Difference between revisions of "2022-08-28: Confrontation ~VICTOR~"

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(Created page with " *'''Log: 2022-08-28- Confrontation ~VANQUISHED~''' *'''Cast:''' Character :: Akane Shinjo, Character :: Yuta Hibiki, Character :: Anti, Character :: Rikka Takar...")
 
 
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*'''Log: 2022-08-28- Confrontation ~VANQUISHED~'''
+
*'''Log: 2022-08-28- Confrontation ~VICTOR~'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Character :: Akane Shinjo]], [[Character :: Yuta Hibiki]], [[Character :: Anti]], [[Character :: Rikka Takarada]], [[Character :: Renais Cardiff]], [[Character :: Leina Ashta]], [[Character :: GaoGaiGo Team]], [[Character :: Shinji Ikari]], [[Character :: Alouette Pommier]], [[Character :: Guy Shishioh]]
+
*'''Cast:''' [[Character :: Riika Sheder]], [[Character :: Ouka Nagisa]], [[Character :: Nidaime]], [[Character :: Garrod Ran]], [[Character :: Alloy Kaas]], [[Character :: Orpheus Zevon]], [[Character :: Leina Ashta]]
 
*'''Where:''' Tsutsujidai
 
*'''Where:''' Tsutsujidai
 
*'''OOC - IC Date:''' 0096-08-28
 
*'''OOC - IC Date:''' 0096-08-28
*'''Summary''': ''During the first day of Tsutsujidai's open houses for the Deculture Festival, the kaiju attack Akane Shinjo warned about comes to pass. Just how helpful the warning is, however, is... a bit of an open question. Takes place at the same time as [[2022-08-28: Confrontation ~VICTOR~]].''
+
*'''Summary''': ''Riika Sheder finds a kaiju on the hunt, deployed to deal with potential threats to her attack on the Deculture Festival. While it nearly kills her, it's fended off by assembled defenders. Occurs at the same time as [[2022-08-28: Confrontation ~VANQUISHED~]].''
  
 
----
 
----
  
 +
</poem>
  
  <Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Sunday morning, Tsutsujidai. Normally, school wouldn't be open -- but the Deculture Festival has kind of turned everything sideways a bit. Everyone is playing it by ear, and if that means having an event on a sleepy, comfy vacation Sunday, well: they're not gonna say no.
+
Sunday afternoon, Tsutsujidai.
 +
 
 +
Across town, the GUTS festival is in full swing. Normally, school wouldn't be open -- but the Deculture Festival has kind of turned everything sideways a bit. Everyone is playing it by ear, and if that means having an event on a sleepy, comfy vacation Sunday, well: they're not gonna say no.
  
 
The sky is a comfy blue -- and the cloud cover as you ascend masks whatever else the universe might have to say about what Tsutsujidai is and how it works. For the moment: it's just a PLANT... and more importantly, its students get to just be kids.
 
The sky is a comfy blue -- and the cloud cover as you ascend masks whatever else the universe might have to say about what Tsutsujidai is and how it works. For the moment: it's just a PLANT... and more importantly, its students get to just be kids.
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There's been a real zest for the Deculture Festival among the students, too -- it's led to all kinds of talk among the student body about resurrecting a lot of previously cancelled events and programs.
 
There's been a real zest for the Deculture Festival among the students, too -- it's led to all kinds of talk among the student body about resurrecting a lot of previously cancelled events and programs.
  
-------
+
And Akane Shinjo has promised to attack it.
  
Akane Shinjo's waiting. Her current plan, such as it is, is to sulk in her room until the mid-afternoon when foot traffic is the highest, then deploy Mecha-Ghoulghilas. It makes perfect sense to her.
+
Because they knew it was coming, the Gridman Alliance and their allies took the initiative. Deploying Gridman early triggered an evacuation, causing Akane to jump her own schedule and send out a kaiju. Ghoulghilas, but not as the others remember it, not quite - and herself, to speak where it cannot. Things are, at least in general outline, proceeding as the alliance had planned it. So far.
  
-------
+
But that's there. Here things are a little different.
  
Ramo Marusa has been on a mission all morning: move some things outside. It's nice, after all, and the practice building isn't actually in a stellar state; she's been leaning on Namiko a little for this in turn, suggesting in particular that the Tea Ceremony Club show its stuff off with a nodate (outdoor tea ceremony) instead of an indoor one. The Dance Club has also dragged its performance outside at Marusan's insistence, significantly reducing indoor foot traffic.
+
It started with a suspicious mist. Mist in and of itself isn't dangerous, but the weather and timing makes it suspicious - unusual events in Tsutsujidai are often dangerous events, as the place is so still and unchanging the rest of the time. And then the mist increased to the point nobody could see in, and that's when it went from 'suspicious' to 'a threat'. A second attack, at the same time as the first - but without her presence, and without Gridman to defend against it.
  
-------
+
Things when hot when a building shattered, destroyed out of the mist by something unseen. If the mist wasn't attention-getting enough, &#42;that&#42; certainly was. With the incipient battle at the high school, Gridman is occupied.
  
Ako Furuma has been quietly deputized by Ramo Marusa to handle subtly nudging things ''indoors''. Her actual approach has been a little... less... subtle than Marusan might have hoped; she's created a mild Incident. A dispute over which club actually has which classroom has turned into dragging everything out of two of the rooms... which conveniently blocks off multiple hallways in a practical sense, in a way that makes it hard to get very far from an exit. Two of the stairwells have 'coincidentally' been blocked on the second floor in a way that will be easier to navigate from on the floor -- keeping people from getting upstairs casually while still making ''downward'' egress as easy as possible.
+
The center of the fog is in a commercial area. A street of stores ranging from clothes stores to restaurants, ending at a parking lot outside a supermarket. Nothing is visible in the mist beyond very short distances, but every once in a while, there are sounds - crashes, shattering glass, breaking concrete and pavement. A little later, gunfire.
  
-------
+
And then as others arrive, something comes flying out of the mist - a damaged GINN, thrown out violently by something inside. One of its legs has twisted all out of line, and one of its arms is half-ripped off, the MMI-M8A3 heavy machine gun favoured by ZAFT forces falling from its damaged arm as it lands on the street, skidding back and sending it clattering away.
  
All that's left is for someone to make the first move.
+
"There's something in there!" the pilot, Riika Sheder, broadcasts on tinny loudspeaker. "I only went in to scout, and it didn't even show up on sensors." Her GINN starts to rise, but falls again because of the damaged leg - none of the joints or hydraulics are working well enough for her to operate. Instead it scrambles backwards on its functioning arm, grabbing the machine gun from where it fell.
  
 +
She's not going to be much direct help fighting it, and she knows it, and she hates it, but: "It can't hide from everyone, can it...? I'll see if I can get some more powerful sensors online or figure out some way to locate it." The GINN scrambles back further, hopefully out of the line of fire. It's certainly out of the fog.
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  <Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
+
 
 +
  <Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
It's been an agonizing month, Akane's declaration of war hanging over them all. Yuta's hopes of enjoying preparing for the festival with everyone were soundly crushed by his worry. Knowing she was going to attack was heavy enough, but Akane's words rung in Yuta's mind constantly. "No actual connections here." When the god who created you says something like that... how do you ignore it? How can you prove her wrong?
+
    Memories are a fragile thing.
  
Yuta's answer was what lead to their plan. He couldn't solve this problem on his own, he'd tried for weeks and gotten nowhere! But, once he reached out to his allies, the answer became clear. Everyone would play their part, getting as many people as possible into places easy to evacuate. And he wouldn't be fighting alone, either.
+
    We like to believe ourselves contiguous beings, that even through sleep or drugged stupor when we awaken we once again are ourselves. What, though, would you say to a girl who upon waking finds her mind and memories reshaped anew?  Told not that the GEIM System had induced a brief psychotic episode... but instead that some unknown alien entity had attacked her, caused the GEIM System to malfunction, and may have in fact been some secret weapon employed by the dastardly Celestial Being.  What if the manipulations went deeper than that... what if, in fact, entire people could be erased from one's conscious recovery?
  
If his connections here had been wiped out by his amnesia, he'd just make new ones!
+
    Upon waking though, The First Boosted Child was as certain of her memory (as edited by Aguilla) as she was of the general shape and dimension of her physical form.  She had been attacked, and due to said attack she was put under observation to ensure there was no lasting corruption or damage.  She has come to understand that the GEIM System development and Boosted Child program itself has been put on a brief hiatus for administrative review.  This was fine, within expectations even given the possibility perhaps that Celestial Being was trying to find a way to utilize a vulnerability in her conditioning and turn her against her fellows.  Certainly Colonel Kushrenada's insistence for an audit was based on that concern and not any other sort of concern with her or the program which she is a part of...
  
---------
+
    ... so for present, Ouka and Seolla are largely serving only in their role as NERV auxiliaries.  In fact, even more than that, they are serving in their role as students on Summer break.  Ouka isn't able to participate in as many festivities as the other students due to her ongoing observation.  However she has recently been given the green light to return to normal activities.
  
So far, there was no sign of the kaiju. Yuta waits inside the Junk Shop with the Neon Genesis Junior High School students. Other allies were scattered through the city, ready to deploy as soon as the monster appeared.
+
    And not a moment too soon.
  
"It's a good plan, Yuta. We're proud of you." Max says, putting a hand on the young man's shoulder.
+
    When the alert comes through the NERV channels on her communicator, she quickly moves to scramble. Donning the flight suit and pressurized helmet for piloting the Nightmare Plus, she boards one of the craft. &lt;2nd Lieutenant Aurum-1 reporting.  Received an emergency priority signal within the plant hosting the Tsutsujidai GUTS festival.  Requesting emergency deployment authorization to respond.&gt;
  
"Yeah, you did good!" Borr contributes, putting their feet up as they wait. "Nobody'll get hurt like this. Not unless they're stupid."
+
    ... Several Minutes Later...
  
Vit leans against the wall, scrolling through his phone. "Yeah. Real good work, kid."
+
    A VF-171 Nightmare Plus utilizing NERV IFF signatures arrives within the the walled garden now housing Tsutsujidai in 'real' space.  For now she flies overhead observing the fog obscuring the commercial area. The fog seems to confound both her eyes and her unit's sensors. She decides to come in closer before shifting her unit into its Battleroid format and landing hard, sparks flying behind it as it grinds to a stop.
  
"An -- and we'll be with you, when it counts." Calibur adds, slumped across the bar. "And for the f--fun stuff later."
+
    'There's something in there!'
  
"Thanks, you guys." Yuta smiles, looking up at Max. "I couldn't do it without you, and everyone!"
+
    Ouka's ears pick up the voice from the tinny loudspeaker.  Her machine raises its gunpod in preparation.  Over the loudspeaker, she speaks up, "Are you with local defense forces?  NERV Auxiliary, 2nd Lieutenant Aurum-1. I have come responding to a distress signal.  Do you have a visual?  Please provide targeting and location data."
 +
</poem>
  
---------
+
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has deployed in VF-171 Nightmare Plus <Battroid Mode>.
  
The ground shakes. Stands topple to the ground, flyers fluttering out of their neat stacks. The gathered students look up and scream, rushing down and out of the school buildings -- hopefully, into the handily-accessible evacuation points.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.
 
 
Something enormous is stomping around the building, lighting arcing from its feet to the ground when it takes a step. Scattering the people of Tsutsujidai this time is no kaiju, but a Giant of Light. Gridman himself, carefully stepping onto the school grounds. He gingerly walks around the handmade festival decorations -- everyone had worked so hard on them! Really, he's doing no damage at all, just being extremely, unmistakably visible.
 
 
 
Akane's attack wasn't the problem. They've handled tons of those now. The problem was the amount of people who would be around for it -- and what better way to spark an evacuation than by sending a giant to the scene? Soon enough, the streets are clear, and the school is empty. Yuta can't help but smile. If Akane wanted a fight, he had prepared the perfect battlefield for her.
 
 
 
</poem>
 
  <Pose Tracker> Anti has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
        He sits atop the wardrobe in Europe, quilt dangling from the edge, just like his feet. He listens. He is much more like to listen than to speak, even a month later.
+
Nidaime's plan was to defend the GUTS festival but she does have a keen set of nostrils and that, combined with reasonable faith in Gridman, means that she has reason to be across town as she sniffs out another kaiju. Daddy sniffs it out too.
  
        Eventually: "I want to see."
+
Thoomp thoomp thoomp. Heavy kaiju footsteps are approaching Riika and her shattered mech through the fog. Thoomp thoomp thoomp.
  
        It's notable. He requests little.
+
And then a turtle head pokes its head out through the fog and the eyes slant down towards Riika.
  
        --
+
"GRONK!!!!" Anosillus the First roars in challenge. Probably not challenging Riika, but it is a bit hard to read.
  
        Tsutsujidai is not the same.
+
On Anosillus's back is...!
  
        --
+
Nidaime! She is eating some snacks from the festival still since she came here in a hurry. She hopes Leina is ok since she had to leave in a hurry.
  
        The events are moved outdoors.
+
THEN AGAIN--MAYBE LEINA...IS HERE!!!
  
        Across the street and up a tree, he watches.
+
Anosillus rears back with his head and lets out a roar, wholly intent on dissoluting the mist in front of him. The power of 'song' resists the fog of Tsutsujidai even if, in this particular case, it's Turtle Song rather than a bop you can get butt fever from.
  
        --
+
"Hi Riika...!" Nidaime says, looking around for...someone?!?
 +
</poem>
  
        She does not attend.
+
KTS: Nidaime has deployed in Anosillus the First.
 +
 +
<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.
 +
<poem>
 +
By all rights, Garrod Ran really &#42;should&#42; be in school himself. He's of an age for it, and he knows there are things he could probably stand to learn better than he already knows - sure, he's literate enough to get by and he can do a reasonable amount of math, but there's a lot he doesn't know, too. Mostly he doesn't see why he should sit in a classroom with other kids when there are more important things to do.
  
        --
+
But given a chance to mingle at one school festival or another? Sure, why not, he can blend in decently for a little while. Just don't try to drag him into much of a conversation; he's lousy at socializing. And besides, he has more important things to do - both generally speaking and, in this case, specific tasks that he's committed to. So he can't spend too much time taking in the sights, the attractions, or the food stalls. Long-honed paranoia has him staying relatively close to where the GX-9900 has been stashed, and when the fog starts getting seriously thick, getting back to the cockpit starts feeling like a really, really good idea to the green-haired teenager.
  
        He is not moved by the evacuation. He goes another way. He can leap, springing from the balls of his feet, so many meters up. He stands atop the railway scaffolding. He stands atop the railway scaffolding. The electrical lines below are live.
+
As Garrod slaps the G-Controller into its interface socket and powers up his Gundam, he also finds himself remembering the last time he was in Tsutsujidai &#42;without&#42; his mobile suit. Hopefully this is going to be a little less creepy - but even if the biggest gun is the worst option for this fight, at least he actually has the Gundam X for this fight. "All right, where are you hiding ... ?" he mutters as the GX's sensors come up; radar isn't revealing anything yet, and while he thinks sonar might do some good, the GX doesn't even have that.
  
        He is not concerned with them.
+
Rin Starking teleports in.
 
+
</poem>
        He looks up.
 
 
 
        There -- Gridman is come. Before any other. Striking first.
 
 
 
        His chassis stirs with hate, but he cannot light the spark. The rules were very clear: when Gridman appears, he is able to fight. He is unable to fight.
 
 
 
        He tries and fails to become himself. It becomes real.
 
  
        Eye covered with a fresh dressing, he looks up to Gridman with quiet intensity.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Alloy Kaas has posed.
 
 
        'Anti' is half of a sentence.
 
 
 
        More completely, he is the Anti-Gridman.
 
 
 
        Unwanted in this place, he watches Gridman rise, and has no answer.
 
 
 
</poem>
 
  <Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
The drone Akane has been using to keep tabs on kaiju fights flutters from point to point. That... isn't the arrangement she recalls the festival having. Not really a big deal, she reflects, but... "Hm," she murmurs, chewing at the straw of a tomato juice box. "It'th gonna be kind of annoying tuh..." If they stuck to the layout they planned, she'd at least have been able to be kind of choosy.
 
  
Oh well. She's constantly hurting people she cares about, anyway. It'll be easier not to do that in a small, fixed world.
+
        Only moments had passed, since the rocking of buildings as the shuddered under concealed forces that demolished them began. However certain individuals in the area had been on alert status, a declaration of war had been made after all.
  
The drone flits to --
+
        Alloy was one of these individuals, and the sequence to sync with her Evandelion unit was begun from the first alarm. Alloy settles into the seat in her plug, tensing around the hand controls, and responding to the checklist. At the same time the interior floods with images and a kaleidoscope of colors and rainbows.
  
"What the -- oh you have ''got'' to be kidding me," Akane says, nerves frayed. Her all-seeing gaze turns, its rotors taking it around. Gridman unquestionably prompts an evacuation -- and everyone is ''ready'' to evacuate. The school empties onto the athletic field in a moment, then makes a neat, orderly retreat toward --
+
        The sync completes and Alloy is in full control of her unit. Her final thought before first ste is, I hope the controls are calibrated. The muscular organic fibers of the Evangelions bodies, can outperform the mobile suits in raw kinetic terms, which translates to, more difficult to control in low-g environments.
  
-------
+
        A message comes in from Riika, and then from Aurum-1. A quick movement of fingers along the control sticks inner keys, and Alloy is able to bring up the tactical information for the area reported.
  
"Ramo, where... ''exactly'' are we going?" Ako asks, realizing that they have... the entire student body and then some behind them.
+
        "Evangelion Unit Null-Sigma, Responding to report."
  
"When I was scouting office buildings for Miss Mass," Marusan explains, "I noticed one of them has two basement levels that are... basically not getting used at all? I thought about recommending it, but there's nowhere good to eat nearby and it was kind of spendy per square foot."
+
        As Alloy tries to manage her movement in the specialized environment, the feeling nags at her, She has forgotten, something. The same feeling since she woke up on the Nadesico. They said everything scans as normal... Alloy shakes her head, "Focus" she thinks to herself. She arrives to find Riika and, Nidaime?
  
Ako blinks. She's never seen Ramo quite this -- assertive, quite this together. This is a far cry from the Ramo who lets her skate on turning in her physics homework as long as she wants -- and yet, at the same time, it's entirely the same Ramo.
+
        "Are you both alright?!"
  
"... After this," she murmurs, "can you help me with social studies? My summer homework... isn't coming together."
+
        As with her launch, Alloy's voice is pretty flat and clinical. Not new, but, a recent redevelopment.
  
''That'' startles Ramo out of her perfectly-planned movement, though only long enough for a brief stumble. "You're worried about that at a time like this? Did someone replace Ako-chan when I wasn't looking?" she asks. "... I don't mind, though." It was never the idea of helping her that she was worried about, after all -- she just didn't want to become someone who rides Ako over homework.
+
        Alloy tries to make sure Riika is safe, and protected from where she is, shielding the wreckage and Riika hersef.
 +
</poem>
  
-------
+
KTS: Alloy Kaas has deployed in Evangelion Unit-Null-Sigma.
 +
Lina Lombardi teleports in.
 +
POT: Lina Lombardi is now set observer.
  
Akane tries to slump forward in irritation and fails. She settles for slamming her back into the back of her chair. "... that's boring," she murmurs. "There's no dramatic tension if the city saves itself..." She can't even be angry; she's just... tired of this. Tsutsujidai no longer makes great stomping grounds.
+
KTS: Garrod Ran has deployed in GX-9900 Gundam X.
  
She breathes out slowly through her nose, shuts her eyes for a moment, then opens them. "ALEXIS!!"
+
<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.
 
+
<poem>
"You rang, Akane-kun?" comes the voice in the monitor, as always.
+
For most, arriving into Tsutsujidai was not much of a hassle. Everyone was on the same page with the Gridman Alliance and Logistics was simple enough to bring in their machines to the designated locations.
  
Akane unceremoniously takes today's kaiju and turns it toward Alexis. ... after a moment, she picks up some of her older repaired models and plops ''them'' on the table, too. "I can't wait on this anymore. Looks like we're going to try really going for it."
+
Though. . .When you're pretending to be a NERV agent, and you really aren't, how does one go about such a thing? The answer was, you had to be very good at convincing people you are who you say you are. . .And make sure no one's looking under the hood.
  
"I was wondering when we'd get started," Alexis says, sounding like he's ''really'' luxuriating in it. "Of course. Instance Abreaction!"
+
For Oz, that involves a bit of internal assistance from Alouette. Making sure that she was able to assure that no one is investigating into any additional support units for inspections or otherwise. Ultimately though, being able to take his unit of choice with his KMF would provide dividends. At least that's what he believed in the days prior when they first arrived.
  
--------
+
Cutting back to the day of the festival, the plan was in action and as it was. . .Tetsuya was discontent.
  
Akane's pulling out all the stops today. There is an ''army'' here -- though the tip of its spear is, of course, the kaiju she showed her favorite victims and opposition: Mecha-Ghoulghilas. (She's neatly etched 'AMK-01' onto one of the plates. 'Akane's first Mecha-Kaiju,' perhaps? Certainly a serial number worthy of a weapon of war.)
+
"Tch. . "
  
---------
+
The point of arriving here was to get in contact with Akane Shinjo herself. . .If Alouette and I are on this side. . . There'd be no way for them to investigate further into ''that''. But the die was cast and so. . .
  
"Gridman's kinda dinky today, too... I wonder if they're thinking of loading him up with mobile suit weapons or something," Akane starts. "Then again, he's a little big even for that."
+
A KMF arrived as soon as the alert came out, a unit veiled up for the most part in cloth which was rather unusual for Knightmare Frames, or any sort of machine to have. Though as it was, it was what appeared to be a stylistic approach perhaps?
  
---------
+
&lt;Support Unit, responding. I'll try to do some scanning of the mist as well, try to keep within minimal range of one another for immediate response should--&gt;
  
Mecha-Ghoulghilas roars with a depth and intenisty that the original flavor never quite had -- but by the same token, there's something colder about this. If you were really looking for it, you could hear that tiny slice of its creator in its cry... but not to nearly the extent of her past kaiju.
+
And it already seemed things were going to begin. The KMF was already starting to traverse the building as it attempted to get to the highest point it could, before attempting to get a sniper's view of the area and a wider field of vision of all the others present. It had already been clear Riika had been caught off guard by whatever attacked them, though the next person it attacked, this thing would find it'd be quickly catching return fire. . .
  
A heat beam sweeps across the city, issued forth from the mouth; it kicks up debris, slices through buildings -- yet Akane's target is the area surrounding Gridman, not the school.
+
Come on out and let me sink my fangs into you. . .
 
 
---------
 
 
 
Akane finally manages to get animated, at least. She hops up out of her chair, even -- and goes to the roof of her building, where she stands dramatically, arms folded, long coat billowing behind her. Her tablet is in her pocket, for the moment.
 
 
 
"All right, Gridman Alliance!" she declares, reaching up for just a moment to push her shattered glasses up. "You too, Gutsy Flavor-of-the-Month Guard! Honestly, there are too many of you to count -- and that's the best part! All my enemies are here at once!" She's finally back into it.
 
 
 
She brings up a fist and pumps it once. "I'm gonna show you ''everything'' I can do in Tsutsujidai, Vessels of Light! Witness my full power!"
 
 
 
... It really is easier if she lets the role play her. Why -- she's even having fun with this!
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  <Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
+
  KTS: Orpheus Zevon has deployed in Type-01/C Byakuen.
<poem>
 
"There you are." Yuta murmurs, as Gridman takes a fighting stance. Akane has observed correctly -- Gridman's about half his usual size. Mecha-Ghoulghilas towers over the Giant of Light. It's a little more scary, Yuta thinks, not to be towering over the kaiju himself. The monster is all the more intimidating for it.
 
  
Right as Yuta starts to feel truly jittery, he feels the familiar sensation of his companions racing to join him. It's like a tug at Gridman's heart, a feeling of completion. He breathes out a sigh of relief, standing a bit more easily. Ground trembling, all four members of the Neon Genesis Junior High Students appear from thin air and make their way to Gridman. Sky Vitter fires a few rounds, pushing Mecha-Ghoulghilas back far enough to buy them some breathing room. Perhaps the strangest of the four is Gridman Calibur... manifesting as an enormous sword flying through the air seemingly under its own power. Another beam attack tries to push back Buster Borr and Battle Tracto Max, but they continue zooming toward Gridman.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.
 
 
"Now is when we put our powers together!" Gridman calls, and the others respond with a unified shout of "Right!"
 
 
 
For anyone who has seen Gridman transform before, the sight would be familiar. Battle Tracto Max rises up onto two wheels, Buster Borr splits apart down the middle, and Sky Vitter's wings seperate. Each of them gives their all to Gridman, leaving the robot with enhanced legs, arms, armor and -- of course -- a giant sword. The whole transformation takes but a few seconds, but Gridman has gained a good deal of mass once it finishes. Yuta's confidence is restored, as they now stand even with the kaiju.
 
 
 
"Hyperlink Combine, Full Powered Gridman!"
 
</poem>
 
 
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has deployed in Full Powered Gridman.
 
POT: Mari Makinami Illustrious is now set observer.
 
 
 
  <Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Yuta's plan... Rikka was surprised and a little unsure of it at first, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Time and time again, her friends had proven that when there was danger, they were ready to step up and help everyone make it to safety. They might not have mobile suits or giant transformations of their own... but rather than let fear overtake them, they do what needs to be done.
+
"No, I &#42;don't&#42; have a visual," Riika responds to Ouka. She recognizes Ouka's voice, remembering her from the meeting, and she's not real happy about dealing with a G-Hound member, hunting hounds of the Federation. But if she's broadcasting NERV... "I'm Riika, remember? But I didn't see it, just its tendrils. It grabs." That explains the state of the GINN's leg and arm. "It's way bigger than it should be, for something hiding in fog... you should be able to see it over the buildings. - Nidaime? Why do you have - no, never mind! I'll pull back, I won't be much use in this damaged machine. At least a little." That as much to reassure Alloy as anything else.
 
 
It's encouraging to think about. Somehow, everyone became so strong... She's proud of them. She'll believe in them - but she still has her part to play, too.
 
  
For now, Rikka sits in the pilot seat of Synchrotank, still at its place. It'd tip their hand too soon if her mobile suit just happened to be anywhere near the school. She'd considered dressing it up as a float for the Festival, but... Akane's smart, and she's an artist. She'd probably be able to recognize the silhouette even if they broke it up a bit with decorations. No, for now she just has to wait... as nerve-wracking as it can be, waiting for the beginning of a war you know is coming. Now she just has to wait for the signal - and it isn't long before it sounds.
+
The fog is thick, and the bank is increasingly huge. It feels like the whole area around here is being covered - smothered, really - in fog, clouds of misty grey that obscure everything.
  
"Alright... time to get going. Good luck, everyone." Rikka says, as the Neon Genius Junior High Students vanish into Junk. They have their parts to play, and hers... is to just get there in time to support Yuta. Synchrotank races through the empty streets of Tsutsujidai. The Culture Festival has drawn many people to the school, so she's fine with putting the pedal to the metal a bit more than usual... and soon enough, her goal is in sight.
+
And indeed the fog is spreading. As more units appear, the fog spreads to cover them, expanding outwards and upwards. It's like standing inside a cloud, everything outside one's unit little more than silhouettes -
  
Synchrotank ''drifts'' into position next to Gridman before rising from tank mode onto its feet.
+
Until Anosillus roars.
  
"I'm here, Gridman!" Rikka calls out... and then pauses, staring at Gridman's new form. "...They... really ''did'' do a 'Full Combine'..."
+
The clouds disperse, a little. It's not clear, precisely, but it's at least possible to see each other - and the silhouette of something enormously tall, probably seventy meters or so, walking on two broad legs, spiky all over. Its enormous row of teeth, set very low on its body, gap open in a just-visible grin.
  
She doesn't let herself get distracted for long - instead, turning her attention toward Mecha-Ghoulghilas at the head of the kaiju army. Rikka takes a deep breath and exhales.
+
From the nodes on its sides emit a trio of yellow-glowing whip-like tentacles which snap out. One lashes at Anosillus to try to squeeze his mouth shut, preventing a second roar; a second at Alloy's Evangelion, a large threatening object standing between it and what it was trying to kill a few moments ago; a third, at Orpheus in a great sweep
 
 
"...I'm ready for you, Akane." Rikka murmurs - this time, under her breath, as she grips the controls.
 
  
 +
For the rest, there is only the fog, which is threatening to thicken around them again.
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
 
<poem>
 
        Renais Cardiff, for her part, is at the festival itself; she's not &#42;socializing&#42;, per se, but she's attending. Most of the inquiries about her outfit are answered with 'it's cosplay'.
 
  
        Really, it's difficult to enjoy the festival with the Sword of Damocles overhead; she keeps glancing over toward a break in the foliage just past the campus wall. An empty spot.
+
KTS: Riika Sheder has deployed in Gonglee (Revival).
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has changed loadout.
 +
KTS: Riika_Sheder has deployed as a Boss for 5 opponents.
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Nidaime with Tentacle Strangle!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Alloy Kaas with Tentacle Strike!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Orpheus Zevon with Tentacle Slap!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Garrod Ran with Jam!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Ouka Nagisa with Jam!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder jams Ouka Nagisa's sensors, reducing her accuracy.
 +
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
 +
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
 +
KTS: Alloy Kaas has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
 +
KTS: Orpheus Zevon successfully evades Riika Sheder's Tentacle Slap
  
        She's not here to enjoy the festival. No, she's here to protect it. She doesn't even blink when Gridman's colossal form blots out the sun, merely depositing an empty paper cup in a recycling bin and walking calmly against the flow of evacuating students. Toward that spot past the wall.
 
 
        She vaults over the wall easily, disappearing behind it; moments later, the air seems to shimmer and ripple, revealing an M9 Gernsback rising to its feet. It's been painted a dark purple, with light-gold trim; the visage of a lion, outlined in that same gold, surrounds the Arm Slave's head.
 
 
        Inside, Renais strips both layers of her cooling coat, exposing ports on her shoulders. She brings the cockpit harness down over her front, connecting her cooling system with the AS'. She flicks a switch, and sighs in relief as her body temperature drops to something close to comfortable.
 
 
        "Gridman Alliance and allies, this is Renais Cardiff deploying." The Gernsback leaps out into the street, pulling the shotcannon off its back as it stands beside Gridman and the Synchrotank.
 
Leina Ashta has arrived.
 
 
</poem>
 
 
  <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
 
  <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
  
Anti requests very little.  So she fulfilled this one.
+
Leina's running full sprint across the Commercial District, the sounds of Mecha Ghoulgilas still within her ears.
  
However, she's not sitting in a tree, she's on campus for the Deculture Festival preparations. Quietly, she's checked every gate on school grounds to make certain none are locked, and thus no surprises are in store.
+
With the campus evacuated, she had every intention of getting to someplace safe as soon as possible, and in the rush she'd been separated too far from Ramos and Ako  - but she's not especially worried. Ramos will take care of it, she had full faith in her.
  
She's handed out 'fire' evacuation plans to various teachers and club leaders while wearing a bright yellow high visibility 'safety committee' vest.
+
One of those safer office buildings with a good basement just happened to be in the commercial district, and this was where she was heading.
  
In the days preceding she arranged some last minute moves with the main GUTS committee, for the more popular outdoor booths with the highest traffic to be in more open spaces and closer to the athletic field, to promote 'fire safety'.
+
It's only when she ''starts'' having a bad feelings that she found herself surrounded in Mist.  The sudden sounds of crashing and breaking weren't helping, as Leina found herself yelping and getting down low, crawling beneath a bench as she gets her cell phone out, trying to work it to figure out where she is.  "Come on...  c-come on..."
  
It might have stressed some clubs out, so she had lended a hand towards moving their setup.
+
Unfortunately, here in Tsutsujidai, she had no backup, no way to contact the outside world.  She couldn't even call for Judau or Sayla across the psychic layer of existence if she tried.
  
Now, on the day of, she's mostly relying on her co-conspirator, RamosIt's her school, so she'll know best how to redirect things in a useful way.
+
And that's when a GINN crashes nearby not too far away, and she shrieks, as she huddles down.  Her cell phone is useless..except, she realizes, not quite.
  
And goodness, she's certainly delivered, Leina is quite impressed by her work, she can even see the shape of things, in how Ako's causing some constructive conflict.
+
As there's someone she could contact after all.  She turns the volume down, and puts on Sheryl Nome's Lion, at the lowest possible, and hums along, speaking the lyrics subvocally at a sotto voce. "I want to survive...  I want to live..."
  
When the screaming starts on one end of the campus, she lifts a megaphone, "Everyone stay calm! Help out your classmates, evacuate towards the athletic fields!"
+
And just hopes, that somewhere out there, a little Kaiju is listening.  Because otherwise, in this thick mist? She truly is alone.
  
There's something strange about this though, as she looks up at the Giant of Light, she's never seen Gridman before even if she's heard of him from Yuta, and Nidaime about how he protects this town - and how he's what Akane is after. "Is that - Gridman?"
+
A very familiar 'GRONK' floods her with relief, as now she has a presence to latch onto as she starts to run out of cover and calls out in that direction, "Nidaime!  Anosillus!  Help!"
  
She doesn't feel any hostile intent radiating off of him.  He's being careful not to step on anything. It doesn't take her long to realize that it must be, and what the plan is. With a smile, she salutes casually with her megaphone and gives a wink towards the giant of light, before she heads back towards directing traffic.
+
The music softly plays, so she just hopes that between that and her calling out, it's enough for them to find her, and she them...
  
By the time Mecha-Ghoulgilas roars, the campus is evacuated, and she's making a beeline for one of the gates of the school...
+
...before whatever is in the mist finds ''her''.  Because as it parts a little, and she catches the silhouette out of her periphery, she pushes herself to run even ''faster''.
  
Leina Ashta leaves for Side 2 - PLANT [ZFT].
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 
+
  KTS: Leina Ashta has deployed as a Sub Pilot for Nidaime!
  KTS: Renais Cardiff has deployed in M9 Gernsback.
+
KTS: Riika Sheder jams Garrod Ran's sensors, reducing his accuracy.
  KTS: Rikka Takarada has deployed in Synchrotank.
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder anchors Nidaime, forcing her into close range.
  KTS: Rikka Takarada has changed loadout.
+
KTS: Nidaime fails to parry Riika Sheder's Tentacle Strangle, taking 3840 damage!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Nidaime!
 +
KTS: Alloy Kaas blocks Riika Sheder's Tentacle Strike, taking 2460 damage!
 +
  KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Alloy Kaas!
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> GaoGaiGo Team has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Mamoru Amami and Ikumi Kaidou have never been to a PLANT. They weren't really planning on it. But Tsutsujidai is in danger, and they have advance warning. A girl in need is fighting both herself and the city, and they're going to stop her the best way they know how.
+
"Great," mutters Garrod as he catches a working glimpse of the kaiju's outline. It's ugly enough in silhouette, but he does still catch sight of the teeth at the bottom and the tentacles along its upper sides; And while the familiar basso of Anosillus's roar does thin the mist out, the fog thickens again too quickly to really capitalize on it.
  
Copious violence with a dash of love.
+
With severe misgivings, Garrod shifts his Gundam into motion, readying the shield buster rifle. He'd much prefer to hang back - hopefully out of tentacle range - and plink away at the monster, but it's already clear, even if this isn't the kaiju that's going to attack the &#42;other&#42; school festival, that his allies-of-the-moment need help. Especially the turtle, who's shown up often enough against other kaiju for Garrod to consider Anosillus a steadfast ally. The little(?) girl who rides around on the turtle's shell so often, too, for that matter.
  
Smuggled through a cargo freighter into Tsutsujidai, GaoGo emerges in Accept Mode, scanner visor head allowing Mamoru Amami to gain data and detect their foe. Once that's done... they move into their position in the city, as Mecha-Ghoulgilas emerges. Mamoru speaks. "Ikumi, are you ready?"
+
Rather than unleashing a full bombardment, Garrod conserves his firepower, just taking a shot when he's &#42;pretty&#42; sure it's going to hit the right target. He's being almost unusually cautious and cagey this time out - maybe he's thinking more about the risks of collateral damage, or something.
  
"Of course. Let's do this."
+
It couldn't just be perfectly normal and predictable terror. Right?
  
Mamoru nods within his armor, preparing to transfer mental controls. Finally, he shouts.
+
</poem>
 +
KTS: Garrod Ran targets Riika Sheder with Buster Rifle - Snipe!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder charges into the attack!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder partially guards Garrod Ran's Buster Rifle - Snipe, taking 3444 damage!
  
"YOU HAVE CONTROL!"
+
<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.
 
+
<poem>
Ikumi follows, as he gains power.
+
Nidaime is confused, "Hm? Oh I rushed over here." She bobs her head. "Okay, okay! The important thing is that you are okay!"
 
 
"I HAVE CONTROL!"
 
  
GaoGo starts to shift, before flipping the torso upside down, a more 'humanoid' head taking control as Ikumi becomes the central pilot. But it's not complete, just yet.
+
The fog is spreading, even through Anosillus's roar. "Ah...!" Nidaime says. "It's because there's a kaiju that's the source!" She thinks for a moment. "Perhaps... Akane sent this out to obscure what's going on from the rest of the world?" It feels a little LATE for that but old habits do die hard. "Did you see it?"
  
"REQUESTING FINAL FUSION!"
+
Leina calls out for help. Nidaime and Anosillus are both distracted and in that moment... TENTACLES!
  
----
+
"Ah...! Alouette?" Nidaime asks as Anosillus's mouth is CLAMPED SHUT. It tries to roar again and it comes out like
  
Shigeru Akamatsu has been waiting from Orbit Base. Despite the distance, he laughs. The kids have grown up - a mission wih Guy Shishioh for the first time since his disappearance, and they're all going in.
+
"MRGHHKKK."
  
"FINAL FUSION APPROVED! Go forth, GaoGaiGou!"
+
"Gosh...it's a smart one..." But she slides down the back of  Anosillus, and looks to Leina! "Ahh! Leina!! What are you doing here? Ahh!! Please be careful!!" Nidaime pauses and adds, "I have an idea...! You can ride with me! Or--we can try and keep us interposed between you and the kaiju?"
  
Hana Hatsuno twitches at the pronunciation, slightly, before raising her fist. She's still always worried she's not strong enough for this, but Mamoru's out there fighting. She has to be.
+
Anosillus wiggles his head rapidly.before pulling into his shell, trying to drag the tentacle with it and spin around rapidly in shell form.
  
"Final Fusion! PROGRAM DRIVE!"
+
""I'm okay Alouette!" Nidaime doesn't know the nickname yet!! "Um please be careful, my sister's here!!"
 
 
Her fist smashes onto the glass, breaking through and activating a big red button. While she does this, wireless transmission is sent to three machines - LinerGao II, DrillGao II, and StealthGao II, emerging from the shipping containers they've been stored in.
 
 
 
----
 
 
 
"FINAL FUSION!" Mamoru and Ikumi shout, as the flying train, drill robot, and stealth jet lock into place, mecha shifting as it forms into a heroic King of Braves. An electromagnetic storm of sorts flows around it, doing minor damage to surroundings, but it's negligible.
 
 
 
GaoGaiGo is born.
 
 
 
The large robot takes a step forward, and then another, and then puts both hands up, threatening Mecha-Ghoulghilas like a boxer. Ikumi Kaidou has control.
 
 
 
Despite GaoGaiGo's lack of skill in Low-G specifically, the boys have the willpower to fight in any environment. Mamoru adds this to his calculations, allowing Ikumi to take step by step without tripping due to gravity fluctuations.
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: GaoGaiGo Team has deployed in GaoGaiGo.
+
  KTS: Nidaime has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Alloy Kaas
  KTS: Akane_Shinjo has deployed as a Boss for 7 opponents.
+
KTS: Nidaime: Will Barrier Activates.
 +
  KTS: Nidaime targets Riika Sheder with Shell Shock!
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
With unusual initiative, Shinji volunteers to pilot Unit-01 when the attacks begin as Akane had threatened. Perhaps it's unfair to give him all the credit, though: he remembers his name on a whiteboard, and he steels himself with it.
+
As the fog continues to wash over the area, concealment becomes less of an issue for the Byakuen. For Oz this was almost a blessing in disguise.
  
Akane Shinjo. Shinji still doesn't know what to make of the entire situation, or how much ''he'' can help with it. They discussed her and her 'Devil' as a group, but everything's so... precarious. Everything always is, always one mistake away from completely unraveling.
+
Seems like this worked out better than I thought. Still. . .
  
The idea of failing to reach her frays at Shinji's nerves in the way losing a fight doesn't. The consequences are more visceral in his mind, too easy to imagine, and he wants to throw them all away.
+
The fog was already getting dense, and he wasn't even in the thickest part of it. If it continued like this more than certain they'd become consumed in this all encompassing fog. And if that was the case. . .They'd surely become easy pickings for this thing.
  
He closes his eyes and breathes within Unit-01. Every motion has to be more careful on the way, wary of causalities, of destruction, and wary of where Akane herself might be hiding. He'll be looking for that in particular.
+
Though just as the fog comes, it disperses with a roar and the vaguest showing of its silhouette appears and well. . .
  
Low-G is its own uncomfortable obstacle. Shinji mutters minor pleas with himself as he navigates, Unit-01 making a major, too high leap over more sensitive ground to land down nearer Mecha-Ghoulghilas without the crash Shinji's expecting.
+
&lt;Target confirmed. . .Preparing support fir--&gt;
</poem>
 
  
KTS: Shinji Ikari has deployed in Evangelion Unit-01.
+
Before Oz can continue, he finds that one of those whips has spotted him on the building tops. Thankfully, the Byakuen was a considerably smaller target than most other units that were about. Its mobility quickly on display, even if its exterior armor wasn't with the cloak around it kept it somewhat concealed. Using the KMF's Slash Harken it was quick to traverse off the building top and escape to the next. Its arm folded back to expose what appeared like a cannon as he locked on to the Kaiju.
 
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
 
<poem>
 
Yuta's plan is bold, but it's a smart one. He really is a bright kid, Alouette thinks. She smiles as she sees the students of Tsutsujidai quickly make their evacuation before Mecha-Ghoulghilas can even strike.
 
  
Akane.. your heart is stronger than you think it is. This is proof, isn't it?" she whispers to herself as she waits in her cockpit - although Guy, Mamoru, and Ikumi are coming too, Alouette insisted on deploying instead of operating for this fight. Not only is she a member of the Gutsy Global Guard, she joined the Gridman Alliance too, so this is personal. As such, she borrowed the GAT-O1D Long Dagger from NERV's hangars once again.
+
"Let's see how durable these tentacles are to retaliation. . ." Several explosive cartridges were loaded in, and without any warning to allies he fires its shots at the Gonglee where the tentacles appeared to appear from. With how the fog was forming, the window of opportunity to get an effective hit in was going to be vital for certain.
  
Once GaoGaiGo makes its glorious entrance, Alouette follows through and prepares her own unit, turning on comms. "Mamoru, Ikumi, thank you so much for coming!" she emits to them. To everyone else, she calls out, "Alouette Pommier, 3G Blue and Gridman Alliance, moving out!" The Long Dagger sparks to life, forgoing the Fortestra this time. Hopefully, if they take the offensive, they should be able to sweep up Mecha-Ghoulghilas quickly so the others can enjoy the festival.
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 
+
  <Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
KTS: Alouette Pommier has deployed in GAT-01D Long Dagger.
 
 
  <Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Hiding a fully-formed GaoFighGar is pretty close to impossible - the King of Braves is a massive, mighty machine, all in heroic black and blues. It is a tool for standing up and making a declaration of courage. It is, therefore, not terribly well suited to standing by. Fortunately, its main component, PhantomGao, ''is''.
+
    'I'm Riika, remember?'
  
Guy Shishioh, unwitting to his cousin, has also come to the school, and is walking about in his gold vest with his hands in its pockets, ambling and waiting for the signal. And not that very far at all, perhaps a few dozen meters above and behind him - concealed by near-perfect EM scramblers and Mirror Coating - is PhantomGao. Guy checks the time at a nearby stall. There isn't an ''appointed'' hour, but...it'll be soon. When traffic is at its peak...
+
    Ouka does remember Riika - she was there at the meeting hosted by the Gridman Alliance and NERV to discuss the change of situation with Tsutsujidai, and specifically to discuss the 'God' Shinjo and the mysterious 'Devil'.  She recalls her being assigned to the 'Shinjo' column, those who agreed to pursue Akane and see if they could reach her with an outstretched hand instead of a clenched. Based on the current situation... the yielded fruit is bitter indeed.
  
Gridman arises. Guy puts his hands on his hips as people flow past him, staring straight up at even this diminished Gridman. "Well," he says, with a chuckle. "Think that's the signal."
+
    "Affirmative."  Is the Boosted Child's short response.  She wants to explain further... how the loudspeaker altered the timbre of her voice and, in fact, she did not recognize her at first. However given the situation she is relying on all her senses to try and detect the mysterious assailant in the fog.    Then there it is - an enormous silhouette, a mouth full of too-shiny teeth, and then an array of whip-like tentacles lashing out at several of those gathered to oppose it.
  
He sees GaiGou beginning its move, and does the same, backflipping up to the top of a tent and alighting on it with Superhuman Evoluder Agility. "Let's go, PhantomGao! Initiating FUUUUUUUUUSIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!"
+
    Meanwhile within the Nightmare Plus's cockpit, Ouka narrows her eyes.  "Unable to get a clear target resolution..."  The unit lowers its gunpod.  At about that moment she notices a smaller figure, Leina, sprinting out of the mist and in a full sprint towards Anosillus.  She just barely picks up her voice crying for help from Nidaime and Anosillus.
  
PhantomGao materializes, hovering over the school. Guy backflips the whole way upward and into a cockpit slot within the machine. It unfolds swiftly, the underside into legs and arms, the body rotating upwards and the head emerging. It flexes like testing muscles, a relatively dainty machine - compared to Gridman, anyway, at 23 and change meters, it calls its name to the sky: "GAAAAAAAAAO FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!"
+
    "Civilian in the combat zone!" Ouka's voice is heard over the loudspeaker, and her Battroid sprints on a perpendicular course to attempt to arrive between the kaiju and the fleeing Leina. Unable to risk firing her gun or missiles while unable to achieve a clear target resolution, she instead focuses focuses her pinpoint barrier to create an energy field around her machine's right arm.  The Nightmare Plus forms that hand into a flat, knife-shape before attempting to drive it directly into the tentacle grasping the large turtle kaiju: Hoping to simultaneously free Nidaime and her father, while also presenting herself as a target instead of Leina.
 +
</poem>
  
Then it leaps skywards, propelled by internal Ul-Tech thrusters that let it fly a good distance away. And at the same time, he sends his signals through the relay to Orbit Base: One, signed by the Mobile Division Captain Guy Shishioh, requesting permission for Final Fusion; and a second, signed by GGG Green Acting Chief Guy Shishioh, approving the request. "FINAL FUSION! APPROOOOOOOOOOOOOOVED!" he screams, himself.
+
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa targets Riika Sheder with Pinpoint Barrier Melee Piercing Strike!
 +
KTS: Orpheus Zevon targets Riika Sheder with Precision Shot: 70mm Liquid Sakuradite Explosive Cartridge!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder parries Ouka Nagisa's Pinpoint Barrier Melee Piercing Strike, taking 1290 damage!
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has engaged Riika Sheder!
 +
KTS: Orpheus Zevon rattles Riika Sheder, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to react to Orpheus Zevon's Precision Shot: 70mm Liquid Sakuradite Explosive Cartridge, taking
 +
5640 damage!
 +
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Disabling Strike activates, causing Jam L1!
 +
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Precision Attacker activates, causing Nullify!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to react to Nidaime's Shell Shock, taking 4620 damage!
 +
KTS: Nidaime has engaged Riika Sheder!
 +
KTS: Alloy Kaas: Will Barrier Activates.
 +
KTS: Alloy Kaas targets Riika Sheder with Bloodboiling Pressure!
  
Back on Orbit Base, still rolling her shoulders from punching GaoGaiGo's Final Fusion panel, Hana Hatsuno emits a squeek as she sees the panel rotate and her system start beeping urgently. "Uh, uhm," she says. "Request and approval for Final Fusion from GaoFar!" she says, and sucks in a deep breath. "Then!" She balls up her fists tight, both hands in a overhead hammer stance, "Program Drive!" she hollers, and brings her full strength down again on the safety plastic over the second Final Fusion button. "ENGAGE!!"
+
  <Pose Tracker> Alloy Kaas has posed.
 
 
Shigeru hums to himself, nodding. "Good work, good work. Everyone, strap in! Now that we don't need secrecy, we're gonna transfer the Main Order Room to Wadatsumi and deploy to PLANT space!"
 
 
 
Advisor Yang briefly looks like he ate an entire lemon.
 
 
 
"Don't give me that look, you!" Akamatsu laughs. "We'll figure out any complications later! They know we're investigating this stuff, anyway!"
 
 
 
Ushiyama, the Engineering Operator, reaches for the lever on his console. calling, "All staff, secure safety harnesses and prepare for Order Room transfer!"
 
 
 
And while that's beginning, GaoFar has emitted a huge electromagnetic tornado, a whirlwind of light and particles obscuring it from all sight as the GaoMachines emerge - LinerGao II, rumbling out of a parking lot; DrillGao II, drilling out of the substrata; StealthGao III, flying down from where it had rested in the central mountain! Diving in to read out the instructions on their Program Rings, each slots swiftly into its place...!
 
 
 
And soon, the whirling electromagnetic tornado shatters apart, and a second King of Braves descends, crying its name boldly to the sky: "Gao! FIGH! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!"
 
 
 
The street creaks under its weight. But GaoFighGar's eyes burn with challenge behind its mask. In the belly of the beast, Guy tags GaoGaiGo and Alouette's Dagger. His team. He'll have to keep an eye on them.
 
 
 
</poem>
 
  <Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Well! They certainly didn't waste the readiness. Akane looks at the newly-combined Gridman -- fully armed and armored, 'whole' in an entirely different way from the usual full-sized Gridman -- and narrows her eyes a little. Her nerves go back to fraying.
 
 
"It's... at that point it's really just a robot, huh..." she mumbles to herself, shaking her head and pulling her tablet back out. "Alexis," she says, as the Devil of the Hyper World appears, picture-in-picture, on her tablet screen. "It's right out of X4, isn't it? Where do you think he picked it up?"
 
  
Alexis laughs a little. Alexis has observed a similar form of Gridman before, of course -- but... "Watching GaoFighGar's Final Fusion tells the story, does it not?" comes his answer. "Vessels of Light follow certain progressions. It's all very familiar, isn't it?"
+
        It catches her a bit by surprise, Nidaime calling out caution because her sister was in the area. But Alouette "Alloy" won't linger on it.
  
'GaoFighGar,' 'Vessel of Light...' "Isn't Guy Shishioh just a...?" Akane has never done much categorizing within 'human.' Even some of the really extravagant cases...
+
        "Understood. New variables have been updated. Downed Pilot has made Egress. Beginning Attack."
  
"What other term would there be, for the beings the Gutsy Global Guard attracts? Surely you understand that humanity is more than a form."
+
        The same flatness remains in her voice, and her comms are kept short, clinically concise.
  
Akane's eyes narrow. "... Right." She stands up straight, drawing both hands in to hold her tablet. "Well -- come on, Vessel of Light! There's no way I'm going to lose to you!"
+
        Alouette, Alloy, makes an adiitional check for the Low-G adjustsments, and begins a charge to engage the Kaiju.
  
-------
+
        Elsewhere and her extra limb are a great advantage. But moving in low-G and they are a huge strain on her nueral load as they complicate the self balancing ability of the brain.
  
They have the initiative -- which means Mecha-Ghoulghilas needs to move straight to the most extravagant violence available to it. It stomps forward, opening its mouth and revealing a heat beam barrel the match of any BioNet weapon.
+
        "Null Sigma Engaging."
  
It is, after all, precisely that.
+
        Evangelion Unit Null-Sigma in it's deep ocean blue and bright orange, has no need to engage octo-camo in this mess of smog. It's height being a match for the Kaiju, is one boon to be sure. Afterall, having a target to fix on, sure makes it easier to land attacks.
  
The head sweeps from one side to the other, constricted by the strange assembly on the neck, having to put in all the more work to manage it; Synchrotank, the Gernsback, Evangelion Unit-01, and GaoGaiGo all sit in its direct path.
+
        Alouette doesn't get to set the stage, the Kaiju finds her first with one of it's one tentacles striking out like a spear. It cuts between the left arm and the chest, dragging along the armor. It crushes, more than it cuts, and would break a rib if the EVangelions weren't the monsterous creatures they are. It's enough to knock Alloy off balance too and she crushes an arm through a building trying to catch herself.
  
The shoulder assemblies light up a moment later, favoring Alouette -- coming in from an angle that requires a distinctly different firing solution -- with a quick burst of energy, buying Mecha-Ghoulghilas the space to advance on its primary targets: GaoFighGar and Gridman.
+
        "Tango Team and all units engaging within the city, I am broadcasting my targeting data within local area. It should help you track and target the enemy."
  
Gridman receives the standard 'hello' of a vicious stab with the new claw covers; frustration rolls off the kaiju's stance as it aims for the midsection. This maneuver roots it in place -- which is fine, of course. The swivel guns on Mecha-Ghoulghilas's new body attachments both turn to point toward Guy -- and reveal power that their comparatively tiny size in no way seems to indicate, aiming a spray of massive slugs directly for the midsection of the King of Braves's longtime partner, Alouette's proudest creation.
+
        Alloy cuts the comms as she tucks a shoulder, before bringing a left hook that follows with three fists, turns and brings three more elbows and three backfists, the sharp interlinks of the tentacles raking against the monster.
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder fails to Parry Alloy Kaas's Bloodboiling Pressure, taking 4650 damage!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Yuta Hibiki with AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Grab!
+
  KTS: Alloy Kaas has engaged Riika Sheder!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Rikka Takarada with AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl!
+
  KTS: Alloy Kaas: Will Barrier Activates.
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Shinji Ikari with AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl!
+
  KTS: Alloy Kaas begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Alouette Pommier with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets GaoGaiGo Team with AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Renais Cardiff with AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl!
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh has deployed in GaoFighGar.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Guy Shishioh with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Core Shot!
 
KTS: Rikka Takarada blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl, taking 1110 damage!
 
KTS: [Lucky] GaoGaiGo Team's Unleash Your Soul! activates, and luck goes his way!
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team successfully Blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki rushes into the attack!
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki partially guards Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Grab, taking 1845 damage!
 
  KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged Yuta Hibiki!
 
  KTS: Shinji Ikari charges into the attack!
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 
  KTS: Shinji Ikari partially guards Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl, taking 2835 damage!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot, taking 1200 damage!
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Core Shot, taking 3240 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
 
KTS: Renais Cardiff blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Twirl, taking 2220 damage!
 
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> GaoGaiGo Team has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
The heat beam goes flying forth, as Ikumi is still learning how to operate the machine in Low-G. But that doesn't mean he's not ready for what's coming. Reaching his arm out, he shouts out. "MAMORU! YOU HAVE LEFT CONTROL!"
+
Riika doesn't quite run, but she does pull her GINN back... a little bit. Enough to get out of the worst of the fog; not further, because she's not willing to get out with that &#42;thing&#42; around, but she probably won't be a primary target.
 
 
Mamoru reaches his left arm up, shouting back. "I HAVE LEFT CONTROL!"
 
  
The mental-linked unit suddenly pops and shifts again, as the left arm goes up. "PROTECT SHAAAAAAAAAAADE!" Mamoru shouts out.
+
She hopes. She has an idea and she can't do it from there.
  
A barrier forms, absorbing the heat beam even as Mamoru strains, before dissolving, revealing an untouched GaoGaiGo.
+
As for Gonglee...
  
Speakers light up from Mamoru's cockpit. Guy's in trouble! Can they distract the Mecha-Ghoulghilas with the power of teamwork!?
+
This isn't the first time Gonglee has appeared. Nor the second. The second was when it tried to kill Shiro Kabuto; the first is when it attacked Sheryl Nome's concert. Both times it was a vicious fighter, and this time appears to be no different.
  
"Keep your eyes over here!"
+
Once it's grabbed Anosillus, it yanks, trying to pull him off-balance. This works a little bit - briefly - until Anosillus retracts head and limbs, and Gonglee has to let go immediately; instead it tries to slap the spinning Anosillus away from it and fails, pulled forward with enough force to stagger before it lets go. Apparently frustrated, it strikes wildly with the tentacle, slapping Anosillus downward.
  
GaoGaiGo suddenly rushes forward from a joint effort, left fist moving to clobber straight into Mecha-Ghoulghilas' jaw if it gets a chance, or into its chest if it pulls back.
+
It's the same tentacle that Ouka attacks. Flailing as it is, it does not make a great target; it slaps the fist, and where it failed to catch Anosillus it does manage it on the much smaller Battroid. Given the size of the tentacle it had to use to try to hold Anosillus, it threatens to bowl over the Valkyrie more than just deflect it.
 
 
"Guy! Alouette! Your turn!"
 
</poem>
 
  
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team: Will Barrier Activates.
+
Mercifully, it does not seem to see Leina, or if it does, it seems to be too busy to care about her.
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team targets Akane Shinjo with 3G Fisticuffs!
 
 
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
 
<poem>
 
Rikka is quick to join Gridman, and the rest of their allies soon after. "Rikka! I'm glad to fight next to you. Everyone, thank you for your assistance!" Gridman slashes his sword down, pointing it at the leader of the kaiju army. "Together, we can defeat any foe!"
 
  
The one benefit of Mecha-Ghoulghilas being so large is that it broadcasts its moves. "Here it comes!" Calls Vit, as Gridman shifts his weight on his back foot, then races forward. He meets the kaiju's attack head-on -- stowing Calibur for the moment to grab Mecha-Ghoulghilas with both hands. Yuta grunts from the collision. Those claws are terribly sharp, and he finds himself thankful for Borr's armor covering his chest.
+
Garrod has a relatively clear shot, and takes it. The beam connects, drilling into the side of Gonglee as it lashes back in the same direction. Either by chance or intention, it connects with a vehicle first, and so Garrod has two things coming at him: a small van and Gonglee's yellow-shining tentacle.
  
"If you want to get up close, then so be it!" Roars Max. Gridman plants his feet, holding Mecha-Ghoulghilas back with one hand. "Full Powered Punch!" Gridman calls, winding up and punching clean into the monster's long neck. "Yeah, how do you like that!" Borr all-but laughs. "Not so fun when we're all together, is it?"
+
Orpheus sees one too - a clear shot straight at the kaiju's main body. The explosive cartridge hits it in the 'face', just above the toothy mouth, and that gets a full-on roar in pain and frustration. The tentacle that just swept past Ouka comes at him, lashing him - unless he gets out of the way - directly at a tall building, hard enough that being embedded in it is a risk.
  
"Stay focused, everyone!" Gridman admonishes, preparing for the kaiju's retaliation. "There's more to this one than the others!"
+
It is momentarily distracted when Alloy comes in - and has most of its tentacles busy, which is just as relevant. It tries to lash out at her, but she charges in recklessly, pummeling it with her strange Evangelion. If it was rocked back a little before, it's more intense now, 'staggering' backwards as much as anything with its body plan can. Its response is to try to crush her right back, lurching into Null-Sigma in a body blow before wrapping with multiple tentacles, crushing before it tries to fling the Evangelion away from itself.
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: Yuta Hibiki targets Akane Shinjo with Full Powered Punch!
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
  KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards GaoGaiGo Team's 3G Fisticuffs, taking 2296 damage!
+
KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
  KTS: GaoGaiGo Team has engaged Akane Shinjo!
+
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Garrod Ran with Collateral Damage Topple Strike!
  KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Yuta Hibiki's Full Powered Punch, taking 2100 damage!
+
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Ouka Nagisa with Tentacle Shove!
  KTS: Yuta Hibiki has engaged Akane Shinjo!
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder targets Nidaime with Tentacle Slap!
  KTS: Yuta Hibiki begins a Formation attack!
+
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Orpheus Zevon with Tentacle Beatdown!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Alloy Kaas with Tentacle Crush!
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa rushes into the attack!
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa partially guards Riika Sheder's Tentacle Shove, taking 4200 damage!
 +
  KTS: Riika Sheder repulses Ouka Nagisa, forcing her to disengage.
 +
KTS: Alloy Kaas fails to react to Riika Sheder's Tentacle Crush, taking 5500 damage!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Alloy Kaas!
 +
  KTS: Orpheus Zevon successfully evades Riika Sheder's Tentacle Beatdown
 +
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Nidaime
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder rattles Garrod Ran, making his next maneuvers more difficult.
 +
KTS: Garrod Ran partially guards Riika Sheder's Collateral Damage Topple Strike, taking 5640 damage!
 +
  KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Garrod Ran!
 +
  KTS: Nidaime's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 +
KTS: Nidaime blocks Riika Sheder's Tentacle Slap, taking 1950 damage!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Nidaime!
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
"Renais, Alouette! Good to see you!" Rikka acknowledges as Renais arrives with her Arm Slave, and Alouette with her Long Dagger. With Akane's kaiju out in force, they need all the help they can get... but fortunately, they're not alone. They have friends arriving now, and on the way. Guy, Mamoru, and Ikumi from 3G, and Shinji's here too... They're all here together.
+
    Fortunately, Ouka does manage to hit the tentacle. Unfortunately... it is at best a glancing blow and it quickly results in the much larger tentacle sweeping back at her to knock her backwards. The sheer force of the impact and resulting inertia is enough to send her unit rolling out of melee engagement range!  But rather than attempting to simply recover from the intertia and g-forces acting upon her, the Boosted Child fires her vernier thrusters to counter-act and over come them.
 
 
She nods, as Gridman speaks.
 
  
"Me too." Rikka replies, then watches as Gridman makes his declaration. He certainly does a good job of pepping everyone up... It's time now, though, for Mecha-Ghoulghilas's attack. This is the kaiju Akane was so proud of, enough to show off to them... it's important to Rikka to give it a good fight. The kaiju opens its mouth and reveals the barrel of a weapon - in response Rikka raises Synchrotank's bulldozer blade shields, taking the heat beam dead-on. Synchrotank is pushed back as the beam sweeps across it, the center of shield beginning to glow red from where the beam contacted.
+
    The end result is unpleasant. The sudden change in acceleration and direction causes the blood pressure to dip as she begins to experience a backout. Thanks to her body's physiological augmentations and conditioning though her body responds rapidly to correct this, constricting her veins to maintain blood pressure as her heart to push harder against the forces of gravity. By the time she has reached a firing position her vision has once again cleared and for the first time she is able to make out a clear firing resolution despite the continued impact of the strange fog!
  
"It's pretty serious..." Rikka murmurs, Synchrotank's arms unfolding to point its missile launchers right at Mecha-Ghoulghilas. This has become something of a signature opening move for her, at this point.
+
    "Target pinpointed. Taking the shot." Still concerned with the accuracy of her targeting resolution with a civilian on the field though she decides not to utilize some of her more powerful weapons, much less her micro missile array, and instead utilized a mounted secondary beam weapon system.  She allows the Erikon Beam Cannon capacitors to warm up a bit more while lining up the shot.  For the first time she sees the strange cyclopic 'eye' of the beast, sitting far atop its body and away from its mouth. It reminds her somewhat of the 'core' present on an Angel's body.
  
"Smokescreen, going out!" Rikka announces, unleashing a volley of smoke missiles right for Mecha-Ghoulghilas! This should hopefully make it easier for everyone...
+
        ... in the last moment, Ouka pulls back on the throttle and the control stick, pitching her Battroid up to aim its mounted beam cannons directly at the 'eye'.  The beam cannons ignite, sending a pair of bright blue beams lancing toward their target!!
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Renais Cardiff
+
  KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Alouette Pommier
+
  KTS: Ouka Nagisa targets Riika Sheder with Erikon Beam Cannons Shot!
KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Yuta Hibiki
 
  KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Akane Shinjo with Jam!
 
KTS: Rikka Takarada jams Akane Shinjo's sensors, reducing her accuracy.
 
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
        Renais nods the Gernsback's head and gives Gridman a thumbs-up, though her cameras don't stray from Mecha-Ghoulghilas. "Good to see you too," comes her reply to Rikka. She watches it closely, eyes scanning across its many, many moving parts, watching for movement from anything and everything weaponlike--so when the AMK-01's heat 'breath' sweeps across her, she's ready, hunkering down behind one of the Gernsback's shoulder shields to let it bear the brunt of the blast. It glows red, heat spilling off of it, air shimmering. Eyes snap down to the heat meter... elevated, but still normal. Good.
 
  
        The shotcannon's not her best option here. Not when its armor is still so pristine... she grabs one of the Gernsback's anti-tank daggers and aims for the neck, hoping it'll pierce. It's a long shot, and she's not inclined to reposition yet, but it's all she's got, so she sends the dagger sailing.
+
'Civilian in the combat zone!' She hears over the loudspeaker from the Nightmare Plus as it interposes itself. "Sorry!  Sorry!" As she ducks her head to try and make herself as small a target as possible.
  
        "Gridman! Do you have eyes on the evacuees, are they out of the way?"
+
She keeps running right up to to the part of Anosillus that Nidaime's sliding down, as she hears a proposition.  On the back of a Kaiju - or on the ground, where a Kaiju is in the mist, and there are tentacles.
</poem>
+
 
 +
Breathlessly Leina squeaks out what she immediately feels is the safest option, "I think I'll ride if that's alright with you and Anopapa!  Thanks!"
  
  KTS: Renais Cardiff targets Akane Shinjo with Anti-Tank Dagger Single Dagger!
+
And hastily she runs up to her, reaching out a hand for Nidaime to take her hand. She's pretty athletic, but she doesn't actually know the protocol for someone riding on Anosillus, so even in her panic, she's leaving it to Nidaime to get her up there rather than climbing of her own accord.
KTS: Akane Shinjo successfully avoids Renais Cardiff's Anti-Tank Dagger Single Dagger
 
KTS: Renais Cardiff completes the Formation attack!
 
 
<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.
 
<poem>
 
"I... I'm here!" Shinji manages to announce, only after Yuta's called out that they're here together. It's a confirmation...!
 
  
Together, they can defeat any foe... There's no wavering in Yuta's declaration at all.
+
Once she is up though, she gives Nidaime the biggest hug.  In the heat of battle it can't last especially long. "''Thank you''!  Thank you so much!" She says in just this display of abject ''relief'' as she embraces Nidaime.  Once she releases, she looks at the Nightmare Plus and actually waving. "Thank you too - for looking out for me!" Even if she doesn't hear it, she perhaps might feel this warm and fuzzy sensation of gratitude from the direction.
  
Unit-01 charges as the fight begins. An AT Field eats the beam as Shinji grits his teeth. The barrier falls, Mecha-Ghoulghilas' heat beam grazing Unit-01 across the shoulder with another wince from its pilot. Low-G means the force of it recoils differently, and Shinji scrambles to get control. "Come on, come one..." he whispers to himself.
+
Once she's alighted properly and is stable, clinging onto the turtle Kaiju for dear life she puts a hand down to the shell, she focuses on the way they connected before when Nidaime introduced them.
  
Scrambling and almost drunken, Unit-01 digs its feet against the ground and launches forward, moving less like a machine and more like a clumsy human trying to navigate a dark room. Iits left shoulder pylon releases, opening for Unit-01 to pull a long blade into its grip. The Magoroku blade plunges into the earth, Shinji using it to stabilize his piloting and ripping it back out, riding the momentum to cleave a slash down against Mecha-Ghoulghilas.
+
Stay calm. It's difficult for me to sense where they are. When they're coming, I'll warn you.
  
Each move he makes helps him feel more comfortable with the adjustments he needs. When every battle is its own, terrifying learning experience, picking up on new tricks invisibly becomes the learned skill.
+
The moment that white hot sensation of a Newtype flash bolts across her senses, "Now!" Whether that insight helps or not - at least, he'll know it's coming at that exact moment.
  
But Shinji's not without distracted thoughts -- a poor item to carry on the battlefield. Akane makes these kaiju. Maybe it holds some kind of clue?
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 
+
KTS: Leina Ashta targets Nidaime and Ouka Nagisa with Awe.
  KTS: Shinji Ikari has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
+
  KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Nidaime
  KTS: Shinji Ikari targets Akane Shinjo with Magoroku Slash!
+
  KTS: Leina Ashta inspires awe, increasing Nidaime's Morale!
  KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Shinji Ikari's Magoroku Slash, taking 3116 damage!
+
  KTS: Leina Ashta inspires awe, increasing Ouka Nagisa's Morale!
  KTS: Shinji Ikari has engaged Akane Shinjo!
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder blocks Ouka Nagisa's Erikon Beam Cannons Shot, taking 2800 damage!
POT: Renais Cardiff is no longer set observer.
 
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Alouette's beloved objet d'art, GaoFighGar, descends behind her, piloted by Guy, of course. "Chief! Thank you for coming, too!" Having already undergone Final Fusion, that would normally be Alouette's job but... she'll have to apologize to poor Hana later for overworking her, she thinks.
+
Nidaime nods once to Leina Ashta. "Okay!" She'd rather Leina be nearby too where she can see her.
 
 
Rikka, on the front lines alongside Gridman, reaches out to Alouette, and Renais too. "Good to see you too, Rikka! I hope we can all celebrate at the festival after the battle's over." she responds enthusiastically in attempt to ease Rikka's nerves as well as her own. She thinks back to Akane's assertion that she would hate it at the festival anyways but.. she tunes it out for now.
 
  
With the hulking super-mechs that are the two King of Braves on the scene, Mecha-Ghoulgilgas is undoubtedly alerted, and immediately begins its assault. A weak burst of energy comes Alouette's way, but it melts upon Long Dagger's shield without it sustaining too much damage. Alouette knows she isn't the true target as the mechanical kaiju aims its fire directly towards GaoFighGar!
+
She takes Leina's hand--
  
As Mamoru puts up a Protect Shade, and deals a clean hit onto Mecha-Ghoulgilas, Alouette follows up, unleashing the Long Dagger's beam sabers to slice through the kaiju's metal body. "Thank you Mamoru, I got it! Beam sabers, deploy!"
+
--and then pulls her into a princess carry. "Hup...!"
  
The battle is looking to be in their favour, but Gridman issues a stern warning that this kaiju isn't all that it seems...
+
And then she hops right on straight up to on top of Anosillus. It looks a little fake and you probably can see the wire but it gets the job done.
</poem>
 
  
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Akane Shinjo with ES01 Twin Beam Sabers Thrust!
+
She sets Leina down when they're both on the back. She gets a brief hug, which is ALL THE PAYMENT SHE NEEDS. Well, that and Leina surviving today without any injuries. That's also important.
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo rushes into the attack!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Alouette Pommier's ES01 Twin Beam Sabers Thrust, taking 5640 damage!
 
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alouette Pommier's Analyst activates, causing Designate L1!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Guy Shishioh
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Renais Cardiff
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Rikka Takarada
 
  
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
+
Leina 'speaks' to Anosillus. She can feel the worry for Leina's wellbeing along with the joy of seeing her (for the moment) safe. There's plenty of worry towards Nidaime too that never seems to entirely fade. A bit of weariness. There's always another kaiju to fight. He's an old hand at this by now.
<poem>
 
"Don't worry, Gridman! The Kings of Braves won't back down from a challenge to peace!" Guy says with a heroic grin and a thumbs up.
 
  
Just before Mecha-Ghoulgilas comes at him.
+
"GRrrrrmpp...." Anosillus remarks. Through their connection, she can hear his thoughts coalesce into words.
  
"Oh no!" Guy barks, and thrusts GaoFighGar's left arm out, palm forward. The Program Ring generator fires a Ring into the path of his hand, and Guy roars, "PROTECT WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL!!" just seconds before the wave of projectiles slam into him. Unfortunately, physical projectiles aren't QUITE as orderly within the confines of the Protect Wall's distortion of space as beam attacks. One can see them circle and cycle their way through the rippling distortion of Protected-bent space, before they fire back out at slightly erratic angles, much of their energy spent. Still, Guy finds himself grimacing, legs dug in. "That much force right at the start," he breathes. "She really isn't playing around, this time..."
+
''I will protect you. Be safe, dear child...''
  
Back at the now-Branch Order Room, Ushiyama is busy securing the Order Room to Wadatsumi. At the Research Operator seat, Tamara Gogol rapidly keys through data. "It's heavily fortified much stronger than before!" she rattles off. "Defense offense speed well maybe not speed but it's way tough even if it kinda looks like an earlier model don't underestimate it!!"
+
Ouka calls out about a civilian--and even lends a hand! Ouka, Nidaime decides, is a good person who cares about others. Nidaime waves to her NIGHTMARE PLUS with a big smile.
  
"Y, yeah," Guy huffs out, startled by the resistance it gave to his Protect Wall. "I've got you, understood."
+
The back of Anosillus's shell is no longer really an applicable assaulting mechanism since he has to keep it safe. More tentacles lash out, beating across Anosillus's face and chest. He endures this and growls softly, but with Leina's guidance--a tentacle goes in and Anosillus opens his mouth and--
  
"Mobile team, communications down for one minute while Wadatsumi launches and changes paradigms!" Hana announces. "Chief, on your mark!"
+
--CHOMP!!!
  
Akamatsu chuckles, rolling his neck to a satisfying pop. "Alright then! DIVISION TEN: MOBILE EXECUTION FORTRESS WADATSUMI EQUIPPED WITH BRANCH ORDER ROOM! RELEASE GANTRY CRANES AND LAAAAAUNCH!"
+
There's no teeth, but there is a crushing turtle beak that's plenty sharp on its own. "Grhrrrrrrk...."
 
 
Comms go dark from the Order Room.
 
 
 
Guy rears his fist back. "As for you...!" Guy hollers, and swings his Broken right arm back, and then just plows it into the mechanized Ghoulgilas' side. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: Guy Shishioh targets Akane Shinjo with Broken Fist!
+
  KTS: Nidaime targets Riika Sheder with SHARP!
  KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Guy Shishioh's Broken Fist, taking 3420 damage!
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder parries Nidaime's SHARP, taking 1440 damage!
  KTS: Guy Shishioh has engaged Akane Shinjo!
+
  KTS: Nidaime has engaged Riika Sheder!
 +
KTS: Nidaime completes the Formation attack!
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
As the group starts to get situated in the office building, Marusan starts trying to get a head count. Having this much lead time to work on a solution... "... does the Yumi Foundation always do this kind of thing?" she wonders aloud, sounding genuinely impressed. "I need to catch up with Leina again when this is all over..."
+
The Byakuen's explosive round apparently hits even through the heft of the fog. The Gonglee's roar is a clear sign of it apparently being an effective attack. The shell of the shot pops out from the cannon as a new round is prepared.
  
-------
+
"Looks like this thing's not big enough to take shots like those lying down."
  
Creatures big and small begin to pound into Mecha-Ghoulghilas with their fists. GaoGaiGo delivers a vicious punch that rocks it back slightly despite its comparatively tiny size -- and destabilizes it for Gridman.
+
The hope of that strike had simply been to provide cover fire. Allow for those like Alouette, Ouka, The turtle team, or the Gundam the time they needed to get solid hits in and it seemed like for the most part that'd be the case. That said. . .There was still one problem.
  
When it rocks forward again, ready to fight -- it promptly gets a faceful of smokescreen missiles, leaving it unstable. More than that, they temporarily gum up the emitters on its shoulders.
+
&lt;Null-Sigma, data's been acquired. Sending data on confirmed shots several meters above the oral cavity. Seeming affective, but no way to assure it's best line of attack.&gt;
  
------
+
The group hadn't found a weak point on this thing as of yet, and that was. . .Troubling.  And even more so. . .
  
Akane switches to a single-handed grip on her tablet again, drumming fingers impatiently at her thigh. Her mood is all over the place today, even by her standards... "So you're really going to fight this hard for this, huh? This culture festival with nothing for you... none of you were even meant to ''go'' to something like this!" She doesn't just mean 'her' people here, either -- as she made abundantly clear when she declared war. "Just back off... you guys really don't need to make this that hard."
+
Civilians too? I guess they didn't evacuate as much as they thought they had.
  
-------
+
Oz hadn't been too worried, his Byakuen was one of the smaller machines so any of his shots he assumed would be less hazardous compared to others being thrown around. The only thing he needed to be worried about was. . .
  
The anti-tank dagger sticks into the neck -- and then the panels on the neck swing forward partway, revealing that they ''hinge'' for some purpose. It may not be the purpose Akane intended -- but it does chuck the dagger right back out before it explodes. Mecha-Ghoulghilas roars, and fires a shot from the mouth heat array at the Gernsback.
+
The Gonglee lashes out in retaliation and more force than ever is sent his way. It made sense considering just how much it made this thing cry out. Still, the whipping tentacle comes and Oz finds himself able to dodge at the very last moment, the Byakuen's body trimmed by the tentacle that is just a few centimeters closer and the thing would have very well sent the smaller machine flying. Within the cockpit there's a small sigh of relief.
  
Evangelion Unit-01 slices into the kaiju -- it's tougher than Ghoulghilas was, the panels taking and distributing the force of the blow. ... it's not impossible to cut, though. There are no clues in that gaze, though -- only the aggression of a spiked fist into the Eva's midsection.
+
"Seems like the low-gravity isn't affecting the Byakuen's performance as much as I thought. Rakshata will be pleased with herself. . ."
  
That's what Alouette gets, too; the Dagger comes at Mecha-Ghoulghilas with its beam sabers. The slim sabers find gaps in Mecha-Ghoulghilas's plating, and while it swipes at the Dagger in response, it's definitely not coming out ahead in that exchange.
+
The question now was, what was the best counter attack? The last attack had been rather effective with the explosive cartridge, but the more liability that could cause to the surrounding areas. Even if his attacks could be considered the least harmful, just one wrong move, one missed shot in the miss and. . .
  
When Guy comes in, Mecha-Ghoulghilas at last decides it's fully Go Time. The smoothbore guns remain trained on GaoFighGar as it comes in with that high-speed punch, moving a little more efficiently than before even as fist meets metal. The shoulders pivot very slightly, firing through the slightly-obscured lenses of the beam emitters to hopefully drive GaoGaiGo back at the same time. Once again, though -- it's Guy and Yuta who receive the worst of Akane's attention.
+
The cannon folded back into the Bykauen's arm as a pair of blades locked together into a dual-bladed component. What was about to follow would be much more dangerous for him, but. . .
  
Only a single round issues forth for Guy this time, but it's a heavy penetrator rather than the weaker barrage earlier. No sooner does it fire than do the panels near the head finish closing up, revealing their true purpose:
+
&lt;Null-Sigma, following your path to initiate direct combat. Watch where you step. . .&gt;
  
A drill!
+
With the warning sent out, the KMF begins diverging from its high-ground advantage and begins running through the streets of Tsutsujidai. Traveling deeper into the core of the fog taking only Alouette's data as reference. Using a slash harken the KMF attempted to latch into the beast and ride up it's body. The entire time in doing so, a blade attempted to pierce deeply into it, as it ran through. Literally riding up the creature while attempting to create an intense gash as he did so.
 +
</poem>
  
Mecha-Ghoulghilas trundles toward Gridman, swinging its head around a few times and introducing it to Synchrotank before finally trying to drive it into the axelike chestplate of Full-Powered Gridman. Needless to say, by the time it actually ''gets'' there, it's spinning at a high, high speed.
+
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
</poem>
+
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
 +
KTS: Orpheus Zevon targets Riika Sheder with I'll Tear Through!' Combined Blade Component!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to Parry Orpheus Zevon's I'll Tear Through!' Combined Blade Component, taking 6710 damage!
 +
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Disabling Strike activates, causing Jam L1!
 +
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Precision Attacker activates, causing Nullify!
 +
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has engaged Riika Sheder!
  
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Alloy Kaas has posed.
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Renais Cardiff with AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Pulse!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Shinji Ikari with AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Crush!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Alouette Pommier with AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Swipes!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Guy Shishioh with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Penetrator!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets GaoGaiGo Team with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Rikka Takarada with AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Spin-Up!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Yuta Hibiki with AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Bore!
 
KTS: Rikka Takarada fails to parry Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Spin-Up, taking 4920 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged Rikka Takarada!
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki fails to parry Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Bore, taking 4860 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged Yuta Hibiki!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier parries Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Swipes, taking 1410 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged Alouette Pommier!
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Renais Cardiff fails to charge.
 
KTS: Renais Cardiff partially guards Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 High-Intensity Heat Array Pulse, taking 2552 damage!
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo anchors Shinji Ikari, forcing him into close range.
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari fails to Parry Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Crush, taking 3510 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged Shinji Ikari!
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot, taking 2250 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo rattles Guy Shishioh, making his next maneuvers more difficult.
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh fails to react to Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Penetrator, taking 5800 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
 
 
  <Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
"I don't have eyes on them, but I know they're safe!" Yuta calls to Renais. "We had a team take care of it! You're free to go all out, Renais!"
 
  
Just as Gridman feared, the kaiju only now reveals its true strength. "Guy, look out!" Gridman shouts, keeping his eyes on the drill. The monster is deceptively effective, despite its clumsy movement. Yuta grits his teeth as Mecha-Ghoulghilas goes for Synchrotank first, before turning on him.
+
        Unit Null-Sigma lands both the hit and the follow through, but Alouette has placed herself to close to the Kaiju, and it lets her know it with a body blow that lands without a pause. Alouette is rattled inside the plug, even through the dampening effects of the LCL. Screens lose signal and connections are disrupted as the Evangellion is momentarily concussed.
  
"Stealing my thing!" Borr shouts, indignant, in the seconds before they're hit.
+
        The pilot and unit have had no time to recover when they are grappled tightly with the tentacles. The creature delivers a weird mirror mirror feeling crushing attack. The earsplitting sound of the armor, and maybe bones shearing and cracking before the Eva is tossed afield. Alarms blare before, and more sound after Null-Sigma hits the floor/ground of the city. with a ground shaking T H O O O M.
  
Gridman raises his sword to try and counter the worst of the damage, but the drill is too fast. Calibur is knocked aside, and Gridman cries out as the drill bores into his chest armor. "Akane must be really -- ngh -- mad!" Yuta manages, before they break away from the attack. "We have to take care of that drill." Calibur says, speaking up at last. "It'll tear through us. And the others."
+
        Alouette in her plug, her right arm is clutching her left side, fractured ribs, maybe a collapsed lung. Each breath is pained, and vision in her right eye is red. Maybe she is bleeding, maybe she just burst vessels in her eye. It doesn't matter. She begins working controls, one handed, then two as she pulls it away from her injury to increase efficiency. It hurts but...
  
"Right!" Gridman brandishes his sword. "Full Powered Slash!"
+
        Null-Sigma comes back online, and begins to pick itself off the ground. thankfully there are a few extra hands, heh, to help itself upright. Alouette completes the system reroutes, the sync check, and moves forward once again.
  
The Giant of Light aims for the creature's neck, hoping to sever the drill at its source. Calibur flashes in the sunlight as Gridman brings down the sword, shouting with effort.
+
        "Null-Sigma. Sustained moderate damage. Tango Team, local units, report. If you see a weakness, call it in. I am re-engaing target, vector approach from the north east."
</poem>
 
  
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
+
        Alouette brings her Eva unit at the best speed fo the Low-G environmentshe can manage, and bring her Eva to come up from behind where she remembered the Kaiju being. She's trying to come up from a blind spot this time.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki targets Akane Shinjo with Full Powered Slash!
 
 
<Pose Tracker> GaoGaiGo Team has posed.
 
<poem>
 
Despite Protect Wall working last time, it doesn't work as well this time, negating some of the damage of the sudden beam shots through the smokescreen, but finally allowing GaoGaiGo to get pushed and rocked backwards, burns in the plating. "Mamoru, adjusttments!" Ikumi calls out, as Mamoru makes sure they don't fall flat.
 
  
"Ikumi! We need to anchor it!" Mamoru calls as he looks through the data, causing Ikumi to nod, pushing forward.
+
        When she can see it, it's shape beginning to emerge from the mist, Alouette adjusts her approach angle to stay in that blind spot.
  
And then, GaoGaiGo leaps up. It moves leg first for Mecha-Ghoulghilas, as Ikumi shouts out. "DRILL KNEE...LOCKDOWN!"
+
        "Copy that support. Tango Team, Local Units, this is Null-Sigma. On my mark will attempt to reengage, aiming to commit Forcible restraint on Tango, Primary "Tail" Secondary "Neck". Mark!"
  
The drill on the knee starts spinning, and moves to impale into Mecha-Ghoulghilas, anchoring the two together as GaoGaiGo lands and forcing close-ranged shenanigans, should it hit.
+
        Alloy on her mark commences the operation she attempted to obfuscate over open comms. With her Eva and its tentacles, she makes an attempt to attack the neck, and restrain the tail.
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: GaoGaiGo Team has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
+
  KTS: Alloy Kaas has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
  KTS: GaoGaiGo Team targets Akane Shinjo with Drill Knee Lockdown!
+
  KTS: Alloy Kaas targets Riika Sheder with Spines of Raking!
   
+
KTS: Riika Sheder partially guards Alloy Kaas's Spines of Raking, taking 5225 damage!
  <Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
+
  KTS: Alloy Kaas has engaged Riika Sheder!
 +
 
 +
  <Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
"Yeah... here's hoping. I have some promises to keep, after all." Rikka replies as Alouette brings up the festival, a small smile crossing her face. "I promised one of my friends I'd go to tea ceremony her club's putting on... You should come too, if they still end up holding it after all this."
+
"WHOA!!" yelps Garrod, breaking his (for him) focusd silence as the kaiju doubles up on coming after &#42;him&#42;, flinging a vehicle and following it with a grappling tentacle. The best Garrod can do quickly is to interpose the shield part of his rifle, trying to blunt the incoming attack(s); the shield does nothing to keep Gonglee from grappling the Gundam X, though, and a moment later, Garrod finds his mobile suit close enough that ranged combat would be a lot easier, if he had enough room to bring the rifle to bear again.
  
She notes, though, the way Unit-01 is moving and ventures...
+
Fortunately, the mobile suit has more than one weapon to work with. Garrod manages to transfer the rifle from his Gundam's right hand to its left - better, at least in his head, for defensive use - and reaches up and back, over the GX's shoulder, to where the beam saber is housed. "Fine, you want up close and personal --"
  
"Shinji, everything alright?" Rikka asks.
+
The hilt is pulled free; the beam saber's blade flares into existence as soon as it's not pointing down the back of its stowed main cannon, and Garrod doesn't even maneuver for a different angle before the beam saber comes slashing straight down at the tentacular kaiju.
  
She doesn't have much time to consider others, though, as Mecha-Ghoulghilas reveals its hidden weapon... its head turns into a drill!
+
The &#42;biggest&#42; gun carried by the Gundam may be contraindicated by just about every parameter of the fight - but that doesn't mean Garrod's going to hold back with the &#42;rest&#42; of what he's got to work with, now that the battle is well and truly joined.
  
"Oh, so that's what those were for..." Rikka comments, then chuckles to herself a little at Borr's indignation. The kaiju charges toward her and Gridman, then, its head swinging like a weapon! In surprise, Synchrotank's dagger is drawn, coming up to meet the drill - unfortunately, the kaiju proves more than a match for the salvaged weapon, sparks flying as metal is shorn away as the drill goes right through it, carving several lines across Synchrotank's shoulder. The mobile suit is forced to back away from it but recovers in fairly short order, taking aim with its twin cannons and unleashing a wide-ranged water blast at the kaiju!
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 
+
  KTS: Garrod Ran targets Riika Sheder with Beam Saber - Slash!
  KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Akane Shinjo with Wide-Range Extinguishing!
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder parries Garrod Ran's Beam Saber - Slash, taking 1050 damage!
  KTS: Rikka Takarada uses Lucky Charm
+
  KTS: Garrod Ran has engaged Riika Sheder!
  KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Shinji Ikari
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
  KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Guy Shishioh
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
  KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting GaoGaiGo Team
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Yuta Hibiki's Full Powered Slash, taking 4320 damage!
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
  KTS: Yuta Hibiki has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki begins a Formation attack!
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team anchors Akane Shinjo, forcing her into close range.
 
  KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to GaoGaiGo Team's Drill Knee Lockdown, taking 3840 damage!
 
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] GaoGaiGo Team's Roar! activates, causing Insight L1!
 
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] GaoGaiGo Team's Shout! activates, causing Sparkle!
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team: Will Barrier Activates.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Rikka Takarada's Wide-Range Extinguishing, taking 2800 damage!
 
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
"Oh, that's a lovely idea. Renais wanted to take me to a deculture festival event, so maybe we should all go," Alouette replies with a smile. But for now, she needs to focus so there can be a festival at all...
+
"Thanks for coming," Riika says to Nidaime, "but I didn't know you had - uh, you rode - I thought you only hitched rides," she admits. "As for the rest of you, thank you too! I couldn't handle this alone."
  
As Alouette's beam blades pierce through Mecha-Ghoulghilas, she's almost surprised herself at the viciousness of her attack - if a kaiju can even feel surprise, Mecha-Ghoulghilas seems bewildered as well, and all it musters in return is a feeble claw swipe, which Alouette parries with her still-active beam sabers.
+
Gonglee seems to notice Leina - too late to do much about it, though she does have the decidedly &#42;unpleasant&#42; sensation of a tentacle whipped in her direction. It doesn't connect, being pulled up suddenly as Ouka takes aim and Gonglee needs its tentacles for other purposes.
  
Once out of immediate range of the kaiju's attack, she quickly turns on comms. GaoFighGar has taken heavy attack after heavy attack from Mecha-Ghoulghilas' relentless attacks, and for the first time she can remember, the proud and stalwart King of Braves sounds genuinely caught off-guard. "Chief!! Are.. you alright?" She calls out, keeping a brave tone despite her worries. Following up on Mamoru and Ikumi's drill knee attack, Alouette prepares to open fire with her vulcans to hopefully keep the kaiju distracted from GaoFighGar. Gridman was right... Mecha-Ghoulghilas really is a fearsome foe - what is going through Akane's head right now?
+
'Taking the shot'.
</poem>
 
  
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Akane Shinjo with Igelstellung 75mm Multibarrel CIWS Dash-and-Fire!
+
The shot comes in, and Gonglee wraps its tentacles around itself, showing more of a survival instinct than these artificial Tsutsujidai kaiju often do. It seems to help; the blast impacts it, and though it's still enough to blast past its protection, it's not as effective as it would have been without that buffer.
 
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
 
<poem>
 
        Renais clicks her tongue as the Mecha-Ghoulghilas swings the knife away, eyeing Shinji's Unit-01 with some measure of discomfort. The Evangelions never sat right with her, particularly that one...
 
  
        Good. No need to worry about casualties. Renais makes a snap judgment as the Ghoulghilas lobs a heat-pulse at her, figuring if she lines herself up, she can close in while it's going for someone else. She shoulder-charges toward the incoming projectile, but the angle is off, and the fire splashes against both armor and shield, spiking the AS' heat and wearing into its armor. "SHIT!" she yells, withdrawing into an alleyway to let the coolant cycle through. She didn't manage it... but she's closer now, and after the Ghoulghilas' last attack, it's left itself properly vulnerable.
+
It uncoils a moment later, and if a kaiju that doesn't really have eyes can glare, it is doing just that. Flailing out in all directions, it catches Garrod's saber and Anosillus' beak, holding both away from the central body of the kaiju - but not without harm, as they both tear into the tentacles, causing it to flinch back and away.
  
        "Well, I suppose I can't say no to such an invitation, can I?" she remarks dryly to Alouette. The Gernsback lifts its leg and kicks a foothold into a wall, actuators whining as it boosts itself up onto the roof...
+
And that leaves it open for the next attack.
  
Only to find herself facing a drill-necked mecha-beast. "Ugh. Fuck. Fucking FUCK!" she curses, and a few more times in French besides. She pulls out the Boxer shotcannon and fires a heavy slug--this time, closer to center mass. A drill's going to be reinforced.
+
The Byakuen is tiny. It &#42;has&#42; to climb to attack anything on the central body besides the legs, and the slash harken is perfect for that job; catching on one of Gonglee's spur-like spikes, Orpheus can ride almost straight up the central body along the red line, leaving a slash in its wake and drawing another roar from the machine. It can't find a good way to immediately get him off, and thrashes -
</poem>
 
  
KTS: Renais Cardiff targets Akane Shinjo with Boxer 57mm Shotcannon Slug!
+
Alloy comes up behind it. She strikes at the neck, and something strange happens: the back of the 'head' opens as if its ridged horn, or spike, was a set of jaws, and the thickest of the tentacles erupts from it. Red at the base, yellow any further up, it is not only the largest of the tentacles but the strongest, literally trying to wrap around the Evangelion, heft it, and slam it into one building and then another.
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Alouette Pommier's Igelstellung 75mm Multibarrel CIWS Dash-and-Fire, taking 3705
 
damage!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Renais Cardiff's Boxer 57mm Shotcannon Slug, taking 4920 damage!
 
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Renais Cardiff's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Guy Shishioh
 
 
<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.
 
<poem>
 
Unit-01's AT Field absorbs much of the impact, buying time for Unit-01 to twist, but not quite ''enough'' time. The blade is too slow, Mecha-Ghoulghila clipping it, jostling it from the Eva's grip and ramming its spiked fist square into Unit-01's middle. Shinji's eyes shoot open wide, teeth rattling in his skull and his next breath choked out.
 
  
Neither Asuka nor his father are here to yell at him to pay attention. He hears their voices anyway.
+
The other tentacles go wild. Orpheus has to deal with one scraping across Gonglee's body as the other 'horns' also open and close, spasming to try to knock him off, before one of the heavy legs of Gonglee comes down in a crushing blow.
  
But instead of anyone else echoing those thoughts, Rikka asks if he's all right. Shinji takes another deep breath, grip on the controls tighter. "Yes," he responds, with at least a shred of conviction.
+
Slightly more distant, Garrod and Anosillus have sweeping blows, the tentacles stretching to what appears to be (but may not be, given what it's done in the past) their full length and lashing, before both come together to simultaneously (or nearly so) strike Ouka.
  
Yuta confirms he knows the evacuees are safe, taking some of the burden off of Shinji's stray thoughts. He grits his teeth and pushes Unit-01 forward. Without the weapon it held earlier, Evangelion Unit-01 uses its fists, pummeling against Mecha-Ghoulghila's steel form to try and weaken its steel hide.
+
And then the mist intensifies, getting worse, darkening the light -
  
</poem>
+
From a distance, a dull &#42;foomp&#42; sounds, one-two-three times, and a trio of grenades cascade around Gonglee. Two of them go up in sudden flashes, burning away some of the mist, and the third burns bright like a flare. It won't last long (Gonglee smashes it pretty quickly) but it does make its attempt to hide a little slower. Slow enough to take advantage of.
KTS: Shinji Ikari has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari targets Akane Shinjo with Eva-01 Unarmed Brawl!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Shinji Ikari's Eva-01 Unarmed Brawl, taking 4400 damage!
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
 
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
 
<poem>
 
That one, GaoFighGar can't as easily repel. Guy gets the Protect Wall up again, but the firepower is strong enough this time to punch completely through the bent space, blasting the elder King of Braves with massive slugs that explode and send it sprawling backward until it staggers into a tall building. "Nngh...It's fine!" Guy calls back to Alouette. "I won't go down this easily!"
 
  
Normally, the pilots' vitals are managed by the Mobile Operator. Hana's still out of communication, though. If Alouette were to, say, check the readings, though...it sure does look like GaoFighGar's taking a beating.
+
Riika makes the GINN perform a thumbs-up as she lowers the gun-mounted grenade launcher, having shot the only thing she felt comfortable firing anywhere near a crowd.
 
 
"She's targeting me...I guess we finally made her real mad, huh? That makes it even more important that I keep standing!"
 
 
 
GaoFighGar's shoulders are pockmarked and smoking, the main body beneath all the black clearly battered. But Guy still persists. "Don't get distracted, Gridman!" Guy yells from within. "Remember what you're fighting for...the everyday lives and happiness of this whole city! ''Everyone'', Gridman!" Everyone. Everyone, including Akane Shinjo herself.
 
 
 
Then he thrusts his Protect arm forward, and lightning crackles along it before Guy roars, "PLASMA HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD!!"
 
 
 
Crackling power writhes out to grapple the enormous Mecha-Ghoulgilas, and then it ''physically lifts'' the titanic machine up and hurls it into a towering, now-empty structure, cracking it and hopefully also Mecha-Ghoulgilas in half.
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: Guy Shishioh has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
+
  KTS: Riika Sheder targets Orpheus Zevon with Tentacle Crush!
  KTS: Guy Shishioh has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Yuta Hibiki
+
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Alloy Kaas with Collateral Damage Revenge Strike!
  KTS: Guy Shishioh targets Akane Shinjo with Plasma Hold Grappling!
+
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Nidaime with Tentacle Strike!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Garrod Ran with Tentacle Strike!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Ouka Nagisa with Tentacle Assault!
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa fails to parry Riika Sheder's Tentacle Assault, taking 4140 damage!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Ouka Nagisa!
 +
KTS: Nidaime has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Leina Ashta
 +
  KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Nidaime
 +
  KTS: [Lucky] Riika Sheder's Ace Maneuver activates, and luck goes her way!
 +
KTS: Orpheus Zevon fails to parry Riika Sheder's Tentacle Crush, taking 6600 damage!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Orpheus Zevon!
 +
KTS: Garrod Ran fails to Parry Riika Sheder's Tentacle Strike, taking 3690 damage!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Garrod Ran!
 +
KTS: Alloy Kaas fails to react to Riika Sheder's Collateral Damage Revenge Strike, taking 7200 damage!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Alloy Kaas!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
 +
KTS: Nidaime's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 +
KTS: Nidaime blocks Riika Sheder's Tentacle Strike, taking 1860 damage!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Nidaime!
  
  <Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
The good news is: Gridman is very successful in its attack on the neck, carving off part of a panel and exposing the head to damage once again. GaoGaiGo keeps it from moving by getting stuck in with its drill knees, and Gridman's follow-up is flawless. It doesn't quite have enough force behind it to ''behead'' the creature, but...
 
  
Akane's kaiju gets pushed back with the blast of water, and with the armor starting to give, it becomes apparent just how much of Ghoulghilas is in Mecha-Ghoulghilas -- despite the new aesthetics, it's all still clay underneath. It flakes and crumbles even still.
+
Leina actually laughs as Nidaime princess carries her, shifting the hug to around her neck.  "My hero~" She says theatrically, as if the two were merely on stage at some show.
  
Two giants -- both metallic armor over something more primal, more 'real' -- come to blows, and Shinji's pounds through Akane's, leaving a pit and then a ''hole'', exposing the emptiness within. (Perhaps the fleshy layer of Akane's kaiju is itself an illusion.) The hole, in turn, receives Renais's shotcannon slug cleanly -- and it blows out the back, dragging the wires inside Mecha-Ghoulghilas along with it. It wobbles, rounding on 3G.
+
Because now that she's up here, she doesn't feel unsafe at all.  Leina ''never'' feels unsafe in the care of those people who are so precious to her. She has full faith in them.
  
The Long Dagger's vulcans cover it as it repositions while in-close, but... in the end, GaoFighGar is a Vessel of Light and Alouette and her Dagger have not quite managed to dig into the part of Akane's brain that does mental gymnastics enough to get that designation, and Mecha-Ghoulghilas ultimately reflects its creator's intentions.
+
Which is why she sends back a feeling of warmth and gratitude to Anosillus...
  
Guy does successfully take hold of Mecha-Ghoulghilas with the full power of Plasma Hold; a mid-sized mall serves as the ultimate target, and Mecha-Ghoulghilas nearly loses an arm to the impact. Only 'nearly,' though -- and aren't the arms really somewhat vestigial at this point? Once, of course, the hobby-wire claws were a significant part of Ghoulghilas's arsenal, but now...
+
I am safe, right here.
  
With a slightly higher-pitched roar than before, Mecha-Ghoulghilas sprays a barrage of bullets and beams in all directions. It still seems singularly intent on tearing Gridman and GaoFighGar apart to the exclusion of all others -- though GaoGaiGo, a similar type of creature, and the Evangelion, humanity's decisive weapon, have begun to earn its ire as well. Synchrotank, the Gernsback, and the Dagger, by comparison, receive only a light peppering of beam fire.
+
As Gonglee whips a tentacle in her direction, Leina is forewarned, and moves to the edge of one of his tailspikes, to at least present as small a target as possible.  Fortunately Ouka takes aim. And the tentacle never reaches her.
  
Mecha-Ghoulghilas stops cold, leveling all of its guns at Guy at point blank; while the smoothbore cannons continue to be the primary thing ripping into the King of Braves, Akane's Kaiju seems to want to leave nothing on the table.
+
Ouka, if she looks closely near where she took that shot, might see a girl on the back of a Kaiju's shell placing a palm by her face, and winking at her, "Appreciate the save!"
  
Gridman, meanwhile -- evidently not deterred by Mecha-Ghoulghilas's drill -- receives a heavy penetrating round from the smoothbore guns. The violence is high -- yet somehow, rote, almost routine.
+
Again Leina puts her hand upon Anosillus' shell, trying to focus on that connection.
  
NERV's other major decisive weapons certainly don't get neglected. GaoGaiGo, in close as it is, receives a point-blank barrage similar to Guy's; Unit-01, for its part, gets a wide-ranging detonation that threatens to topple an evacuated building into its side. ... Unit-01 is actually slightly taller than the building, but Akane's kaiju usually aren't that strategic with their violence...
+
Concentrate. You can do this. Your opportunity will come soon.
  
------
+
And in that connection, that warmth, there is this sharpening of the senses.
 +
 
 +
Because she has full faith in this Kaiju, to bring them all home safe.
  
Akane keeps watching, silent for now. Maybe today it'll finally be enough.
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 
+
  KTS: Leina Ashta targets Ouka Nagisa and Nidaime with Awe.
  KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
+
  KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Nidaime
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
+
   
  KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets GaoGaiGo Team with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Point Blank Shot!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Shinji Ikari with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Detonation!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Yuta Hibiki with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Penetrator!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Rikka Takarada with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Renais Cardiff with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Rapid Fire!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Alouette Pommier with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Trick Shot!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Guy Shishioh with AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Point Blank Shot!
 
KTS: Rikka Takarada blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot, taking 1850 damage!
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh fails to react to Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Point Blank Shot, taking 3300 damage!
 
  KTS: Guy Shishioh has been defeated!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo repulses Guy Shishioh, forcing him to disengage.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari fails to rush.
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari partially guards Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Detonation, taking 3608 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier rushes into the attack!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier partially guards Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Trick Shot, taking 4800 damage!
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Point Blank Shot, taking 4840 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo repulses GaoGaiGo Team, forcing him to disengage.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki fails to rush.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo rattles Yuta Hibiki, making his next maneuvers more difficult.
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki partially guards Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Smoothbore Rapidfire Gun Penetrator, taking 6090 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
 
 
 
  <Pose Tracker> GaoGaiGo Team has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
The bore shot blasts GaoGaiGo back before a Protect Shade can fully go up, disengaging the drill, as Mamoru watches Guy take a big attack simultaneously. He wants to shout out...but he doesn't. He needs to steel himself.
+
"Pretty sure no one of us could have," Garrod replies to Riika, finally placing her voice from the meeting. He's not exactly surprised; that meeting &#42;did&#42; basically end with almost everyone committing their efforts to thwart Akane's attack on the Tsutsujidai school festival, although there were (as he recalls) some disagreements about what else they were going to do.
 
 
Ikumi realizes the situation, and transfers power. "YOU HAVE CONTROL!"
 
 
 
Mamoru grimaces, the two shaken by the bore, and nods. "I HAVE CONTROL!"
 
 
 
"You can't just hurt whoever you want...Break Synthesize!"
 
 
 
Energy begins glowing in the chest grill of GaoGaiGo, before Mamoru calls out again, as a massive three-pronged claw unfolds from GaoGaiGo's back.
 
  
"G-Set!"
+
If there's one thing Garrod can say about hostile kaiju, they're great at getting other people to work together to take them down.
  
It's not Hell and Heaven, but this doesn't warrant that yet. Instead...
+
The actual takedown, though, can be ... a little complicated. Or a lot complicated - Gonglee is proving a spectacularly tricky opponent, and the Gundam X is taking a pretty nasty beating as the fight progresses. The thought of backing off and just blowing this kaiju away with overwhelming firepower is &#42;awfully&#42; tempting ... or it would be, if that were even a viable option.
  
Mamoru pushes GaoGaiGo forward, using his calculations, and shouts as the glowing claw moves to impact. "SYNAPSE..."
+
Garrod lets out a wordless yell as he spurs the GX into motion again - not trying to pull away from Gonglee, but pressing the attack while he's already this close anyway. It's not just a simple slash, either, but a quick series of them, almost like he wanted to leave something akin to a signature carved into the kaiju's tentacled flank.
  
The claw strikes, but the physical force isn't the center of the attack. Instead, as he makes impact, a burst of that energy explodes outwards, trying to burn a hole in Mecha-Ghoulghilas' torso.
+
And if he manages to slice through enough tentacles to break away to a greater (and possibly safer) distance, well, that's certainly worth aiming for. If he can help free up some of his allies to pull further back, why not? Although capitalizing on a chance like that would be up to them.
 
 
"...BURN!"
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: GaoGaiGo Team targets Akane Shinjo with Synapse Burn!
+
  KTS: Garrod Ran has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
  KTS: Guy Shishioh rattles Akane Shinjo, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
+
  KTS: Garrod Ran has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
  KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Guy Shishioh's Plasma Hold Grappling, taking 6120 damage!
+
  KTS: Garrod Ran targets Riika Sheder with Beam Saber - Riposte!
  KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards GaoGaiGo Team's Synapse Burn, taking 5487 damage!
+
  KTS: Leina Ashta inspires awe, increasing Nidaime's Morale!
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
"Guy!" Yuta shouts, watching GaoFighGar take so much damage. "Please, retreat if you have to! We're fighting for your happiness, too!"
+
"Oh, um, I like to accompany dad to work sometimes." Nidaime tells Riika.
  
Yuta can't help but feel a rush of triumph at the sight of his attack working so well. "We're getting somewhere! Keep it up, everyone!"
 
  
But... did Akane just put metal panels over the old, broken down Ghoulghilas? Why would she do that, when every other time she's made something entirely new? "Great work, Shinji!" Yuta calls, watching his Eva tear into the monster. "You too, Renais!"
+
</poem>
 +
<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.
 +
<poem>
 +
&lt;Alouette!&gt; The voice calls out to the Null-Sigma's pilot as he watches up close on how the Gonglee catches everyone off guard with its hidden attack. He wants to try and support Alouette, cut through what was trying to latch onto-- No, what was latching onto her Eva as it attempted slamming her about. It was one of the very few times he himself wished he had something as powerful as an Eva to work with, something that would allow him to decimate something like a Kaiju like this one without worry.
  
"Gridman!" Max shouts as the kaiju shrieks and launches another attack. Gridman tries an acrobatic move to dodge into and around the attack, but he's clipped by the heavy round. The hit sends him to the ground, though he's quick to stand back up again. "We can't take too many more of those!" Borr adds in.
+
Instead, he finds himself being lashed about as the monstrosity flails. Literally trying to shake the Byakuen like a bad itch. At the time, Oz had opted to lodge his blade in to act as a foot-hold, hoping that it'd help to maintain where he was without being thrown off too soon. If he could wait out this thrashing then surely he'd be able to get a more thoroughly strike.
  
Getting to his feet just in time to see Mecha-Ghoulghilas level its guns at Guy, Yuta feels his heart skip a beat in fear. "Guy -- get out of there!" Everyone was taking so much damage... Gridman had to do something to end this fight, and quick! Something about this felt different, still... and he didn't want to find out why.
+
The reality of the situation is much different though. His choice finally acts against him as he ends up caught up in the additional tentacles that begin lashing against its own body. It's horns activating a clamping like motion either to shake him off or crush him in some way.
  
"All together!" Gridman calls to his component parts, his companions. "Full Powered Combination!" They shout as one. Sky Vitter's jets ignite on Gridman's legs, sending him rocketing forward. He grabs Mecha-Ghoulghilas, clinging to the kaiju with all his strength. The jet engines whine with strain, but Gridman manages to get himself and the kaiju into the air. They don't soar into the sky, grappling with the kaiju all the while.
+
First, it's the tentacles that get a clean hit on him that dislodge him from the bladed foot-hold, and once he's lost that footing, the weight of the Byakuen alone and the angle of the Slash Harken proves unfruitful for keeping a steady hold and he plummets.
  
"Now!" Vit calls, and Gridman hurls the kaiju into the air, then punches it back toward the ground. Yuta's memory flashes to the beach ball game at the beach, yesterday. It was almost the same move he'd used then, having fun with everyone!
+
It's a large drop from where he was, one that'd likely be the end of him. . .At least usually. Though the low gravity helps to mitigate the force as he plummets. It's a lucky break.
  
Gridman flies after the kaiju, letting the jets quiet as he touches back down on the ground. "Have you had enough?" Calibur asks, his voice monotone.
+
His body doesn't catch up to it though. For a good moment, he honestly thought he was dead. He pants heavily, pupils dilated, sweat flowing.
</poem>
 
  
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Guy Shishioh
+
It's the reason that what happens next is aired on the comms.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki targets Akane Shinjo with Full Powered Combination!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Yuta Hibiki's Full Powered Combination, taking 3608 damage!
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki begins a Formation attack!
 
 
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
 
<poem>
 
"It ''would'' be nice to do something together." Rikka agrees, as Alouette suggests they all go. Namiko probably wouldn't say no to some extra eyes on herself, anyway, she figures. Shinji, meanwhile, confirms that he's alright... and so, Rikka nods, focusing her attention back on Mecha-Ghoulghilas.
 
  
It's focusing more on the others than herself right now, but that doesn't mean she can relax - she has to dive behind a building to protecting herself from the incoming volley of beam fire - even still, some of it manages to make contact.
+
&lt;Auuuuuugggggggghhhhhhh!!!&gt;
  
"Akane... she's really serious about this." Rikka murmurs. "Her kaiju's fighting so viciously..."
+
A heavy shout and the sound of crunching metal passes through the comms as those close enough to see through the fog can see the smaller unit literally being stepped on. Nearly the entirety of its frame under the creature's foot, with the only relief being that it hadn't applied all its pressure to it as of yet.
  
She frowns a little, at that thought... but, she has to stay focused.
+
The cruelest thing of all though, the pilot. . .Doesn't ask for help. He agonizes into his comms. . . But makes no mention of a 'Help', 'Save me'.
  
"This one's dangerous... be ready to take cover if you need to!" Rikka calls out. She takes aim with her missile launchers again. This time, rather than firing at Mecha-Ghoulghilas, she takes aim for locations near Shinji, Alouette, and Yuta - creating clouds of smoke they can use to take cover if they find themselves in danger.
+
It does not mean that he's not going to try and fight though. If anything, that still seems to be one of the few things it can attempt to do. The blade component folds back in and the canon returns. The arm weapon still appears to be one piece of the KMF that's free to move as needed, and as it stands he needs one clean shot right now more than ever. His target. . .Aiming for that strongest tentacle that was attempting to constrict Alouette's Eva, and if that failed well. . .He'd just have to fire his entire cartridge out into the beast till it moved itself off of him.
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Yuta Hibiki, Alouette Pommier, and Shinji Ikari with Scatter.
+
  KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
  KTS: Rikka Takarada scatters cover, making Yuta Hibiki harder to target!
+
KTS: Orpheus Zevon targets Riika Sheder with Precision Shot: 30mm High-Initial-Velocity Tungsten Armor-Piercing
  KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Yuta Hibiki
+
Ammunition!
  KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Shinji Ikari
+
KTS: Riika Sheder parries Garrod Ran's Beam Saber - Riposte, taking 1260 damage!
  KTS: Rikka Takarada scatters cover, making Shinji Ikari harder to target!
+
  KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Garrod Ran's Precision Attacker activates, causing Nullify!
  KTS: Rikka Takarada has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Alouette Pommier
+
  KTS: Garrod Ran repulses Riika Sheder, forcing her to disengage.
 +
  KTS: Riika Sheder fails to Evade Orpheus Zevon's Precision Shot: 30mm High-Initial-Velocity Tungsten Armor-Piercing
 +
Ammunition, taking 6480 damage!
 +
  KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Disabling Strike activates, causing Jam L1!
 +
  KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Precision Attacker activates, causing Nullify!
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Guy promises Alouette that he'll be okay, and although it's inspiring, she knows that he's not in the condition to keep fighting.. and indeed, GaoFighGar takes a point blank volley of fire that tears into its armor. From there, Alouette loses all communications with Guy... "C-Chief! No..." She knows that even if she calls out to him, he won't be able to hear her right now..
+
"Oh, um, I like to accompany dad to work sometimes." Nidaime tells Riika.
 
 
Up until now, the kaiju hasn't really been trying too hard to target or deal significant damage to Alouette's unit, and she wonders if this is because Akane truly has no interest or intent on fighting her. It seems like all wants is to take down the "Vessels of Light" Gridman and GaoFighGar. Still, Alouette rushes towards it's next shot of beam fire, beam sabers in hand once again, hoping to get another clean hit in. She tries not to flinch as the attack nearly blasts by the cockpit. She doesn't say anything because she doesn't want to break her focus. No matter how dire the situation is, a Brave can't give up - they'll simply have to find away to turn around the situation themselves. Alouette has seen 3G fight many times, and if they know how to do something, it's make a comeback!
 
  
Trying to all of her courage, Alouette drives each of her Long Dagger's beam swords into the kaiju's fleshy openings consecutively, using Rikka's helpful smokescreen as a cover.
+
Nidaime giggles at Leina's theatrics. She likes the feeling, but she knows it's a bit of play in a dire situation. She can feel that Leina feels safer up here. Perhaps even completely safe.
  
</poem>
+
Nidaime tends to feel safe up here too. She offers Leina a candied apple which is pretty inappropriate. She had left it on an Anosillus's back though. And it's already a bit prenibbled by Nidaime but she is a very giving person.
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
 
<poem>
 
Hurling Mecha-Ghoulghilas mostly serves to annoy it, and GaoFighGar drops back into its standard posture, fists clenched and ready. And then Mecha-Ghoulghilas gives its answer - in the form of every one of those cannons. "Here it comes," Guy hisses, and, "PROTECT WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLL!!!" he screams, throwing up his palm and its Program Ring again. It manages to weaken some of the blow.
 
  
It's not remotely enough, as shell after shell blasts into GaoFighGar. One of StealthGao III's wings cracks off; another completely blows away LinerGao's left cockpit, sending GaoFighGar staggering back and back. Guy screams: "GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!" as GaoFighGar leaves the ground, pummeled so thoroughly by so much fire that it lands a full city block away, battered. Broken.
+
Anosillus hears you Leina.
  
Comms come back up from the Order Room.
+
''I know''. He responds. ''I have to.''
  
"Communications re-established!" Hana's voice chimes. "Getting everyone's signal nNNNOW!? Chief Guy!? GaoFighGar's nearly totally disabled! And your vitals are looking bad! You need to pull back!"
+
It's as simple as that.
  
But from deep inside the nearly-darkened GaoFighGar, Guy's voice rumbles, "I...won't."
+
Anosillus can't block (or use) his shell like this. Indeed, he is pretty uncomfortable with getting up too close as it stands. But he does feel confident. Anosillus doesn't usually hit a full 150 Will.
  
GaoFighGar slams its palms down, forcing itself to rise to its feet. "I won't. These people need to be protected...this place...these ''people''...have a right to peace! I won't yield in front of that!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
+
Tentacles lash and slam against Anosillus but the Kaiju refuses to duck behind his shell, or cower. Nidaime is used to these kinds of rough rides. Leina not so much. He is able to keep himself steady for Leina. She is family. She has to be okay. There's no alternatives viable for Anosillus.
  
He throws his arms wide, roaring, "HELL! AND! HEAVEN!!"
+
Rather than try to crush the kaiju, Anosillus actually starts stepping back--
  
The Protect Left Arm of Protection becomes shrouded in a placid bloom of solid light. The Broken Right Arm of Destruction whirls with chaotic energy of its own.
+
--rearing back with its head before unleashing a supersonic wave towards the kaiju! More mist is likely cleared through the process once more. This time with some extra oomph behind it.
 
 
The G-Stone Shines Brighter...
 
 
 
The two hands struggle against each other, repelling each other as total, incompatible opposites. But Guy forces one into the other, hissing the spell to unite two powers into one: "Gemu giru gan go gufo..."
 
 
 
Finally, he presses them together and they release a massive burst of energy, a roaring electromagnetic maelstrom blasting in all directions from GaoFighGar to try and pin Mecha-Ghoulghilas down for a precious few seconds. Guy grits his teeth, power SURGING through every cell in his body as the living G-Stone he is. GaoFighGar sets its glowing orange eyes on Mecha-Ghoulghilas, and Guy roars the final piece of the spell as the vents on the back of StealthGao III flip open, blasting GaoFighGar's set feet forward with plumes of Ul-Tech fire. A pair of hands blazing with the power of protection and destruction scream toward Mecha-Ghoulghilas with intent to simply rip that clay body asunder and find and destroy anything vital within it, while Guy screams: "VIIIIIIIIIIIIIITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: Guy Shishioh has deployed in GaoFighGar.
+
  KTS: Nidaime targets Riika Sheder with Earpiercing Scream!
KTS: Rikka Takarada scatters cover, making Alouette Pommier harder to target!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Akane Shinjo with ES01 Twin Beam Sabers Combo!
 
KTS: Renais Cardiff blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Rapid Fire, taking 2640 damage!
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh targets Akane Shinjo with Hell and Heaven!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo partially guards Alouette Pommier's ES01 Twin Beam Sabers Combo, taking 5795 damage!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier completes the Formation attack!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Guy Shishioh's Hell and Heaven, taking 7260 damage!
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable.
 
 
   
 
   
  <Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Alloy Kaas has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
With grit teeth and elbow grease, Shinji manages to penetrate some of the kaiju's armor... and not without surprise at the emptiness he reveals before the other attacks follow.
 
  
Yuta's praising him now. Shinji's eyes light up with the hint of a sparkle.
+
        Unit Null-Sigma. A Kraken Evangelion. Four massive tentacles on a seventy plus meter abomination. While these additional limbs are tearing at the rear neck of the Kaiju, what was considered the back of the beast, opened up like a mouth, and another tentacle, tongue, appendage whips out and wraps about Unit Null-Sigma, trying to crush as it throws side to side in the nearby buildings.
  
Unit-01 thrusts out an AT Field against the detonation blast. What Shinji ''isn't'' prepared for is the building beside him, toppled over in the same explosion and crashing against his Evangelion. The arms act as a makeshift shield without a barrier, Shinji cringing as debris spill over the Evangelion. Evacuated. Everyone was evacuated! Remember that! Not only in more lives not being lost, but in Akane not having been the one to do it.
+
        Alloy, screams awash in pain, a reflection of the damage to her Eva within the plug. The plugsuit clinging to her glows in the areas suffering damage to the Evangelion. Alloy feels that pain. But it's gone beyond that now. The damage to the Evangelion is extensive. Chunks of armor have broken off, cracked, some has even turned into shrapnel, stuck inside the flesh of the Eva like so many scalpels.
  
Shinji pants for breath, exhausted and aching. The Evangelion's taken a significant amount of damage... this kaiju is trying to destroy them. Shinji frowns, sullen.
+
        Alloy has no more scream to give, is near passing out, but the grip loosens, or did squeeze more... one way or another it changed and kept her awake but just barely, just...
  
"...If she succeeds here, she wouldn't be able to turn back."
+
        "Alouette!"
  
Rikka provides smoke cover, Unit-01 rushes forward, and when it exits the smoke it's got a knife, thrusting it further into the weak point he's made and trying to tear the kaiju further apart, grunting all the while.
+
        Orpheus snaps her back to it. She grabs the controls in hand, grips them as tightly as she can with shaking hands.
  
His effort ends in time for him to see a great glowing --
+
        "Move."
  
"What...?!"
+
        "Move."
</poem>
 
  
KTS: Shinji Ikari has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
+
        "Move."
KTS: Shinji Ikari targets Akane Shinjo with Progressive Knife Drive!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo parries Shinji Ikari's Progressive Knife Drive, taking 1620 damage!
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
 
<Pose Tracker> GaoGaiGo Team has posed.
 
<poem>
 
Guy is down. Mamoru's impacting, but he's scared. His 'big brother' is hurt.
 
  
And then Guy Shishioh rises, glowing. "The G-Stone...Guy!!!"
+
        Null-Sigma begins to move. Shudders, seeking the adernaline needed to drive the giant body right now. Slowly, then suddenly it awakens. It's head, rearing back as if it were screaming, roaring. The arms, begin to push away, fighting the grip. The tentacles trying each to get a grip.
  
Hell and Heaven. Mamoru cheers on the comm, as he shouts to Guy.
+
        "Orpheus..."
  
"You can do it! This is the hero I remember, 'Mister'! Let's save them all!"
+
        Alouette strains, and pulls, until she screams. trying, willing, to rip this tentacle all the way down like string cheese. Evanglion Unit Null-Sigma and pilot try to rend this tentacle apart, and give everyone an opening, to fire at the eye, tocut off the tentacles, everything they can in the window, to bring this creature down. Save this place. Save everyone.
  
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  <Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
        Renais drops down on a knee, baring the Gernsback's unhurt shoulder-shield toward Mecha-Ghoulgilas. Armor scars, melts, and ablates under the beam fire; the shield holds, but the mech beneath is wearing down. She grits her teeth, peeking up over the shield to see GaoFighGar pitch the kaiju into a building...
+
    Ouka Nagisa does care about other people, and she tries to be a good person. Often times though she is unable to act in ways accordance with her nature. Even now the behavior of Alouette Kaas is concerning to her. Were she allowed to act according to her nature she might speak up. Try to ask her what is wrong. If something sad was given in reply, she would even try to hug her... albeit without risking direct skin contact.
 
 
        And get torn apart as his thanks. Renais' heart drops into the pit of her stomach. "GUY!" she yells out, suddenly gripped by fear. She knows how it is for him. He drives himself past the limit, again and again... she may clash with him, she may hate him for his luck sometimes, but to see him decimated so completely, all at once...
 
  
        Has his luck finally run out?
+
    Instead the thought is pushed to the back of her mind, and her focus remains on the beast and the defense of the civilian.  That is her role, as a soldier and a Boosted Child, after all.  From the corner of her eye she sees Second, as she calls herself, holding Leina in a princess carry.  Ouka is still uncertain about kaiju and their nature... but this creature seems to have the trust of those who outrank her within NERV, and thus it follows that she treats her with trust and respect as well.
  
        No.
+
    So then is she allowed to turn her full attention back upon the beast - now sweeping at her and the other attacking units with both tentacles.  The two converge in her direction... her throttle hand automatically moves toward the console to raise the energy to her point defense emitters as the attack closes in.  Without any hope of stopping the massive limbs in their path she simply attempts to deflect them, even slightly, while her unit's thrusters maneuver out of their path.
  
        No, she decides, as the G-Stone on her wrist shines its sigil, illuminating the Gernsback's dark cockpit. "Guy! GET THE FUCK UP! I saw you kill a GOD, DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE GONNA LET SOME CLAY HOMEBREW &#42;BULLSHIT&#42; KILL YOU NOW!" Her heart pours out over the comm and into the G-Stone...
+
    No such luck.
  
        He rises once more. He gets up again, as the King of Braves always does.
+
    The tentacles crash together, catching her unit and in particular one of its legs in its grip. The leg is ripped free, sacrificed in order to allow the Nightmare Plus freedom to maneuver!  Red warnings scream across the cockpit before Ouka, glaring, dismisses them all with a wave of her hand.
  
        And she's not gonna let him do it alone.
+
    Missing a leg, maneuvering now is much harder.  Luckily someone as well trained as Ouka has little problem in compensating though.  "All allied units:  Preparing for maximum bombardment.  Anosillus, Second, please keep the civilian out of harm's way."
  
        She grabs the Gernsback's monomolecular knife off its back and leaps in, sprinting as fast as the Arm Slave's legs will go.
+
The Nightmare Plus maneuver as close as her pilot dares, as the remaining intact micro-missile pods open up revealing her machine's full ordinance. What comes next is both beautiful and terrible - a stream of countless missiles spiraling and dancing amongst each other before intersecting with the massive body of the beast.  Then attempting, upon impact, to each bloom in a catastrophic flower of concussive might!  Hopefully it will be enough even to force the beast to take a step backwards, removing its wait from the unit it is trampling underfoot, merely by the intensity of light and sound produced by the blast.
  
        "This is the power..."
+
    But will it be enough?
 
 
        She vaults up toward the kaiju's neck with a rising stab.
 
 
 
        "Of COURAGE!"
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 
<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
 
<poem>
 
When Guy returns to communications, with a Hell and Heaven flying straight towards Mecha-Ghoulghilas, Alouette is nothing short of relieved. Like Mamoru, this is the hero she remembers.
 
  
"Chief, you're okay! I knew you would be.. Just be sure to take a long rest after the battle, please." She has an understanding of how much using &#42;that&#42; attack hurts him. "And also make sure to let me take in GaoFighGar's parts for repairs! It took quite the thrashing in this fight," she.. kind of nags, but in a way that shows just how glad she is that Guy is safe.
+
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
</poem>
+
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
 +
KTS: Alloy Kaas targets Riika Sheder with Spines of Raking!
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Orpheus Zevon
 +
KTS: Ouka Nagisa targets Riika Sheder with Micro-Missile Array Itano Circus!
 +
KTS: Nidaime has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Leina Ashta
 +
KTS: Nidaime has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Leina Ashta
 +
KTS: Nidaime rattles Riika Sheder, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to Evade Nidaime's Earpiercing Scream, taking 3420 damage!
 +
KTS: Nidaime repulses Riika Sheder, forcing her to disengage.
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder partially guards Alloy Kaas's Spines of Raking, taking 6840 damage!
 +
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alloy Kaas's Geass Directorate Survivor activates, causing Sparkle!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has been defeated!
 +
KTS: Alloy Kaas has engaged Riika Sheder!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to react to Ouka Nagisa's Micro-Missile Array Itano Circus, taking 6840 damage!
 +
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Ouka Nagisa's The First and The Last activates, causing Sparkle!
 +
KTS: Riika Sheder has been defeated!
  
KTS: Renais Cardiff targets Akane Shinjo with GRAW-2 Monomolecular Cutter Press!
+
  <Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.
KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to parry Renais Cardiff's GRAW-2 Monomolecular Cutter Press, taking 5170 damage!
 
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Renais Cardiff's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
 
KTS: Renais Cardiff has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
 
  <Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
"Yes! Yes! Crush him!" Akane shouts, as she sees GaoFighGar hit the ground, obscured by debris. She thinks back to how useful he'd been in saving Renais, for just a split second -- but it doesn't matter. They're the ones who chose to make enemies of her instead of taking her kindness and then leaving her alone.
+
"It wasn't as if I was trying to," Riika objects. She was just here to scout, and hadn't intended to engage alone... but Gonglee surprised her, too.
 
 
Maybe this is it? Maybe this is -- enough? Surely defeating a Vessel of Light with such aplomb will be --
 
 
 
The chemical synthesis reactions GaoGaiGo is capable of make a ''great'' weapon against Mecha-Ghoulghilas, the energy issuing forth and burning away kaiju-flesh, revealing how empty the whole exercise really is. Mecha-Ghoulghilas swats at GaoGaiGo in response, trying to sweep it into the Long Dagger; let the heroes of the next generation crash together. (This may be a little difficult with those clouds of smoke, though.)
 
 
 
Gridman lifts, pursues, and smashes Mecha-Ghoulghilas all at once; the sheer power of Full Powered Gridman is nothing to sneeze at. This sets it up almost perfectly for a follow-up in close from both Alouette and Shinji; Mecha-Ghoulghilas offers its wounded arm up to the progressive knife, allowing it to shred into metal that it no longer intends to use as a weapon -- but keeping the main body intact. Alouette's blades have a little better luck getting through its guard, piercing into existing openings in the armor and making them much, much worse.
 
  
Akane always excelled at getting angry and shutting people out, after all, especially at the cost of her own well-being; certainly it's an impulse that she's had years to refine since she and Shinji Ikari last crossed paths in life. Is it a wonder her kaiju inherit the knack? Its hand detonates in a rain of shrapnel on Eva Unit-01, overcome by the blade yet still managing one last cruel gasp of violence.
+
Accompany dad to work? So... "&#42;That's&#42; him?" Riika is more surprised by that from Nidaime than anything else. "Well, I'll back you up, but those were all the flares I had..." And honestly they're not dispelling the fog so much as shining through it - and they won't do even that for long.
  
Renais drives for the neck at full speed while the plates are once again open; it ''hits'', too -- she carves into the head, removing the jaw and by extension the ability to use its heat beams.
+
But Anosillus' scream does a good job at dispersing the fog - better, this time, because Gonglee is damaged and distracted. The blast rocks it, pains it; its extra tentacles flick around it as if preparing to drive towards Anosillus.
  
Unfortunately: None of that will stop it. Mecha-Ghoulghilas may not be that much different, or more powerful, than its predecessor, despite its pretensions of weaponization. What it does have, however, is sheer viciousness and the willingness to apply it as directly as possible.
+
It never really gets the chance.
  
------
+
Garrod might not be able to use his big gun - not in a colony, that would be a &#42;horrible&#42; plan - but he doesn't need to; his saber may be partially deflected by one of those writhing tentacles, but wherever he's jabbed it seems to have been significant judging by the way Gonglee shudders afterwards. It steps to recover its balance between that and the sonic assault - incidentally freeing Orpheus, as the foot comes down &#42;next&#42; to him, close enough to touch.
  
"''Don't'' you lose to him!" Akane shouts, over the din of Hell and Heaven. "I designed you to kill ''any'' Vessel of Light who gets in my way -- even an Evoluder!" She drives a kitten-heeled foot into the roof. "I don't care if you're destroyed in the process!" Her red eyes almost glow behind the blue-blockers of her glasses -- or maybe that's the midday sun hitting them just right. "''Kill him''!"
+
Freeing him is a mistake for the kaiju. Now he has more freedom to aim and more time to do it in. His shot goes straight for the base of the greater tentacle - the 'tongue'? - holding Alouette's kaiju and halfway severs it, the high-velocity rounds penetrating its armoured 'head' (even though that's not where its mouth is, it seems to move it like a head) and causing another one of those wild flailings.
  
------
+
Ouka had better watch out for the flailing, but the Valkyrie is fast enough to maneuver, especially if Ouka doesn't care about the warnings. The shower of missiles blast against Gonglee, and it freezes up entirely, leaving it open.
  
The drill-plates snap forward and shut again. Firing beams in all directions -- raining destruction down on the whole city, on Synchrotank, on the Gernsback, on the Evangelion -- it charges to meet Hell and Heaven. The fist and the drill ''meet'' -- and while this will almost certainly tear Mecha-Ghoulghilas's head apart, and requires sacrificing all but the most cursory of attacks on Akane's 'real' target for the full commitment...
+
Which is when Alloy almost literally pulls it apart.
  
... kaiju exist just to be destroyed, don't they?
+
Gonglee breaks in her grasp, but it doesn't get messy-biologic like some kinds of monsters might. It sparkles - it glitters - and then it implodes in a flash of energy, drawing into itself and vanishing. The fog starts to disperse moments later, almost as fast as it came - it's nearly supernatural how fast it clears. Some of the buildings are still wrecked, but that's happened before.
  
Metal shears against metal, the twin fists of GaoFighGar meeting Mecha-Ghoulghilas's drill. It's a suicide play on the kaiju's part -- but it puts ''everything'' behind it, meeting force with sheer force with no intention of losing out.
+
"...I suppose that's that," Riika says, her GINN still down and now unmoving - after getting into position to fire the flares and flashes, it doesn't really have anything left at all. "I suppose that proves it &#42;was&#42; her. Thank you... Is everyone all right?" She's not entirely sure about some of them, but she can't see them well from here!
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  KTS: Akane Shinjo targets GaoGaiGo Team with AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Grab!
+
  KTS: You have not deployed a robot. (see +deploy)
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Alouette Pommier with AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Swipes!
+
   
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Renais Cardiff with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot!
+
  <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Rikka Takarada with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot!
+
<poem>
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Shinji Ikari with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Yuta Hibiki with AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo targets Guy Shishioh with AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Charge!
 
KTS: Rikka Takarada blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot, taking 2220 damage!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier parries Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Swipes, taking 1410 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged Alouette Pommier!
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 
  KTS: GaoGaiGo Team blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Super Hard Steel Claw Grab, taking 1860 damage!
 
  KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged GaoGaiGo Team!
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh fails to react to Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Head-Mounted Drill Assembly Charge, taking 5500 damage!
 
KTS: Guy Shishioh has been defeated!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has engaged Guy Shishioh!
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki blocks Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot, taking 2220 damage!
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari retreats from the attack!
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
 
KTS: Shinji Ikari fails to evade Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot, taking 2970 damage!
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting GaoGaiGo Team
 
KTS: Alouette Pommier has activated the Attune Spirit Command.
 
  
  <Pose Tracker> GaoGaiGo Team has posed.
+
Leina is NOT used to these rough rides, but she has a stronger grip than most her age at least. She has to briefly clamp her hands over her ears when the supersonic wave comes, but afterwards... she breathes a sigh of relief.
<poem>
 
With the gang succeeding, it's time for Mamoru and Ikumi's own finisher. But another H+H would be overkill. So... "YOU HAVE CONTROL!"
 
  
Ikumi raises his hands and prepares. "I HAVE CONTROL!"
+
Eventually though, with the hostiles down and the mist clearing, Leina walks over to Nidaime upon the shell, and gives her another big hug. "Thanks Nidaime.  Would have been lost without you." And Leina pats her head fondly, before it turns into a ruffle of her hair. "Also.  I think I saw your friend Gridman on the way here.  Let him know he did good for me, if you see him?  The evacuation wouldn't have been half as orderly without that stunt."
  
The right hand raises, as Ikumi shouts out. "PHANTOM RING PLUS!"
+
Releasing Nidaime though, she adds to the Kaiju, "And thanks, Anopapa.  Couldn't have been easy watching out for another passenger."
  
A golden part of GaoGaiGo locks onto the arm. They put their full power into it, as the golden ring begins spinning and the arm is pulled back.
+
No Leina doesn't consider the Kaiju her father, but she likes Nidaime's nickname for him, and Nidaime's family as far as Leina's concerned.
  
"BROKEN PHANTOM!"
+
Eventually though, she startes to make her way down the shell, carefully.  Mostly by scooting on her bottom and sliding very carefully as she answers Riika, "I'm good myself.  Honestly I'm more worried about some of the pilots here." As she gives the Evangelion a look - in particular.
  
And then punched forward, rocket punching off of the body and moving to drill straight into whatever is left of Mecha-Ghoulghilas' connectors. It explodes into brilliant light, and then reattaches to GaoGaiGo.
+
Once she finally makes it back to Terra Firma though, she asks Riika in particular, "How about you?" As she gives her a concerned look, "Your mobile suit took quite a beating there.  If you want to stick around in town to rest while you arrange a new ride - I can offer you a place to stay."
  
This puts the duo at risk for a follow-up from sheer systems strain, but hopefully, it doesn't come to that. Hopefully, the monster is defeated.
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 +
<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
 +
<poem>
 +
    ... sister... dad... it sounds like Second was having a regular family outing.  Only now though is she able to consider the meanings behind her words.  That Anosillus is her father is expected of course - but who is the sister?  The Kaiju they had just defeated?  No that wouldn't make sense.  Unless she was warning to be careful OF her sister, the rampaging Kaiju?  Then her gaze turns towards Leina, the girl in the arms of Nidaime and considers...
  
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team has activated the Detonate Spirit Command, reducing the GaoGaiGo to 1 HP!
+
    ... no probably notIt sort of beggars belief that Nidaime would have a sister, who is a civilian and by all appearances and actions a human, who she randomly encountered and rescued during a fight. It's more likely she was warning them to be careful of her sister - the giant ambush kaiju.
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
 
KTS: GaoGaiGo Team targets Akane Shinjo with Broken Phantom!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
 
  KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to evade GaoGaiGo Team's Broken Phantom, taking 5640 damage!
 
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] GaoGaiGo Team's Roar! activates, causing Insight L1!
 
  KTS: [Dynamic Hit] GaoGaiGo Team's Shout! activates, causing Sparkle!
 
 
<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
 
<poem>
 
Guy is barely cognizant of the voices cheering him on. Mamoru roars his approval; Renais and Alouette call out as well, believing in his courage. He can't...he won't...let them down!!
 
  
Mecha-Ghoulghilas' drill and Hell and Heaven clash. Sparks of power, crackling lightning that isn't electricity crawls along the buildings and shatters windows. Guy screams anew, renewing his defiant roar. He thinks of them; Mamoru and Ikumi, certainly, and Alouette, now. They've all gotten so big. They all have roots here, now, friends and allies and peaceful days. Renais; she's as sour as she's ever been, but...the way she frets about this place is unlike he's seen before. He doesn't know her heart, not that well. But he knows how much Tsutsujidai and the people in it have come to mean to her. And of course, those very people. Yuta, doing his best to fight; Guy doesn't know precisely what it's like to be a fighting giant of light, but Fusion brings him close. Raw and exposed in ways you'd never think yourself to be with such power coursing through you. Rikka and Utsumi, the two young people just trying to save their home, and stop themselves from becoming something they don't recognize in the process. The school, the town....thousands of little stories.
+
    Sometimes... Ouka just gets things wrong.
  
Akane...a girl too frightened to stop fighting. To show her he won't stop...to show her that those coming to save her will give up everything they have...
+
    Regardless, once the creature is defeated and glitters before imploding in a flash of energy, the fog disperses and the VF-171's sensors clear with it. The first Boosted Child brings her unit in for a landing. A fairly rough, three point landing utilizing its one intact leg and two arms.
  
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!" Guy shrieks, his voice a raw, hoarse scream as Two United Powers conflict with a monstrous drill. ANd then...
+
    "Confirmed, area clear of hostile kaiju and residual interference. Moving to recovery and assessment operations.
  
It's GaoFighGar's grip that slips. The drill skids off to the side. Hell and Heaven plunges on toward the body, but the face plunges into GaoFighGar. He gouges out a gleaming hole - but Mecha-Ghoulghilas' drill rips off the arm, sheers into and through the exposed belly of GaoFighGar.
+
The First Boosted Child considers going to the aid of the Byakuen and its pilot.  However, considering that Alouette is very likely in a better position to come to his aid, she lets her take care of it instead. Meanwhile Ouka will turn the sensors of the VF-171 to search for damaged buildings and the potential of hurt or trapped civilians.  She uplinks her onboard systems with her suit, and then pulls open the lever to open the hatch to her Valkyrie.
  
"HAGH!?" Guy screams. He makes another noise, a visceral one. He can feel it, like a knife in his guts...
+
    The pilot easily leaps down from the open cockpit and removes her helmet - resulting in a waterfall of dark green hair falling down her back.  She shakes some of the sweat free from her mane, before reaching up to wipe some more from her brow.  "Thank you for the assistance, Riika." The Boosted Child glances toward her suit and offers a polite salute. A sign of respect from the member of one military force to another.  Afterwards her attention turns to Anosillus, Nidaime and Leina.  She regards the odd trio with an expression that betrays little of her confusion.  "Anopapa?"  The First Boosted Child blinks. She notices it is with regards to the kaiju, Anosillus.  Anosillus.  Anopapa... Ano... Papa?
  
Before the drill drives completely through the middle of GaoFighGar, ripping the machine in two. StealhGao III shatters apart behind it, chunks of the stealth-bomber shaped Gao Machine scattering the landscape.
+
    &#42;grindgrindgrindclick&#42;
  
GaoFighGar's legs go still.
+
    "Are you a kaiju as well?"
  
GaoFighGar's upper body crashes into the street, three dozen meters away. Exposed, in its belly, Guy Shishioh in his ultimate armor, his eyes rolled up in his head.
+
Sometimes she gets it wrong but she is trying her best...
  
Hana's voice, fluttering with horror, comes across the radio. "GaoFighGar....is down...! I have no signal from Chief Guy or any Gao Machine!!"
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 
+
  <Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.
KTS: Guy Shishioh's GaoFighGar has been disabled.
 
 
  <Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Yuta looks on in horror as GaoFighGar is knocked into the air and comes crashing down, seemingly lifeless. "Oh no..." It's enough to bring Gridman to a frozen halt on the battlefield, his sword lowering. Had he just witnessed the death of a friend?
+
"You didn't know?? Can't you see the resemblance???" Nidaime asks of Riika, in utter disbelief. She pulls up her hoodie and tightens it to make it more obvious. It doesn't really make it more obvious until you really start to think about it though.
  
But... the fallen machine begins to glow? "What..?" Guy's show of courage and skill is dazzling. Yuta is briefly reminded of Sheryl Nome on her stage, a master at her craft. Guy must be the same, for the battlefield, Yuta thinks. It's a wonder anything is left of the kaiju after an attack like that!
+
"No problem!" She adds to Riika.
  
"Take cover!" Gridman calls, as the kaiju begins to go berserk. Once again, he brings Calibur up to block the damage, and this time, he succeeds. The wide crossguard of the sword blocks the majority of damage. "This will be our final strike! Everyone, put your trust in me!" Gridman shouts, raising his sword high.
+
She focuses on Leina for a moment. "Ah--Of course, I'll be happy to tell him! I hope he remembers himself soon..."
  
A pillar of light breaks through the clouds above Gridman, emitting from the point of his blade. Gridman is still for a moment, and then -- it's almost as if the light beaming down into Tsutsujidai responds to his motion. Golden radiance creeps up Gridman's form, gilding his armor and body in a brilliant display of power. Motes of light hover around him, the sheer force of the magic of a Vessel of Light enchanting the very air in the city. Everything is still, for a heartbeat.
+
Anosillus gronks at Leina, a sort of gruff 'aww it was nothing' kind of response that he gives when a touch embarrassed.
  
"This is my all!" Gridman shouts, "Grid..." The voices of his companions answer him, "Full Power..." All together, they roar "Finish!"
+
Anopapa, being a papa, can think of many people as 'a daughter to him' as he'd like. That's the power.... Of being a papa...!!
 +
%
 +
Anosillus gets on all fours so that Leina has an easier time getting off. Nidaime follows her and hugs Leina again.
  
Gridman points his sword down and toward Mecha-Ghoulghilas, the strength of his attack lifting him into the air. Dozens of beams of light tear into the kaiju, as though Gridman has weaponized the sunlight itself.
+
"Mmhmm! Leina is the ultimate hotel manager!!" Nidaime says.
</poem>
 
  
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has activated the Detonate Spirit Command, reducing the Full Powered Gridman to 1 HP!
+
This is not exactly the deal but.
KTS: Yuta Hibiki targets Akane Shinjo with Grid Full Power Finish!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Yuta Hibiki's Grid Full Power Finish, taking 8160 damage!
 
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Yuta Hibiki's Telepathic Link activates, causing Insight L1!
 
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Yuta Hibiki's Mediumship activates, causing Nullify!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has been defeated!
 
KTS: Yuta Hibiki has engaged Akane Shinjo!
 
  
  <Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
+
</poem>
 +
  <Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
If she succeeds here, she wouldn't be able to turn back... Rikka frowns, listening as Shinji speaks.
+
There's relief that comes as the Gonglee loses its footing. The pressure on the Byakuen is released and Oz can breathe again in relative peace even if his hull is blaring with alerts all around. Alerts that if he were in actual space right now, would be much more concerning.
  
"Then... we can't let her succeed. I won't let her do this to herself." Rikka decides. That was obvious from the beginning, of course... but it's just another reminder of why they have to stop this kaiju - it's as much for Akane's sake as it is for everyone else's, even if she probably wouldn't agree... or even want their help.
+
Though he's not and it isn't. Instead, what follows is collaboration that allows for the chain reaction of multiple allies aiding in one another's rescue till this Kaiju was returned to glitter and dust alike.
  
But still... it isn't going to be easy. Rikka watches in surprise as Guy goes down, what ''should'' be enough to disable his machine... but GaoFighGar rises again.
+
In a tired but reassured voice, the support unit can at least say over the comms without a doubt. &lt;Mission accomplished. Threat neutralized.&gt;
  
"What is this...?" Rikka asks, surprised. ...Is this what it means to be a hero? To stand up, again and again, no matter how dire the situation may be?
+
At this point, he's running a brief diagnostic on the Knightmare Frame that leaves him. . .Questioning.
  
But Mecha-Ghoulghilas is fighting hard too, if for different reasons entirely - destruction rains down from above, and Rikka can only struggle to find shelter from the storm. Bulldozer shields are raised to protect the head sensors as the beams rain down, scorching and damaging the armor.
+
"Should be enough to get there and fend for ourselves if need be. . ."
  
"If this keeps up... Even they might not be safe." Rikka murmurs with a frown, thinking back to her friends who had evacuated. And then, there's Guy... is he alright, after what happened...?
+
It's not exactly in the mission specs, but could anyone blame him if he told them that he was going to check in on the battle that was transpiring on the other side of town? At the very least. . .
  
...They have to stop it now. Rikka takes a deep breath. This feels crazy, but... she has to do something. Synchrotank returns to tank mode, charging out from behind cover, and accelerates toward Mecha-Ghoulghilas, trying to ram into it in time with Gridman's gleaming golden attack - and then, blasting it full-force with the twin cannons, once it's hopefully too close to get away.
+
&lt;This is Support Unit 01-C. Unit's still operational and planning to provide emergency support and civilian assistance to team 1. Inquiring of which pilots can sorte. . .&gt;
 +
 
 +
At this time it's Alouette that receives a private transmission. &lt;What's the condition of your unit? Can you move, if not, I'll have you join me. I imagine your allies will need support, no?&gt; Plus. . .There still was the matter of trying to catch a glimpse of this Akane Shinjo in person. If they could just meet her then perhaps. . .
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
KTS: Rikka Takarada targets Akane Shinjo with Extreme Extinguishing Burst!
+
  <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
KTS: Akane Shinjo fails to react to Rikka Takarada's Extreme Extinguishing Burst, taking 4960 damage!
 
KTS: Akane Shinjo has been defeated!
 
KTS: Rikka Takarada roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
 
 
  <Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Light brilliantly shines, and Shinji can only watch in awe as Hell and Heaven crackles through the battlefield. It's moments like these where Shinji begins to wonder why he or Evangelion are truly needed. People turning courage into power...
 
 
Another detonation, this time the kaiju destroying its own hand in the process. Shinji only has a horrific moment to recognize this self-destruction before he's engulfed in its consequences. The AT Field does not hold. Shrapnel rakes across the Evangelion unit, embedding into its surface, acting more like it's punctured flesh to hold it fast than only a shell of steel. Shinji wraps his arms around himself reflexively, eyes pinched shut while Unit-01 is sent staggering back, its posture slouched.
 
 
Shinji breathes harder, each breath rough against his throat. He runs his fingers over his chest, where the hand had detonated, and verifies he hasn't been blown open in Akane's violent rejection. The more he pilots, the higher his synchronization, and the more he feels.
 
  
What does Akane feel when she does all of this...? What must she feel to ''make'' all of this? If a Devil helped him make his own world back then, wouldn't he have done it, too?
+
"I think you're overselling me a little." Leina laughs as Nidaime hugs her and gives her another pat on the head, "A hotel is a bit more complicated to run than our Villa."
  
He gets control of himself and Unit-01 again to see GaoFighGar fallen.
 
  
"No, wait!"
 
 
Unit-01 dashes a sprint to Guy's position, Shinji trying to keep himself between him and the kaiju, watching as Yuta and Rikka throw everything they have left into protecting everyone -- including Akane, and what she might do to herself otherwise.
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 
+
  <Pose Tracker> Alloy Kaas has posed.
KTS: Shinji Ikari targets Akane Shinjo with Pass!
 
KTS: Renais Cardiff fails to react to Akane Shinjo's AMK-01 Six-Emitter Beam Array Shot, taking 3330 damage!
 
 
  <Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Alouette programmed GaoFighGar to be able to push itself to its very limits, and now.. those limits have been reached, as GaoFighGar is torn apart by the ferocious pressure of Mecha-Ghoulghilas on its last legs. If there was any hope of repairing GaoFighGar before, it would take a miracle now. And more importantly, Guy's status is currently unknown. It would also take a miracle to survive the sheer force of what just hit Guy, Evoluder or no. Just as 3G is known for making comebacks though, they're also known for making miracles. Alouette refuses to acknowledge Guy as "dead".
 
  
Regardless, Alouette can't seem to fire an attack at the disassembling kaiju, only watch in horror as Guy goes crashing down into the streets of Tsutsujidai with GaoFighGar. Instead, the combined efforts of Mamoru and Ikumi, Gridman, and Rikka put an end to Mecha-Ghoulghilas.
+
        The energy has long dispersed, before Alouette can move again. When she does, the bloody and beaten body of her Eva collapses to its knees, and coming to lean on a tangled nest of appendages. She activates the emergency discharge system to allow an egress from the plug.
  
With the kaiju defeated, Alouette puts the Long Dagger at full-thrust to reach Guy, and hopefully help bring him to safety.
+
        Alouette tries to get out, walking a line between stubborn and too tired to care with regard to her injuries. She makes it out and makes her way at best speed to regroup with the others, only getting annoyed whn blood or punctured lung slow her down more than anything else.
  
"Akane.. Chief Guy only wanted you to be happy too. Doing this doesn't really satisfy you, does it.." she thinks to herself.
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 
+
  <Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.
KTS: Alouette Pommier targets Akane Shinjo with Pass!
 
KTS: Renais Cardiff targets Akane Shinjo with Pass!
 
 
  <Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
        As Renais drops back down, she's vulnerable--she doesn't have thrusters or AMBAC to help her control her motion as she falls. So she's entirely open as the Mecha-Ghoulghilas looses one last beam-volley at the Gernsback, megaparticles eroding and peeling away armor, revealing the Arm Slave's vulnerable internals. Renais is left stunned a moment, sweat pouring down her face, her teeth gritted. She can't do anything except watch as GaoFighGar collapses.
+
Nidaime's eyes sparkle.
 
 
        'GaoFighGar....is down...! I have no signal from Chief Guy or any Gao Machine!!'
 
 
 
        "Guy... GUY!" yells Renais, breaking off from the kaiju and running toward the fallen upper half of GaoFighGar. She stares down into the torn-open cockpit. At a motionless Guy. "GGG Order Room, get your recovery team in here NOW!" she barks over the comm. She opens the Arm Slave's cockpit, pushing with both hands when it doesn't open quite fast enough, and leaps out, hitting the ground running.
 
 
 
        It's hot... it's so hot...
 
  
        But she doesn't care. She left her coat behind, but there are more important things to attend to. She pries into the jagged metal with both hands, bending it back away from the cockpit, yelling, "Don't you fucking die, Shishoh. Not here! Not now, not to this! I'm not fucking losing you!" Tears roll down her cheeks, painting faint, salty white lines down her cheeks as they evaporate.
+
"The Mayor of the...Villa...ge."
  
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  <Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
In the end: Guy at-least-allegedly has to care about continuing to have a body and a large metal shell protecting that body from harm, and Mecha-Ghoulghilas has no such limitation. The sacrifice play works in Akane's favor, leaving GaoFighGar a wreck --
+
    'Leina is the ultimate hotel manager!'
  
-- and Akane is ''ecstatic'', or at least looks it. "Yes! Yes! ''Kill him''!" she commands, again. Sure, dragging Tsutsujidai back where it belongs right this second would cause some issues, but... they'd settle in. It's not like they'd have much of a choice. Besides -- there are... advantages, to having the assembled parties here on this side of the world when things go back to normal. (... it's unfair and cruel to be so selfish. To want Hibiki, Rikka, and Utsumi so badly. But...)
+
"I see."
  
------
+
She doesn't.  But sometimes she just says that when she gets the feeling that trying to pursue a certain conversational topic won't lead to anywhere productive.  Instead Ouka raises her hand to the side of her neck to activate her NERV communicator.
  
Mecha-Ghoulghilas roars a triumph -- jawless and twisted and riddled with holes. It can't repeat that performance, but it doesn't ''need'' to -- this is a perfect result. All it needs to do now is pursue the handful of steps it needs, deliver a single stomp, and be sure about it --
+
"Aurum-1 reporting.  Ambush Kaiju codename 'Gonglee' has been intercepted and neutralized.  Currently assessing military casualties. One civilian has been rescued, identified by Second as 'Leina the Ultimate Hotel Manager'.  She appears to be unharmed. Once assessment and rescue and recovery has been completed, I will return to base."
 +
</poem>
  
-- 'BROKEN PHANTOM!'
+
  <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
 
+
<poem>
It only wings what little is left of the head assembly, which really isn't much. But that's all it ''needs'' to do, because it puts the creature off balance and stops its momentum -- which opens up the stage for all the rest.
 
 
 
Rikka's risky play sees her get in ''close'', buying back a little space; the blast of water in perfect time with the blast of light keeps the beast in check, making sure it can't explode ''toward'' GaoFighGar. Evangelion Unit-01 works toward the same end more pointedly, interposing itself between the wounded Guy and the kaiju while Alouette and Renais move to hopefully save the Evoluder from what could well be a truly cruel fate.
 
 
 
A bright light bears down on Mecha-Ghoulghilas, tearing through it. Gridman's light slices through the nearly-headless, bullet-pocked kaiju, carving it top to bottom and then ''engulfing'' it altogether. By the time the light and the dust clears, Mecha-Ghoulghilas is simply ''gone'' -- the city is saved yet again... though Akane seems to have gotten alarmingly close to what she really wanted.
 
 
 
------
 
 
 
The kaiju Akane deployed have all been destroyed; she handed the initiative to the Gridman Alliance and their allies in NERV and the Shuffle Alliance, and they made perfect use of it. There are indeed some damaged buildings and upended cars, but if anything, this is an all-time low for damage to the surroundings from kaiju attacks, albeit at a distressing personal cost. Even this marked uptick in viciousness hasn't done too much for her. ... it came ''closer'', but close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and...
 
 
 
... well, that's much to the purpose.
 
  
She can take the initiative too, of course -- and soon, she'll have to.
+
Leina arches one eyebrow, then actually clears her throat, and cants her head to the side to try to meet Ouka's eyes, "It's Ashta actually.  Leina Ashta.  I'm here on behalf of the Yumi Foundation, as a volunteer."
  
"I think we got a ''lot'' of good information out of that," Akane says, playing the smug femme-fatale doctor role she's cast herself in. "And we probably won't see GaoFighGar again any time soon, either. I think we can safely say that if we give them a little more to defend and a little less lead time..."
+
All of that is technically true, though it perhaps, vastly undersells her ties to the Yumi foundation.
  
She stretches out her arms, moving to get her fool self back off the roof and into her room. "I think I can pull this off soon... but I'm gonna have to make it just a liiiiiiiittle more exciting~."
+
"Nidaime's just a goof sometimes."
  
---------
 
 
Ramo Marusa peeks her head out of the building experimentally. ... the city seems pretty quiet... they might actually just be able to ''go back to school'' after this one. "... not even half an hour...?" she asks, almost mystified. "Talk about rapid reaction... some ''fire alarm pranks'' last longer."
 
 
She's careful enough not to ''instantly'' get everyone going back, but... they've got a lot of festival to have, still...
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
 
+
  <Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
  <Pose Tracker> GaoGaiGo Team has posed.
 
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
GaoGaiGo is busted. It's out of juice. Yet despite that, Mamoru ejects, leaving Ikumi alone as it separates back into GaoGo. Ikumi is okay with this, needing to do comms for the team and make sure they don't get carjacked, but he's worried about his clone-brother. Mamoru...
+
    "I see.
  
Rushes to Renais' side, using his telekinesis to support. "GUY! We're here! You did great! Come on...!"
+
Ouka speaks over the radio again: "Addendum, Leina Ashta, Volunteer Ultimate Hotel Manager of the Yumi Foundation, has been rescued and appears to be in good health."   Sometimes it's best to quit while you're ahead.
</poem>
 
 
 
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
 
<poem>
 
Gridman lands, the golden glow fading away. "Thank you, everyone... This battle is over." He says, quietly. It's hardly the time for celebrations, with Guy's status unknown. Gridman and his companions vanish into light.
 
 
 
Suddenly, the Synchrotank is terribly crowded as five people come beaming out of Junk. "Thanks, guys." Yuta says, exhaustedly. "That was intense. And thank you too, Rikka. Do you know if Guy is--"
 
 
 
Yuta can't bring himself to finish his sentence. Should they go over and try to help..? Rikka does have her first aid kit, but would it be any help, after a beating like that?
 
  
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  <Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
+
  <Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
Rikka is a little surprised that her play actually ''worked'', even if Synchrotank got pretty bashed up because of it. Mecha-Ghoulghilas is waterlogged and kept in place... and then, Gridman finishes it off. The kaiju vanishes and Rikka grabs the controls again, hurrying over to where Guy's machine fell.
+
"I can't see much of anything unless the head's pointed that way." Because Riika's GINN is shut down.
  
"Good work out there, Hibiki... are you alright?" Rikka asks - assuming he's returned by that point. It's clear that she's still a little unnerved... they can't really celebrate just yet, after all. She's quiet, as Yuta asks his question, and then shakes her head. "...I don't know. But..."
+
Riika does need a pickup from ZAFT agents, but they aren't exactly waiting for her just outside the colony; this is technically not a ZAFT operation, she's just been assigned to keep an eye on Tsutsujidai and sometimes that means bringing her MS inside.
  
But - it's worth trying. She comes to a stop next to Guy's machine, quickly picking up her first aid kit and practically flying out of her machine.
+
"All right," she agrees. "I'd like that - we'll need to get a shuttle in here and I wouldn't ask for that during an operation." And she's not sure if the other one is still going on, or if there's a &#42;third&#42; attack she doesn't know about - she'll have to get some information beforehand.
  
"H-how is he? Is he okay?" Rikka asks Mamoru, Ikumi, and Renais. "Is there anything I can do to help...?"
+
"But everybody... good work today. And thanks."
 
 
If it's in her power at all, with what skill and tools she has, she's not going to let him die after how much he's put on the line for the people she cares about.
 
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  
  <Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.
+
KTS: Alloy Kaas's Evangelion Unit-Null-Sigma has left
 +
Alloy Kaas teleports out.
 +
 +
  <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
"W, we're on our way!" Hana yelps, startled out of her existing startlement by Renais' severity. "We're coming in to the ship airlock now!"
 
  
"Ushiyama!" Akamatsu thunders. "Make sure Maintenance is ready to receive GaoFighGar immediately! Priority one!"
+
Leina Ashta promptly facepalms at Ouka's addendum.
  
"Already issued the order!" Sueo calls. "Hatsuno, are these figures right!? Stealth Gao III, no data! GaoFar, no data!?"
+
Then smiles at her patiently, though a sigh leaves her lips, as she looks Nidaime's way - and says, with light exasperation in a tone of 'what am I going to do with you', "Look what you just did, putting that idea in her head."
  
"Th, they are! I've been able to reboot Drill Gao II to emergency mode but it can't do anything but answer, there's no signal from the Fusion driver! Liner Gao II, I think the communicator link got hit, I'm getting warnings from it intermittently!"
+
It really does sound like the way a big sister might talk to a younger one.
  
"Signal LinerGao to emergency Fusion Out immediately!" Usshiyama calls. "If we can force a Fusion Out into GaoFar we can save a step!"
+
Leina does however note 'Aurum-1' as something she needs to look up later...  given...  well...  she just immediately gets this vibe from her.
  
"R, right!! LinerGao II, emergency Fusion Out order sent!" Hana says, tapping keys rapidly on her console.
+
"Anyhow, thanks again for protecting me." She says to Ouka.
  
Several seconds later there's a LOUD ''KACHUNK'' deep inside GaoFighGar, and the two halves of LinerGao II suddenly ignite their thrusters, an ugly emergency Fusion Out that sends both halves rocketing off down the streets...but leaving GaoFighGar limbless.
+
Before again turning to Riika, and smiling as she listens to her accept the offer, "Alright. You sit tight. I've got a rental car parked a few blocks away. Given that I don't hear that Kaiju roaring in the distance - feels like it's safe to drive now."
  
The shock of the noise makes Guy groan, a startled gurgle in his throat as he half comes-to. "Gggh..." Hazily-conscious eyes peer at Renais, and then snap open, startled to realize he's looking at her with his own eyes, not GaoFighGar's.  "R, Renais, I'm....AGH!"
+
She's not about to ask someone whose mobile suit got THAT wrecked to walk with her to retrieve it.
  
The pain catches up to him; he is Fused, after all.
+
</poem>
 
+
KTS: Garrod Ran's GX-9900 Gundam X has left
The cockpit of GaoFighGar isn't like any cockpit a normal person would call one - it's more like just a dark chamber the size of a walk-in closet, now-severed wires crawling along the walls, with cylinders about the size of trash cans thrusting up, which Guy has his arms and legs plugged in to. Guy seizes and grits his teeth, but with no arms connected and GaoFighGar's legs severed, nothing happens. "Nnnnggh...Fusion....Out...!!" he growls, struggling to say the words through pain.
+
Garrod Ran teleports out.
 
+
The remainder of StealthGao jettisons off; mostly that means the broken-helmet pops off and flies down the street, and the broken plane parts disengage from the guiderails that are also GaoFar's arms. Those, in turn, struggle to shift GaoFar's remaining mass upward enough to reattach. The mechanical face's mouth opens at the same time Guy's does, sucking in a deep, painful breath, and tries to give her a faint ghost of a smile. "Don't worry, I'm..." he starts to say, "fi..."
+
<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.
 
+
<poem>
The world grows dark mid-sentence, and he and GaoFar both slump, unconscious.
+
    Ouka is trying her best... but interaction between normal people or even 'normal' people is often very confusing to her. After all she had never had a normal life... at least not one that she can remember. So when Leina chides Nidaime for putting 'that idea in her head', Ouka can only stare blankly at the two of them. Did she still get it wrong?  I mean... true, on analysis the string of words she uttered into the radio did sound ridiculous. However she lacks the experience or context to pick apart which ''part'' is ridiculous.
 
 
"Chief Guy is alive, but he's fallen back unconscious!" Hana calls over the radio. "Fusion Out to GaoFar is complete!"
 
 
 
Rarely-heard Engineering and Maintanence Operator Sueo Ushiyama comes on the line, adding, "Please don't move him, it's dangerous to just disconnect him without completing the Fusion Out! We're on our way!"
 
  
And at their chairs at the pinnacle of the room, the top three of GGG Blue share worried glances. "She even got GaoFighGar," Supervisor Yang Long-Li murmurs. "We may have been taking Akane Shinjo's threat too lightly."
+
    ... though there is one thing she does understand, and that's the warm interaction between that of an older sibling to one who is younger.  And it is with regard to that realization Ouka does finally smile. She's still not sure if the 'Ultimate Hotel Manager' is some sort of kaiju or not... but she is certain of one thing:
  
Advisor Urchin Prickle bites out a curse. "We're back down to one King of Braves, right when the Ruin Apostles are picking up their slack. This is bad..."
+
    These two are sisters, as genuinely as Seolla and herself.
  
Chief Shigeru Akamatsu says nothing, other than to stare at the monitor of Guy Shishioh's unconscious body, with eyes that could all but bore through stone.
+
    "Of course." Is Ouka's response to Leina's gratitude.  Polite, but meant to affirm the fact that she was simply doing her duty.  Afterwards she says no more to the group as they work on readying themselves for departure.  Instead she turns her gaze back to her unit.  She raises her wrist, and a small holographic display pops up showing her the current results of the scans of the area.  Looks like nothing too concerning, thankfully, and she directs her valkyrie to upload the data to local authorities for processing.  Afterwards she'll leap back up into the cockpit of her unit, and takes off to return home.
  
 +
    Perhaps... they'll let her see Seolla today, and she'll be able to give her a hug.
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
 
<poem>
 
Yuta runs after Rikka, coming to a stop just behind her at the destroyed machine. "We're here to help, if there's anything... There's a hospital in the city, if he needs one."
 
 
Feeling helpless, Yuta makes sure he and Rikka are out of the way of the flying machinery. He looks a little horrified at the inside of Guy's cockpit. "Is it... supposed to be like that? Is it hurting him?" Yuta asks, anxiously.
 
 
"I'm sorry, everyone. He's only in this state because of our fight." Yuta bows apologetically. "We couldn't have won without him, and we'll do anything we can to help him recover."
 
 
[[Category:Logs]]
 
[[Category:Logs]]
 
[[Category:Phase 1]]
 
[[Category:Phase 1]]
 
[[Category:Phase 1, Turn 2]]
 
[[Category:Phase 1, Turn 2]]
[[Category:A Dream Is Something You Wake Up From]]
+
[[Category:A Dream is Something You Wake Up From]]

Latest revision as of 04:03, 21 September 2022


</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

Sunday afternoon, Tsutsujidai.

Across town, the GUTS festival is in full swing. Normally, school wouldn't be open -- but the Deculture Festival has kind of turned everything sideways a bit. Everyone is playing it by ear, and if that means having an event on a sleepy, comfy vacation Sunday, well: they're not gonna say no.

The sky is a comfy blue -- and the cloud cover as you ascend masks whatever else the universe might have to say about what Tsutsujidai is and how it works. For the moment: it's just a PLANT... and more importantly, its students get to just be kids.

There's been a real zest for the Deculture Festival among the students, too -- it's led to all kinds of talk among the student body about resurrecting a lot of previously cancelled events and programs.

And Akane Shinjo has promised to attack it.

Because they knew it was coming, the Gridman Alliance and their allies took the initiative. Deploying Gridman early triggered an evacuation, causing Akane to jump her own schedule and send out a kaiju. Ghoulghilas, but not as the others remember it, not quite - and herself, to speak where it cannot. Things are, at least in general outline, proceeding as the alliance had planned it. So far.

But that's there. Here things are a little different.

It started with a suspicious mist. Mist in and of itself isn't dangerous, but the weather and timing makes it suspicious - unusual events in Tsutsujidai are often dangerous events, as the place is so still and unchanging the rest of the time. And then the mist increased to the point nobody could see in, and that's when it went from 'suspicious' to 'a threat'. A second attack, at the same time as the first - but without her presence, and without Gridman to defend against it.

Things when hot when a building shattered, destroyed out of the mist by something unseen. If the mist wasn't attention-getting enough, *that* certainly was. With the incipient battle at the high school, Gridman is occupied.

The center of the fog is in a commercial area. A street of stores ranging from clothes stores to restaurants, ending at a parking lot outside a supermarket. Nothing is visible in the mist beyond very short distances, but every once in a while, there are sounds - crashes, shattering glass, breaking concrete and pavement. A little later, gunfire.

And then as others arrive, something comes flying out of the mist - a damaged GINN, thrown out violently by something inside. One of its legs has twisted all out of line, and one of its arms is half-ripped off, the MMI-M8A3 heavy machine gun favoured by ZAFT forces falling from its damaged arm as it lands on the street, skidding back and sending it clattering away.

"There's something in there!" the pilot, Riika Sheder, broadcasts on tinny loudspeaker. "I only went in to scout, and it didn't even show up on sensors." Her GINN starts to rise, but falls again because of the damaged leg - none of the joints or hydraulics are working well enough for her to operate. Instead it scrambles backwards on its functioning arm, grabbing the machine gun from where it fell.

She's not going to be much direct help fighting it, and she knows it, and she hates it, but: "It can't hide from everyone, can it...? I'll see if I can get some more powerful sensors online or figure out some way to locate it." The GINN scrambles back further, hopefully out of the line of fire. It's certainly out of the fog.

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

    Memories are a fragile thing.

    We like to believe ourselves contiguous beings, that even through sleep or drugged stupor when we awaken we once again are ourselves. What, though, would you say to a girl who upon waking finds her mind and memories reshaped anew? Told not that the GEIM System had induced a brief psychotic episode... but instead that some unknown alien entity had attacked her, caused the GEIM System to malfunction, and may have in fact been some secret weapon employed by the dastardly Celestial Being. What if the manipulations went deeper than that... what if, in fact, entire people could be erased from one's conscious recovery?

    Upon waking though, The First Boosted Child was as certain of her memory (as edited by Aguilla) as she was of the general shape and dimension of her physical form. She had been attacked, and due to said attack she was put under observation to ensure there was no lasting corruption or damage. She has come to understand that the GEIM System development and Boosted Child program itself has been put on a brief hiatus for administrative review. This was fine, within expectations even given the possibility perhaps that Celestial Being was trying to find a way to utilize a vulnerability in her conditioning and turn her against her fellows. Certainly Colonel Kushrenada's insistence for an audit was based on that concern and not any other sort of concern with her or the program which she is a part of...

    ... so for present, Ouka and Seolla are largely serving only in their role as NERV auxiliaries. In fact, even more than that, they are serving in their role as students on Summer break. Ouka isn't able to participate in as many festivities as the other students due to her ongoing observation. However she has recently been given the green light to return to normal activities.

    And not a moment too soon.

    When the alert comes through the NERV channels on her communicator, she quickly moves to scramble. Donning the flight suit and pressurized helmet for piloting the Nightmare Plus, she boards one of the craft. <2nd Lieutenant Aurum-1 reporting. Received an emergency priority signal within the plant hosting the Tsutsujidai GUTS festival. Requesting emergency deployment authorization to respond.>

    ... Several Minutes Later...

    A VF-171 Nightmare Plus utilizing NERV IFF signatures arrives within the the walled garden now housing Tsutsujidai in 'real' space. For now she flies overhead observing the fog obscuring the commercial area. The fog seems to confound both her eyes and her unit's sensors. She decides to come in closer before shifting her unit into its Battleroid format and landing hard, sparks flying behind it as it grinds to a stop.

    'There's something in there!'

    Ouka's ears pick up the voice from the tinny loudspeaker. Her machine raises its gunpod in preparation. Over the loudspeaker, she speaks up, "Are you with local defense forces? NERV Auxiliary, 2nd Lieutenant Aurum-1. I have come responding to a distress signal. Do you have a visual? Please provide targeting and location data."

KTS: Ouka Nagisa has deployed in VF-171 Nightmare Plus <Battroid Mode>.
<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime's plan was to defend the GUTS festival but she does have a keen set of nostrils and that, combined with reasonable faith in Gridman, means that she has reason to be across town as she sniffs out another kaiju. Daddy sniffs it out too.

Thoomp thoomp thoomp. Heavy kaiju footsteps are approaching Riika and her shattered mech through the fog. Thoomp thoomp thoomp.

And then a turtle head pokes its head out through the fog and the eyes slant down towards Riika.

"GRONK!!!!" Anosillus the First roars in challenge. Probably not challenging Riika, but it is a bit hard to read.

On Anosillus's back is...!

Nidaime! She is eating some snacks from the festival still since she came here in a hurry. She hopes Leina is ok since she had to leave in a hurry.

THEN AGAIN--MAYBE LEINA...IS HERE!!!

Anosillus rears back with his head and lets out a roar, wholly intent on dissoluting the mist in front of him. The power of 'song' resists the fog of Tsutsujidai even if, in this particular case, it's Turtle Song rather than a bop you can get butt fever from.

"Hi Riika...!" Nidaime says, looking around for...someone?!?

KTS: Nidaime has deployed in Anosillus the First.

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.

By all rights, Garrod Ran really *should* be in school himself. He's of an age for it, and he knows there are things he could probably stand to learn better than he already knows - sure, he's literate enough to get by and he can do a reasonable amount of math, but there's a lot he doesn't know, too. Mostly he doesn't see why he should sit in a classroom with other kids when there are more important things to do.

But given a chance to mingle at one school festival or another? Sure, why not, he can blend in decently for a little while. Just don't try to drag him into much of a conversation; he's lousy at socializing. And besides, he has more important things to do - both generally speaking and, in this case, specific tasks that he's committed to. So he can't spend too much time taking in the sights, the attractions, or the food stalls. Long-honed paranoia has him staying relatively close to where the GX-9900 has been stashed, and when the fog starts getting seriously thick, getting back to the cockpit starts feeling like a really, really good idea to the green-haired teenager.

As Garrod slaps the G-Controller into its interface socket and powers up his Gundam, he also finds himself remembering the last time he was in Tsutsujidai *without* his mobile suit. Hopefully this is going to be a little less creepy - but even if the biggest gun is the worst option for this fight, at least he actually has the Gundam X for this fight. "All right, where are you hiding ... ?" he mutters as the GX's sensors come up; radar isn't revealing anything yet, and while he thinks sonar might do some good, the GX doesn't even have that.

Rin Starking teleports in.

<Pose Tracker> Alloy Kaas has posed.


        Only moments had passed, since the rocking of buildings as the shuddered under concealed forces that demolished them began. However certain individuals in the area had been on alert status, a declaration of war had been made after all.

        Alloy was one of these individuals, and the sequence to sync with her Evandelion unit was begun from the first alarm. Alloy settles into the seat in her plug, tensing around the hand controls, and responding to the checklist. At the same time the interior floods with images and a kaleidoscope of colors and rainbows.

        The sync completes and Alloy is in full control of her unit. Her final thought before first ste is, I hope the controls are calibrated. The muscular organic fibers of the Evangelions bodies, can outperform the mobile suits in raw kinetic terms, which translates to, more difficult to control in low-g environments.

        A message comes in from Riika, and then from Aurum-1. A quick movement of fingers along the control sticks inner keys, and Alloy is able to bring up the tactical information for the area reported.

        "Evangelion Unit Null-Sigma, Responding to report."

        As Alloy tries to manage her movement in the specialized environment, the feeling nags at her, She has forgotten, something. The same feeling since she woke up on the Nadesico. They said everything scans as normal... Alloy shakes her head, "Focus" she thinks to herself. She arrives to find Riika and, Nidaime?

        "Are you both alright?!"

        As with her launch, Alloy's voice is pretty flat and clinical. Not new, but, a recent redevelopment.

        Alloy tries to make sure Riika is safe, and protected from where she is, shielding the wreckage and Riika hersef.

KTS: Alloy Kaas has deployed in Evangelion Unit-Null-Sigma.
Lina Lombardi teleports in.
POT: Lina Lombardi is now set observer.
KTS: Garrod Ran has deployed in GX-9900 Gundam X.
<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

For most, arriving into Tsutsujidai was not much of a hassle. Everyone was on the same page with the Gridman Alliance and Logistics was simple enough to bring in their machines to the designated locations.

Though. . .When you're pretending to be a NERV agent, and you really aren't, how does one go about such a thing? The answer was, you had to be very good at convincing people you are who you say you are. . .And make sure no one's looking under the hood.

For Oz, that involves a bit of internal assistance from Alouette. Making sure that she was able to assure that no one is investigating into any additional support units for inspections or otherwise. Ultimately though, being able to take his unit of choice with his KMF would provide dividends. At least that's what he believed in the days prior when they first arrived.

Cutting back to the day of the festival, the plan was in action and as it was. . .Tetsuya was discontent.

"Tch. . "

The point of arriving here was to get in contact with Akane Shinjo herself. . .If Alouette and I are on this side. . . There'd be no way for them to investigate further into that. But the die was cast and so. . .

A KMF arrived as soon as the alert came out, a unit veiled up for the most part in cloth which was rather unusual for Knightmare Frames, or any sort of machine to have. Though as it was, it was what appeared to be a stylistic approach perhaps?

<Support Unit, responding. I'll try to do some scanning of the mist as well, try to keep within minimal range of one another for immediate response should-->

And it already seemed things were going to begin. The KMF was already starting to traverse the building as it attempted to get to the highest point it could, before attempting to get a sniper's view of the area and a wider field of vision of all the others present. It had already been clear Riika had been caught off guard by whatever attacked them, though the next person it attacked, this thing would find it'd be quickly catching return fire. . .

Come on out and let me sink my fangs into you. . .

KTS: Orpheus Zevon has deployed in Type-01/C Byakuen.
<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

"No, I *don't* have a visual," Riika responds to Ouka. She recognizes Ouka's voice, remembering her from the meeting, and she's not real happy about dealing with a G-Hound member, hunting hounds of the Federation. But if she's broadcasting NERV... "I'm Riika, remember? But I didn't see it, just its tendrils. It grabs." That explains the state of the GINN's leg and arm. "It's way bigger than it should be, for something hiding in fog... you should be able to see it over the buildings. - Nidaime? Why do you have - no, never mind! I'll pull back, I won't be much use in this damaged machine. At least a little." That as much to reassure Alloy as anything else.

The fog is thick, and the bank is increasingly huge. It feels like the whole area around here is being covered - smothered, really - in fog, clouds of misty grey that obscure everything.

And indeed the fog is spreading. As more units appear, the fog spreads to cover them, expanding outwards and upwards. It's like standing inside a cloud, everything outside one's unit little more than silhouettes -

Until Anosillus roars.

The clouds disperse, a little. It's not clear, precisely, but it's at least possible to see each other - and the silhouette of something enormously tall, probably seventy meters or so, walking on two broad legs, spiky all over. Its enormous row of teeth, set very low on its body, gap open in a just-visible grin.

From the nodes on its sides emit a trio of yellow-glowing whip-like tentacles which snap out. One lashes at Anosillus to try to squeeze his mouth shut, preventing a second roar; a second at Alloy's Evangelion, a large threatening object standing between it and what it was trying to kill a few moments ago; a third, at Orpheus in a great sweep

For the rest, there is only the fog, which is threatening to thicken around them again.

KTS: Riika Sheder has deployed in Gonglee (Revival).
KTS: Riika Sheder has changed loadout.
KTS: Riika_Sheder has deployed as a Boss for 5 opponents.
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Nidaime with Tentacle Strangle!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Alloy Kaas with Tentacle Strike!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Orpheus Zevon with Tentacle Slap!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Garrod Ran with Jam!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Ouka Nagisa with Jam!
KTS: Riika Sheder jams Ouka Nagisa's sensors, reducing her accuracy.
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
KTS: Alloy Kaas has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Orpheus Zevon successfully evades Riika Sheder's Tentacle Slap
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


Leina's running full sprint across the Commercial District, the sounds of Mecha Ghoulgilas still within her ears.

With the campus evacuated, she had every intention of getting to someplace safe as soon as possible, and in the rush she'd been separated too far from Ramos and Ako - but she's not especially worried. Ramos will take care of it, she had full faith in her.

One of those safer office buildings with a good basement just happened to be in the commercial district, and this was where she was heading.

It's only when she starts having a bad feelings that she found herself surrounded in Mist. The sudden sounds of crashing and breaking weren't helping, as Leina found herself yelping and getting down low, crawling beneath a bench as she gets her cell phone out, trying to work it to figure out where she is. "Come on... c-come on..."

Unfortunately, here in Tsutsujidai, she had no backup, no way to contact the outside world. She couldn't even call for Judau or Sayla across the psychic layer of existence if she tried.

And that's when a GINN crashes nearby not too far away, and she shrieks, as she huddles down. Her cell phone is useless... except, she realizes, not quite.

As there's someone she could contact after all. She turns the volume down, and puts on Sheryl Nome's Lion, at the lowest possible, and hums along, speaking the lyrics subvocally at a sotto voce. "I want to survive... I want to live..."

And just hopes, that somewhere out there, a little Kaiju is listening. Because otherwise, in this thick mist? She truly is alone.

A very familiar 'GRONK' floods her with relief, as now she has a presence to latch onto as she starts to run out of cover and calls out in that direction, "Nidaime! Anosillus! Help!"

The music softly plays, so she just hopes that between that and her calling out, it's enough for them to find her, and she them...

...before whatever is in the mist finds her. Because as it parts a little, and she catches the silhouette out of her periphery, she pushes herself to run even faster.

KTS: Leina Ashta has deployed as a Sub Pilot for Nidaime!
KTS: Riika Sheder jams Garrod Ran's sensors, reducing his accuracy.
KTS: Riika Sheder anchors Nidaime, forcing her into close range.
KTS: Nidaime fails to parry Riika Sheder's Tentacle Strangle, taking 3840 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Nidaime!
KTS: Alloy Kaas blocks Riika Sheder's Tentacle Strike, taking 2460 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Alloy Kaas!

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.

"Great," mutters Garrod as he catches a working glimpse of the kaiju's outline. It's ugly enough in silhouette, but he does still catch sight of the teeth at the bottom and the tentacles along its upper sides; And while the familiar basso of Anosillus's roar does thin the mist out, the fog thickens again too quickly to really capitalize on it.

With severe misgivings, Garrod shifts his Gundam into motion, readying the shield buster rifle. He'd much prefer to hang back - hopefully out of tentacle range - and plink away at the monster, but it's already clear, even if this isn't the kaiju that's going to attack the *other* school festival, that his allies-of-the-moment need help. Especially the turtle, who's shown up often enough against other kaiju for Garrod to consider Anosillus a steadfast ally. The little(?) girl who rides around on the turtle's shell so often, too, for that matter.

Rather than unleashing a full bombardment, Garrod conserves his firepower, just taking a shot when he's *pretty* sure it's going to hit the right target. He's being almost unusually cautious and cagey this time out - maybe he's thinking more about the risks of collateral damage, or something.

It couldn't just be perfectly normal and predictable terror. Right?

KTS: Garrod Ran targets Riika Sheder with Buster Rifle - Snipe!
KTS: Riika Sheder charges into the attack!
KTS: Riika Sheder partially guards Garrod Ran's Buster Rifle - Snipe, taking 3444 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime is confused, "Hm? Oh I rushed over here." She bobs her head. "Okay, okay! The important thing is that you are okay!"

The fog is spreading, even through Anosillus's roar. "Ah...!" Nidaime says. "It's because there's a kaiju that's the source!" She thinks for a moment. "Perhaps... Akane sent this out to obscure what's going on from the rest of the world?" It feels a little LATE for that but old habits do die hard. "Did you see it?"

Leina calls out for help. Nidaime and Anosillus are both distracted and in that moment... TENTACLES!

"Ah...! Alouette?" Nidaime asks as Anosillus's mouth is CLAMPED SHUT. It tries to roar again and it comes out like

"MRGHHKKK."

"Gosh...it's a smart one..." But she slides down the back of Anosillus, and looks to Leina! "Ahh! Leina!! What are you doing here? Ahh!! Please be careful!!" Nidaime pauses and adds, "I have an idea...! You can ride with me! Or--we can try and keep us interposed between you and the kaiju?"

Anosillus wiggles his head rapidly.before pulling into his shell, trying to drag the tentacle with it and spin around rapidly in shell form.

""I'm okay Alouette!" Nidaime doesn't know the nickname yet!! "Um please be careful, my sister's here!!"

KTS: Nidaime has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Alloy Kaas
KTS: Nidaime: Will Barrier Activates.
KTS: Nidaime targets Riika Sheder with Shell Shock!

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

As the fog continues to wash over the area, concealment becomes less of an issue for the Byakuen. For Oz this was almost a blessing in disguise.

Seems like this worked out better than I thought. Still. . .

The fog was already getting dense, and he wasn't even in the thickest part of it. If it continued like this more than certain they'd become consumed in this all encompassing fog. And if that was the case. . .They'd surely become easy pickings for this thing.

Though just as the fog comes, it disperses with a roar and the vaguest showing of its silhouette appears and well. . .

<Target confirmed. . .Preparing support fir-->

Before Oz can continue, he finds that one of those whips has spotted him on the building tops. Thankfully, the Byakuen was a considerably smaller target than most other units that were about. Its mobility quickly on display, even if its exterior armor wasn't with the cloak around it kept it somewhat concealed. Using the KMF's Slash Harken it was quick to traverse off the building top and escape to the next. Its arm folded back to expose what appeared like a cannon as he locked on to the Kaiju.

"Let's see how durable these tentacles are to retaliation. . ." Several explosive cartridges were loaded in, and without any warning to allies he fires its shots at the Gonglee where the tentacles appeared to appear from. With how the fog was forming, the window of opportunity to get an effective hit in was going to be vital for certain.

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

    'I'm Riika, remember?'

    Ouka does remember Riika - she was there at the meeting hosted by the Gridman Alliance and NERV to discuss the change of situation with Tsutsujidai, and specifically to discuss the 'God' Shinjo and the mysterious 'Devil'. She recalls her being assigned to the 'Shinjo' column, those who agreed to pursue Akane and see if they could reach her with an outstretched hand instead of a clenched. Based on the current situation... the yielded fruit is bitter indeed.

    "Affirmative." Is the Boosted Child's short response. She wants to explain further... how the loudspeaker altered the timbre of her voice and, in fact, she did not recognize her at first. However given the situation she is relying on all her senses to try and detect the mysterious assailant in the fog. Then there it is - an enormous silhouette, a mouth full of too-shiny teeth, and then an array of whip-like tentacles lashing out at several of those gathered to oppose it.

    Meanwhile within the Nightmare Plus's cockpit, Ouka narrows her eyes. "Unable to get a clear target resolution..." The unit lowers its gunpod. At about that moment she notices a smaller figure, Leina, sprinting out of the mist and in a full sprint towards Anosillus. She just barely picks up her voice crying for help from Nidaime and Anosillus.

    "Civilian in the combat zone!" Ouka's voice is heard over the loudspeaker, and her Battroid sprints on a perpendicular course to attempt to arrive between the kaiju and the fleeing Leina. Unable to risk firing her gun or missiles while unable to achieve a clear target resolution, she instead focuses focuses her pinpoint barrier to create an energy field around her machine's right arm. The Nightmare Plus forms that hand into a flat, knife-shape before attempting to drive it directly into the tentacle grasping the large turtle kaiju: Hoping to simultaneously free Nidaime and her father, while also presenting herself as a target instead of Leina.

KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Ouka Nagisa targets Riika Sheder with Pinpoint Barrier Melee Piercing Strike!
KTS: Orpheus Zevon targets Riika Sheder with Precision Shot: 70mm Liquid Sakuradite Explosive Cartridge!
KTS: Riika Sheder parries Ouka Nagisa's Pinpoint Barrier Melee Piercing Strike, taking 1290 damage!
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has engaged Riika Sheder!
KTS: Orpheus Zevon rattles Riika Sheder, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to react to Orpheus Zevon's Precision Shot: 70mm Liquid Sakuradite Explosive Cartridge, taking
5640 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Disabling Strike activates, causing Jam L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Precision Attacker activates, causing Nullify!
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to react to Nidaime's Shell Shock, taking 4620 damage!
KTS: Nidaime has engaged Riika Sheder!
KTS: Alloy Kaas: Will Barrier Activates.
KTS: Alloy Kaas targets Riika Sheder with Bloodboiling Pressure!
<Pose Tracker> Alloy Kaas has posed.


        It catches her a bit by surprise, Nidaime calling out caution because her sister was in the area. But Alouette "Alloy" won't linger on it.

        "Understood. New variables have been updated. Downed Pilot has made Egress. Beginning Attack."

        The same flatness remains in her voice, and her comms are kept short, clinically concise.

        Alouette, Alloy, makes an adiitional check for the Low-G adjustsments, and begins a charge to engage the Kaiju.

        Elsewhere and her extra limb are a great advantage. But moving in low-G and they are a huge strain on her nueral load as they complicate the self balancing ability of the brain.

        "Null Sigma Engaging."

        Evangelion Unit Null-Sigma in it's deep ocean blue and bright orange, has no need to engage octo-camo in this mess of smog. It's height being a match for the Kaiju, is one boon to be sure. Afterall, having a target to fix on, sure makes it easier to land attacks.

        Alouette doesn't get to set the stage, the Kaiju finds her first with one of it's one tentacles striking out like a spear. It cuts between the left arm and the chest, dragging along the armor. It crushes, more than it cuts, and would break a rib if the EVangelions weren't the monsterous creatures they are. It's enough to knock Alloy off balance too and she crushes an arm through a building trying to catch herself.

        "Tango Team and all units engaging within the city, I am broadcasting my targeting data within local area. It should help you track and target the enemy."

        Alloy cuts the comms as she tucks a shoulder, before bringing a left hook that follows with three fists, turns and brings three more elbows and three backfists, the sharp interlinks of the tentacles raking against the monster.

KTS: Riika Sheder fails to Parry Alloy Kaas's Bloodboiling Pressure, taking 4650 damage!
KTS: Alloy Kaas has engaged Riika Sheder!
KTS: Alloy Kaas: Will Barrier Activates.
KTS: Alloy Kaas begins a Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

Riika doesn't quite run, but she does pull her GINN back... a little bit. Enough to get out of the worst of the fog; not further, because she's not willing to get out with that *thing* around, but she probably won't be a primary target.

She hopes. She has an idea and she can't do it from there.

As for Gonglee...

This isn't the first time Gonglee has appeared. Nor the second. The second was when it tried to kill Shiro Kabuto; the first is when it attacked Sheryl Nome's concert. Both times it was a vicious fighter, and this time appears to be no different.

Once it's grabbed Anosillus, it yanks, trying to pull him off-balance. This works a little bit - briefly - until Anosillus retracts head and limbs, and Gonglee has to let go immediately; instead it tries to slap the spinning Anosillus away from it and fails, pulled forward with enough force to stagger before it lets go. Apparently frustrated, it strikes wildly with the tentacle, slapping Anosillus downward.

It's the same tentacle that Ouka attacks. Flailing as it is, it does not make a great target; it slaps the fist, and where it failed to catch Anosillus it does manage it on the much smaller Battroid. Given the size of the tentacle it had to use to try to hold Anosillus, it threatens to bowl over the Valkyrie more than just deflect it.

Mercifully, it does not seem to see Leina, or if it does, it seems to be too busy to care about her.

Garrod has a relatively clear shot, and takes it. The beam connects, drilling into the side of Gonglee as it lashes back in the same direction. Either by chance or intention, it connects with a vehicle first, and so Garrod has two things coming at him: a small van and Gonglee's yellow-shining tentacle.

Orpheus sees one too - a clear shot straight at the kaiju's main body. The explosive cartridge hits it in the 'face', just above the toothy mouth, and that gets a full-on roar in pain and frustration. The tentacle that just swept past Ouka comes at him, lashing him - unless he gets out of the way - directly at a tall building, hard enough that being embedded in it is a risk.

It is momentarily distracted when Alloy comes in - and has most of its tentacles busy, which is just as relevant. It tries to lash out at her, but she charges in recklessly, pummeling it with her strange Evangelion. If it was rocked back a little before, it's more intense now, 'staggering' backwards as much as anything with its body plan can. Its response is to try to crush her right back, lurching into Null-Sigma in a body blow before wrapping with multiple tentacles, crushing before it tries to fling the Evangelion away from itself.

KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Garrod Ran with Collateral Damage Topple Strike!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Ouka Nagisa with Tentacle Shove!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Nidaime with Tentacle Slap!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Orpheus Zevon with Tentacle Beatdown!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Alloy Kaas with Tentacle Crush!
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
KTS: Ouka Nagisa rushes into the attack!
KTS: Ouka Nagisa partially guards Riika Sheder's Tentacle Shove, taking 4200 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder repulses Ouka Nagisa, forcing her to disengage.
KTS: Alloy Kaas fails to react to Riika Sheder's Tentacle Crush, taking 5500 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Alloy Kaas!
KTS: Orpheus Zevon successfully evades Riika Sheder's Tentacle Beatdown
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Nidaime
KTS: Riika Sheder rattles Garrod Ran, making his next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Garrod Ran partially guards Riika Sheder's Collateral Damage Topple Strike, taking 5640 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Garrod Ran!
KTS: Nidaime's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Nidaime blocks Riika Sheder's Tentacle Slap, taking 1950 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Nidaime!

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

    Fortunately, Ouka does manage to hit the tentacle. Unfortunately... it is at best a glancing blow and it quickly results in the much larger tentacle sweeping back at her to knock her backwards. The sheer force of the impact and resulting inertia is enough to send her unit rolling out of melee engagement range! But rather than attempting to simply recover from the intertia and g-forces acting upon her, the Boosted Child fires her vernier thrusters to counter-act and over come them.

    The end result is unpleasant. The sudden change in acceleration and direction causes the blood pressure to dip as she begins to experience a backout. Thanks to her body's physiological augmentations and conditioning though her body responds rapidly to correct this, constricting her veins to maintain blood pressure as her heart to push harder against the forces of gravity. By the time she has reached a firing position her vision has once again cleared and for the first time she is able to make out a clear firing resolution despite the continued impact of the strange fog!

    "Target pinpointed. Taking the shot." Still concerned with the accuracy of her targeting resolution with a civilian on the field though she decides not to utilize some of her more powerful weapons, much less her micro missile array, and instead utilized a mounted secondary beam weapon system. She allows the Erikon Beam Cannon capacitors to warm up a bit more while lining up the shot. For the first time she sees the strange cyclopic 'eye' of the beast, sitting far atop its body and away from its mouth. It reminds her somewhat of the 'core' present on an Angel's body.

        ... in the last moment, Ouka pulls back on the throttle and the control stick, pitching her Battroid up to aim its mounted beam cannons directly at the 'eye'. The beam cannons ignite, sending a pair of bright blue beams lancing toward their target!!

KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Ouka Nagisa targets Riika Sheder with Erikon Beam Cannons Shot!

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


'Civilian in the combat zone!' She hears over the loudspeaker from the Nightmare Plus as it interposes itself. "Sorry! Sorry!" As she ducks her head to try and make herself as small a target as possible.

She keeps running right up to to the part of Anosillus that Nidaime's sliding down, as she hears a proposition. On the back of a Kaiju - or on the ground, where a Kaiju is in the mist, and there are tentacles.

Breathlessly Leina squeaks out what she immediately feels is the safest option, "I think I'll ride if that's alright with you and Anopapa! Thanks!"

And hastily she runs up to her, reaching out a hand for Nidaime to take her hand. She's pretty athletic, but she doesn't actually know the protocol for someone riding on Anosillus, so even in her panic, she's leaving it to Nidaime to get her up there rather than climbing of her own accord.

Once she is up though, she gives Nidaime the biggest hug. In the heat of battle it can't last especially long. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" She says in just this display of abject relief as she embraces Nidaime. Once she releases, she looks at the Nightmare Plus and actually waving. "Thank you too - for looking out for me!" Even if she doesn't hear it, she perhaps might feel this warm and fuzzy sensation of gratitude from the direction.

Once she's alighted properly and is stable, clinging onto the turtle Kaiju for dear life she puts a hand down to the shell, she focuses on the way they connected before when Nidaime introduced them.

Stay calm. It's difficult for me to sense where they are. When they're coming, I'll warn you.

The moment that white hot sensation of a Newtype flash bolts across her senses, "Now!" Whether that insight helps or not - at least, he'll know it's coming at that exact moment.

KTS: Leina Ashta targets Nidaime and Ouka Nagisa with Awe.
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Nidaime
KTS: Leina Ashta inspires awe, increasing Nidaime's Morale!
KTS: Leina Ashta inspires awe, increasing Ouka Nagisa's Morale!
KTS: Riika Sheder blocks Ouka Nagisa's Erikon Beam Cannons Shot, taking 2800 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime nods once to Leina Ashta. "Okay!" She'd rather Leina be nearby too where she can see her.

She takes Leina's hand--

--and then pulls her into a princess carry. "Hup...!"

And then she hops right on straight up to on top of Anosillus. It looks a little fake and you probably can see the wire but it gets the job done.

She sets Leina down when they're both on the back. She gets a brief hug, which is ALL THE PAYMENT SHE NEEDS. Well, that and Leina surviving today without any injuries. That's also important.

Leina 'speaks' to Anosillus. She can feel the worry for Leina's wellbeing along with the joy of seeing her (for the moment) safe. There's plenty of worry towards Nidaime too that never seems to entirely fade. A bit of weariness. There's always another kaiju to fight. He's an old hand at this by now.

"GRrrrrmpp...." Anosillus remarks. Through their connection, she can hear his thoughts coalesce into words.

I will protect you. Be safe, dear child...

Ouka calls out about a civilian--and even lends a hand! Ouka, Nidaime decides, is a good person who cares about others. Nidaime waves to her NIGHTMARE PLUS with a big smile.

The back of Anosillus's shell is no longer really an applicable assaulting mechanism since he has to keep it safe. More tentacles lash out, beating across Anosillus's face and chest. He endures this and growls softly, but with Leina's guidance--a tentacle goes in and Anosillus opens his mouth and--

--CHOMP!!!

There's no teeth, but there is a crushing turtle beak that's plenty sharp on its own. "Grhrrrrrrk...."

KTS: Nidaime targets Riika Sheder with SHARP!
KTS: Riika Sheder parries Nidaime's SHARP, taking 1440 damage!
KTS: Nidaime has engaged Riika Sheder!
KTS: Nidaime completes the Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

The Byakuen's explosive round apparently hits even through the heft of the fog. The Gonglee's roar is a clear sign of it apparently being an effective attack. The shell of the shot pops out from the cannon as a new round is prepared.

"Looks like this thing's not big enough to take shots like those lying down."

The hope of that strike had simply been to provide cover fire. Allow for those like Alouette, Ouka, The turtle team, or the Gundam the time they needed to get solid hits in and it seemed like for the most part that'd be the case. That said. . .There was still one problem.

<Null-Sigma, data's been acquired. Sending data on confirmed shots several meters above the oral cavity. Seeming affective, but no way to assure it's best line of attack.>

The group hadn't found a weak point on this thing as of yet, and that was. . .Troubling. And even more so. . .

Civilians too? I guess they didn't evacuate as much as they thought they had.

Oz hadn't been too worried, his Byakuen was one of the smaller machines so any of his shots he assumed would be less hazardous compared to others being thrown around. The only thing he needed to be worried about was. . .

The Gonglee lashes out in retaliation and more force than ever is sent his way. It made sense considering just how much it made this thing cry out. Still, the whipping tentacle comes and Oz finds himself able to dodge at the very last moment, the Byakuen's body trimmed by the tentacle that is just a few centimeters closer and the thing would have very well sent the smaller machine flying. Within the cockpit there's a small sigh of relief.

"Seems like the low-gravity isn't affecting the Byakuen's performance as much as I thought. Rakshata will be pleased with herself. . ."

The question now was, what was the best counter attack? The last attack had been rather effective with the explosive cartridge, but the more liability that could cause to the surrounding areas. Even if his attacks could be considered the least harmful, just one wrong move, one missed shot in the miss and. . .

The cannon folded back into the Bykauen's arm as a pair of blades locked together into a dual-bladed component. What was about to follow would be much more dangerous for him, but. . .

<Null-Sigma, following your path to initiate direct combat. Watch where you step. . .>

With the warning sent out, the KMF begins diverging from its high-ground advantage and begins running through the streets of Tsutsujidai. Traveling deeper into the core of the fog taking only Alouette's data as reference. Using a slash harken the KMF attempted to latch into the beast and ride up it's body. The entire time in doing so, a blade attempted to pierce deeply into it, as it ran through. Literally riding up the creature while attempting to create an intense gash as he did so.

KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Orpheus Zevon targets Riika Sheder with I'll Tear Through!' Combined Blade Component!
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to Parry Orpheus Zevon's I'll Tear Through!' Combined Blade Component, taking 6710 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Disabling Strike activates, causing Jam L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Precision Attacker activates, causing Nullify!
KTS: Orpheus Zevon has engaged Riika Sheder!
<Pose Tracker> Alloy Kaas has posed.


        Unit Null-Sigma lands both the hit and the follow through, but Alouette has placed herself to close to the Kaiju, and it lets her know it with a body blow that lands without a pause. Alouette is rattled inside the plug, even through the dampening effects of the LCL. Screens lose signal and connections are disrupted as the Evangellion is momentarily concussed.

        The pilot and unit have had no time to recover when they are grappled tightly with the tentacles. The creature delivers a weird mirror mirror feeling crushing attack. The earsplitting sound of the armor, and maybe bones shearing and cracking before the Eva is tossed afield. Alarms blare before, and more sound after Null-Sigma hits the floor/ground of the city. with a ground shaking T H O O O M.

        Alouette in her plug, her right arm is clutching her left side, fractured ribs, maybe a collapsed lung. Each breath is pained, and vision in her right eye is red. Maybe she is bleeding, maybe she just burst vessels in her eye. It doesn't matter. She begins working controls, one handed, then two as she pulls it away from her injury to increase efficiency. It hurts but...

        Null-Sigma comes back online, and begins to pick itself off the ground. thankfully there are a few extra hands, heh, to help itself upright. Alouette completes the system reroutes, the sync check, and moves forward once again.

        "Null-Sigma. Sustained moderate damage. Tango Team, local units, report. If you see a weakness, call it in. I am re-engaing target, vector approach from the north east."

        Alouette brings her Eva unit at the best speed fo the Low-G environmentshe can manage, and bring her Eva to come up from behind where she remembered the Kaiju being. She's trying to come up from a blind spot this time.

        When she can see it, it's shape beginning to emerge from the mist, Alouette adjusts her approach angle to stay in that blind spot.

        "Copy that support. Tango Team, Local Units, this is Null-Sigma. On my mark will attempt to reengage, aiming to commit Forcible restraint on Tango, Primary "Tail" Secondary "Neck". Mark!"

        Alloy on her mark commences the operation she attempted to obfuscate over open comms. With her Eva and its tentacles, she makes an attempt to attack the neck, and restrain the tail.

KTS: Alloy Kaas has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Alloy Kaas targets Riika Sheder with Spines of Raking!
KTS: Riika Sheder partially guards Alloy Kaas's Spines of Raking, taking 5225 damage!
KTS: Alloy Kaas has engaged Riika Sheder!
<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.

"WHOA!!" yelps Garrod, breaking his (for him) focusd silence as the kaiju doubles up on coming after *him*, flinging a vehicle and following it with a grappling tentacle. The best Garrod can do quickly is to interpose the shield part of his rifle, trying to blunt the incoming attack(s); the shield does nothing to keep Gonglee from grappling the Gundam X, though, and a moment later, Garrod finds his mobile suit close enough that ranged combat would be a lot easier, if he had enough room to bring the rifle to bear again.

Fortunately, the mobile suit has more than one weapon to work with. Garrod manages to transfer the rifle from his Gundam's right hand to its left - better, at least in his head, for defensive use - and reaches up and back, over the GX's shoulder, to where the beam saber is housed. "Fine, you want up close and personal --"

The hilt is pulled free; the beam saber's blade flares into existence as soon as it's not pointing down the back of its stowed main cannon, and Garrod doesn't even maneuver for a different angle before the beam saber comes slashing straight down at the tentacular kaiju.

The *biggest* gun carried by the Gundam may be contraindicated by just about every parameter of the fight - but that doesn't mean Garrod's going to hold back with the *rest* of what he's got to work with, now that the battle is well and truly joined.

KTS: Garrod Ran targets Riika Sheder with Beam Saber - Slash!
KTS: Riika Sheder parries Garrod Ran's Beam Saber - Slash, taking 1050 damage!
KTS: Garrod Ran has engaged Riika Sheder!
KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Valor Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

"Thanks for coming," Riika says to Nidaime, "but I didn't know you had - uh, you rode - I thought you only hitched rides," she admits. "As for the rest of you, thank you too! I couldn't handle this alone."

Gonglee seems to notice Leina - too late to do much about it, though she does have the decidedly *unpleasant* sensation of a tentacle whipped in her direction. It doesn't connect, being pulled up suddenly as Ouka takes aim and Gonglee needs its tentacles for other purposes.

'Taking the shot'.

The shot comes in, and Gonglee wraps its tentacles around itself, showing more of a survival instinct than these artificial Tsutsujidai kaiju often do. It seems to help; the blast impacts it, and though it's still enough to blast past its protection, it's not as effective as it would have been without that buffer.

It uncoils a moment later, and if a kaiju that doesn't really have eyes can glare, it is doing just that. Flailing out in all directions, it catches Garrod's saber and Anosillus' beak, holding both away from the central body of the kaiju - but not without harm, as they both tear into the tentacles, causing it to flinch back and away.

And that leaves it open for the next attack.

The Byakuen is tiny. It *has* to climb to attack anything on the central body besides the legs, and the slash harken is perfect for that job; catching on one of Gonglee's spur-like spikes, Orpheus can ride almost straight up the central body along the red line, leaving a slash in its wake and drawing another roar from the machine. It can't find a good way to immediately get him off, and thrashes -

Alloy comes up behind it. She strikes at the neck, and something strange happens: the back of the 'head' opens as if its ridged horn, or spike, was a set of jaws, and the thickest of the tentacles erupts from it. Red at the base, yellow any further up, it is not only the largest of the tentacles but the strongest, literally trying to wrap around the Evangelion, heft it, and slam it into one building and then another.

The other tentacles go wild. Orpheus has to deal with one scraping across Gonglee's body as the other 'horns' also open and close, spasming to try to knock him off, before one of the heavy legs of Gonglee comes down in a crushing blow.

Slightly more distant, Garrod and Anosillus have sweeping blows, the tentacles stretching to what appears to be (but may not be, given what it's done in the past) their full length and lashing, before both come together to simultaneously (or nearly so) strike Ouka.

And then the mist intensifies, getting worse, darkening the light -

From a distance, a dull *foomp* sounds, one-two-three times, and a trio of grenades cascade around Gonglee. Two of them go up in sudden flashes, burning away some of the mist, and the third burns bright like a flare. It won't last long (Gonglee smashes it pretty quickly) but it does make its attempt to hide a little slower. Slow enough to take advantage of.

Riika makes the GINN perform a thumbs-up as she lowers the gun-mounted grenade launcher, having shot the only thing she felt comfortable firing anywhere near a crowd.

KTS: Riika Sheder targets Orpheus Zevon with Tentacle Crush!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Alloy Kaas with Collateral Damage Revenge Strike!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Nidaime with Tentacle Strike!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Garrod Ran with Tentacle Strike!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Ouka Nagisa with Tentacle Assault!
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
KTS: Ouka Nagisa fails to parry Riika Sheder's Tentacle Assault, taking 4140 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Ouka Nagisa!
KTS: Nidaime has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Leina Ashta
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Nidaime
KTS: [Lucky] Riika Sheder's Ace Maneuver activates, and luck goes her way!
KTS: Orpheus Zevon fails to parry Riika Sheder's Tentacle Crush, taking 6600 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Orpheus Zevon!
KTS: Garrod Ran fails to Parry Riika Sheder's Tentacle Strike, taking 3690 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Garrod Ran!
KTS: Alloy Kaas fails to react to Riika Sheder's Collateral Damage Revenge Strike, taking 7200 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Alloy Kaas!
KTS: Riika Sheder roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
KTS: Nidaime's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Nidaime blocks Riika Sheder's Tentacle Strike, taking 1860 damage!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Nidaime!
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


Leina actually laughs as Nidaime princess carries her, shifting the hug to around her neck. "My hero~" She says theatrically, as if the two were merely on stage at some show.

Because now that she's up here, she doesn't feel unsafe at all. Leina never feels unsafe in the care of those people who are so precious to her. She has full faith in them.

Which is why she sends back a feeling of warmth and gratitude to Anosillus...

I am safe, right here.

As Gonglee whips a tentacle in her direction, Leina is forewarned, and moves to the edge of one of his tailspikes, to at least present as small a target as possible. Fortunately Ouka takes aim. And the tentacle never reaches her.

Ouka, if she looks closely near where she took that shot, might see a girl on the back of a Kaiju's shell placing a palm by her face, and winking at her, "Appreciate the save!"

Again Leina puts her hand upon Anosillus' shell, trying to focus on that connection.

Concentrate. You can do this. Your opportunity will come soon.

And in that connection, that warmth, there is this sharpening of the senses.

Because she has full faith in this Kaiju, to bring them all home safe.

KTS: Leina Ashta targets Ouka Nagisa and Nidaime with Awe.
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Nidaime

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran has posed.

"Pretty sure no one of us could have," Garrod replies to Riika, finally placing her voice from the meeting. He's not exactly surprised; that meeting *did* basically end with almost everyone committing their efforts to thwart Akane's attack on the Tsutsujidai school festival, although there were (as he recalls) some disagreements about what else they were going to do.

If there's one thing Garrod can say about hostile kaiju, they're great at getting other people to work together to take them down.

The actual takedown, though, can be ... a little complicated. Or a lot complicated - Gonglee is proving a spectacularly tricky opponent, and the Gundam X is taking a pretty nasty beating as the fight progresses. The thought of backing off and just blowing this kaiju away with overwhelming firepower is *awfully* tempting ... or it would be, if that were even a viable option.

Garrod lets out a wordless yell as he spurs the GX into motion again - not trying to pull away from Gonglee, but pressing the attack while he's already this close anyway. It's not just a simple slash, either, but a quick series of them, almost like he wanted to leave something akin to a signature carved into the kaiju's tentacled flank.

And if he manages to slice through enough tentacles to break away to a greater (and possibly safer) distance, well, that's certainly worth aiming for. If he can help free up some of his allies to pull further back, why not? Although capitalizing on a chance like that would be up to them.

KTS: Garrod Ran has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Garrod Ran has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Garrod Ran targets Riika Sheder with Beam Saber - Riposte!
KTS: Leina Ashta inspires awe, increasing Nidaime's Morale!

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

"Oh, um, I like to accompany dad to work sometimes." Nidaime tells Riika.

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

<Alouette!> The voice calls out to the Null-Sigma's pilot as he watches up close on how the Gonglee catches everyone off guard with its hidden attack. He wants to try and support Alouette, cut through what was trying to latch onto-- No, what was latching onto her Eva as it attempted slamming her about. It was one of the very few times he himself wished he had something as powerful as an Eva to work with, something that would allow him to decimate something like a Kaiju like this one without worry.

Instead, he finds himself being lashed about as the monstrosity flails. Literally trying to shake the Byakuen like a bad itch. At the time, Oz had opted to lodge his blade in to act as a foot-hold, hoping that it'd help to maintain where he was without being thrown off too soon. If he could wait out this thrashing then surely he'd be able to get a more thoroughly strike.

The reality of the situation is much different though. His choice finally acts against him as he ends up caught up in the additional tentacles that begin lashing against its own body. It's horns activating a clamping like motion either to shake him off or crush him in some way.

First, it's the tentacles that get a clean hit on him that dislodge him from the bladed foot-hold, and once he's lost that footing, the weight of the Byakuen alone and the angle of the Slash Harken proves unfruitful for keeping a steady hold and he plummets.

It's a large drop from where he was, one that'd likely be the end of him. . .At least usually. Though the low gravity helps to mitigate the force as he plummets. It's a lucky break.

His body doesn't catch up to it though. For a good moment, he honestly thought he was dead. He pants heavily, pupils dilated, sweat flowing.

It's the reason that what happens next is aired on the comms.

<Auuuuuugggggggghhhhhhh!!!>

A heavy shout and the sound of crunching metal passes through the comms as those close enough to see through the fog can see the smaller unit literally being stepped on. Nearly the entirety of its frame under the creature's foot, with the only relief being that it hadn't applied all its pressure to it as of yet.

The cruelest thing of all though, the pilot. . .Doesn't ask for help. He agonizes into his comms. . . But makes no mention of a 'Help', 'Save me'.

It does not mean that he's not going to try and fight though. If anything, that still seems to be one of the few things it can attempt to do. The blade component folds back in and the canon returns. The arm weapon still appears to be one piece of the KMF that's free to move as needed, and as it stands he needs one clean shot right now more than ever. His target. . .Aiming for that strongest tentacle that was attempting to constrict Alouette's Eva, and if that failed well. . .He'd just have to fire his entire cartridge out into the beast till it moved itself off of him.

KTS: Orpheus Zevon has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Orpheus Zevon targets Riika Sheder with Precision Shot: 30mm High-Initial-Velocity Tungsten Armor-Piercing
Ammunition!
KTS: Riika Sheder parries Garrod Ran's Beam Saber - Riposte, taking 1260 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Garrod Ran's Precision Attacker activates, causing Nullify!
KTS: Garrod Ran repulses Riika Sheder, forcing her to disengage.
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to Evade Orpheus Zevon's Precision Shot: 30mm High-Initial-Velocity Tungsten Armor-Piercing
Ammunition, taking 6480 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Disabling Strike activates, causing Jam L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Orpheus Zevon's Precision Attacker activates, causing Nullify!

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

"Oh, um, I like to accompany dad to work sometimes." Nidaime tells Riika.

Nidaime giggles at Leina's theatrics. She likes the feeling, but she knows it's a bit of play in a dire situation. She can feel that Leina feels safer up here. Perhaps even completely safe.

Nidaime tends to feel safe up here too. She offers Leina a candied apple which is pretty inappropriate. She had left it on an Anosillus's back though. And it's already a bit prenibbled by Nidaime but she is a very giving person.

Anosillus hears you Leina.

I know. He responds. I have to.

It's as simple as that.

Anosillus can't block (or use) his shell like this. Indeed, he is pretty uncomfortable with getting up too close as it stands. But he does feel confident. Anosillus doesn't usually hit a full 150 Will.

Tentacles lash and slam against Anosillus but the Kaiju refuses to duck behind his shell, or cower. Nidaime is used to these kinds of rough rides. Leina not so much. He is able to keep himself steady for Leina. She is family. She has to be okay. There's no alternatives viable for Anosillus.

Rather than try to crush the kaiju, Anosillus actually starts stepping back--

--rearing back with its head before unleashing a supersonic wave towards the kaiju! More mist is likely cleared through the process once more. This time with some extra oomph behind it.

KTS: Nidaime targets Riika Sheder with Earpiercing Scream!

<Pose Tracker> Alloy Kaas has posed.


        Unit Null-Sigma. A Kraken Evangelion. Four massive tentacles on a seventy plus meter abomination. While these additional limbs are tearing at the rear neck of the Kaiju, what was considered the back of the beast, opened up like a mouth, and another tentacle, tongue, appendage whips out and wraps about Unit Null-Sigma, trying to crush as it throws side to side in the nearby buildings.

        Alloy, screams awash in pain, a reflection of the damage to her Eva within the plug. The plugsuit clinging to her glows in the areas suffering damage to the Evangelion. Alloy feels that pain. But it's gone beyond that now. The damage to the Evangelion is extensive. Chunks of armor have broken off, cracked, some has even turned into shrapnel, stuck inside the flesh of the Eva like so many scalpels.

        Alloy has no more scream to give, is near passing out, but the grip loosens, or did squeeze more... one way or another it changed and kept her awake but just barely, just...

        "Alouette!"

        Orpheus snaps her back to it. She grabs the controls in hand, grips them as tightly as she can with shaking hands.

        "Move."

        "Move."

        "Move."

        Null-Sigma begins to move. Shudders, seeking the adernaline needed to drive the giant body right now. Slowly, then suddenly it awakens. It's head, rearing back as if it were screaming, roaring. The arms, begin to push away, fighting the grip. The tentacles trying each to get a grip.

        "Orpheus..."

        Alouette strains, and pulls, until she screams. trying, willing, to rip this tentacle all the way down like string cheese. Evanglion Unit Null-Sigma and pilot try to rend this tentacle apart, and give everyone an opening, to fire at the eye, tocut off the tentacles, everything they can in the window, to bring this creature down. Save this place. Save everyone.

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

    Ouka Nagisa does care about other people, and she tries to be a good person. Often times though she is unable to act in ways accordance with her nature. Even now the behavior of Alouette Kaas is concerning to her. Were she allowed to act according to her nature she might speak up. Try to ask her what is wrong. If something sad was given in reply, she would even try to hug her... albeit without risking direct skin contact.

    Instead the thought is pushed to the back of her mind, and her focus remains on the beast and the defense of the civilian. That is her role, as a soldier and a Boosted Child, after all. From the corner of her eye she sees Second, as she calls herself, holding Leina in a princess carry. Ouka is still uncertain about kaiju and their nature... but this creature seems to have the trust of those who outrank her within NERV, and thus it follows that she treats her with trust and respect as well.

    So then is she allowed to turn her full attention back upon the beast - now sweeping at her and the other attacking units with both tentacles. The two converge in her direction... her throttle hand automatically moves toward the console to raise the energy to her point defense emitters as the attack closes in. Without any hope of stopping the massive limbs in their path she simply attempts to deflect them, even slightly, while her unit's thrusters maneuver out of their path.

    No such luck.

    The tentacles crash together, catching her unit and in particular one of its legs in its grip. The leg is ripped free, sacrificed in order to allow the Nightmare Plus freedom to maneuver! Red warnings scream across the cockpit before Ouka, glaring, dismisses them all with a wave of her hand.

    Missing a leg, maneuvering now is much harder. Luckily someone as well trained as Ouka has little problem in compensating though. "All allied units: Preparing for maximum bombardment. Anosillus, Second, please keep the civilian out of harm's way."

The Nightmare Plus maneuver as close as her pilot dares, as the remaining intact micro-missile pods open up revealing her machine's full ordinance. What comes next is both beautiful and terrible - a stream of countless missiles spiraling and dancing amongst each other before intersecting with the massive body of the beast. Then attempting, upon impact, to each bloom in a catastrophic flower of concussive might! Hopefully it will be enough even to force the beast to take a step backwards, removing its wait from the unit it is trampling underfoot, merely by the intensity of light and sound produced by the blast.

    But will it be enough?

KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Alloy Kaas targets Riika Sheder with Spines of Raking!
KTS: Ouka Nagisa has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Orpheus Zevon
KTS: Ouka Nagisa targets Riika Sheder with Micro-Missile Array Itano Circus!
KTS: Nidaime has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Leina Ashta
KTS: Nidaime has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Leina Ashta
KTS: Nidaime rattles Riika Sheder, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to Evade Nidaime's Earpiercing Scream, taking 3420 damage!
KTS: Nidaime repulses Riika Sheder, forcing her to disengage.
KTS: Riika Sheder partially guards Alloy Kaas's Spines of Raking, taking 6840 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Alloy Kaas's Geass Directorate Survivor activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Riika Sheder has been defeated!
KTS: Alloy Kaas has engaged Riika Sheder!
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to react to Ouka Nagisa's Micro-Missile Array Itano Circus, taking 6840 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Ouka Nagisa's The First and The Last activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Riika Sheder has been defeated!
<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

"It wasn't as if I was trying to," Riika objects. She was just here to scout, and hadn't intended to engage alone... but Gonglee surprised her, too.

Accompany dad to work? So... "*That's* him?" Riika is more surprised by that from Nidaime than anything else. "Well, I'll back you up, but those were all the flares I had..." And honestly they're not dispelling the fog so much as shining through it - and they won't do even that for long.

But Anosillus' scream does a good job at dispersing the fog - better, this time, because Gonglee is damaged and distracted. The blast rocks it, pains it; its extra tentacles flick around it as if preparing to drive towards Anosillus.

It never really gets the chance.

Garrod might not be able to use his big gun - not in a colony, that would be a *horrible* plan - but he doesn't need to; his saber may be partially deflected by one of those writhing tentacles, but wherever he's jabbed it seems to have been significant judging by the way Gonglee shudders afterwards. It steps to recover its balance between that and the sonic assault - incidentally freeing Orpheus, as the foot comes down *next* to him, close enough to touch.

Freeing him is a mistake for the kaiju. Now he has more freedom to aim and more time to do it in. His shot goes straight for the base of the greater tentacle - the 'tongue'? - holding Alouette's kaiju and halfway severs it, the high-velocity rounds penetrating its armoured 'head' (even though that's not where its mouth is, it seems to move it like a head) and causing another one of those wild flailings.

Ouka had better watch out for the flailing, but the Valkyrie is fast enough to maneuver, especially if Ouka doesn't care about the warnings. The shower of missiles blast against Gonglee, and it freezes up entirely, leaving it open.

Which is when Alloy almost literally pulls it apart.

Gonglee breaks in her grasp, but it doesn't get messy-biologic like some kinds of monsters might. It sparkles - it glitters - and then it implodes in a flash of energy, drawing into itself and vanishing. The fog starts to disperse moments later, almost as fast as it came - it's nearly supernatural how fast it clears. Some of the buildings are still wrecked, but that's happened before.

"...I suppose that's that," Riika says, her GINN still down and now unmoving - after getting into position to fire the flares and flashes, it doesn't really have anything left at all. "I suppose that proves it *was* her. Thank you... Is everyone all right?" She's not entirely sure about some of them, but she can't see them well from here!

KTS: You have not deployed a robot. (see +deploy)

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


Leina is NOT used to these rough rides, but she has a stronger grip than most her age at least. She has to briefly clamp her hands over her ears when the supersonic wave comes, but afterwards... she breathes a sigh of relief.

Eventually though, with the hostiles down and the mist clearing, Leina walks over to Nidaime upon the shell, and gives her another big hug. "Thanks Nidaime. Would have been lost without you." And Leina pats her head fondly, before it turns into a ruffle of her hair. "Also. I think I saw your friend Gridman on the way here. Let him know he did good for me, if you see him? The evacuation wouldn't have been half as orderly without that stunt."

Releasing Nidaime though, she adds to the Kaiju, "And thanks, Anopapa. Couldn't have been easy watching out for another passenger."

No Leina doesn't consider the Kaiju her father, but she likes Nidaime's nickname for him, and Nidaime's family as far as Leina's concerned.

Eventually though, she startes to make her way down the shell, carefully. Mostly by scooting on her bottom and sliding very carefully as she answers Riika, "I'm good myself. Honestly I'm more worried about some of the pilots here." As she gives the Evangelion a look - in particular.

Once she finally makes it back to Terra Firma though, she asks Riika in particular, "How about you?" As she gives her a concerned look, "Your mobile suit took quite a beating there. If you want to stick around in town to rest while you arrange a new ride - I can offer you a place to stay."

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

    ... sister... dad... it sounds like Second was having a regular family outing. Only now though is she able to consider the meanings behind her words. That Anosillus is her father is expected of course - but who is the sister? The Kaiju they had just defeated? No that wouldn't make sense. Unless she was warning to be careful OF her sister, the rampaging Kaiju? Then her gaze turns towards Leina, the girl in the arms of Nidaime and considers...

    ... no probably not. It sort of beggars belief that Nidaime would have a sister, who is a civilian and by all appearances and actions a human, who she randomly encountered and rescued during a fight. It's more likely she was warning them to be careful of her sister - the giant ambush kaiju.

    Sometimes... Ouka just gets things wrong.

    Regardless, once the creature is defeated and glitters before imploding in a flash of energy, the fog disperses and the VF-171's sensors clear with it. The first Boosted Child brings her unit in for a landing. A fairly rough, three point landing utilizing its one intact leg and two arms.

    "Confirmed, area clear of hostile kaiju and residual interference. Moving to recovery and assessment operations.

The First Boosted Child considers going to the aid of the Byakuen and its pilot. However, considering that Alouette is very likely in a better position to come to his aid, she lets her take care of it instead. Meanwhile Ouka will turn the sensors of the VF-171 to search for damaged buildings and the potential of hurt or trapped civilians. She uplinks her onboard systems with her suit, and then pulls open the lever to open the hatch to her Valkyrie.

    The pilot easily leaps down from the open cockpit and removes her helmet - resulting in a waterfall of dark green hair falling down her back. She shakes some of the sweat free from her mane, before reaching up to wipe some more from her brow. "Thank you for the assistance, Riika." The Boosted Child glances toward her suit and offers a polite salute. A sign of respect from the member of one military force to another. Afterwards her attention turns to Anosillus, Nidaime and Leina. She regards the odd trio with an expression that betrays little of her confusion. "Anopapa?" The First Boosted Child blinks. She notices it is with regards to the kaiju, Anosillus. Anosillus. Anopapa... Ano... Papa?

    *grindgrindgrindclick*

    "Are you a kaiju as well?"

Sometimes she gets it wrong but she is trying her best...

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

"You didn't know?? Can't you see the resemblance???" Nidaime asks of Riika, in utter disbelief. She pulls up her hoodie and tightens it to make it more obvious. It doesn't really make it more obvious until you really start to think about it though.

"No problem!" She adds to Riika.

She focuses on Leina for a moment. "Ah--Of course, I'll be happy to tell him! I hope he remembers himself soon..."

Anosillus gronks at Leina, a sort of gruff 'aww it was nothing' kind of response that he gives when a touch embarrassed.

Anopapa, being a papa, can think of many people as 'a daughter to him' as he'd like. That's the power.... Of being a papa...!!
%
Anosillus gets on all fours so that Leina has an easier time getting off. Nidaime follows her and hugs Leina again.

"Mmhmm! Leina is the ultimate hotel manager!!" Nidaime says.

This is not exactly the deal but.

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

There's relief that comes as the Gonglee loses its footing. The pressure on the Byakuen is released and Oz can breathe again in relative peace even if his hull is blaring with alerts all around. Alerts that if he were in actual space right now, would be much more concerning.

Though he's not and it isn't. Instead, what follows is collaboration that allows for the chain reaction of multiple allies aiding in one another's rescue till this Kaiju was returned to glitter and dust alike.

In a tired but reassured voice, the support unit can at least say over the comms without a doubt. <Mission accomplished. Threat neutralized.>

At this point, he's running a brief diagnostic on the Knightmare Frame that leaves him. . .Questioning.

"Should be enough to get there and fend for ourselves if need be. . ."

It's not exactly in the mission specs, but could anyone blame him if he told them that he was going to check in on the battle that was transpiring on the other side of town? At the very least. . .

<This is Support Unit 01-C. Unit's still operational and planning to provide emergency support and civilian assistance to team 1. Inquiring of which pilots can sorte. . .>

At this time it's Alouette that receives a private transmission. <What's the condition of your unit? Can you move, if not, I'll have you join me. I imagine your allies will need support, no?> Plus. . .There still was the matter of trying to catch a glimpse of this Akane Shinjo in person. If they could just meet her then perhaps. . .

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


"I think you're overselling me a little." Leina laughs as Nidaime hugs her and gives her another pat on the head, "A hotel is a bit more complicated to run than our Villa."

<Pose Tracker> Alloy Kaas has posed.


        The energy has long dispersed, before Alouette can move again. When she does, the bloody and beaten body of her Eva collapses to its knees, and coming to lean on a tangled nest of appendages. She activates the emergency discharge system to allow an egress from the plug.

        Alouette tries to get out, walking a line between stubborn and too tired to care with regard to her injuries. She makes it out and makes her way at best speed to regroup with the others, only getting annoyed whn blood or punctured lung slow her down more than anything else.

<Pose Tracker> Nidaime has posed.

Nidaime's eyes sparkle.

"The Mayor of the...Villa...ge."

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

    'Leina is the ultimate hotel manager!'

"I see."

She doesn't. But sometimes she just says that when she gets the feeling that trying to pursue a certain conversational topic won't lead to anywhere productive. Instead Ouka raises her hand to the side of her neck to activate her NERV communicator.

"Aurum-1 reporting. Ambush Kaiju codename 'Gonglee' has been intercepted and neutralized. Currently assessing military casualties. One civilian has been rescued, identified by Second as 'Leina the Ultimate Hotel Manager'. She appears to be unharmed. Once assessment and rescue and recovery has been completed, I will return to base."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


Leina arches one eyebrow, then actually clears her throat, and cants her head to the side to try to meet Ouka's eyes, "It's Ashta actually. Leina Ashta. I'm here on behalf of the Yumi Foundation, as a volunteer."

All of that is technically true, though it perhaps, vastly undersells her ties to the Yumi foundation.

"Nidaime's just a goof sometimes."

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

    "I see.

Ouka speaks over the radio again: "Addendum, Leina Ashta, Volunteer Ultimate Hotel Manager of the Yumi Foundation, has been rescued and appears to be in good health." Sometimes it's best to quit while you're ahead.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

"I can't see much of anything unless the head's pointed that way." Because Riika's GINN is shut down.

Riika does need a pickup from ZAFT agents, but they aren't exactly waiting for her just outside the colony; this is technically not a ZAFT operation, she's just been assigned to keep an eye on Tsutsujidai and sometimes that means bringing her MS inside.

"All right," she agrees. "I'd like that - we'll need to get a shuttle in here and I wouldn't ask for that during an operation." And she's not sure if the other one is still going on, or if there's a *third* attack she doesn't know about - she'll have to get some information beforehand.

"But everybody... good work today. And thanks."

KTS: Alloy Kaas's Evangelion Unit-Null-Sigma has left
Alloy Kaas teleports out.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


Leina Ashta promptly facepalms at Ouka's addendum.

Then smiles at her patiently, though a sigh leaves her lips, as she looks Nidaime's way - and says, with light exasperation in a tone of 'what am I going to do with you', "Look what you just did, putting that idea in her head."

It really does sound like the way a big sister might talk to a younger one.

Leina does however note 'Aurum-1' as something she needs to look up later... given... well... she just immediately gets this vibe from her.

"Anyhow, thanks again for protecting me." She says to Ouka.

Before again turning to Riika, and smiling as she listens to her accept the offer, "Alright. You sit tight. I've got a rental car parked a few blocks away. Given that I don't hear that Kaiju roaring in the distance - feels like it's safe to drive now."

She's not about to ask someone whose mobile suit got THAT wrecked to walk with her to retrieve it.

KTS: Garrod Ran's GX-9900 Gundam X has left
Garrod Ran teleports out.

<Pose Tracker> Ouka Nagisa has posed.

    Ouka is trying her best... but interaction between normal people or even 'normal' people is often very confusing to her. After all she had never had a normal life... at least not one that she can remember. So when Leina chides Nidaime for putting 'that idea in her head', Ouka can only stare blankly at the two of them. Did she still get it wrong? I mean... true, on analysis the string of words she uttered into the radio did sound ridiculous. However she lacks the experience or context to pick apart which part is ridiculous.

    ... though there is one thing she does understand, and that's the warm interaction between that of an older sibling to one who is younger. And it is with regard to that realization Ouka does finally smile. She's still not sure if the 'Ultimate Hotel Manager' is some sort of kaiju or not... but she is certain of one thing:

    These two are sisters, as genuinely as Seolla and herself.

    "Of course." Is Ouka's response to Leina's gratitude. Polite, but meant to affirm the fact that she was simply doing her duty. Afterwards she says no more to the group as they work on readying themselves for departure. Instead she turns her gaze back to her unit. She raises her wrist, and a small holographic display pops up showing her the current results of the scans of the area. Looks like nothing too concerning, thankfully, and she directs her valkyrie to upload the data to local authorities for processing. Afterwards she'll leap back up into the cockpit of her unit, and takes off to return home.

    Perhaps... they'll let her see Seolla today, and she'll be able to give her a hug.