaiju and the terrible light of the Dawn upon Nouvelle Tokyo. Though NERV and others deployed and managed to defeat said kaiju, the light of the Dawn did not fade. An announcement was made through NERV, and those who fell back for repairs soon redeployed to handle the matter.
One such group includes Rei and Kaworu in Unit-00, Gridman as himself, Asuka in Unit-02, and Mari in Unit-04. NERV's other Evangelion(s?) will be on standby for now and launched separately as needed--just in case an Angel decides to pick /right now/ to attack. It's a bit lonely to Kaworu, but... the decision was made by someone over his head.
For now, Gridman and the Evangelions ride down the largest of Nouvelle Tokyo's freight elevators with a considerable crew. Kaworu hums quietly in Unit-00's entry plug, eyes shut, floating next to Rei on the throne of her soul. He's not worried about Triple Zero contamination for them, or any of the Evangelions or their support; their A.T. Fields will protect them. All the same, this is a task that should be dealt with decisively.
Rei speaks then, and Kaworu's eyelashes drift apart. "I hope that as well," he murmurs. He raises his chin to take in the Labors as they approach, his mein almost impassive as he regards them.
"They are not. However, those seated within them have already been blinded by the light of Dawn, and so drink deep of its power. Even if we dismember them, they will survive," Kaworu states to her, but also transmitting this explanation to Gridman, Asuka, and Mari. He smiles over at Rei. "Though it would still be best to dismember only the Labors themselves."
He reaches down to rest his hand over Rei's on the controls of Unit-00, and gently squeezes down. The gunfire that follows is not direct, but will potentially help round the Labors together to make it easier for Gridman and Units 02 and 04 to disable them as they best see fit.
The lift is reaching their floor soon... Best to clear the way before they arrive.
FPT: Kaworu Nagisa has acted with Armor and Sight.
<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
Descending in the Elevator, Asuka kept her hands, tense upon the induction levers, the smell of blood a familiar and welcome one in the warm fluid embrace of their womb.
Today it's wielding an Electromagnetic Crossbow, ranged fights are always the preference with Oath over Omega.
"It's weird how these Oath over Omega losers act. Like. You'd think that this eldritch energy thing that wants to end all intelligence life would I don't know, give them the knowledge to go big!"
Asuka complains, on one of her tirades as they descend, talking about anyone that listens, "Not just fall into old patterns, like the Red Comet trying to drop another Asteroid, or 3G hitting up their old stomping grounds. Whatever! Can't they be the least bit you know, /creative/?"
As the Labors fire, Asuka's approach to them is simple. She fires right back, commenting on the warning about their regeneration capabilities, "What good is the fact that they can regenerate if I just pin them to the wall like a butterfly to a board!?"
And indeed, she tries to make good on that threat, as Unit-02's crossbow spits out large bolts to try and impale them, one by one by one.
There's something satisfying about watching them squirm ineffectually after.
FPT: Asuka Shikinami Langley has acted with Armor and Sight.
<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.
o/` "Happiness doesn't walk to me,
because I'm walking to it!" o/`
The situation is tense. Most things involving existential annihilation are. The operation is not an easy one. One need only look at all the emergency supplies that had to be rolled out or improvised simply to allow the Evangelions on-the-spot operational time.
o/` "One day, one step!
Three days, three steps!" o/`
But isn't a little joy in the face of oblivion exactly what you need, from time to time?
That seems to be the thought process of Mari Makinami Illustrious, at least, given the way she's currently filling the freight elevator she, Evangelion's destined Children, and their Hyper Agent Superfriend (plus more-than-superfriends for half of them?! gasp~!) with the sounds of a distressingly upbeat, positive song. Evangelion Unit-04, her precious partner in crime, is also not idle: as they wait to reach their destination, the silvery-white armored Evangelion is... doing warm-up stretches, or as best it can within the confined area. Squats, touching its toes, stretching its arms this way and that. Limbering up, for its big moment. As if to say:
o/` "Three steps forward -- two steps back!
This life's..." o/`
'Get pumped, everyone! It's time to save the day!'
The doors groan open.
"... a one-two punch." <3
Seated comfortably on the throne of her Eva, Mari's smile grows.
"Roger-roger, Tabby Cat. Yoho, you hive of scum and villainy~! Let's get busy!"
Unit-02 takes the ranged approach; and Unit-04? It -dives in-, Rapidborers snapping into place at its forearms as it keeps the Labors -away- from the others taking more cautious approaches, looking to churn through the mass with abandon.
"Just passing through! Sorry! Excusez-moi, mes cheris!"
... Polite abandon.
FPT: Mari Makinami Illustrious has acted with Armor and Mobility.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
Almost no time has passed since that last fight. Not really. Ennil, Sigma... People they cared about. They had to fight them again. They failed to save them, again. How many times--
Gridman, transformed into his Full-Powered version, rides with the Evangelions aboard the freight elevator. Normally, this would be fun and exciting. Any time with his partners is great, and wow, an elevator this big? Who knew!
But not today. Not after the Shuffle Alliance broadcast, announcing the capture of Leina, Alouette, Rikka, Akane...
Gridman hadn't even made it through the meeting. Max had to take him from the room when the young Hyper Agent began screaming out inane, pointless questions. Borr followed soon after, vanishing outside to keep their own company. It was on Vit and Calibur, then, to represent their comrades to the Shuffle Alliance.
And it's Vit and Calibur, now, who keep the team moving forward. Convincing Gridman the best thing they could do was try to save Nouvelle Tokyo from the spread of 000 was difficult, but they managed it.
The Neon Genesis Junior High students exist to support Gridman. All four of them rally around the Giant of Light, helping propel him forward. This is what everyone would expect of him.
"Right," Gridman eventually responded, with a broken, croaky voice.
Now, sitting next to Unit-00, he keeps quiet. It isn't until the Labors are revealed that Gridman moves, getting to his feet in one fluid motion, raising Calibur in both hands.
"Thanks, Kaworu." Gridman says, stepping forward. "It's good to know we don't have to be too careful."
Wading into the gunfire, Full-Power Gridman moves slowly. He doesn't particularly care about the damage he's taking. It's minimal. Really, what are they going to do? It's not like he can die like this. If nobody can die here, why bother holding back?
With a sweep of his sword, the Giant of Light aims to slash through the approaching mechs. There's no artistry in it, only violence. His one and only concession to his foes is that he aims away from the cockpit. Even the Labors Asuka pins to the wall are not spared -- Gridman slicing their arms cleanly off.
"It'll take them longer to come after us." He says, by way of explanation. Mari handles so many of the Labors. Gridman follows behind her into the swarm, hacking away at the enemies. "We can't leave any standing. They'll threaten the decontamination squadron."
He doesn't seem particularly upset by the continuing fight, quietly dispatching robot after robot.
FPT: Gridman has acted with Armor and Mobility. FPT: Rei Ayanami's Ability assists! FPT: Mari Makinami Illustrious's A.T. Field Ability assists! FPT: Gridman's Our S.O.S. Ability assists! FPT: Round Complete!
+------------------------------< Flashpoint 1.0 >------------------------------+ +--------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Exploration >---------------------+ | MANDATORY STAT: ARM | | TERRAIN: Ground | | ATTRIBUTES: Endurance | | BONUS STATS: MOB and RX | +--------------------------< TITLE: Entry Elevator >---------------------------+ - The freight elevators for the Nouvelle Tokyo transit hub remains in service - - for the moment, though whether that will last is something of an open - - question. Triple Zero contamination gives everything an eerie orange light - - -- but the elevator, at least, still works. Getting this under control - - will be the job of NERV and the Brave Police -- but mitigating the harm to - - human life is where individual squads come into play. - - - - The elevator begins to bring the squad down slowly but surely. - - Unfortunately, 'slowly' is the operative word and already forces coopted - - by Triple Zero have begun to attack. These Labors are part of the security - - forces for the transit hub; a NERV decontamination squadron will be behind - - your group, but in the meanwhile, you'll have to fight them off and - - disable their Labors. It does take them time to regenerate if you /really/ - - tear them apart, you know. - +------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: 1 >-------------------------------+ +--------------------------------< TENSION: 8 >--------------------------------+ | PILOT: Rei Ayanami | | STATS: ARM/SGT Charges Used: 0 Success | | PILOT: Kaworu Nagisa | | STATS: ARM/SGT Charges Used: 0 Failure | | PILOT: Mari Makinami Illustrious | | STATS: ARM/MOB Charges Used: 0 Failure | | PILOT: Asuka Shikinami Langley | | STATS: ARM/SGT Charges Used: 0 Success | | PILOT: Gridman | | STATS: ARM/MOB Charges Used: 0 Success | +-----------------------------< Round 1 Results >------------------------------+ +---------------------------------< .SRTMOO. >---------------------------------+
FPT: +flash/draw to start a new round! FPT: Rei Ayanami's party has drawn a new Challenge! FPT: Drawing Card 3 for Round 2.
+------------------------------< Flashpoint 1.0 >------------------------------+ +--------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Exploration >---------------------+ | MANDATORY STAT: SGT | | TERRAIN: Ground | | ATTRIBUTES: Coordinate and Disrupt | | BONUS STATS: MOB and WSP | +-----------------------< TITLE: Electromagnetic Burst >-----------------------+ - An electromagnetic burst issues from one of the rails on a passage your - - group is traveling through. It's enough to overpower sensor readings and - - damage gear; the damage is superficial, but the disorientation allows a - - significant detachment of Triple Zero-corrupted Labors through. The good - - news is, of course, that these -- unlike the ones that were outside -- - - /these/ are already-destroyed or in maintenance. The cockpit hatches hang - - loose and open like gaping maws, which does make them unsettling -- but - - also indicates a distinct lack of a pilot. While your group fights at a - - significant disadvantage thanks to the electromagnetic burst, it's also a - - much less delicate operation. - +------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: 2 >-------------------------------+ +---------------------------------< .SRTMOO. >---------------------------------+
<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.
Kaworu assures Rei that they have been blinded by 'the Light of Dawn' and so they will not die, even if they are killed. "Understood," she answers him as his hands come down to rest on her own and guide her. It's easier that way, somehow. It's always easier in Unit-00. The thoughts come fluidly, and even when she disdains them, they do not come with that same sort of revolt.
Rei glances towards the movements of the Full-Powered Gridman. She had not had time to do more than look towards Gridman, on the surface, and try to show a good face. Here, now, she is troubled.
But...
It's a trouble she has no words for.
But she does have words for Asuka. "Perhaps it is not an intelligence," Rei says as her own shots burst forwards. She aims towards the center of the Labors, and aims, perhaps, a little lower than usual. Her shooting is efficient, long hours of training paying off -- with a significant amount of help.
Of course, it is Asuka who pins three different Labors to the wall even as another four are disabled by Gridman's blade. Mari bounds away towards the incoming second wave with her Rapidborers; one particular Labor gets a pop-fly up in the air, but it seems this is a well coordinated work group because most of them swerve behind large metal gantries and open fire on EVA-04! ... which mostly stalls some of Mari's marimentum, if none of the mariuta flavor, because --
-- well --
This one's a little unfair to the Labors, isn't it? Though in theory, all they'd have to do is wait five minutes and one second.
Fortunately, as the group carves a path, the support trucks truck forwards. While umbilical cables had to get purged almost immediately, there are PRECIOUS BATTERIES on one of the trucks, which seems to be following along in what they would have called 'second gear' outside of the electrically-conscious economic zones of Britannia. There, they just call it 'one-third ahead.' Why not use navy words for your trucks? They're like the ships of the land.
The rails are getting close. This area is almost as much of a truck park/temporary warehouse for heavy goods shipment as anything.
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
"Creativity is the province of intelligent life, and intelligent life is anathema to that which is called the Oath Over Omega. It may imbue those it infects with power, but any more mental spark would need to ignite from the one infected," Kaworu tells Asuka mildly. "In other words, probably not."
He chuckles fondly at Mari's cheerful energy--he might well have been humming along with her song--and is content to let her take the fore while, he, Rei, and Asuka contain themselves to long-range attacks for the moment.
Gridman, though... His smile fades, brow creasing with concern. He was certainly not going to refuse his help, but his heart seems more fragile than ever right now. Kaworu shares a glance with Rei, perhaps conveying his feelings to her with that single look
"That's sensible," he agrees regardless, of keeping the Labors from following them. Kaworu was the one who suggested dismemberment in the first place. "Let's move on."
And so they move on, the support trucks offering up fresh batteries when needed. Power won't be an issue for the moment, though that doesn't mean they can dawdle, either. As they move towards the rails, Kaworu suddenly tells the group, "Stop."
This is just in time for the electromagnetic power to sear and sizzle forward along said rails, just before they would have fried their back-up. Sensors will go haywire, and new Labors--cockpits open and bare to reveal the lack of pilots this time--zoom in to confront them.
"An indelicate approach," he notes. "Do unto others..."
Unit-00's AR won't need to aim for the sides this time. Now is the time to simply pierce through... albeit with care. The Evangelions may have their A.T. Fields, and Gridman has his own ways of protecting himself, but the back-up trucks will need to wait until the rail calms to advance safely.
FPT: Kaworu Nagisa has acted with Sight and Mobility.
<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
Mari, singing the oldies charges forward, and Asuka groans as her battle cry of one-two punch leads into her chaotic borer based fisticuffs of their foes, "You did that on purpose, you Catty Four-Eyes." She accuses with a grimace, even as Full Power Gridman wades into the fray alongside her.
"Feh. What kind of decontamination squad for Oath over Omega can't even handle THIS much?" Still, she does say, "Guess I can appreciate you're not taking half measures." The Evangelion marches at mid-range for now, covering Unit-04 primarily as they go onward.
"Yeah? Not intelligent?" Asuka asks Rei. It has a certain sense perhaps, that something that wants to destroy intelligent life, isn't intelligent. Kaworu clarifies further, and then...
"So what, it just acts on /instinct/ to kill us all? To take people over?"
That's kind of... disturbing, to her. She would think that something that can take over someone's brain would require intelligence behind it. That she could understand.
When more labors come, the electromagnetic pulse temporarily stalls out her Crossbow, despite the insulation of the Entry Plug keeping the 'lights on'. "Oh come on! How long does this thing take to reboot?"
Fortunately...
The logistics staff left her a little present, as her Eva pounds a switch on a crate, and the Thunder Spear is detonated out explosively into her Eva's hands. "You think you're the ONLY one that can do that!"
This time, she charges into the fray, the bayonet sparking as she releases a charge of her own into them, hoping to fry them with a burst of electromagnetic hell and force them to expend time regenerating, time they don't have, "TORIYAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
FPT: Asuka Shikinami Langley has acted with Sight and W-Space.
<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.
It's a little touch and go here and there - such is the risk of throwing yourself right into the proverbial, orange lion's den - but in the end...
"Creative impulse is the enemy of nature, your highness~."
That just makes the victory more worth relishing for Mari.
With the Labors cleared - or at least, damaged enough that pursuit isn't in the cards, the white Evangelion's Rapidborers lock back into place parallel to its forearms with a hiss and a -=click=-. Mari lets out a breathless "phew!"; Unit-04 pantomimes swiping its forehead.
"Righty-o!" declares Mari. "Onto stage two!"
And off Unit-04 begins to move, only pausing at Asuka's accusation.
"Ara?" she wonders, and in audio only, she -still- carries far too much guileless innocence to be anything but teasing. "I don't nyaow what you could be referring to!"
And as soon as she's done announcing this, bald-faced,
o/` "The door to happiness is small!
So, we gotta crouch down to get through it~!" o/`
Mari has reached a refrain of "Take a hundred steps a day! A thousand steps a thousand days!" by the time Kaworu indicates for them to stop. Unit-04's right leg lifts up --
And then, as if true to her own song, Mari takes two steps back seconds before that electromagnetic surge dances across the rails.
"Hummm..." muses Mari, looking at sputtering sensors; bright blues spare a sharp glance sidelong towards the encroaching Labors.
"... There may be successful days and unsuccessful days," she half-murmurs, half-hums, beneath her breath. Unit-02 dives in with its Thunder Spear --
"Gimme the good stuff!"
And containment crates to either side of Unit-04 burst open, a pair of assault rifles launching up into the white Eva's waiting hands before it tears off, covering Asuka's offensive approach in a spray of bullet fire like a reversal of their earlier maneuvers.
"Nyaaaanyanyanyanyanyanyanyaaaaaaa!!!"
FPT: Mari Makinami Illustrious has acted with Sight and Mobility.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
Does Gridman know he's worrying his partners and friends? Maybe, but in the moment, all he can manage is to keep putting one foot ahead of the other. The Neon Genesis Junior High Students are quiet, consumed with their own grief while lending their strength to their leader.
Perhaps it's a mercy that Gridman has /something/ to turn his attention to right now. Kaworu receives a nod in response as he calls for the group to move on, Gridman holding Calibur's blunt side in one palm as he moves with the Evangelions.
"You kids holding up okay?" Vit's voice calls, the first time one of the assist weapons has spoken since they transformed. "It's been one thing after another lately. Once we're done here I'll treat you all to some food. Wherever you want."
Gridman mumbles a, "Thanks, Vit."
Kaworu, then, calls a stop, and Gridman pauses, turning back to look at Unit-00. The electromagnectic pulse blasts out midway through his sentence. "What's wr-wr-wr-wr-wr-wr-wr--"
Fading in and out of view, haloed in visual static, the Giant of Light visibly glitches, frozen in place. The disruption turns his voice to an odd, droning cacophony. It doesn't seem like the connection between Gridman and his comrades is interrupted, since they're all in the same state. The EMP must've disrupted their connection to Junk, back with the decontamination team.
Long moments pass as the others battle the dilapidated Labors, Gridman helpless, if he's even aware of what's happening. Finally, he gasps, almost falling forward, as the connection stabilizes.
"Ow." Borr chimes in. "Fuck those guys."
Gridman steadies himself on a nearby wall. As he gets his bearings, the drills at his shoulders come to life. Electricity sparks around the Giant of Light, and a beam of golden energy is shot toward the offending Labors. This time, no effort is made to spare the cockpits -- they're empty anyway.
"That sucked." Gridman grumbles, once his beam attack is over. "Can they all do that? I'm gonna be really, really mad if they can."
FPT: Gridman has acted with Sight and W-Space.
<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.
Kaworu explains it and validates Rei's thought. It's rather flattering to Rei, although the sensation of being correct and the pleasure it brings is a faint thing in a still sea. There are far greater things moving in the turbulence that is the real world.
To wit, a massive electrical burst from the rail - followed by another approaching wave of Labors. These ones, already wrecked but animated by the dark forces, swing towards them, assailing them like vicious gnomes.
Rei sweeps one of EVA-00's feet around to try and smash through several, even as her breathing accelerates somewhat. EVA-00's head turns downwards, and one arm, not bracing the AR, comes up -- with a brief flickering manifestation of the AT Field blocking a leaping Labor, bearing some sort of improvised spear. Fortunately, it IS only a spear - or rather, a piece of metal torn from somewhere else.
Other tactics might have proven more... problematic.
The good news is that Mari can safely open fire around Eva-00!! And indeed, does so. Rei glances towards Eva-04 for a moment, fleeting.
"I do not think so," Rei answers Gridman. "It was the infrastructure, not their ability." A beat passes. "Nothing is wrong." Another beat, as Rei's head turns in the video pane towards Gridman. "What's wrong?"
FPT: Rei Ayanami has acted with Sight and Skill. FPT: Rei Ayanami's applies! FPT: Kaworu Nagisa's Kaworu of the Seashore Ability assists! FPT: Mari Makinami Illustrious's Attrition applies! FPT: Round Complete!
+------------------------------< Flashpoint 1.0 >------------------------------+ +--------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Exploration >---------------------+ | MANDATORY STAT: SGT | | TERRAIN: Ground | | ATTRIBUTES: Coordinate and Disrupt | | BONUS STATS: MOB and WSP | +-----------------------< TITLE: Electromagnetic Burst >-----------------------+ - An electromagnetic burst issues from one of the rails on a passage your - - group is traveling through. It's enough to overpower sensor readings and - - damage gear; the damage is superficial, but the disorientation allows a - - significant detachment of Triple Zero-corrupted Labors through. The good - - news is, of course, that these -- unlike the ones that were outside -- - - /these/ are already-destroyed or in maintenance. The cockpit hatches hang - - loose and open like gaping maws, which does make them unsettling -- but - - also indicates a distinct lack of a pilot. While your group fights at a - - significant disadvantage thanks to the electromagnetic burst, it's also a - - much less delicate operation. - +------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: 2 >-------------------------------+ +-------------------------------< TENSION: 20 >--------------------------------+ | PILOT: Rei Ayanami | | STATS: SGT/SKL Charges Used: 0 Failure | | PILOT: Kaworu Nagisa | | STATS: SGT/MOB Charges Used: 0 Success | | PILOT: Mari Makinami Illustrious | | STATS: SGT/MOB Charges Used: 0 Success | | PILOT: Asuka Shikinami Langley | | STATS: SGT/WSP Charges Used: 0 Failure | | PILOT: Gridman | | STATS: SGT/WSP Charges Used: 0 Failure | +-----------------------------< Round 2 Results >------------------------------+ +---------------------------------< .SRTMOO. >---------------------------------+
FPT: +flash/draw to start a new round!
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
"Instinct..." Kaworu muses. He smiles over at Rei, who supposed the matter before he'd even remarked upon it, before continuing to Asuka, "It is something more than that, but less than intelligence, from my understanding. What I know of the light of Dawn comes from what I've observed and what Acting Chief Shishioh has told NERV. I have not seen fit to challenge its source to learn more; it isn't my place."
Once more, he smiles over at Mari, Unit-04 as always a mirror of what she might be doing were they all on foot. That smile turns a little distant at Mari and Asuka's back-and-forth. ...but it's not something to remark upon. Not right now.
Instead, when Vit asks after them, Kaworu reassures him, "I'm all right. It has been as you say, however. If everyone wants to eat something later, I don't object."
The EMP pulse is more destructive to Gridman than Kaworu had anticipated; even with a warning, it strikes him, immobilizing him and causing him to phase in and out of sight. "Gridman," he calls, not quite an exclamation but more heated and urgent than a simple statement.
Fortunately, as Asuka and Rei keep the Labors busy with more up-front combat maneuvers, Mari guns the T0-possessed machines until they're no more than scrap, before Gridman's beam reduces them to slag. Yes, these ones will take a good long time to regenerate... which is good, because it gives them all time to catch their breaths. Rei answers Gridman's question while Kaworu looks over their shoulders at the back-up units. They're all safe.
Kaworu's hand squeezes over Rei's. Unit-00 offers a hand to Gridman to help him up, perhaps even lend him a shoulder if he'll accept it. Rei has already said what's necessary, so his comfort to him will be more physical.
At least Mari's still enjoying herself. As a group, though, they'll still need to keep advancing from here, and Kaworu, through Unit-00, will gesture them all onwards once Gridman is more stabilized.
FPT: Rei Ayanami's party has drawn a new Challenge! FPT: Drawing Card 4 for Round 3.
+------------------------------< Flashpoint 1.0 >------------------------------+ +--------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Exploration >---------------------+ | MANDATORY STAT: HP | | TERRAIN: Ground | | ATTRIBUTES: Force L1 | | BONUS STATS: MOB and TAR | +-------------------------< TITLE: Electrical Surge >--------------------------+ - The transit hub is /full/ of delicate electronics that could easily be - - damaged by any number of things. A Triple Zero contamination event makes - - these weapons against you. An electric shock of an intensity that no - - transit station ought to offer issues from a power substation, and leaves - - your group with a lot to react to while Triple Zero-corrupted mobile - - workers pour in from another tunnel. You'd best shake off the damage - - quickly and assess what your best options for dealing with the squad of - - mobile workers with their vicious claws and -- are those /teeth/? -- - - that's presently closing in on your location. - +------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: 2 >-------------------------------+ +---------------------------------< .SRTMOO. >---------------------------------+
<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
Vit calls out, and Asuka seems briefly distracted, "Sure, why not? If you're offering. Give Shinji a break from cooking for once."
It takes Asuka a moment in the heat of battle to understand the constant stream of Nyaa's are not bullets, but Mari placing sound effects to her bullets.
"... FOR ONCE I'D PREFER IT IF YOU'D JUST SING!" She complains, in the midst of the violent thrill of tearing these things apart.
She doesn't answer Kaworu until it's died down some, "Something 'more' than that. So it's like, we don't even have words to describe it?" For some reason a shiver comes over her skin despite that.
Suddenly she's glad Unit-02 has an AT Field, more than ever. There's nothing she wants more than to keep that out of her head.
As they progress down the railway tunnels, they make it to a hub, full of electronics. There's suddenly an ambush, in the form of an intense electric shock that erupts out of the systems and rails to try and fry them all where they stand. This one sharper in intensity than the shock before.
Even the Evas with their incredible insulation are tested as their instruments flicker and risk overload, before ultimately humming back to life.
"Just the same trick over and over again!? I guess nature is full of lo-"
It's like she was leading off of Mari's earlier statement, but it drifts off by the visual. The moment their viewscreens stop flickering though, is the moment they see mobile workers far CLOSER than are comfortable, gnashing teeth and horrible claws, twisted by the Aura of the Dawn energy.
It even disturbs
Rather than even test the Thunder Spear at this point, her pylons open, suddenly erupting with sequential fire of the stakes inside, intending to pin down the closest ones.
"Heh, gonna need better predators than us to take US DOWN! We're at the top of the damn food chain!" And then she just, leans into the idea of them warring against Nature???
FPT: Asuka Shikinami Langley has acted with Hit Points and Targeting.
<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.
"Oho, her highness prefers MY singing?"
Behold, Mari: an entity capable of taking any negative statement about her and warping it to stroke her mighty ego through nothing more than an improper emphasis on tone.
Impropriety is, of course, just the natural gift of all Maris. Said impropriety at least sees her through -this- particular, electromagnetically-charged challenge mostly intact; assault rifles with sizzling barrels are tossed over Unit-04's shoulders as it spends the last of the ranged weapons' clips, a job well done. Its pilot spares a glance Full-Powered Gridman-wards only afterwards, brows lifting at Vit's offer.
"Ufu," exhales Mari, a cattish curl to her lips. "I'm happy to test the limits of your generosity~."
wh-what's that supposed to mean, and why does it sound so ominous--
"And what about all you Hyper Agents and friends?" she continues ever-onward ceaselessly as they push further in, during that lull between chaos. "How are you all holding up? If you have stress, don't worry! You can bare your soul to me and I won't judge at all."
It's here, though, that she looks over her shoulder towards Unit-00, and the two within. A considerate sound escapes her lips.
"Here's my theory! Have you ever seen something that you just can't abide? It's not rational. It doesn't have anything to do with intellectual thought. You just see it, you know it, and you hate it, and your world is lesser knowing it exists?"
This, she wonders as she wanders into Kaworu and Asuka's conversation once more. Her head rolls, slowly.
"It's not about intelligence or instinct. We're nails on a chalkboard~."
It's a more ('more' being a relative term) serious tone that Mari adopts -- just seconds before the electric shock overloads the infrastructure and machinery of the hub they find themselves in. It disrupts the parks of Unit-04 that -are- mechanical. The parts that aren't, well...
Unit-04 seems to wobble, for a few precious seconds, as if experiencing vertigo. It stumbles, ground shuddering beneath its feet... seconds before those pylons of it hiss open, twin prog knives popping out.
"--Unfortunately," singsongs Mari, "I intend to be as nailsy as possible for as long as I can be!"
And with that, Mari -hurls- one of those prog knives; briefly blind and disoriented (??) as her Eva is, it doesn't stop her from tossing that bladed weapon as hard as possible into one of those mobile workers. If she hears a sound?
"That's the spirit, princess! C'MON!"
Eva-04 will -leap- across the distance -- to kick into that knife, and -through- the machine, seconds before pivots to start aggressively knife fighting -any- other be-toothed monstrosities in its way.
FPT: Mari Makinami Illustrious has acted with Hit Points and Targeting.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
"That blast just now," Gridman answers Rei, "Almost tore me out of my body. I really don't want to experience that again. I had no idea it could even happen."
Max speaks up, then. "We are alright, Rei, Kaworu. It was upsetting in the moment, but we have suffered no permanent damage. We are safe to continue, as long as we do not take another similar attack."
"Yeah, what Max said." Gridman agrees. "Sorry to worry you. Let's keep going."
Unit-00's hand is gratefully accepted, though Gridman doesn't lean on the Eva longer than he absolutely has to. This is a battle, after all. He can't put Kaworu and Rei at risk.
"Shinji's not a bad cook." Vit chimes in. "Judging by his cookies. I bet he'd appreciate a night off, though. Show me what you can do, kid." Is sent Mari's way, "I'd like to see someone out eat Gridman."
They move forward, Vit listing a few nearby restaurants, and reach another transit station. Small machines appear, and Borr swears under her breath. Before Gridman can raise Calibur and jump back into the fray--
"AAAH--!"
--Electricity courses through the Giant of Light, leaving the five Hyper Agents shouting in pain. Once it shuts off, he falls sideways, crashing into the wall of the tunnel.
Calibur crashes into the floor beneath them. Gridman pushes himself back to his feet using the sword as a crutch. "I've had /ENOUGH/!"
Teeth, claws -- whatever mutated horror Triple Zero has granted these mobile workers, it won't be enough. Leaving Calibur behind, Gridman leaps into the midst of the squad, crushing one of the small machines underfoot. With a swing of his armored hands, the Giant of Light crushes another into the wall of the tunnel, grinding it into the stonework until the machine stops moving.
A third mobile worked is picked up and just, thrown down the tunnel. Gridman doesn't see where it lands, and he doesn't care.
"I'm --!" Despite his lack of lungs, the Giant sounds out of breath. His voice resonates with more robotic tones as he replies to Mari, at last. "I'm doing what I have to! That's all that matters! That's all I /can/ do! The next fight -- the next mission!"
With a pained cry, Gridman picks up a final mobile worker and tears it in half, dropping it by his feet. He holds still, shoulders heaving, then shakes his head and walks back to where he stuck Calibur into the ground.
"Sorry, Calibur, I didn't... I wasn't thinking." He mutters.
The sword seems unharmed as Gridman pulls it back out. "We're stressed." Calibur replies, presumably to Mari, as Gridman cleans him off. No one contradicts him.
FPT: Gridman has acted with Hit Points and Mobility.
<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.
Kaworu moves with her. An open gesture. Something which Rei would not have thought of. The motion is natural and she synchronizes with Kaworu's motion to support Gridman quite readily. Perhaps she learns something, in that moment, that's hard to explain.
As for the enemy: It's strange enough to Rei. Her best guess was that Triple Zero, in its influence, was something that would affect everyone similarly because it was something like a mood or a reinvented idea. Whales once walked on four legs, she has read, but their bodies are like that of fish now - not quite the same, of course, but similar.
Another vast electrical shock comes from the rails and snaps up through Rei's legs(?) -- she can feel the muscles seize and feel her toes and feet try to arch in a way that is going to be painful at the best of times and is agonizing when her feet are resting in the footwells of the Evangelion's cockpit. She ends up leaning back, grimace wracking her face and a faint "nnh!" escaping her lips as it comes.
It comes and it passes, if not quickly. Rei's legs are still cramping but they are beneath her.
"... but moments before, we were not," Rei says after Mari attempts to explain. It's not a very strong reply, but Rei has a more persuasive argument when she fires the remainder of the AR's clip into the onrushing Labors and then -
CLACK
- finds it is dry.
Fortunately, there is a truck nearby. (Less fortunately, the engine block is on fire. The NERV driver got a heads up and as such, ran far enough away from the vehicle that the arc did not hit them. So much for Gendo's estimated insurance savings.) Rei reaches down and lifts up the next weapon:
A thermal emission cannon. With a sudden glare and something that isn't quite a beam, Rei spot-melts a Labor against the long, hard superconductive railing.
"... It's difficult," Rei tells Gridman. "Rest, if you need to." At this point she fires the weapon again, reducing a charging Labor to par-slag partway through its advance, sending it tumbling and rolling off under its own momentum.
FPT: Rei Ayanami has acted with Hit Points and W-Space. FPT: Gridman spends 1 ID Charges! They will apply this coming round!
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Kaworu would prefer Shinji's cooking, if he's going to eat anything at all... but he keeps that to himself. He watches Asuka for a moment, distracted from violence to yell at Mari as she is so often wont.
"I imagine it is beyond full Lilim comprehension," he replies. When Mari interjects with her take, he pauses, then nods--something that will be conveyed to the others by a pop-up video screen. He doesn't have that experience himself, but... he's well acquainted with those that do. "Yes, that's a fine way to put it. To listen to the Apostles of the Dawn, they would liken it to the immune system of the universe, purging itself of the 'disease' that is sapient life. There are some similarities, but I don't think that's wholly accurate, though."
He smiles gently at Gridman, and at Max replying to his and Rei's concern. "It must have been quite disconcerting. We should be cautious going forward," he offers to the former.
Yet as they converse, they reach a hub of electronics--and this time, the electromagnetic charge is stronger than ever, and faster than ever. As Asuka says, it's really the same thing they just experienced, only more intense. That makes it especially worrying for Gridman--and indeed, it seems to shove him into a violent rage, followed by a despairful outburst. The electricity crawls up Unit-00's legs, and that sensory experience passes to Rei and Kaworu both.
A pain experienced as one. As she suffers, Kaworu reaches out an arm around her shoulders and pulls her closer, should she let him. When the pain passes, he is still there.
As Rei has Unit-00 reach down to lift up a thermal emission cannon, Kaworu reaches out through something more subtle and more inherent to the three of them: the A.T. Field, which manifests like a cage around the Labor at which Rei aims. It will not escape.
Calibur says, 'we're stressed. Kaworu leans away now, glancing at Gridman with a faint frown. It's only natural for the Giant of Light to be stressed at times like these, but... "It's likely another attack like that will come a third time. Let us go ahead of you this time, Gridman," he suggests gently. "I don't like seeing you suffer."
/<poem>
FPT: Kaworu Nagisa spends 1 ID Charges! They will apply this coming round!
FPT: Kaworu Nagisa has acted with Hit Points and Mobility.
FPT: Kaworu Nagisa's Attrition applies!
FPT: Gridman's Attrition applies!
FPT: Round Complete!
+------------------------------< Flashpoint 1.0 >------------------------------+
+--------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Exploration >---------------------+
| MANDATORY STAT: HP |
| TERRAIN: Ground |
| ATTRIBUTES: Force L1 |
| BONUS STATS: MOB and TAR |
+-------------------------< TITLE: Electrical Surge >--------------------------+
- The transit hub is /full/ of delicate electronics that could easily be -
- damaged by any number of things. A Triple Zero contamination event makes -
- these weapons against you. An electric shock of an intensity that no -
- transit station ought to offer issues from a power substation, and leaves -
- your group with a lot to react to while Triple Zero-corrupted mobile -
- workers pour in from another tunnel. You'd best shake off the damage -
- quickly and assess what your best options for dealing with the squad of -
- mobile workers with their vicious claws and -- are those /teeth/? -- -
- that's presently closing in on your location. -
+------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: 2 >-------------------------------+
+-------------------------------< TENSION: 32 >--------------------------------+
| PILOT: Rei Ayanami |
| STATS: HP/WSP Charges Used: 0 Failure |
| PILOT: Kaworu Nagisa |
| STATS: HP/MOB Charges Used: 1 Failure |
| PILOT: Mari Makinami Illustrious |
| STATS: HP/TAR Charges Used: 0 Success |
| PILOT: Asuka Shikinami Langley |
| STATS: HP/TAR Charges Used: 0 Failure |
| PILOT: Gridman |
| STATS: HP/MOB Charges Used: 1 Success |
+-----------------------------< Round 3 Results >------------------------------+
+---------------------------------< .SRTMOO. >---------------------------------+
FPT: +flash/draw to start a new round!
<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
<poem>
"He's not... the worst at cooking, yeah." She agrees with Vit, as complimentary as she generally gets. Asuka immediately feels a surge of regret at Mari's response, "Prefers it to THAT! It's the LOWEST BAR! I'm not asking you to test ANYTHING!" It doesn't even warrant a response though, does it Mari?
Still, Mari presents her theory, and Asuka in her cockpit thinks about it for a time, "That's actually a pretty good way of looking at it." She murmurs, quietly for once having no, and perhaps the others can hear it. "I mean- yeah! Yeah! We'll be nails-" Was she getting hyped up? Then... "Wait, that's just you saying you're going to be SINGING AT IT, isn't it?"
And she remembers that she was firing her Pencil Roc... nails. Asuka growls, "Was that also a SECRET PUN!? YOU ARE THE MOST FRUSTRATING- NNNGHH!"
Harsh, that she considers Mari's singing the nails on the chalkboard of Oath over Omega's existence, but at the same time, isn't it kinda complimentary that she's the antithesis of this force trying to end all their lives?
What follows is a mosh pit of awful violence in these crowded tunnels, as the mobile workers infected by triple zero claw and bite, digging into them. Mari's expert wield of her knife slices far too many of them to smaller bits than 000 can keep hold before they overwhelm her in a storm of savagery.
Whereas Gridman pushes himself despite his exhaustion, tearing them in twain. Despite the gravity of the situation, soon enough they've finished mopping up.
Still, thanks to Kaworu's AT Field, and Rei's thermal emission cannon, they manage to mop up the rest soon enough, leaving a mass of melted mobile workers, some still twitching as 000 tries to keep hold for as long as possible.
"Can fall back if you need to." She notes to Gridman, breathing hard, the armor plating of Eva-02 damaged in multiple spots, "Me? I'm in this for the long haul."
FPT: Rei Ayanami's party has drawn a new Challenge! FPT: Drawing Card 12 for Round 4.
+------------------------------< Flashpoint 1.0 >------------------------------+ +--------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Exploration >---------------------+ | MANDATORY STAT: RX | | TERRAIN: Ground | | ATTRIBUTES: Disrupt | | BONUS STATS: ARM and HP | +-------------< TITLE: Kaiju - Zero Venora - Standing Still...? >--------------+ - A giant stands in the distance, surrounded by smoke and fog. Those who were - - in Tsutsujidai for the reign of it's goddess will recognize them - - instantly: The Venora, the Kaiju that would reset the city every night, - - including the memories of it's citizens. This one glows orange, dimly, - - though the fog. It's a distance away, still as a statue, but there is no - - way through that doesn't involve going past it. - - - - But before you can get past it, you have to get through the damaged, - - unbalanced terrain that leads to it. - +------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: 3 >-------------------------------+ +---------------------------------< .SRTMOO. >---------------------------------+
<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.
"Oh, my heart!"
declares Mari Makinami Illustrious in the middle of viciously skewering a bunch of mobile workers while she has her -feelings- viciously skewered. Oh, the cruel irony...!
Are Asuka's words an insult? Or a compliment? Or both?
True to form, one could easily make the case Mari sees it as one of the latter two, considering how her lament is really more of a sing-songy sigh the types of which one might hear right before a dramatic swoon.
No swoon is forthcoming, thankfully. Instead, Evangelion Unit-04 rises smoothly back up into a standing position in the midst of all the terrible violence it has wrought; there's a few points of mild bubbling around Mari's right shoulder and left thigh in the LCL stew she exists within; points where the mobile workers got -particularly- bitey, more easily seen in where the silvery-white plating of Unit-04 is viscerally crunched inward. But she takes it in delighted stride, as if truly in her element. Her arms stretching over her head, echoed by her Eva, Mari heaves a contented sigh and continues on, hooded eyes turning Grid-wards. The others offer condolences, tell Gridman to rest, or otherwise contentiously encourage(??) him. Mari considers, instead.
"Frustrated?" she wonders as they continue onward. The tunnels begin to widen out towards an opening as they go.
"Then you should embrace every bit of it. Life's as much about the hurt as it is the happiness. Maybe our Apostle pals think our suffering makes us lesser... but there's a lot of strength to be found in the times we hurt, and the reasons why we do."
There's an easy gentleness to Mari's tone as she talks that only stands mildly at odds with the content of her words; the smile on her lips is something more felt rather than seen as they approach that opening, tucked away in Unit-04's entry plug as she is.
"So embrace that stress, and use it to give 'em hell. The relief will be that much sweeter~."
And here, Unit-04 is -just about- to flash a thumbs up, when--
"Oh my."
A kaiju, in the distance of the vast, ruined and ruptured entryway they find themselves in. A kaiju, suffused with calamitous orange.
A -familiar- kaiju, suffused with calamitous orange.
"Oh my!"
A -familiar- kaiju, suffused with calamitous orange, just sort of... standing there, in the distance...?
"Oh my?"
Mari's head cocks owlishly. She considers a moment.
And then Unit-04 bends down, picks up a chunk of rubble like it was a rock, and with a "hup!"
Just kind of -- tosses it at the kaiju's head, so far off.
Seconds pass. A distant and feeble -=thwap!=- can be heard. The Venora, once-guardian-warden of Tsutsujidai, remains stock still as its brethren once did.
"Welp," she muses. "Nothing for it. Let's advance and say hi!"
And with that,
"Yohp!"
Unit-04 hops onto a craggy outcropping and begins scrambles, beginning a - carefully maneuvered - rush towards the terribly symbolic monstrosity in the distance.
FPT: Mari Makinami Illustrious has acted with Reactor and Armor. FPT: Mari Makinami Illustrious spends 1 ID Charges! They will apply this coming round!
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
Gridman shakes his head, as if waking from a bad dream. "I'm sorry. I'm being so selfish. Are you all okay? That was a really nasty shock. Please, let me keep going in front. Worst comes to worst, the Neon Genesis Junior High Students and I won't really get hurt the way you guys will."
"I'll be careful. I promise." Gridman moves to stay in the lead of the group, brushing a hand against Unit-00's arm as he passes by. "This is something only I can do for you. I'm not going to stay behind!"
Maybe he heard that soft sound of pain from Rei. Either way, Gridman is determined. He won't /force/ he way to the front, but he's going to be difficult about it.
Asuka's kind offer is greeted with a noise of approval from Max, the enormous man seemingly taking her words at face value.
"No way!" Gridman retorts. He's trying to sound playful, but there's still very obvious strain in his voice. "You think I'm going to let you show me up in front of Kaworu and Rei? I'm hanging on just as long as everyone else!"
"Frustrated..?" Gridman echoes Mari, his voice echoing in the tunnels as the group moves forward. "I guess that's a word for it, yeah. But embracing these feelings... I've never thought about that. You really think it's a better way, Mari?"
Gridman looks down at Calibur in his hands, thinking of the other Giant who wields the blade.
"I guess I've seen that anger can make you pretty strong. But I never thought that was... allowed, I guess." Gridman admits. "For someone like me."
"Not like there's a rule against it." Borr offers.
As they continue, the terrain gets rougher. Gridman, despite his armored form, navigates easily. He's only gotten more dexterous since he joined the dance club -- and he makes an effort to help the others, shoving debris out of the way as he goes.
"In the distance." Calibur's speaks up. "Is that."
"...a scenery kaiju?" Vit finishes his sentence.
"Those were all slain." Max rumbles, as Gridman comes to a halt. "How can one be here, lit by the Dawn?"
As Gridman and his comrades try to puzzle it out, Mari hurls a rock at the kaiju. "M--Mari wait--!" The Giant protests, but... nothing seems to happen. "Huh. I guess they never moved around before, either, but..."
"Nothing for it." Gridman agrees, and follows after Unit-04. His movements are a little more rushed -- eager to reach the kaiju before the others, just in case.
FPT: Gridman has acted with Reactor and Armor. FPT: Gridman spends 1 ID Charges! They will apply this coming round!
<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.
"You don't have to do this for me," Rei answers Gridman, softly. It is a repetitive statement, yes, but it comes from a tender place. There might be a wisp of guilt, but more likely it's a simple statement of a persistent sentiment.
She wishes she could say it better.
The electricity could send Gridman to his original body. What would that mean for him? What is his original body? He comes from a data realm originally; could this harm him, if it was sufficiently powerful?
The AT Field is proof, perhaps, against everything. "Yes," Rei echoes, at Kaworu's offer to take the point. But the good news, at least, is that they aren't subjected to 1.21 gigawatts of sheer electrical power harvested from not so far off Mt. Fuji's immense Photon Power Grid, but rather with...
An open space, surrounded by detritus.
"The ground," Rei says.
"Triple Zero isn't restoring the ground."
Her eyes turn up towards the distant Venora, familiar in shape. She remembers the mute and great creatures in Tsutsujidai, the ones that reminded her of the Graveyard, the ones that held their tragedy. Kaiju created to sustain and recreate the world, not to devastate it.
But a kaiju --
Rei knows a kaiju can hold a 'heart'. Or at least something like a 'coin.' She has seen the proof herself.
"Why would a light that speaks against the mind only restore the throne of the mind?"
Rei does not surge ahead. She takes a moment to turn Eva-00 around and pick up one of the great power packs, reattaching it into the pylon. The countdown clock - which may have been given some reprieve by the 'low power' operational mode that seems to occur in some periods, even if it can only prolong the agony of an Evangelion without an umbilical cord - pauses and then abruptly leaps nearly a hundred seconds forwards. Rei picks up another one to take along, because she only needs one hand to hold the heat ray.
"Their remains... remained," Rei answers Gridman. "Perhaps one was brought here."
Rei begins to drive the Evangelion over the rubble, following the path Mari has shown to be, at least, resilient to the passage of the great machines*. As she does, Rei answers something Kaworu said - "Do you think it is impossible for humans to understand it? It has already been cleansed."
But was it cleansed by the works of Man?
FPT: Rei Ayanami spends 1 ID Charges! They will apply this coming round! FPT: Rei Ayanami has acted with Reactor and Mobility.
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
"Gridman... are you certain? It isn't selfish to be rattled after taking two strong attacks like that," Kaworu points out. Still, it seems as though Gridman's pride is stronger than his wrath, and he insists he can keep going. That only he can do it for them. "..."
But then Asuka gives her 'reassurance' that Gridman can fall back if he needs to, even though Asuka is going to go all the way. Kaworu side-eyes her a bit, but there's no comment, and even that look he gives her is more wry than anything else.
She's just not good at being good, is she?
Well, it's fine. As long as she makes Shinji happy.
And for now, Mari gives Gridman her own flavor of advice. It seems the Giant of Light is taking it seriously... If it helps him, that's good. He doesn't weigh in after Rei; all three of them are the self-sacrificing type. In one sense, it means they all speak the same language of love, but in another, it means all of them are rushing to prove their love by sacrificing themselves for one another. In this scenario, Kaworu lets Gridman take point. He does share another glance with Rei, though, and together they move Unit-00 with greater caution.
As it turns out, only a haze greets them as they advance. There is an orange-lit silhouette deep within that fog, and Kaworu too recognizes that silhouette. "It isn't," he agrees with Rei. "What purpose is there to that?"
It remains still, even when Mari hurls a rock at it. It's a very simple solution to a question with many unknowns, to simply advance as they are. "Akane had been working with the Ruin Apostles for many months," he points out to Gridman and the others. "It's possible they took a spare from her."
It's possible, but is that actually the case? The only way to know is to advance. He settles in with Rei to support her piloting, making Unit-00's movements smoother, surer, more responsive to Rei's will. Is it impossible, though...? "Not impossible. But not likely, either. It would require a peculiar soul. The hearts of man and the hearts of kaiju are usually so different."
FPT: Kaworu Nagisa spends 1 ID Charges! They will apply this coming round! FPT: Kaworu Nagisa has acted with Reactor and Armor.
<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
What Mari has to say about life being about the hurt as well as the happiness... well, Asuka can relate. She certainly doesn't know what part of that statement feels like. If life wasn't about the hurt too, what would be left to her?
And then, a Kaiju, "How many Aras can someone Ara back to back!?" Is she really complaining about that??? When there is a Kaiju!? Right there!?
Still, the Venora is far away and it's... the terrain is bad, especially for the gangly Evas.
Still, she smirks at Gridman's sudden resolve, "Oh yeah? So what motivates you is showing off in front of the two of them? Guess you're more HUMAN that you pretend to be 'Hyperagent'!"
She calls him out, unsubtly. "'bout the same as any BOY YOUR AGE!"
Eva Unit-02 decides to take that moment, to simply pick up the pace, as if not simply content to let Mari in Unit-04 trailblazing, but instead to try and outpace her by a jump ahead.
"Well let's FIND OUT what it's all about!" Asuka says to Rei, as she simply tries to plow through rough terrain with a series of running leaps that might cause even more terrain destruction, "Assuming GridBOY can keep up!"
Like Kaworu says, she's not good at being good.
FPT: Asuka Shikinami Langley spends 2 ID Charges! They will apply this coming round! FPT: Asuka Shikinami Langley has acted with Reactor and Mobility. FPT: Round Complete!
+------------------------------< Flashpoint 1.0 >------------------------------+ +--------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Exploration >---------------------+ | MANDATORY STAT: RX | | TERRAIN: Ground | | ATTRIBUTES: Disrupt | | BONUS STATS: ARM and HP | +-------------< TITLE: Kaiju - Zero Venora - Standing Still...? >--------------+ - A giant stands in the distance, surrounded by smoke and fog. Those who were - - in Tsutsujidai for the reign of it's goddess will recognize them - - instantly: The Venora, the Kaiju that would reset the city every night, - - including the memories of it's citizens. This one glows orange, dimly, - - though the fog. It's a distance away, still as a statue, but there is no - - way through that doesn't involve going past it. - - - - But before you can get past it, you have to get through the damaged, - - unbalanced terrain that leads to it. - +------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: 3 >-------------------------------+ +-------------------------------< TENSION: 48 >--------------------------------+ | PILOT: Rei Ayanami | | STATS: RX/MOB Charges Used: 1 Failure | | PILOT: Kaworu Nagisa | | STATS: RX/ARM Charges Used: 1 Failure | | PILOT: Mari Makinami Illustrious | | STATS: RX/ARM Charges Used: 1 Failure | | PILOT: Asuka Shikinami Langley | | STATS: RX/MOB Charges Used: 2 Failure | | PILOT: Gridman | | STATS: RX/ARM Charges Used: 1 Success | +-----------------------------< Round 4 Results >------------------------------+ +---------------------------------< .SRTMOO. >---------------------------------+
FPT: +flash/draw to start a new round! FPT: Rei Ayanami's party has drawn a new Challenge! FPT: Drawing Card 16 for Round 5.
+------------------------------< Flashpoint 1.0 >------------------------------+ +--------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Exploration >---------------------+ | MANDATORY STAT: ARM | | TERRAIN: Ground | | ATTRIBUTES: Resolve and Boss | | BONUS STATS: INT and WSP | +-----------------< TITLE: Kaiju - Zero Venora - Willpower! >------------------+ - As you make your way through the rubble, something horrible becomes clear- - - The Zero Venora doesn't need to take any more action than stand there and - - spew it's gas to harm you. It *will* get through the air filters on your - - mobile suit, and the Zero Particles enable it to work it's effect without - - needing you to breathe it in. The gas is full of glimmering golden lights - - that have one purpose- to sap your will and invade your memories. - - - - If yopu can get out of the radius, the effect will stop, but the longer you - - sit in the fog the more you find your worst memories coming to the - - surface, the easier it feels to just give up. Your enemies know that - - victory goes to the brave... so the best weapon is to take your bravery. - - - - %tCan you keep standing, as indivuals or a group, until you get to the - - other side of the Venora's gas... or will this be where your courage dies? - +------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: 3 >-------------------------------+ +---------------------------------< .SRTMOO. >---------------------------------+
<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.
You really think it's a better way, Mari?
Gridman's answer comes--
--in a shrug from Unit-04.
"Why not!"
It's-- it's so -airy-!
But for all her cotton candy-light tone might be easy to see as dismissive, there's something more to it. As if those two words aren't to shrug off the question, but to offer another one in return: why -shouldn't- it work? Why -shouldn't- Gridman be allowed?
"Y'know," continues Mari, smoothly.
"... Part of the benefits of a human heart is the ability to violate the conventions of what is allowed and acceptable. Why not be a Hyper Agent who can be angry?"
Why not?
What follows is a rigorous and -dangerous- expedition through the ruined, fracturing grounds of the vast transit hub. Scaling it is difficult -- especially for machines ('machines') that weren't built to navigate and/or harmlessly glide over all this debris, maneuver across fissuring grounds, or adapt to shifts in terrain. Their combined weight is enough that, on more than one occasion, the flooring beneath them cracks violently, shudders, and then -collapses-, creating great gaps to have to move through.
"These are -- h-hup! -- the structures of life, Vanilla Bean," Mari explains after Kaworu, collisions and just sheer exertion of will beginning to exhaust even her boundless energy. "It's the creativity and growth of all Lilim." She speaks as she trades out her last battery pack, looking over her shoulder towards the ruin behind them.
"Why would they want to restore symbols of the things they stand against?"
In the end, it turns out Gridboy can not only keep up, but completely outpace all of them! Energy levels have started to dip by the time Unit-04 arrives at their destination; it's complete, COMPLETE coincidence, of course, that Mari arrives in a ~perfect tie~ with Asuka, thusly denying her a winner OR a loser on that front.
Now they're both losers together. <3
But arrive they all do. And what awaits them, is--?!
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
"I'm certain." Gridman reassures Kaworu and Rei. "I want to keep you safe."
There's a hint of desperation to the way he says that -- perhaps the young Hyper Agent's thoughts are elsewhere in this moment. Asuka's voice is quick to pull Gridman from his misery, however, with her taunts. He manages an actual /laugh/ as she calls him human -- something that makes one of the Neon Genesis Junior High Students gasp.
"Hey, I do a pretty good human impression!" Gridman leaps from one side of the path to the Verona to the other, dodging a particularly rough section of terrain. "Grid/boy/?!" He sounds playfully enraged. Please don't let that nickname stick. "I can do way more than show off! Just watch me, you... human... girl!"
Being bad at names runs in the proverbial family, it seems. Vit outright boos, and Borr groans.
"Why not indeed." Max easily ignores Gridman's failed attempt at banter, choosing to respond to Mari instead. "If we are indeed, to be human, anger must be a part of our experience."
"Yeah." Calibur adds, seemingly wishing to make his voice heard.
"I guess someone could've just moved the remains, yeah. The Veronas' bodies were just lying around for ages. Anyone could've grabbed them, but... why?" Gridman asks, as he makes his way toward the kaiju. "They never even moved, or fought. They just produced... that nerve... gas..."
Realization hits all five Hyper Agents at once, and Gridman whirls in alarm. "GET BACK RIGHT NOW!" He shouts, putting his arms out wide. "This thing is poison! You can't get near it!"
Thank goodness Gridman got here first. He doesn't need to breathe at all. There's no way the gas will effect him like it'll effect the others. Valuable seconds tick by as the Giant of Light tries to convince his companions to pull back, and as he does...
His body starts to feel so heavy. The weight of his comrades, transformed to armor, is such a burden. Why did Gridman take this form, anyway?
It's not like the Neon Genesis Junior High Students have protected him when it really matters.
Twin memories flash before Gridman's awareness -- a spear through his middle, reaching deeply enough to sunder his very soul into several pieces. A box cutter into his abdomen, ending the human life he didn't know he had.
Connected as he is with his comrades, Gridman experiences the memories of his fellow Hyper Agents simultaneously. Max sits helplessly in a dark hospital room. Borr stares at an empty, child-sized bed. Calibur watches someone important -- another Hyper Agent, a young girl -- charge into battle as he waits by the side. And Vit screams for Ennil.
"Something... only I can do." Gridman mutters, the determination drained from his voice, as he turns back toward the dawnlit Verona. "I'll keep you all safe this time."
With clear effort, he raises his sword, leveling it at the kaiju's neck. His movements are lethargic and slow. There's no way Calibur will cut through the Verona like this. And even if he does, won't it just regenerate? What's the point?
FPT: Gridman has acted with Armor and Intuition.
<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.
The Second speaks to her. Not by name, but it is too her. Asuka's words come with an accompanying surge forwards, the first production Evangelion - perhaps the first true Evangelion - forging ahead.
Rei doesn't hasten forwards.
There is cause for haste, of course. Airy Mari has revealed it. She keeps stalking forwards. Mari speaks adroitly to Gridman and it is a relief to Rei; she is better able to speak their language. (Their?) Her words are somewhat baffling, but less baffling than they might have been, not so long ago.
Eva-00 keeps moving, though it stumbles; it does not fall, although it is a near thing. As the last battery is connected, Rei meditates.
"Then it has no use for anything save the weapons of destruction?"
And then Gridman does something peculiar. Something that is, anew, not something that Rei would consider doing. Something which Rei has hardly ever done, with only the smallest ghosts of it, perhaps things that emerge by random chance; he is *playful*.
And then Gridman bids them to stay back.
Rei blinks several times.
He's advancing towards --
Something inside Eva-00 laughs.
But that something is (not) Rei and the tension and the conflict are in hot counterbalance with each other for a moment before Rei leans forwards slightly and slams down the control surfaces. EVA-00 bursts into a forward rush and comes up behind where Gridman is levelling his blade and --
Scoops him up.
Yellow warnings begin to speak as the Evangelion's interior systems detect the ghostlike touches of something like mental contamination. Rei pushes forwards. The thought does occur to her: All of this is ultimately meaningless. The scenario has taken longer to develop than you had assumed, but twenty weeks or twenty months or twenty years; what does it matter? Japan formed over millions of years. Humanity evolved over at least one million years.
A tithing of time.
And yet, Rei continues forwards. There is no audible explanation for this, although it is, at least, easier to go downhill.
FPT: Rei Ayanami has acted with Armor and Mobility.
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
'I want to keep you safe,' Gridman says.
Kaworu says nothing in response. It's a sentiment he appreciates in a vacuum, but context is king. Perhaps his sharp senses pick up on that note of desperation; perhaps he simply observes the continuing edge to Gridman's behavior. Is his playfulness genuine? Or is he responding to Asuka, to Mari--to Rei, to him--in a way that lets him push himself forward, that lets him use his grief as a weapon against himself?
Still, sometimes all one needs is permission to feel a certain way, as Mari now gives Gridman. (As Mari once gave Kaworu. Kaworu, for all his power, could never be the one to end the Scenario(s). He has always been one of many Children bound to it(them).) Why not be angry?
Why not?
"Who knows?" he says to Rei, of the light of Dawn and weapons of destruction. "According to the Ruin Apostles, what it seeks is its own self-preservation, or rather the preservation of this universe, and sapient life is a threat to that. In terms of how it relates to us, that may very well be."
As they stop to trade out the last of the batteries, then all approach their final destination together, the Venora continues to not move. Of course not; the Venora have never moved, even before one was caught in burnished light. The trick, the strength to the Venora was in how they affected the minds of those who trespassed, those who already existed within, a "God's" domain.
The Neon Genesis Junior High Students, and perhaps the Senior High Students, all realize it together.
'This thing is poison! You can't get near it!' Gridman shouts.
Kaworu says nothing in response. Bangs hanging over half his expression, he only lifts his chin to consider something that should be invisible.
"A fissure in their hearts," he mumbles, so quietly the transmitters won't pick it up. Only Rei(s) possibly might. A pause, and his back straightens as he presses a hand over his mouth, red eyes turning wide and sharp. "No--a fissure in ours--?"
Kaworu Nagisa. Kaworu of the Seashore. That was the name given to him by Lilim, or rather at this point, those who were once Lilim. Ryoji Kaji had told him once, in another life, that it represented the link he was between two different modes of life. Certainly he has always been caught between the creatures of land (rubytext: Lilim) and the creatures of the sea (rubytext: Angels). A massive soul in a tiny body, familiar and yet alien. Yet there was always one soul who tethered him to "humanity," as opposed to "divinity." One soul who inspired him, who called out to him, who chained him up and set him free.
"...Shinji-kun..."
His has always been a delicate heart. Kaworu has always found that beautiful about him. He's found it beautiful about Yuta Hibiki, or rather Gridman, too. Perhaps that was part of why he'd accepted his feelings. Kaworu had been clear from the start, to Gridman and Rei both, about how he felt about him, but he hasn't been clear about just how far and how deep that runs.
It can't--he can't--
The sheer number of memories Kaworu has with Shinji is enough to fill even a soul as vast as his. They swirl around him like autumn leaves caught on an errant breeze, like snowflakes fluttering down, like a blizzard of sakura petals. And like the shifting from fall into spring, the bite of the cold between them sinks its teeth into him like the most ancient of predators. Kaworu's fingers splay over his face, but he could no more keep those (real/imaginary) memories away as a Lilim could stop breathing oxygen. It may in time destroy them, cell by cell, respiration by respiration; however, to go without it would be to destroy each cell all together, all at once.
Shinji isn't here now.
There's always next time. They will always meet again.
But until "then," there is/must still be still "now"--
Something inside Unit-00 laughs. Rei, too, experiences her own form of conflict. Kaworu tilts his head just so to look over at her (Her); then he lowers his hand and rests it over hers. The warnings mean nothing of value. Unit-00's burst of motion, as she leaps forward and scoops up Gridman and runs--will come more easily, more readily, more smoothly.
To oppose something such as the light of the Dawn of the Universe itself, two souls such as theirs must be in accord. It's a principle that the researchers of NERV have utilized/will come to utilize in order to create the thirteenth Evangelion. The hope of Lilim has always been lined with sorrow.
So it has been. So it shall always be. Kaworu may not have always understood it, but he has always accepted it. So too it is now.
He is well familiar with existential despair. It won't stop him (them) anymore.
<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.
'Why not be a Hyper Agent who can be angry?'
Certainly Asuka appreciates Mari in this moment, though she'd never say THAT right?
Still, unfortunately, the debris is a greater hindrance than she thought, terrain breaks and she loses time. Her enthusiasm causing her to lose caution.
Angrily she tries to make up for that lost time but in the end...
... a perfect tie with Mari. Asuka's Eva crosses its arms, grumbling in incredulity. if Eva's could make expressions with the armor on, hers would be the GRUMPIEST horror monster in this moment.
And yet, Gridman calls off in alarm. It's not enough, even with the enclosed space of the Entry plug, just enough makes it into the LCL pumps to filter in.
02-278
There is a sudden sensation against her consciousness as her entry plug begins to alarm against the touch of mental contamination. There was a time when Asuka Shikinami Langley was not so angry. That came later.
Then suddenly she was angry all the time. Angry at people, angry at people living out their normal lives. Angry that she wasn't one of them.
Anger, always anger at the people who took the things for granted she couldn't have, deluding herself into believing she didn't want them.
In this moment, for once, her anger is at NERV - as if it were being properly directed for the first time in her life. Towards scientists, towards officers, towards Commanders.
Every horrible test, every moment when she saw her sisters die, every moment of personal suffering that she experienced driving herself to become the best. Only to learn they taught her the WRONG lessons.
Destroy. Destroy. Tear it all down.
So much anger, feeling like it's in the right place for her life. It tells her to stop fighting, to give up. To direct that anger properly. "Get out of my head. GET OUT OF MY HEADDDDDDDDDDDD!" She yells, seething as she perhaps channels the idea of giving up into something else - something she's good at. Anger.
Misdirected anger.
Her Evangelion running on, each pounding footstep she tries to make the horrible screech of nails on the chalkboard against the anathema that is intelligent life.
Running more like a demon charging out of the depths of hell, Asuka forces herself on, mouth frothing bubbles, as weapons in hand are discarded.
"GRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Near insensate to anything other than anger as her Eva charges, hands readied to be utilized to rip and tear the thing into shreds if she can last long enough to get within range.
The source of her anger, lost within the moment. As she remembers so many girls with her face dying... dying... dying...
... was there even a point to her survival in the first place?
FPT: Asuka Shikinami Langley spends 1 ID Charges! They will apply this coming round! FPT: Asuka Shikinami Langley has acted with Armor and Intuition.
<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.
Up close, the Verona... continues to not move.
"Huh," is the bemused noise Mari makes, scratching the back of her head.
"Dunnyao what I was expecting really."
But there is one thing that has always been true of the Veronas of Tsutsujidai: what was most essential to their existence, their purpose, was never anything that required mobility. Mari feels it through what is best described as instinct, first. The way the little hairs at the back of her neck lift. The tingly sensation of something she can't stand sifting into the pores of her skin and leaving their grainy feeling behind like--
GET BACK RIGHT NOW! This thing is--
Poison.
Mari's eyes widen. Evangelion Unit-04 -leaps- backward reflexively, just out of range of the slithering morass of poisonous, orange-infused gas. "Tt!" hisses out from between the bespectacled, unnumbered Child's teeth as she works the controls of her Cursed Eva. To gain distance.
... But it's too late.
Memories flood. The thing about memories is that all of them -- the happiest and the most heinous -- are all truly tenacious. Because they're all part of that human experience. All that's required are the right kinds of stimuli to dredge them up to the surface.
In a haze of orange, the essence of Triple Zero chooses to drag only the most disgraceful of memories to the surface. And the deep iceberg of Mari's mind has so many to offer.
A pair of glasses. They weren't hers. She takes them anyway. She just wants her to hurt the way that -she's- hurting right now--
-- but what was a slight becomes a gift, a memory cherished. again
An experiment that will change everything. She knows what's going to happen but doesn't say anything. Her friend offers one last assured little look before she disappears from Mari's life forever. again
Further back. She shouts out her Princess' name, knowing that she can't save her. Failure. But her faith in the future gives her one last goodbye. It's bittersweet. Just the way she likes it.
Further back. Every painful memory, a cherished one to accompany it.
Every new life, a new opportunity to hurt and delight.
She hurts right now, as she has to face them.
Just like she'll hurt again and again.
"... hee..."
And isn't that wonderful?
And that is wonderful.
"... A trip down memory lane...? How fancy--" exhales Mari, as Unit-02 puts Asuka's pain to good, vindictive use with a blood-curdling cry from its pilot. As Unit-00 attempts to drag Gridman forward. As Gridman attempts to fight it all, growing weaker and more lethargic and doubtful. The ocean of Mari's memories are an overwhelming, exhausting thing. She may get lost in them, after too long. But hurt by them?
"--but I've got plenty of time to reminisce with people who actually appreciate the experience, so GET-- LOST!"
Just like that, Unit-04's Rapidborer's snap into place. And just like that -- Mari SURGES forward, straight past Rei and Gridman and his cohorts, past Asuka as she lunges --
"HEY! REMEMBER WHAT I SAID?! IT'S NOW OR NEVER!"
And here, Unit-04 THRUSTS its hands forward, Rapidborers spinning at MAXIMUM speed and PAST that --
--to create a sudden, gushing BURST of wind, impromptu attempts at ventilation looking to clear a brief path. For Rei. For Asuka. And, for...
"SO C'MON AND GET MAD, YOU HYPER BASTARDS!"
FPT: Mari Makinami Illustrious has acted with Armor and Intuition. FPT: Mari Makinami Illustrious spends 1 ID Charges! They will apply this coming round! FPT: Rei Ayanami's Attrition applies! FPT: Rei Ayanami's I am myself. This object is me. and Abilities assist! FPT: Kaworu Nagisa's Angel of Free Will Ability assists! FPT: Mari Makinami Illustrious's Not Alone Ability assists! FPT: Asuka Shikinami Langley's Asuka Strikes! Ability assists! FPT: Gridman's Telepathic Link, Mediumship, and Hyperlink Combine Abilities assist! FPT: Round Complete!
+------------------------------< Flashpoint 1.0 >------------------------------+ +--------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Exploration >---------------------+ | MANDATORY STAT: ARM | | TERRAIN: Ground | | ATTRIBUTES: Resolve and Boss | | BONUS STATS: INT and WSP | +-----------------< TITLE: Kaiju - Zero Venora - Willpower! >------------------+ - As you make your way through the rubble, something horrible becomes clear- - - The Zero Venora doesn't need to take any more action than stand there and - - spew it's gas to harm you. It *will* get through the air filters on your - - mobile suit, and the Zero Particles enable it to work it's effect without - - needing you to breathe it in. The gas is full of glimmering golden lights - - that have one purpose- to sap your will and invade your memories. - - - - If yopu can get out of the radius, the effect will stop, but the longer you - - sit in the fog the more you find your worst memories coming to the - - surface, the easier it feels to just give up. Your enemies know that - - victory goes to the brave... so the best weapon is to take your bravery. - - - - %tCan you keep standing, as indivuals or a group, until you get to the - - other side of the Venora's gas... or will this be where your courage dies? - +------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: 3 >-------------------------------+ +-------------------------------< TENSION: 48 >--------------------------------+ | PILOT: Rei Ayanami | | STATS: ARM/MOB Charges Used: 0 Success | | PILOT: Kaworu Nagisa | | STATS: ARM/INT Charges Used: 0 Success | | PILOT: Mari Makinami Illustrious | | STATS: ARM/INT Charges Used: 1 Success | | PILOT: Asuka Shikinami Langley | | STATS: ARM/INT Charges Used: 1 Success | | PILOT: Gridman | | STATS: ARM/INT Charges Used: 0 Success | +-----------------------------< Round 5 Results >------------------------------+ +---------------------------------< .SRTMOO. >---------------------------------+ +-------------------< FLASHPOINT CHALLENGE: Strong Success >-------------------+ | MANDATORY STAT: ARM | | TERRAIN: Ground | | ATTRIBUTES: Rally | | BONUS STATS: Nothing | +----------------------------< TITLE: Pushed Back >----------------------------+ - The effort to push back Triple Zero has gone swimmingly this time; the Aura - - of Dawn's forces have been pushed thoroughly out of this sector of - - Nouvelle Tokyo, with many members of 3G Green and the local transit police - - successfully recaptured. Not only will this allow your team to separate - - this megafloat from the others, you should even be able to clear this area - - without further assistance from NERV or the Brave Police, freeing up - - resources for elsewhere! - +------------------------------< DIFFICULTY: - >-------------------------------+
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
"Whuh--!" Gridman calls out as he's scooped up, his swing with Calibur going wide. Suddenly, he's moving forward, held and carried, and the further they go, the more his head clears.
With a gasp, he realizes what's happening. Vit's thrusters engage, and Gridman helps carry both himself and Unit-00 to the other side of the Verona.
"Rei," His voice is so gentle, filled with awe and love. "Thank you. You saved me again."
With a squeeze to Unit-00's hand, the Giant of Light straightens, looking back toward the Verona, Mari, and Asuka.
Gridman can't see anyone else's experience. Though he has a profound psychic bond with his comrades, he's not a Newtype, or any other kind of being that trades in connection with others. But he can see Asuka's sudden berserker rage, and he knows what he went through. It's easy enough to imagine what she might've experienced.
Mari shouts to the Hyper Agents, and though his face is as unmoving as ever, something in Gridman's posture changes. With great care, Calibur is placed down next to Unit-00, and the Giant of Light turns /back/ to the Verona.
"I'll be right back," he reassures Rei and Kaworu. "I can do this."
Gridman has never let himself get angry. Not really. Even when Akane stabbed him, or monsters destroyed Tsutsujidai, he put his focus on what was ahead, drowning negative emotions in a sea of determination. Now that he's been given permission...
Electricity sparks around the Giant of Light, lightning arcing from his armored form to the walls of the tunnel surrounding them.
Akane. Rikka.
Gridman clenches his hands into fists.
Who knows what they're suffering.
Stepping forward into the path Mari cleared, Gridman puts his hands on the Verona.
"I gave everything I could and it wasn't enough. It never has been. Protecting the people I care about, completing my mission -- everything. I've failed at everything." Gridman's voice is calm and soft, even as electricity scorches the stones around him.
Light builds around his left arm. "I won't let it happen ever again!"
Breaking into a run, the Giant of Light allows his strength to envelop his form completely, until he's as incandescent as his title could possibly allow.
"No more!" Abruptly, Gridman's voice is a shout, his voice half-broken with rage. He raises his arm. "Asuka, Mari, get out of the way! Grid--!"
Akane, Rikka. Their faces come to him, and Gridman can't help gasping out a sob. They shouldn't have to go through this! His protection should've been enough!
"BEAM!"
Yellow light encompasses the Verona, though the beam grows more powerful and brilliant still, as Gridman yells in fury. White radiance, pure and blinding, echoes down the length of the tunnel.
By the time the beam fades, the Verona is no more, remembered only by a tunnel covered in scorch marks.
"That... felt really good." Gridman admits, falling forward onto his hands and knees. His lamp blinks rapidly, and just before vanishing, he takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly.
"Thank you."