Distorted Spiral: The Whirlpool Design, pt. 2
WHO: Master Asia, Simon, Nia, Aya Kobayashi, Nono, Duo Maxwell, Kazuma Torisuma, Superman, Shin Matsunaga, Isa Reichert, Viral, and a special guest star.
WHAT: The Undefeated of the East presents Simon with an ultimatum: give him Nia, or he'll kill everyone in Kamina City. His objectives behind the threat are even worse than everyone thinks, to the point that even the Divine Crusaders cut him off.
WHERE: Kamina City, the Spiral Planet
WHEN: December 21, 2007
WATCH FOR: Schrödinger waveforms, epic clone wars, the Superman-Batman combination mech, Viral landing four crits in a row, Shining Drills, giant spaceship drills, a whole lot of drills going everywhere exploding everything, and Nono Getting Pissed. Whew!
P.S. Translations of the Japanese used by Master Asia are supplied at the bottom.
The rapid movements of the Geist Squadron are difficult for Yellow Wing to pick up on - say what you will about planes in mecha fights, they are fast. Yellow Five takes the brunt of the damage, eating four missiles total, losing the left arm and leg, the others taking minor damage. <> he sputters as the other Zakus close in to defend their ally, blasting beam rifles at the fleeing fighters. The Zakus Shin was fighting send a few bolts after him, then give chase as soon as they can, firing into abandoned buildings as they go past. Green Leader raises his rifle to block Kazuma's strike and succeeds, but is rather surprised to see the Alter User snap the weapon in two like so much a twig.
<> he snaps, backing away defensively as his wing unloads a missile barrage downward. <> Meanwhile, across the sky, the Deathscythe's beam bisects Blue Leader, his voice crackling out over intercom as his Zaku vanishes in a massive explosion. <> screams Blue Five. <> roars Blue Three as the Zakus blast missiles from close range. <>
Master Asia begins to laugh as his Gundam closes up. "Unforgiveable, am I?" he asks as the Trace Link System heats up. "Fight me, you will? You, Digger? You have your own problems! Show me, show KAMON what his Spiral heritage means!"
The old man breaks off as Viral tears in, the Master Gundam actually retreating two or three steps under the fury of the Beastman's assault, the Gundam's hands flashing left and right to partially deflect strokes. "And you, Viral!" he booms. "What do YOU care about the Spiral Princess? You would fight for her sake? What of your hatred? You would die like a dog battling beside your greatest foe?" The Gundam's eyes flare red as it suddenly slashes its hands out to either side, knocking the Enkiduran's blades away from its body for a moment.
"COME THEN, HERALD OF THE HELIX KING!" the old man screams as he counters with a left jab toward the Gunmen's chest, then a powerful right hook. "You face the King of Hearts, and I will not hold back any longer! Come see why men call me UNDEFEATED!"
Master Asia gets a glancing blow on Isa Reichert with his (pyew)^3 attack.
Master Asia hits Kazuma Torisuma with his Macross Missile &c attack.
Master Asia critically strikes Duo Maxwell with his FOR WANG! attack.
Master Asia misses Viral with his The Ol' One-Two attack.
Too late. The ReGelg fires its lasers, and the machine sweeps to the side, the beams hitting... But glancing off of the unholy metal. The energy seems to pool for a moment on the surface, before skidding off like water, leaving a trail of smoke. Something is seriously /wrong/ with this machine. "A clone? NO! An improvement!" Kamon laughs, bringing an elbow up and spinning. A long black drill extrudes from the elbow with a loud CLACK, and he ducks, slamming it backwards towards the chest. The momentum of the GL is used against it. "You have to /learn to use/ your drills, first!" He brings the drill downwards, slashing at the armor, before he catches and throws the GL over his shoulder.
The mighty Superman-Batman Combination Robot unleashes a strike for the manly jaw of Laser GASTON, but he catches the fist and slams it away. "Pathetic!" Kamon crows, skidding backwards with the imparted impact. The arms open up, firing gleaming helical laser blasts at all three of those who attacked him: Powerful, but it's no Spiral Power.
Kamon hits Superman with his Noone Shoots Like GASTON jab.
Kamon hits Shin Matsunaga with his Ninja Loots Like GASTON jab.
Kamon hits Simon with his No One Has Your Genetic Roots Like GASTON jab.
Shin's eyes widen a little as his laser fire goes bouncing off the Gaston's soulsteel hull. THAT was unexpected. Slinging the weapon, he goes instead to the ReGelg's beam saber, the weapon snapping into the mobile suit's right hand; though the helix laser does blast through part of the mech's skirt armour, leaving an ugly-looking gash, it's not enough to slow down the white mech.
Shoulder verniers flare to life, the ReGelg circling to one side of the Laser Gaston as the White Wolf considers his next move.
"Alright," he mutters. "If soulsteel's going to resist energy, we'll have to try something different."
The ReGelg's left hand snaps up, a launcher on its wrist mount leveled forward. As the machine boosts to the side again, it fires off a pair of projectiles from that launcher - large grenades, the bombs sailing towards the soulsteel plating on the Gaston's flank. If lasers won't penetrate....
Shin Matsunaga critically strikes Kamon with his I AM SANGER ZONVOLT, THE MEME THAT MEMES MEMES attack.
The Gurren-Lagann is thrown over the Laser GASTON's shoulder - and it hits the plaza ground. A series of spiderweb cracks shoot through it, radiating out from the impact of the Super Robot. Simon grunts, shaken, but not brought down - as the machine lands on its feet. The massive Gunmen turns, and Simon's eyes blaze for a moment.
"All right, then!!" he roars, as he turns the Gurren-Lagann back towards Kamon's machine. The Gunmen turns, and aims its left arm towards him. "Master Asia says you have Spiral Power... so SHOW ME THAT POWER!"
The drills on the wrist spin - faster and faster, before they tear free, shooting off like bullets towards the Laser GASTON.
Simon misses Kamon with his Show Me Your Strength attack.
As for the Kogane, it is probably still shooting at Zakus or something.
The lasers impact the manly chest of the Superman-Batman Combination Robot, which slides backwards, smoking from the impact. The Man of Steel juts his jaw out, and pauses. "Wait, how are we supposed to do this? In their special robot pilot language or something, right?"
Batman sighs, mysteriously in full costume again...don't ask how...and turns on the mike. "Though the tragic reality of war presses down on my innocent chest..." The Dark Knight Detective begins, assuming a pose that Amuro Ray would be proud of, "...your wicked ambitions shall not be fufilled, even at the cost of the joy of a generation of youth!~"
"..."
"...I liked War In A Pocket, okay?"
"Riiiight." Superman is, unsuprisingly, more of a Super Pilot fan, and has the Superman-Batman robot lunge forward, pulling something out of its dual cloack to attempt to swing...
...a giant, old fashioned, leather bound book at Laser GASTON and its terrible, geneticly engineered pilot!
"You must stop watching Disney movies." Batman looks at Superman accusingly.
"It worked for the girl...what was her name?" Superman rubs his chin.
"Belle." Batman grunts.
"Trick question!" Clark grins, pointing a finger at the Dark Knight, "You like em too!"
Superman hits Kamon with his He Really Does attack.
The rockets rain down around Kazuma, explosions kicking him back and forth. Large chunks of dirt go flying everywhere, craters being dug up in the ground around the Alter User - he's had worse, but he can't exactly say that this is *fun*. But it only takes him a few moments to reset his position, and he grins. "Damnit, this isn't the fun part of the fight. You jerks..." And he suddenly starts spinning the blade on his back once again, and he launches forward.
Of course, this isn't exactly a straight in punch. He comes in low, reaching to grab the leg of the Zaku reaching for its beam saber - and he tries to spin around, launching it upwards into the rest of the units that are raining missiles down from above.
Kazuma Torisuma hits Master Asia with his Anti-Macross Tactics attack.
Shin Matsunaga grinds his teeth a little. "That armour's deflecting my beam rifle." A bit more darkly, "Explosives it is, then. Once this clone dies, Master Asia's next."
They may seem to be inferior technology, but the three Belkan Fulcrums are capable of blistering charges that often prove to be their value in fights against mechas of varying types. The newer machinery just can't sustain a speed like that, not with all the additional weight of weaponry and mechanics.
Isa's commands are short and sharp, spat through the radio. The Zakus might have scored first blood, by the way her fighter trails smoke, but if she has her way, they will not win the battle.
As one, the three jets descend, jockeying for position and gunning down whatever seems to be the most leader-like of the bunch. Guns blaze and six more missiles release, streaking for the highest concentration of Yellow Wing Zakus.
Spiraling, the three fighters juke and dodge their way through and past the Zakus, making ready to take another headlong charge for their number. They may not be able to sustain melee combat, but that's their strength. Moving at up to fifteen hundred miles per hour in a flat-out charge, they're built for speed... and hopefully made into as difficult a target as possible for the mecha to hit.
Isa Reichert hits Master Asia with her More Missiles attack.
Nia is not entering the shelter herself. It may seem like a strange decision, but she is a princess. She must see her citizens safe, first, and then run last when she is /sure/ all are well. She helps several other children along, turning to Nono.
"Is there a way you can assist them," she asks, "while maintaining a presence here? I know you have those alien machines at your command. Miss Aya, can you help me here?"
Deathscythe and its smirking and completely not psychopathic pilot basks in the glow of yet another successful enemy engine core failure. "Commander Wang? /Wang/? I guess I put that sore bastard out of his misery."
There's no time to waste dodging return fire or come up with something else witty: The Gundam blasts straight forward and lets the gundanium tank the missiles. For a moment, the reaper disappears in a barrage of bright glowing explosions. This only sets up the horrific image of an armor flaking Deathscythe bursting from the flames with its blade held high. Any Zaku in its way gets a faceful of green glowy death, the others get ignored as the mobile suit drives through its enemy, through a small building beyond, and just keeps on going. "Sorry, but the big fight's in the center of town! I can't miss it dealing with Wangs!"
Duo Maxwell misses Master Asia with his Toot Toot Here Comes The Pain Train attack.
Kazuma Torisuma says, "Hmph. If lighter hits don't work, be very direct."
Kazuma Torisuma says, "This plane seems to like more direct force!"
Isa Reichert chuckles nastily, over the persistent scream of jet engines. "Your kind of place, /da/?"
"YOU'RE WRONG!!" Viral roars, keeping up the assault even as the Master Gundam begins its counter, managing to keep his blades off slightly with its deflections. Knowing well what kind of enemy Master Asia is and that his best hope for victory based on prior experience with fighting Simon is Not To Get Hit, when the blades are knocked away, Viral uses their inertia to leap backwards out of the way of the so-called Undefeated's one-two. "Simon, Nia, Kamina City--they have nothing to do with me! My problem here is YOU!"
The beastman doesn't know if he can truly beat this man--but it would be the ultimate shame not to fighting his damnedest to succeed. The Enkiduran crouches to avoid any discharge of chi as well (Viral remembers very well that minor exhibition Master Asia gave him), and from there, leaps forward to begin a series of jabs meant to put the Undefeated on his guard. "I suspected you might do something like this--but I had no idea it would be to /this/ extend, even though I saw all the pieces of the puzzle. This is *my* fight, and as with when Lordgenome attacked Kamina City, if Simon benefits from me fighting it, good for him!!"
He grinds his razor-sharp teeth, hackles raising at Master Asia's taunt--or perhaps he doesn't mean it as a taunt, merely as a direct statement like Lordgenome would, which makes it all the more insulting--and feints high with the right sword, then... "Is that so!? I'll show *you*, then, 'Undefeated'..." he snaps gutturally, attempting to drive the left sword to slice deep into the Master Gundam, "...that I'm NO ONE'S ****ING HERALD!!"
You critically strike Master Asia with your Kataribe... attack.
Kazuma Torisuma says, "Viral can have it. This place seems too boring. Only a few people who can fight outside of their robots."
Viral tch! "I'll keep it, then!"
Liese Lustig (that's Geist Two) pipes up. "Isa can fight outside her plane. She does it a lot in bars!" "I do not." "Sure you do. Remember when that one guy tried to hit on y--" "Shut up and focus! They come!"
Kazuma Torisuma laughs. "That's the spirit."
Nono helps the kid on her shoulders to the ground, looks to Nia, and says, "Nono can do that easily! Please, be careful - but Nono has to help!"
She takes off back toward the action, leaping about ten meters into the air and somersaulting as she goes. She's covered in light - a flash of radiance, burning the eyes. But then Nono isn't there anymore.
Buster Machine Seven, no longer falling, instead floats there. Not for long; she soon accelerates rapidly toward Master Asia, streaking across the sky at top speed. They need help fighting Kamon, she should help, but...
...but the Undefeated of the East must answer, first.
"TOHO FUHAI!!" Nono roars, as the stars in the sky begin to fall - a rapid descent of Buster Legion, warping into this planet's airspace. But they are gathering rapidly together, interlocking with that strange, nanomachine-powered technology from which they are constructed, combining and shifting, and forming...
...three hands. Three hands, one far larger than the other; two, about the size of the hands on a Gundam, but a third almost as large as a Gundam itself.
The big one rockets down from above, and settles into a big THUMBS UP sign resting on the street next to the entrance of the shelter Nia is helping at. The other two...
"Why are you doing this, Undefeated of the East!?" Nono cries, miming a punch she's much too far away to deliver. "Answer!"
One of the enormous Buster Hands descends from above, completing the punch Nono's own hands could not complete.
Nono switches armor modes to Number 7.
Nono hits Master Asia with her BAAAASuTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANCHi jab.
The Neo Hong Kong forces delaying the Kogane are holding up well for the moment, but a large beam burns through one of them, energy tearing across the sky as the Zaku drops toward the ground trailing smoke and fire. Kazuma crushes the lower leg of his Zaku, and as the unfortunate pilot is hurled upward, one of the remaining Greens swoops in to catch his comrade, sustaining further damage in the process. The other two spam gatling gun fire to keep the Alter User occupied, even as the first pilot begins keying in a sequence of buttons. <> he calls out. <>
<>
<> Fung shrieks, and his ally complies, hurling the broken Zaku down toward Kazuma. Its pilot ejects, escape unit sailing high up into the air, and the other Zakus withdraw quickly, retros firing. The reason for this becomes evident as the Zaku self-destructs atop the Alter User.
Blue Squadron evades Duo's initial charge, but Blue One curses as he spots the Gundam's destination. <> he shouts, firing a pair of wires after the Deathscythe. Thin electric cords shoot up between the two main wires, possibly shorting out the Gundam's propulsion for a short time. The Belkan fighters continue to pour on the damage, and another Zaku becomes a ball of fire when a missile slams into its missile casing, secondary explosions sending debris scattering. One of the Zakus whips its beam sabre across in a tight arc as Geist Two veers a little too close to his target, aiming for the jet's left wing.
The Master Gundam, meanwhile, backs away from Viral's second assault and accidentally brushes up against the Schrödinger waveform, its right leg giving out temporarily, allowing Viral an opening. The Enkiduran's blade rips into the Gundam's cockpit, the martial artist tilting his head to the side to avoid the massive edge. "I understand," he rumbles softly. "You fight for yourself, then? Excellent." The Gundam suddenly drives forward, pink cloth coalescing into a wicked point around its right hand as Master Asia drives the arm forward, toward the Enkiduran's open mouth. "Then you have truly become your own warrior!" he roars, pulling his arm back and crouching.
The Master Gundam's thrusters blaze as it sails across the sky toward Nono, several pulses echoing out as it accelerates rapidly, right arm coming down to its hip, left shoulder leading into the massive fist. "You do not understand why, Buster Machine Seven?" he asks, his Gundam blasting through the hand and continuing its charge, black energy swirling around its right hand. "Because humanity is a CANCER on Mother Earth! They rape and pillage her, then flee to space once she is spent and wasted, used for nothing more than a battlefield! Why do I do this, Buster Machine Seven?" he asks again, right hand coming forward to grab for Nono's head.
"BECAUSE IT IS /RIGHT!/"
Master Asia critically strikes Kazuma Torisuma with his Suicide Is A Valuable Tactic attack.
Master Asia gets a glancing blow on Isa Reichert with his Damn It, I Can't Make Two Wing Jokes In A Row feint.
Master Asia hits Viral with his Open Wide attack.
Master Asia hits Nono with his DAAAAAAAAAAAAAKNESS! FINGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! attack.
Master Asia misses Duo Maxwell with his Borrowed Divine Crusader Tech 1, Gundam Wing 0 stun.
Shin's swift attack strikes true. The Laser CASTON launches across the air, and Shin intercepts him in mid-leap with a picture-perfect shot. The ensuing detonation shatters soulsteel, cracking a pair of fins as it throws him aside. "What? NO! You're not going to get in my way!" Kamon screams.
But before he can retaliate, Superman spanks Kamon upside the head with a massive book. The impact drives the mecha to the ground, and slams him into a building, debris and clouds billowing out to reveal the Laser GASTON clearly off guard. A perfect time for a finishing blow from the Gurren-Lagann.
The powered drills fire, spinning and striking straight into the Gunmen's chest. They whirr, cutting into the screaming face... When something goes terrible wrong. The drills stop, crumbling away and being absorbed into the mecha, along with the green energy. The energy pulses into the Laser GASTON, limning the skin of the machine with the distorted traceries, highlighting them...
And it suddenly becomes clear as day: The entire machine is etched with warped spirals, almost like demented body tattoos. What foul sorcery is this? "YES..." Kamon yells, laughing as the power surges through the Laser GASTON. "You want to see my power? I'll show you /POWER/! HAHAHAHAHA!" The broken portions of the mecha begin to rebuild, twisted spiraling black portions filling in the shattered armor The radiant fins are splayed outwards, a gleaming line slowly beginning to sweep out from the center, connecting each of the fins. What is it /doing/? "For the Master, I am going to DESTROY YOU ALL!"
About its hands, gleaming Spiral Energy coealsces, forming into massive drills of light. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" With a punch, Kamon launches the laser drill right back at Simon, with others following toards Shin and Superman!
Kamon switches armor modes to Spiral Drain.
Kamon critically strikes Shin Matsunaga with his No One Kills Like GASTON attack.
Kamon gets a glancing blow on Superman with his Hadokens Drills Like GASTON attack.
Kamon misses Simon with his No One Jacks Energy Spills Like GASTON attack.
While in the process of helping an elderly man along, Aya once again speaks up. "I'll do what I can, Miss Nia-no, this way please!" She calls after a fleeing couple, flagging down a larger (..bear?) woman to help the elderly person. With those citizens well on her way, Aya rushes off to locate Nia.
"Just tell me where I need to be and I will help."
"Arrgh...!" Superman exclaims, holding his chest. Despite his annoyance, Batman looks over to his friend, frowning. "It's like...Parasite..." Superman grunts, shaking his head and forcing the strange fatigue off. "We have no choice!"
"No."
"...aww, come on!"
Batman sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Fine."
"Awesome." Superman enthuses, and pushes a button. "DOUBLE HEAT..."
"...batarang vision." Batman finishes, looking incredibly annoyed at the entire concept.
The Combination Robot responds, its eyes glowing a bloody shade of red...and, quickly fireing a blast of powerful Heat Vision shaped just like a giant batarang! ...fired out of the eyes. ...yeah.
Superman critically strikes Kamon with his Double Heat Batarang Vision attack.
The beam sabre tears into the alloy of the Fulcrum's wing, and Geist Two yelps at the terrible, screeching sound the metal makes in protest. She wrenches the flight stick, though, rolling away as quickly as she can.
Liese sighs, a little shakily.
Isa Reichert says nothing, grimly silent as she rolls her fighter on its side and slams the air brakes. The turn carries tight, turnign her heading towards what's left of the Yellow Wing.
she snarls, launching her last two missiles, and charging them full on. Gunfire leads the way.
The other two jets fall into formation, a sharp 'V' with Geists Two and Three at the flanks, though the left wing looks fairly damaged on Geist Two's craft. Smoke still trails from the fresh searing, but that doesn't seem to stop her from unloading a weapons payload on the targets.
Isa Reichert gets a glancing blow on Master Asia with her Missiles Mk. 3 attack.
Not letting on the assault just yet, Shin throws the ReGelg into the air, his eyes flat and focused on the rising Gaston. He's figured out the machine's vulnerability, at least in his own mind. Rising up above the landing machine, the White Wolf locks in his target, missiles peeking out of their tubes.
He then widens his eyes a little as the fins begin to rise - and jams down the accelerator all the harder.
He doesn't make it. The spiral drill bores a hole clean through the ReGelg's upper body, ripping away a shoulder plate and a huge chunk of chest armour. Coolant and sparking mechanics spray everywhere, and the mobile suit lurches out of its flight and crashes hard to the strees. Red warning lights glare in the White Wolf's face - yet somehow the mech is still there, minus one shoulder, yet standing.
"Simon," the White Wolf utters into his radio, his voice rendered raspy by the acrid smoke beginning to fill his cockpit. "If we're going to finish off Master Asia's little trick, we're going to have to work together."
Leaning the ReGelg forward and bracing the mobile suit on one hand in a three point stance, Shin squeezes a pair of triggers, releasing a shower of missiles towards the transformed Spiral Drain - missiles that blossom out, targeting the fins above all else. "Take out those fins! They look like some sort of channel for power!"
Shin Matsunaga hits Kamon with his So here's this giant enemy crab attack.
The flaming mass of the Zaku comes crashing down on top of Kazuma, and then the reactor redlines - and the Alter User vanishes in a massive blast of light and head, the entire mobile suit transforming into a ball of flame that rises up into the air. It seems like this is going to be the end of the Alter User - after all, with such a tremendous blast, he would be fried by the head and pressure, with only part of his body being covered by his Alter.
Which is why he had to take more drastic measures. Kazuma reaches out and grabs the ground all around him, right before the Zaku explodes on top of his head, pulling it together and melding it to his body, transforming it into his more advanced Alter. The shell he creates around himself helps to resist some of the damage, and the superficial wounds he suffered from the attacks before are repaired. The blast is still devastating - but a sphere appears in the center of the fireball, blasting it outwards and extinguishing the flames. Kazuma looks up, his body transformed into its third stage Alter, and he smiles. "Damn. I have to give it to Asia. They might be big robots, but I didn't think I'd have to go this far..."
Kazuma Torisuma heals Kazuma Torisuma with his Alter Shift action.
Kazuma Torisuma switches armor modes to Third Stage.
"What the hell..!?" Simon shouts, in surprise. He concentrates; the Gurren-Lagann is suddenly surrounded by a dome of green energy. The drills of light slam into it - and Spiral Power meets Spiral Power. The shield shudders, before the energy drills explode; fiery plumes shoot in the air, and the Gurren-Lagann vanishes for a moment into the flames.
When they break, it stands there - the shield around it dissipating. The Gunmen itself is untouched. Simon's eyes narrow. "You drained the Spiral Energy I used on you!! How the hell...?"
He swings back one fist, and then leaps forward. He throws a mighty punch, aimed at slamming the plated red fist of the Gurren-Lagann into the Laser GASTON's face. When the left foot of the Gunmen hits the ground, the machine pivots - and he finishes with a mighty, mecha-sized roundhouse kick.
"I'll still find a way to BEAT YOU!" he promises, "Using whatever it takes!!"
Then, he finishes by swinging down the right hand. It shudders - and raw Spiral Power floods into it, making it spin rapidly, turning into a drill. "Right, Matsunaga!"
The drill is chopped down, like a knifehand, for the fins.
Simon gets a glancing blow on Kamon with his Three Hit Combo attack.
Thank you, Schrödinger waveform! Viral shall thank you by ignoring you completely, thus avoid making you disappear in a puff of maybe-illogic. Oh, Gurren-Lagann.
"Wh--!?" Viral snarls as that pink cloth punch comes straight for the Enkiduran's mouth. Thankfully, Gunmen come with a double-barrier between the outside and the cockpit, so even when the 'teeth' move up and down to approximate the pilot's speech, the pilot himself is still protected. All the same, that strike drives Viral back, the white Gunmen crying out under the blow.
"...tch. How good of you to recognize that, Toho Fuhai. BUT!!" Swinging around to pursue Master Asia as he moves to engage Nono--and Viral recognizes the girl even in this form, though he shall have to save wondering about her downright bizarre Gunmen (do those even count as Gunmen?) for later--he charges, continuing, "I hardly need such a thing when it's my honor I seek to vindicate!!"
After all, even if he's cut into the cockpit, Viral knows that something like that won't take this man down easily. He notes Nono's question and Master Asia's response grimly, at least; he remembers how the two of them seemed to get along at the hot springs. But even that's a secondary concern when, over in Shin and Simon's corner, the Distorted Spiral absorbs Simon's Spiral Energy and transforms his mech into something new. It takes Viral a second to realize it must be the doing of the soulsteel, but still--he curses.
Viral critically strikes Master Asia with your CHAAARGE attack.
The corner of Duo's scanner catches a pair of fast-flying incoming bogies. "Persistent, aren't they," he sighs. Deathscythe was in mid-blast jump, and using its verniers it twirls about in mid-air to fire its razor-bladed shield back at the tags. Snip. Snip. Its work isn't done, however, as it continues flying straight to the taser's origin to snip off a limb, torso, or head too.
The Gundam doesn't wait for the shield to return, it keeps on flying until it finally gets a clear view of the center of town. It takes a moment for the surprise to dawn on Duo: "Hey, the bad guy's piloting a Gundam too! No wonder he's getting all the attention!" Its another moment before everything else becomes apparent: "Where did those giant hands come from? And that... /thing/ with the lightning bolt on its chest has got to be the ugliest robot I've ever seen! Geez, does anybody have any taste in robot design around here!?"
Duo Maxwell hits Master Asia with his You Didn't Tase Me, Bro jab.
Nono's head is very small, so Master Asia instead gets her /everything/. And the energies seep into her, earning a howl of pain even as on either side, a pair of spontaneous microsingularities form, siphoning off large portions of that energy, drawing it out of the universe, never again to be found except perhaps by the one person who knows the location of the black world she sent it to.
The black holes close, and as the Darkness Finger technique completes, Nono still floats, rocketing away from the Master Gundam, Nono's expression full of rage. "A cancer...?" she whispers, body actually quivering. "A disease!? Is that what you think!? This insanity is right!?"
Energy begins gathering in her hands - energy simply converting, instantly, light and Ether power converging on her hands to form pinpoints of heat.
"Are you truly so mad!?" Nono calls. "Toho Fuhai...for a thing like this, for goals like that....I knew you loved the planet Earth, but to love it so dearly that you would destroy the most precious thing on it...I, Nono, will never forgive you!"
Those boiling pinpoints of light reach impossible heights - heat enough to punch holes in stars, let alone mobile suits or Gundams.
"If you think like that, Undefeated of the East, then you are my enemy! I will show you no quarter, no mercy! I will protect these people with everything I have - everything!"
The number of lights in the sky begins to increase. Quickly.
"Here and now, Undefeated of the East, I will show you why /I/ am called the Ultimate Weapon!"
Nono whips her hands around, keeping her hands separate - two points of light, outshining the sun. "Here and now...!"
Twin beams of radiance erupt from her fingers - broad as a baseball bat, hot enough to boil away granite, and lancing directly for the Master Gundam.
"...LET ME SHOW YOU POWER!"
Nono misses Master Asia with her TWIN BUSTER BEAM - I think you made it mad, Timmy attack.
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Master Asia closes his eyes as he takes in the sounds of his soldiers struggling against superior foes. Neo Hong Kong has fought well...but they are no match for the best pilots the Divine Crusaders have to offer. He makes the decision and lets out a breath. <> he announces. <> The Master Gundam is rocked by Viral's charge, but the message is out, and across the battlefield there is a brief pause as Zaku forces temporarily break off combat.
And then the radio suddenly erupts with insane screaming, laughter and, in some cases, sobbing. The Neo Hong Kong Gundams suddenly begin opening fire more or less indiscriminately as the DG Cells take over their nervous systems, pushing them to the edge and beyond.
Master Asia simultaneously reaches a decision of his own, and sucks in a slow deep breath as Buster Machine Seven denounces him. He is truly alone now, it seems. They do not understand.
They do not need to.
"Power?" Master Asia says softly, then laughs. "You know nothing of power!" he screams as the Master Gundam begins to glow with an inner golden light, then energy blasts out from every atom, possibly repelling Viral and Nono both. The Gundam's hands reach up to meet the power beams, as Master Asia catches them in both palms and then squeezes, energy leaking out from the gaps in his fingers as he repels the assault.
"KAKATTE KOI!" he roars, hands coming down to his hips. "RYUUHA!" he screams, slowly windmilling his arms until the Master Gundam's right hand is clenched over his head. "Touhou Fuhai no na no moto ni!"
This is probably bad.
Master Asia switches armor modes to Master Super Mode.
Master Asia misses Isa Reichert with his Crazy? attack.
Master Asia gets a glancing blow on Duo Maxwell with his We're Fresh Out Of Crazy Here! attack.
Master Asia critically strikes Kazuma Torisuma with his Had This Guy Come In, Picked Up The Last Of It attack.
Master Asia hits Nono with his Back Off jab.
Master Asia gets a glancing blow on Viral with his Get Your Own Sandwich jab.
Isa narrows her eye, gaze flicking down to the radar panel on her cockpit's display console. There's a lot of them, the sweeping arm of the radar revealing their movement where she can't necessarily see. Some of the blips have faded away, but there's still a respectable number left.
And apparently, they've gone insane. She can hear them; their laughter, their sobbing, their screaming, slightly grainy with the communications' technology.
she roars, slamming the controls and sending her jet into a free-falling engine stall. Liese and Ancel answer by veering upward, sprinting away at distance enough to turn.
It isn't until the way seems a little more clear that they turn, rushing towards the Zakus and their deranged pilots, guns blazing. There are no missiles this time -- they've run those dry.
Isa brings her plane out of its stall, engine guttering to life again as she turns, fleeing the throng of Yellow Wing Zakus. She attacks later, swooping in from distance and passing her wingmen. The three of them circle like dogs, waiting for opportunity, and careful not to get /too/ close to the Mobile Suits.
Fulcrums were not, after all, built for melee combat.
Isa Reichert hits Master Asia with her We're Fresh Out Of Missiles, So Have Some Bullets jab.
Isa Reichert says, "Scramble! All Geist units, SCRAMBLE!"
And suddenly it seems like the Zaku Forces - now properly the Death Army at this point - is going completely nuts. Kazuma grunts as shells hit him from every direction, the Zaku's just going crazy and shooting every which way. This... hurts. A lot. He staggers left and right, before finally being knocked off of his feet and thrown into one of the nearby Zaku's.
The Alter User roars, and grabs the Zaku with both hands, and suddenly launches both himself and the machine into the air. And he grabs grabbing chunks of it, tearing them off and punching them, turning them into high speed projectiles that he launches down in a continuous barrage at the Zakus down below. "RAAAR! TAKE THAT! AND THAT! AND THAT!"
Kazuma Torisuma misses Master Asia with his Fresh out of bullets, have some Zaku attack.
Shin Matsunaga breathes out hard through his teeth. "He's got more power than I expected."
Kazuma Torisuma says, "Rgh, and his troops are tough. I don't know what he did to them - its like they all went nuts."
Shin Matsunaga says, "Damn it."
Kazuma Torisuma says, "Don't let him get away. I don't know what he's trying, but Master Asia has gone too far this time."
Isa Reichert can be heard breathing hard, in her cockpit. "--In my country, they kill the insane." Dark little laugh. "I will see to it, /da/?"
Viral says, "Tch! Don't worry about that, Kazuma! It doesn't matter how much power he has--I'll fight to the end!"
Shin Matsunaga says, "Kamon's powered up his mobile suit as well. Simon and I are working on it."
Shin Matsunaga coughs.
Kazuma Torisuma says, "This is *not* how we treat our people. Damnit, we help our people as much as we can - if he wants to use his OWN TROOPS as some horrid experiment fodder..."
Viral says, "Hmph. Is that so? ...I won't begrudge you that, Shin. --He intends to kill all humans, including himself."
Viral says, "It's not surprising that he'd behave like this."
Shin Matsunaga grates, somewhat raspingly, "He's got a lot to answer for. Once I get done with Kamon, Fuhai's next."
Shin Matsunaga, darkly, "I do not like being stabbed in the back."
Crazy doesn't explain half of it. Duo rubs his head as he stares at Master Gundam's newest upgrade, "I tell you, buddy, we have to get ourselves a part of that action. ... Nah. Who would fear a glowing Gundam-" Explosions buffet the cockpit, bringing a muttered curse from the pilot. "Like little yapping dogs," he sighs.
Deathscythe twirls about, facing what appears to be Zakus hellbent on getting themselves shot. "If you're that desperate to get yourselves killed, then I'm happy to help!" Several bursts from head machine guns are fired off to take care of those annoyances, all while the Gundam reaches behind itself for a special wrapped surprise attached to its back. Santa's workshop has been busy, and Duo has an early present to deliver to the bad Master Asias of the world.
Duo Maxwell hits Master Asia with his GTFO jab.
Just be thankful that it's only Spiral Energy that he absorbs.
Too bad that the Gurren Lagann practically radiates the stuff. The spiraling energy continues to grow along the fins on the back of the Laser GASTON, as the mecha sweeps in towards Simon. "You can't beat me! I've been improved! Refined! The Master only takes the best materials to work with, the finest students... And THAT IS ME!" He grapples with Simon, only to get punched back. The kick sends him flying into the air, leaving him wide open for the dual tech from Shin and Simon. The fins clatter and crack, though the mere touch of the massive Spiral Power drill causes it to rapidly drain, accelerating the formation of what is obviously a huge spiral, framed by the fins. Good thing for them, then, that the fins are rapidly being shattered and broken away. The power flow distorts, becoming less spiral-like, but it continues to grow. Something seems to be reinforcing them.
The impacts throw the Laser Gaston even farther, putting it into perfect position for the DOUBLE HEAT BATARANG VISION to hammer into the Laser Gaston. Somewhere, a Combo Meter rises to the 'EXCELLENT!' level. The mighty chin is cracked, part of it breaking off with a loud CRUNCH and giving the mecha a more surprised and pained look than fearsome and manly. The additional impact sends the Laser GASTON flying into another building, slamming through it and shattering it completely.
From within the billowing smoke, the dark shape rises once more, gleaming with perverted, unnatural energy. "Is that..." Kamon hisses, "The best the lot of you can do?" He steps forward, crushing a hunk of wall into rubble. It's become obvious that the damage is mounting, as larger and larger hunks and cracks are evident in the armor of the machine. And yet... Kamon seems utterly unconcerned with the damage. "You are all pathetic! I've seen better fighting from the Zakus! Hahahahaha!" Kamon giggles, before he leaps high into the air, flipping... And a massive drill manifests around him as he drives straight into the ground, slamming it there with a cacaphonous detonation. The impact shudders and shakes the ground, the energy discharging abouthim in expanding spiral shockwaves. Where the shockwaves go, the ground cracks and explodes upwards in green light, turning the entire area around him into a massive spiral-shaped detonation. "Comeoncomeoncomeoncomeon... DIE!"
Kamon gets a glancing blow on Shin Matsunaga with his No One Rocks Like GASTON attack.
Kamon hits Superman with his Makes Some Shocks Like GASTON attack.
Kamon gets a glancing blow on Simon with his Kills While Crazy-Talks Like GASTON attack.
Shin Matsunaga says, "--Shit! That's what it is!"
Viral says, "What?"
Shin Matsunaga says, "His machine is absorbing the energy from Simon's drills. Damn it."
Viral says, "Tch... Then Simon's attacks are useless?"
The Gurren-Lagann raises its arms - the armored plating on them is torn into by the spiral explosion; the green light scorches them, and one of the edges of the spiral blast cuts a deep groove into them. The eyes of the Lagann flash, furiously, as the Gunmen looks into the Soulsteel machine's eyes. Simon sucks in a deep breath.
"I can do better than that!" he promises. "Don't worry, we're JUST GETTING STARTED!!" he shouts. He looks at the thing, and considers. Then, he sucks in a breath, and goes rushing forward. The right arm is swung backward - and green light ripples out of it, spiralling outward, and then tightening.
A long, narrow drill forms - wide at the bottom, like a cavalier's lance. Simon lets out a shout, and then lunges forward. "Matsunaga!" he shouts. "I have an idea... but we need to force him away from the city! HIT HIM INTO THE AIR!"
The drill lance swings upward - and he tries to catch between the legs of the Laser GASTON, and throw it into the air.
Simon hits Kamon with his Up, Up... attack.
Some sense in the back of Shin's mind suddenly flickers, and his eyes widen. Seeing the effect of Simon's drill is all he needed - "Damn it, it's your drills!" he hisses into his radio for Simon's benefit, the smoke still leaving him raspy. "He's absorbing them!"
The ground erupts; a split-second before Kamon's attack hits home Shin kicks the ReGelg into motion, the mech leaping backward, but not escaping the blast entirely; a plate of skirt armour is ripped away, ragdolled into the detonation of spiral energy.
As the ReGelg comes down, the White Wolf looks sharply to one side, spotting Gurren Lagann. "The air it is," he agrees with a vicious smile, showing teeth. With a tap of a control, then a few more taps, he lines up the elevated Spiral Drain in his sights, a green targeting reticle appearing over the machine's image.
Again the ReGelg drops into a firing stance, unleashing another cloud of missiles - this time two at a time, sixteen in total. If Shin's aim is true, they should hopefully juggle the Spiral Drain up into the air!
Shin Matsunaga critically strikes Kamon with his Multi-Coin Block Treatment attack.
Shin Matsunaga smirks. "They seem to still do damage. We'll just have to hit him harder."
Viral says, "...heh."
"/The/ best?" Superman looks at Batman, who shrugs.
The energy-impact slams into the mighty robot as it topples over itself, falling on its square behind. "That's big talk coming from a guy who's only attack's a giant phallic symbol!" Superman exclaims, looking towards Bruce, who gives a thumbs up of mecha pilot sass approval.
The Robot doesn't just stand up...it /flies/ up, hovering for a minute before twisting around, and...
"Dramatic Skylight Shattering..."
"...Up Up And Away Style!"
Both mighty knees jut out, as the robot's flight boosters turn around and /propell/ the machine, knee first, towards the dreaded Laser GASTON, aiming to further shove it into the air!
Superman misses Kamon with his Appu Appu Ken Sakini attack.
Shin Matsunaga says, "All units, status!"
Kazuma Torisuma says, "'s what I've been saying."
Haruko Haruhara says, "Go team go!"
Haruko Haruhara may or may not be waving pom poms.
Nono growls, focusing all she can into the Buster Beams -- and then Master Gundam explodes into energy, sending her flying away and crashing into a nearby building, smashing through a wall and skidding through a few desks before she stops, panting.
She knew he was strong, of course - knew that the Master Gundam wielded an enormous, hidden power, but...to so easily defeat two simultaneous Buster Beams...!
She lies there a moment, breathing ragged, trying to decide what to do.
He's furious - and unleashing enormous amounts of power, to be sure. But even though it was a close fight...she's beaten him once! She can do it gain!
She has to shut out the shrieks, the laughter, the weeping. It hurts to imagine what's going on in those cockpits, but if she's going to be able to do what she has to do, she must be able to focus. "Those people..." she whispers, pushing off the ground and hovering quickly back out the door. "All people...all the people he's ever hurt..."
Nono's eyes dart up, finding the Master Super Gundam. She crosses her arms, and it's the antenna in her hair that does the acting now - making a single, sharp slashing motion across the Master Super Gundam's side.
They come - descending from space like a swarm of fire, dozens of brightly rainbow-hued Buster Legions, streaking across the sky toward the Master Super and intending to simply smash into it and explode.
"I won't forget them...! You haven't defeated me yet, Toho Fuhai!"
Nono hits Master Asia with her The Oath Sworn Through Giant Monsters attack.
"Guwaaagh!" Viral screams, Enkiduran forced back by the chi expellation from the Master Gundam. Even simply exercising its chi as it shifts to a new form gives this great a pressure... Though the beastman has never seen this form of the Master Gundam, he can tell simply by its presence that this is Bad ****ing News.
But backing off is not an option, and was never an option. However, caution may be well-advised here. Maintaining his distance in order to attempt to give himself time to block or dodge when (and Viral knows it will be when) Master Asia follows up on the attack, he bombards the Master Gundam with a series of missiles from the Enkiduran's internal siols. They sear out from the retractable compartments, and as Nono's Buster Legions converse on the powerful mech, so they follow.
Hearing news of what Simon and the others are doing with Kamon, Viral has the urge to glance over that way--but he can't afford to make such an amateur mistake. The cries of the Undefeated's experiments do not fall on deaf ears, but it's for the same reason that Viral ignores them: after all, it's hardly surprising.
"Nono! Be careful!" he instead calls sharply to the Buster Machine. "Don't let yourself get distracted; he's sure to let loose with a powerful attack!" Perhaps it's a bit unnecessary to say so, but while the beastman acknowledges and respects her determination...you really can't know about her.
Viral critically strikes Master Asia with his When Your Enemy Starts To Glow, That Is When You Use The "Guard" Command attack.
Wraith: Isa Reichert sounds like she's breathing raggedly, through grit teeth, over the steady brr-rr-rr-rr of gunfire. "We are still engaged with the Mobile Suits." Furiously, "They have all gone /mad/."
Shin Matsunaga grunts. "We've got Kamon airborne."
Kazuma has it right (and beat me to it, the jerk) when he calls them the Death Army. The Zaku pilots seem not to care about their lives as they race to the attack, one of them taking the lead against the Alter User, blazing toward the man with arms spread. The Zakudokens tears into the machine's armor, one of the pieces finally penetrating the cockpit. As soon as the soldier's vitals go offline, the DG Cells initiate the selfdestruct, causing a massive explosion Kazume may just catch the edge of. The Geist Squadron's gunfire chews into the Death Army's armor, but does not quite bring any of them down. One of the Zakus continues firing at Geist One, while another actually throws his rifle at Geist Three. The Deathscythe's gatling guns do similar damage to Blue Wing, but the Gundams keep coming forward, forgoing weapons for hands and fists as they claw at Duo's machine, still screaming all the while.
The right hand of the Master Gundam, meanwhile, suddenly begins to shine with a powerful light, the image of a heart with two crossed swords burning in the air. "Ore no kono te ga makka ni moeru!" he recites, a golden ball of energy suddenly building in the Gundam's right palm. Master Asia brings the hand down in front of his chest, and the left hand comes up to creade the chi ball from the other side. His hands slowly begin to pull it apart, green lightning flickering across its surface as it expands. "Shouri wo tsukame to todoroki sakebu!" he booms, then pulls the energy backward.
It is precisely at that moment that the Buster Corps and Viral's missiles rip into the Gundam, which vanishes in a ball of fire, its light doused by the all-consuming flame. Chunks of golden armour drop down from the sky, shifting to a blackened colour as they fall. For an instant, it seems Master Asia is gone.
"OUGI!"
The smoke swirls into the energy ball, revealing the Master Gundam. Its left horn and right wing are shorn entirely, and Master Asia's face - hard with anger, but sheathed in gold - is clearly visible through the widened crack Viral stabbed into the cockpit earlier. "Sekiha!" he screams, thrusting both hands toward Nono. "TENKYOOOOOOOOUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!"
A crackling energy beam burns toward Buster Machine Seven, and then the Undefeated of the East strains against its force, curving the beam as he swings his Gundam around toward Viral, trailing the energy blast like a golden whip. "MADAMADA!"
Master Asia hits Viral with his srsly, i kill u super.
Master Asia misses Nono with his u 2 super.
Master Asia hits Kazuma Torisuma with his u 3 jab.
Master Asia gets a glancing blow on Duo Maxwell with his and u smel attack.
Master Asia critically strikes Isa Reichert with his I Have No Discernible Opinion On You attack.
JAPANESE TRANSLATIONS: "KAKATTE KOI! RYUUHA! Touhou Fuhai no na no moto ni!"
"Ore no kono te ga makka ni moeru! Shouri wo tsukame to todoroki sakebu! OUGI! Sekiha! TENKYOOOOOOOOUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN! MADAMADA!"
"COME AND FACE ME! FLOWING WAVE! In the name of the Undefeated of the East!"
"This hand of mine burns crimson! It roars at me to seize victory! SECRET TECHNIQUE! Stone-Smashing! HEAVENLY SHOOOOOOOCKIIIIIING FIIIIIIIIIIIIST! I'M NOT DONE YET!"
WHAT: The Undefeated of the East presents Simon with an ultimatum: give him Nia, or he'll kill everyone in Kamina City. His objectives behind the threat are even worse than everyone thinks, to the point that even the Divine Crusaders cut him off.
WHERE: Kamina City, the Spiral Planet
WHEN: December 21, 2007
WATCH FOR: Schrödinger waveforms, epic clone wars, the Superman-Batman combination mech, Viral landing four crits in a row, Shining Drills, giant spaceship drills, a whole lot of drills going everywhere exploding everything, and Nono Getting Pissed. Whew!
P.S. Translations of the Japanese used by Master Asia are supplied at the bottom.
The rapid movements of the Geist Squadron are difficult for Yellow Wing to pick up on - say what you will about planes in mecha fights, they are fast. Yellow Five takes the brunt of the damage, eating four missiles total, losing the left arm and leg, the others taking minor damage. <> he sputters as the other Zakus close in to defend their ally, blasting beam rifles at the fleeing fighters. The Zakus Shin was fighting send a few bolts after him, then give chase as soon as they can, firing into abandoned buildings as they go past. Green Leader raises his rifle to block Kazuma's strike and succeeds, but is rather surprised to see the Alter User snap the weapon in two like so much a twig.
<> he snaps, backing away defensively as his wing unloads a missile barrage downward. <> Meanwhile, across the sky, the Deathscythe's beam bisects Blue Leader, his voice crackling out over intercom as his Zaku vanishes in a massive explosion. <> screams Blue Five. <> roars Blue Three as the Zakus blast missiles from close range. <>
Master Asia begins to laugh as his Gundam closes up. "Unforgiveable, am I?" he asks as the Trace Link System heats up. "Fight me, you will? You, Digger? You have your own problems! Show me, show KAMON what his Spiral heritage means!"
The old man breaks off as Viral tears in, the Master Gundam actually retreating two or three steps under the fury of the Beastman's assault, the Gundam's hands flashing left and right to partially deflect strokes. "And you, Viral!" he booms. "What do YOU care about the Spiral Princess? You would fight for her sake? What of your hatred? You would die like a dog battling beside your greatest foe?" The Gundam's eyes flare red as it suddenly slashes its hands out to either side, knocking the Enkiduran's blades away from its body for a moment.
"COME THEN, HERALD OF THE HELIX KING!" the old man screams as he counters with a left jab toward the Gunmen's chest, then a powerful right hook. "You face the King of Hearts, and I will not hold back any longer! Come see why men call me UNDEFEATED!"
Master Asia gets a glancing blow on Isa Reichert with his (pyew)^3 attack.
Master Asia hits Kazuma Torisuma with his Macross Missile &c attack.
Master Asia critically strikes Duo Maxwell with his FOR WANG! attack.
Master Asia misses Viral with his The Ol' One-Two attack.
Too late. The ReGelg fires its lasers, and the machine sweeps to the side, the beams hitting... But glancing off of the unholy metal. The energy seems to pool for a moment on the surface, before skidding off like water, leaving a trail of smoke. Something is seriously /wrong/ with this machine. "A clone? NO! An improvement!" Kamon laughs, bringing an elbow up and spinning. A long black drill extrudes from the elbow with a loud CLACK, and he ducks, slamming it backwards towards the chest. The momentum of the GL is used against it. "You have to /learn to use/ your drills, first!" He brings the drill downwards, slashing at the armor, before he catches and throws the GL over his shoulder.
The mighty Superman-Batman Combination Robot unleashes a strike for the manly jaw of Laser GASTON, but he catches the fist and slams it away. "Pathetic!" Kamon crows, skidding backwards with the imparted impact. The arms open up, firing gleaming helical laser blasts at all three of those who attacked him: Powerful, but it's no Spiral Power.
Kamon hits Superman with his Noone Shoots Like GASTON jab.
Kamon hits Shin Matsunaga with his Ninja Loots Like GASTON jab.
Kamon hits Simon with his No One Has Your Genetic Roots Like GASTON jab.
Shin's eyes widen a little as his laser fire goes bouncing off the Gaston's soulsteel hull. THAT was unexpected. Slinging the weapon, he goes instead to the ReGelg's beam saber, the weapon snapping into the mobile suit's right hand; though the helix laser does blast through part of the mech's skirt armour, leaving an ugly-looking gash, it's not enough to slow down the white mech.
Shoulder verniers flare to life, the ReGelg circling to one side of the Laser Gaston as the White Wolf considers his next move.
"Alright," he mutters. "If soulsteel's going to resist energy, we'll have to try something different."
The ReGelg's left hand snaps up, a launcher on its wrist mount leveled forward. As the machine boosts to the side again, it fires off a pair of projectiles from that launcher - large grenades, the bombs sailing towards the soulsteel plating on the Gaston's flank. If lasers won't penetrate....
Shin Matsunaga critically strikes Kamon with his I AM SANGER ZONVOLT, THE MEME THAT MEMES MEMES attack.
The Gurren-Lagann is thrown over the Laser GASTON's shoulder - and it hits the plaza ground. A series of spiderweb cracks shoot through it, radiating out from the impact of the Super Robot. Simon grunts, shaken, but not brought down - as the machine lands on its feet. The massive Gunmen turns, and Simon's eyes blaze for a moment.
"All right, then!!" he roars, as he turns the Gurren-Lagann back towards Kamon's machine. The Gunmen turns, and aims its left arm towards him. "Master Asia says you have Spiral Power... so SHOW ME THAT POWER!"
The drills on the wrist spin - faster and faster, before they tear free, shooting off like bullets towards the Laser GASTON.
Simon misses Kamon with his Show Me Your Strength attack.
As for the Kogane, it is probably still shooting at Zakus or something.
The lasers impact the manly chest of the Superman-Batman Combination Robot, which slides backwards, smoking from the impact. The Man of Steel juts his jaw out, and pauses. "Wait, how are we supposed to do this? In their special robot pilot language or something, right?"
Batman sighs, mysteriously in full costume again...don't ask how...and turns on the mike. "Though the tragic reality of war presses down on my innocent chest..." The Dark Knight Detective begins, assuming a pose that Amuro Ray would be proud of, "...your wicked ambitions shall not be fufilled, even at the cost of the joy of a generation of youth!~"
"..."
"...I liked War In A Pocket, okay?"
"Riiiight." Superman is, unsuprisingly, more of a Super Pilot fan, and has the Superman-Batman robot lunge forward, pulling something out of its dual cloack to attempt to swing...
...a giant, old fashioned, leather bound book at Laser GASTON and its terrible, geneticly engineered pilot!
"You must stop watching Disney movies." Batman looks at Superman accusingly.
"It worked for the girl...what was her name?" Superman rubs his chin.
"Belle." Batman grunts.
"Trick question!" Clark grins, pointing a finger at the Dark Knight, "You like em too!"
Superman hits Kamon with his He Really Does attack.
The rockets rain down around Kazuma, explosions kicking him back and forth. Large chunks of dirt go flying everywhere, craters being dug up in the ground around the Alter User - he's had worse, but he can't exactly say that this is *fun*. But it only takes him a few moments to reset his position, and he grins. "Damnit, this isn't the fun part of the fight. You jerks..." And he suddenly starts spinning the blade on his back once again, and he launches forward.
Of course, this isn't exactly a straight in punch. He comes in low, reaching to grab the leg of the Zaku reaching for its beam saber - and he tries to spin around, launching it upwards into the rest of the units that are raining missiles down from above.
Kazuma Torisuma hits Master Asia with his Anti-Macross Tactics attack.
Shin Matsunaga grinds his teeth a little. "That armour's deflecting my beam rifle." A bit more darkly, "Explosives it is, then. Once this clone dies, Master Asia's next."
They may seem to be inferior technology, but the three Belkan Fulcrums are capable of blistering charges that often prove to be their value in fights against mechas of varying types. The newer machinery just can't sustain a speed like that, not with all the additional weight of weaponry and mechanics.
Isa's commands are short and sharp, spat through the radio. The Zakus might have scored first blood, by the way her fighter trails smoke, but if she has her way, they will not win the battle.
As one, the three jets descend, jockeying for position and gunning down whatever seems to be the most leader-like of the bunch. Guns blaze and six more missiles release, streaking for the highest concentration of Yellow Wing Zakus.
Spiraling, the three fighters juke and dodge their way through and past the Zakus, making ready to take another headlong charge for their number. They may not be able to sustain melee combat, but that's their strength. Moving at up to fifteen hundred miles per hour in a flat-out charge, they're built for speed... and hopefully made into as difficult a target as possible for the mecha to hit.
Isa Reichert hits Master Asia with her More Missiles attack.
Nia is not entering the shelter herself. It may seem like a strange decision, but she is a princess. She must see her citizens safe, first, and then run last when she is /sure/ all are well. She helps several other children along, turning to Nono.
"Is there a way you can assist them," she asks, "while maintaining a presence here? I know you have those alien machines at your command. Miss Aya, can you help me here?"
Deathscythe and its smirking and completely not psychopathic pilot basks in the glow of yet another successful enemy engine core failure. "Commander Wang? /Wang/? I guess I put that sore bastard out of his misery."
There's no time to waste dodging return fire or come up with something else witty: The Gundam blasts straight forward and lets the gundanium tank the missiles. For a moment, the reaper disappears in a barrage of bright glowing explosions. This only sets up the horrific image of an armor flaking Deathscythe bursting from the flames with its blade held high. Any Zaku in its way gets a faceful of green glowy death, the others get ignored as the mobile suit drives through its enemy, through a small building beyond, and just keeps on going. "Sorry, but the big fight's in the center of town! I can't miss it dealing with Wangs!"
Duo Maxwell misses Master Asia with his Toot Toot Here Comes The Pain Train attack.
Kazuma Torisuma says, "Hmph. If lighter hits don't work, be very direct."
Kazuma Torisuma says, "This plane seems to like more direct force!"
Isa Reichert chuckles nastily, over the persistent scream of jet engines. "Your kind of place, /da/?"
"YOU'RE WRONG!!" Viral roars, keeping up the assault even as the Master Gundam begins its counter, managing to keep his blades off slightly with its deflections. Knowing well what kind of enemy Master Asia is and that his best hope for victory based on prior experience with fighting Simon is Not To Get Hit, when the blades are knocked away, Viral uses their inertia to leap backwards out of the way of the so-called Undefeated's one-two. "Simon, Nia, Kamina City--they have nothing to do with me! My problem here is YOU!"
The beastman doesn't know if he can truly beat this man--but it would be the ultimate shame not to fighting his damnedest to succeed. The Enkiduran crouches to avoid any discharge of chi as well (Viral remembers very well that minor exhibition Master Asia gave him), and from there, leaps forward to begin a series of jabs meant to put the Undefeated on his guard. "I suspected you might do something like this--but I had no idea it would be to /this/ extend, even though I saw all the pieces of the puzzle. This is *my* fight, and as with when Lordgenome attacked Kamina City, if Simon benefits from me fighting it, good for him!!"
He grinds his razor-sharp teeth, hackles raising at Master Asia's taunt--or perhaps he doesn't mean it as a taunt, merely as a direct statement like Lordgenome would, which makes it all the more insulting--and feints high with the right sword, then... "Is that so!? I'll show *you*, then, 'Undefeated'..." he snaps gutturally, attempting to drive the left sword to slice deep into the Master Gundam, "...that I'm NO ONE'S ****ING HERALD!!"
You critically strike Master Asia with your Kataribe... attack.
Kazuma Torisuma says, "Viral can have it. This place seems too boring. Only a few people who can fight outside of their robots."
Viral tch! "I'll keep it, then!"
Liese Lustig (that's Geist Two) pipes up. "Isa can fight outside her plane. She does it a lot in bars!" "I do not." "Sure you do. Remember when that one guy tried to hit on y--" "Shut up and focus! They come!"
Kazuma Torisuma laughs. "That's the spirit."
Nono helps the kid on her shoulders to the ground, looks to Nia, and says, "Nono can do that easily! Please, be careful - but Nono has to help!"
She takes off back toward the action, leaping about ten meters into the air and somersaulting as she goes. She's covered in light - a flash of radiance, burning the eyes. But then Nono isn't there anymore.
Buster Machine Seven, no longer falling, instead floats there. Not for long; she soon accelerates rapidly toward Master Asia, streaking across the sky at top speed. They need help fighting Kamon, she should help, but...
...but the Undefeated of the East must answer, first.
"TOHO FUHAI!!" Nono roars, as the stars in the sky begin to fall - a rapid descent of Buster Legion, warping into this planet's airspace. But they are gathering rapidly together, interlocking with that strange, nanomachine-powered technology from which they are constructed, combining and shifting, and forming...
...three hands. Three hands, one far larger than the other; two, about the size of the hands on a Gundam, but a third almost as large as a Gundam itself.
The big one rockets down from above, and settles into a big THUMBS UP sign resting on the street next to the entrance of the shelter Nia is helping at. The other two...
"Why are you doing this, Undefeated of the East!?" Nono cries, miming a punch she's much too far away to deliver. "Answer!"
One of the enormous Buster Hands descends from above, completing the punch Nono's own hands could not complete.
Nono switches armor modes to Number 7.
Nono hits Master Asia with her BAAAASuTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANCHi jab.
The Neo Hong Kong forces delaying the Kogane are holding up well for the moment, but a large beam burns through one of them, energy tearing across the sky as the Zaku drops toward the ground trailing smoke and fire. Kazuma crushes the lower leg of his Zaku, and as the unfortunate pilot is hurled upward, one of the remaining Greens swoops in to catch his comrade, sustaining further damage in the process. The other two spam gatling gun fire to keep the Alter User occupied, even as the first pilot begins keying in a sequence of buttons. <> he calls out. <>
<>
<> Fung shrieks, and his ally complies, hurling the broken Zaku down toward Kazuma. Its pilot ejects, escape unit sailing high up into the air, and the other Zakus withdraw quickly, retros firing. The reason for this becomes evident as the Zaku self-destructs atop the Alter User.
Blue Squadron evades Duo's initial charge, but Blue One curses as he spots the Gundam's destination. <> he shouts, firing a pair of wires after the Deathscythe. Thin electric cords shoot up between the two main wires, possibly shorting out the Gundam's propulsion for a short time. The Belkan fighters continue to pour on the damage, and another Zaku becomes a ball of fire when a missile slams into its missile casing, secondary explosions sending debris scattering. One of the Zakus whips its beam sabre across in a tight arc as Geist Two veers a little too close to his target, aiming for the jet's left wing.
The Master Gundam, meanwhile, backs away from Viral's second assault and accidentally brushes up against the Schrödinger waveform, its right leg giving out temporarily, allowing Viral an opening. The Enkiduran's blade rips into the Gundam's cockpit, the martial artist tilting his head to the side to avoid the massive edge. "I understand," he rumbles softly. "You fight for yourself, then? Excellent." The Gundam suddenly drives forward, pink cloth coalescing into a wicked point around its right hand as Master Asia drives the arm forward, toward the Enkiduran's open mouth. "Then you have truly become your own warrior!" he roars, pulling his arm back and crouching.
The Master Gundam's thrusters blaze as it sails across the sky toward Nono, several pulses echoing out as it accelerates rapidly, right arm coming down to its hip, left shoulder leading into the massive fist. "You do not understand why, Buster Machine Seven?" he asks, his Gundam blasting through the hand and continuing its charge, black energy swirling around its right hand. "Because humanity is a CANCER on Mother Earth! They rape and pillage her, then flee to space once she is spent and wasted, used for nothing more than a battlefield! Why do I do this, Buster Machine Seven?" he asks again, right hand coming forward to grab for Nono's head.
"BECAUSE IT IS /RIGHT!/"
Master Asia critically strikes Kazuma Torisuma with his Suicide Is A Valuable Tactic attack.
Master Asia gets a glancing blow on Isa Reichert with his Damn It, I Can't Make Two Wing Jokes In A Row feint.
Master Asia hits Viral with his Open Wide attack.
Master Asia hits Nono with his DAAAAAAAAAAAAAKNESS! FINGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! attack.
Master Asia misses Duo Maxwell with his Borrowed Divine Crusader Tech 1, Gundam Wing 0 stun.
Shin's swift attack strikes true. The Laser CASTON launches across the air, and Shin intercepts him in mid-leap with a picture-perfect shot. The ensuing detonation shatters soulsteel, cracking a pair of fins as it throws him aside. "What? NO! You're not going to get in my way!" Kamon screams.
But before he can retaliate, Superman spanks Kamon upside the head with a massive book. The impact drives the mecha to the ground, and slams him into a building, debris and clouds billowing out to reveal the Laser GASTON clearly off guard. A perfect time for a finishing blow from the Gurren-Lagann.
The powered drills fire, spinning and striking straight into the Gunmen's chest. They whirr, cutting into the screaming face... When something goes terrible wrong. The drills stop, crumbling away and being absorbed into the mecha, along with the green energy. The energy pulses into the Laser GASTON, limning the skin of the machine with the distorted traceries, highlighting them...
And it suddenly becomes clear as day: The entire machine is etched with warped spirals, almost like demented body tattoos. What foul sorcery is this? "YES..." Kamon yells, laughing as the power surges through the Laser GASTON. "You want to see my power? I'll show you /POWER/! HAHAHAHAHA!" The broken portions of the mecha begin to rebuild, twisted spiraling black portions filling in the shattered armor The radiant fins are splayed outwards, a gleaming line slowly beginning to sweep out from the center, connecting each of the fins. What is it /doing/? "For the Master, I am going to DESTROY YOU ALL!"
About its hands, gleaming Spiral Energy coealsces, forming into massive drills of light. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" With a punch, Kamon launches the laser drill right back at Simon, with others following toards Shin and Superman!
Kamon switches armor modes to Spiral Drain.
Kamon critically strikes Shin Matsunaga with his No One Kills Like GASTON attack.
Kamon gets a glancing blow on Superman with his Hadokens Drills Like GASTON attack.
Kamon misses Simon with his No One Jacks Energy Spills Like GASTON attack.
While in the process of helping an elderly man along, Aya once again speaks up. "I'll do what I can, Miss Nia-no, this way please!" She calls after a fleeing couple, flagging down a larger (..bear?) woman to help the elderly person. With those citizens well on her way, Aya rushes off to locate Nia.
"Just tell me where I need to be and I will help."
"Arrgh...!" Superman exclaims, holding his chest. Despite his annoyance, Batman looks over to his friend, frowning. "It's like...Parasite..." Superman grunts, shaking his head and forcing the strange fatigue off. "We have no choice!"
"No."
"...aww, come on!"
Batman sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Fine."
"Awesome." Superman enthuses, and pushes a button. "DOUBLE HEAT..."
"...batarang vision." Batman finishes, looking incredibly annoyed at the entire concept.
The Combination Robot responds, its eyes glowing a bloody shade of red...and, quickly fireing a blast of powerful Heat Vision shaped just like a giant batarang! ...fired out of the eyes. ...yeah.
Superman critically strikes Kamon with his Double Heat Batarang Vision attack.
The beam sabre tears into the alloy of the Fulcrum's wing, and Geist Two yelps at the terrible, screeching sound the metal makes in protest. She wrenches the flight stick, though, rolling away as quickly as she can.
Liese sighs, a little shakily.
Isa Reichert says nothing, grimly silent as she rolls her fighter on its side and slams the air brakes. The turn carries tight, turnign her heading towards what's left of the Yellow Wing.
she snarls, launching her last two missiles, and charging them full on. Gunfire leads the way.
The other two jets fall into formation, a sharp 'V' with Geists Two and Three at the flanks, though the left wing looks fairly damaged on Geist Two's craft. Smoke still trails from the fresh searing, but that doesn't seem to stop her from unloading a weapons payload on the targets.
Isa Reichert gets a glancing blow on Master Asia with her Missiles Mk. 3 attack.
Not letting on the assault just yet, Shin throws the ReGelg into the air, his eyes flat and focused on the rising Gaston. He's figured out the machine's vulnerability, at least in his own mind. Rising up above the landing machine, the White Wolf locks in his target, missiles peeking out of their tubes.
He then widens his eyes a little as the fins begin to rise - and jams down the accelerator all the harder.
He doesn't make it. The spiral drill bores a hole clean through the ReGelg's upper body, ripping away a shoulder plate and a huge chunk of chest armour. Coolant and sparking mechanics spray everywhere, and the mobile suit lurches out of its flight and crashes hard to the strees. Red warning lights glare in the White Wolf's face - yet somehow the mech is still there, minus one shoulder, yet standing.
"Simon," the White Wolf utters into his radio, his voice rendered raspy by the acrid smoke beginning to fill his cockpit. "If we're going to finish off Master Asia's little trick, we're going to have to work together."
Leaning the ReGelg forward and bracing the mobile suit on one hand in a three point stance, Shin squeezes a pair of triggers, releasing a shower of missiles towards the transformed Spiral Drain - missiles that blossom out, targeting the fins above all else. "Take out those fins! They look like some sort of channel for power!"
Shin Matsunaga hits Kamon with his So here's this giant enemy crab attack.
The flaming mass of the Zaku comes crashing down on top of Kazuma, and then the reactor redlines - and the Alter User vanishes in a massive blast of light and head, the entire mobile suit transforming into a ball of flame that rises up into the air. It seems like this is going to be the end of the Alter User - after all, with such a tremendous blast, he would be fried by the head and pressure, with only part of his body being covered by his Alter.
Which is why he had to take more drastic measures. Kazuma reaches out and grabs the ground all around him, right before the Zaku explodes on top of his head, pulling it together and melding it to his body, transforming it into his more advanced Alter. The shell he creates around himself helps to resist some of the damage, and the superficial wounds he suffered from the attacks before are repaired. The blast is still devastating - but a sphere appears in the center of the fireball, blasting it outwards and extinguishing the flames. Kazuma looks up, his body transformed into its third stage Alter, and he smiles. "Damn. I have to give it to Asia. They might be big robots, but I didn't think I'd have to go this far..."
Kazuma Torisuma heals Kazuma Torisuma with his Alter Shift action.
Kazuma Torisuma switches armor modes to Third Stage.
"What the hell..!?" Simon shouts, in surprise. He concentrates; the Gurren-Lagann is suddenly surrounded by a dome of green energy. The drills of light slam into it - and Spiral Power meets Spiral Power. The shield shudders, before the energy drills explode; fiery plumes shoot in the air, and the Gurren-Lagann vanishes for a moment into the flames.
When they break, it stands there - the shield around it dissipating. The Gunmen itself is untouched. Simon's eyes narrow. "You drained the Spiral Energy I used on you!! How the hell...?"
He swings back one fist, and then leaps forward. He throws a mighty punch, aimed at slamming the plated red fist of the Gurren-Lagann into the Laser GASTON's face. When the left foot of the Gunmen hits the ground, the machine pivots - and he finishes with a mighty, mecha-sized roundhouse kick.
"I'll still find a way to BEAT YOU!" he promises, "Using whatever it takes!!"
Then, he finishes by swinging down the right hand. It shudders - and raw Spiral Power floods into it, making it spin rapidly, turning into a drill. "Right, Matsunaga!"
The drill is chopped down, like a knifehand, for the fins.
Simon gets a glancing blow on Kamon with his Three Hit Combo attack.
Thank you, Schrödinger waveform! Viral shall thank you by ignoring you completely, thus avoid making you disappear in a puff of maybe-illogic. Oh, Gurren-Lagann.
"Wh--!?" Viral snarls as that pink cloth punch comes straight for the Enkiduran's mouth. Thankfully, Gunmen come with a double-barrier between the outside and the cockpit, so even when the 'teeth' move up and down to approximate the pilot's speech, the pilot himself is still protected. All the same, that strike drives Viral back, the white Gunmen crying out under the blow.
"...tch. How good of you to recognize that, Toho Fuhai. BUT!!" Swinging around to pursue Master Asia as he moves to engage Nono--and Viral recognizes the girl even in this form, though he shall have to save wondering about her downright bizarre Gunmen (do those even count as Gunmen?) for later--he charges, continuing, "I hardly need such a thing when it's my honor I seek to vindicate!!"
After all, even if he's cut into the cockpit, Viral knows that something like that won't take this man down easily. He notes Nono's question and Master Asia's response grimly, at least; he remembers how the two of them seemed to get along at the hot springs. But even that's a secondary concern when, over in Shin and Simon's corner, the Distorted Spiral absorbs Simon's Spiral Energy and transforms his mech into something new. It takes Viral a second to realize it must be the doing of the soulsteel, but still--he curses.
Viral critically strikes Master Asia with your CHAAARGE attack.
The corner of Duo's scanner catches a pair of fast-flying incoming bogies. "Persistent, aren't they," he sighs. Deathscythe was in mid-blast jump, and using its verniers it twirls about in mid-air to fire its razor-bladed shield back at the tags. Snip. Snip. Its work isn't done, however, as it continues flying straight to the taser's origin to snip off a limb, torso, or head too.
The Gundam doesn't wait for the shield to return, it keeps on flying until it finally gets a clear view of the center of town. It takes a moment for the surprise to dawn on Duo: "Hey, the bad guy's piloting a Gundam too! No wonder he's getting all the attention!" Its another moment before everything else becomes apparent: "Where did those giant hands come from? And that... /thing/ with the lightning bolt on its chest has got to be the ugliest robot I've ever seen! Geez, does anybody have any taste in robot design around here!?"
Duo Maxwell hits Master Asia with his You Didn't Tase Me, Bro jab.
Nono's head is very small, so Master Asia instead gets her /everything/. And the energies seep into her, earning a howl of pain even as on either side, a pair of spontaneous microsingularities form, siphoning off large portions of that energy, drawing it out of the universe, never again to be found except perhaps by the one person who knows the location of the black world she sent it to.
The black holes close, and as the Darkness Finger technique completes, Nono still floats, rocketing away from the Master Gundam, Nono's expression full of rage. "A cancer...?" she whispers, body actually quivering. "A disease!? Is that what you think!? This insanity is right!?"
Energy begins gathering in her hands - energy simply converting, instantly, light and Ether power converging on her hands to form pinpoints of heat.
"Are you truly so mad!?" Nono calls. "Toho Fuhai...for a thing like this, for goals like that....I knew you loved the planet Earth, but to love it so dearly that you would destroy the most precious thing on it...I, Nono, will never forgive you!"
Those boiling pinpoints of light reach impossible heights - heat enough to punch holes in stars, let alone mobile suits or Gundams.
"If you think like that, Undefeated of the East, then you are my enemy! I will show you no quarter, no mercy! I will protect these people with everything I have - everything!"
The number of lights in the sky begins to increase. Quickly.
"Here and now, Undefeated of the East, I will show you why /I/ am called the Ultimate Weapon!"
Nono whips her hands around, keeping her hands separate - two points of light, outshining the sun. "Here and now...!"
Twin beams of radiance erupt from her fingers - broad as a baseball bat, hot enough to boil away granite, and lancing directly for the Master Gundam.
"...LET ME SHOW YOU POWER!"
Nono misses Master Asia with her TWIN BUSTER BEAM - I think you made it mad, Timmy attack.
<>
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Master Asia closes his eyes as he takes in the sounds of his soldiers struggling against superior foes. Neo Hong Kong has fought well...but they are no match for the best pilots the Divine Crusaders have to offer. He makes the decision and lets out a breath. <> he announces. <> The Master Gundam is rocked by Viral's charge, but the message is out, and across the battlefield there is a brief pause as Zaku forces temporarily break off combat.
And then the radio suddenly erupts with insane screaming, laughter and, in some cases, sobbing. The Neo Hong Kong Gundams suddenly begin opening fire more or less indiscriminately as the DG Cells take over their nervous systems, pushing them to the edge and beyond.
Master Asia simultaneously reaches a decision of his own, and sucks in a slow deep breath as Buster Machine Seven denounces him. He is truly alone now, it seems. They do not understand.
They do not need to.
"Power?" Master Asia says softly, then laughs. "You know nothing of power!" he screams as the Master Gundam begins to glow with an inner golden light, then energy blasts out from every atom, possibly repelling Viral and Nono both. The Gundam's hands reach up to meet the power beams, as Master Asia catches them in both palms and then squeezes, energy leaking out from the gaps in his fingers as he repels the assault.
"KAKATTE KOI!" he roars, hands coming down to his hips. "RYUUHA!" he screams, slowly windmilling his arms until the Master Gundam's right hand is clenched over his head. "Touhou Fuhai no na no moto ni!"
This is probably bad.
Master Asia switches armor modes to Master Super Mode.
Master Asia misses Isa Reichert with his Crazy? attack.
Master Asia gets a glancing blow on Duo Maxwell with his We're Fresh Out Of Crazy Here! attack.
Master Asia critically strikes Kazuma Torisuma with his Had This Guy Come In, Picked Up The Last Of It attack.
Master Asia hits Nono with his Back Off jab.
Master Asia gets a glancing blow on Viral with his Get Your Own Sandwich jab.
Isa narrows her eye, gaze flicking down to the radar panel on her cockpit's display console. There's a lot of them, the sweeping arm of the radar revealing their movement where she can't necessarily see. Some of the blips have faded away, but there's still a respectable number left.
And apparently, they've gone insane. She can hear them; their laughter, their sobbing, their screaming, slightly grainy with the communications' technology.
she roars, slamming the controls and sending her jet into a free-falling engine stall. Liese and Ancel answer by veering upward, sprinting away at distance enough to turn.
It isn't until the way seems a little more clear that they turn, rushing towards the Zakus and their deranged pilots, guns blazing. There are no missiles this time -- they've run those dry.
Isa brings her plane out of its stall, engine guttering to life again as she turns, fleeing the throng of Yellow Wing Zakus. She attacks later, swooping in from distance and passing her wingmen. The three of them circle like dogs, waiting for opportunity, and careful not to get /too/ close to the Mobile Suits.
Fulcrums were not, after all, built for melee combat.
Isa Reichert hits Master Asia with her We're Fresh Out Of Missiles, So Have Some Bullets jab.
Isa Reichert says, "Scramble! All Geist units, SCRAMBLE!"
And suddenly it seems like the Zaku Forces - now properly the Death Army at this point - is going completely nuts. Kazuma grunts as shells hit him from every direction, the Zaku's just going crazy and shooting every which way. This... hurts. A lot. He staggers left and right, before finally being knocked off of his feet and thrown into one of the nearby Zaku's.
The Alter User roars, and grabs the Zaku with both hands, and suddenly launches both himself and the machine into the air. And he grabs grabbing chunks of it, tearing them off and punching them, turning them into high speed projectiles that he launches down in a continuous barrage at the Zakus down below. "RAAAR! TAKE THAT! AND THAT! AND THAT!"
Kazuma Torisuma misses Master Asia with his Fresh out of bullets, have some Zaku attack.
Shin Matsunaga breathes out hard through his teeth. "He's got more power than I expected."
Kazuma Torisuma says, "Rgh, and his troops are tough. I don't know what he did to them - its like they all went nuts."
Shin Matsunaga says, "Damn it."
Kazuma Torisuma says, "Don't let him get away. I don't know what he's trying, but Master Asia has gone too far this time."
Isa Reichert can be heard breathing hard, in her cockpit. "--In my country, they kill the insane." Dark little laugh. "I will see to it, /da/?"
Viral says, "Tch! Don't worry about that, Kazuma! It doesn't matter how much power he has--I'll fight to the end!"
Shin Matsunaga says, "Kamon's powered up his mobile suit as well. Simon and I are working on it."
Shin Matsunaga coughs.
Kazuma Torisuma says, "This is *not* how we treat our people. Damnit, we help our people as much as we can - if he wants to use his OWN TROOPS as some horrid experiment fodder..."
Viral says, "Hmph. Is that so? ...I won't begrudge you that, Shin. --He intends to kill all humans, including himself."
Viral says, "It's not surprising that he'd behave like this."
Shin Matsunaga grates, somewhat raspingly, "He's got a lot to answer for. Once I get done with Kamon, Fuhai's next."
Shin Matsunaga, darkly, "I do not like being stabbed in the back."
Crazy doesn't explain half of it. Duo rubs his head as he stares at Master Gundam's newest upgrade, "I tell you, buddy, we have to get ourselves a part of that action. ... Nah. Who would fear a glowing Gundam-" Explosions buffet the cockpit, bringing a muttered curse from the pilot. "Like little yapping dogs," he sighs.
Deathscythe twirls about, facing what appears to be Zakus hellbent on getting themselves shot. "If you're that desperate to get yourselves killed, then I'm happy to help!" Several bursts from head machine guns are fired off to take care of those annoyances, all while the Gundam reaches behind itself for a special wrapped surprise attached to its back. Santa's workshop has been busy, and Duo has an early present to deliver to the bad Master Asias of the world.
Duo Maxwell hits Master Asia with his GTFO jab.
Just be thankful that it's only Spiral Energy that he absorbs.
Too bad that the Gurren Lagann practically radiates the stuff. The spiraling energy continues to grow along the fins on the back of the Laser GASTON, as the mecha sweeps in towards Simon. "You can't beat me! I've been improved! Refined! The Master only takes the best materials to work with, the finest students... And THAT IS ME!" He grapples with Simon, only to get punched back. The kick sends him flying into the air, leaving him wide open for the dual tech from Shin and Simon. The fins clatter and crack, though the mere touch of the massive Spiral Power drill causes it to rapidly drain, accelerating the formation of what is obviously a huge spiral, framed by the fins. Good thing for them, then, that the fins are rapidly being shattered and broken away. The power flow distorts, becoming less spiral-like, but it continues to grow. Something seems to be reinforcing them.
The impacts throw the Laser Gaston even farther, putting it into perfect position for the DOUBLE HEAT BATARANG VISION to hammer into the Laser Gaston. Somewhere, a Combo Meter rises to the 'EXCELLENT!' level. The mighty chin is cracked, part of it breaking off with a loud CRUNCH and giving the mecha a more surprised and pained look than fearsome and manly. The additional impact sends the Laser GASTON flying into another building, slamming through it and shattering it completely.
From within the billowing smoke, the dark shape rises once more, gleaming with perverted, unnatural energy. "Is that..." Kamon hisses, "The best the lot of you can do?" He steps forward, crushing a hunk of wall into rubble. It's become obvious that the damage is mounting, as larger and larger hunks and cracks are evident in the armor of the machine. And yet... Kamon seems utterly unconcerned with the damage. "You are all pathetic! I've seen better fighting from the Zakus! Hahahahaha!" Kamon giggles, before he leaps high into the air, flipping... And a massive drill manifests around him as he drives straight into the ground, slamming it there with a cacaphonous detonation. The impact shudders and shakes the ground, the energy discharging abouthim in expanding spiral shockwaves. Where the shockwaves go, the ground cracks and explodes upwards in green light, turning the entire area around him into a massive spiral-shaped detonation. "Comeoncomeoncomeoncomeon... DIE!"
Kamon gets a glancing blow on Shin Matsunaga with his No One Rocks Like GASTON attack.
Kamon hits Superman with his Makes Some Shocks Like GASTON attack.
Kamon gets a glancing blow on Simon with his Kills While Crazy-Talks Like GASTON attack.
Shin Matsunaga says, "--Shit! That's what it is!"
Viral says, "What?"
Shin Matsunaga says, "His machine is absorbing the energy from Simon's drills. Damn it."
Viral says, "Tch... Then Simon's attacks are useless?"
The Gurren-Lagann raises its arms - the armored plating on them is torn into by the spiral explosion; the green light scorches them, and one of the edges of the spiral blast cuts a deep groove into them. The eyes of the Lagann flash, furiously, as the Gunmen looks into the Soulsteel machine's eyes. Simon sucks in a deep breath.
"I can do better than that!" he promises. "Don't worry, we're JUST GETTING STARTED!!" he shouts. He looks at the thing, and considers. Then, he sucks in a breath, and goes rushing forward. The right arm is swung backward - and green light ripples out of it, spiralling outward, and then tightening.
A long, narrow drill forms - wide at the bottom, like a cavalier's lance. Simon lets out a shout, and then lunges forward. "Matsunaga!" he shouts. "I have an idea... but we need to force him away from the city! HIT HIM INTO THE AIR!"
The drill lance swings upward - and he tries to catch between the legs of the Laser GASTON, and throw it into the air.
Simon hits Kamon with his Up, Up... attack.
Some sense in the back of Shin's mind suddenly flickers, and his eyes widen. Seeing the effect of Simon's drill is all he needed - "Damn it, it's your drills!" he hisses into his radio for Simon's benefit, the smoke still leaving him raspy. "He's absorbing them!"
The ground erupts; a split-second before Kamon's attack hits home Shin kicks the ReGelg into motion, the mech leaping backward, but not escaping the blast entirely; a plate of skirt armour is ripped away, ragdolled into the detonation of spiral energy.
As the ReGelg comes down, the White Wolf looks sharply to one side, spotting Gurren Lagann. "The air it is," he agrees with a vicious smile, showing teeth. With a tap of a control, then a few more taps, he lines up the elevated Spiral Drain in his sights, a green targeting reticle appearing over the machine's image.
Again the ReGelg drops into a firing stance, unleashing another cloud of missiles - this time two at a time, sixteen in total. If Shin's aim is true, they should hopefully juggle the Spiral Drain up into the air!
Shin Matsunaga critically strikes Kamon with his Multi-Coin Block Treatment attack.
Shin Matsunaga smirks. "They seem to still do damage. We'll just have to hit him harder."
Viral says, "...heh."
"/The/ best?" Superman looks at Batman, who shrugs.
The energy-impact slams into the mighty robot as it topples over itself, falling on its square behind. "That's big talk coming from a guy who's only attack's a giant phallic symbol!" Superman exclaims, looking towards Bruce, who gives a thumbs up of mecha pilot sass approval.
The Robot doesn't just stand up...it /flies/ up, hovering for a minute before twisting around, and...
"Dramatic Skylight Shattering..."
"...Up Up And Away Style!"
Both mighty knees jut out, as the robot's flight boosters turn around and /propell/ the machine, knee first, towards the dreaded Laser GASTON, aiming to further shove it into the air!
Superman misses Kamon with his Appu Appu Ken Sakini attack.
Shin Matsunaga says, "All units, status!"
Kazuma Torisuma says, "'s what I've been saying."
Haruko Haruhara says, "Go team go!"
Haruko Haruhara may or may not be waving pom poms.
Nono growls, focusing all she can into the Buster Beams -- and then Master Gundam explodes into energy, sending her flying away and crashing into a nearby building, smashing through a wall and skidding through a few desks before she stops, panting.
She knew he was strong, of course - knew that the Master Gundam wielded an enormous, hidden power, but...to so easily defeat two simultaneous Buster Beams...!
She lies there a moment, breathing ragged, trying to decide what to do.
He's furious - and unleashing enormous amounts of power, to be sure. But even though it was a close fight...she's beaten him once! She can do it gain!
She has to shut out the shrieks, the laughter, the weeping. It hurts to imagine what's going on in those cockpits, but if she's going to be able to do what she has to do, she must be able to focus. "Those people..." she whispers, pushing off the ground and hovering quickly back out the door. "All people...all the people he's ever hurt..."
Nono's eyes dart up, finding the Master Super Gundam. She crosses her arms, and it's the antenna in her hair that does the acting now - making a single, sharp slashing motion across the Master Super Gundam's side.
They come - descending from space like a swarm of fire, dozens of brightly rainbow-hued Buster Legions, streaking across the sky toward the Master Super and intending to simply smash into it and explode.
"I won't forget them...! You haven't defeated me yet, Toho Fuhai!"
Nono hits Master Asia with her The Oath Sworn Through Giant Monsters attack.
"Guwaaagh!" Viral screams, Enkiduran forced back by the chi expellation from the Master Gundam. Even simply exercising its chi as it shifts to a new form gives this great a pressure... Though the beastman has never seen this form of the Master Gundam, he can tell simply by its presence that this is Bad ****ing News.
But backing off is not an option, and was never an option. However, caution may be well-advised here. Maintaining his distance in order to attempt to give himself time to block or dodge when (and Viral knows it will be when) Master Asia follows up on the attack, he bombards the Master Gundam with a series of missiles from the Enkiduran's internal siols. They sear out from the retractable compartments, and as Nono's Buster Legions converse on the powerful mech, so they follow.
Hearing news of what Simon and the others are doing with Kamon, Viral has the urge to glance over that way--but he can't afford to make such an amateur mistake. The cries of the Undefeated's experiments do not fall on deaf ears, but it's for the same reason that Viral ignores them: after all, it's hardly surprising.
"Nono! Be careful!" he instead calls sharply to the Buster Machine. "Don't let yourself get distracted; he's sure to let loose with a powerful attack!" Perhaps it's a bit unnecessary to say so, but while the beastman acknowledges and respects her determination...you really can't know about her.
Viral critically strikes Master Asia with his When Your Enemy Starts To Glow, That Is When You Use The "Guard" Command attack.
Wraith: Isa Reichert sounds like she's breathing raggedly, through grit teeth, over the steady brr-rr-rr-rr of gunfire. "We are still engaged with the Mobile Suits." Furiously, "They have all gone /mad/."
Shin Matsunaga grunts. "We've got Kamon airborne."
Kazuma has it right (and beat me to it, the jerk) when he calls them the Death Army. The Zaku pilots seem not to care about their lives as they race to the attack, one of them taking the lead against the Alter User, blazing toward the man with arms spread. The Zakudokens tears into the machine's armor, one of the pieces finally penetrating the cockpit. As soon as the soldier's vitals go offline, the DG Cells initiate the selfdestruct, causing a massive explosion Kazume may just catch the edge of. The Geist Squadron's gunfire chews into the Death Army's armor, but does not quite bring any of them down. One of the Zakus continues firing at Geist One, while another actually throws his rifle at Geist Three. The Deathscythe's gatling guns do similar damage to Blue Wing, but the Gundams keep coming forward, forgoing weapons for hands and fists as they claw at Duo's machine, still screaming all the while.
The right hand of the Master Gundam, meanwhile, suddenly begins to shine with a powerful light, the image of a heart with two crossed swords burning in the air. "Ore no kono te ga makka ni moeru!" he recites, a golden ball of energy suddenly building in the Gundam's right palm. Master Asia brings the hand down in front of his chest, and the left hand comes up to creade the chi ball from the other side. His hands slowly begin to pull it apart, green lightning flickering across its surface as it expands. "Shouri wo tsukame to todoroki sakebu!" he booms, then pulls the energy backward.
It is precisely at that moment that the Buster Corps and Viral's missiles rip into the Gundam, which vanishes in a ball of fire, its light doused by the all-consuming flame. Chunks of golden armour drop down from the sky, shifting to a blackened colour as they fall. For an instant, it seems Master Asia is gone.
"OUGI!"
The smoke swirls into the energy ball, revealing the Master Gundam. Its left horn and right wing are shorn entirely, and Master Asia's face - hard with anger, but sheathed in gold - is clearly visible through the widened crack Viral stabbed into the cockpit earlier. "Sekiha!" he screams, thrusting both hands toward Nono. "TENKYOOOOOOOOUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!"
A crackling energy beam burns toward Buster Machine Seven, and then the Undefeated of the East strains against its force, curving the beam as he swings his Gundam around toward Viral, trailing the energy blast like a golden whip. "MADAMADA!"
Master Asia hits Viral with his srsly, i kill u super.
Master Asia misses Nono with his u 2 super.
Master Asia hits Kazuma Torisuma with his u 3 jab.
Master Asia gets a glancing blow on Duo Maxwell with his and u smel attack.
Master Asia critically strikes Isa Reichert with his I Have No Discernible Opinion On You attack.
JAPANESE TRANSLATIONS: "KAKATTE KOI! RYUUHA! Touhou Fuhai no na no moto ni!"
"Ore no kono te ga makka ni moeru! Shouri wo tsukame to todoroki sakebu! OUGI! Sekiha! TENKYOOOOOOOOUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN! MADAMADA!"
"COME AND FACE ME! FLOWING WAVE! In the name of the Undefeated of the East!"
"This hand of mine burns crimson! It roars at me to seize victory! SECRET TECHNIQUE! Stone-Smashing! HEAVENLY SHOOOOOOOCKIIIIIING FIIIIIIIIIIIIST! I'M NOT DONE YET!"