[Log] Attack of the Zondar [3/3]
Who: Agrias Oaks, Ami Mizuno, Aya Kobayashi, Gades, Hrist Valkyrie, Meliadoul Tengille, Pizza, Ryusei Date, Simon Parker Zondar Robo Broken Angel, The Rani
Where: Sci-Fi Sector - Detroit, Halo Earth
When: 06 Mar 2008
What: The Vanguard Detachment and a handful of IPA operatives catch wind of their missing agent, and move in with the intent of subduing the Zondar that he's become. Unfortunately, things don't really go their way...
Watch For: Crits EVERYWHERE, Alkoun the Demon Chocobo.
Agrias likely notices that she's not doing better against Hrist. She's doing worse. Hrist has gotten used to Lenneth's body. She has acclimated. This 'Deity' has done well enough to beat Superman in battle-Agrias might actually be thankful she has lasted this long.
Repeated lunges do not an effective offense make-though it is true that a single panicked warrior can defeat a master. Hrist parries with her own blade, protecting her body with her own weapon. Agrias's body is her greatest enemy (besides the Valkyrie herself). "You are already slowing." Hrist comments, "I can force you to serve, but if you prefer to be completely obliterated, turned to nothing but Emptiness," that's a capital E, "Then I can grant that wish as well. I imagine it will please The Shadow to see your Oblivion."
With a small flourish, she goes in for an overhead slice-no wait, that's a feint! It's actually a side swipe for the side of Agrias's head!
"Accept my divinity or the world will remember your bravery in protecting your steed with regret and sorrow!"
Hrist Valkyrie critically strikes Agrias Oaks with her Valkyrie Disfavor attack.
You take 28 damage.
You have been knocked out!
Somehow through some sort of divine luck, Ryusei is able to break his concentration momentarily lean his machine to the side, kicking the engines so that the R-1 leans sideways, barely avoiding the plasma mortar 'shells'. But despite Ryusei's apparent luck, he is no more pleased about this than he would have been if he was actually hit. The sheer amount of destruction caused by this attack was massive, and the Zondar Robo apparently had little care in just what he was damaging, ally and enemy alike. "That... you..." Ryusei mutters, apparently in disbelief, and his formerly confident features lose face into that of pure frustration and anger. "Someone has to put a stop to you!!!" he then yells.
At this moment, Ryusei decides to *$(@ Concentrating on his attack, and instead lets his emotions do all the work for him. With gritted teeth, he gives affirmation to his teammate through a simple nod, and then suddenly the green aura surrounding the R-1's fists burst into a brilliant emerald color. "Form it... into a sword..." he mutters to himself, as the energy grows in size and clarity. When it finally gets to its maximum size, Ryusei thrusts the R-1's arms forward and aims what looks like an emerald beam straight into the center of the fearsome Zondar Machine. "Nendou... HASAI KEN!!!!" he yells, and should the attack actually land it will look far less like a beam and more like a brilliant green sword!
... But Ryusei isn't finished yet. As evidenced by the R-1's still-glowing arms. And only moments after he fires off the beam of TK energy, he rushes into close range with R-1. "TK KNUCKLE!!!!" he yells out, and with both fists he throws a flurry of devastating punches aided not only by the steel of the machine but the mysterious Nendou energy! He punches, and punches, and appears to be doing his best to try to dig towards that Zondar Core everyone seems to keep talking about.
Ryusei Date misses Simon Parker with his ARGH RAGE GRAH etc. super.
"So fragile, really..." comments the Sinistral, "Yet so loud when experiencing pain." and even if that's kind of like stating the obvious, the Sinistral seems amused by it anyway. "Are you ready for it to end yet?"
Icy Bubbles seem to vote for 'Not a chance', and Gades' teeth grit as his lower body seems to be in a bind, or icebound anyway. He forces it to break, but it's effort and far from painless for him too. "So determined too...maybe I should make you into one of our servants. You certainly seem ABLE enough...for a human."
A step forward, forced, but a step all the same. The plated giant slowly lumbers back toward melee range. And the sword is lowered to point at the young woman. "But you seem like the type who would steadfully refuse such a generous offer..." and thus, he just tries to poke Mercury. The sword is still plasma-burning hot to boot.
Gades critically strikes Ami Mizuno with his Shish-Scout? Scout-Kebob? attack.
Ami Mizuno resets her buff status to neutral.
Oh good. It did work. For a moment, Meliadoul was worried that it wouldn't. But when the helmet shatters, she emblazons his face into her mind. She files it in her memory under the "people to take down" section.
He does look a little silly, but this is a battlefield and not a place to laugh. She opens her mouth to snap off a reply but suddenly finds herself with a energy beam in the gut. "URK!" She falls forward and grabs Pizza by the wrist. "Humans will always prevail." She spits out with a malicious grin. She raises her other hand to punch Pizza in the face again. Just as she does so, she lets go of the Machine God's wrist and steps backwards moments after her arm is fully extended.
Meliadoul Tengille hits Pizza with her Gotta go rescue Agrias! attack.
Repeated lunges are a poor offense, but Agrias is running out of options. She was never a master of the lance, and the Holy Lance is a heavy weapon. Between her exhaustion and Hrist's finesse in bleeding out her strength... well, defeat is inevitable.
"I fight..." Agrias has to strain to forge out even those words. "I fight to protect my subordinate. That machine, over there."
She grunts, slipping, but manages to find her footing again. "Because as long as I have you... here, then you are not... are not hindering my allies," she rasps. That, at least, lends her some small comfort. "And I... I will have died... protecting others."
She coughs blood, swaying unsteadily on her feet. The blow comes, and reflexively, she tries to dodge. But the armour once again weighs her down, preventing her from making a true leap sideways. The blade instead bites into her neck, angling down as though towards her shoulder; something that could have taken off her head if it had more force.
With a strangled gurgle, the Holy Knight crumples. She has no time for any more words, and no breath with which to speak them. Her single eye focuses on the metallic debris and dead earth, mere inches from it. The details swim, and for a moment, she can feel the weariness engulf her like a leaden weight.
"I... I am sorry," she breathes, letting her eye close. Her grip on her lance slackens, all strength gone from her.
Captain Agrias Oaks transmits a strangled gurgle, a clanking thud of armour; and a strangled, whispered, "I... I am sorry..."
Simon Parker | Jay says a bad word.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "... .."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "DAMN IT OAKS!"
Captain Agrias Oaks does not answer.
Grabbed! Punched! Tossed into a pile, where the heavily wounded Machine King lies for a moment, barely moving. No, Machine King Pizza will not die yet...but perhaps losing his life here would not be the best for the cause of the Zondarians or their current 'allies.' He slithers into wire form for a moment, reappearing a moment later as he calls out to the knight in a cold, mocking tone.
"Know this, human! You have seen the face of Machine King Pizza, and for that, you shall pay dearly!"
Okay, now you can laugh, Meliadoul.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Bastard got away! Someone gives me Dame Oaks's position! I can't see a damn thing from here!"
Aya Kobayashi says, "She was about to assist us against the Zondar so..."
Aya Kobayashi gives nearby coordinates.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Got it!"
Gades is right about it .. fragile.. loud during pain.. it's so obvious that Sailor Mercury isn't a fighter. Well, at least, not one that is .. based on fighting. So when she answers.. all he does is push forwards with more of a proposal. The girl stands. Tired. It's .. so hard to keep fighting.
And then he steps forwards, a small poking towards her. The sword, however, is plasma burning hot.
You would probably not expect much less than the blade to slide all too far against her .. and staggering backwards, burned heavily, and slashed lightly .. "AHHH!" It's .. another scream, but fainter.. weaker.. Sailor Mercury barely able to stay on her feet. And .. Agrias went down. It's not going so well...
"I ... I refuse... I'm Sailor Mercury of ... the Sailor Scouts... and I fight for love and justice!" She reprimands Gades. "Not for what you fight for..."
But hurt badly, all she can do is try her hardest. Putting both hands to her tiara once more .. she suddenly has at least a burst in power.. it's at least something... "Shining Aquaaa..." She calls out, spinning about, water coming up from her feet, following her spinning. "ILLUSION!" The tendrils of water snaking around her suddenly spin all about, and with the frozen temperatures about her and the area.. about Gades at least... would make it cold, beyond simply a heavily pressurized blast towards the Sinistral.
She can only hope it's enough, as afterwards.. she almost collapses, hunched over a bit, fatigued and hurt.
Ami Mizuno hits Gades with her Sorry, we spent so much money on the kung fu all you get is FILLER super.
"Hah! I look forward to humiliating you again Machine King!" Meliadoul shouts at the retreating Zondar, already scrambling for her lance. Agrias is down and everyone else is busy. She quickly scans the battlefield, already pushing Pizza out of her mind temporarily. The coordinates from Aya comes in over the radio and she whistles sharply.
Amidst the chaos, a chocobo erupts from a pile of rubble. There are some lacerations but for the most part, the bird is whole. Running towards her, the templar grabs the reins and hoists herself up onto the still moving bird, digging her spurs into its side. She guides it through the rubble, forcing the poor bird to run as fast as possible. It takes a few moments before she nears the spot where Agrias fell.
The Zondar's barrage ends in a violent shudder as the armor plating on its chest twists back into position. It barely has time to recouperate further before a second Armor Breaker smashes into its back. Two of its wings flat-out shatter, raining debris on the pavement below. But it's still a tenacious little bugger, and there's still plenty of fight in it. Broken Angel Zonder raises both its weapons, and focuses on the charging mech.
The energy beam is countered with a parry from the plasma sword, while the metal sword neatly parries the punches. It's quick, quicker than you'd expect from such a massive machine. The sweeping of blades does not let up; the Zondar gets its arms into it, anti-grav jets aiding its trajectory as it starts... to spin. And spin, and spin, and spin, until it's a whirlwind of sharp objects moving at high velocity.
Its next course of action is to move to ram Ryusei, to introduce him to all those pointy things at once.
Simon Parker hits Ryusei Date with his MELEE OUT, WHIRLWIND IN 5 super.
Hrist looks over to the Zondar Machine. Which one! Probably the one that accidently smashed her up. She says, "Oh." after a moment, as if realizing the ending to a soap opera, "I was supposed to be there helping them." She cups her chin for a moment, shrugs her shoulders, and walks towards the bird.
"Jelinda, Lawfer." She commands.
A dirty blonde-haired knight and a prissy princess appear. Gesturing with one hand, Hrist imparts another edict, "Lawfer." She says, "Take the chocobo to The Rani."
The knight nods reluctantly, casting a worried look to Agrias, and then nods, "Just don't take her and I'll do it."
Hrist raies an eyebrow. "We shall see. Get to it."
Lawfer grits his teeth in a soft growl but does as commanded, leading the Chocobo back towards the TARDIS.
"Jelinda," Hrist adds, "My wounds are minor, I do not need healing. However, watch my back." Jelinda lets out a relaxed breath-not really wanting to help in this business.
A spear of light erupts into her hand as she raises her head, watching the charging human. "Humans always prevail?" She asks as she throws it at the charging warrior.
"I beg to differ."
Hrist Valkyrie critically strikes Meliadoul Tengille with her In my world, humans always lose attack.
The Rani is pleased. She gets off her ass and folds up the chair, tossing it back into the open door of the TARDIS and possibly striking Reiji in the head. She then waves the valkyrie minion forwards, gesturing with the RF screwdriver: "Right through here, dear! Thank you so much!"
The Holy Knight's steed is not happy about these proceedings. Alkoun is known for his ferocious temper, so it isn't very willingly that he goes with Lawfer. The bird stops and tries to tug away every possible bit, hissing in alarm and trying to bite at the offending warrior.
As for Agrias, the Holy Knight lies in a bloodied heap, half her face a mass of sword cuts. There's probably not much hope for her eye. If she lives. Meliadoul approaches, but she seems to take no notice of that; or anything else. Is she dead?
As for Alkoun... the bird puts up a magnificent fight, screaming in fury. He was trained as a bird of war, and so he does, trying to lash out at his captors with beak and talons, rearing back to claw with one raised foot, wings outstretched for balance.
His training is simple - protect his master.
And these people are not his master.
Ice magic, this one clearly stronger than the ones before which weren't shabby to begin with. "Ngggrh..." grunts the tall man, feeling his limbs go numb, the ice and pressure even causing him to fall to one knee...
But that's as far as he goes. Gades does not fall completely, he is not quite beaten yet. But that assault hurted, he's sweating and visibly so. "Truly a shame, your powers are worth some respect. Your beliefs however..."
A flash of light. Teleportation. Mercury's goggles would show he did not go far, just behind. His voice confirms this as he finishes the sentence with "Would make you a poor servant."
A foot slams on the ground very close to where the young woman is, causing a shake that would send her up in the air if her footing was not strong enough. And at perfect blade height. Yet the swing that comes is not with the sharp edge so there's no chance of having a cleaved Warrior of Love and Justice, but the Scout might wish it did: The blade cooled down a little but it's still a burning batting blow. And it can still cause fractures.
Gades misses Ami Mizuno with his BASUBORU?!?!? attack.
It's kind of hard to redirect a charging bird running at full speed last minute. It's really really hard. So even though, she sees the spear of light ripping towards her, it's too late for Meliadoul to change direction. The spear rips through her shoulder, shattering what remaining armor she's wearing in that area. The force of it knocks her clean off her chocobo and she lands heavily on her back, finding air forced out of her lungs for a second time this day.
"Even... in the face... of insurmountable evil..." The templar gasps out, as she struggles to her feet, fist clenching the Dragon Whiskers spear so tightly her knuckles are white. "We. Will. PREVAIL!" Her words are shouted as she throws everything she has into one final attack, throwing her entire weight and strength behind her lance. If she falls, it won't be because she didn't try.
Meliadoul Tengille critically strikes Hrist Valkyrie with her Human > Gods! attack.
Hrist turns around, seeming to think she has dealt with another Human or, as the merfolk call it, pee-yoo-man. She shouts at Lawfer, "Handle that bird!"
"I am not his master!" Lawfer yells, "It can sense it!" He gets clawed up by the strikes, but his ghostly demeanor renders the blows nonfatal-if irritating. "Something needs to cool it down, or I won't be able to bring it to anybody!"
This may be a call for science, Rani.
Hrist isn't paying attention and The Dragon Whiskers Spear seems much more able than a Holy Lance. The blade pierces through Hrist's back and out her belly, sparkles erupting out of Hrist's body. Her eyes widen.
"What... What! This can't be!" HUMANS?! GETTING CRITSHOTS?! This is madness! No, this is Meliadoul!
Hrist goes immaterial for a moment so she can walk out of the spear. Which she does. Eyeballing this latest threat, she murmurs, "Well done! You are a hero."
She smiles, "Will you take her place? I think you shall. That should inspire her to greater heroics and then!-I can take her too!" She raises the blade again, using her immaterial nature to dash in close to the Templar-before resolidifying and slicing down at her speararm!
Hrist Valkyrie critically strikes Meliadoul Tengille with her Gods > Humans! Daddy says so! attack.
Meliadoul Tengille has been knocked out!
And then Gades vanishes. Mercury's goggles suddenly telling her exactly where Gades has gone.. and his words confirm it.. the foot slams nearby, a shake causing Ami instead to stumble forwards, falling against the ground as the world shakes. Gades might have also over believed her power to resist.. or to actually take something like that in stride after being hurt so badly. She's just too weak to behave properly.
"I .. I don't mind that..!" She yells to Gades, weakly, fighting back with all she has.. "I only have these powers.. because I want to help people.." Otherwise.. well. She wouldn't be a sailor scout, would she? She'd be something else..
And Gades, might see something different for once. ".. I'll keep fighting against you .. to protect the others here .. and help them .. until I can't any longer." She makes her motive clear to Gades.. even if she believes it's over. She still fights, but not for her sake.
"Shining Aqua Illusion .. FREEZING!" Any water that's left on Gades.. and on the ground about him.. suddenly freezes, spiking upwards like icicles, randomly sprouting upwards.
Ami Mizuno critically strikes Gades with her Freeze, you're under duress! attack.
The Rani advances towards the chocobo as the screwdriver is raised. She estimates, based on activity and energy levels, that the chocobo operates on iron blood; this means that she has to adjust the characteristic frequency to resonate in tune with the blood flow in order to properly conduct...
She adjusts the beam on the pen-like object as she comes close, coming to a halt about five yards away and raising the tool upwards. She takes careful aim at the chocobo's neck before pressing the button. The red tip of the tool glows, and a pulsed burst of radio-frequency radiation strikes into the creature's neck! Heterodyning (no relation) itself into the bloodstream's characteristic receptive range, the blast seeks to temporarily disrupt neural activity. In a word:
The Rani misses Agrias Oaks with her Set Phasers To Stun (or possibly frappe`) action.
"I don't suppose-!" Aya calls out over her open communication link with Ryusei, "That you've seen the core in there." She sounds a bit apprehensive, especially with the knowledge that one of their allies had recently fallen in battle.
A psychic pulse of suddenly spreads outwards, the only warning anything receives before the strike shields detatch from the back of the R-3, the winglike extensions levitated through amplified telekinesis. All four swarm outwards in seperate directions before descending upon the Zondar from all angles performing fly-by hits. Just when it seems to have suffered enough strikes, each small 'bit' homes in on the target, then explodes.
Additional strike shields slide out of the R-3's back (..somehow) to replenish the lost ones. Aya has a sinking feeling she may be needing more sooner.
Aya Kobayashi juggles Simon Parker with her The best defense is a good offense! combo.
Aya Kobayashi juggles Simon Parker with her The best defense is a good offense! combo.
Aya Kobayashi juggles Simon Parker with her The best defense is a good offense! combo.
Aya Kobayashi juggles Simon Parker with her The best defense is a good offense! combo.
Agrias Oaks remains sprawled on the broken earth, insensible to the world. She isn't dead, the faint rise and fall of her chest evidence to the fact, but she's dangerously close.
As for her steed, the chocobo puts up a fierce resistance. Alkoun always was an aggressive little bugger, and that trait was only enhanced in his training. Chocobos are just as intelligent as horses, and will recognise a few people. That was what was done - and he will attack those whom he does not know.
And he doesn't know these strange, immaterial people who have no scent.
Alkoun rakes at the offending spirits, screeching in fury and distress as his sharp talons score another blow against the hapless Lawfer. It's nothing personal; the bird just doesn't like being manhandled. Or would that be ghosthandled?
When the Rani's tazer aims for him, he dances to the side, hissing murderously and trying to tear away from Lawfer. But the spirit still clutches his reins firmly. Aurgh! Frustration!
Well, one thing's clear. This bird is going to be bloody intractable. Likely the only way they get ahold of him is when he's good and dead.
Which hopefully will not happen. He was, after all, Agrias' favourite - and only - steed; she had hand-trained this one. Hmph.
Backing up slightly, feathers almost standing on end, Alkoun fixes one large eye on Lawfer and hisses murderously. C'mon, make his day.
Well. She tried Agrias. She really did. But it seems while mortals can give gods a run for their money, they can't quite beat them. It's not all that surprising though considering Meliadoul has faced down demons from hell and defeated them. But there is a limit to her power and she grunts, weight falling forward with the spear.
Once there is no weight around the spear, the templar falls face forward, tumbling into the ground gasping for air. She struggles upwards, bleeding out rapidly. There is a loud scream erupting from her throat as Hrist's sword cuts deep into her spear arm. It doesn't quite separate limb from body, but it cuts deep enough that she won't be using that arm for a good while unless she gets fairly immediate medical attention.
"Heh... I tried," are her final words before her mind just shuts down from the pain overload and she flops back uselessly down to the ground, completely blacked out.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Heh... I tried..."
Meliadoul Tengille abrupt silence.
Aya Kobayashi says, "...."
Aya Kobayashi says, "...Ryusei, do you think you can handle the Zondar for a few minutes."
Simon Parker | Dinah swears, violently.
Sailor Mercury Ami Mizuno says, "Ah .. her too?"
More ice, even in her exhausted state, this girl fights on. It could be inspiring to others, to Gades it's mostly annoying. Moreso as he's actually starting to struggle alot, against his own will. "Ngh...to think a young girl like you could harm ME this much..." says the tall man, awed. And frozen. Mostly frozen. Some of the spikes even broke his sabatons.
The sword is lifted well above his head, it's still a bit warm but with all that ice, most of the plasma energy is dissipated. "Very well then..." he says solonemly. "You have proven yourself worthy..." for what, would be the question. The energy he's gathering would be a cause for distress.
And the sword is glowing even brighter, it becomes a blinding red hue before the Sinistral smiles. "Devastation Blow." and while the name is short and very unimaginative, the effect is an explosion where the blade hits. Even if the Scout dodges the slash, the blast could very well hurt her. But this will drain Gades' energy a fair bit, and he doesn't look in a shape to do this a second time.
Gades hits Ami Mizuno with his This is the move that 1-shots people under level 10 but only takes a potion to heal when you fight the second time, it's not fair super.
Ami Mizuno has been knocked out!
All Ryusei can really do is gape in surprise, even as he attacks, as his entire barrage is easily handled. And when it quickly moves to makes its devastating counterattack, Ryusei is pitifully unprepared for it. The spikes shred into the R-1, doing far more damage than just grazing the surface. The machine is ripped into, sparks fly out, and the R-1 is thrown away like a rag doll, landing onto the ground with a dull thud. Ryusei Date's helmet cracks, and a trickle of blood runs down his forehead, and the R-1 looks like it's barely holding together, with much of the armoring having been cut straight off. but still... he does not yet seem like he is willing to yield. Indeed, Ryusei Date is still fully conscious, though the energy from his Nendou Field has all but dissipated.
"I won't..." he mutters to himself, slowly. "I won't..." The R-1 slowly rises, and surprisingly a feint green glow begins once again.
"I WON'T LOSE TO A BUNCH OF BROKEN TOYS!!!!!!!!!!" The R-1 then jets back towards the Zondar, and with a glowing fist it aims to deliver a massive right straight right into the center of the machine, again digging for that Zondar Core!
Ryusei Date resets his buff status to neutral.
Ryusei Date gets a glancing blow on Simon Parker with his OYASAI PAAAAANCHU! attack.
It's like Hrist is beloved by heaven. Another human down. TRIVIA: HRIST DESTROYED THE WORLD'S GREATEST KINGDOM IN A DAY ON HER WORLD. If it's to be believed.
"...Perhaps I was mistaken-ah no, injuries from before..." Hrist wrinkles her nose at the human. "In a moment I'll deal with both of you, or one of you. I guess I can pick and choose today." She turns around aneyeballs the bird flipping around and being psychotic. Lawfer is dragged about by the bird as he's unwilling to use full force on such a brave creature. She lets out a soft growl. "Oh this is ridiculous."
Hrist lashes out with a hand-holy energy rippling around the bird to hold it still-long enough, perhaps, for Rani to secure it. Of course, a chocobo isn't a human. Perhaps this is when Hrist's beloved nature ends!
Hrist Valkyrie misses Agrias Oaks with her NOT A HUMAN stun.
Sailor Mercury doesn't give up.. not when there are others depending on her .. and he even explains she's close. So .. so close. Can she do it? After all this self doubt? And then the sword is raised, warm but mostly gone... "Worthy? I .. already told you .. I don't want to-" And then she understands.
The sword glows far brighter, becoming a blinding red hue as he smiles.. Her legs go weak at the knees, and the blade is swung straight towards her. "Ah!"
She screams. You can somewhat imagine, when the camera pans away, and he swings.. Ami's tossed rather far, the slash across her sailor outfit, the explosion tossing her back, sending her tumbling backwards, leaving her at the end, laying on the ground, back up, staring up. "I'm .. sorry everyone.." The goggles fade after that, her 'toys' shutting down as she falls unconscious.".. I couldn't do it..." Is directed to herself at the end..
At least she's looking upwards into space. It's a nice sight, from Halo, she realizes.
Sailor Mercury Ami Mizuno says, "I'm .. sorry everyone.."
"How extraordinary," the Rani says in the face of such a menacing creature.
She snaps her fingers then, looking over at Lawfer and Hrist. "Right! Get a sample of blood, that will do! I'll clone up a batch." She tucks the RF screwdriver into her blouse pocket, clapping her hands together once. "Oh, this is such a marvel! Such a strong survival instinct! Normally these creatures beat themselves to death if restrained!"
Hrist seems to have no luck in subduing the creature. Alkoun dances sidelong, snapping at her hand with no apparent regard for her nature. Where the humans might hesitate, the chocobo won't. He follows years of training quite nearly calcified into instinct.
The bird whirls, then, a few black-tipped feathers floating free. He hisses evilly at the creature still restraining him. His sole instinct is to tear free and return to his master, to guard her.
Lawfer earns a snap as well, and Alkoun rears back, slashing at the hapless warrior spirit with sharp talons. It's just not Lawfer's day, is it?
Alkoun whirls again, then, huffing as he faces down both Hrist and Lawfer with murderous eyes. His crest is drawn up in full, feathers jutting out from his barding, its dents and scratches giving him even more of a wild appearance.
You want a piece of him? Really? Good, because he'll probably go into even more of a berserk fury if he's captured. A piece is all they're going to get...
...though they might lose a piece in return. Alkoun hisses again, a drawn-out and threatening sound, beak hanging half-open in clear threat of a bite.
This is why the Rani is letting the ghost guy do it instead of risking her precious Gallifreyan tushie.
"Hm, so proud, so defiant...but to the end, a mortal." concludes Gades as the girl falls and does not try her luck again. "Invest in armor perhaps." he even suggests, maybe as a joke, because the tall man is definitly chuckling.
Some would make sure their foe is dead. Sinistrals don't bother with such details. Turning away, the crimson blade is rested on his shoulder...and that hurts, so he lowers it and heads back to see what's going on between the Valkyrie and the bird. It seems unusual, and it's not like the Zondar seems like in any trouble/needing help.
Heretical Fallen Angel Zondar kills its forward momentum, easing out of its whirlwind with surprising grace. If Pizza's still watching, he may well be impressed by this.
Then Aya shows up, and cuts the Zondar the hell up. Huge chunks of machinery are sliced off, another wing shatters, and then Ryusei punches it in the gut for good measure. Most of its armor has been shattered, exposing masses of wire that seem to writhe of their own volition, but there's still no sign of the core. A bit more digging, through, and it might just be exposed...
But yeah, there's still plenty of fight left in Broken Angel Zondar, beaten-up or not. Perhaps as commentary on Ryusei's general demeanor, it swats at him half-heartedly with its bladed sword. The flaming sword is reserved for Aya, and it swings the weapon at her in a high arc.
Simon Parker hits Ryusei Date with his PERISH, MORTAL jab.
Simon Parker hits Aya Kobayashi with his I HAVE NO EQUAL jab.
The satisfaction of dealing serious damage to the Zondar with the strike shields is cut short as Aya is made privy to some very distressing developments over the radio. Rather than hanging around, the R-3 shoots upwards into the sky once more, clearing the immediate area of the Zondar to rush to the aid of her other allies. Though in the process, she isn't unable to avoid being clipped by the FLAMING BASTARD SWORD.
The chocobo is ignored for now (it seems to be doing fine on its own) in favor of locating her fallen allies, then that Valkyrie she's heard about. That one that apparently kills people and turns their souls into slave warrior things. Trusting Ryusei to get the job done, the R-3 dives down at the ground, firing a single strike shield at Hirst to physically bash the woman away from...well, she seems interested in chasing down the chocobo right now. As amusing as it is to see...
The R-3 doesn't stop moving either. In fact, it will attempt to land and try to gingerly scoop up Agrias and Meliadoul, one in each of the R-3's hands.
Aya Kobayashi critically strikes Hrist Valkyrie with her This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous. attack.
Hrist shakes her head slowly, "I understand when The All-Father is not granting blessing for victory. He does not seem to wish that I restrain this beast. Lawfer-"
Whatever she's about to say is stopped by a massive shield slamming into Hrist's back and bowling her over-briefly discorporealizing the Valkyrie! Is she FINALLY defeated?!
While you are wondering that, Lawfer screams in frustration as the bird rips him to shreds. "I am not stabbing this creature, how will I get a blood sample!" He's kind of bitchy. He really didn't kill himself so he could be a zookeeper.
Hrist reappears above the R-3, another spear of light in her hands. "This is becoming problematic!" She shouts. But at least it's a human again-Hrist flings the holy energized beam of doom for the mech.
Someone is going to have to save the day. Hopefully it won't be the chocobo!
Hrist Valkyrie hits Aya Kobayashi with her Gosh, she's so hard to kill, it's like she's immortal attack.
The chocobo shows no signs of slowing down or giving up. He backs away, hissing violently, snapping at Lawfer if the spirit draws too close. Alkoun's head swivels, surveying for any more threats.
Ruffling his plumage, he backs up a pace or two, talons scratching in the dirt. Then he tries to lunge forward, hauling against his restraints with all his considerable might.
Alkoun isn't one of those gracile riding animals; he's a bird built for war, with muscle and sinew aplenty. He's heavy. And when he wants something, physically reaching for it, there's little to stop him.
Warking and screeching angrily, the bird whirls at the end of his reins, snapping again at Lawfer, that huge beak making an impressive clacking sound every time it closes - when it misses, anyway.
He may not speak, and he may be but a simple avian, with perhaps as much intelligence as a horse. But the look in those eyes is plain - release me!
"What? Why not?" the Rani says, giving the dead man a puzzled look. "Yank out a feather, then. Blood is preferrable but we can work with skin cells, yesss..."
She claps her hands again, almost giddy. Maybe she enjoys Lawfer's pain. "Oh, goodness! Maybe it IS trying to tear itself apart!"
Despite how half-hearted it may have seemed, the attack hits fully and once again Ryusei Date is swatted away. Though it's not nearly as devestating as the previous attack, the thought of victory is quickly beginning to escape Ryusei's mind. As he flies, Ryusei once again tries to find the strength to straighten his course, though he struggles considerably more than previously. But when he finally seems to work himself out, he simply floats there with his machine... until he once again reaches into his stowing compartments and reveals the one weapon he has not revealed yet. In fact, he reveals two of them, as both of his hands now have an excessively large revolver-like gun in them.
"Aya." Ryusei says, with a bit of weakness in his voice, though it doesn't lack its typical determination. "Get the wounded out of here. I'll handle the rest." And with that, he aims one pistol at the Valkyrie, and another at the Zondar machine, and unloads both clips entirely, despite knowing fully well that it will probably only be a hindrance at best.
But really, hindrances are pretty much the only thing saving these guys, at this point.
Ryusei Date critically strikes Simon Parker with his ROPEBURNS!!! attack.
Ryusei Date misses Hrist Valkyrie with his BLISTERS!! attack.
Having some, possibly, very delicate cargo in hand now, the R-3 cannot exactly take to the sky. It can physically block things like light spears from above. It can even lessen the blow with the Nendou field! Though the strike still, partially, makes it through since beam weapons like that can be screwy.
The pilot swears low under her breath, immediately obtaining a new 'lock' on the Valkyrie. Agitation starts to seep in, the T-system responding accordingly and ascending a level in its cycling. Too much this way and it might drain her too fast-or become activated to the point where it causes severe headaches.
Another strike shield shoots off, directly upwards this time and fortunately in a manner that doesn't really require that much "realignment" from telekinesis. "Are you sure about that?" Aya shoots back, not too thrilled at the idea of leaving Ryusei behind. Bad practice, that, they're a team.
Aya Kobayashi gets a glancing blow on Hrist Valkyrie with her Are not all angels minstering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? attack.
The Zondar Barrier is gone, as is the Zondar's armor. The machine drops the bladed sword, embedding it in the pavement edge-first, and brings the arm to shield its chest from Ryusei's bombardment. It's not enough.
he bullets strike the machine head-on, shredding the wires that make up its arm, and destroying delicate internals. A glimmer of red is visible for a second there, before it's obscured by a cloud of venting blue-white plasma. The abomination wobbles in mid-air as stress is added to its engines, but it remains aloft. For now.
"Zon...dar..." The Broken Angel Zondar Robo lashes out with its destroyed arm, the wires reshaping themselves into rope-like tendrils. The arm lashes out at Ryusei, and hundreds of little wires attempt to give his machine the BAD TOUCH at once-really, they're just trying to pry off armor, excaberate damage, and so forth, get that dirty image out of your heads.
Simon Parker misses Ryusei Date with his And some angels are just plain jerks. feint.
"Fine!" Lawfer says, making a grab for a feather to pull it out.
Hrist looks over her shouler and sees Ryusei open fire-he seems to have an easier time blasting at the Zondar Machine, however, because one of Hrist's shields moves to deflect the bullets away rom her. "Hmph!" She grunts.
Which leaves her open to a flying shield. FWOOMP CLANG! Hrist is launched away with a powerful strike! She manages to recover before she is implanted several feet into the ground however. That's a bit of a shame-because she chooses to reappear by the R-1 of all things, a spear of light reappearing in her hands which she stabs down at the mech, hoping to tear it to shreds with her weapon-she seems to have decided those spears are better suited for the larger machines whereas she can stick to the sword for smaller ones.
Hrist Valkyrie critically strikes Ryusei Date with her Most gods are jerks attack.
Hrist Valkyrie successfully targets Agrias Oaks with her feathersteal action.
Lawfer successfully steals a feather and cries out in exultation! "I did it! Finally!" He turns to show it to Rani when a taloned foot rips through his entire body.
"YAAAAAAGH!" Lawfer screams, popping into spirit energy.
The feather flutters around in the air before landing lightly on The Rani's nose.
Captain Agrias Oaks' radio distantly transmits the whistling scream of an enraged chocobo, over equally distant sounds of battle.
"Ha!" the Rani exclaims, snatching the feather up.
She then turns and begins to make a slightly unseemly exit towards the TARDIS. The defense screens can keep the bird out easily, but she has to be inside first.
Enraged, the chocobo gives another one of its whistling screams, rearing back and raking at Lawfer with its talons. The pain of having a feather plucked from his skin only sends Alkoun into even more of a fury.
And suddenly, the target of his rage is gone - and so is the grip on his reins.
The chocobo pauses, swinging its great head from side to side, as though deciding what to do. Finally, it settles on sprinting back towards its master, but Agrias isn't where he left her. The bird gives another enraged scream. WHAT.
Scratching at the broken earth, Alkoun turns, then, crest still up in anger. It's then that he seems to catch sight of his master, dangling from the claw of that machine. The chocobo lunges after the R-3, sprinting easily to keep up, though there's no real opportunity to attack. It simply barrels after Aya.
Well, he'll probably follow her when she retreats. No need to worry about the demon bird.
...The Rani's probably lucky that she never really attracted Alkoun's attention.
Aya's not comfortable with this, but as it stands, she needed to get the two of them out of there.
Without further ado, the R-3 takes off, speeding along the ground to where the Ladybird that deployed the two SRX team members is waiting.
Ryusei, after firing the barrage, immediately throws away his revolvers, seeing is he seems to have thrown every other weapon of value out of this fight! And while he does so, the R-1 dances into the air, deftly evading the BAD TOUCH from all sides. Unfortunately, his evasive maneuvers make him end up right into the path of a hefty spear, which pierces directly into the R-1's midsection, only a few meters under the actual cockpit and away from the engine. Ryusei grunts in greatly obvious discomfort. But at the same time, he smiles. "Heh. Looks like we didn't win this time." he muses. "... But sorry, you're not getting any of the spoils." And with that, the barely functioning R-1, with its engine's last dull roar, it boosts along the ground, aiming towards the fallen Sailor Scout. And in one swift motion, Ryu scoops her up, briefly opens his cockpit hatch, and the R-1 drops her into machine along with Ryusei. It's not entirely uncomfortable, as the cockpit is generally pretty spacy due to the MYSTERIOUS TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCE and the fact that she is, well, pretty tiny means Ryusei still has a lot of room to operate. And without looking back even once, Ryusei Date flies the R-1 back to the Ladybird, following his team leader closely.
Simon Parker | Jay, hesitantly: "A-are Captain Oaks and Tengille s-s-still alive?"
Staff Sergeant Christoph Schmidt says, "...'still'?"
Simon Parker | Jay: "A-and-that other g-girl whose name I didn't catch."
Staff Sergeant Christoph Schmidt says, "I have missed something."
An IPA Medical Technician says, over the bustle of hospital background sounds, "Oh, the knights that was brought in?" Dismissively, "Yes, yes, they are alive. Both of them are in critical condition, but they should live."
Staff Sergeant Christoph Schmidt says, "Ah."
Tepet Inatera says, "Thank Hesiesh."
Simon Parker | Jay is quiet for a moment: "And Uncle Simon?"
An IPA Medical Technician says, "'Simon?' I don't know about that. Only these two knights were brought here, and another girl."
Feige Abramson says, "Simon Parker-a missing persons report was filed on him."
An IPA Medical Technician rustles papers. "Hmm... no, sorry. No one by that name was admitted here tonight."
Tepet Inatera may be doing math in her head.
Tepet Inatera says, "How long ago was that?"
Simon Parker | Jay says, "W-was what? The thing I f-filed?"
Tepet Inatera says, "How long has he been missing?"
Simon Parker | Jay says, "L-like two weeks."
Tepet Inatera says, "Oh, balls, what had stabbed me then, ugh, damned machine..."
Simon Parker | Jay ... "M-ma'am?"
Feige Abramson says, "Actually, you stabbed the balls."
Feige Abramson says, "Ma'am."
Tepet Inatera says, "No, no, this is unrelated. Ugh!"
Tepet Inatera says, "Sylene, why didn't you tell me!?"
Tepet Sylene says, "Why didn't I tell you what?"
Tepet Inatera says, "No, you could not have told me, I don't think I told you."
Ami Mizuno fully heals Ami Mizuno with her Power of <3 action.
Ami Mizuno has been resurrected from knockout!
Ami Mizuno switches armor modes to School Girl.
And then the invaders are gone. The Robo's too badly damaged to think of chasing them, secondary explosions having crippled most of its offensive capabilities. It sinks to the ground, slowly, and settles in. There will be others, the Core knows. It must flee for now, regenerate its strength-and then strike decisively.
What's left of the Zondar Robo Broken Angel collapses around the Core, which sinks into the ground. This parasite will take a bit more violence to root out, it seems.
Tepet Sylene says, "Well, that would be why, then."
Tepet Inatera curses under her breath for a little while.
Mercade Alexander says, "Are you all right, Inatera?"
Tepet Inatera says, "Yes, yes, only stupid."
Mercade Alexander says, "I find that hard to believe."
The blood on Hrist's blade is thick. Oh Lenneth, she thinks, if only you were willing to have some fun. Then your soul wouldnt have been in such straights. She examines the weapon briefly. Indestructable, the Valkyrie Favor has served particularly well today. It seems the Heroes have gotten away-to think a mere bird would cause so much trouble-but perhaps that means the feather is that much more useful. It sort of reminds Hrist of a cockatrice.
She hopes the aid she has wrought will be returned in kind for Ragnarok's End. Once again the forces of the IPA have been defeated, even if her personal objectives have been torn from her. Odin is taking the distraction as a chance to hasten the destruction of Midgard. But life returns easily in her world. Perhaps this time they will be loyal to God.
Hrist sees Rani sneaking into the TARDIS and follows after her, seeing no reason to remain. Perhaps she can find out why that damn feather was so important. Still, despite Lawfer's failings, today was a good battle. She can see why mortals engage in so much of it.
Meanwhile, Lawfer stews inside Hrist's head.
"Hooboy, top knight eh!" Arngrim laughs, giving Lawfer's spirit a hearty smack on the back. "I don't blame you, this mission was for the birds!"
"Oh shutup, Arngrim." Lawfer grunts.
A figure sits amidst the rubble - dressed in a black blazer and black slacks, with a red tie loosened to the point of neglect, and a casually undone top button on his white shirt, sunglasses down over his eyes.
"Well..." he laughs, pushing himself off a chunk of roof and beginning to skip across debris toward the ground, striding idly in the direction of the spot the core disappeared into. "The maggots had a hard time today..."
He turns, to watch the retreating, thoroughly battered IPA, chuckling. "Useless. Completely useless. If they're going to be this pathetic..."
He turns on his heels, wandering away from the scene of the battle. "...it'll be all too easy to get what I want. Heh heh..."
The TARDIS slowly fades from the vacant lots of the 26th century. And whither then? Who knows.
"Have you ever heard," the Rani says in the control chamber, "of the Flood?"
Where: Sci-Fi Sector - Detroit, Halo Earth
When: 06 Mar 2008
What: The Vanguard Detachment and a handful of IPA operatives catch wind of their missing agent, and move in with the intent of subduing the Zondar that he's become. Unfortunately, things don't really go their way...
Watch For: Crits EVERYWHERE, Alkoun the Demon Chocobo.
Agrias likely notices that she's not doing better against Hrist. She's doing worse. Hrist has gotten used to Lenneth's body. She has acclimated. This 'Deity' has done well enough to beat Superman in battle-Agrias might actually be thankful she has lasted this long.
Repeated lunges do not an effective offense make-though it is true that a single panicked warrior can defeat a master. Hrist parries with her own blade, protecting her body with her own weapon. Agrias's body is her greatest enemy (besides the Valkyrie herself). "You are already slowing." Hrist comments, "I can force you to serve, but if you prefer to be completely obliterated, turned to nothing but Emptiness," that's a capital E, "Then I can grant that wish as well. I imagine it will please The Shadow to see your Oblivion."
With a small flourish, she goes in for an overhead slice-no wait, that's a feint! It's actually a side swipe for the side of Agrias's head!
"Accept my divinity or the world will remember your bravery in protecting your steed with regret and sorrow!"
Hrist Valkyrie critically strikes Agrias Oaks with her Valkyrie Disfavor attack.
You take 28 damage.
You have been knocked out!
Somehow through some sort of divine luck, Ryusei is able to break his concentration momentarily lean his machine to the side, kicking the engines so that the R-1 leans sideways, barely avoiding the plasma mortar 'shells'. But despite Ryusei's apparent luck, he is no more pleased about this than he would have been if he was actually hit. The sheer amount of destruction caused by this attack was massive, and the Zondar Robo apparently had little care in just what he was damaging, ally and enemy alike. "That... you..." Ryusei mutters, apparently in disbelief, and his formerly confident features lose face into that of pure frustration and anger. "Someone has to put a stop to you!!!" he then yells.
At this moment, Ryusei decides to *$(@ Concentrating on his attack, and instead lets his emotions do all the work for him. With gritted teeth, he gives affirmation to his teammate through a simple nod, and then suddenly the green aura surrounding the R-1's fists burst into a brilliant emerald color. "Form it... into a sword..." he mutters to himself, as the energy grows in size and clarity. When it finally gets to its maximum size, Ryusei thrusts the R-1's arms forward and aims what looks like an emerald beam straight into the center of the fearsome Zondar Machine. "Nendou... HASAI KEN!!!!" he yells, and should the attack actually land it will look far less like a beam and more like a brilliant green sword!
... But Ryusei isn't finished yet. As evidenced by the R-1's still-glowing arms. And only moments after he fires off the beam of TK energy, he rushes into close range with R-1. "TK KNUCKLE!!!!" he yells out, and with both fists he throws a flurry of devastating punches aided not only by the steel of the machine but the mysterious Nendou energy! He punches, and punches, and appears to be doing his best to try to dig towards that Zondar Core everyone seems to keep talking about.
Ryusei Date misses Simon Parker with his ARGH RAGE GRAH etc. super.
"So fragile, really..." comments the Sinistral, "Yet so loud when experiencing pain." and even if that's kind of like stating the obvious, the Sinistral seems amused by it anyway. "Are you ready for it to end yet?"
Icy Bubbles seem to vote for 'Not a chance', and Gades' teeth grit as his lower body seems to be in a bind, or icebound anyway. He forces it to break, but it's effort and far from painless for him too. "So determined too...maybe I should make you into one of our servants. You certainly seem ABLE enough...for a human."
A step forward, forced, but a step all the same. The plated giant slowly lumbers back toward melee range. And the sword is lowered to point at the young woman. "But you seem like the type who would steadfully refuse such a generous offer..." and thus, he just tries to poke Mercury. The sword is still plasma-burning hot to boot.
Gades critically strikes Ami Mizuno with his Shish-Scout? Scout-Kebob? attack.
Ami Mizuno resets her buff status to neutral.
Oh good. It did work. For a moment, Meliadoul was worried that it wouldn't. But when the helmet shatters, she emblazons his face into her mind. She files it in her memory under the "people to take down" section.
He does look a little silly, but this is a battlefield and not a place to laugh. She opens her mouth to snap off a reply but suddenly finds herself with a energy beam in the gut. "URK!" She falls forward and grabs Pizza by the wrist. "Humans will always prevail." She spits out with a malicious grin. She raises her other hand to punch Pizza in the face again. Just as she does so, she lets go of the Machine God's wrist and steps backwards moments after her arm is fully extended.
Meliadoul Tengille hits Pizza with her Gotta go rescue Agrias! attack.
Repeated lunges are a poor offense, but Agrias is running out of options. She was never a master of the lance, and the Holy Lance is a heavy weapon. Between her exhaustion and Hrist's finesse in bleeding out her strength... well, defeat is inevitable.
"I fight..." Agrias has to strain to forge out even those words. "I fight to protect my subordinate. That machine, over there."
She grunts, slipping, but manages to find her footing again. "Because as long as I have you... here, then you are not... are not hindering my allies," she rasps. That, at least, lends her some small comfort. "And I... I will have died... protecting others."
She coughs blood, swaying unsteadily on her feet. The blow comes, and reflexively, she tries to dodge. But the armour once again weighs her down, preventing her from making a true leap sideways. The blade instead bites into her neck, angling down as though towards her shoulder; something that could have taken off her head if it had more force.
With a strangled gurgle, the Holy Knight crumples. She has no time for any more words, and no breath with which to speak them. Her single eye focuses on the metallic debris and dead earth, mere inches from it. The details swim, and for a moment, she can feel the weariness engulf her like a leaden weight.
"I... I am sorry," she breathes, letting her eye close. Her grip on her lance slackens, all strength gone from her.
Captain Agrias Oaks transmits a strangled gurgle, a clanking thud of armour; and a strangled, whispered, "I... I am sorry..."
Simon Parker | Jay says a bad word.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "... .."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "DAMN IT OAKS!"
Captain Agrias Oaks does not answer.
Grabbed! Punched! Tossed into a pile, where the heavily wounded Machine King lies for a moment, barely moving. No, Machine King Pizza will not die yet...but perhaps losing his life here would not be the best for the cause of the Zondarians or their current 'allies.' He slithers into wire form for a moment, reappearing a moment later as he calls out to the knight in a cold, mocking tone.
"Know this, human! You have seen the face of Machine King Pizza, and for that, you shall pay dearly!"
Okay, now you can laugh, Meliadoul.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Bastard got away! Someone gives me Dame Oaks's position! I can't see a damn thing from here!"
Aya Kobayashi says, "She was about to assist us against the Zondar so..."
Aya Kobayashi gives nearby coordinates.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Got it!"
Gades is right about it .. fragile.. loud during pain.. it's so obvious that Sailor Mercury isn't a fighter. Well, at least, not one that is .. based on fighting. So when she answers.. all he does is push forwards with more of a proposal. The girl stands. Tired. It's .. so hard to keep fighting.
And then he steps forwards, a small poking towards her. The sword, however, is plasma burning hot.
You would probably not expect much less than the blade to slide all too far against her .. and staggering backwards, burned heavily, and slashed lightly .. "AHHH!" It's .. another scream, but fainter.. weaker.. Sailor Mercury barely able to stay on her feet. And .. Agrias went down. It's not going so well...
"I ... I refuse... I'm Sailor Mercury of ... the Sailor Scouts... and I fight for love and justice!" She reprimands Gades. "Not for what you fight for..."
But hurt badly, all she can do is try her hardest. Putting both hands to her tiara once more .. she suddenly has at least a burst in power.. it's at least something... "Shining Aquaaa..." She calls out, spinning about, water coming up from her feet, following her spinning. "ILLUSION!" The tendrils of water snaking around her suddenly spin all about, and with the frozen temperatures about her and the area.. about Gades at least... would make it cold, beyond simply a heavily pressurized blast towards the Sinistral.
She can only hope it's enough, as afterwards.. she almost collapses, hunched over a bit, fatigued and hurt.
Ami Mizuno hits Gades with her Sorry, we spent so much money on the kung fu all you get is FILLER super.
"Hah! I look forward to humiliating you again Machine King!" Meliadoul shouts at the retreating Zondar, already scrambling for her lance. Agrias is down and everyone else is busy. She quickly scans the battlefield, already pushing Pizza out of her mind temporarily. The coordinates from Aya comes in over the radio and she whistles sharply.
Amidst the chaos, a chocobo erupts from a pile of rubble. There are some lacerations but for the most part, the bird is whole. Running towards her, the templar grabs the reins and hoists herself up onto the still moving bird, digging her spurs into its side. She guides it through the rubble, forcing the poor bird to run as fast as possible. It takes a few moments before she nears the spot where Agrias fell.
The Zondar's barrage ends in a violent shudder as the armor plating on its chest twists back into position. It barely has time to recouperate further before a second Armor Breaker smashes into its back. Two of its wings flat-out shatter, raining debris on the pavement below. But it's still a tenacious little bugger, and there's still plenty of fight in it. Broken Angel Zonder raises both its weapons, and focuses on the charging mech.
The energy beam is countered with a parry from the plasma sword, while the metal sword neatly parries the punches. It's quick, quicker than you'd expect from such a massive machine. The sweeping of blades does not let up; the Zondar gets its arms into it, anti-grav jets aiding its trajectory as it starts... to spin. And spin, and spin, and spin, until it's a whirlwind of sharp objects moving at high velocity.
Its next course of action is to move to ram Ryusei, to introduce him to all those pointy things at once.
Simon Parker hits Ryusei Date with his MELEE OUT, WHIRLWIND IN 5 super.
Hrist looks over to the Zondar Machine. Which one! Probably the one that accidently smashed her up. She says, "Oh." after a moment, as if realizing the ending to a soap opera, "I was supposed to be there helping them." She cups her chin for a moment, shrugs her shoulders, and walks towards the bird.
"Jelinda, Lawfer." She commands.
A dirty blonde-haired knight and a prissy princess appear. Gesturing with one hand, Hrist imparts another edict, "Lawfer." She says, "Take the chocobo to The Rani."
The knight nods reluctantly, casting a worried look to Agrias, and then nods, "Just don't take her and I'll do it."
Hrist raies an eyebrow. "We shall see. Get to it."
Lawfer grits his teeth in a soft growl but does as commanded, leading the Chocobo back towards the TARDIS.
"Jelinda," Hrist adds, "My wounds are minor, I do not need healing. However, watch my back." Jelinda lets out a relaxed breath-not really wanting to help in this business.
A spear of light erupts into her hand as she raises her head, watching the charging human. "Humans always prevail?" She asks as she throws it at the charging warrior.
"I beg to differ."
Hrist Valkyrie critically strikes Meliadoul Tengille with her In my world, humans always lose attack.
The Rani is pleased. She gets off her ass and folds up the chair, tossing it back into the open door of the TARDIS and possibly striking Reiji in the head. She then waves the valkyrie minion forwards, gesturing with the RF screwdriver: "Right through here, dear! Thank you so much!"
The Holy Knight's steed is not happy about these proceedings. Alkoun is known for his ferocious temper, so it isn't very willingly that he goes with Lawfer. The bird stops and tries to tug away every possible bit, hissing in alarm and trying to bite at the offending warrior.
As for Agrias, the Holy Knight lies in a bloodied heap, half her face a mass of sword cuts. There's probably not much hope for her eye. If she lives. Meliadoul approaches, but she seems to take no notice of that; or anything else. Is she dead?
As for Alkoun... the bird puts up a magnificent fight, screaming in fury. He was trained as a bird of war, and so he does, trying to lash out at his captors with beak and talons, rearing back to claw with one raised foot, wings outstretched for balance.
His training is simple - protect his master.
And these people are not his master.
Ice magic, this one clearly stronger than the ones before which weren't shabby to begin with. "Ngggrh..." grunts the tall man, feeling his limbs go numb, the ice and pressure even causing him to fall to one knee...
But that's as far as he goes. Gades does not fall completely, he is not quite beaten yet. But that assault hurted, he's sweating and visibly so. "Truly a shame, your powers are worth some respect. Your beliefs however..."
A flash of light. Teleportation. Mercury's goggles would show he did not go far, just behind. His voice confirms this as he finishes the sentence with "Would make you a poor servant."
A foot slams on the ground very close to where the young woman is, causing a shake that would send her up in the air if her footing was not strong enough. And at perfect blade height. Yet the swing that comes is not with the sharp edge so there's no chance of having a cleaved Warrior of Love and Justice, but the Scout might wish it did: The blade cooled down a little but it's still a burning batting blow. And it can still cause fractures.
Gades misses Ami Mizuno with his BASUBORU?!?!? attack.
It's kind of hard to redirect a charging bird running at full speed last minute. It's really really hard. So even though, she sees the spear of light ripping towards her, it's too late for Meliadoul to change direction. The spear rips through her shoulder, shattering what remaining armor she's wearing in that area. The force of it knocks her clean off her chocobo and she lands heavily on her back, finding air forced out of her lungs for a second time this day.
"Even... in the face... of insurmountable evil..." The templar gasps out, as she struggles to her feet, fist clenching the Dragon Whiskers spear so tightly her knuckles are white. "We. Will. PREVAIL!" Her words are shouted as she throws everything she has into one final attack, throwing her entire weight and strength behind her lance. If she falls, it won't be because she didn't try.
Meliadoul Tengille critically strikes Hrist Valkyrie with her Human > Gods! attack.
Hrist turns around, seeming to think she has dealt with another Human or, as the merfolk call it, pee-yoo-man. She shouts at Lawfer, "Handle that bird!"
"I am not his master!" Lawfer yells, "It can sense it!" He gets clawed up by the strikes, but his ghostly demeanor renders the blows nonfatal-if irritating. "Something needs to cool it down, or I won't be able to bring it to anybody!"
This may be a call for science, Rani.
Hrist isn't paying attention and The Dragon Whiskers Spear seems much more able than a Holy Lance. The blade pierces through Hrist's back and out her belly, sparkles erupting out of Hrist's body. Her eyes widen.
"What... What! This can't be!" HUMANS?! GETTING CRITSHOTS?! This is madness! No, this is Meliadoul!
Hrist goes immaterial for a moment so she can walk out of the spear. Which she does. Eyeballing this latest threat, she murmurs, "Well done! You are a hero."
She smiles, "Will you take her place? I think you shall. That should inspire her to greater heroics and then!-I can take her too!" She raises the blade again, using her immaterial nature to dash in close to the Templar-before resolidifying and slicing down at her speararm!
Hrist Valkyrie critically strikes Meliadoul Tengille with her Gods > Humans! Daddy says so! attack.
Meliadoul Tengille has been knocked out!
And then Gades vanishes. Mercury's goggles suddenly telling her exactly where Gades has gone.. and his words confirm it.. the foot slams nearby, a shake causing Ami instead to stumble forwards, falling against the ground as the world shakes. Gades might have also over believed her power to resist.. or to actually take something like that in stride after being hurt so badly. She's just too weak to behave properly.
"I .. I don't mind that..!" She yells to Gades, weakly, fighting back with all she has.. "I only have these powers.. because I want to help people.." Otherwise.. well. She wouldn't be a sailor scout, would she? She'd be something else..
And Gades, might see something different for once. ".. I'll keep fighting against you .. to protect the others here .. and help them .. until I can't any longer." She makes her motive clear to Gades.. even if she believes it's over. She still fights, but not for her sake.
"Shining Aqua Illusion .. FREEZING!" Any water that's left on Gades.. and on the ground about him.. suddenly freezes, spiking upwards like icicles, randomly sprouting upwards.
Ami Mizuno critically strikes Gades with her Freeze, you're under duress! attack.
The Rani advances towards the chocobo as the screwdriver is raised. She estimates, based on activity and energy levels, that the chocobo operates on iron blood; this means that she has to adjust the characteristic frequency to resonate in tune with the blood flow in order to properly conduct...
She adjusts the beam on the pen-like object as she comes close, coming to a halt about five yards away and raising the tool upwards. She takes careful aim at the chocobo's neck before pressing the button. The red tip of the tool glows, and a pulsed burst of radio-frequency radiation strikes into the creature's neck! Heterodyning (no relation) itself into the bloodstream's characteristic receptive range, the blast seeks to temporarily disrupt neural activity. In a word:
The Rani misses Agrias Oaks with her Set Phasers To Stun (or possibly frappe`) action.
"I don't suppose-!" Aya calls out over her open communication link with Ryusei, "That you've seen the core in there." She sounds a bit apprehensive, especially with the knowledge that one of their allies had recently fallen in battle.
A psychic pulse of suddenly spreads outwards, the only warning anything receives before the strike shields detatch from the back of the R-3, the winglike extensions levitated through amplified telekinesis. All four swarm outwards in seperate directions before descending upon the Zondar from all angles performing fly-by hits. Just when it seems to have suffered enough strikes, each small 'bit' homes in on the target, then explodes.
Additional strike shields slide out of the R-3's back (..somehow) to replenish the lost ones. Aya has a sinking feeling she may be needing more sooner.
Aya Kobayashi juggles Simon Parker with her The best defense is a good offense! combo.
Aya Kobayashi juggles Simon Parker with her The best defense is a good offense! combo.
Aya Kobayashi juggles Simon Parker with her The best defense is a good offense! combo.
Aya Kobayashi juggles Simon Parker with her The best defense is a good offense! combo.
Agrias Oaks remains sprawled on the broken earth, insensible to the world. She isn't dead, the faint rise and fall of her chest evidence to the fact, but she's dangerously close.
As for her steed, the chocobo puts up a fierce resistance. Alkoun always was an aggressive little bugger, and that trait was only enhanced in his training. Chocobos are just as intelligent as horses, and will recognise a few people. That was what was done - and he will attack those whom he does not know.
And he doesn't know these strange, immaterial people who have no scent.
Alkoun rakes at the offending spirits, screeching in fury and distress as his sharp talons score another blow against the hapless Lawfer. It's nothing personal; the bird just doesn't like being manhandled. Or would that be ghosthandled?
When the Rani's tazer aims for him, he dances to the side, hissing murderously and trying to tear away from Lawfer. But the spirit still clutches his reins firmly. Aurgh! Frustration!
Well, one thing's clear. This bird is going to be bloody intractable. Likely the only way they get ahold of him is when he's good and dead.
Which hopefully will not happen. He was, after all, Agrias' favourite - and only - steed; she had hand-trained this one. Hmph.
Backing up slightly, feathers almost standing on end, Alkoun fixes one large eye on Lawfer and hisses murderously. C'mon, make his day.
Well. She tried Agrias. She really did. But it seems while mortals can give gods a run for their money, they can't quite beat them. It's not all that surprising though considering Meliadoul has faced down demons from hell and defeated them. But there is a limit to her power and she grunts, weight falling forward with the spear.
Once there is no weight around the spear, the templar falls face forward, tumbling into the ground gasping for air. She struggles upwards, bleeding out rapidly. There is a loud scream erupting from her throat as Hrist's sword cuts deep into her spear arm. It doesn't quite separate limb from body, but it cuts deep enough that she won't be using that arm for a good while unless she gets fairly immediate medical attention.
"Heh... I tried," are her final words before her mind just shuts down from the pain overload and she flops back uselessly down to the ground, completely blacked out.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Heh... I tried..."
Meliadoul Tengille abrupt silence.
Aya Kobayashi says, "...."
Aya Kobayashi says, "...Ryusei, do you think you can handle the Zondar for a few minutes."
Simon Parker | Dinah swears, violently.
Sailor Mercury Ami Mizuno says, "Ah .. her too?"
More ice, even in her exhausted state, this girl fights on. It could be inspiring to others, to Gades it's mostly annoying. Moreso as he's actually starting to struggle alot, against his own will. "Ngh...to think a young girl like you could harm ME this much..." says the tall man, awed. And frozen. Mostly frozen. Some of the spikes even broke his sabatons.
The sword is lifted well above his head, it's still a bit warm but with all that ice, most of the plasma energy is dissipated. "Very well then..." he says solonemly. "You have proven yourself worthy..." for what, would be the question. The energy he's gathering would be a cause for distress.
And the sword is glowing even brighter, it becomes a blinding red hue before the Sinistral smiles. "Devastation Blow." and while the name is short and very unimaginative, the effect is an explosion where the blade hits. Even if the Scout dodges the slash, the blast could very well hurt her. But this will drain Gades' energy a fair bit, and he doesn't look in a shape to do this a second time.
Gades hits Ami Mizuno with his This is the move that 1-shots people under level 10 but only takes a potion to heal when you fight the second time, it's not fair super.
Ami Mizuno has been knocked out!
All Ryusei can really do is gape in surprise, even as he attacks, as his entire barrage is easily handled. And when it quickly moves to makes its devastating counterattack, Ryusei is pitifully unprepared for it. The spikes shred into the R-1, doing far more damage than just grazing the surface. The machine is ripped into, sparks fly out, and the R-1 is thrown away like a rag doll, landing onto the ground with a dull thud. Ryusei Date's helmet cracks, and a trickle of blood runs down his forehead, and the R-1 looks like it's barely holding together, with much of the armoring having been cut straight off. but still... he does not yet seem like he is willing to yield. Indeed, Ryusei Date is still fully conscious, though the energy from his Nendou Field has all but dissipated.
"I won't..." he mutters to himself, slowly. "I won't..." The R-1 slowly rises, and surprisingly a feint green glow begins once again.
"I WON'T LOSE TO A BUNCH OF BROKEN TOYS!!!!!!!!!!" The R-1 then jets back towards the Zondar, and with a glowing fist it aims to deliver a massive right straight right into the center of the machine, again digging for that Zondar Core!
Ryusei Date resets his buff status to neutral.
Ryusei Date gets a glancing blow on Simon Parker with his OYASAI PAAAAANCHU! attack.
It's like Hrist is beloved by heaven. Another human down. TRIVIA: HRIST DESTROYED THE WORLD'S GREATEST KINGDOM IN A DAY ON HER WORLD. If it's to be believed.
"...Perhaps I was mistaken-ah no, injuries from before..." Hrist wrinkles her nose at the human. "In a moment I'll deal with both of you, or one of you. I guess I can pick and choose today." She turns around aneyeballs the bird flipping around and being psychotic. Lawfer is dragged about by the bird as he's unwilling to use full force on such a brave creature. She lets out a soft growl. "Oh this is ridiculous."
Hrist lashes out with a hand-holy energy rippling around the bird to hold it still-long enough, perhaps, for Rani to secure it. Of course, a chocobo isn't a human. Perhaps this is when Hrist's beloved nature ends!
Hrist Valkyrie misses Agrias Oaks with her NOT A HUMAN stun.
Sailor Mercury doesn't give up.. not when there are others depending on her .. and he even explains she's close. So .. so close. Can she do it? After all this self doubt? And then the sword is raised, warm but mostly gone... "Worthy? I .. already told you .. I don't want to-" And then she understands.
The sword glows far brighter, becoming a blinding red hue as he smiles.. Her legs go weak at the knees, and the blade is swung straight towards her. "Ah!"
She screams. You can somewhat imagine, when the camera pans away, and he swings.. Ami's tossed rather far, the slash across her sailor outfit, the explosion tossing her back, sending her tumbling backwards, leaving her at the end, laying on the ground, back up, staring up. "I'm .. sorry everyone.." The goggles fade after that, her 'toys' shutting down as she falls unconscious.".. I couldn't do it..." Is directed to herself at the end..
At least she's looking upwards into space. It's a nice sight, from Halo, she realizes.
Sailor Mercury Ami Mizuno says, "I'm .. sorry everyone.."
"How extraordinary," the Rani says in the face of such a menacing creature.
She snaps her fingers then, looking over at Lawfer and Hrist. "Right! Get a sample of blood, that will do! I'll clone up a batch." She tucks the RF screwdriver into her blouse pocket, clapping her hands together once. "Oh, this is such a marvel! Such a strong survival instinct! Normally these creatures beat themselves to death if restrained!"
Hrist seems to have no luck in subduing the creature. Alkoun dances sidelong, snapping at her hand with no apparent regard for her nature. Where the humans might hesitate, the chocobo won't. He follows years of training quite nearly calcified into instinct.
The bird whirls, then, a few black-tipped feathers floating free. He hisses evilly at the creature still restraining him. His sole instinct is to tear free and return to his master, to guard her.
Lawfer earns a snap as well, and Alkoun rears back, slashing at the hapless warrior spirit with sharp talons. It's just not Lawfer's day, is it?
Alkoun whirls again, then, huffing as he faces down both Hrist and Lawfer with murderous eyes. His crest is drawn up in full, feathers jutting out from his barding, its dents and scratches giving him even more of a wild appearance.
You want a piece of him? Really? Good, because he'll probably go into even more of a berserk fury if he's captured. A piece is all they're going to get...
...though they might lose a piece in return. Alkoun hisses again, a drawn-out and threatening sound, beak hanging half-open in clear threat of a bite.
This is why the Rani is letting the ghost guy do it instead of risking her precious Gallifreyan tushie.
"Hm, so proud, so defiant...but to the end, a mortal." concludes Gades as the girl falls and does not try her luck again. "Invest in armor perhaps." he even suggests, maybe as a joke, because the tall man is definitly chuckling.
Some would make sure their foe is dead. Sinistrals don't bother with such details. Turning away, the crimson blade is rested on his shoulder...and that hurts, so he lowers it and heads back to see what's going on between the Valkyrie and the bird. It seems unusual, and it's not like the Zondar seems like in any trouble/needing help.
Heretical Fallen Angel Zondar kills its forward momentum, easing out of its whirlwind with surprising grace. If Pizza's still watching, he may well be impressed by this.
Then Aya shows up, and cuts the Zondar the hell up. Huge chunks of machinery are sliced off, another wing shatters, and then Ryusei punches it in the gut for good measure. Most of its armor has been shattered, exposing masses of wire that seem to writhe of their own volition, but there's still no sign of the core. A bit more digging, through, and it might just be exposed...
But yeah, there's still plenty of fight left in Broken Angel Zondar, beaten-up or not. Perhaps as commentary on Ryusei's general demeanor, it swats at him half-heartedly with its bladed sword. The flaming sword is reserved for Aya, and it swings the weapon at her in a high arc.
Simon Parker hits Ryusei Date with his PERISH, MORTAL jab.
Simon Parker hits Aya Kobayashi with his I HAVE NO EQUAL jab.
The satisfaction of dealing serious damage to the Zondar with the strike shields is cut short as Aya is made privy to some very distressing developments over the radio. Rather than hanging around, the R-3 shoots upwards into the sky once more, clearing the immediate area of the Zondar to rush to the aid of her other allies. Though in the process, she isn't unable to avoid being clipped by the FLAMING BASTARD SWORD.
The chocobo is ignored for now (it seems to be doing fine on its own) in favor of locating her fallen allies, then that Valkyrie she's heard about. That one that apparently kills people and turns their souls into slave warrior things. Trusting Ryusei to get the job done, the R-3 dives down at the ground, firing a single strike shield at Hirst to physically bash the woman away from...well, she seems interested in chasing down the chocobo right now. As amusing as it is to see...
The R-3 doesn't stop moving either. In fact, it will attempt to land and try to gingerly scoop up Agrias and Meliadoul, one in each of the R-3's hands.
Aya Kobayashi critically strikes Hrist Valkyrie with her This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous. attack.
Hrist shakes her head slowly, "I understand when The All-Father is not granting blessing for victory. He does not seem to wish that I restrain this beast. Lawfer-"
Whatever she's about to say is stopped by a massive shield slamming into Hrist's back and bowling her over-briefly discorporealizing the Valkyrie! Is she FINALLY defeated?!
While you are wondering that, Lawfer screams in frustration as the bird rips him to shreds. "I am not stabbing this creature, how will I get a blood sample!" He's kind of bitchy. He really didn't kill himself so he could be a zookeeper.
Hrist reappears above the R-3, another spear of light in her hands. "This is becoming problematic!" She shouts. But at least it's a human again-Hrist flings the holy energized beam of doom for the mech.
Someone is going to have to save the day. Hopefully it won't be the chocobo!
Hrist Valkyrie hits Aya Kobayashi with her Gosh, she's so hard to kill, it's like she's immortal attack.
The chocobo shows no signs of slowing down or giving up. He backs away, hissing violently, snapping at Lawfer if the spirit draws too close. Alkoun's head swivels, surveying for any more threats.
Ruffling his plumage, he backs up a pace or two, talons scratching in the dirt. Then he tries to lunge forward, hauling against his restraints with all his considerable might.
Alkoun isn't one of those gracile riding animals; he's a bird built for war, with muscle and sinew aplenty. He's heavy. And when he wants something, physically reaching for it, there's little to stop him.
Warking and screeching angrily, the bird whirls at the end of his reins, snapping again at Lawfer, that huge beak making an impressive clacking sound every time it closes - when it misses, anyway.
He may not speak, and he may be but a simple avian, with perhaps as much intelligence as a horse. But the look in those eyes is plain - release me!
"What? Why not?" the Rani says, giving the dead man a puzzled look. "Yank out a feather, then. Blood is preferrable but we can work with skin cells, yesss..."
She claps her hands again, almost giddy. Maybe she enjoys Lawfer's pain. "Oh, goodness! Maybe it IS trying to tear itself apart!"
Despite how half-hearted it may have seemed, the attack hits fully and once again Ryusei Date is swatted away. Though it's not nearly as devestating as the previous attack, the thought of victory is quickly beginning to escape Ryusei's mind. As he flies, Ryusei once again tries to find the strength to straighten his course, though he struggles considerably more than previously. But when he finally seems to work himself out, he simply floats there with his machine... until he once again reaches into his stowing compartments and reveals the one weapon he has not revealed yet. In fact, he reveals two of them, as both of his hands now have an excessively large revolver-like gun in them.
"Aya." Ryusei says, with a bit of weakness in his voice, though it doesn't lack its typical determination. "Get the wounded out of here. I'll handle the rest." And with that, he aims one pistol at the Valkyrie, and another at the Zondar machine, and unloads both clips entirely, despite knowing fully well that it will probably only be a hindrance at best.
But really, hindrances are pretty much the only thing saving these guys, at this point.
Ryusei Date critically strikes Simon Parker with his ROPEBURNS!!! attack.
Ryusei Date misses Hrist Valkyrie with his BLISTERS!! attack.
Having some, possibly, very delicate cargo in hand now, the R-3 cannot exactly take to the sky. It can physically block things like light spears from above. It can even lessen the blow with the Nendou field! Though the strike still, partially, makes it through since beam weapons like that can be screwy.
The pilot swears low under her breath, immediately obtaining a new 'lock' on the Valkyrie. Agitation starts to seep in, the T-system responding accordingly and ascending a level in its cycling. Too much this way and it might drain her too fast-or become activated to the point where it causes severe headaches.
Another strike shield shoots off, directly upwards this time and fortunately in a manner that doesn't really require that much "realignment" from telekinesis. "Are you sure about that?" Aya shoots back, not too thrilled at the idea of leaving Ryusei behind. Bad practice, that, they're a team.
Aya Kobayashi gets a glancing blow on Hrist Valkyrie with her Are not all angels minstering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? attack.
The Zondar Barrier is gone, as is the Zondar's armor. The machine drops the bladed sword, embedding it in the pavement edge-first, and brings the arm to shield its chest from Ryusei's bombardment. It's not enough.
he bullets strike the machine head-on, shredding the wires that make up its arm, and destroying delicate internals. A glimmer of red is visible for a second there, before it's obscured by a cloud of venting blue-white plasma. The abomination wobbles in mid-air as stress is added to its engines, but it remains aloft. For now.
"Zon...dar..." The Broken Angel Zondar Robo lashes out with its destroyed arm, the wires reshaping themselves into rope-like tendrils. The arm lashes out at Ryusei, and hundreds of little wires attempt to give his machine the BAD TOUCH at once-really, they're just trying to pry off armor, excaberate damage, and so forth, get that dirty image out of your heads.
Simon Parker misses Ryusei Date with his And some angels are just plain jerks. feint.
"Fine!" Lawfer says, making a grab for a feather to pull it out.
Hrist looks over her shouler and sees Ryusei open fire-he seems to have an easier time blasting at the Zondar Machine, however, because one of Hrist's shields moves to deflect the bullets away rom her. "Hmph!" She grunts.
Which leaves her open to a flying shield. FWOOMP CLANG! Hrist is launched away with a powerful strike! She manages to recover before she is implanted several feet into the ground however. That's a bit of a shame-because she chooses to reappear by the R-1 of all things, a spear of light reappearing in her hands which she stabs down at the mech, hoping to tear it to shreds with her weapon-she seems to have decided those spears are better suited for the larger machines whereas she can stick to the sword for smaller ones.
Hrist Valkyrie critically strikes Ryusei Date with her Most gods are jerks attack.
Hrist Valkyrie successfully targets Agrias Oaks with her feathersteal action.
Lawfer successfully steals a feather and cries out in exultation! "I did it! Finally!" He turns to show it to Rani when a taloned foot rips through his entire body.
"YAAAAAAGH!" Lawfer screams, popping into spirit energy.
The feather flutters around in the air before landing lightly on The Rani's nose.
Captain Agrias Oaks' radio distantly transmits the whistling scream of an enraged chocobo, over equally distant sounds of battle.
"Ha!" the Rani exclaims, snatching the feather up.
She then turns and begins to make a slightly unseemly exit towards the TARDIS. The defense screens can keep the bird out easily, but she has to be inside first.
Enraged, the chocobo gives another one of its whistling screams, rearing back and raking at Lawfer with its talons. The pain of having a feather plucked from his skin only sends Alkoun into even more of a fury.
And suddenly, the target of his rage is gone - and so is the grip on his reins.
The chocobo pauses, swinging its great head from side to side, as though deciding what to do. Finally, it settles on sprinting back towards its master, but Agrias isn't where he left her. The bird gives another enraged scream. WHAT.
Scratching at the broken earth, Alkoun turns, then, crest still up in anger. It's then that he seems to catch sight of his master, dangling from the claw of that machine. The chocobo lunges after the R-3, sprinting easily to keep up, though there's no real opportunity to attack. It simply barrels after Aya.
Well, he'll probably follow her when she retreats. No need to worry about the demon bird.
...The Rani's probably lucky that she never really attracted Alkoun's attention.
Aya's not comfortable with this, but as it stands, she needed to get the two of them out of there.
Without further ado, the R-3 takes off, speeding along the ground to where the Ladybird that deployed the two SRX team members is waiting.
Ryusei, after firing the barrage, immediately throws away his revolvers, seeing is he seems to have thrown every other weapon of value out of this fight! And while he does so, the R-1 dances into the air, deftly evading the BAD TOUCH from all sides. Unfortunately, his evasive maneuvers make him end up right into the path of a hefty spear, which pierces directly into the R-1's midsection, only a few meters under the actual cockpit and away from the engine. Ryusei grunts in greatly obvious discomfort. But at the same time, he smiles. "Heh. Looks like we didn't win this time." he muses. "... But sorry, you're not getting any of the spoils." And with that, the barely functioning R-1, with its engine's last dull roar, it boosts along the ground, aiming towards the fallen Sailor Scout. And in one swift motion, Ryu scoops her up, briefly opens his cockpit hatch, and the R-1 drops her into machine along with Ryusei. It's not entirely uncomfortable, as the cockpit is generally pretty spacy due to the MYSTERIOUS TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCE and the fact that she is, well, pretty tiny means Ryusei still has a lot of room to operate. And without looking back even once, Ryusei Date flies the R-1 back to the Ladybird, following his team leader closely.
Simon Parker | Jay, hesitantly: "A-are Captain Oaks and Tengille s-s-still alive?"
Staff Sergeant Christoph Schmidt says, "...'still'?"
Simon Parker | Jay: "A-and-that other g-girl whose name I didn't catch."
Staff Sergeant Christoph Schmidt says, "I have missed something."
An IPA Medical Technician says, over the bustle of hospital background sounds, "Oh, the knights that was brought in?" Dismissively, "Yes, yes, they are alive. Both of them are in critical condition, but they should live."
Staff Sergeant Christoph Schmidt says, "Ah."
Tepet Inatera says, "Thank Hesiesh."
Simon Parker | Jay is quiet for a moment: "And Uncle Simon?"
An IPA Medical Technician says, "'Simon?' I don't know about that. Only these two knights were brought here, and another girl."
Feige Abramson says, "Simon Parker-a missing persons report was filed on him."
An IPA Medical Technician rustles papers. "Hmm... no, sorry. No one by that name was admitted here tonight."
Tepet Inatera may be doing math in her head.
Tepet Inatera says, "How long ago was that?"
Simon Parker | Jay says, "W-was what? The thing I f-filed?"
Tepet Inatera says, "How long has he been missing?"
Simon Parker | Jay says, "L-like two weeks."
Tepet Inatera says, "Oh, balls, what had stabbed me then, ugh, damned machine..."
Simon Parker | Jay ... "M-ma'am?"
Feige Abramson says, "Actually, you stabbed the balls."
Feige Abramson says, "Ma'am."
Tepet Inatera says, "No, no, this is unrelated. Ugh!"
Tepet Inatera says, "Sylene, why didn't you tell me!?"
Tepet Sylene says, "Why didn't I tell you what?"
Tepet Inatera says, "No, you could not have told me, I don't think I told you."
Ami Mizuno fully heals Ami Mizuno with her Power of <3 action.
Ami Mizuno has been resurrected from knockout!
Ami Mizuno switches armor modes to School Girl.
And then the invaders are gone. The Robo's too badly damaged to think of chasing them, secondary explosions having crippled most of its offensive capabilities. It sinks to the ground, slowly, and settles in. There will be others, the Core knows. It must flee for now, regenerate its strength-and then strike decisively.
What's left of the Zondar Robo Broken Angel collapses around the Core, which sinks into the ground. This parasite will take a bit more violence to root out, it seems.
Tepet Sylene says, "Well, that would be why, then."
Tepet Inatera curses under her breath for a little while.
Mercade Alexander says, "Are you all right, Inatera?"
Tepet Inatera says, "Yes, yes, only stupid."
Mercade Alexander says, "I find that hard to believe."
The blood on Hrist's blade is thick. Oh Lenneth, she thinks, if only you were willing to have some fun. Then your soul wouldnt have been in such straights. She examines the weapon briefly. Indestructable, the Valkyrie Favor has served particularly well today. It seems the Heroes have gotten away-to think a mere bird would cause so much trouble-but perhaps that means the feather is that much more useful. It sort of reminds Hrist of a cockatrice.
She hopes the aid she has wrought will be returned in kind for Ragnarok's End. Once again the forces of the IPA have been defeated, even if her personal objectives have been torn from her. Odin is taking the distraction as a chance to hasten the destruction of Midgard. But life returns easily in her world. Perhaps this time they will be loyal to God.
Hrist sees Rani sneaking into the TARDIS and follows after her, seeing no reason to remain. Perhaps she can find out why that damn feather was so important. Still, despite Lawfer's failings, today was a good battle. She can see why mortals engage in so much of it.
Meanwhile, Lawfer stews inside Hrist's head.
"Hooboy, top knight eh!" Arngrim laughs, giving Lawfer's spirit a hearty smack on the back. "I don't blame you, this mission was for the birds!"
"Oh shutup, Arngrim." Lawfer grunts.
A figure sits amidst the rubble - dressed in a black blazer and black slacks, with a red tie loosened to the point of neglect, and a casually undone top button on his white shirt, sunglasses down over his eyes.
"Well..." he laughs, pushing himself off a chunk of roof and beginning to skip across debris toward the ground, striding idly in the direction of the spot the core disappeared into. "The maggots had a hard time today..."
He turns, to watch the retreating, thoroughly battered IPA, chuckling. "Useless. Completely useless. If they're going to be this pathetic..."
He turns on his heels, wandering away from the scene of the battle. "...it'll be all too easy to get what I want. Heh heh..."
The TARDIS slowly fades from the vacant lots of the 26th century. And whither then? Who knows.
"Have you ever heard," the Rani says in the control chamber, "of the Flood?"