Sillyfox 1220194597|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
RL Date – 12/15/07
Void - Planetary Fragments
The unification wasn't all fun and games. This seems to be where the 'rejects' went, the shattered remains of planets and stars that float here benignly. Though in some cases it seems that asteroids and parts of planets survived and even thrived, they are the exceptions - not the rule. Looters and pillagers tend to fill the more remote parts of this region, attempting to scavenge the remains of long-dead societies - and they make a tidy profit doing so.
Contents:
United Empire of Lunar Prime TARGET: Shining Paradise (SP)
Septerra
Obvious exits:
North <N> leads to Void Overlook.
For whatever reason, Gendo likes using Yulia and her version of Unit 02 for his dirty work. Maybe it's because she's younger, or because she's more controllable due to Yuri's influence. Or maybe it's because he considers Unit 02 more expendable than the 'native' Evas. Regardless, it's Yulia that's ordered to suit up and head out to the Void for an artifact retrieval mission.
The maroon and gray evangelion navigates its way carefully across the edge of a cluster of asteroids, Several thousand meters worth of umbilical spool out from the transport ship some distance away, serving as both power source and tether in case the gravity gets even stranger than usual. No spear today, though she has a pistol maglocked to her hip in case it's needed. Inside, Yulia switches on some music to help her concentrate, though why heavy metal does the trick is anyone's guess. "Okay, I'm ready."
The relative calm of the void is soon shattered by the presence of another Evangelion. This one not nearly so 'expendable', nor quite so foriegn in concept to NERV. UNIT-01, the purple armor looking quite dull and dark in the absence of lighti n the region, floats alng in the void, long, spindly AT wings propelling it slowly along.
Yulia notes the blip on the sensors, and says something rather unladylike in Russian as she realizes who it is. Why oh why did Shinji have to show up right now?
There's a moment of hesitation, one long enough to prompt her keepers to prod her along. "Don't worry about him, Yulia," her brother radios her. "Go and get what we came for."
"Ah..yes, Yuri," Yulia answers, reluctant but compliant all the same. Before Shinji can get any closer, she activates the jetpack and moves further into the jumble of rock and assorted space debris. While she probably could shape an AT field into wings, she's not too great at it yet, and besides, she needs to deflect the smaller asteroids out of her way.
Unit-01 twitches a bit, before Shinji looks up, and sees the jets of Unit-02, his hands clenching a bit. Yulia. Why'd they have to send you, Yulia? This wasn't want he wanted to be doing today.
He mutters a bit, the wings of the Evangelion flapping in the void, propelling the behemoth forward, hands shifting up and to the shoulder of the Eva, pulling out his progknife. He'd just have to wait and see, now.
Being a Child sucks sometimes, doesn't it?
That Shinji is here flutters in the back of Yulia's mind, but right now not becoming an Eva pancake takes more of her attention. Unit 02 ducks as a large asteroid sails silently past, then deflects a smaller chunk of rock with an AT Field. Quite the obstacle course in here, but she's nimble enough to avoid getting pummeled or squashed so far. "I'm looking for the artifact…picking up its energy signature….ah, there it is."
There, floating amidst the rocks and dust is the Lance of Longinus. Long, scarlet, and deadly, it looks remarkably unharmed for having been floating in the void for years on end. "…looks like the world's largest tuning fork," she remarks. Under her breath, since Gendo doesn't appreciate her sense of humor.
Yes, it certainly does.
Shinji shifts, his own skills with his AT able to allow him to fly and deflect incoming at the same time, at least. He also takes potshots at a few of the smaller boulders with his progknife, the hypersonic blade passing through the stone easily. Dammit, Yulia, not here. Not now.
He spots the lance as well, his Operator back at Union base hollering at him about it. He tunes the reploid out, and sighs, focusing instead on the task at hand.
<Yulia.> He tries to reach the girl. <You don't have to take it.>
Normally, Yulia is receptive to mentally communicating with him, but this time they're adversaries instead of friends. (How she wishes she could make herself believe that this was just a game!) Friendship has to take a back seat to reality, and her heart hardens accordingly.
<I do!> She answers. <We need it!> She shifts course, exchanging some caution for haste as she angles closer to the Lance. Unless he does something, she's going to reach it first.
The warrior boy grits his teeth, and sighs. He's got his clearance, his orders.
The hand on the prog knife tightens, as Shinji leans into his assault, the wings snapping together, giving him a burst of speed, charging not for the Lance, not for the artifact, but rather, for the Evangelion after it. The last message he sends, before cutting contact, and an apology.
<I'm sorry, Yulia.>
The progknife aims for a shoulder.
A little closer…a little closer…
Unit 02 extends her right hand to reach for it, but before she can get her fingers around it, Unit 01 charges in to stop her. The progknife pierces through the shoulder armor, but she tries to push him away before the blade can bite too deeply. It hurts, but she's certainly suffered worse. Still, it succeeds in that the lance eludes Yulia for now, floating serenely as the two Evas grapple.
I'm sorry? What kind of answer is that?
Unit 02 brings up a leg to plant in the other Eva's stomach in an attempt to kick it out of the way. Getting the artifact is more important than getting into a protracted fight with Shinji.
Unit-01 floats back, Shinji placing thrust to counter his movement in the void, before he growls faintly, and mutters. This can't take too long. Than Lance will figure out what's going on eventually. It was clever, for a lifeless piece of metal.
Shinji shifts a bit, this time launching forward, and trying to simply grapple with the girl, the progknife floating in space as he lets it go.
Yulia doesn't know much about the lance, except that it's Important to Gendo. She wants to get her hands on it quickly, but that's so she can get out of here without hurting Shinji more than necessary.
The two Evas grapple like a pair of high school wrestlers, Unit 02 trying to pull herself free as Unit 01 holds on. The Russian girl growls as Shinji starts to overpower her, but she's not about to give up. It's not so much due to the humiliation of losing to him, but because she's afraid of disappointing her big brother. The Eva twists and pivots, then uses her jetpack to propel herself forward, trying to use the momentum to smack Unit 01 against on the larger asteroids floating past.
Purple armor cracks against the asteroid as the force of the jetpack shoves Shinji into the rocks. He snarls and grunts in his plug, sweat forming in the LCL now. He shakes his head to clear it, trying to get some of the stars out of his eyes.
Right. This isn't going to end well, either way. Dammit. He lunges forward again. There's no way he can make it to her in time now…
Yulia feels Shinji's grasp loosen as he hits the rock, and she jerks herself free of it. Please, let him stay there!
Unit 02, now freed, turns and lunges for the drifting lance, which has drifted away somewhat in the meantime. She shoves the intervening rock chunks out of the way with a focused AT Field, then reaches out to grab the coveted artifact. She all but has her fingers around it…
The Lance has no such patience for such things as Almost and Maybe. As Yulia's Unit-02 nears the shaft of the Lance, it lurches for her, the diminutive weapon suddenly writhing, stretching, growing. The double Helix surges forward, until the weapon itself is suddenly sized to fit comfortably in two hands of the Evangelion. It thrums with potential, nearly quivering in her grasp.
Shinji breaks the silence of their minds now, still ignoring the nattering from his Operator. <YULIA. PUT IT DOWN. YOU NEED TO PUT IT DOWN.> He's too far away dammit. He flaps his wings again, flying faster.
…why would you want to put this down, Yulia. You've gotten it. Its yours. Prove yourself.
Yulia blinks (an act that her Eva can't mimic) as the Lance reshapes itself before her eyes, then settles itself into her grasp as if it has always been there.
Her favored weapon has always been the spear. A lance is not exactly a spear, but this for reasons she can't explain this one feels very comfortable, so very -right-. "I have it," she says breathlessly, if redundantly, the words echoed in her mind.
<I -can't let you have it, Shinji!> the girl replies. <Give up. Don't make me have to hurt you!>
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "O-kay! *knucklecrack.wav* Still taking requests."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "All of three people have told me what they wanted for the holidays."
Unit-01 floats in behind the girl now, Shinji staying at a respectful distance from the girl with the Artifact now. <Seriously, Yulia, just… put it down. It's not right, it needs to be left alone. Do you know what that thing is capable of?>
Unit-01. The spear knows this creature. This Yui. It's been thwarted by once before.
Well. What are you waiting for? You know what you have to do. He's just going to take the spear from you. Stop him!
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "I know you're out there."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "And I know you're all greedy little human-analogs. Tell WireClaus what you want for <NONDESCRIPT WINTER HOLIDAY>"
<IC-Broadband> Isamu Dyson says, "Your head on a spike."
<IC-Broadband> Flannery says, "Hey, Wireless, I got you your present!"
<IC-Broadband> Flannery says, "The one you asked for."
<IC-Broadband> Snowdrift says, "I don't want anything for me. But please give yourself a fragmentation grenade with no pin."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "I'm hearing "Coal, Coal, Coal." Ooo… you got it, really?"
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "Well … I /could/ give you guys what you're asking for, but honestly…"
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "First of all, which head?"
Honestly, Yulia has no idea. But she's about to find out.
Shinji is a friend…well, as close to a friend as she allows herself to have. Letting people get close means being hurt when they inevitably leave. If she allowed herself to care more, then maybe she'd be more resistant to the Lance's influence.
Unit 02 swings the spear around into a threatening position. <Back off, Shinji! You're just mad because you want it for yourself.>
<IC-Broadband> Flannery says, "And yeah, I got it. See, there never was a 'shoot-on-sight' order for you, so by clarifying this was the case, I have, from the point of view of someone who believed such existed, negated it! Or something."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "… really?"
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "Hmm. Would you mind telling me exactly what the order says?"
<IC-Broadband> Flannery says, "Lemme' check, but I thought it said something like… 'Don't give Wireless anything, don't associate with him, etcetera', nothing about 'shoot him dead and then burn the remains'."
<IC-Broadband> Cylina says, "Do not assist Wireless in any way…"
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "Oh. Hello program. Are you done being crazy?"
<IC-Broadband> Cylina says, "Crazy…? When was I crazy?"
<IC-Broadband> Hexadecimal says, "NEVER!"
<IC-Broadband> Hexadecimal says, "Oh, the other one."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "…"
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "Nevermind. Tell me what you'd like. I'm making gifts for everyone I know, and it's a lot easier if I don't have to extrapolate."
Eyes go wide in the Entry plug. Shinji's hands come up in the controls, trying to raise a defense agaisnt the lance, but… Oh god, it's not gonna help if she really….
He takes a deep breath, and murmurs. <Yulia, I'm not mad, I… Just put it down, and we can talk, alright, It's not going to… It's… It's not just a hunk of metal, Yulia, it's not just a spear…>
The lance bristles. The tips grow that much longer, leaner.
Are you going to let him talk you down, Yulia? Go back to Gendo with nothing? He's going to take that spear!
<IC-Broadband> Duo Maxwell says, "I think I know what Hexadecimal want."
<IC-Broadband> Hexadecimal says, "I already have what I want. A potato gun!"
<IC-Broadband> Cylina says, "Oh…? well I never got a present before… to my knowledge anyway. So I don't really know what you could give me… perhaps just the first thing that you think of?"
<IC-Broadband> Duo Maxwell says, "I was thinking Bob."
<IC-Broadband> Hexadecimal says, "Oh, I already asked for him in my letter to Elvis."
<IC-Broadband> Duo Maxwell says, "… Oh."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "Well, nothing at all?"
<IC-Broadband> Aleksander says, ".. Oooh. IT's the Wirefly."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "I know very little about you. I know you emulate whatever you watch, and you recently had a psychotic episode, even if you can't remember."
<IC-Broadband> Aleksander says, "WiFi~!"
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "… hello?"
<IC-Broadband> Aleksander says, "Why hello there, little broken thing. You know.. it occurs to me, you've been naughty. Trying to fix people when you're nowhere /near/ qualified for fixings other than perhaps that of turkey fixings."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "… aren't we judgmental. I'd say I'm well qualified. Probably a lot better than most of the hack-jobs I've seen."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "What makes you qualified to judge me?"
<IC-Broadband> Cylina says, "The only thing I can think that I REALLY want, is not something you can provide, Wireless… anything you can think that I might like will be happily accepted."
<IC-Broadband> Auria says, "…..mmmmmn…."
<You're lying!> thought-yells at Shinji. <You've always been jealous of me, because I have someone who care about me!> Rationality is quickly fleeing under the Lance's influence, or maybe it's simply freeing her to speak her mind. Unit 02's jetpack activates, propelling her forward. The lance is held threateningly. <GET OUT OF MY WAY!>
<IC-Broadband> Cylina says, "Anything electronic is usually a good idea."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "Try me, Friend. What can't I provide?"
<IC-Broadband> Aleksander says, "How many puppets, across the Multiverse, I wonder? How many puppets.. that you've got your varying.." The voice suddenly jumps, as if it were in a new location, ".. different locales, different verses.." The voice jumps. "You cannot provide without stealing, taking advantage of, exploiting."
<IC-Broadband> Cylina says, "You cannot provide my Fiancee. Nor can you tell me where she is, or why she left."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "………………………………………………………….."
There's no space now, no way for him to have avoided this one. Shinji flaps the wings of his Eva, trying to get space between himself and Yulia, but… He crashes backwards into an asteroid that's snuck up on the both of them,
Eyes go wide in the entry plug, as that spear comes right for…
A hand raises up, tries to raise an AT field, but the Lance simply disregards it, pierces through field, and hand, and helmet, the two point sinking neatly into the helmet of the Evangelion, Passing though brain and skull and armor, and out into the astroid behind.
And all Shinji can see is white.
<IC-Broadband> Cylina says, "Is this not true?"
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "Sir. I must ask you to cease and desist pointing out my covert operatives."
<IC-Broadband> Aleksander says, "Why? They're crunchy and good with ketchup."
<IC-Broadband> Isamu Dyson |Yang is taking notes.
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "As for your Fiancee, friend… I must apologize. You're correct. If I could solve your problem, my worst best friend wouldn't be slaved to my mother…"
<IC-Broadband> Aleksander says, "A broken tool is ill-suited to make repairs upon the world. Particularly when it does not go in the right way, yes-yes."
Young Misato arrives from Void Overlook.
Young Misato has arrived.
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "You accused me of body snatching. Why?"
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "Each and every proxy I operate is home made. Do you think I'd be so vulgar as to loot the corpses of the living?"
<IC-Broadband> Isamu Dyson says, "-yes-."
<IC-Broadband> Wireless says, "Well … ok, that was entirely circumstantial, and I don't keep those permanently."
<IC-Broadband> Aleksander says, "What he said. Wait, I wasn't accusing you of body-snatching. I'm just pointing out your other puppetry."
<IC-Broadband> Aleksander says, "Mmhm. Semantics, dear fellow, dear fellow."
You will no longer hear messages on channel <IC-Broadband>.
Noriko arrives from Void Overlook.
Noriko has arrived.
The small, rational part of Yulia's brain recoils from what she's done. While she's a seasoned Angel hunter, she isn't that violent a person by nature. She might be mad at him, but Shinji certainly doesn't deserve this!
The larger, easily Lance-influenced part of her mind quickly rationalizes the act. <It's your fault! You should have left when I told you!> Whether he hears him or not doesn't really matter. She tightens her grip and tugs, pulling the twin tines free.
Belatedly, Yulia realizes that Yuri and the rest of NERV has been yelling in her ear. "Shinji's not bothering me anymore," she says simply. "I'll be back shortly."
Noriko changed her armor mode to Gunbuster.
The very fabric of reality bends and twists under an immense pressure bubbling up beneath the surface… and a tiny gravity distortion might show up on any sensors in the area. Without any more warning than that, a thousand kilometers from the given coordinates at Shinji's last known location… there is a giant shattering noise as space gives way to a tunnel of white fire and nonsensical lights parting to make way for a massive silhouette barging right on through back into normal reality.. a mecha, the Union's Gunbuster.
Noriko takes a deep breath, eyeing her sensors the instant that the radar becomes fully functional again…what was going ON out here?
And as the Lance comes free of Unit-01, Shinji's Eva slumps against the form of the asteroid he'd been pinned against. The pair of wounds in the forehead of Unit-01 spray blood and ichor into the void, large globules coalescing into blobs of red and black. The brilliant AT wings that had shone from his back flicker and die out.
Unit-01, incapacitated.
The scene is this: A NERV transport ship hovers near the edge of a moderate sized asteroid field, into which their Unit 02 and the Union's Unit 01 have flown. The reason for this near-suicidal behavior is due to the Lance of Longinus having drifted into it some time ago. Judging by the noises made on the radio, Shinji's not the one in possession of it.
Yulia is strangely satisfied by Unit 01's broken state, an echo of the Lance's satisfaction. Meanwhile, her handlers are screaming at her to get the hell out of the field and back to the transport. Or in Yuri's case, calmly telling her that the Union is on its way, so stop dawdling, little sister.
Unit 02 activates her jetpack and deploys a small, focused AT Field, shoving small asteroids out of her way and using her newly won Lance of Longinus to slice the larger ones.
Noriko presses her lips tightly together at the radio messages, shoving down an urge to gulp. Shinji was that bad off with his mech… or maybe not even THAT, evas were alive weren't they? Uh-oh. "SHINJI!!" The radio toggle flies on for a tight-beam to Unit 01. "Shinji, can you hear us at all?!"
Gunbuster's four great engine nacelles roar with blue light and send it shooting straight for the asteroid field, zigging and zagging around some of them, punching others out of the way, and making a beeline for Shinji's eva, moving as fast as possible to get in Unit 02's way in the meantime.
The lance is pleased. Well, its form of pleased, anyways. The creature that had thwarted it before is dead or dying. Something smugger ekes its way into the facade of the artifact, as it settles in.
Yes yes, listen to them. Be on your guard and return home victorious.
There continues to be no response from Unit-01. Blood is slowing now, clotting at least agaisnt the edges of the helmet.
Gunbuster grinds to a halt at long range… well, about a hundred kilometers anyways, from Unit 02 on its plunge for Shinji's. "Destroy the lance?" Noriko mumbles while glancing over her remote views… there was Unit 02 on the radar. There wasn't any time to take chances! "Leave Shinji alone!" At least the radio was off, so Noriko's taunt would go unheard.
Gunbuster's head swings up to angle towards Unit 02's direction… and a brilliant purple light pulses up into existence, before its shaped into a tight beam that cuts through the asteroid field like a hot knife through butter. As thick as a redwood tree's trunk, the beam vaporizes asteroid after asteroid, creating a tidal wave of heat and light pulsing with vaporized, molten rocks flying off and being caught in the shockwave of heat that's at least a kilometer wide.
And all of this is flying right at Unit 02's direction off in the distance. It would take mere seconds to arrive, but chances are good that only the roaring shockwave rather than the beam itself would strike.
After firing, Gunbuster charges along in the wake of its own blast before swerving off to approach Unit 01 and get a good scan of it! Noriko toggles the radio for a tight-beam again. "Shinji?! Please… come in, say something!"
Noriko missed Yulia with her A glancing blow? moderate attack! (Experimental)
Yulia notes a HUGE blip on her sensors. Yeah…Yuri and the others have the right idea. She moves more quickly now, shoving debris out of her way in an effort to clear the asteroid field faster. Shinji is simply abandoned, the small note of regret in the back of her mind ignored. He got in her way, so he deserved what he got.
What the Union forces may notice is the umbilical cable connecting Unit 02 to the transport. Unlike the other Eva units, it's apparently not been upgraded to internal power. The support crew is fully aware of this vulnerability, and the craft begins to back off from the incoming troops while reeling in as much slack in the cable as it can.
That may be a moot point, as the Gunbuster fires into the heart of the field, right where Unit 02 is. Her pilot doesn't panic, but does take evasive measures, moving to relative down at as close to full power as the small jet pack will allow then throwing up an AT Field around her shell-like to deflect the shockwave of debris.
Gotta hate the warp gates around here.
Because one suddenly EXPLODES to life like the Bajoran wormhole near Deep Space 9. From it comes quite a sight - namely, Evangelion Unit 00, body aglow with the orange-gold of an AT field, six angelic wings sprouting from the back. At the helm, within the entry plug, sits Misato Katsuragi, gripping the control yoke tightly.
. o O (Dammit… YUI! CAN YOU HEAR ME?) She concentrates, using her Eva empathy, trying to contact the soul in Unit 01 as best as she can, flying through the void and heading straight for the combat zone at rather high speed.
Oh dear. Yes yes, this seems familiar.
Perhaps safety would be more prudent.
There is no response from Yui. Or Shinji. Close range sensors register he's still alive, though, as is Yui.
There's only one thing Misato can say…
(#**($*(#(*$#(*$!
She tries to see if she can get access to Unit 01's control systems. Not a violent jerking away, but a standard attempt to remote-sync. If Shinji's not sync'd at all anymore it SHOULD work…
…should…
Noriko breathes a tiny sigh of relief when Misato makes an appearance. There was only so much one person could do to both destroy an enemy weapon and rescue a fallen comrade. Yet tactics said Noriko should go for that spear..
Noriko raised one arm and crossed it over her shoulder as if she was reaching for something… and Gunbuster mimic'd this motion, pulling out a one giant double-bladed axe from a shoulder compartment. Moments later, it yanked out an identical axe from the other with its empty hand… and CLAMPED them both together into a staff with axe-heads at both ends. Twirling this once or twice, Gunbuster then plunges through the smoldering tunnel of molten rock and metal on the way to unit 2, traversing kilometers in seconds just on the lower level of thrust.
"IIIIIKEEEEEE!!! BUUUUSTER TOMAHAAAAAAWWWWWK!!!!" And then the axe goes into a blurry spin of slicey-death, as Noriko aims to cut off Unit 2 right in its path…cutting it if it can, but aiming mostly for the power cable.
You suffer 8 points of damage.
Noriko hit Yulia with her Slicey death! moderate attack! <Experimental>
Unit 02 finally clears the astroid field, thanks in part to the wide path that the even larger mecha left in the wake of that blast. It's not very often than she's towered over, and if not for the Lance, Yulia would feel much more intimidated. As it is, she still feels some trepidation at facing off against the Gunbuster, artifact weapon or no.
The maroon and gray Eva tries to duck out of the way of the giant mecha axe blender, but the blurring blades graze her right arm. Worse, it slices clean through the power cable, the cord sparking electrical fury for a moment before the emergency shutdown kicks in.
The lights inside the entry plug dim somewhat and the battery timer springs up to display the eight minute countdown. (Let's hear it for Superior Russian Engineering!). » Get the HELL out of my way! «, Yulia shouts over the local radio bands, sounding more like another certain Eva pilot than her usual self. To show she means business, Unit 02 lunges forward, moving to stab the much larger mecha on her charge past.
Yulia missed Noriko with her The Lance Told Me To! strong attack! (Experimental)
Mario arrives from Void Overlook.
Mario has arrived.
Yes, Yes, that's the spirit. Fight them off and get home!
Shinji is dimly aware of the handoff, somewhere in the back of his now addled mind, but… for now, he just floats, lifelessly, in the LCL of his entry plug
At first, Unit 01 doesn't seem to move much.
But then… very slowly, the leviathan begins to move. As though a punch-drunk fighter, the bleeding Eva eventually comes to it's feet. It moves around as though trying to establish it's bearings for several seconds…
Because that's just what it's doing. Misato Katsuragi is now in THREE bodies at once, and as such the feeling is more than a little disconcerting. She grips her controls so tightly it'll probably leave marks when she's done; she'd sweat if the LCL didn't prevent that.
Unit 00 moves towards Unit 01. Wings still unfurled, it's arm moves around Unit 01 as the two begin to somewhat slowly move off - but increasing in speed all the time as Unit 01 recovers and Misato gains her bearings.
She lets out a thought - a HARD thought - telepathically, letting it leak out probably at least partially by accident…
(Goddammit Yulia, what're you DOING?)
Noriko reacts as quickly as she can, grunting to bring the controls about… since Gunbuster was direct motion system, her every move was copied! IN this case, Noriko leans back and brings up the holographic copy of the weapon Gunbuster wields, catching the lance and wrenching it off to the side with an axe blow while the engines carry Gunbuster back just a bit to keep Unit 02 from passing. "Only if you give me that lance first!" Noriko counters. There's no real malice in her voice… just determination, and plenty of it.
Then Gunbuster's thrusters roar to full strength to send the mecha forwards in a power-tackle right for the eva's mid-section and hopefully send the two of them hurtling straight into the depths of the asteroid field!
<Longwinded Tirades> LizardNiggaNaziSpicKike Miles Prower ahems. "Gay.
<Longwinded Tirades> Rebecca Chambers says, "What kind of MU* is this??"
<Longwinded Tirades> LizardNiggaNaziSpicKike Miles Prower says, "Maybe it was a joke?"
Noriko missed Yulia with her POWER TACKLE- LOOK OUT FOR THAT SPACE ROCK! strong attack! (Experimental)
» You can't have it! « Unhampered now by the umbilical, Unit 02 jets to the side and out of the way of the larger mech, still clutching the Lance in her hands. » Yuri needs it! « Her path still blocked, she moves to stab at the Gunbuster again. It's a fighting retreat, and she angles herself to move closer to her transport even if her maneuver fails.
Meanwhile, the NERV transport reels in the broken cable as quickly as it can. It's not really designed for combat, so while it does try to move in closer, it also tries to avoid directly entering the combat zone.
7:05
Yulia missed Noriko with her Lance Stab moderate attack! (Experimental)
In the distance flies one more hero. One small in comparison to everything else in the area, but he's reinforcement, nonetheless. He wears red, blue overalls, a moustache, and right now he flies with the ears and wagging tail of a racoon and a white "P" on his chest.
It's-a him, Mario!
Wagging that tail as fast as he can, Mario takes infinate flight toward the scene. He knows where to go and who he's after, and he heads toward Yulia's Eva with determination on his chubby face. It'll take him a second to get there, but he's almost within attack range.
For now, Noriko's ignoring the transport. All she's interested in is that lance, not taking people out! Noticing Mario approaching, Noriko cuts out the thrusters from their full force to avoid getting in his way… and then SLAPS at the incoming attack. A repulsion field shimmers up around Gunbuster's hand, shunting the stab off harmlessly to the side but leaving most of its momentum unchecked! All of that training in the simulators with melee for close combat was really paying off!
"Then… why hurt Shinji?!" Who knew what NERV was going to do with this thing.. really, who knew?
Gunbuster's hand juts out to try and wrap its fingers around the lance and give a powerful TUG…
And the instant it (hopefully) would make contact, the armor plates around the lower arm slide open and blossom like flower petals to reveal about twenty high-voltage electrode spikes sizzling golden with FAAAAAR too mcuh electricity. The energy spike would shoot straight into the lance and try to give Unit 02 one HELL of a frying jolt. There was no way to even measure how much voltage was being poured out here!
You suffer 10 points of damage.
Noriko hit Yulia with her ZAPPITIES! strong attack! <Experimental>
Unit 01's somewhat sluggish movements get more and more fluid. With deep concentration Misato manages to get it to move more easily. She tunes out just about everything around her, save for the two Eva units. Things get easier as a golden glow begins to surround Unit 01… the AT field. It shimmers before producing a quartet of wings. Misato isn't strong enough to make it produce a full set of six or eight, but four is enough to move the Eva. Covering it's retreat, Misato moves both units for a warp gate, careful to prevent any incoming attacks from reaching Shinji - and hopefully get him to the hospital as soon as possible.
Yulia gasps in shared pain as Unit 02 gets shocked. The Eva doesn't let go, though. The Lance doesn't want her to let go. » Because -he- wanted it, « she answers, her voice strained. » So I had to stop him. «
6:45 - No time to dally. The incoming Mario is noted as a sensor blip, but since it's too far out to be immediate trouble, she concentrates on the enemy in front of her. Reluctantly, she drops one hand from the weapon to draw another, simultaneously deactivating the maglocks on the pistol on her hip and flicking off the safety. Without even raising it, she fires off a trio of bullets, then moves to wrest the lance free of the Gunbuster's grip.
Yulia missed Noriko with her Shoot From the Hip moderate attack! (Experimental)
Soaring in, Mario makes his arrival into battle with a resounding "Wah-hoo!" as he flies around any of the other Evas and mechs as to not get in the way.
Once he approaches Unit 02, he attempts to begin executing his plan. The plan… to jostle the hand enough to make her drop the lance by distraction or concussion, whichever happens first. Hey, when you've had to fight armies suited in hard shells, you learn not to be picky.
The plumber flies around to the back of Yulia's Eva's lance-holding hand and attempts a combo attack. If involves a spinning smack of the raccoon tail with a follow-up kick. It's just a giant shell, afterall.
You suffer 9 points of damage.
Mario hit Yulia with his Tail Spin Punt… 'Now Drop It!' strong attack! <Experimental>
Gunbuster releases its grip on the lance and retreats a half-kilometers the instant Yulia makes the moment for the pistol. It was a close one! SPANG! BLIP! KSHING! The mecha slaps away at the blasts, then dashes in yet again after Mario's attacks to make a wrenching grasp for the lance! "Ghh….!!" She had no response to that… it made sense, but still… NOW she was getting really angry! "Please, just let go of that thing! I don't want to have to use Gunbuster's real firepower just to get that away from you!!" She DID however, send a full power PUNCH right for Unit 02's face!
You suffer 9 points of damage.
Noriko hit Yulia with her Nothing like a good 'ol CLOBBER! moderate attack! <Experimental>
Wow, that little guy moves fast. So does the Gunbuster for that matter. Unit 02 gets a one-two clobber, first in the back of the hand, then right in the face. Armor buckles under the force of both blows, but still she does not let go. It's almost as if the Lance won't let her go. Which very well may be the case.
5:42 - Dammit, why does the Union always have to get in her way?! She opens up with the pistol again, emptying half the clip in an attempt to catch both of her opponents. Then, she forces herself to concentrate, trying to draw on the lessons Craig's been giving her to better manipulate her AT Field. One pair of dragonfly-like wings manifests, then a second pair. They aren't extremely large or powerful, but it's the first time any of them have seen her demonstrate this particular ability. With their aid, she continues her fighting retreat, backpedaling towards the transport. Hurry hurry hurry!
Yulia hit Mario with her Bullet Spray moderate attack! <Experimental>
Yulia hit Noriko with her Hold Still! moderate attack! <Experimental>
"Owowowow!" Mario gets painfully sprayed by bullets! It hurts and it sent him spinning out of control for a brief moment!
Mario snaps out of it and gets his bearings back. He flies back toward the hand, and as he does he reaches back and pulls out his trusty mallet hammer. He goes for a swing… at the lance! There is an objective, even if it means destroying it!
After his swing, he backs away some. Those bullets still sting a little.
Mario hit Yulia with his Lance Sundering Hammer Smash, Sort Of… 'I Said Drop It!' tag attack! <Experimental>
Gunbuster's arms are flung tightly across its chest to protect it fromt he incoming blasts. The shields flare up to full moments before the blasts reach the mecha, and some of them end up glancing off harmlessly while a few manage to pierce the defenses and scorch large marks in the titan's rmor… "Gh…!" Noriko toggles the radio back on towards Unit 02. »"I'm really sorry, but I don't have any choice anymore! BUUUUUUSTERRRR….!"« Gunbuster takes a few seconds to put some distance between itself and Unit 02, aligning itself directly so that a line can be drawn right from Yulia to the transport… "BEEEEAAAAAM!!!" Pinkish light flashes up around the head, before tightening into another immense beam, this one aimed right for Unit 02's shoulde… or well, much of it in the first place given the beam's thickness. And that beam would probably end up slicing past it and might even hit the transport…
You suffer 17 points of damage.
Noriko hit Yulia with her BUSTER BEAM epic attack! <Experimental>
<Broadcast> A broadcast has been put out, but not an emergency one. Radio signal says it is put out by Cirrus-Marine. "Recently, a dungeon has been found within the Dark Jungle, north of the Asian Plains. Within Cirrus-Marine pact territory. But, local councils have decided to open up the dungeon for a group of adventurers to explore. Inquire outside of the dungeon. Both Confederates and Unioners are welcome, and expected to at least attempt to work together. Not much is known about the treasure, but the rumor is it is some sort of magic ring."
The Lance of Longinus is classified as an artifact, nigh impossible to destroy. Considering it survived the Third Impact, being thrown into orbit, the stabbing of Angels, atmospheric reentry…well, you get the idea.
The same cannot be said, however, for Unit 02. Mario's hammer blows resonate up and down the Lance's twin tines, acting much like the giant tuning fork that Yulia called it earlier. Though it can be only barely heard in the void's wispy atmosphere, the Eva and its pilot can certainly feel it, and the muscles in their hands twitch, losing their grasp on the Lance at last.
There's no way her AT Field can deflect that much focused energy, even if she wasn't so busy generating wings. The Russian pilot howls in pain as the biomecha's arm is shorn clear off, finishing what Mario begin.
Through the haze of pain, one thought remains clear: must have Lance. Throwing the pistol in a random direction that might hit the Gunbuster more by accident than design, she then reaches out with her remaining hand to snatch the lance and get the hell out of here.
For its part, the transport's undercarriage suffers a glancing blow. Landing is going to be interesting, but it's not so crippled that it can't escape.
Undisturbed by any counterattacks for once, Noriko lets the energy clear before charging in! "I'll try, Mario!" Gritting her teeth, Noriko hits the thrusters for all they're worth and sends Gunbuster flying right after Unit 2, intent on gripping the lance with both hands and wrenching it from the Evangelion's hands! "Please, don't make me hurt you any further!" Noriko yells in a raw voice, and gives another solid YANK!
At this point, Mario simply stays out of the way. He keeps aloft at a short distance, hoping Noriko can finish the job. He'll stand by, just in case.
Mario has disconnected.
Hand, actually. Noriko blasted off the other one, which is slowly floating off in the direction of the asteroid field. Even so, Unit 02's grip is surprisingly strong. The mecha is shaken back and forth by the yanking, but it doesn't let go.
» NO! « Yulia screams with such vehemence that it surprises even her. Throwing all caution to the wind, she deploys an AT Field between her Eva and Gunbuster, the force of which should throw both of them in opposite directions.
Gunbuster reels back at the AT field's sharp explosion of power. Yulia had the chance she needed to get away now, but she'd have to hurry…. Noriko fought with the controls, all of Gunbuster's engines roaring up to full to try and right it in the void…
The Eva is thrown back, tumbling end over end toward the awaiting transport. Yulia is in a world of hurt. While she didn't really lose her arm, it certainly feels like it. High synch ratios are a double-edged sword. On top of that, she's tired and wants nothing more than to crawl into a nice hot bath. Yet underneath she feels..almost happy. Satisfied, anyway. Yuri will be so proud of her accomplishment.
Knowing full well that she's almost out of battery power and that the Gunbuster is going to pursue, she lets the momentum carry her as far as possible before activating the jet pack to right her Eva. The wings are gone, and she's not going to be able to conjure them again very easily. To make their escape time even faster, she just wraps her arm around the aircraft and tells them to blast off. They can get Unit 02 into the carrying harness later!
