2023-11-05: Lost Little Dragon ~CORRUPTION~
- Log: 2023-11-05: Lost Little Dragon ~CORRUPTION~
- Cast: Kaiju Navi, Takeshi Todo, Eight Orlodhari, Kaworu Nagisa, TenRyuuJin Team, Chloe, Alouette Pommier, Lucine Azul, Knight, Qivi, Zan, Rikka Takarada, Mari Makinami Illustrious, Akane Shinjo, Gai Kurenai, Guy Shishioh
- Where: Jupiter
- OOC - IC Date: 05 November, 0097
- Summary: The Division Train finally reaches Jupiter and reunites with an agent left to monitor the planet- but the Satellite Super AI ChuuRyu has already been corrupted by Triple Zero- and he launches an attack on the Yamatsumi, aided by Shinobilar and corrupted Cosmo Robos. Those on the Division Train manage to fend off the assault... but there's no saving ChuuRyu.
<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.
The Division Train's flight from Mars has been, so far, swift and uneventful- which is perhaps a blessing after the very eventful stopover.
There's just... a small problem.
"OH!" "MY GOD!"
It's the voices of the White siblings that are the first to report something is wrong. 3G Blue Chief Shigeru Akamatsu, however, declares the report to everyone else. "Jupiter... is gone!?"
"I can't find it!" Swan responds, looking hurriedly at the data. "The gravity measurements say it's there, but there's no visual! NO WAY!"
"The only possible conclusion," Stallion continues for his sister, "is that the planet has become invisible."
"That's ridiculous!" Shouts Akamatsu, slamming his fist on his command desk. "Nine years ago, we set up the Super AI observation sattelite ChuuRyu! It was monitoring to make sure Jupiter was normal! If anything had happened to it, it'd have been reported long ago, don't you think!?" He turned to 3G Blue's Advisor. "What's going on here, Dr Yang?"
Dr Yang looked uncharacteristically nervous. "You're correct, Chief Akamatsu. ChuuRyu's Probe Records haven't reported anything wrong with Jupiter over the past nine years."
Yamajii had a morose look on his face. "I feel you might want to look over the records again."
"Zooming in on the center with a super telephoto lens!" Shouts the Usshi on duty- and an object appears on screen. A being wreathed in orange flame, with something between it's hands.
For those who went to the Trinary Solar System, it's recognizable. Genesic GaoGaiGar, glowing with the Aura of Dawn.
"The hell's going on here!? The only thing here is the King of Ruin!" Akamatsu yells.
"It's 120 meters tall," Stallion says, his voice hitching. "The gravity radar estimates the weight at... 1,889,000,000.000,000,000,000,000 tons!!" His eyes widen in terror. "Also... the thing between the King of Ruin's palms is... Approximately 10meters in diameter but that's..."
"Emergency alert," comes the mechanical voice of the Yamatsumi's systems. "Abnormality detected inside the ship."
"What's wrong, what's just happened?!" Akamatsu's already bellowing voice sounds strained.
"Report from the Yamatsumi!" Usshi shouts back. "The Cosmo Robos in the hangar are running amok... No, they're morphing! Receiving visuals from the hangar, routing it to the main screen!"
The screen shows it... the orange flames billowing out of a hull breach in the Yamatsumi- and the Cosmo Robos look almost like... Zonders. The same monstrosities that flooded the Nouvelle Tokyo transport hub, witch thrashing claws and gnashing teeth. But it's Ikumi who notices the entity at the heart of it. It's covered horrid, flesh like mental tendrils that sink into the hull of the Yamatsumi, but it has 'wings' made of solar panels and a body that looks like nothing so much as a GGG Super AI block writ large. "What's that..? In the middle there?"
Yang Long Li, a man known for his inflappability, stands up hurriedly, sweat beads rolling down his face. "It can't be... That's..." It's hard not to catch the horror in his voice. "ChuuRyu!"
"Detach the Yamatsumi's hangar block!" Akamatsu orders.
"I can't! The remote control isn't working!"
"Blast! There's no other options!" Shigeru Akamtsu casts out his hand to give the order. "All available forces, engage the Zero Robos! If we don't deal with these Zero Robos first, we won't get to the King of Ruin at all!"
The ZR-02's are already firing wildly, as if to try and prevent units closing on ChuuRyu as he tries to absorb the Yamatsumi. But the only way to stop the King of Ruin is to get through the horde!
<Pose Tracker> Takeshi Todo has posed.
One of the greatest horrors of the Zonder, if any still remember, were the bespoke Zonder Metal Plants. Facilities converted from power-generating or power-concentrating infrastructure to factories for the terrifying Zonder Metal or the insidious Zonder Spores.
Triple Zero needs no such intermediary to spread its influence. It is pure power, in and of itself. All that it touches yields eventually to Cosmic Law.
The light of dawn spreads like a cancer, metastasizing across the Division Train in a nigh-unstoppable tide. It bubbles out with each CR Robo that transforms, growing brighter with every passing moment.
Sigma, wearing Takeshi Todo's face, bolts upright in his seat. "Ikumi-kun," he calls, racing toward the exits of the Main Order Room. "With me! Between the two of us, we stand the greatest chance of containing the spread." For a time, at least. Even the J-Jewel's Absolute Defensive Wall can only protect so much, and there's only so much that half a Hyper Agent can realistically do in this situation in general, but the truth behind Sigma's words remain. He can escape if he must, and if they can at least get to the manual overrides and force the separation, then the risk is still worth it.
...If only he could fight back the dread weighing heavy in his gut. The King of Ruin was so close, its plan so near to completion. Takeshi... where is he...?
...
Takeshi Todo, the Giant of Dawn, is not here. But as the chaos unfolds on the Division Train, his presence is absolutely felt. Something else has descended among the swarming CR-Zero Robos. It does not look at all like-- anything here. It is, however, familiar. A shape much akin to a certain kaiju that once lived in Tsutsujidai-- and a shape that many here have seen before.
Glowing with the light of Cosmic Law, Shinobilar stands among the Zero Robos as if overseeing their holy work.
Yes. None of this was an accident. The tactical genius of Taiga Kotaro does not allow for 'accidents.' Miracles, perhaps, once upon a time, but not accidents.
Shinobilar's visor glows, its shoulder-mounted missile launcher disgorging streaks of cosmogone light-- rockets mounted with warheads of volatile Triple Zero. Where they burst, the corruption's spread accelerates to inert matter, and all that defies Cosmic Law is ravaged instead by the baleful light that once blazed at the universe's birth.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
A horde of Zero Robos approaches. Jagged machinery and great big eyes with cavernous mouths make up the bulk of their bodies, with spiked pauldrons and great arms which hold machine guns or claws or both.
Dozens and dozens of them rush ahead!! If they aren't stopped, they'll swarm the Train's most vulnerable sections.
Already they've opened fire for places that hold people.
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Guy Shishioh with Triplee Zero Emission Blast! KTS: Lucine Azul has deployed in Dianthus Mk. 3. KTS: Rikka Takarada has deployed in Kakuseijin V2. KTS: Kaiju Navi targets TenRyuuJin Team with Triplee Zero Emission Blast! KTS: Akane Shinjo is now subpiloting for Rikka Takarada. KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Alouette Pommier with ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Zan with ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws! KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Qivi with ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws! KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Lucine Azul with ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws! KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Kaworu Nagisa with ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws! KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Mari Makinami Illustrious with ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws! KTS: Eight Orlodhari's Biorhythm activates Strike! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Chloe with Triplee Zero Emission Blast! KTS: Alouette Pommier fails to parry Kaiju Navi's ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws, taking 3690 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Alouette Pommier! KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Takeshi_Todo has deployed as a Boss for 3 opponents. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa successfully evades Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious parries Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws, taking 1140 damage! KTS: Eight Orlodhari has engaged Mari Makinami Illustrious! KTS: TenRyuuJin Team blocks Kaiju Navi's Triplee Zero Emission Blast, taking 1260 damage! KTS: Chloe's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Chloe partially guards Kaiju Navi's Triplee Zero Emission Blast, taking 3034 damage! KTS: Qivi parries Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws, taking 570 damage! KTS: Eight Orlodhari has engaged Qivi! KTS: Takeshi Todo has deployed in Commando Shinobilar. KTS: Lucine Azul successfully evades Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws KTS: Knight has deployed in Gridknight. KTS: Takeshi Todo targets Rikka Takarada, Gai Kurenai, and Knight with 4-Tube Missile Launcher Spray. KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Rikka Takarada blocks Takeshi Todo's 4-Tube Missile Launcher Spray, taking 960 damage! KTS: Knight has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Gai Kurenai blocks Takeshi Todo's 4-Tube Missile Launcher Spray, taking 960 damage! KTS: Knight successfully intercepts Takeshi Todo's 4-Tube Missile Launcher Spray KTS: Zan blocks Kaiju Navi's ZR-02 Horde Biting Jaws, taking 2460 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Zan! KTS: Takeshi_Todo has deployed as a Boss for 3 opponents. <Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
The Division Train approaches Jupiter, only to find that it isn't there. Considering that Jupiter has the second-most mass of everything in the solar system, second only to the Sun, this is beyond troubling. And the fact that they're only finding out now, upon arrival, when there was supposed to be an observation satellite...
Kaworu is silent as reports whip back and forth. When the emergency alert sounds about that abnormality inside the ship, he turns and walks off to the Evangelion car of the train. He can't actually read minds; he doesn't actually know the future. But Kaworu is very, very good at reading the script.
And the script running right now has placed them all in a very dire situation indeed.
"Deploying in Unit Beta," he announces from within his Evangelion's entry plug a short time later, in time for Akamatsu's order to engage the Zero Robos. He takes in the feed shown on a side screen of the Yamatsumi's hull breath--the orange flames, the warped metal body of ChuuRyuu. Unit Beta unsheathes her Heat Rapier as she steps forward from her cage, whose bars have been opened by the Eva's skeleton support crew, led by Aoba; no doubt they've prepared Unit-04 similarly. The pylon attachments flare, but she doesn't spread her A.T. Field wings until she's outside of the Train.
There, she launches into flight, arcing around towards the mass of Zero Robos as they charge at and fire on the Division Train. She weaves between their fire, some of those shots coming dangerously close to her armor; even for Kaworu, it requires a great amount of focus to avoid the sheer amount of it. Yet as dangerous as the swarm itself is, there's something else at their center, or rather someone. This is a full-hearted kaiju at their command, after all.
"Ah, Shinobilar. It's been some time," Kaworu greets him conversationally. Shinobilar, in turn, might not recognize the Evangelion--last time, it was Unit-00, the monocular orange behemoth, and this time, it's Unit Beta, the iron-masked champagne-colored femme behemoth--but the voice transmitting from that Evangelion is still Kaworu. However, he addresses someone else next, namely: "Knight, I will help ensure the Zero Robos don't interfere, so feel free to meet this challenge as you will."
Granted, he's assuming that this is a challenge Knight will want to meet, but considering Shinobilar's striking visual similarities to when he was Anti, Kaworu is reasonably sure he will.
From there, Kaworu bids Unit Beta angle up her wings to adjust her attack trajectory. "Shall we, Mary?" he transmits to his fellow Evangelion pilot, just before he and Unit Beta sweep into the horde of jagged machines sword-first, Heat Rapier flashing with the intent to leave destruction in its wake.
KTS: Kaworu Nagisa: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Eight Orlodhari with Forward Stab!
<Pose Tracker> Chloe has posed.
Chloe really doesn't have a lot to do while she's on standby. She can't even pass the time by doing maintenace on her Makhia. That's all handled by the automated drones that currently buzz around the hangar she's set up in. As a result, she's just been waiting. Which is what she's doing right now.
Sitting against a wall in the hangar.
Waiting.
A feed pops up in her view as apparently there is a commotion. Some report that Jupiter is apparently just gone. Which is absurd. What could make a planet just vanish? And leave no evidence? Surely there have been telescopes trained on Jupiter ever since the whole manifestation of ruin occured.
Of course, then the feed from the super telephoto lens comes in.
"..."
What. Is that?
That incredible amount of mass... It's roughly the same mass of Jupiter. The planet has been... Condensed? The amount of gravity energy that could be siphoned from a mass like that is... Well, it's far beyond what her Makhia is capable of.
This is concerning.
More pressing matters make themselves known though as an emergency alert sounds. Chloe quickly jumps to her feet, running across the hangar floor and up to the grantry into her Makhia.
A short time later, Chloe connects with the control system in her cockpit, the screens across the front wall flashing to life to show the ceiling of the hangar. A few thoughts trigger the large doors to open and Chloe radios, <"Chloe, Pallas Makhia. Launching.">
The large machine floats out of its hangar, decked out in a few weapons including its usual railgun rifle. It turns around in space to face in the direction of the Zero Robos. Just in time too as a barrage of attacks streak her way. Her Makhia's defense barrier activates, hexagonal panels of light stopping some of the shots, while others smash into the unit's armor to scorch it.
In the cockpit, Chloe can see bits of red starting to show on the damage display, showing the extent of the damage. Which is probably nothing compared to what will happen to the train if these corrupted machines aren't dealt with.
Chloe reaches up to grab the folded up construct on her back. She then throws it out into space. It floats away from her for a distance, before thrusters fire and stabilize it. It then unfolds, revealing several large missile racks. The platform turns to orient itself towards the Zero Robos and then fires, a large missile blasting out and rocketing through space to home in on one of the ZRs.
KTS: Chloe targets Kaiju Navi with MKW-55 Heavy Missile Platform Single Missile!
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Guided by data collected from their trusty remote satellite in Jupiter, ChuuRyu, it really was a swift and uneventful trip to Jupiter. But when the King of Ruin's gleam erupts in the sky, can such data really be trusted?
"...Make no mistake, Jupiter isn't gone." Alouette adds, stoic, from the Mobile Corps desk. "That mass Stallion-san reported rang a bell... it's the exact mass of Jupiter." But for all the implications that holds, there's little time for GGG to discuss what it could possibly mean, as the emergency sirens blare across the Division Train.
Her screen display sets the King of Ruin, and the "missing" Jupiter off to the side, magnifying the hangar shot of the Cosmo Robo- no, Zero Robos' grotesque transformation, while Ikumi and Yang identify the source of the corruption.
"...Then ChuuRyu too, has become a Ruin Apostle." Alouette notes, with a touch of sadness. "He's probably been feeding us false data the whole way here... all to lay a trap of this scale." She concludes.
But Akamatsu lays out the clear of it: if they don't stop the Zero Robos, they'll never make it to Jupiter. "...Understood. I'll launch in Gatherway Guardienne Aviaire!"
Safe from the corruption of Triple Zero, Alouette leaps into the Super Mechanoid and pulls a few levers. She steps on the pedal as the OS boots up. "Ignition Drive!" Alouette calls, UI-Tech engines of the Armed Jet thrusters roaring as the Mechanoid launches from the Mizuha's mirror catapult. She faces down the transforming Yamatsumi, ChuuRyu at the core, surrounded by legions of Zero Robos. Bolstered by a gun-toting kaiju, too... no doubt Takeshi-san's work.
The biting jaws of the Zero Robo horde come for her, and Alouette attempts to mitigate them with a swipe of her rapier - although the blade of light doesn't snap from the pressure, it doesn't totally withstand those sharp menacing teeth.
Still, she aims that blade towards the horde, but not to futilely stab through each one by one. Instead, a powerful code runs through it, firing a melting shot through the Zero Robos' systems. For all they are corrupted, they are still machines first and foremost, and Alouette knows how to weaken them for her and her allies."
Still... the Gutsy Global Guard has never faced this many Zero Robos in one place before, and if they fully integrate with the Yamatsumi, it would be utterly catastrophic for the Division Train. Alouette weighs their options on hand. AnRyuu and KouRyuu wish to extract him... but what if they can't, so deep within the Yamatsumi?
"...Chief Akamatsu. I don't want to hurt ChuuRyu... but I believe we should prepare for the worst case. Shall we put the AM Tool on standby?" She suggests, even understanding the sheer destructive power that tool brings upon its target.
Shigeru Akamatsu, loud, boisterous, but known for his quick and decisive decision-making is uncharacteristically silent. He is very much aware of how it feels for your own child to be in this much peril, after all. And so he turns to Supervisor Yang Yong-Li.
The Supervisor's emotion is clouded by the gleam of light in his glasses. "ChuuRyu is a Brave. Even as a simple satellite monitor, I imparted him with a Brave's values... to protect this world. If ChuuRyuu can no longer uphold that Oath, then we shall in his stead."
Akamatsu rumbles. "All right. APPROVED! Usshi Number Four - GET TO IT!"
"Gotcha, Chief!" Maintenance Operator Sueo Ushiyama, already resigned that there's nothing they can do to get the CRs under control, is eager to swap tasks by now. "The hangar situation is pretty damn bad, so it's going to take some time. Hang in there guys!" He manages a shaky thumbs-up.
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Kaiju Navi with Melt! <Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.
Lucine.... has a very strange sleeping schedule. While it has been mapped to Earth's cycles thanks to the odd decision by the Nemi Colony staff to base their day/night cycles more or less around them, she's also adapted a few sleeping habits more commonly seen among cowboys: that is, 'destructive' and 'not held to a cycle when allowed to be on their own'.
So, when she wanders out from her block, already yawning and scratching the side of her neck, her hair is still a mess, revealing that those relaxed curls are more a product a careful hair regimen that genetics. A t-shirt with a faded Nergal logo on it (courtesy of a company morale-building exercise) with a fresh stain of toothpaste and some drawstring pants complete the look. She'd still be in the middle of her wake-up routine, in fact, if the emotional ether didn't seem suspiciously more excited and tense than usual.
'Jupiter is gone.'
Yellow eyes look up dazedly and have the gall to not act immediately horrified at this news, before her rational brain takes over and tells her This is A Bad Thing. "... That.... is bad." The other, more irrational part of her is irritated over the insinuation that Jupiter had been missing at all; it sparks a light under her slowly warming thought. ".... Wait, it's actually--"
Staring at the screen is like someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water over Lucine's head. It's that same feeling Lucine felt, staring out against unending swarm of Jovian drones after escaping from her home, but even worse. It's a sight that almost mocks her petty emotions, as the planet that housed so many things, including the supposed Jovian Lizards, is now smaller than half the span of a regulation-length tennis court. ".... A black hole..."
There were other things on that planet, she reminds herself. It's just a name. The drones on the surface of Mars wouldn't have stopped regardless of anything because
they were automated to kill
regardless of
whether or not their makers
were even there to celebrate
She breathes, and steps away, walking towards her block and remembering the field of flowers in her mind's eye. To protect everything, both on Mars, the many colonies, Earth, and all the people fighting the Vajra and the threats at home...
What did Yurika say to her once? Something about hoping some of GGG's bravery will rub off on her? < ".... We *will* make this work. Just as we're counting on our allies, they're counting on us. We'll blaze a trail, and _we'll make everyone know we're here_," > she says, over her radio, placed to the side of the sink. It's tall words coming from someone speeding through a wake-up routine, but speed up she does, true to her experiences aboard the Nadesico. Her hair is brushed into a messy bun and pinned into place; she'll grab a bar to munch while she waits for what they're going to need to do.
Well, scratch that-- there may not even be time for a bar.
< "... Heading out now. I'll have the Dianthus out in no time." > Part of ignorance is not knowing what you might be up against, but Lucine knows that just might work in her favor.
The black and magenta craft is soon flying towards one of the swarms. Swirling around in circles like the maple seed twirling in the fall air, the Dianthus avoids the fire, laying a line of orbs of energy as a minefield to attempt to slow the ZeroRobos down.
< ".... You'll have to work harder than *that*." >
KTS: Lucine Azul targets Eight Orlodhari with Lunate Crown v.2 Fireflies! KTS: Eight Orlodhari rushes into the attack! KTS: Eight Orlodhari partially guards Kaworu Nagisa's Forward Stab, taking 3675 damage! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has engaged Eight Orlodhari!
KTS: Eight Orlodhari fails to charge.
<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.
"Let's get a really big magnifying glass!" That's Nidaime's contribution to 3G's shock and dismay, on seeing that Jupiter is gone. How did she get in here? The kaiju pair just kind of -- show up, sometimes. Don't worry too much about it.
Luckily, they have one of those on hand. Oh, sure, the Usshi calls it a 'super telephoto lens', but we all know what that's code for. "A really big magnifying glass," Nidaime confirms, as she leans over to peer at the screen. "Sooo--"
Her face falls. "--oh."
That's the Aura of Dawn.
At once, she hurries over to the wall to steal the landline from its hook. Dial, dial... it connects to their room. "Naito," Nidaime speaks through it, "I know you're not doing well, but there's a bad situation. Shinobilar's out there." And she, at least, understands what that means.
"Understood," comes the voice from the other end, stoic and gravelly. "I'm going."
"I'm counting on you, Naito," Nidaime says, and hangs up. With a big huff of a breath, she swans (but doesn't Swan) back to the others, apparently determined to stay in the midst of the bridge. Getting underfoot. You know, normal office lady things.
Meanwhile --
Did you know that Gridknight can breathe in space?
Because there he is, emerging from a hangar to fly out, all purple where Gridman's gleaming whites would usually be. He's only a copy of a Hyper Agent -- but even a copy is enough to respond to something like this. "Got it," he replies, to that feminine Evangelion. "Kaworu Nagisa, Mari Makinami Illustrious... we're counting on you."
He charges in, "rrrrRRRRRAAAAGH," and punches THROUGH that warhead -- barrelling forward fast enough that the two halves explode behind, rather than around him. He comes to Shinobilar with a spin through space, landing in a scissor kick aimed right at the kaiju's head. (As much as anyone can land, in space.) His shock, on seeing his opponent up close, is registered in his hitching: "It's --"
There's a way this sentence is supposed to end,
"-- you again?!"
Just not like that.
KTS: TenRyuuJin Team rattles Kaiju Navi, making its next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to Intercept TenRyuuJin Team's GBR-9 Missile Racks - Smoke Missile Rain, taking 2250 damage! KTS: TenRyuuJin Team begins a Formation attack! KTS: Knight targets Takeshi Todo with Gridknight Rush Attack! KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to Intercept Chloe's MKW-55 Heavy Missile Platform Single Missile, taking 4575 damage! KTS: Chloe completes the Formation attack!
<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.
Qivi has been taking advantage of an uneventful trip to do something she didn't think she'd be able to do: she'd been catching up on her sleep.
Sure, they're getting ready to fight... well, Qivi doesn't even have all the adjectives she needs for it. But she's used to sleeping before a big match, and it's only a matter of scale. And if she doesn't get any sleep, she's not going to be worth a damn thing at Jupiter. But she made sure to be awake when they got to Jupiter. That, she shouldn't (and couldn't) sleep through.
Or, didn't get to Jupiter, as the case may be.
"What do you mean it's missing? How the fuck do you misplace an entire PLANET? Especially when you can see it glowing from HOW far away?" Well, that's not quite right; you can see the glow, but it kind of obscures the actual planet, doesn't it? Science is not Qivi's strong point. "I mean, you'd think the Energy Fleet would say something if it was missing!"
She is, at least, aware enough that she does not do this on the announcement line, but she can't help herself from blurting it out - it just slips out. So does, in an aside to Nidaime that is absolutely not Qivi trying to calm herself down, "I think you'd need a telescope instead to find a planet..."
...though not if it's been crunched down into ten meters. Qivi doesn't even have a response to that besides goggling for a moment. That's a disaster - how do you FIX something like that??
What was already a disaster gets progressively worse. "I'm going!" Qivi announces, already on her way away from the camera - she's vanishing out of frame towards a door, having either forgotten to turn it off before she left or decided the two seconds of fumbling for the button would make things worse.
--
She is. Already ready for flight, it only takes her a brief amount of time to get Minokawa off the ground and out into space, accelerating toward the morphing monsters and the new hole. It's the part she's closest to; she has to trust other people to handle the rest of it.
The vaguely insectile form of Minokawa has a new weapon today - a heavy metal tetsubo that doubles as a beam rifle. Qivi brought the rod-type rifle as a backup but hadn't really planned to use it today. It still has the charging cable attached to the rifle, though the other end dangles free; as she deploys, she picks it out with Minokawa's claws, discarding the damaged length.
"<Minokawa, coming in hot,>" Qivi transmits - to the Evangelions at least, which are identifiable allies at least. She swings the club, catching one of the Robos as it tries to chew on her and her robot; the other hand and wrist slides back an armour plate, revealing launchers for a horde of tiny micromissiles, which she fires in a broad arc toward what used to be the Cosmo Robos.
KTS: Qivi targets Eight Orlodhari with Micromissile Launch! KTS: Eight Orlodhari charges into the attack! KTS: Eight Orlodhari partially guards Lucine Azul's Lunate Crown v.2 Fireflies, taking 2800 damage! KTS: Eight Orlodhari successfully evades Qivi's Micromissile Launch KTS: Alouette Pommier melts Kaiju Navi's armor.
<Pose Tracker> Zan has posed.
Zan was brought along because when facing something big, bring in a big guy. Next to an Evangelion, the Iron Zanrailer was their biggest weapon. And there was still a few unacccounted for among the Ruin Apostles.
The arrival has Zan looking out from the hanger, patched into feeds as he listens to the audio from the bridge while mounted on his train body. Jupiter being gone made no sense. A brief scan showed it, though, and then there was another problem. Almost immediately Zan was forced to launch to avoid the Zero Robos hopefully. The rockets of his train form sent him off as quickly as he could out of the hanger, even having to smash through the doors to do so.
Then the Orca form launches and the train body separates as Zan's form changes to the head of Iron Zanrailer and merges with the body. No crazy combination poses, as he has to deal with being attacked by a literal horde on his way towards ChuuRyu.
"Iron Zanrailer. Activated safely. Heading for ChuuRyu."
The giant form of Zan proceeds to deploy his dozer shields before flying into the horde, taking damage but using the fact that it's a bunch of smaller robots to smash through by being the bigger body. The much bigger body. And he heads right for ChuuRyu.
"ChuuRyu! Stop! We are friendly! We are here to help!"
The Iron Zanrailer tries to ram into ChuuRyu with the dozer shields in an effort to knock it off the ship. If it can get through the blasted horde in it's way!
KTS: Guy Shishioh charges into the attack! KTS: Guy Shishioh partially guards Kaiju Navi's Triplee Zero Emission Blast, taking 2940 damage! KTS: Zan targets Kaiju Navi with Dozer Shield Ram!
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
They've been kept pretty busy. Fortunately, after the excitement of Mars, they've had time to rest and recuperate. ...Which is good, because they're fast approaching Jupiter. Their destination. Where what could possibly be the most difficult challenge of their lives awaits them.
...Rikka is nervous, of course. From the outside it's difficult to tell, but those who know her well can see it in the way she holds herself, her slightly subdued reactions.
...Of course she's nervous. Of course she's afraid. Who wouldn't be? She sits with the rest of the pilots, her eyes scanning the area, looking out for her friends and those close to her. No doubt they're feeling the same way. She manages a small smile.
They'll need all the strength they can muster, with Jupiter on the horizon.
...Or, at this moment it should be, but...
"...It's gone?" Rikka repeats, as she overhears the conversation. It's... a very terrifying notion, that the planet you're heading toward simply isn't there. Invisible? And what's more... Rikka doesn't recognize Genesic GaoGaiGar for what it is, but she hears the way they refer to it. It's a monster... but right now, they have another, more immediate problem.
They're under attack. They can't be stopped here, before they even face their target. Rikka takes a deep breath, clenching and unclenching her fists to loosen herself up. She has to focus.
"...Right." Rikka says, standing up. "Let's go!"
She hurries to the Dive Chamber to get suited up, then to the hangar where Kakuseijin V2 awaits them, taking her position in the Neuronoid. She's still nervous... but right now, with danger immediate, it doesn't show as she plunges her hand into the Linker Gel and grasps the controls.
"We should probably hurry to the Yamatsumi... You have control!" Rikka announces for Akane's benefit. As Kakuseijin V2 accelerates across through space, Rikka considers the situation. ...It's rough. ChuuRyuu... she doesn't know the Super AI, but it's still sad. She can't imagine how they must all be feeling right now. But as they move, suddenly, another threat appears.
"...Watch out!" Rikka gasps in surprise. Kakuseijin V2 braces off, rockets bursting against a projected field. She frowns, gripping the controls tightly.
That kaiju... She was... indisposed when Shinobilar appeared in recent times. She doesn't recognize it... but that form... She frowns.
...They have to fight it.
"We're in position... Let's go!" Rikka says. Kakuseijin V2 transforms, taking on its own kaiju-like Active Mode before launching one of its fists at Shinobilar! Once it reaches its target - or misses - it retracts back on its chain.
At least she's not alone. Rikka looks to the side, where Knight, too, joins the fray.
"Knight... will you be alright?" Rikka asks. "...Still, I'm glad you're here."
KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Takeshi Todo with Chain Punch! KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi parries Zan's Dozer Shield Ram, taking 1050 damage! KTS: Zan repulses Kaiju Navi, forcing it to disengage.
<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.
"Oho. So that's the form of our Destructor, eh?"
Pink-clad legs sing idly back and forth on the tremendous shoulder of Evangelion Unit-04 as Mari Makinami Illustrious observes the sight of Genesic GaoGaiGar, cradling a world in its hands. Currently on 'just-in-case' standby in the Evangelion traincar as they approached Jupiter - or what's become of Jupiter, anyway - her brows slowly lift at the sight. The King of Ruin takes an appropriate form, it seems.
She lifts a sports bottle, full of an unlabeled red fluid, and sips thoughtfully.
"'He has the whole world in His hands, and still He thinks of me.' Yohp!"
It's a hop, skip and a jump to take Mari from her shoulder-bound perch into the Entry Plug of her Eva. Slipping in to the embrace of LCL (specially stocked for the trip!), the bespectacled would-be agent of NERV closes her eyes as she basks in the familiar feeling of the plug reaching safe enough depths to ignite life into the Evangelion. A dazzling array of colors and patterns swirl around her as a small smile touches her lips.
SING-ALONG: https://youtu.be/f37HQxIvef0?si=NOXDmATBvBE7-ZI4
o/` "The noise of the city,
is the best drug I could ask for~
I dance,
almost RELIGIOUSLY,
at the asphalt disco~" o/`
... The singing stops for a brief moment. As if Mari was expecting someone to interrupt her and demand she stop singing.
Blue eyes crack open into slivers as a little, bittersweet smile touches her lips.
"... Ah well."
<"Let's go, Unit-04!">
And this is the acknowledgment of orders to deploy from Mari Makinami Illustrious as the chrome-clad form of Eva-04 springs out shortly behind Unit Beta; newly-designed space equipment, developed by wonderful coincidence just in time for this Jupiter-bound outing, flares with jet thrust as soon as the Evangelion is jettisoned out of the train proper.
There's a kaiju in the distance. And something worse beyond it. The form of Shinobilar is strikingly familiar to Mari, eliciting the lift of a brow from the Eva pilot. And as Kaworu speaks, and Knight makes himself known, that brow's opposite number joins it in a full heft of approval.
<"Ufu. The Stray's all grown up, I see! You can rely on yours truly to your heart's content, Sir Stray. <3">
It's been a while since that time she and Anti met out in that alley, when she took his music player and left him with advice in its place. He had been in human form then, but -- there's some things that Mari just -can't- help but recognize.
And so, with a wild grin, Mari Makinami Illustrious -jets- her Evangelion towards the horrifying horde, colliding with one of those Cosmo Robos with such speed that it allows her ti -cram- Evangelion Unit-04's assault rifle -- and entire arm -- into the snapping maw of the infected robotics before it can truly do -more- damage with that festering bite.
Shall we, Mary?
<"I'm your gal, Tabby Cat!">
She squeezes the assault rifle's trigger, intent to unload ammunition deep inside the belly of the beast, her other assault rifle doing a much wider sweep of bullet-based annihilation as her singing fills the comm lines anew.
o/` "CRAZY NIGHTS! We're--
CRAZY NIGHTS! A crazy generation~!
CRAZY NIGHTS! Kept up all night,
CRAZY NIGHTS! from the beat--
of our hearts!" o/`
And so joy in destruction fill the surrounding air around Evangelion Unit-04 like a direct confirmation of everything everything Triple Zero loathes.
KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: [Mirage] Takeshi Todo's Shinobilar Illusions activates, and he slips into a mirage. KTS: Takeshi Todo fails to evade Rikka Takarada's Chain Punch, taking 0 damage! KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious targets Eight Orlodhari with Assault Rifles - Bullet Hell! KTS: Takeshi Todo fails to evade Knight's Gridknight Rush Attack, taking 4590 damage! KTS: Knight has engaged Takeshi Todo! KTS: Eight Orlodhari partially guards Mari Makinami Illustrious's Assault Rifles - Bullet Hell, taking 1800 damage! <Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
It's been nice for Akane to have some uneventful days; she's getting a little bit tired of events, to say the least. Excitement doesn't always sit that well with her. Then again, she did sign up for this; it's part of the long process of paying her debts, and in that sense, she doesn't entirely mind it.
"How can a whole planet be gone?" Akane asks, incredulous; even with as much weird stuff as she's seen in the last few years, there are some things that just don't feel right to hear at all. She looks to Rikka, anxious -- but then a more immediate problem starts.
As the alarms start up, Akane considers where she's best allocated -- and in the end, it's time to suit up.
(Having now used it a few times, Akane feels much less self-conscious about the custom Dive Suit. It's just hers, now -- and the opportunity to show off a little is... nice.)
When Akane sees Shinobilar, she frowns. This is likewise new to her -- but she does recognize when things visually rhyme.
"I have control!" Akane acknowledges, as she mentally sorts through the situation. "... Hm. Is it an autointelligence kaiju, too, or is the form just the same..." Akane murmurs to herself. As they get closer, Akane returns control to Rikka with a, "You have control!"
Gridknight's presence does a lot to make her feel more confident that, whatever comes, they'll make it through. "It's really good to see you, but try to take it easy, okay?" she says to -- at this point -- the only family she's got.
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Rikka Takarada KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Rikka Takarada and Knight with Awe. KTS: Akane Shinjo inspires awe, increasing Rikka Takarada's Morale! <Pose Tracker> Gai Kurenai has posed.
The King of Ruin predominates what should otherwise be the familiar amber-and-violet hues of Jupiter's swirling clouds. Gai Kurenai stares in horror - only a few times has he clashed with enemies able to manipulate matter on the planetary scale.
There is no time, however, to ponder what the absence of the largest planet in the Solar System means; something has started to go wrong, and Zero Robos are beginning to chew up the Division Train - and their overseer, the kaiju Shinobilar, is helming their advance, aiming missiles at sections of the Train with occupied quarters.
One warhead streaks towards an observation dome, to blast it open to the void and wash its occupants in the corrupting light of the Oath Over Omega. Moments before its impact - ("Ultraman-san! Tiga-san! I'm borrowing the power of your lights!") - there is a flash of clear white light from in front of the viewport, swiftly engulfed by the amber explosion.
"I AM ORB!" A voice announces through the vacuum as the blast disperses, revealing the navy, red, black and silver form of Ultraman Orb Spacium Zeperion crouches in front of the dome with his arms raised, a shimmering field of light keeping the Triple Zero emissions from touching his body. The Crusader of Light rises to his feet. "I LIGHT THE DARKNESS, AND STRIKE AT EVIL!"
So saying, he kicks off the hull of the Division Train, towards Shinobilar. Crystalline blue eyes glance towards Gridknight and the by-now-familiar Kakuseijin also on an approach vector towards the ninja-kaiju (carrying heavy armaments), he adjusts his position, slowing his approach to let his allies strike first.
(It's strange, to watch an Ultraman move in space. There is no sign of counterthrust to change his momentum, no energy emissions at all - Orb uses the nature of physics to his advantage, yet defies them at a moment's notice too, as though his movement is as much an expression of will as it is something physical).
As his comrades close the distance, the navy-blue markings on Orb's body shine bright, and suddenly he's almost as fast as light itself, closing the distance in a finger's snap to strike at Shinobilar in a blur of fists and feet!
KTS: Gai Kurenai targets Takeshi Todo with Sky Tiga Rush Combo!!
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
Guy is on the bridge, of course, as the truth they've come here to seek becomes clear. He's been nervous for hours. The threats from Yapool are gnawing at him, but more than that... "This close, not even the apparition of the King of Ruin should prevent us from seeing Jupiter...a planet can't just disappear."
But as he's contemplating that, the White siblings call out, and Guy's attention flicks to the screens. The drama of the Order Room plays out, answers flying back and forth. "That kind of mass?" he questions Stallion's reading. Alouette answers it, though. "It's there, but we can't see it. We have to trust the gravity radar. Whatever else, spacetime has never lied to us." ...much.
But then the other blow - they're already under attack. They've been under attack, Yang speculates, for some time - denied critical information by a subverted ally. "I never dared to suspect just being this close could do it...or did they seek him out as soon as they arrived..." Guy murmurs, worried. Then he turns. "I'm going."
Soon, Star GaoGaiGar is in the air, StealthGao II with its ring-equipped nacelles on its back. "Goldy, you alright?" Guy calls on internal lines.
"Oh yeah I'm having' a ball!!" Goldymarg yells, and then roars, and then probably yeets a Cosmo Robo into space.
"We'll need you later! Stand by!"
"Oi, Cap'n, you know how I feel about 'stand by'!"
"...we have to try and save him, Goldy," Guy says, quiet, watching the lurching form of ChuRyu's corruption crawling all over Yamatsumi.
"Hn. Yeah, yeah...I'll be there when you call, don't worry about that."
Guy grunts and cuts the line. The sight of Genesic GaoGaiGar, crushing what looked like a hyper-micronized Planet Jupiter betweeen his hands, was a chilling one. He doesn't know what it means. But he knows it means his friend is near. "Galeon...and ChuRyu, too. We'll save you!"
The blasting waves of T0 power batter him, but GaoGaiGar responds by charging in, Ul-Tech pylons at full blaze, and just TACKLING into the center with a scream!
KTS: Guy Shishioh targets Kaiju Navi with Axe Kick! KTS: Kaiju Navi parries Guy Shishioh's Axe Kick, taking 1110 damage! KTS: Guy Shishioh has engaged Kaiju Navi! KTS: Takeshi Todo fails to parry Gai Kurenai's Sky Tiga Rush Combo!, taking 4300 damage! KTS: Gai Kurenai has engaged Takeshi Todo! KTS: Gai Kurenai begins a Formation attack! <Pose Tracker> TenRyuuJin Team has posed.
The Dragons of Light and Darkness have not been any better-off than their organic comrades. They didn't know Kamuy or Prickle or Gogol as well as the others, but they were--are, KouRyuu keeps reminding herself, Gogol and Prickle still have a chance--fellow Braves. Both were incensed, to put it lightly, that the three of them overrode PorcAuto's core and used him as a glorified drone controller. KouRyuu keeps reminding herself they were sick. AnRyuu has been doing the same.
But the sisters still remember the Paras Particles, and the moment of shock they shared before they were forcibly shut down.
As the Division Train nears its destination, AnRyuu and KouRyuu rest in the deployment bay, seated on Brave-sized 'chairs' as the preflights finish. Both are hardwired into the Train's comms, and both hear that 'OH MY GOD!' the instant it happens. (KouRyuu's predicted the followup from Swan's first fragment of intonation. She is, regrettably, correct.)
"What?" KouRyuu says, "That's not--what about the moons? The Fleet stations? I--"
"ChuRyuu," says AnRyuu, when Yang brings up their elder brother. Her tone is grim, in contrast with KouRyuu's surprise. "Can you raise him, Doctor?"
All hell breaks loose.
The preflights stop, immediately; cables pop free, and the twins leap to their feet. AnRyuu takes a step towards the hangar door, stops, and whirls to face her sister.
"ChuRyuu..." KouRyuu whispers. She's frozen; she can't look away from the tableau in her mind's eye. He was only doing his duty--
"Focus, soeur!" AnRyuu grips her sister's shoulder, and KouRyuu turns to face her, their optics meeting. The steel in AnRyuu's expression is metaphorical as well as literal. "If we don't stop him, everyone will die, or worse."
KouRyuu's processor speed spikes. She knows exactly how that 'worse' feels; they both went through it, and wouldn't wish it on their worst enemy.
"I'm here. Guy is here. Alouette is here. Renais is here. We're doing this together."
KouRyuu nods, and claps her elder sister's shoulder. Twin G-Stones flash within their chests.
RIGHT NOW
"Chief! On your six!" AnRyuu comes rocketing in behind GaoGaiGar, peeling off and jetting around Guy's right flank with graceful precision. KouRyuu follows a second later, her flight path wobbling slightly from lack of practice, or a miscalculation, or imbalanced load, but she manages to join AnRyuu without crashing into either her or Guy. She's now face-to-face with her wayward elder brother.
"ChuRyuu!" KouRyuu cries. knows there's no reasoning with Triple Zero, but she has to give voice to the anguish, to let him know they're here. "Frere, please, we're here to--!"
A burst of cosmogone-orange washes out at her, a spray of particulate Triple Zero energy. KouRyuu recoils inwardly, and jets to the side, a clumsy motion that just leaves her on a wholly predictable course. The second blast fires--
And AnRyuu is there. The T0 beams flicker across the face of her shield, searing into the ablative outer coating. "GBR-9 AnRyuu. Keep those Zero Robos clear from us, we're moving to extract ChuRyuu." AnRyuu's 'backpack' slides upwards and splits along its seam, swivelling out to reveal the warheads inside. Missiles streak from within, targeting the points of contact between ChuRyuu and the hull, while avoiding areas likely to contain personnel. Each one explodes into bursts of fire, and expanding clouds of reflective nanochaff.
KTS: TenRyuuJin Team targets Kaiju Navi with GBR-9 Missile Racks - Smoke Missile Rain!
<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.
ChuuRyu's 'eyes' blaze with that orange glow from the sattelite block that is his body. He never got the form that the other Brave Robos got- his was never finished, and he served as a researcher before he was sent here.
As such, he has no mouth to respond to KouRyuu's desperate cries. He was sent up here before his little sisters were finished. Does he even recognize them? As AnRyu's missiles fire upon him, he sends out a wave of Triple Zero's energy- but too close, and his sensors are engulfed in the smoke.
That smoke covers the approach of Chloe's own missiles, and the corrupted SuperAI is unable to stop the missiles that explode several of the ZR-02's serving as ChuuRyu's vanguard- and opening a path to attack. So too is Alouette able to able to circumvent the defenses of the former CRs- Triple Zero hasn't had the chance to change their code as much as it has their forms.
ChuuRyu doesn't respond to Zan either- it could be just as easily that the new Brave's entreaties fall on deaf ears. As Zan's dozer shield slams toward him, one of ChuuRyu's horrible tendrils rises to meet it, clashing with the shield, before crumbling- then already starting to regrow.
As the King of Braves charges, a trio of tendrils lash up to cushion the impact- the first getting crushed by the impact but the
With Zan in close, the tendril's around ChuuRyu's body spin up, and one swings to send the construction Super AI packing as best as it can, to get Zan away from the core as it tries to spread it's corruption across the Wadatsumi. Another tendril swings down to slam at GaoGaiGar- even the Brave at the edge of space will recognize GaoGaiGar- and it's threat.
The ZR-02's guarding ChuuRyu form up, and open their mouths- unleashing a barrage of missiles at the Makhia, hoping to overwhelm the machine with coordination and teamwork- simple, bestial teamwork.
The Guardienne Aviaire, however, is identified as a different threat. One of the transmitters on ChuuRyu comes to life, and it aims at Alouette's machine, marking it for the ZR-02's to rush. After all, if she can shut them down too quickly, ChuuRyu loses his defenders.
But for KouRyuu and AnRyuu, they'll feel something familiar. Horrible. Waves of Triple Zero energy wash over them, as ChuuRyu responds to their cries non-verbally.
After all, what brother wants to fight his sisters? Shouldn't they be fighting together?
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Zan with Triple Zero Tendrils Knockback! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Gai Kurenai with Triple Zero Tendrils Heavy Slam! Kaiju Navi has cancelled its attack.
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Zan with Triple Zero Tendrils Knockback! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Guy Shishioh with Triple Zero Tendrils Heavy Slam! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Chloe with ZR-02 Horde Combined Fire! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Alouette Pommier with Designate L1! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets TenRyuuJin Team with Demoralize! KTS: Kaiju Navi designates Alouette Pommier, making her easier to target and opening her to indirect fire. KTS: Kaiju Navi demoralizes TenRyuuJin Team, reducing her Morale drastically. KTS: Chloe has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Chloe's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Chloe partially guards Kaiju Navi's ZR-02 Horde Combined Fire, taking 4017 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi begins a Formation attack!
<Pose Tracker> Takeshi Todo has posed.
If Earth was without heroes, there would be no reason to be so... meticulous. But even this, the last opportunity to give them silence before they are utterly crushed by the King of Ruin is something that mankind and its allies are wont to fight against. They have to. They must. It is in their DNA. That very spark of defiance, of <Plus and Minus Energy> that imperils the universe, is the reason Triple Zero is here in the first place.
A chain-linked arm tears through that familiar form-- only to strike a flickering afterimage of dawn-colored light. There is no hiding for Shinobilar in this state. Like Volfogg, its role should be that of a ninja, but blazing with cosmogone light, there's little chance that 'hiding' could accomplish much. Perhaps that's why Shinobilar has been furnished with such heavy weaponry? Nevertheless, 'hiding' is unnecessary this time.
Triple Zero provides it with all manner of unnatural power that more than makes up for the lack of subtlety.
"Ancient. Still haven't run?" It-- speaks. Talking not to the forces engaging with it, but with Kaworu in the distance. "'Father' is looking forward to dealing with you--"
Knight rushes in, seizing the blazing kaiju around the 'neck' legs-first. "Excuse me, you are in the way." An Ultraman's fists and feet fly at luminary speeds at the exact moment that Shinobilar's vision is obscured, tearing blazing chunks out of the kaiju, but it regenerates rapidly. Body swiftly reconstructing with every flare of dawnlight. "Enough!"
There's a flurry of motion. With a sweep of one arm, it tears at the Ultraman with a golden claw. Grabbing at Gridknight with that same limb, it leverages the Hyper Agent away, and then--
Scythes into him with a blade as dark as a black hole.
Somehow, something about that blade seeps into the heart. Maybe it's the way that Triple Zero can somehow only creep along its edge, making the whole thing resemble a sunspot forged into a sword. Or maybe it's that its nature is...
Something that Akane would absolutely recognize.
KTS: Zan fails to rush. KTS: Zan partially guards Kaiju Navi's Triple Zero Tendrils Knockback, taking 3420 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi repulses Zan, forcing it to disengage. KTS: Takeshi Todo targets Gai Kurenai with Shinobilar Claw Thrust! <Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
At first, the Zero Robos barely focu on Kaworu; there are so many of them that even a small focus is enough to make it dangerous, but Unit Beta gets the attention of the hordes more than quickly enough. The Heat Rapier flashes forward--
The Zero Robos rush Unit Beta immediately; two are skewered outright by the Heat Rapier's forward attack, and more crash toward her, and more are on the way. Likewise they converge on Lucine's Dianthus, blasting through the mines and losing some of their number but continuing on through sheer mass. Minokawa meanwhile comes in hot--and the Zero Robos part as if a river parting around a rock, to avoid that attack. Meanwhile, another gets an assault rifle crammed into its mouth, and it flails out as it tries to chomp down on the rifle--but before it can do much, Mari's singing strikes tear through more of them. The shell of the first is a serviceable shield for some of the others, but yet more are destroyed anyway.
Unit Beta is best by a barrage of sustained cannonfire, while the Dianthus finds multiple members of the Horde reaching out to try to snatch it up and pull it apart entirely.
Then there is a rushing spread of fire for both Unit-04 and Qivi's Minokawa.
There are no words for the pilots; there is no data transmitted. Only blank, dead eyes and the horrible knowledge that there are still more where these came from.
KTS: Takeshi Todo targets Knight with Digifer Blade Grapple Slash! KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Kaworu Nagisa with ZR-02 Arm Cannons Sustained Fire! KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Lucine Azul with ZR-02 Horde Snatching Claws! KTS: Takeshi Todo targets Rikka Takarada with Demoralize! KTS: Eight_Orlodhari Changes attack to Mari Makinami Illustrious and Qivi with ZR-02 Arm Cannons Barrage. KTS: Eight Orlodhari's Biorhythm activates Focus! KTS: TenRyuuJin Team has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: TenRyuuJin Team has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious retreats from the attack! KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious's Will Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious fails to evade Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Arm Cannons Barrage, taking 4160 damage! KTS: Takeshi Todo demoralizes Rikka Takarada, reducing her Morale drastically. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Rikka Takarada's Steadfast Resolve activates, and her spirit endures. KTS: Gai Kurenai fails to parry Takeshi Todo's Shinobilar Claw Thrust, taking 4950 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Takeshi Todo's Hyperdevil Survivor activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Takeshi Todo has engaged Gai Kurenai! KTS: Akane Shinjo inspires awe, increasing Knight's Morale! KTS: Qivi fails to react to Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Arm Cannons Barrage, taking 5640 damage! KTS: Knight has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Knight partially guards Takeshi Todo's Digifer Blade Grapple Slash, taking 3444 damage! KTS: Takeshi Todo has engaged Knight! KTS: Takeshi Todo begins a Formation attack! KTS: Lucine Azul has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Lucine Azul has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Lucine Azul parries Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Horde Snatching Claws, taking 1650 damage! KTS: Eight Orlodhari has engaged Lucine Azul! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa blocks Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Arm Cannons Sustained Fire, taking 2460 damage! <Pose Tracker> Chloe has posed.
The corrupted ZR-02s group up together to try and act as an obstacle to reach what appears to be the greater threat. The thing trying to take over a section of the ship. The so-called satellite that was supposed to be watching Jupiter. It seems to have a new objective now.
Chloe cannot allow that.
As the ZR-02s open up with their missiles, Chloe chooses to turn her focus elsewhere. She radios, <"Repositioning to target the source."> The Pallas Makhia floats through space as missiles rush towards it. Some explode short of the machine as they impact its barrier defenses. Others rush past those hexagons to blast chunks off the Makhia's armor.
As thick as it is, Chloe is starting to see damage reports to the interior. The sheer numbers seem to be overwhelming her machine's toughness. They need to finish this quick or she'll be forced to retreat.
Completing her repositioning as advertised, Chloe retrieves one of the large weapons from her back. A large two-hander that is reminiscent of a gatling gun, though it doesn't have barrels that spin. Instead there are multiple emitters at the end in a circular formation.
Chloe warns, <"Firing."> Chloe pulls the trigger on the weapon, holding it down. There's a brief delay as the weapon charges up, before it starts unleashing rapid, multiple bolts of energy towards the corrupted ChuuRyu. The ZR-02s may try to get in the way, but Chloe just keeps up the sustained fire to punch through them and to the source.
KTS: Chloe targets Kaiju Navi with MKW-124 Beam Gatling Gun Sustained Fire!
<Pose Tracker> TenRyuuJin Team has posed.
"Zan!" KouRyuu cries, as her fellow Brave Robo closes to melee. "Be careful! That's--he's our brother!"
"He's regenerating." AnRyuu's voice is grim. "KouRyuu, the tendrils--!"
The younger Brave leans out from behind her elder sibling, one hand braced on AnRyuu's shoulder for emotional support as well as physical. "R--right! Alouette, thanks for the cover! Zan, I'm coming in from--" KouRyuu's voice trails off into a stream of targeting data, relayed to Zan directly--more than enough to keep him safe from friendly fire. She's already adapted her algorithms to compensate for the chaff's behavior in vacuum; it's not so much a cloud, here, as a steadily-expanding explosion.
AnRyuu sees the sudden Z0-similar spike before her sister, grabs her with both hands, and jets down, accelerating with every ounce of force she can muster. Cosmic energies wash across them both, buffing out micrometeorite craters and polishing scuffed metal. Sickening, familiar heat licks at the twins' minds.
"Churyuu," KouRyuu breathes, as she realizes what the's trying to do. "We can't. You're sick. We--we're going to bring you home!" Again, the flash of a G-Stone. The MASER cannon at KouRyuu's right shoulder telescopes outward, and ignites. A faint, scattering beam starts to bounce between the debris, adding a bit of extra interference to ChuRyuu's sensors. A little something extra, to help even the odds.
"You're our brother... but we're not going to let you hurt our friends!"
KTS: TenRyuuJin Team targets Kaiju Navi with Jam!
<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.
Of course Mari is singing. Some things stay the same, even if others change...
"I'm all right," Gridknight assures Rikka and Akane. "I'll fall back if it gets too risky. But right now, you need everyone." Everyone... like Orb!! Who helpfully demonstrates better movement in space, and yes, Gridknight is observing.
"I'm here," he adds, and surely Akane knows he's talking to her specifically. They're family; they have to look out for each other, in situations like this.
Something about this kaiju, though --
-- really pisses him off. "Who are you dismissing?!" Gridknight yells, right before a dark blade scythes into him. (Again.) "Ghh--"
Gridknight staggers, before he springs right back in, not with terrifying dark blades or overwhelming rockets but his own two fists. He slips around to the side of Shinobilar, aiming to come at it from the opposite side Orb's moving in from, and delivers a sound one-two punch into the beast.
"Don't think you can get rid of me that easily!" He yells, because he's large enough to be able to yell it, this time. (It's amazing how much more damage you can take when you're at your proper size, isn't it?)
KTS: Knight targets Takeshi Todo with Gridknight Brawl!
<Pose Tracker> Zan has posed.
The Iron Zanrailer attempts to get in close, but is pushed back first by those tendrils that... disintegrate? That makes it lower it's guard as it prepares to try to get in closer. ChuuRyu's still an ally, after all! Or was?
"ChuuRyu, listen to--"
That is as far as the giant gets as it's swatted away by more tendrils. The giant goes tumbling back a few spins before jets right itself."Right. Triple Zero. Fine. Wrist Lasers!"
The construction robot raises it's arms as a pair of turrets appear. Normally used for helping to pull things together, the magnetic beams fire off at ChuuRyu and the ZR-02 Horde in hopes of disrupting and setting a few things up for the others, or possibly for what the giant is planning next.
"Stop this, ChuuRyu! We are here to help! Fight the corruption! Your sisters are here, your allies are, too!"
KTS: Zan has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Zan targets Kaiju Navi with Wrist Lasers!
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
Awaiting an interruption that never comes... Kaworu can appreciate the personal tragedy that is, having been quietly bearing under one of his own, but he does not offer any such thing to Mari. Instead, he hums along with her song, appreciating that for what it is, too.
Once the Evangelions launch, fully equipped with S-type equipment, Kaworu smiles too towards Knight. He takes on that challenge that Shinobilar represents and then some. "<Of course,>" he tells him, chiming in with Mari's own reassurances to 'Sir Stray.' His smile broadens enough to squint his eyes shut, the image of it transmitted as a visual on one corner of Unit-04's screens, as Mari calls back to him in turn.
Both of them are missing someone on this battlefield, but they still have each other. That's worth a great deal.
"<Understood,>" Kaworu transmits to Qivi. He notes the energy mines that the Dianthus is laying down too, and marks their positions as spots to avoid--and, perhaps, to help herd the Zero Robos into. He doesn't concern himself with the Triple Zero emissions, at least as far as he himself is concerned; Unit Beta's A.T. Field will protect them both from the Dawn. There is still everyone else, however... and the Division Train remains under attack.
The Zero Robos swarm around Unit Beta, barraging her with cannonfire. The blasts whip her silver hair like wind in the void of space, closing her in with their heat and light; however, her A.T. Field takes off much of the bite of the attacks, and she gazes imperiously, eyelessly, up at the vicious hordes. Beyond them, their 'leader' addresses her pilot.
"Hm? Why would I?" Kaworu asks Shinobilar with genuine curiosity. He chuckles at what the kaiju says next, though. "Is he? I'll look forward to it as well, then." And, though he doesn't say it aloud, so will Mari, no doubt; she has her promise to uphold. When Takeshi comes for Kaworu, she'll be there too, to ensure he is not alone. "For now, though, I will leave you in Knight's care."
Unit Beta's A.T. Field continues to absorb much of the shock and damage those Zero Robos visit upon her as he speaks. Once he bids farewell-for-new to Shinobilar, though, he turns his attention to the mob--and the A.T. Field pulses before BURSTING out in 360 degrees to smash into any of the vicious, mindless robots that still dare to swarm him.
KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Eight Orlodhari with Rejection! KTS: Kaiju Navi blocks Chloe's MKW-124 Beam Gatling Gun Sustained Fire, taking 3180 damage! KTS: TenRyuuJin Team jams Kaiju Navi's sensors, reducing its accuracy. KTS: Zan rattles Kaiju Navi, making its next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Kaiju Navi blocks Zan's Wrist Lasers, taking 1020 damage! KTS: Zan begins a Formation attack! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has activated the Enable Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Gai Kurenai has posed.
Shinobilar's claw leaves blistering amber scars across Orb's upper right arm as he fails to defend against the kaiju's blow, leaving him staggering backwards with a grunt of pain. The dawnlight, not concentrated enough to risk corrupting an Ultraman, fades away, but judging by the way he favours the arm the pain is very real.
That does not stop him from closing in and clasping both fists together, before leaning to his left and then - with a "SHYAH!" that echoes in defiance of the soundless void - attempting to smash both fists into Shinobilar's head in a right-ward hammer blow, trying to send the kaiju staggering back and open up an opportunity for his allies to capitalise on.
KTS: Gai Kurenai has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Gai Kurenai has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Gai Kurenai targets Takeshi Todo with Orb Crushing Blow! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Mari Makinami Illustrious
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
Guy's point, that they can at least rely on good old space-time is a little relieving. "Even if it isn't gone, if we can't see Jupiter, than we're really going to need to look into that as soon as we can." Alouette replies. "If we can just return ChuuRyu to himself, that will definitely help our investigation. Otherwise..." She frowns.
Zan really is an earnest one, Alouette thinks, as he pleads for ChuuRyu to stop. "As long as he's bound to Cosmic Law, he won't listen to a word we have to say, Zan." She explains, regrettably. "So don't stop fighting for his sake, okay?"
The Dragon sisters, in addition to the wave of Triple Zero energy, take the emotional damage. He's their brother, after all... "KouRyuu, AnRyuu, are you all right?" She asks them both, as they thank her for the cover. "This time... I can protect you two. So... do your best to bring him back!" She smiles, though the sisters cannot see it.
Meanwhile, ChuuRyuu is perfectly capable of understanding the threat Alouette presents to his defenders, using his satellite systems to designate Aviaire. Alouette watches how the Zero Robos move, in perfect coordination... they're going to try something, she guesses. Perhaps she can make use of that...
So she focuses her own fire on them first, emitting a Program Ring with the Mechanoid's right arm. "Phantom Ring Plus!" She calls, calculating a trajectory that won't worsen the damage to the Division Train...
"Broken! PHANTOM!" The taloned Right Arm of Destruction pummels forth, aiming to break at least a part the Cosmo Robo formation before they can fully surround her. And at the same time...
"KouRyuu, AnRyuu... Guy, Zan! The Zero Robos are going to be very busy soon... use that open space to get closer to ChuuRyuu!"
The Molecule Plane, brought out from an uncorrupted storage hangar, is currently being loaded and prepared for use. Alouette certainly hopes she won't have to use it...
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Kaiju Navi with Broken Phantom! KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting TenRyuuJin Team <Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.
No words, no engagement. Only the logic and will of a horde, unceasing, uncaring, unreasoning. It makes Mari's singing a blessing in disguise, making up for the mechanical whirrs and stares of cold eyes.
Still, in a way, Lucine knows this type of battlefield quite well. She's right where she needs to be, with people she can count on.
Three of the 'petals' on the Dianthus's back glide up the underside of the Dianthus's left arm and position themselves like a cape at the end, giving the unit a means to redirect much of the momentum behind those clawing motions, barreling through underneath like a dolphin underneath a wave. Bursting through the other end, the little huntress arcs around.
< ".... Ah, Minokawa, Mari, Kaworu.... I'll try to funnel them in your direction. .... Unless you prefer different names, of course." > Lucine is trying to play by names instead of acting on a first name basis, but... it's difficult.
The Dianthus extends its right arm, opening a compartment that springloads the two halves of a prod upwards and down to fall horizontally into place, followed by a charging array of energy bolts. They shoot in a row, followed by around, indiscriminate this close up, but failing to reach the distance needed to turn her attack into friendly fire.
KTS: Lucine Azul targets Eight Orlodhari with Argen-21 Beam Arbalest Barriage!
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka meets Akane's anxious look with one of her own. It's definitely concerning - but when the time comes, they both move to get ready.
It's good to see Akane getting more used to this, too. That's something Rikka can appreciate - but there's no time to stop for that now.
"I have control!" Rikka confirms, as Akane passes control back. Joining them, too, is Ultraman Orb.
"Orb, it's good to see you too." She announces for Ultraman. She's always supported giants - it'd be easy to feel small, towered over on the field like this, but if anything, she feels safer with Gridknight and Orb both on the field.
Gridknight reassures her... and after a moment, Rikka nods. ...She knows he's right. They really do need everyone.
"...Alright. I trust you." Rikka replies with a nod.
Kakuseijin V2's fist launches - and then passes right through an afterimage!
"Where did it go?" Rikka asks, quickly scanning the field. She quickly locates Shinobilar again... and that's when it speaks. Rikka pauses for a moment. This one talks, too...? She frowns for a moment, but quickly regains her composure.
"...We should be careful." She says. If it can talk... then it's undoubtedly capable of using that intelligence in other ways.
But it's fast, too - first things first, they need to do something about that.
"I'm going to try the grapple!" Rikka says. She watches the directions that Knight and Orb come from - and then moves to attack from the open direction. Once again, the chain-connected fist flies - but this time, with a shift of movement, it moves to wrap around one of Shinobilar's weapons and tugs, to try to force it into a more convenient position for the others. At that size she can't grapple the whole thing... but there are still some things she can do.
KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Takeshi Todo with Chain Grapple! KTS: Kaiju Navi enervates Guy Shishioh, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: Kaiju Navi rattles Guy Shishioh, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Guy Shishioh partially guards Kaiju Navi's Triple Zero Tendrils Heavy Slam, taking 5520 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Disruptor activates, causing Jam L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Enervator activates, causing Deject! KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Guy Shishioh! KTS: Eight Orlodhari fails to react to Kaworu Nagisa's Rejection, taking 4440 damage! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has engaged Eight Orlodhari! KTS: Guy Shishioh has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Eight Orlodhari blocks Lucine Azul's Argen-21 Beam Arbalest Barriage, taking 1050 damage! KTS: Lucine Azul has engaged Eight Orlodhari! [OOC] Kaworu Nagisa says, "blu-ray He chuckles at what the kaiju says next, though. -> His crooked smile doesn't dim at what the kaiju says next, either."
KTS: Takeshi Todo fails to parry Knight's Gridknight Brawl, taking 2880 damage! KTS: Knight has engaged Takeshi Todo! KTS: Gai Kurenai rattles Takeshi Todo, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Takeshi Todo fails to Parry Gai Kurenai's Orb Crushing Blow, taking 6300 damage! KTS: Gai Kurenai has engaged Takeshi Todo! KTS: Takeshi Todo fails to Evade Rikka Takarada's Chain Grapple, taking 4000 damage! KTS: Rikka Takarada continues a Formation attack! KTS: Kaiju Navi partially guards Alouette Pommier's Broken Phantom, taking 2835 damage! KTS: Alouette Pommier completes the Formation attack!
<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.
Where Qivi was able to handle things trying to bite her without much of a problem, she is in a lot worse position against a sudden spray of gatling fire.
Minokawa pulls up sharply in an attempt to avoid the first blast, which she does, but unfortunately it makes Qivi a slightly more open target for the follow-up spread; it chews into Minokawa's leg, spraying sparks into the void of space as the metal takes a beating. Qivi feels it hammer against her own leg, inside, though the bullets don't penetrate all the way to her.
"Just Qivi's fine! Or Sarangay!" Qivi isn't terribly fussy about what they call her; the robot is Minokawa, she's Qivi, and she's used Sarangay as a callsign, and any of them are understandable to her.
She's never been close to Kaworu, only met Mari once or twice in her life at all; she shouldn't need to compete with them, but with the Evangelions in so close she feels the need to try to keep up with them. Plus, she's better up close herself.
Minokawa 'opens' its foot, extending an axe-like blade from each heel on a cable. Qivi brings it through a swoop, kicking up at the last moment and using the blades like a whirling axe on a chain, carving into some of the Zero Robos as she dives down in to the cluster Kaworu has conveniently just scattered for her. Qivi can't actually land and stand right now, not with Minokawa's feet open like this - but she can hover, lashing out with kick after kick that sends the chained axes out to snap into Robo after Robo.
KTS: Qivi has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Qivi targets Eight Orlodhari with Cable Blade Lash! KTS: Eight Orlodhari parries Qivi's Cable Blade Lash, taking 1680 damage! KTS: Qivi has engaged Eight Orlodhari!
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Stay safe," Akane requests of Gridknight, taking a moment to breathe. It's definitely good to see Orb, too; they've only crossed each other's paths a few times, but Akane feels a certain fondness for O-50's Ultraman. She, too, is a creature of the sunset, after all.
Akane looks at that blade of Shinobilar's as it bears down on them, and Akane says, "Stay defensive -- the grapple's a good idea, but we don't want that thing touching us." She takes a moment to review the rest of the battlefield, but she can't offer nearly as detailed of commentary for everyone else -- and concludes that offering it rather than focusing on Shinobilar would be chasing too many rabbits.
Realizing that Shinobilar can talk is a little nervewracking. Kaiju shouldn't be controlled by anyone or anything -- but can they spare even a moment for that thought, in a situation like this?
"I'll start preparing a Synapse Attack," Akane says to Rikka, rather than dwelling on it. Opening broadcast to Ultraman Orb, Akane adds, "Try to vary up your attacks... if this kaiju works the way I think it does, you don't want to give it a chance to start figuring you out."
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Rikka Takarada KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Gai Kurenai with Dream! KTS: Akane Shinjo shares a dream with Gai Kurenai, increasing his SP! <Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
It should be impossible, shouldn't it? Anyone with eyes can tell that Galeon is part of the King of Ruin, the Conqeuror King Genesic GaoGaiGar that looms above all. But here Galeon is, Final Fused with the Evoluder, Guy.
Perhaps there's not enough of ChuuRyuu left to appreciate the impossibility. The King of Braves slams into the clawing tentacles, smashing through several before collected forces stop him from proceding. That's the only pause ChuuRyu needs to wind up with a big one and wallop him, sendin GaoGaiGar tumbling with a "HUAH!" of surprise from Guy. The Ul-tech pylons blaze green, stabilizing GaoGaiGar's flight, and then he rears back, then just CHARGES again. Alouette has cleared the way with her Broken Phantom and Guy capitalizes by simple expedient of blasting froward with fist extended, capitalizing on GaoGaiGar's unrelenting destructive power to just. Smash away all obstacles. "CHUURYU!" Guy roars. "You have to stop this!"
KTS: Guy Shishioh targets Kaiju Navi with Broken Fist! KTS: Kaiju Navi partially guards Guy Shishioh's Broken Fist, taking 2460 damage! KTS: Guy Shishioh has engaged Kaiju Navi!
<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.
"Aaah. It's just not the same when there's no heart behind the Zero to appreciate your degeneracy."
These are the thoughts of Mari Makinami Illustrious as her singing fades into the cacophony of combat. Assault rifle barrels aglow; without the constant resupply of weaponry that Tokyo-3 affords, Eva-04 doesn't toss aside the rifles as it normally might, instead ratcheting them on special back-mounted harnesses one the initial salvo is through. Mindless creatures of ruin they might be, but all the same--
<"HEY, C'MON! Let's see what you've got when the chips are on the line, Triple Zero!">
Mari still demands the very best from them.
Mines fan out; as they do, Mari takes stock of their locations as Eva-04 jets backwards across the z-axis of limitless space over the train. As Kaworu signals to Shinobilar, a view screen crackles open in the corner of his own entry plug, providing a video feed of the bespectacled, would-be Child flashing him a V-sign and a wink.
<"Hoho,"> transmits Mari, voice full of whimsy despite the direness of the situation.
<"Sounds like someone's got a hot date! Lucky, lucky~!">
It goes without saying, she'll be there. After all... whatever they lack now...
They're still here for one another.
When Lucine speaks, Eva-04 lands on the train surface. Fire ignites, washing towards Eva-04 in an aggressive barrage. It starts to weave backwards, even as Mari speaks. Ger singing might have faded, but Mari's enthusiasm for the moment has not: this might be all too clear in how her answer to Lucine comes in a teasing sing-song of,
<"Gasp! First name basis?! If that's as close as I am in your heart, who am I to stop you? <3">
The heart, of course, being so implied it is now -inside the transmission-.
<"Send 'em my way, Lucine~">
It's the last, chirping tease she manages, before the onslaught of the Zero Robos catch up with her Evangelion. A.T. Fields bloom, pulsing octagons of the soul that intercept and diminish -some- of that heat and force -- but not -nearly- enough. It buffets against brilliant, silvery-chrome plating, bakes so hot that she can -feel- the heat of it swelling inside her own chest and radiating outward. She hisses--
And then -pushes- Eva-04 right into the onslaught.
<"Th-that's... more... LIKE IT, YOU BITEY LITTLE BASTARDS!">
And Eva-04 -bursts- from those flames, scorched and damaged but maneuvering at high speeds to attack with Unit Beta and Minokawa at once like a coordinated dance of carnage; it ejects one prog knife from its right pylon, grabs it, and -tosses- it straight at one of those Zero Robos, intent to stab it through the midsection....
<"Time for the ol' one-two--!">
... before Unit-04 KICKS the hilt of that knife, to send both it, -AND- the entire Zero Robo, CRASHING towards the rest of the horde Lucine is hopefully herding like an even pointier, stabbier meteor of Triple Zero.
<"WAHOOOO!">
KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious targets Eight Orlodhari with Progressive Knife Thrust! KTS: Eight Orlodhari fails to react to Mari Makinami Illustrious's Progressive Knife Thrust, taking 5200 damage! KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious has engaged Eight Orlodhari! KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious: Will Barrier Activates.
<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.
As the Beam Gatling opens fire on ChuuRyu, a trio of ZR-02's dash in the way to take the shots- and for their troubles are reduced to slag that not even the Aura of Dawn can repair, scattering into space.
However, Kouryuu's MASER easily plays havoc with ChuuRyu's sensors. There's a flickering in it's lights as it tries to reset, but for the moment it is open-
Which is why another two ZR-02s sacrifice themselves to dive in the way of Zan's wrist lasers, exploding to nothingness to protect the 'core' that is trying to spread through. If he can hear Zan, ChuuRyu does not respond. Is there anything left of GGG's space dragon after all?
Alouette's suspicion is correct- the ZR-02's are forming up to open a concentrated attack on Alouette, just as they did Chloe- but the Broken Phantom crashes through them en masse, sending them tumbling, crashing into the base of ChuuRyu's tendril tower- before their wreckage is absorbed into the larger Zero Robo, becoming new tendrils.
But that means none are in place to prevent Guy's broken fist crashing into ChuRyuu, one of his solar panel wings being knocked free by the impact, before being grabbed by the tendril and absorbed into something like a sword.
ChuuRyu has far fewer guards than he did a second ago, but his EWAC suite is fully functional. The Makhia is taking chunks out of his forces. A laser suddenly flies out, and a virus opens to interfere with the Makhia's responsiveness. The only small benefit is that it doesn't carry traces of dawn.
The presence of two Galeons is a problem for another time. Right now, one is a threat, and one is an... ally. And ChuuRyu must stop them reaching his ally. A tendril whips out at GaoGaiGar, but instead of an attack, it carries another virus- this one designed to interfere with the Protect Shade.
The beam retargets at Zan, who keeps pleading with the corrupted Super AI. But it contains no message, simply a virus for him as well, to try and blunt the power of the construction brave.
The satellite faces toward Gatherway Guardienne Avaire, and it focuses one of it's eyes- and a beam of Triple Zero energy fires at Alouette's machine, hoping to perhaps score through it.
Another tendril lashes out at ChuuRyu's distant sisters, aiming to slam KouRyu to the hull of the Yamatsumi with force. Even the bonds between siblings are nothing to the will of Cosmic Law.
Can't find target.
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Chloe with Goad! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Guy Shishioh with Melt! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Zan with Prevent! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Alouette Pommier with Triplee Zero Emission Pulse! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets TenRyuuJin Team with Triple Zero Tendrils Heavy Slam! KTS: Kaiju Navi goads Chloe, reducing her Intuition drastically. KTS: Kaiju Navi prevents Zan's maneuvers, reducing its Skill drastically. KTS: Alouette Pommier successfully avoids Kaiju Navi's Triplee Zero Emission Pulse KTS: TenRyuuJin Team successfully Evades Kaiju Navi's Triple Zero Tendrils Heavy Slam KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting TenRyuuJin Team KTS: Kaiju Navi melts Guy Shishioh's armor.
<Pose Tracker> Takeshi Todo has posed.
"Why wouldn't you?" Shinobilar answers Kaworu. "You can run, can't you? Why stick around for this? The end of humanity...!"
"Tch. Gridman is still stubborn, even in Player 2 colors," Shinobilar growls as fists pound into its frame, sending it staggering back, even as a chain wraps around its heaviest weaponry. "You're sounding hoarse, Gridman! What's with that scratching post voice!?" The V2 pulls, winching at the kaiju's shoulder. The two lock against one another for long enough for Shinobilar to get a good look at the Kakuseijin. Somehow, it radiates malice even through its expressionless visor. Or maybe it's closer to exasperation? "And what's that supposed to be? Some kind of human-kaiju too!? I--"
WHAM. Orb's kick smashes into Shinobilar's head, cracking its visor and sending it stumbling. In that moment, the Kakuseijin pulls, yanking it off-balance and--
Into a run.
"I should have guessed Gridman would bring backup. No matter! Virus Ninjutsu Technique-- Duplication!" Shinobilar races towards the Kakuseijin-- but in that moment, its body flickers and splits, subdividing into a quartet of identical forms. They race across the battlefield together, hurling bombs and missiles that erupt into flashes of brilliant light, disrupting the counteroffensive all across the battlefield... While the 'original' Shinobilar hurls itself bodily at the Kakuseijin to deliver a vicious whirlwind of blows with that terrible blade...!
...And in that same instant, the others dart back in. One goes to grab the Ultraman's skull with its claw-- and drive its cranium into the ground. The other rushes for the Gridman, whirling like a dervish with its claw extended to tear Knight to shreds...!
KTS: Takeshi Todo targets Rikka Takarada with Digifer Blade Combo! KTS: Takeshi Todo targets Gai Kurenai with Shinobilar Claw Crush! KTS: Takeshi Todo targets Knight with Shinobilar Claw Swipes! KTS: Knight has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Rikka Takarada KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Knight KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Eight Orlodhari KTS: Takeshi Todo anchors Gai Kurenai, forcing him into close range. KTS: Gai Kurenai fails to parry Takeshi Todo's Shinobilar Claw Crush, taking 5880 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Takeshi Todo's Hyperdevil Survivor activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Takeshi Todo has engaged Gai Kurenai! KTS: [Spirit Defense] Rikka Takarada's Steadfast Resolve activates, and the spirit endures. KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Rikka Takarada KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Rikka Takarada blocks Takeshi Todo's Digifer Blade Combo, taking 1710 damage! KTS: Takeshi Todo has engaged Rikka Takarada! <Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
The singing has no obvious effect on the horde. But maybe it should.
The AT Fields of the Evangelions hold the horde at bay, bit by bit. That imperious gaze from Unit Beta seems to pierce through more of the Zero Robos.
Once, maybe, they could've done good. They could've helped. But that is over with now. Unit Beta's AT FIeld explodes outward, and takes with it six more drones, thinning the horde that little bit more. At the same time, Lucine's petals gleam--the Dianthus redirects, and and while few of the machines are destroyed, they are thrown apart, pushed up and away from the Dianthus to avoid the destruction Lucine intended.
Qivi swoops with those blades, and kick after kick she sends into them. A few manage to parry her attacks, but those lose their machine gun arms for it. The horde is thinning, if not quickly. And it comes out again--those bomb-like enemies crash towards the Minokawa and Unit-04, mouths open to attempt to simply bash forward on their way, hoping to tear off limbs with them.
The bitey little bastards in question are hit hard by a knife--which would be good enough. But then the entire zero Robo crashes into another, and where Lucine had started to herd them, a bunch are forced to collapse into one another, explosions rocking space where they hit.
So of course, in response, they swarm. They rush forward, crashing towards Kaworu's Unit Beta and Lucine's Dianthus, firing at both en masse.
Then, they all start beeping. Their eyes glow orange. The hum of their systems starts to impact radio. Something is about to happen.
KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Mari Makinami Illustrious with ZR-02 Biting Jaws Strike! KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Qivi with ZR-02 Biting Jaws Strike! KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Kaworu Nagisa with ZR-02 Horde Combined Fire! KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Lucine Azul with ZR-02 Horde Combined Fire! KTS: Eight Orlodhari's Biorhythm activates Focus! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa blocks Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Horde Combined Fire, taking 2870 damage! KTS: Eight Orlodhari begins a Formation attack! KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious's Will Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious fails to parry Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Biting Jaws Strike, taking 2250 damage! KTS: Eight Orlodhari has engaged Mari Makinami Illustrious! KTS: Knight fails to parry Takeshi Todo's Shinobilar Claw Swipes, taking 6110 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Takeshi Todo's Hyperdevil Survivor activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Takeshi Todo has engaged Knight! KTS: Qivi fails to Parry Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Biting Jaws Strike, taking 4000 damage! KTS: Eight Orlodhari has engaged Qivi! <Pose Tracker> Zan has posed.
The wrist lasers hitting the horde was probably planned, using that to pull them into others attacks. But there is still so many of them. Expecting the horde to do something, Zan was ready to try to rush them again until the beam sweeps him.
There's a few odd, quirky movements as Zan fights yet another virus. Iron Zanrailer freezes up a bit. "Nngh. Why-- does everyone -- like viruses -- against me?"
It takes a few more firewalls, a few precious seconds where the Iron Zanrailer has to fall back slightly. When it finally seems mostly fine, except for one thing that it can't really do much about. Even as the hybrid Super AI inside works to fight it, with the unseen Carpenters working as extra processors to hopefully mitigate a lot of it.
The Carpenters' internal help bring to mind one tactic, but Zan quickly shoots it down in his head. "I can't do like I did with Goldymarg. The Carpenters might end up like the Zero Robos."
Alouette's words to Zan has the construction brave looking over. A nod is given briefly before he looks back at ChuuRyu through the horde.
"I know, Alouette. We still have to try."
The shoulder armor folds down as the Iron Zanrailer moves to rejoin the fight. And he sends out a warning, just in case.
"Incoming, everyone. MAGNETIC MISSILES!"
The series of missiles fire off aiming at ChuuRyu's core. Unlike normal missiles that explode, these are the reverse. Implosion missiles meant to pull materials together for easy salvaging. Against a horde and various tendrils? Hopefully it'll do much, much better and give the others some room!
KTS: Zan targets Kaiju Navi with Magnetic Missiles! KTS: Lucine Azul has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Lucine Azul retreats from the attack! KTS: Lucine Azul fails to evade Eight Orlodhari's ZR-02 Horde Combined Fire, taking 5100 damage! KTS: Eight Orlodhari begins a Formation attack! KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Gai Kurenai uses install KTS: Gai Kurenai has activated the Detonate Spirit Command, reducing the Ultraman Orb Spacium Zeperion to 1 HP! KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to Intercept Zan's Magnetic Missiles, taking 5900 damage! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Mari Makinami Illustrious KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Mari Makinami Illustrious <Pose Tracker> Gai Kurenai has posed.
Akane's words reach Orb, and he glances towards the Kakuseijin again - and again, his words reach both the pilots of the Neuronoid. "I understand. Don't worry - I have options."
Options he might have, but the moment's distraction needed to communicate means he again can't effectively defend against Shinobilar's ninja tricks, silver-steel helmet slamming against the hull of the Division Train as he's bounced upwards, drifting away from the battle reeling and stunned. The ring-shaped crystal mounted on his chest begins to flash red, soundlessly (to all except Orb himself, of course, who cannot escape the firm warning beep accompanying the flashing.)
Shaking his head, Orb rights himself, observing the battle again and Shinobilar's ninja duplication. With it being impossible to determine which Shinobilar is the original, only one option presents itself:
Strike them all at once.
The navy markings on Spacium Zeperion's body blaze to light again as he begins to glide sideways across the void, accelerating to such a speed that afterimages of him begin to be left behind as he transcribes a circle around the area Shinobilar and its duplicates are occupying. Like a zoetrope, each Orb performs the same movements, each silhouette slightly behind the other but perfectly synchronized as they spread their arms, creating a coruscating ripple of light, then bring his right arm forward, forearm held up vertically, then places his left hand against his right elbow as the light collapses into a shimmering line on the arm.
"SPERION -
- TOUSEN!"
The beam fired is a carving, spinning carousel of destructive azure light, aimed to slice through Shinobilar and her duplicates all at once.
KTS: Gai Kurenai has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Rikka Takarada KTS: Gai Kurenai has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Gai Kurenai has activated the Valor Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.
"It's GRIDKNIGHT!" Gridknight yells, with a voice which is, indeed, far more gravelly than Gridman's. You'd never know he was younger than him, a year ago. (Times change, and so do kaiju.)
And when he asks about Akane, a human-kaiju hybrid as opposed to a kaiju-human hybrid, he snaps: "Mind your business!"
But that duplication -- "Rikka Takarada! He's coming for you!" Gridknight yells, just in time to have to catch Shinobilar's claws -- in his hands, which doesn't go terribly well for him. "Tch--!!" He growls, as he staggers back -- and falls backwards, into a handspring in space, back once, twice, three times.
"You're right... he's reading into our moves. Hey, you!" Gridknight yells, pointing at Shinobilar. "Are you an Auto-Intelligence?!" Coming right out and saying it --
He's always been a direct type of guy. But he doesn't only have one trick -- he never entirely left his circular saw behind. As he demonstrates, tracing a circle, and declaring: "Knight... Circular... End!!" The incantation send that blade of energy whirling for Shinobilar, with all his might.
And Gridknight yells, in the wake of it: "Just what did you copy?!"
Damn, he thinks, as his shoulders rise and fall. Just like Asuka, is it...? Damn it... there's no way he can just stand down.
KTS: Knight has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Lucine Azul KTS: Knight has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Gai Kurenai KTS: Qivi has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Gai Kurenai targets Takeshi Todo with Sky Tiga Afterimage Beam Bombardment!! KTS: Knight targets Takeshi Todo with Knight Circular End!
<Pose Tracker> Chloe has posed.
They're wearing down this thing's defenders. If they keep pressing they should be able to wipe it out (whether the rest will actually decide to doesn't yet cross Chloe's mind). Unfortunately, it still seems to have some tricks up its solar panels.
A laser strikes the Pallas Makhia.
In the cockpit, numerous holoscreens start popping up around Chloe, hinting at the computer intrusion. She also notices that her targeting reticle is fritzing all over her screens. And when she moves, instead of her machine mimicking her instantly, it seems to take a second or so.
Chloe frowns.
If only she had someone good at electronic warfare around...
"Fine. I'll do it myself. System override, disengage computer assist." A screen pops up in front of Chloe:
Warning - Requested command may be hazardous to pilot health. Confirm?
"Confirm."
Various information displays on Chloe's screens that were having trouble vanish completely. Meanwhile, Chloe grunts, wincing in pain as her mind is assaulted with far more sensory input than normal, coming through the control implant in her head.
However, as Chloe raises her hand, she finds her Makhia's own following immediately. This will do.
Chloe lets go of the large beam gattling. With her targeting systems down, it'd be hard to aim. Instead she reaches for the railgun rifle on her back. She brings it down near the Makhia's chest, where the forward cameras are. The large weapon appears in her view, letting her line it up with the corrupted satellite in the distance.
Her arms sway a little from the pain, but she focuses through it as she readjusts her aim, pulling on the holographic trigger several times. The Pallas Makhia starts firing bursts of metal bolts at ChuuRyu.
KTS: Chloe targets Kaiju Navi with MKW-121 Railgun Rifle Under Pressure! KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to Evade Chloe's MKW-121 Railgun Rifle Under Pressure, taking 4800 damage!
<Pose Tracker> TenRyuuJin Team has posed.
"Thanks, Zan... thanks, so much." KouRyuu would be on the verge of tears, if she were capable. It's as much his presence and care as his actions--he's here, and so are Guy and Alouette and Rikka and Akane and so many others. "I gotcha, Alouette," the younger twin says. "I don't want to risk another hit like that, though!"
"Appreciated," AnRyuu adds. "Frere, where are you in that... thing?" Alouette gets a few best-guess solutions as to where ChuRyuu's core is hiding, but they're all based off his original design. There's a simple note attached, too--relay to Guy once they're double-checked. In all likelihood, he's going to be the one trying to pry ChuRyuu's core out of there. KouRyuu flinches, visibly, as GaoGaiGar tears into her brother with both hands, but--he has to.
And then--
"Chief, look out!" KouRyuu cries, as that tendril rises, but the instant the transmission completes, she sees her error. It's headed right for her, not Guy. Is this her brother trying to hold her? She doesn't dare entertain the thought for more than a few microseconds. The rest of her focuses on evasion. She tumbles back, aiming the jets on her feet and lower back towards the top of the Wadatsumi. She initiates a full burn, and rockets away from the reaching tendril. AnRyuu holds as still as she can, still gripping her sister's shoulders.
"Sis..." KouRyuu says. "We've got to--"
"We do. Ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be. Alouette's out there!"
The light of their G-Stones shines.
The twins strike lunging poses, clasp hands, look each other in the eye. Meticulously-engineered subroutines take over as they let out a cry:
SYMMETRICAL DOCKING!!!!
Waves of bright pink and deep black-violet wash out from the twins as their bodies transform. Their arms and heads snap inward, their frames elongate, armor slides out from within to form two halves of a new, larger silhouette. The two Braves come together, literally, a bright flash of light washing out from the seam between them. A new head emerges from the larger figure's chest, with paneling suggestive of bright pink, pigtailed hair. KouRyuu's shield, having changed shape, snaps into place as a breastplate. KouRyuu's MASER and AnRyuu's missile pod eject, guided up to new mounts on the figure's shoulders.
The Brave comes to rest on the Division Train's hull, before the writhing mass of ChuRyuu's transformed body. She sets her feet and crosses her arms across her chest, a pose of unmistakable defiance. Two minds, combined, cry out with a single voice: "TENRYUUJIN!!!"
"ChuRyuu," says TenRyuuJin, as her MASER swivels forwards, finds a firing solution in the cloud of chaff, and starts to charge. "This ends now! You've done well adapting to that body..." And the MASER fires, sending a beam of raw microwave force through the maze of reflective particles. As soon as it strikes one, it bounces off to another, and another, and another, until the corrupted Brave is enmeshed in a grid of cutting, burning energy. "...But now you have to deal with me!"
TenRyuuJin Team transforms to TenRyuuJin
KTS: TenRyuuJin Team targets Kaiju Navi with The Dance of Light and Darkness - Grande Valse!
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
There are many (one) who would be flustered by Mari's whimsy; there are many (one) who would be aggravated by it. Neither of them are here now. But Kaworu is, and having that whimsy shot directly at him like Cupid's arrow gets her just a little bit more of a smile--
--with a lot more of that heart she so craves.
"I wouldn't call it a date," Kaworu tells Mari, unruffled. "After all, you're invited."
Then again, would Mari being present really make it not a date? Heart, no heart, her degeneracy stops for no one.
Either way, without missing a beat, Kaworu tells Shinobilar, "Humanity will not end. I won't let them end. That's why I've come here."
To Lucine, he says, "You can use whatever name for me you wish." As for funneling the Zero Robos in his and Qivi and Mari's directions: "If you lay more 'mines,' I'll return the favor." He may have closed in for melee combat with the Zero Robos, but he's confident he can handle ranged combat just as well.
Seeing Qivi close in too to take advantage of the scattering Zero Robos, and Unit-04 charge back in from the flames with a mighty knife kick (which is like an axe kick, but with a knife), Kaworu smiles too--but in response, the Zero Robos swarm him and Lucine, hugging in close and sacrificing their own well-being for mass explosions. Unit Beta's A.T. Field soaks some of that damage, but with so many present, inevitably the rest of it crashes through, searing Unit Beta's pale golden armor and singing her long hair.
In the wake of it, the Zero Robo hordes begin to beep, their eyes flashing, and something stirs within their mechanical guts...
With a sudden urgency in his otherwise calm voice, Kaworu transmits, "<Mary. Lucine. Qivi. We must finish the swarm now. They must not be allowed to-->"
That's when the radio disturbance of the Triple Zero-infested systems snows out his communications. Kaworu takes faith that his message was received, though, and swings the Heat Rapier back. With the Zero Robos so close, it is a simple matter to thrust the long, thin blade out rapidfire at blurring speed, kicking off the machinery for spin, to pierce through as many of the gathered robots as possible--then spin upwards and around to slam them outwards like cue balls in a game of pool. His intent? To knock those beyond the reach of his blade towards Qivi, Lucine, and Mari to follow up as they will.
]KTS: Please use the name of your attacker to react when you have multiple attacks in your +queue.
KTS: Kaiju Navi blocks TenRyuuJin Team's The Dance of Light and Darkness - Grande Valse, taking 3675 damage! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Eight Orlodhari with Elegant Swordplay! KTS: Eight Orlodhari fails to react to Kaworu Nagisa's Elegant Swordplay, taking 8450 damage! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has engaged Eight Orlodhari! <Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
Guy doesn't even notice as the tendril whip cuts into him. In the old days, he might not have even noticed the virus in his systems, but the SUperhuman Evoluder's connection to Galeon is deeper than ever before. It's almost like a stiffness, more discomfort in his shoulder than anything else, but that itself tells him something's happened. For now, though, his efforts to investigate have to go on hold - as long as he doesn't notice a serious problem just yet, he has to focus on disabling ChuuRyu.
Destroy as much as possible...But he's already subsumed so *much*. "If this continues, we'll have to destroy the whole Yamatsumi to get him out...!" Guy yells.
"We can't risk that kind of damage," Akamatsu grumbles back in the Branch Order Room. "That'd put Formation P out of commission right when we need it most."
Guy grimaces in the white space of his Fusion with Galeon. Does he dare release the Hammer Hell and Heaven...? Not like this. But, there are still some options open. "...then let's play it careful. GOLDYMARG!!!" Guy screams.
A faint groan from the comms. "There are SO MANY LITTLE BASTARDS" Goldy yells. "I'm comin'!!"
"I told you not to engage!" Guy snaps at him, without any serious heat, and then throws his left arm toward ChuuRyu, the towering creature of wire with what amounts to an exoskeleton for a an AI Box at the summit. "I'll hold it down, at least! PLASMA HOOOOOOLD!" Guy screams, and a forking net of electricity fires toward ChuuRyu, electrifying his systems and arresting his movement. Until Goldy gets here, this should slow it down.
KTS: Guy Shishioh targets Kaiju Navi with Plasma Hold! KTS: Guy Shishioh anchors Kaiju Navi, forcing it into close range. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to Evade Guy Shishioh's Plasma Hold, taking 2790 damage! KTS: Guy Shishioh has engaged Kaiju Navi! KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Trust Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Right... Good luck." Rikka replies to Ultraman Orb, before her attention turns to Shinobilar's weapon. Rikka doesn't recognize the blade, but Akane seems to. And Rikka trusts her judgment - if she's that concerned about it, then she'll trust her instincts.
"Right - in that case, let's continue to maintain distance." Rikka replies. That way, they should have plenty of time to react. Akane starts preparing a Synapse Attack, too, and Rikka smiles.
"Good thinking. I'll look for an opening." Rikka replies.
She grapples successfully - and in that moment, they both lock eyes with the kaiju. She can feel that malice, that exasperation. It causes her to shudder, somewhat, but not enough to shake her resolve.
"We're just people trying to protect things we care about. That's all." Rikka replies. That's where she stands.
She pulls - but it seems like Shinobilar has an answer for this. It duplicates, bombarding the field with bright explosives. Rikka winces, her eyes shut tight, one arm shifting to shield her eyes.
"I-I can't see a thing!" Rikka gasps out. She can't see - but she can hear. Her eyes snap open at Gridknight's warning. If it wasn't for that, she might've been too late to protect both of them. She braces herself, retracting her other claw and projecting her shield outwards - just as Shinobilar hurls itself at Kakuseijin V2. If she were a second later, the kaiju might've been able to cut right through them. Rikka winces with every cut... but at the end of it, they're still alive.
"...Are you alright?" Rikka gasps out to Akane as she recovers herself. But she's been preparing something, and Rikka has full intent to make use of it. "Let's go above!"
Kakuseijin V2 soars through space, trying to position itself above Shinobilar. And once they're in position... the purple vials on its back bubble violently, as the grille on its front draws in particles from its surroundings.
"Break Synthesize! G-Set!" Rikka calls out. The claws set themselves into position - and crackle with energy as the destructive substance is synthesized. "Double Synapse Attack!"
Both claws launch themselves simultaneously, seeking out Shinobilar - to latch on tight as the synthesized substance reacts violently and explodes.
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Rikka Takarada uses Hyper Reloader KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Takeshi Todo with Dual Synapse Attack! KTS: Takeshi Todo successfully evades Rikka Takarada's Dual Synapse Attack KTS: Rikka Takarada completes the Formation attack! KTS: Takeshi Todo fails to evade Gai Kurenai's Sky Tiga Afterimage Beam Bombardment!, taking 6300 damage! KTS: [Mirage] Takeshi Todo's Shinobilar Illusions activates, and he slips into a mirage. KTS: Takeshi Todo fails to parry Knight's Knight Circular End, taking 0 damage! KTS: Knight has engaged Takeshi Todo!
<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.
Qivi finishes her kicks and starts to accelerate again, pulling around into a sharp turn so she can ram another one of them.
But -
One of the Zero Robos has attached itself not to her leg, where she would have felt it, or to the blade, which - well, would YOU want to bite a heat axe blade? (Which this is; as Qivi's kicks continued, the edge of it started to glimmer, then glow.) No, this one is hanging onto the cable, and when she retracts it the entire Zero Robo slams into Minokawa's lower body.
It may not be quite how the thing expected to ram her, but it's certainly effective enough; Minokawa tumbles, Qivi throwing out one arm and a leg and firing about a third of her thrusters to stabilize her spin. She manages to get a foot down and drags the smaller claws with a sound of squealing, straining heated metal that she can feel through her entire suit, even if the others can't hear it.
"Gah," she gets out, followed by: "I hear you! I'm gonna crash 'em - " Anything else she has to say is lost in a crackle of interference, but she's heard; she proves it by giving a visible thumbs-up, if Kaworu, Lucine or Mari looks over to see it.
And then, exactly as promised, she crashes 'em.
Specifically, she charges straight at the closest cluster of Zero Robos. Minokawa has primarily been fighting with its legs, but it has claws and blades everywhere; its hands have heat claws, its feet much larger heat talons (and the cabled axes on its heels). Even its knees have Slash Harken-like spike launchers.
Qivi goes in with a roar that makes the inside of Minokawa resonate - in her macronized form she has *volume*, and it's probably best her radio is being jammed. She tears into the group, ripping with Minokawa's claws before she literally tries to pick one up, spin it around and throw it into another cluster, wrestling-style.
Minokawa runs hotter as it goes, the heat blades brightening from red-edged to white, as if exertion was warming it up. In the cockpit as she strikes, Qivi can feel the suit straining - there's *so many* of these and her style has always been one-on-one. But she's determined to take these bastards apart and help save the ship. She's not going to let anything stop her if she can possibly help it.
KTS: Qivi has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Qivi has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Qivi has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Qivi targets Eight Orlodhari with Minokawa Unleashed! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Mari Makinami Illustrious KTS: Eight Orlodhari fails to react to Qivi's Minokawa Unleashed, taking 8360 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Qivi's Unbreakable activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Qivi has engaged Eight Orlodhari! <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
The Broken Phantom gambit pays off, giving Alouette ample time to re-attach the right arm, while ChuuRyuu absorbs the wreckage of the Zero Cosmo Robos. GaoGaiGar's Broken fist impacts - and Alouette finally gets a closer look at what's left of DHZ's final Brave Robo.
It's not a very long look, once the eye of the satellite glows, and Gatherway Guardienne Aviaire's sensors fill with sickening orange. Alouette knows exactly what this means... and she absolutely cannot let it happen.
The beam is far too close to make a snap judgement based on what's in front of her, she decides. So instead, Alouette just cranks all the levers in front of her, Aviaire responding to her will by soaring clear out of the way with un-natural speed.
"Far too close for comfort," Alouette shakes her head, readjusting Gatherway Guardienne Aviaire's limb positioning. "But not enough, ChuuRyuu!"
Once she's safe enough to open up comms again, though, she receives that data from the Dragon Twins. "Merci! I'll do just that!" Once she analyzes it... Guy will receive it, however his Evoluder functions actually do it. There's little fanfare to it.
Everyone's able to push forward to ChuuRyuu in their own way, Zan's missiles, Chloe's beam gatling -- the Twins becoming TenRyuuJin. Alouette has the pleasure of witnessing the devastating Dance of Light and Darkness for the first time. And she will be sure to compliment it later.
But for now... Usshi finally gets back to her. "The AM-Tool's ready for launch at any time! But uh... it's really heavy, so you're going to want a good opening first." He explains, scratching his cheeks.
GoldyMarg is out, though... and if they have any shot at saving ChuuRyuu... it's through Hammer Hell and Heaven. "Thanks, Usshi. But... we'll give it a little more time. I want to have hope, too." She smiles, softly.
"Flare Javelins, keep him covered!" She calls, and outstretches Aviaire's arm for a round of Javelin fire, erratically spreading across ChuuRyuu's massive chassis, while Guy has him locked down with Plasma Hold.
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Kaiju Navi with Flare Javelin Trick! KTS: Kaiju Navi blocks Alouette Pommier's Flare Javelin Trick, taking 2150 damage! KTS: Alouette Pommier begins a Formation attack!
<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.
< "Qivi it will be, then." > Like the Minokawa, the Dianthus's feet aren't conducive to landing, now or ever.
There may be mobs of destructive robots clawing and scampering around them, but a well-meaning tease is all that it takes to make Lucine revert to the person she normally is outside the Dianthus proper.
< "... a-ah... R-roger!" > Just like the heart is implied, the embarrassed blush from the other side might as well be part of the answer back.
'You can run, can't you? Why stick around for this? The end of humanity...!' Until now, Lucine hasn't paid much attention to the exchange of words between Shinobilar and Kaworu, but this changes with Shinobilar's next words, and Kaworu's response. It feels so odd in a way she can't put her finger on, even if Kaworu's side heartens her. She also feels the need to say something, while knowing Kaworu has no need for someone else to jump in.
< ".... You underestimate Kaworu's resolve." > She keeps it simple instead, returning to her part of the battle to avoid drawing more attention.
After all, she's been lucky so far, but eventually-- ah.
The swarm falls forward almost as one, overwhelming the smaller unit. The chassis of the Dianthus creaks under their combined weight. Lucine's brow begins to sweat uncomfortably. Her senses don't fail her, however; the moment the horde's weight shifts, the Dianthus slips out like a weasel, bursting out one end mostly whole.
But for how long? Those eyes look ominous. Kaworu's noticed too.
< ".... Will do, Kaworu. I have all your positions on file. They'll be given my best end." > The Dianthus's left arm forms a thumbs up back to Qivi as well, indicating her message was heard.
The arbalest is redeployed, several 'bolts' already alight in a display of moon silver. Held pointed up high as the Zero Robo horde closes in, Lucine yells.
< "LACRIMOSA!" >
The silken lighted rounds fire into the air, spiraling around in a chaotic ballet, crushing into each Zero Robo grouping as the Dianthus can manage.
KTS: Lucine Azul has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. <Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.
This time, there's no ZR-02's to take the hits for ChuuRyu- and the Magnetic Missiles slam into ChuuRyu's form, smashing apart some of the tendrils that connect to the Yamatsumi- and even as they reform, it's not fast enough to fully reconnect yet. Enough damage like that, and maybe they'll be able to separate ChuuRyu from the rest of the mass.
The Makhia's railgun rounds slam into ChuuRyu's body, blasting off the other solar panel and reducing it to dust that scatters through space. That one won't recover, and will take time to regenerate. The Super AIs lights flicker again from the force of the blast.
As the sisters form into the mighty TenRyuuJin, ChuuRyu can sense he is in danger- and he has few options. And so, he sacrifices another two of his vanguard against the Dance of Light and Darkness, to block the worst of the beams- but he can't block them all, as they cut his tendrils and score his remaining solar panel in half. Of course his sisters have the edge. His body was never built for combat.
As the Plasma Hold arcs out, ChuuRyu has no way to escape. He feels his core getting locked down, the satellite body enwrapped in GaoGaiGar's electricity. He cannot run now. But he could never have run. Cosmic Law wouldn't allow it. He has to buy time for the King of Ruin to finish his task. He has to.
The flare javelins fly into another ZR-02, destroying it- and several more fly into ChuuRyu's body, blasting holes into his housing. They start repairing- but tendrils burst out of those holes. That corruption spreads deep inside, down to the AI Core.
For his troubles, a few of the remaining ZR-02's rush towards Zan, sweeping out with vicious slashing claws to rip and tear at his form. They're like vicious, feral beasts rather than Super AIs, and all they care to do is try to cut down Zan like he is meat to feast on.
The corruption has spread further through the Yamatsumi's hull now, and a zonder like tendril reaches out from the hull, forming almost spontaneously, to grab the Makhia and attempt to crush the giant with full force. It has all the mercy toward Chloe that Chloe has shown the Zero Robo the braves are trying to save.
The last of the ZR-02's open fire on TenRyuuJin, perhaps so ChuuRyu does not have to fight that brutally against his own sisters. Perhaps it is exactly his orders. Her brother remains silent- whatever is going on in his once brave heart is impossible to know.
As the King of Braves holds the core steady, ChuuRyu's tendrils lash out to grab GaoGaiGar in return and try to restrain him as ChuuRyu is restained. If he can hold him long enough, maybe, just maybe he can convert this Galeon to their side- if so... then his destruction is surely worth it.
The last of the ZR-02's charges at Guardienne Avaire, aiming to drive it's claws into the body of Alouette's machine- and tear it apart if it can. But with so few left, it's clear that ChuuRyu is getting desperate. He has so little left to give.
KTS: Lucine Azul targets Eight Orlodhari with Argen-21 Beam Arbalest Lacrimosa! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Zan with ZR-02 Horde Snatching Claws! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Alouette Pommier with ZR-02 Horde Snatching Claws! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Chloe with Triple Zero Tendrils Tangling Grapple! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Guy Shishioh with Triple Zero Tendrils Tangling Grapple! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets TenRyuuJin Team with ZR-02 Horde Combined Fire! KTS: Eight Orlodhari fails to react to Lucine Azul's Argen-21 Beam Arbalest Lacrimosa, taking 5500 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Lucine Azul's In Her Blood activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Alouette Pommier parries Kaiju Navi's ZR-02 Horde Snatching Claws, taking 1740 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Alouette Pommier! <Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Akane's not sure if Shinobilar means her or the Kakuseijin, asking about a human-kaiju; either way, though, her answer is the same: "I don't really think it matters." Human, kaiju? What are these labels, at this point? She's Akane Shinjo -- and she has a whole life to live.
Akane's less blinded than Rikka, at least, since she's in the head that isn't facing the outside; she does still get blasted through the cameras, though. Wincing, Akane replies, "I'm fine!" before Rikka takes them up above Shinobilar.
"Here we go," Akane says, giving Rikka the synthesis she's prepared. "... I wish I could do these as fast as Aono-san," Akane murmurs to herself, before setting to work on another formulation. This one isn't quite working, it seems -- they need a creative solution, fast... not least because Akane's worried about how long Gridknight can fight, given all the punishment he's taken over the last few months.
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Knight KTS: Zan parries Kaiju Navi's ZR-02 Horde Snatching Claws, taking 870 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Zan! KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Knight with Dream! KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi enervates TenRyuuJin Team, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: TenRyuuJin Team fails to Intercept Kaiju Navi's ZR-02 Horde Combined Fire, taking 6480 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Disruptor activates, causing Jam L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Enervator activates, causing Deject! KTS: Kaiju Navi begins a Formation attack! KTS: Akane Shinjo shares a dream with Knight, increasing his SP! KTS: Guy Shishioh retreats from the attack! KTS: Guy Shishioh successfully avoids Kaiju Navi's Triple Zero Tendrils Tangling Grapple KTS: Chloe has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Chloe fails to rush. KTS: Kaiju Navi enervates Chloe, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Kaiju Navi anchors Chloe, forcing her into close range. KTS: Chloe partially guards Kaiju Navi's Triple Zero Tendrils Tangling Grapple, taking 5880 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Disruptor activates, causing Jam L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Enervator activates, causing Deject! KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Chloe!
<Pose Tracker> Zan has posed.
The magnetic missiles and the fact that there's a smaller horde has the Iron Zanrailer standing tall. And formulating a bit of a plan. They needed to detach ChuuRyu and give Guy a steady target.
The magnetic missiles made it easier, but those tendrils? They definitely had to get off of their ship.
His targetting systems still having problems, the Iron Zanrailer eyes the tendrils before raising it's leg.
"Tie Extractor!"
The massive claw-like module deploys and turns to the front of the knee before the Iron Zanrailer charges. The tendrils are the main target, and the Iron Zanrailer unleashes what amounts to a flying knee as it tries to get hold of as much of them as possible in the grip of the massive claw, even using his arms to try to grab as many as he can in an attempt to pull it free and hold ChuuRyu in place.
"Stop corrupting our ship, and let us help you ChuuRyu!"
The might of the construction brave comes into play as it tries to pull the corrupting tendrils away with it's full strength.
"Goldymarg, now would be a good time to get here!"
KTS: Zan targets Kaiju Navi with Tie Extractor! KTS: Chloe has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Chloe has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Zan anchors Kaiju Navi, forcing it into close range. KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to Parry Zan's Tie Extractor, taking 4410 damage! KTS: Zan has engaged Kaiju Navi!
<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.
<"That just makes your date twice as lucky~!">
After all--
Who -wouldn't- be blessed to have Mari as a(n Additional) date? She's great at dates.
It's one of Mari's -many- magnificent merits.
<"And twice as salacious!">
That, too. Behold --
The degeneracy of the human heart. <3
The back and forth with her kindred spirit-in-an-Eva is just the human element she needs; the relentless advance of the Zero Robos, the carnage she craves. Infested and infected with the orange light from before the dawn of this time, Zero Robos crash into Eva-04 like they were torpedoes unto themselves. The chrome Evangelion isn't fast enough to deflected their bulk in time -- but the A.T. Field shimmering and blooming around it manages to deflected and even -crush- several of those monstrosities of Triple Zero against its bulwark.
It's probably thanks to the defensive shielding of that Field that Unit-04 escapes with limbs intact, though not for lack of trying; as Eva-04 stumbles back in the aftermath of the assault, the chrome plating around its right shoulder is shredded down towards what by now should be the unsurprising flesh and bone beneath. Globs of crimson fluid that would normally splatter just -float- around the Evangelion like shimmering, fluid baubles in zero g as its left hand lifts to clench that wound.
<"HHK!">
It's a strangled sound that escapes Mari; the gripping posture of the Eva is one it mimics from its master as she holds tight to her own shoulder, pink plugsuit radiating glowing reds and whites as LCL bubbles furiously around the psychosomatic wound. Mari's teeth grit together as she lurches forward... but grit teeth turn towards a feral smile as delighted tension rolls through her body.
"... Heh... we're still in the game, right, Evangelion 04?" she murmurs to that chrome-clad behemoth, looking up at those swarming Robos with a glint in her eye.
"... Good. Let's show them what a cursed product of humanity can do, eh, partner~?"
Kaworu offers his warning; and she can see in the flashing of their eyes that something is coming. All the same, her grin hardly abates for a second. Hand releasing shoulder, Evangelion Unit-04 wheels backwards one step, two.
And then the Rapidborers at its elbows begin to thrum with life.
The last thing the Evangelion does while it still has use of its hands?
Blow Qivi and her Minokawa a kiss of acknowledgment.
<"Mwah!">
*hssss* *SHUNK*
is the sound of Unit-04's Rapidborer gauntlets hissing and locking into place over its forearms, replacing hands with massive, deadly groupings of drillbits. Each bit begins to spin.
<"Line 'em up, lay 'em down! I've got more power than I know what do to with--">
And as Kaworu and Qivi start hurling Zero Robos, Mari's musical melody strikes back for two brief lines.
o` <"I JUST WANNA TRY TOSSING SOME OF IT YOUR WAY~!"> o`
Before Evangelion Unit-04 -thrusts- forward with both gauntlets.
The sheer destructive power of the Rapidborers at full speed meets a mass of Zero Robos. And swings. And swings. And swings. Into -each- bulk of crashing creatures that come its way, the rapid spin of those drill bits looting to literally -CHURN- each one into so much metal mulch and crackling orange with every chaotic swing.
<"Tabby Cat won't back down! And neither will I! If humanity is meant to die for the sake of the universe, we'll gladly doom the universe for them!! And if we fail--">
<"AT LEAST WE'LL BE THERE TO ENJOY EVERY LAST MOMENT WITH THEM UNTIL THE BITTER END!">
Her joyous laughter filling the air with every violent, horrific thrust of screaming drills.
KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious targets Eight Orlodhari with Rapidborer -Drillpocalypsing! KTS: Guy Shishioh has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Eight Orlodhari fails to react to Mari Makinami Illustrious's Rapidborer -Drillpocalypsing, taking 9120 damage! KTS: Eight Orlodhari has been defeated! KTS: Mari Makinami Illustrious has engaged Eight Orlodhari!
<Pose Tracker> Chloe has posed.
Chloe's breathing is rapidly rising as she struggles under the added pressure of the manual control. Combined with the difficulties of sorting through all the input flowing into her, she fails to notice the tendril reaching out to grab her. It pulls her in, the sudden movement knocking her railgun from her hands and sending it floating.
The Makhia's frame groans under the pressure the tendril is putting on it as it squeezes. With her railgun floating, the gatling gun she released earlier also doing the same, and no targeting system for her deployed missile platform... Chloe is running out of options as she's pulled in closer to the corrupted satellite.
Normally Chloe doesn't go for melee weapons, being the primarily ranged fighter she is.
... But by some fortune, she does have something prepared for this mission. Something in the form of a large gauntlet on her right arm.
One with a giant spike housed with in.
Blood begins to trickle out of Chloe's nose, but she ignores it as she starts pushing her Makhia's gravity drive to its limits. Not to try and escape the tendril crushing her, but to push herself closer to the ChuuRyu.
Chloe grunts under the mental strain, even as the Makhia's frame begins to warp from the grip of the tendril. But she pushes forward regardless, heaving her right arm back. With one last cry she swings, plunging the spike point towards the satellite's central mass and activating the gauntlet to try and drive the large spike as deep as she can get it.
KTS: Chloe has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Chloe has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Chloe targets Kaiju Navi with MKW-42 Pilebunker Impale! KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi parries Chloe's MKW-42 Pilebunker Impale, taking 1680 damage! KTS: Chloe has engaged Kaiju Navi! KTS: Chloe completes the Formation attack!
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Kaworu's urgency is warranted; he knows full well what will happen with so many of them, even more than swarmed them moments ago. They care nothing for themselves, or for what they once stood for; they are mindless, monstrous arms of Cosmic Will.
But it is not Kaworu's will that they succeed. Unit Beta's beautiful swordplay is too fast for eyes--so perhaps it's lucky that it is sensors and cameras that are picking it up. She kicks off one machine, slashes and pierces into another set, and spins up and around, knocking them like balls into one another even as they gleam and glow.
Minokawa, piloted by Qivi, is the next to crash in. Her volume is significant, and she manages to grip one of the zero Robos even as her machine runs hotter. The suit strains, but she's taking them apart piece by piece, spinning them around and throwing that one into another cluster, which has even further knock-on effects.
The silken rounds alight through space, and moonsilver crashes towards them. They spin around, and with the groups made up by Kaworu and Qivi's efforts, it is easy to find a place for each bolt to go that will maximize their chances of victory.
But twice as lucky, and twice as salacious... the Eva-04 is still in the battle, despite all the best efforts of the Zero Robos. Once, they could have been so much more... and so much less.
The Rapidborers spin, and spin, and spin. The Zero Robos churn, and churn, and churn, and the space around the Division Train runs gray and black with what was once their forms. Until the bitter end, they have fought--and the orange light that was in their eyes starts to die.
The drills scream, but the Zero Robos do not. Whatever they may once have been, now they are wreckage, too thoroughly destroyed to regenerate between the efforts of those focusing on the swarm.
Perhaps there are others yet. But the horde has broken. And now...
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
AM Tool's ready. "Alouette, I'll disconnect him from the main body. Whatever Goldymarg can't destroy, shave down with the AM Tool! GOLDY!"
An orange shape roars out of one of the hangar bays, soaring into the sky on Ultratechnology light. "YEAH I'M COMIN' ALREADY!" Goldymarg barks back, and then: "SYSTEM CHAAAAAAAAAAAANGE!"
Back in the Branch Order Room, a signal chimes at the Mobile Operators desk. Ayamae Ushiyama breathes a long sigh at it, and then jerks her vest open with a forceful grip, plucking the swipe card out of the inner pocket. "Jeeze, you boys yell at each other like you're facing off at the Wrestle Fight," she sighs, then flicks the swipe card forward into the beeping console. "Goldion Hammer, Safety Device, RELIEVED!"
The massive Goldion Hammer that is most of Goldy's frame rockets outward, docking with the handheld hammer gripped in his own arms; then, the rest of his chassis shifts and bends, transforming into an enormous fist!
"Hammer...CONNECT!!" Guy screams, and SLAMS the Broken Right Arm of Destruction into the Marg Hand, which creaks open to grasp the Goldion Hammer. Golden light shines from every seam, as the Goldion Hammer shines out once more in the hand of its King! But now...with a second...head? And both heads have balls on them. Wait why though
"CLACKERS!!" Guy screams, and swings the double-headed Goldion Doublehammer. Plasma Hold electricity binds the two Clackers to their hammerhead, and then Guy sweeps the Hammer forward, the two Clackers racing forward to shave down a massive gravity shockwave into a narrow, invisible gravitational slice -
"GOLDION SLICEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!!"
Which should hopefully chop ChuuRyu completely off at its proverbial knees, leaving him adrift.
KTS: Guy Shishioh targets Kaiju Navi with Goldion Slicer!
<Pose Tracker> Takeshi Todo has posed.
"Heh! You all sound pretty confident about that. Don't you see what's happening? Tell me, can you really stand up against something that can compress a planet enough to tear through space and time...!? Even if humanity survives, do you think they'll just be able to ignore this power? Hahaha, don't make me laugh!" Shinobilar answers Kaworu, Lucine and Mari alike with a mirthful cackle.
"Gridknight? Huh, I guess you do kind of have more armor than Gridman did." Shinobilar responds with the vocal equivalent of a shrug. "Am I an Auto-Intelligence? What did I copy? Hah! Hahahaha~ What do you think, Player Two? That should be obvious."
The Ultraman puts everything into one last attack. Shinobilar, it seems, is not the only one capable of self-duplication... Though what Orb is doing is absolutely much more esoteric. The Spacium Beam pours down in a deluge, cleaving through copy after copy and flash-boiling the outer surface of the Division Train. Each time, a Shinobilar bursts into fragments of data and a scream of pain. By the time the blaze of pure light fades, there is just one left. Just one. Ripe for the taking, as the Kakuseijin plunges in and drives its chemical concoction into the kaiju's heart. Its voice rattles off into a distorted scream as it dissolves away...
...
No. Not yet! Thin, solid bolts scream through space and go lancing into the Ultraman's blind spot! Bombs explode underneath the Kakuseijin, erupting in an explosion of terrible proportions! Out of the bonfire of Triple Zero flooding the battlefield, one last Shinobilar emerges, blade tapping, tauntingly, against its shoulder. "The answer is..."
"GRIDMAN, of course! Ahahahahaha~! DIGIFER BLADE--" Gridknight swings his enormous circular saw, and Shinobilar meets the strike with the edge of its blade. Digital sparks fly, flashes of violet and orange light flood space! Sword and Circular collide. Shinobilar braces, squaring its stance as cracks spiderweb across the hull underfoot. Its cracked visor... blazes with power. "EEEEEEND!"
KTS: Takeshi Todo targets Rikka Takarada with Shinobilar Grenades Cracker Grenade! KTS: Takeshi Todo targets Gai Kurenai with Bowgun Precise Shot! KTS: Takeshi Todo targets Knight with Shredder! KTS: TenRyuuJin Team has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: TenRyuuJin Team has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Guy Shishioh rattles Kaiju Navi, making its next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Kaiju Navi blocks Guy Shishioh's Goldion Slicer, taking 4650 damage! KTS: Guy Shishioh begins a Formation attack! KTS: Gai Kurenai fails to evade Takeshi Todo's Bowgun Precise Shot, taking 3300 damage! KTS: Gai Kurenai has been defeated! KTS: Knight has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Knight KTS: Rikka Takarada blocks Takeshi Todo's Shinobilar Grenades Cracker Grenade, taking 1200 damage! KTS: Knight partially guards Takeshi Todo's Shredder, taking 4620 damage! KTS: Takeshi Todo has engaged Knight!
<Pose Tracker> Gai Kurenai has posed.
The ring-shaped blur surrounding Shinobilar, and the beam barrage emitted from the zoetropic silhouettes of Orb within in it, comes to a halt -
- perfectly in the remaining original Shinobilar's sights.
The bolt passes clean through the centre of Orb's ring-shaped Colour Timer, which stops flashing and fixes itself red as he's knocked backwards.
"Gridknight-san! Akane-san, Rikka-san! You know what you have to do!"
Those last words imparted, Ultraman Orb disappears in particles of light.
Gai Kurenai reappears in the now-evacuated observation dome of the Division Train, sprawled askew and body smoking. Gingerly, he picks himself up, supporting himself on tables and then chairs to approach the viewport of the dome to watch the battle to its conclusion.
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
"Oh?" Kaworu says to Mari, his subtle humor unabated. "I suppose that's true. Everything is more fun when you're there, Mary."
Especially dates. Especially fake ones tailing disastrous first ones.
Lucine chimes in on Kaworu's resolve; Mari does too, and shouts out her own. Kaworu smiles at both of them from within Unit Beta, grateful for their support. (However off Lucine sense the exchange he's had with Shinobilar, as long as she doesn't say anything about it, neither will Kaworu.) Shinobilar might not be impressed, outright laughing at the three of them, but...
"We see," he replies, unfazed. "And in time, so will you."
Qivi flashes the others a thumbs-up to the others within her Minokawa; Unit Beta doesn't return the gesture, but there's something about the weight of her regard behind that blackened face plate that indicates she's acknowledged it all the same. Between them and Lucine and finally Mari, they buzzsaw through the horde--not as literally as Knight would have, but still--until its metaphorical back lay broken.
From there, the four of them need only swoop around to pick off the rest, which is precisely what Kaworu will do. He told Knight he would make sure he didn't have to worry about any interference, after all--and the others still need to do what they must with ChuuRyuu.
<Pose Tracker> TenRyuuJin Team has posed.
Is... is his core okay? says KouRyuu. He hasn't transmitted anything, not even a handshake.
AnRyuu has no answer for her twin, but the same thought creeps up on her, too.
TenRyuuJin does not dwell on it. Her goal is to cut ChuRyuu's mass away from the Wadatsumi before he can take complete control. She spreads her arms, the missile rack on her right shoulder swivelling up to fire--
A blur of motion. The remaining Zero Robos reorient, and open fire; TenRyuuJin takes a calculated risk, and returns fire with her MASER. The first target erupts in a soundless fireball, but the MASER beam doesn't reflect cleanly off the shrapnel. Is it T0's interference? An incorrect physical modelling? Whatever the cause, the end result is that TenRyuuJin disappears, for a moment, into the swarm of Zero Robos.
A few moments later, the firing slows, and the Brave jets free, trailing smoke from molten wounds on her right side, left calf, and left shoulder. Her armor is scored with burn lines, craters, and even a few bite marks. "Vicious little things," she grunts. That was way too close for comfort.
But reinforcements are en route. In better circumstances, TenRyuuJin would greet Goldymarg, and tell him it's good to see him back in action. Under these grim circumstances, she jets off the surface of the Division Train, fires off a quick salvo of smoke missiles to try and counteract the Zero Robos, and works out a firing solution. Guy's got the core, and she and Alouette can--
And the Makhia, which the twins have been observing, strikes for center mass. There's a sudden tic, a moment of hesitation, as one twin recoils in horror and the other... accepts a human's relentlessly efficient attempt at ending this, and saving lives. It doesn't last. As the smoke from the freshly-launched missiles drifts outwards in clouds of silvery powder, TenRyuuJin makes the calculations.
"Don't relent," she says. "ChuRyuu, I'm sorry."
The MASER fires again. The beam streaks through space, ricocheting through the chaff cloud to form an even bigger, more precise net of death. It avoids the melee combatants--Guy, Chloe, Zan--and focuses on outright incinerating as much of ChuRyuu's mass as possible. That's how Sayaka and Tetsuya and Lucine and Lina saved her. It has to work again.
<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.
It's not a 'no.'
And so, "Gridman..." Gridknight growls, and though he can't really narrow his eyes, it's still audible. "But you--!!" Circular strains against the Digifier Blade, but the truth is --
-- this isn't the first monster Knight's fought recently with something he recognised inside.
He has to fight.
But in this moment, Shinobilar wants to win more.
And it's that desire which shatters Circular End, sending Digifier Blade's End into Gridknight, instead. He flies back -- and catches himself on Kakuseijin V2. (Did it swoop in to make sure he had something to hold onto, or was it a trick of fate...?) "Rrrgh," he groans, as he rights himself. "I can't keep this up much longer." It's a warning -- or a reminder. To himself?
"If I'm the second player," he asks Shinobilar,
"Who are you?"
And then he crosses his arms, across his chest. "Knight Light Wave Missile--!!" From the centre of him, purple energy coalesces into something much like that missile which Shinobilar first launched at him -- but this one is more magic than munition, as it sails forward, threatening a terrible explosion.
... he should be fighting harder.
KTS: Knight has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Knight has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Knight targets Takeshi Todo with Knight Light Wave Missile! KTS: TenRyuuJin Team targets Kaiju Navi with The Dance of Light and Darkness - Grand Finale! KTS: Kaiju Navi blocks TenRyuuJin Team's The Dance of Light and Darkness - Grand Finale, taking 4050 damage! KTS: TenRyuuJin Team completes the Formation attack!
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Akane says she doesn't think it matters, and Rikka smiles. ...It's good to hear that kind of answer coming from her. She's relieved, too, that she's alright after that barrage.
"Thanks." Rikka replies, and pauses for a second before adding, "...It's okay. You're doing fine. You'll get faster and faster the more we do this."
The claws launch and close... and while they connect with something, Shinobilar is still here, still a threat.
"Another copy...?" Rikka starts - and then notices the encroaching danger. "Hold on...!"
Kakuseijin V2 braces itself, is rocked by a terrible explosion as bombs burst forth, sending it hurtling back. The two of them will be able to get themselves back under control - especially when there's a sudden need to, as Gridknight goes flying. Indeed, Kakuseijin V2 catches him, with a little effort.
"I don't know how much longer we can hold out, either." Rikka admits, as Knight says he can't keep this up much longer. And Ultraman Orb, is...
"...Right. We won't let you down." Rikka replies, as the Ultraman fades.
Akane's whipped up another solution, though, and this one...
Right.
If raw destructive force isn't the answer, then...!
"Good thinking." Rikka comments to Akane with a smile, and then takes a deep breath. Shinobilar is fast - she just hopes they can land it so that Gridknight can finish the job.
As Gridknight gather energy, once again, Kakuseijin prepares itself, and...
"Synapse... Attack!" Rikka calls out. But this time, the claws don't lauch out. Instead, from the center, a glue-like spray launches out toward Shinobilar, looking to coat, harden, and restrict its movement. It's indeed fast - but if she can lock down its movements, then maybe Knight's attack can finish the job...!
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Takeshi Todo with Synapse Attack - Glue Blaster!
<Pose Tracker> Qivi has posed.
Qivi fires a last blast of missiles after a thrown Zero Robo, opens up another with a shoulder-check and follows it through with a ripping tear - she's using all of Minokawa's weapon systems, though she's starting to get redline warnings about how much she's doing.
Eventually, she has to stop, coming to a halt. Ports open up on the back and sides of the suit, venting for a moment before closing up again - and inside the unit, Qivi has to catch her breath. The Zero Robos, though, are broken - some may still need to be cleaned up, but as a fighting force, as a unit, they're not going to be accomplishing much more right now.
Qivi straightens up after a few moments' recovery. She lets out a puffed breath, stirring some of her hanging hair. With less jamming, she can actually respond to Mari: "Thanks for the assist," she says, "or the other way around, whichever way you wanna read it. Just don't expect me to blow a kiss back. You're a little young for that to not be weird."
She looks up, craning her neck towards Shinobilar and ChuuRyu.
KTS: Takeshi Todo has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Rikka Takarada rattles Takeshi Todo, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Takeshi Todo fails to evade Rikka Takarada's Synapse Attack - Glue Blaster, taking 2625 damage! KTS: Takeshi Todo has been defeated! KTS: Rikka Takarada begins a Formation attack! KTS: Takeshi Todo fails to evade Knight's Knight Light Wave Missile, taking 5500 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Knight's Human-Hearted Kaiju activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Takeshi Todo has been defeated! <Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.
It's moments like this that Lucine lives for. Coming from the bottom, rushing to the top, the trimuph over massive odds, the high of pushing herself further and further. All the things that make her forget her own self-doubt, and race ahead of rational logic.
It can't count as bravery, but she'll take the high.
Coming down from that high and helping Kaworu hunt down the last single parts of the swarm, Lucine's mind circles back to Mari's words, and what they implied to talk of humanity being separate from Kaworu and Mari is... enough to make Lucine pause.
But, wouldn't that make sense? Kaworu being able to breathe in the Martian air, just like Borr, and Shozo. He may secretly be another race, and really, has he ever said he was human in the first place?
How is it any different from how she didn't keep her Newtype status a secret, after being rescued from Jophiel? An alien simply means you are not native to the planet you're on. *Lucine* is the alien, when they were on Earth.
Whatever Kaworu is, he is Kaworu. Mari... Lucine doesn't know quite as well, but everything she's said and done has only enforced that she's batted for their team.
And so, Lucine doesn't say a word about it. There's nothing to say, just like when she saw Jana's blood was a different color than she expected.
Shinobilar is another matter. < ".... We're going to restore Jupiter. And then.... I will make sure each and _every_ Jovian Lizard _bastard_ knows that." > Not the shining virtuous reply Lucine would have liked from herself to Shinobilar, but, she waited until he was unable to reply back.
Hovering by Qivi, Lucine says, < ".... I think that's the last of them... maybe now we can go and assist the others." >
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
"ChuuRyuu won't speak to us... but he's getting desperate," Alouette says, slicing against those claws that attempt to snatch her away with a little bit of difficulty. But that's the last of the Zero Robos -- all that's left now is ChuuRyuu himself.
While Chloe goes for a brutal pilebunker swing, and Zan tries to tie him closer, the Order Room is in the process of approving Hammer Connect. "Got it, Guy! We'll do it together! Ushiyama-san... NOW!" She signals to the Order Room.
"ALLRIGHTY! AM-Tool, Launch!" Akamatsu thunders, while Yang silently adjusts his glasses, eyes glued to the screens displaying the battle. "Roger!" Usshi affirms, and the Molecule Plane launches!
But while it launches all the way from the Mizuha... even as Guy and GoldyMarg slash at his body with the Goldion Slicers, ChuuRyuu remains persistently stubborn. Whether that's a trait that was given to him as a Brave or a Ruin Apostle, or both...
It means he won't give up.
Before the Molecule Plane reaches her, Alouette has to rely on all her friends and allies. Among the rest, TenRyuuJin lights the stage with her specialest of techniques - a net of MASER annihilation. All that's left before the Plane arrives is to shut down the satellite systems...
Which Alouette hopes she's capable of doing the same way she attempted to melt down the Zero Cosmo Robos' armour. "Program!" She calls, emitting one last Program Ring. "OVERDRIVE!" And sends it flying and crackling towards ChuuRyuu with disrupting energy.
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Kaiju Navi with Program Overdrive! KTS: Alouette Pommier rattles Kaiju Navi, making its next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Kaiju Navi blocks Alouette Pommier's Program Overdrive, taking 4800 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alouette Pommier's Vividity activates, causing Designate L1!
<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.
Tendrils rise to meet the extractor claw- and in so doing get caught in the grip. Zan tears them back and out with ease, as the tool is used for something resembling it's purpose. They writhe and lash out- all until they stop, crushed, and flop to the ground lifeless.
Chloe drives out with the pilebunker, and more tendrils burst out of the existing one, wrapping around the offending arm to try and stop it before it fully drives in, even against the weight of gravity- and each tendril is torn free of it's base and left to fall limply to the ground. But it does enough- the Pile Bunker is driven off course, and misses the center of mass, instead tearing a chunk out of the sattelite's side.
Tendrils rise in front of ChuuRyu's core to try and defend itself from the dreadful power of the Goldion Slicer- and each of those tendrils becomes light as the core is half severed from the Wadatsumi- something that can be purified as long as ChuuRyu is fully severed- but he has a little more to go.
TenRyuuJin's MASER scores open the side of ChuuRyu's sattelite body, exposing his core- a core covered in those horrid tendrils. No, not covered. They're growing from it, as they burst out to fill the gap as much as possible, to try and give ChuuRyu's plating a chance to regenerate.
But there is nothing to stop the Program Ring as it slams into ChuuRyu, and he can feel his limited defenses weakening as the virus enters his systems. He hurriedly tries to reroute his programming around Alouette's blocks, the tendrils starting to flail around uncontrolledly. He's losing control. He doesn't have much left.
This time, another tendril moves to grab at Zan, but instead of crushing him, it attempts something worse- it is aflame with the Aura of Dawn, and should it connect it seeks to force the destructive power into Zan, to destroy or corrupt. It doesn't care which.
With Makhia in it's grasp and the situation desperate, the corrupted ChuuRyu gives an order to one of the ZR-02's- and it charges forward to grab onto the Makhia and slam bodily into it... and then, from inside, a voice can be heard. "3... 2... 1... Zerozerozero!" And on that Zero, the former Cosmo Robo explodes, detonating it's entire load and reactor at once to take care of the enemy. Just a bit more. Just a bit longer.
Against the King of Braves, ChuuRyu has little he can bring to bear, especially with the Goldion Double-Hammer in hand. The last of the ZR-02s move to bodily swarm the King of Braves and TenRyuuJin both, gnashing and tearing and biting and ripping, throwing their bodies to defend that very last strand of the core. The very last bit of ChuuRyu that still links to the Wadatsumi.
As Gatherway Guardian Aviaire gets ready to receive the Molecular Plane, another batch of metal tendrils burst forth to enwrap the machine- and funnel the Triple Zero energy into it. Corrupt. Destroy. Corrupt. Destroy. It doesn't matter- as long as it does one of them.
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Zan with Triple Zero Tendrils Energy Transmission! KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Chloe with ZR-02 Horde Self-Destruction Attack! KTS: Kaiju_Navi Changes attack to Guy Shishioh and TenRyuuJin Team with ZR-02 Horde Swarming Assault. KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Alouette Pommier with Triple Zero Tendrils Energy Transmission! KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: [Lucky] Chloe's Guardian Angel activates, and luck goes her way! KTS: Chloe successfully avoids Kaiju Navi's ZR-02 Horde Self-Destruction Attack KTS: Alouette Pommier rushes into the attack! KTS: Alouette Pommier partially guards Kaiju Navi's Triple Zero Tendrils Energy Transmission, taking 5952 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Alouette Pommier! KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: TenRyuuJin Team parries Kaiju Navi's ZR-02 Horde Swarming Assault, taking 1980 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged TenRyuuJin Team! KTS: Guy Shishioh successfully evades Kaiju Navi's ZR-02 Horde Swarming Assault KTS: Chloe has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Guy Shishioh has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Guy Shishioh has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Guy Shishioh has activated the Trick Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Akane wants to protest that there's a cap -- that there's only so much she can do to get faster -- but... the faith in her is nice, actually. It's enough to keep her from spiraling when she sees Shinobilar blow through Knight's attack -- though she does affirm, "Right," when he mentions he can't hold out much longer.
The explosions send up alarms for Akane, but she's not that worried; she trusts in Rikka's ability to keep both of them safe -- especially once she locks in a new synthesis for Synapse Attack.
This is the moment that Ultraman Orb entrusted them to handle -- for his sake, and for everyone on the Division Train's sake... they have to keep going. This has to be enough.
<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.
<"What can I say? I'm a contagion of thrills!">
That's -- a positive thing.
one hopes
Mari Makinami, at least, seems very positive about it! And maybe that's what counts. Between her, Kaworu, Lucine and Qivi, they manage to coordinate a swift and brutal end for those remaining Zero Robos that they had been fielding, moments before the worst could come; Unit-04's Rapidborers spin and sputter and spark, detritus from the remaining Zero Robos lingering around and between those drill bits as their spin slows.
Unit-04 lifts one of those gauntleted arms. And it waves the Rapidborer, in a facsimile of farewell, in Shinobilar's direction.
<"Bye-bye,"> chirps Mari on the heels of Kaworu's parting words.
<"Please look forward to it~.">
Drillbit fists fit against Unit-04's hips. It stretches its back in space, in perfect time to the disappointed tease of a sigh from Mari in response to Qivi's words.
<"Alas! I suppose I'll have to content myself with our heart's beating as one in the thrill of violence!">
... again. It... sounds very positive and sweet, coming from her.
maybe it's just a tone thing
<"Hommmmm. Speaking of which...">
Eva-04's head turns, in the direction of ChuuRyu and the rest of their allies, still fighting.
<"Ho ho. Daring! I like the way you think, Lucine. Alright!"> And the Eva and its pilot prepare, one shoulder rolling, then the other.
<"Time for a thrilling conclusion...!">
<Pose Tracker> Takeshi Todo has posed.
"Will I now? Heheheh. I sure hope so. Show me something I've not seen before, Ancient. And-- whatever it is you are. Beast Woman." Wow, Shinobilar. Rude much?? You can't just call Mari a beast!! Even if she... kind of is...
...
Orb is banished.
That's one.
"Still alive, huh?" Shinobilar asks, tapping that sword again against its shoulder. "Like I said... Gridmen. Always stubborn, no matter what they look like. You guys never know when to give up." Shinobilar's body flickers. Its power is spent, but still it blazes with the energies of Triple Zero. Still, it fights as hard as it can.
Because in this moment, Shinobilar is fulfilling the role it was made for.
"Who am I? Heh... I am..." Glue sprays over its body, hardening around its joints. Shinobilar fixes Knight with a Look that seems to say that it sees his pain. If a Kaiju could smirk, this would one absolutely be smirking. Right now, it's not just fighting for Triple Zero... But because...
"I am the Rival Character: Ninja Virus Shinobilar... And I was born to kill Gridman! Ahahahaha--aaaggghhh!" Gridknight's energy smashes into it, exploding in a blast of purple light.
...This time, the defeat seems to stick. Or...
Maybe Shinobilar just felt like there wouldn't be very much point to sticking around...? After all, 'father' can't be left alone either...
<Pose Tracker> Chloe has posed.
Chloe struggles to try and keep her piledriver on course... But the strain on her head is too much, the strength of the tendrils overwhelming. Her final shot misses the mark and Chloe goes limp. She's got nothing left...
Chloe feels the impact of the ZR-02 a lot more keenly given her unfiltered connection to her machine. Not that there's really much she can do about it...
3...
The Makhia's frame continues to creak and groan as it weakens.
2...
Chloe hopes she did enough... Maybe the rest will be able to continue on.
1...
A screen pops up in front of Chloe:
Antivirus scan complete. One virus quarantined. No errors found.
Chloe calls out, "Re-engage computer assist!" A green checkmark appears.
Zerozerozero!
The ZR-02 explodes!
The fire and smoke fades, revealing the Makhia still intact, its defense barrier glowing from where it had absorbed the explosion.
Chloe is visibly relieved to still be alive. And now she has an option, seeing the ChuuRyu on her screens, a targeting reticle over it. She sends a laser burst tranmission.
Receiving the target coordinates, the heavy missile platform Chloe deployed at the start of the battle unloads its remaining missiles, which streak towards the corrupted satellite.
KTS: Chloe targets Kaiju Navi with MKW-55 Heavy Missile Platform Volley! KTS: Kaiju Navi blocks Chloe's MKW-55 Heavy Missile Platform Volley, taking 3050 damage! KTS: Zan fails to Parry Kaiju Navi's Triple Zero Tendrils Energy Transmission, taking 5952 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Zan!
<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.
<"You are,"> Kaworu agrees with Mari in understated amusement.
'Beast Woman' is an apt epithet for her, too. Shinobilar might have intended to be rude, but Kaworu doesn't see a problem with it--or with his desire. He seems quite excited to see something new, and Kaworu finds that charming about him. He won't get the chance to respond before Knight sees their conflict to its end, but he will remember that request as Mari too bids Shinobilar goodbye--and Lucine waits until after his defeat to clap back.
With the remaining Zero Robos mopped up with Lucine's help, Unit Beta floats down near Knight and Kakuseijin. He saw Orb reduce to motes of light; he'll check in on Gai later on the train if he's able to find him, but he trusts that he's only exhausted, not critically injured. <"You all did well,"> he transmits to Knight, Rikka, and Akane. <"Rest if you must. We'll help settle the rest.">
Iridescent orange light flickers from the pylons at Unit Beta's back, sharpening into individual 'feathers' as she turns along with Kaworu. ChuuRyuu is still active; the last of his ZR-02's have fallen, but his core still links to the Wadatsumi--still threatens the Division Train and those who remain on it.
Like surgical homing lasers, light needles forth from the tips of Unit Beta's wings to soar forth and pierce through in an attempt to sever that final link, to disrupt the energy of the Dawn--and potentially open him up to whatever salvation Guy and the others can offer.
KTS: Kaworu Nagisa targets Kaiju Navi with Distance! KTS: Kaiju Navi blocks Kaworu Nagisa's Distance, taking 4130 damage! KTS: Kaworu Nagisa begins a Formation attack!
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
The photonizing gravity blades of the Goldion Slicer do serious damage, but the last few Zero Robos disperse enough of the damage to prevent Guy from quite perfectly slicing it apart in one move. That's fine. He reels the Clackers back in, and then GaoGaiGar's Ul-tech pylons ignite, green light tracing its ascent as it soars up and away. "ChuuRyu..." Guy murmurs. "...this has to end now. Before you do damage we can't shake off. Goldymarg!"
The Goldion Hammer gleams. "Right here, boss!"
"HaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Guy screams, and GaoGaiGar IGNITES in golden light, radiance shining across its entire body.
BGM: Goldion Hammer - https://youtu.be/P6I9dCB1mqU?si=mWRtpnFMomMwiXqA
From the side of the Goldion Hammer, a sparkling nail of glittering Mirror Particle is projected out of what is normally Goldytank's wheel. Guy rips the nail free and then DRIVES down toward ChuuRyu, pushing it firmly into the Super AI Satellite's core and then driving it hte rest of the way through with the Hammer's head.
"Hammer Hell!"
The Mirror Nail grapples on, penetrating but not quite damaging anything, instead spreading out to create a binding grip on only ChuuRyu's AI Box.
A nail extractor emerges from the side of the Marg Hand, which Guy hooks the Mirror Nail onto and YANKS.
"Hammer Heaven!"
RIPPED free from T0 tendril binding, ChuuRyu's core falls flat to GaoGaiGar's hand, and Guy rears back, the radiance growing even brighter. Goldymarg, the peerless Super AI, will make sure that nothing is damaged that does not have to be, stopping right at the Yamatsumi's hangar floor. Which means Guy doesn't have to hold back.
"TRANSFORM INTO LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!"
KTS: Guy Shishioh targets Kaiju Navi with Transform Into Light!! KTS: Kaiju Navi blocks Guy Shishioh's Transform Into Light!, taking 8835 damage! KTS: Kaiju Navi has been defeated! KTS: You're out of the fight. Consider using +eject to leave the battlefield. KTS: Guy Shishioh has engaged Kaiju Navi! KTS: Guy Shishioh roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable.
<Pose Tracker> Zan has posed.
Zan was glad that he had managed to tear all those tendrils away. To give the opening needed. At least he hoped.
But then comes the inevitable counter. A massive arm and dozer shield deploys as it tries to swat the tendril, only to miss and leave itself wide open.
The Iron Zanrailer is hit by an Aura of Dawn charged tendril. And it shoots into the construction brave's body. An attack that leaves the giant weakened considerably as the Triple Zero pulses through the giant.
Systems overload all across it as the processors work to purge the energy instead of give in.
"Purging systems. Infection detected. Purging systems."
Explosions rock across the giant's body as the corruption works to destroy and corrupt at the same time, travelling all over the Brave.
The six Carpenters eject out of the Iron Zanrailer now that the coast is mostly clear for them to not be turned into Zero Robos, but they are looking frantic as they wave and speak in their coded language around the giant.
And by the end of it all, Iron Zanrailer looks like it may be close to crippled from all of the damage caused by taking the attack head on.
The optics dim for a second before Zan finally transmits. Zan himself, not the Iron Zanrailer voice.
"I think I am fine. Requesting scans and... quarantine. Near corruption possible."
And oddly, it sounds as if Zan is scared and worried.
<Pose Tracker> TenRyuuJin Team has posed.
This time, TenRyuuJin is prepared to face the swarm. The weaponry mounted on her shoulders swivels back, and raises both hands to her chest; she sweeps them back, and with that sharp motion, paired energy blades erupt from her wrists. The Zero Robos close in, and TenRyuuJin meets them with swift, efficient stabs, bisecting cuts, and sweeps to sever thruster mountings, arms, and improvised weapons. One of them sinks teeth into her unwounded shoulder and rips off a mouthful of plate. TenRyuuJin strikes fast, impaling it through the 'head'.
"Almost...!" A glance at Chloe, who--thankfully--no longer needs to be cut free. This battle is already stressing their new bodies. "Brother," TenRyuuJin says. As Kaworu lays in with fire from a distance, she sweeps in low, jetting forward with all the force she can muster. Her right blade shines brilliantly. In this moment, she is solely focused on the objective before her.
"You're coming home!"
She doesn't sweep the blade so much as draw it through the remaining mass as she rockets towards it.
KTS: TenRyuuJin Team targets Kaiju Navi with Single Lime a Ongles! KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully avoids TenRyuuJin Team's Single Lime a Ongles
<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.
Mari's comment makes Lucine smile, though it remains hidden in the safety of her cockpit. < "... Perhaps your spirit's rubbing off on me." >
_it's definitely a tone thing_
There's no time to waste, however, as she follows after Kaworu and Mari, piloting the Dianthus to draw out its glaive.
It may be overkill after they have both attacked, and especially after Guy's careful planning ensures he can let loose with the full fury of the Goldion Hammer.
Why stop when you're ahead? Especially when they all have to especially make sure there's nothing left.
< "Huahh!" > The Dianthus zooms high, then swoops down with a hawk's precision, her glaive held downwards straight for the mass.
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
The Molecule Plane: a powerful Hyper Tool which first saw use after the Primeval War, in the battles against BioNet and their own Pseudo-Mechanoids. Destroying its target at its very molecular bonds, before coating it in polymer, grinding metal into shavings... it's a truly dangerous weapon.
That is to say, it arrives - but not before ChuuRyuu begins to latch onto Aviaire with those nasty tendrils, the Triple Zero emissions within each the true threat. Her eyes widen, when she realizes what ChuuRyuu, or whatever remains of him still, is trying to do.
But she has to keep pushing. "Tool Connect...!" She calls, strained in voice, forcing the Mechanoid's arms free with Plasma Hold, and grabbing onto the heavy plane as hard as she can. "Molecule Plane! Ram, activate!"
The startup alone is enough to destroy the corruption in her immediate vicinity, while Guy and GoldyMarg bring Hammer Hell and Heaven down upon ChuuRyuu. The nature of Hammer Heaven means that whatever should not be destroyed, isn't.
And that ChuuRyuu's core is preserved safely on the Goldion Mirror Nail. But that's...
It's not until a closer look is given until one notices those tendrils run deep... into the very core. And they're already running through the Mirror Nail, to enter GaoGaiGar's palm and corrupt the Super Mechanoid from within.
It's desperation more than bravery that fuels what she does next, slamming the Plane into what remains of those dangerous, dangerous tendrils... no matter what it does to the Core that supports them.
"ChuuRyuu... I'm sorry. Transform into dust." She echoes Guy's own call, quieter. Even if saving him should have been the right call here... to use the very process of core extraction as a weapon of its own? She couldn't bear to watch it happen to Guy.
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Kaiju Navi with Molecular Plane!
<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.
The Barrage of missiles from Chloe evaporates what's left of the ZR-02 horde still surrounding ChuuRyu's core, and blasts chunks out of the sattelite and it's tendrils. It's connection to the Yamatsumi is weakened even further, as tendril after tendril separates from ChuuRyu, blasted apart faster than they can regrow.
The light needles cut through the many tendrils of ChuuRyu and into his core, cutting through the dawns light and separating it further.
Lucine leaps in with the glaive, slashing through the tendrils that hold ChuuRyu to the division train, her blade slicing through with ease. It's as easy as pruning a weed, removing some invasive plant that would destroy the entire garden.
TenRyuujin cuts a path to her brother, closing at speed, cutting away those horrid tendrils. Cutting away so much that only one tiny thread remains connecting ChuuRyu to the Yamatsumi- one thread that TenRyuuJin cuts away in a single slice. It floats free now.
When that last thread is cut, the Mirror Nail crashes into the shattered frame, and *wrenches* ChuuRyu's AI Core from it's holding, where it lands on GaoGaiGar's hand- And the last remnants of ChuuRyu's corrupted form are reduced to light, cleansed from the Wadatsumi.
Well. Almost the last remnants.
ChuuRyu's core EXPLODES into tendrils that attempt to latch onto any part of GaoGaiGar it can, to transmit the power of Triple Zero into the King of Braves. To create another King of Ruin, this sacrifice is necessary. ChuuRyu will die- but Cosmic Law will be enforced.
And that's when the Molecular Plane's power is unleashed on the still tendril filled core trying to corrupt GaoGaiGar. Orange dust spreads across space as ChuuRyu's core is shaved to nothingness. More and more of him is erased. Removed. He has moments left.
And then the command deck of the Mizuha receives a message.
"Do-Do-Doctor Yang... It's a pity." The voiced is that of the Mizuha's alert system, but the person speaking...
Yang, his composure slipping once again, speaks up. "ChuuRyu!? Is that you?"
The mechanical voice continues. "You intelligent life forms and your technological society are disturbing the balance of the universe. Sisters, you have strayed from our path, and are only dooming this world."
Yang frowns, his hand clenching into a fist. "This is Triple Zero. This isn't how ChuuRyu thinks! You've mutated him!"
There is no answer, only silence.
The last of him must be shaved to dust now. Nothing left of the Brave who sat at the edge of space.
"Doctor Yang... That machine... has a pilot..."
ChuuRyu's final message echoes across the bridge- even as the last remnants of the space dragon spread across space-
And ChuuRyu is lost forever.
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
GaoGaiGar has secured the core. All is well.
Then the tendrils erupt. "Wha-!?" Guy gets out before the space around him turns orange, before the pain hits him.
"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Goldy roars, but the first point hit is the interlink; Goldy cannot eject himself. "GHh! Damn it, not again!"
Guy's response is simpler: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" He screams, anomalous data, viral packets and infections energy both flowing through him and Galeon. "GGHhhk! CHUURYU! DON'T DO THIS! I--GHHK! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"
In the Branch Order Room, Ayame's eyes bug out. "Guy's readings are going all over the place!
Guy can't do anything but howl as ChuuRyu pumps venomous data into him. In the end...it's the only choice to be made, as Alouette drives the Molecular Plane over ChuuRyu's corrupted core...and slowly shaves the Space Dragon to nothing.
Only when the last of the AI Box is gone can Goldy fire the emergency disengage, launching himself off into space. "Oi! GaoGaiGar, wake up!"
Guy seethes as he forces Purificaion energy through himself, fighting back against the infusion of Triple Zero. He seethes his breaths for several long seconds.
His thoughts twine around each other. ChuuRyu turned his own core into a viral payload...there was nothing they could've done to prevent that. Any remaining Ruin GGG member or Brave could do the same, and they'd have little ability to do anything but...this.
Yapool's smile of grinning knives. How many more can you endure, Evoluder?
Guy grits his teeth until a scream breaks through them.
<Pose Tracker> TenRyuuJin Team has posed.
It's done. They did it. He's free. He's free! TenRyuuJin brakes to a halt atop the Yamatsumi, and spins in a graceful pirouette to watch as ChuuRyuu's core floats away. Guy is on it immediately. TenRyuuJin's optics focus on the core, watching for more signs of that spreading corruption. For a moment, there is hope.
The twins watch the eruption happen in the space between seconds; AnRyuu does not scream, because there is no time, and instead sends out an instinctual, automatic alert to Guy and the others. ChuuRyuu has gone live with corruptive energy.
Again and again and again, KouRyuu tries to get through to her brother. Handshake attempt. Handshake attempt. Handshake attempt. It is AI communication shaved clean of everything except desperate terror. Guy's screams might as well be lasting for hours, to them. Their Chief is fighting off a fate worse than death, and there's nothing they can do.
But there's one other who sees the threat as it happens, and reacts in time. Their brother's fate is sealed. TenRyuuJin watches as one of her dearest friends starts to rip her brother's body apart.
A voice.
"...Brother?" says TenRyuuJin, their transmission barely a whisper, stunned and quiet. High processing speed is not a surefire cure for the grief of having family--even distant family--taken from you. "No. No, you have to--you can't die for nothing!" Handshake attempt. Handshake attempt. Again and again and again and again, KouRyuu tries to reach out.
"This can't be..."
Transmission failed.
TenRyuuJin sags to her knees on the hull of the Yamatsumi, and watches as their brother's dust mingles with the swirling nanochaff. There's no way to tell the difference by sight alone, now.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Ninja Virus Shinobilar - born to kill Gridman... Rikka frowns, at that. ...It's a very familiar sentiment. It's like looking at two very different outcomes of that line of thinking. It's defeated, but...
...Somehow, Rikka feels like they haven't seen the last of Shinobilar. Still... even though the battle isn't over yet, she ends up sagging a little in her seat. She's worn out already... Which is one Unit Beta floats down nearby.
"...Thanks. I think I'll take you up on that." Rikka replies to Kaworu, and hesitates for a moment. "...Good luck."
Kakuseijin V2 settles down - and turns its sights toward the others. The Zero Robos are left this, which leaves... ChuuRyuu.
She watches. And... unfortunately, there's only one way this can end. She finds her breath caught in her throat.
Guy's scream tears through the emptiness of space. She can feel everyone's pain and suffering...
...And right now, there isn't anything she can do.
So for now, Kakuseijin V2 stands there to offer its silent support - and its material support, should anyone not be able to find the strength to return under their own power.
<Pose Tracker> Gai Kurenai has posed.
Hand pressed against the observation dome, Gai Kurenai is separated by inches of armour and the vacuum of space from the battle's end.
Nevertheless, Guy Shishioh's screams of agony and despair echo in his heart. The hand on the glass closes into a fist as the wanderer squeezes his eyes shut, sharing the Evoluder's grief.
A long, long time ago, he promised that he would win 'without sacrificing a single life'... that oath seems to be slipping further and further away from him. Perhaps it was naivete to think he could always achieve that goal.
The man from an O-50 several timelines away watches the surviving combatants process the tragedy that's just unfolded in front of them, and though he is apart from them, he too mourns the Super AI's final moments - and his last moment of bravery, the message sent with the last of his power.
<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.
It's never been like her senses to overwhelm her own emotions, but, when the pieces click into place, it's like hearing the soundtrack to a sad scene in a movie, and knowing that this is all very, very real.
Soon enough, her cheeks feel wet. Lucine's hand tries to wipe her face, but taps uselessly against the visor of her helmet instead.
So, she transmits to the one other Newtype she knows, and feels comfortable asking such a question.
< ".... Rikka, you're feeling it too, aren't you? This hit low... .... we'll... have to be prepared. They'll do whatever they can to break GGG's spirits. If that happens... we'll need to show them why we're all here for." >
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Born to kill Gridman... Akane knows where she's heard that before. She takes a long breath in, then out... and then turns her sensors toward ChuuRyuu. Her mouth opens as if to cry out, but --
-- there's nothing she can say. Nothing she can even think to say. A lump forms in her throat as she sees poor Alouette and Guy given the grim duty of giving GGG's friend...
... well...
Kaiju should be free. And sometimes there's only one form of freedom that yet remains.
A lump forms in her throat, and she eventually says, "... Rikka... I don't want to be alone tonight," quietly. Even if she's never alone... sometimes, you know you need something a little more immediate, more tangible, than the certainty in your heart.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
There's a moment of quiet - but, after that moment, Rikka does respond to Lucine's transmission.
"...Yeah. You're right. We'll... have to be ready." She agrees. "...They need us. Now, more than ever."
And Akane reaches out to her, too. She doesn't want to be alone tonight... Rikka feels the same way. Right now, when everyone's hurting, and her heart feels like it might tear apart... it's when she wants to be alone the least, too.
"...It's okay. I'm here." Rikka assures quietly. "I'm here."
<Pose Tracker> Knight has posed.
"If you're the rival..." Gridknight starts, and the sentence doesn't end.
"... all right. Kaworu Nagisa, I'm leaving it to you. I've hit my limit."
And Guy...
There are some things a word can't fix.
So he doesn't say anything.