Mission 062 - Wheel of <<Paradise>>

[srwu_mods]

Wyverncakes (19:18:04): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYn2Q-kVNAk
Wyverncakes (19:19:17): It's another regular, quiet day at the Unity Group's bases, with the only real problems at the forefront being whatever is taking the worst of it because of the budget cutbacks.
Wyverncakes (19:19:21): Thanks Loni.
Wyverncakes (19:20:00): Nevertheless, some of you are being called to the briefing room in Fort Alhambra for one reason or another!
Wyverncakes (19:21:17): And when you arrive, Commanders Antov and Howe are standing by, waiting for you.
Wyverncakes (19:21:27): But there's also Kagura standing with them!
drascin (19:21:34): Kagura is also there, standing in that motionlessness of hers
cubey@aol.pl (19:22:21): Izuru: "Commander? Major Kagura?" He stands in the door in a pose of exaggerated surprise.
cubey@aol.pl (19:22:41): "What's going on? Is this some kind of..." His brain immediately enters Izuru-like frequencies.
cubey@aol.pl (19:22:45): "Secret operation?"
drascin (19:22:53): Kagura's head turns towards the commanders when seeing the people coming in
Wyverncakes (19:22:58): Roland: "Well...?"
Wyverncakes (19:23:05): "That isn't actually far from the truth."
tengusaur (19:23:10): Asagi: "...This shouldn't surprise you at this point, Izuru."
Wyverncakes (19:23:12): Imogen nods.
drascin (19:23:30): Kagura: ...REALLY, SIR?
Wyverncakes (19:23:30): "Less secret, more just an independent action."
drascin (19:23:44): Kagura's voice is inflectionless, but the disbelief is obvious
drascin (19:24:05): These are the people Antov is going to send in on a mission like this?
Wyverncakes (19:24:06): And Roland steels himself against Kagura's incredulousness.
frifreeman (19:25:00): Walt: "I knew it. I knew it's finally time" Walt says as he look around and hear the word "secret mission"
frifreeman (19:25:13): "This is our dirty dozen moment, right?"
Wyverncakes (19:25:29): "This is meant to just be a basic investigative mission, Major. And between our funding problems a number of machines are currently not prepped!"
tengusaur (19:25:44): Asagi: "Don't compare us to a movie where most of them died..."
Wyverncakes (19:25:51): "And it's not a suicide mission or anything either. In fact if any of you have objections you don't have to take part in this."
Wyverncakes (19:25:56): "But..."
Wyverncakes (19:26:00): He takes a deep breath.
drascin (19:26:32): Kagura: ...ALRIGHT. I CAN TAKE OVER THE INITIAL BRIEFING, SIR, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
Wyverncakes (19:26:51): "By all means."
drascin (19:27:29): Kagura: GOOD. ALL OF YOU, LISTEN WELL. THIS IS A RECON OPERATION I'M COMMANDING. IF ALL GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN, IT SHOULD BE QUIET AND BY THE NUMBERS.
drascin (19:28:10): Kagura: IF IT DOES NOT... THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WILL BE THAT AT LEAST ON OF US ARRIVES BACK WITH WHAT WE FIND.
drascin (19:28:18): Well that's not grim or anything
cubey@aol.pl (19:28:47): Izuru: "What are we investigating, Major?"
frifreeman (19:28:57): "You know me, Major. I'm all for numbers."
tengusaur (19:29:09): Asagi: "What are the odds it won't go according to plan?"
Wyverncakes (19:29:31): Howe: "You'll be investigating something we believe to be known as the 'Cardinal Shaft'."
VJockey (19:29:42): "...heheheh.... Shaft.."
drascin (19:29:49): Kagura: LOOK AT THIS. (Kagura projects an image of a remote region in the Alps. It's absolutely empty). DURING GRAVEYARD'S OPERATION NIMBUS, GRAVEYARD DISCOVERED A SET OF COORDINATES BURIED WITHIN A DEEP CODE INSIDE THE SHAFT. THEY POINT HERE
frifreeman (19:29:59): *headtilt*Cardinal Shaft?
tengusaur (19:30:06): Asagi: "Quiet, Leos."
drascin (19:30:34): Kagura: AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS POSITIVELY FUCK ALL THAT WE CAN SEE. BUT CONVERSATIONS WITH ADJUTANT EXECUTOR MINOGAME HAVE LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE CARDINAL SHAFT MAY BE HIDDEN IN HERE
cubey@aol.pl (19:30:59): Izuru is shocked once again.
cubey@aol.pl (19:31:05): Izuru: "That girl said something useful?!"
VJockey (19:31:09): "...You mean the fairy person with the force fields is an executor?"
drascin (19:31:29): Kagura: NOT YET. THANKFULLY. ANYWAY.
drascin (19:31:35): Kagura: ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH PLATOS PHILOSOPHY?
cubey@aol.pl (19:31:51): Izuru: "Something about... moderation in all things?"
tengusaur (19:32:15): Asagi: "Girl? You mean Minogame? Wasn't he a gu-" Okay, interruption. "Plato? Something about people looking at images in a cave?"
frifreeman (19:32:16): Walt: Everything are just shadows?
drascin (19:32:19): Kagura: PLATO POSTULATED A WORLD WITH IDEAL FORMS OF THINGS, THAT DEFINE WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE
drascin (19:32:38): Kagura: THE CARDINAL SHAFT WOULD BE THE IDEAL FORM OF THE SHAFTS. NO CARDINAL SHAFTS, SHAFTS CANNOT EXIST.
tengusaur (19:33:13): Asagi: "I see. If we destroy it, the PRAYER are gone for good."
Wyverncakes (19:33:20): Roland: "Possibly."
drascin (19:33:24): Kagura: IF THIS THING IS HERE, AND IT'S TAKEN OUT, WE COULD REMOVE THE THREAT OF PRAYERS FOREVER.
drascin (19:33:34): Kagura: HOWEVER.
frifreeman (19:33:38): Walt: "Why aren't we sending everything we got then?"
frifreeman (19:33:48): Walt: "Rather than this... cough, ragtag band of misfits
Wyverncakes (19:34:07): Roland: "Because Graveyard's upper's brass seem hesitant."
drascin (19:34:10): Kagura: GRAVEYARD HIGH COMMAND IS SHUFFLING THEIR FEET. SOMEONE DOESN'T WANT THIS TO BE KNOWN.
Wyverncakes (19:34:13): "That's why Major Kagura came to us."
VJockey (19:34:16): "...Why?"
drascin (19:34:26): Kagura: I WORRY ABOUT ANOTHER PLISSKEN SITUATION.
drascin (19:34:40): Kagura: ONE OR MORE OF HIGH COMMAND SEATS MAY BE COMPROMISED
VJockey (19:34:57): "Do we have a backup plan if something goes bad?"
cubey@aol.pl (19:34:59): Izuru: "But... PRAYERs aren't human-like, right?"
frifreeman (19:35:03): Walt: "I'm not surprised."
drascin (19:35:13): Kagura: COLONEL SUZU AGREES WITH ME ENOUGH TO GIVE ME IMPLICIT PERMISSION FOR INVESTIGATING. AND THAT IS WHAT I INTEND TO DO.
tengusaur (19:35:23): Asagi: "Who could they be working for...?"
Wyverncakes (19:35:31): Roland: "Hence this is to be a scouting operation."
drascin (19:35:56): Kagura: NO, HITACHI. BUT SOMEONE MAY BE TRYING TO USE THEM. OR TAKE CONTROL OF THEM. IT COULD BE CONCEIVABLE THAT IF YOU TAKE THE CENTRAL SHAFT YOU COULD CONTROL THE PRAYERS. AN ARMY OF IMMORTAL KILLER ROBOTS SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD, DOESN'T IT.
frifreeman (19:36:09): Walt: "I always plan my week surmising one of our upper brass is already compromised by aliens. No ofense, Commander Antov"
Wyverncakes (19:36:42): Roland: "Major, I understand your misgivings about your superiors, but for the moment it may be better to just focus on the mission."
drascin (19:36:50): Kagura: SO OUR MISSION IS TO CONFIRM THE EXISTENCE OF THE CARDINAL SHAFT AND ASSESS ITS DEFENSIVE STRENGTH
drascin (19:37:34): Kagura: IF THINGS GO WELL, WE COULD BE BACK TO NEST IN TIME FOR DINNER. IF NOT, WE COULD BE IN SOME VERY DEEP SHIT. THIS IS WHY I ONLY ASK FOR VOLUNTEERS.
VJockey (19:37:57): "... I volunteer Major."
Wyverncakes (19:38:03): Roland: "I wish... I could say any of us knew what this would entail."
Wyverncakes (19:38:27): Well at least you've got Leos, Kagura!
VJockey (19:38:39): "I don't really have anything else ahead of me. So I may as well do everything I can to help where I can."
VJockey (19:38:53): [Surprisingly, Leos does not sound one bit childish here.]
tengusaur (19:38:55): Asagi: "All of this sounds really worrying. But..."
cubey@aol.pl (19:39:07): Izuru: "I'll come!"
cubey@aol.pl (19:39:16): There is no hesitation in his answer.
cubey@aol.pl (19:39:31): Izuru: "You'll need support, it's really dangerous. With Red Five, we'll do this well, for sure!"
tengusaur (19:39:36): Asagi: "I'm in. Someone has to make sure Izuru and Leos won't get themselves killed."
drascin (19:39:55): Kagura: REMEMBER, HITACHI, THIS IS A SCOUTING MISSION. OUR PREFERENCE IS TO NOT ENGAGE AT ALL.
Wyverncakes (19:40:02): Well at least there's that.
frifreeman (19:40:08): Walt stand straight. "If it's a unity group task, I'll do it without hesitation."
drascin (19:40:29): Kagura: VERY WELL THEN. TO YOUR MECHS.
VJockey (19:40:43): "We'll look out for you too Asagi!"
Wyverncakes (19:40:55): Howe's already sending a message to Dirchs to get the Pale Rider, Blue One, Red Five, and Walt's Genoaces prepped and loaded on the shuttle.
VJockey (19:41:48): [Leos is going to get a move on post haste to the shuttle and load himself up into Pale Rider.]
Wyverncakes (19:42:01): Roland: "Alright then. Be careful out there then. The most important thing is just knowing if this Cardinal Shaft is even there at all."
tengusaur (19:42:13): Asagi: "Look out for yourself first!"
frifreeman (19:43:09): Walt: "Dont' worry about that, commander. Scouting mission is the second best mission of all."
drascin (19:43:11): Kagura preps up, lining herself with her full weaponry suite. If things go wrong, someone has to make sure the kids get back.
Wyverncakes (19:43:21): And thus... you depart...
cubey@aol.pl (19:43:42): Izuru: "Alright. I won't attack unless you tell me! Red Five, launching!"
Wyverncakes (19:44:07): Several hours later and you're all in the shuttle making its way through a rather desolate region in the Alps, snow and winds in full force as you near the Shaft's coordinates.
frifreeman (19:44:34): Walt: "I wish we have time to put camo paint on our mechs."
drascin (19:44:48): Kagura: VERY WELL. WE'RE NEAR THERE. WHILE IN THIS MISSION, I WILL EXPECT YOU TO FOLLOW MY ORDERS, UNDERSTOOD?
drascin (19:45:01): Kagura is the PRAYER expert here, after all
Wyverncakes (19:45:03): Curiously though... of all the gigantic, towering objects you see... they're all just proper mountains.
frifreeman (19:45:10): Walt: "Yup. Following orders. My favourite part of every mission, sir."
drascin (19:45:17): Kagura: GOOD MAN.
frifreeman (19:45:18): Walt: "That's not ironic at all, honest."
Wyverncakes (19:45:18): Nothing like the Shafts seen before outside of Sakihama's base.
tengusaur (19:45:28): Asagi: "Camo of what color, exactly? A Shaft is not a natural structure..."
VJockey (19:45:50): ".... Does the Cardinal Shaft look like the regular ones?"
tengusaur (19:45:52): Asagi: "I understand."
tengusaur (19:45:59): (to Kagura)
drascin (19:46:05): Kagura: ONE WOULD EXPECT IT TO LOOK SIMILAR BUT MORE REAL.
Wyverncakes (19:46:10): Leos?
Wyverncakes (19:46:44): Your question suddenly gets answered in an entirely different way than you thought.
Wyverncakes (19:47:03): Because suddenly as it flies along, you all suddenly see the Pale Rider vanish before your very eyes!
cubey@aol.pl (19:47:16): Izuru: "Woah! Leos?!"
drascin (19:47:19): Kagura: JACKPOT.
Wyverncakes (19:47:21): Or rather, it seems to just vanish, bit by bit as it passes some invisible barrier!
drascin (19:47:37): Kagura: DIMENSIONAL CAMOUFLAGE. LET'S GO IN. CAREFUL NOW.
drascin (19:47:57): And so Kagura floats slowly into the barrier
Wyverncakes (19:47:58): And Leos, you wind up... in a utopia.
Wyverncakes (19:48:01): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsycEc4QQwk
Wyverncakes (19:48:13): Seconds ago you were in a mountain range, and now...
tengusaur (19:48:16): Asagi: "Looks like Walt is not the only one who thought about camo." As he comments, Blue One slowly enters the barrier.
cubey@aol.pl (19:48:19): Red Five carefully approaches forward, gun in hand.
VJockey (19:48:31): "...."
Wyverncakes (19:48:52): The Sun is shining above, and below there are sloping hills, green fields of grass brighter than you could've ever imagined.
Wyverncakes (19:49:16): A few rudimentary structures and placements of stones and trees that there's no way to tell if they were manmade or natural...
Wyverncakes (19:49:23): And most importantly... the Shaft.
VJockey (19:49:38): [Leos genuinely has no words to say. A sharp intake of breath as he took it all in... and felt something flow down his cheek. He would have loved to paint this place...]
drascin (19:49:46): Kagura: BLOODY. HELL.
drascin (19:50:14): well, this is new. Kagura looks at the hills, the grass, the magnificent canals all leading towards the Shaft like tributary rivers
Wyverncakes (19:50:17): As the rest of you enter, it's the same. The same tranquil environment... though if you turn behind you all you'll see is miles and miles of greenery behind you.
Wyverncakes (19:50:22): But the Shaft...
Wyverncakes (19:50:56): Tall enough that even your mechs' scanners can't detect the top of it. Wider than some small towns.
Wyverncakes (19:51:07): Like a gigantic monolith at the center of everything.
VJockey (19:51:14): "Is... is this where the PRAYER come from?"
drascin (19:51:22): and while Shafts are usually big, this thing would make a kaiju reconsider
frifreeman (19:51:26): Walt: "Okay, so now we should go home?"
Wyverncakes (19:51:30): Well Leos?
Wyverncakes (19:51:54): Funny you actually say that.
Wyverncakes (19:52:00): And funny that Walt mention leaving.
cubey@aol.pl (19:52:04): Izuru: "This kind of place was on Earth all along?"
Wyverncakes (19:52:05): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKR5b8_plQc
tengusaur (19:52:11): "I didn't expect this...", Asagi mutters, awestruck.
cubey@aol.pl (19:52:12): He looks around.
drascin (19:52:13): Kagura: I'M GOING TO RUN AN AREA SCAN FIRST. WE NEED HARD COLD DATA IF WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT THIS. THEN WE LEAVE.
Wyverncakes (19:52:16): Suddenly the very Sun itself cracks.
cubey@aol.pl (19:52:27): Izuru: "Eeeh?!"
tengusaur (19:52:43): Asagi: "Did they spot us?!"
Wyverncakes (19:52:43): The skies turn blood red in an instant, a laser-like grid shooting up behind you, surrounding this entire area like a kind of dome... with you all on the inside!
drascin (19:52:49): Kagura: ...FUCK. WE'VE BEEN SPOTTED. WEAPONS ONLINE, ON MY WING, NOW
Wyverncakes (19:52:58): And you've not just been spotted...
Wyverncakes (19:53:20): From over a thousand points on the Shaft, they come.
Wyverncakes (19:53:28): More of the drones.
Wyverncakes (19:53:49): And most notably...
Wyverncakes (19:54:32): A huge, serpantine creature bursting free of the Shaft! Or rather, the Shaft seeming to "open" up an otherwise solid segment as it comes charging at you, leading the pack!
Wyverncakes (19:54:40): The Cardinal Shaft's Prayer.
Wyverncakes (19:54:45): (Rusted Dragon: http://s170.photobucket.com/user/drascin/media/Hellsinker/11661262_m_zpsa27fce31.jpg.html)
drascin (19:55:17): Kagura is looking at the area around them. Most people would have panicked. But Kagura is cold as ice as she surveys the area. This is bad. Too many enemies, no retreat, and they're wide open.
Wyverncakes (19:55:27): Leos, Izuru... as the first two humans to transgress on this sacred ground, its anger is first and foremost directed at you, waves of energy firing out to attack both the Pale Rider and Red Five!
cubey@aol.pl (19:55:30): Izuru: "That's a huge swarm!"
Wyverncakes (19:55:32): (React: Izuru and Leos)
drascin (19:55:40): #
Wyverncakes (19:55:43): (Lineup: Kagura, Asagi, Walt, Izuru, Leos)
Wyverncakes (19:55:57): (Approved. After that you can take your turn, or combine them if you want)
cubey@aol.pl (19:56:40): *Red Five's hand moves down and draws its sword with one fluid move - then comes the attack! Izuru feels an incredible urge to survive and acts on instinct, the AHSMB jumping back and entering a weaving pattern.+
Wyverncakes (19:56:52): (Enemies: Rusted Dragoon, Mono-Wings x 10, Water Striders x 10, Missile Drones x 10, Assault Drones x 10, Remote Drones x 10)
drascin (19:57:01): *Reacting fast, Kagura flies up, between the Dragon and the two squadmates, firing up her SEAL field to stop the waves of energy - creating a cone of safety sprouting behind herself as a small area is clear+
Wyverncakes (19:57:04): (Mono-Wings: http://s170.photobucket.com/user/drascin/media/Hellsinker/Screenshot-06_04_201410_54_54_zpse456f94a.png.html)
Wyverncakes (19:57:12): (Water Striders: http://s170.photobucket.com/user/drascin/media/Hellsinker/Screenshot-06_04_201410_57_01_zps3670971f.png.html)
tengusaur (19:57:17): Asagi: "Even more than last time... There's no way out of here unless we destroy them, isn't there! Charging up my cannon!"
Wyverncakes (19:57:19): (Missile Drones: http://s170.photobucket.com/user/drascin/media/Hellsinker/Screenshot-06_04_201410_59_44_zps16bded82.png.html)
Wyverncakes (19:57:27): (Assault Drones: http://s1110.photobucket.com/user/Steamrollerssolveall/media/HellsinkerWingthing_zpsef7c4214.png.html)
frifreeman (19:57:35): Walt: "Well, major. I guess it's time to pick who do we send home."
VJockey (19:57:41): *Leos is going to assist Kagura and Izuru as best as he is able by raising his own arm mounted shield!+
Wyverncakes (19:57:46): (Remote Drones: http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u262/drascin/Hellsinker/B_zps9217a8ab.png)
drascin (19:57:56): *Then she locks onto one of the Dragon's wings and lets go a barrage of SOL shots to destabilize it and send its charging trajectory off!+
Wyverncakes (19:58:15): (Kagura and Asagi can act)
drascin (19:58:49): (that second one was my action)
drascin (19:59:56): While all this is happening, Kagura is thinking. Too many. And there will probably be more incoming. They need the grid down to retreat. And the grid is coming from... the Shaft. And what Minogame said about a wheel...
tengusaur (20:01:14): * Asagi: "I remember those units... And they weakness." Blue One brandishes its katana and rushes forward, towards the Water Striders! Asagi tries to rush by as many of these drones as possible, slashing at each several times with the sharp blade at the part in the center where their legs connect - the weak point! +
Wyverncakes (20:02:15): [Uzuru, Kagura, and Leos] Kagura, your SEAL field seems to work wonders at first. The shots nearby you seem to slow and stop... in fact, ALL the blasts seem to give pause entirely! But this isn't your doing... it's the PRAYER's. Without warning the shots outside of your SEAL field suddenly pick up speed... and suddenly Red Five and the Pale Rider get a nasty taste of the Rusted Dragon's powers, its strange speed-changing shots throwing off Red Five's dodging and pelting the machine and sending it spinning and falling, though not downed. Your swordplay's done enough to keep you alive after this first attack, thank God. Pale Rider's own shield gets pelted by the attacks relentlessly.
frifreeman (20:02:45): Walt: "I personally would choose Izuru. He got the highest chance to survive. And his personality would make him a good lone survivor hero. He'll be all bitter but experienced and stuffs. No offense, Asagi, Leos"
tengusaur (20:03:18): Asagi: "This is no time for joking!"
frifreeman (20:03:26): Walt: "I never joke."
cubey@aol.pl (20:03:36): Izuru: "Aaaah!" He tries to stabilize the falling Red Five.
cubey@aol.pl (20:03:45): Izuru: "Why can it do that?!"
Wyverncakes (20:03:50): [Kagura] Your beams shoot out, striking into the Dragon's wing! But this does not seem to do more than make it angry. This Prayer might be as territorial as the Sunken Bishop when it comes to distance, but it is plenty aggressive as it charges, swinging its tail at you with blinding speed!
Wyverncakes (20:03:55): (React: Kagura)
VJockey (20:04:35): "None taken. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I had to leave you guys behind."
VJockey (20:05:05): [Leos is trying his best to keep the shield from shorting out and keep Pale Rider stable.]
drascin (20:05:14): *Kagura alters her trajectory and dives like a rock, trying to avoid the tail by almost hitting ground before turning around and letting seeker missiles go into the swarm of PRAYER drones+
Wyverncakes (20:05:35): [Asagi] Your sword cuts through two of the Water Striders before either of them can really do much against you. But that new type of drone seems to be taking center stage now... each one seeming to release small objects... that all suddenly fly at and then about you! Like some sort of Bitle knockoff! And suddenly you come under fire from all directions at once!
Wyverncakes (20:05:40): (React: Asagi)
Wyverncakes (20:05:47): (Walt, Leos, Izuru)
frifreeman (20:05:56): #Asagi
Wyverncakes (20:06:01): (Approved.)
frifreeman (20:06:10): (combined with my action then)
Wyverncakes (20:06:32): (No problem. Go for it)
cubey@aol.pl (20:06:55): Izuru: "I won't run... Asagi's right..."
Wyverncakes (20:07:29): [Kagura] The Dragon's tail whizzes by you, but the turbulance from the strike means your own descent isn't as coordinated as you would like. You fail to pull up in time (though the impact isn't super-damaging)... but at least your missiles go flying, blowing apart a Mono-Eye and Assault Drone each.
VJockey (20:07:41): *Leos is going to open fire on the New Drones with his laser cannon, pushing up the output to make sure they die!+
frifreeman (20:08:30): Walt jump backward, as far as he can. He then braces himself, and takes careful aim with his DODS gun. He fires a couple of times at the knock off bitles and the drones, taking care so that his beam would hit as many enemies at once with every shots!+
cubey@aol.pl (20:08:34): "This is no time to be joking!" *Suddenly Red Five lifts up and flies into the fray! Moving around its blade as it charges, the AHSMB engages the new type of remote drone in melee, the chainsword swinging down on one of them before Izuru's offhand pistol shoots it several times at point blank range, then with a change of target it volleys at all other nearby targets.+
tengusaur (20:08:35): * Asagi: "Drones that deploy smaller drones...?" This is not the kind of attack he's used to dealing with. Blue One starts to evade quickly, trying to get out of the field of effect of at least some of the incoming shots, using the barrier and defensive katana swings and to defend against what still hits. +
drascin (20:08:41): Kagura takes this moment as she gets up to think. this is not going to work. she has a pretty good gauge of the power of every unit involved in this, and while being sieged on all sides, they're not going to win. She looks at the Shaft, still open.
drascin (20:09:35): Kagura: ...CHANGE OF PLANS. WE'RE SITTING FUCKING DUCKS OUT HERE. GET READY FOR EVASIVE MANEUVERS. WE'RE GOING INTO THE SHAFT.
Wyverncakes (20:09:52): [Leos] The Cannon surges out at the Remote Drones, two of them being blown apart before they can manage to release their own mini-drones. Unfortunately the Rusted Dragon hasn't forgotten about you, and its charge at Kagura means it's closer than ever to you now too. Close enough just throw an arcing blanket of shots in your direction!
Wyverncakes (20:10:06): (React: Leos)
frifreeman (20:10:11): Walt:"With my luck, it will be drones that deploy smaller drones that deploy smaller drones."
VJockey (20:11:06): *Which is pretty much about the time Leos is going to follow Kagura's advice and push his boosters to full burn to get to the Shaft, keeping his shield raised!+
tengusaur (20:11:10): Asagi: "Won't there be even more enemies inside?"
VJockey (20:11:16): [FLY! FLY LITTLE RAVEN FLY!]
Wyverncakes (20:11:21): [Walt and Asagi] The not-bitles are fortunately more concerned with trying to attack Blue One than their own safety, and the Remote Drones themselves concerned with coordinating their lesser interceptors. That's two more of them taken down, and Blue One surviving the killzone with a strained shield and a few glancing hits.
drascin (20:12:04): Kagura: OPEN SPACES FAVOR THEM. CRAMPED CORRIDORS FAVOR US. MOVE.
cubey@aol.pl (20:12:21): Izuru: "It's true. We can contain them in a limited space!"
Wyverncakes (20:12:42): [Izuru] The chainsword and beam pistols scratch one of the Remote Drones, your offhand shots catching another and damaging a third. But the other drones continue to press the counterattack, releasing a swarm of missiles straight at you!
Wyverncakes (20:12:47): [React: Izuru]
drascin (20:13:04): #Izuru (since I'm on the ground and have easy shots)
Wyverncakes (20:13:15): (Okay)
tengusaur (20:13:21): Asagi: "Roger!" After his crazed evasion he spins around and starts flying towards the gigantic Shaft.
cubey@aol.pl (20:13:41): "Ghh!" *Izuru uses the weapons he still has on hand, trying to shoot down the missiles and cut widely, creating a large area through which they won't come in one piece!+
Wyverncakes (20:14:27): [Leos] Many of the Dragon's shots miss, but even from an outset most weren't. And your evasive maneuvers do manage to get you to safety, but not before a number of the other shots to hit home, hammering you shield before the entire guard is melts into fragments of slag from the effot.
drascin (20:14:35): *Kagura boosts upward from right under the drones, spiralling and weaving as she blasts the robotic things with calculated precision - and then stops in the middle of the swarms and lets go a powerful SOL discharge all around herself. Time to get some attention on herself!+
frifreeman (20:14:44): Walt: "I love being ordered around by someone who knows what they're doing."
frifreeman (20:15:11): Walt fires his booster and leapfrog toward the shaft.
drascin (20:17:00): Kagura: I'LL GIVE YOU A FEW SECONDS OF DISTRACTION. GET IN THERE AND COVER ME AFTERWARDS.
drascin (20:17:33): ...because honestly, against several thousands drones not even Kagura can really risk more than a small few seconds
Wyverncakes (20:18:10): [Izuru and Kagura] Red Five's sword and gun cut through many of the missiles. The second wave of attacks blows apart the small crowd of Missile and Assault drones, doing terrible things to their ranks.
Wyverncakes (20:18:17): ... At least in this small chunk of the battle.
Wyverncakes (20:18:27): Good news Asagi, Walt, and Leos!
cubey@aol.pl (20:18:32): Izuru: "Roger! Let's go Major!"
Wyverncakes (20:18:35): You've managed to make it to one of the openings in the shaft!
Wyverncakes (20:18:55): Bad news Kagura and Izuru... the drones are regrouping to catch you in a pincer.
cubey@aol.pl (20:19:03): Red Five quickly moves towards the shaft, spinning around as it's halfway to give Kagura some firing support.
Wyverncakes (20:19:29): Between you and the shaft there are the remaining forces, and the Rusted Dragon moving in once again... and the laser cage steadily shrinking down to try to catch you in the dragnet.
Wyverncakes (20:19:42): (Kagura, Asagi, Walt)
cubey@aol.pl (20:19:58): Izuru: "Agh..." This is not going as planned.
Wyverncakes (20:20:23): (What this means is support defenses between the two groups is going to have to be long-ranged until everyone joins back up together)
Wyverncakes (20:21:31): (Enemies: Rusted Dragon (slight dragon), Mono-Wings x 10, Water Striders x 8, Missile Drones x 4, Assault Drones x 6, Remote Drones x 3 (1 damaged))
Wyverncakes (20:22:00): ^slight damage
tengusaur (20:22:43): * Asagi: "Fully charged. I'm giving you backup! Break out of there!" At the entrance to the Shaft, Blue One turns around, drawing its beam cannon over its shoulder, and aiming at the enemy group blocking Izuru's and Kagura's way! Then, he fires a large beam straight at them, and another one, trying to catch as many enemies in the area of fire as possible and destroy or scatter them! Then he spins again and enters the Shaft. +
VJockey (20:23:05): #Kagura& Izuru?
Wyverncakes (20:23:24): (They're not in need of a defense right now)
VJockey (20:23:30): (aha)
drascin (20:25:21): *Not good... Kagura looks around and sees the net of lasers closing in. Still, here we go. As the Dragon moves in fast to cross the laser wall and attack them... Kagura moves suddenly, boosting right under it, using its enormous wings as cover from the lasers while dodging the shots - and hitting its tail on the way out+
drascin (20:25:38): Kagura: LOOK HERE, YOU OVERGROWN CUCKOO CLOCK
frifreeman (20:27:00): "I really hope you'll survive this, Major. You're one of the few commanders I've ever have who, well, makes sense." Walt enters the opening of the shaft, before turning back and fires at the following enemies, using the bottleneck to his advantage.+
Wyverncakes (20:27:00): [Asagi] Your beam cannon blows into the enemy swarm, taking out two unsuspecting Mono-Eye, a Water Strider, and an Assault Drone! But then a number of them begin to turn their firepower on the Shaft itself, the Rusted Dragon along with them! But it's not aimed at you... but rather the area of the Shaft right under you are, smashing into it relenetlessly to destroy the flooring right from under you! And the Dragon's own large, blue-white shots suddenly hook and swing up, striking the ground above instead!
Wyverncakes (20:27:27): Thus, the floor begins collapsing below and rubble rains down from above!
Wyverncakes (20:27:34): (React: Asagi and Leos)
Wyverncakes (20:28:47): [Walt] Fortunately your own position isn't as endangered as the others right now, and your own DODS shots strike down another Water Strider that was attempting to use the confusion to close in and attack up-close!
VJockey (20:29:13): *Well, nothing to do but drop... Leos uses his boosters to manuever as he raises his KARASAWA to send bolts of plasma up at the raining rubble he can't dodge!+
tengusaur (20:29:23): * Asagi: "They're not afraid to destroy their own Shaft?" Fortunately Blue One can fly, so the loss of ground doesn't mean much. Asagi starts evading, using whatever parts of the Shaft's structure he can do as cover, and swings his katana at the shots that still go in his way to try to deflect them - maybe even back to the sender! +
Wyverncakes (20:29:32): It's a big Shaft, Asagi.
Wyverncakes (20:29:48): At best the damage they're inflicting amounts to a minor papercut on a bodybuilder.
Wyverncakes (20:30:12): (The laser grid's behind you so you don't have to worry about it, Kagura)
Wyverncakes (20:30:25): (It's just something that means you can't retreat)
drascin (20:31:08): (oh, I thought you were using the linked laser drone nets from stage 3)
Wyverncakes (20:31:44): (It's alright)
Wyverncakes (20:32:50): [Kagura] The Dragon's attacks were being more aimed at someone further away than you became, keeping you safe at least for the moment. The bad news, you're now very close to the Rusted Dragon, and its tail swings around to try to crush you... even as it releases more shots that slow, change direction, and come pouring down on you like rain itself just for added measure!
Wyverncakes (20:33:01): (React: Kagua)
cubey@aol.pl (20:33:10): # Kagura/Asagi
drascin (20:33:28): Kagura: CHEEKY MOTHERFUCKER
Wyverncakes (20:33:29): (Supporting both? Alright)
Wyverncakes (20:33:56): (And afterwards Izuru and Leos can take their turns)
cubey@aol.pl (20:34:18): Izuru: "Where are you looking at?!"
Wyverncakes (20:34:32): [Leos] The power of the KAASAWA gun blasts through the falled, broken fragments of the shaft, turning large pieces of rubble into fragments of dust, if even that.
cubey@aol.pl (20:35:32): *Red Five's eyes flash and the AHSMB is suddenly above the Dragon. Is it distracted? Good... because the unit is lunging at its head. Death from above comes in the form of the chainsaw blade, whirring and whirring as it stabs into the Rusted Dragon's skull.
Wyverncakes (20:36:10): ^KARASAWA
cubey@aol.pl (20:36:17): *Red Five is almost immobilized as it floats right above the enemy, its weapon hellbent on sawing through the enemy until one or the other breaks.&
cubey@aol.pl (20:36:21): (I combine this with my action)
Wyverncakes (20:36:35): (Okay)
Wyverncakes (20:38:25): [Izuru] The Chainsaw blade bites down into the Dragon's head, an almost blinding shower of sparks being released everywhere as you slowly but steadily cut through the gigantic PRAYER. The strain is immense... but the real threat comes as some of the shots that it was sending Kagura's way suddenly change direction AGAIN and blast up full-speed at you and your sword!
Wyverncakes (20:38:28): (React/continue: Izuru)
drascin (20:38:29): *Well hey, Kagura wasn't counting with a distraction, but she'll take it. With Izuru hitting Rusted Dragon over the head, that should screw up the tail swipes enough for Kagura to carefully navigate the shot maze - as the laser fire comes down like rain, Kagura is calmly endeavouring to not get wet+
drascin (20:38:48): @Izuru?
Wyverncakes (20:39:08): (His attack's already a support defend for you)
drascin (20:39:14): (oh right)
Wyverncakes (20:39:17): (So I'm gonna nix that because I don't want to go back to That Time)
Wyverncakes (20:42:41): [Kagura] At first the Dragon's assault is relentless and very, very coordinated... a shot even scraping across the chest of your robot frame and leaving a massive, burnt scar where metal is warped. But Izuru's intervention still gave you the openings needed to escape unharmed save for that!
cubey@aol.pl (20:44:52): Izuru: "Major Kagura..."
cubey@aol.pl (20:46:03): "Now! Let's go!" *Red Five uses the impact of the final stab - to launch itself off the PRAYER, and flee. Izuru knows about its tricks now, and sends his unit on an unpredictable flight with changing altitudes and speeds, with only one constant. The destionation - the Shaft!+
VJockey (20:46:58): *Leos does his best to send a few shots to cover his brother in DERP from any attacks from the PRAYER and hopes for the best!+
drascin (20:47:41): Well, with Hitachi also clear, Kagura has no reason to not speed right the fuck down for the opening behind him (leaving high explosives on her trail because of course she does)
Wyverncakes (20:49:17): [Izuru Leos] Your sword is wrenched free, leaving a thin but deep notch in the Dragon's head, and you blast off towards the Shaft just before the Dragon's counterattack strikes! Changing from a purely vertical attack vector to a horizontal one is a bit of a challenge though and you manage to weave your way around what's left of the Drone forces -thanks Leos for the supporting fire!- and you manage to reach the others!
Wyverncakes (20:49:41): Kagura, your own regrouping effort has similar success...
cubey@aol.pl (20:49:49): Izuru: "We're in!"
Wyverncakes (20:49:51): ... But the one thing here who isn't happy about this...
Wyverncakes (20:49:56): Is the Rusted Dragon.
cubey@aol.pl (20:50:03): Izuru: "... Now what?"
drascin (20:50:06): Kagura: QUICK. BLOW UP THE ENTRANCE BEFORE IT GETS IN.
Wyverncakes (20:50:13): Too late, Kagura!
drascin (20:50:22): Kagura: WE NEED TO GAIN TIME
Wyverncakes (20:50:33): At once, the Rusted Dragon blasts towards you, smashing through what was left of the drones that failed their duty of protecting the Shaft...
Wyverncakes (20:50:42): It's not even bothering with opening fire.
drascin (20:50:43): Even as she says it, she realizes there's not ime
Wyverncakes (20:50:48): This is just a suicide charge.
Wyverncakes (20:51:29): No shot, just zooming straight in your direction with enough speed that you'll all just be splats on its body! The Shaft can survive this, of course.
Wyverncakes (20:51:36): All of you? Not so much.
Wyverncakes (20:51:39): (React: Everyone)
tengusaur (20:54:24): Asagi: "Is it trying to take us with itself?!" Being within the Shaft turns out to be a disadvantage when you have to dodge something like this, but he does what he can, sending Blue One on a desperate escape through the gigantic tower's interiors! +
drascin (20:54:44): Kagura: SPLIT UP.
frifreeman (20:54:58): Walt boost away from the others.
frifreeman (20:55:14): Walt: "Well, let's hope that at least one of us would survive."
VJockey (20:55:29): *Not going to argue here! Leos guns it down whichever path was closest to him and hopes the others will be alright.+
cubey@aol.pl (20:55:54): *Red Five goes to the side - from the Dragon's perspective that is. Izuru moves at full speed, which is highly dangerous but not as dangerous as full on contact with the enemy.+
drascin (20:56:00): *All of them dodging is nearly impossible. But if they all dodge in different directions, the Rusted Dragon can only hit one of them. So Kagura also dives in, but into another corridor from Asagi, shooting all the while with her heaviest ordnance to make the mothefucker look at her+
drascin (20:56:51): She is after all the smallest one and the one with the best chances to manage to survive a charge by using some nick or hole
Wyverncakes (20:57:08): [Everyone] Your respective evasive maneuvers takes you down different paths towards the Shaft's interior proper, and Kagura's own shots catch the monster's attention so mission accomplished, Kagura!
Wyverncakes (20:58:30): The Dragon banks hard and moves to crash into the spot of the Shaft generally where you are instead, even as the damage inflicted to it, especially Izuru's slash to its head, causes it to get more and more blasted apart. You all move further into the Shaft... but then it hits.
cubey@aol.pl (20:59:00): Izuru: "Guys? Are you fine?"
Wyverncakes (20:59:13): Kagura, the huge mass of the Dragon just smashes its way inside right after you, its body tearing apart that section of the Shaft even as the Shaft does the same to the dragon! Everyone else, the Shaft around you quakes and shudders from the impact!
tengusaur (20:59:41): Asagi: "Damn, what power..."
Wyverncakes (20:59:53): But what remains of the Rusted Dragon falls just short of you, Kagura. Just barely.
tengusaur (20:59:55): Asagi: "Should be fine here! I don't know how anyone else is doing though!"
cubey@aol.pl (21:00:12): Izuru: "Woah!"
drascin (21:00:17): Kagura floats away nonetheless. PRAYERs don't die easy
Wyverncakes (21:00:38): Indeed they don't.
Wyverncakes (21:01:07): At the very least, all of you are coming up on each others' sensors.
drascin (21:01:41): Kagura: STATUS REPORT.
drascin (21:02:03): Kagura: I'M ALIVE AND INSIDE. DOES EVERYONE COPY?
cubey@aol.pl (21:02:26): Izuru: "Red Five didn't take any more damage. I guess that's good."
drascin (21:02:27): She's going to put a barrage of railgun shots into the Dragon's head while she speaks though. Just in case.
tengusaur (21:02:32): Asagi: "Same here. Is that creature dead?"
drascin (21:02:45): Kagura: CHECKING FOR A PULSE RIGHT NOW.
Wyverncakes (21:03:01): Wrong canon, Kagura.
Wyverncakes (21:03:38): In fact, so wrong that suddenly the broken chunks of the Rusted Dragon begin to suddenly shudder and move.
Wyverncakes (21:03:51): ... But not like before. Not like a living creature.
VJockey (21:03:54): "I'm alright... I think..."
Wyverncakes (21:04:45): Instead it just seems to move forward, as if something's dragging it. And suddenly a sudden energy signature spikes in the very center of the Shaft.
Wyverncakes (21:05:04): Pulling the remains of the Dragon in...
Wyverncakes (21:05:07): ... The Core...
drascin (21:05:32): Kagura: ...ARE EVERYONE'S SENSORS GETTING THAT?
cubey@aol.pl (21:06:33): Izuru: "Yeah, but... what's going on?!"
Wyverncakes (21:06:34): You all are, in fact.
drascin (21:06:48): Kagura: MINOGAME TALKED ABOUT A WHEEL OF REINCARNATION. THAT IS THE CENTER.
drascin (21:06:55): Kagura somehow... knows things about this place
drascin (21:07:03): well, she WAs built with PRAYER tech...
cubey@aol.pl (21:07:14): Izuru: "The PRAYERs are reincarnating in here?"
cubey@aol.pl (21:07:23): Izuru: "So if we stop it somehow, then...!"
tengusaur (21:07:25): Asagi: "Then this is the thing we need to destroy."
Wyverncakes (21:07:26): Whatever's in there waiting for you... one thing's for certain.
Wyverncakes (21:07:42): You can't get out of here without killing this place's power. Taking down its very heart.
drascin (21:07:44): Kagura: WELCOME TO HEAVEN, PEOPLE.
Wyverncakes (21:07:58): And the target's finally presented itself.
cubey@aol.pl (21:08:09): Izuru: "Heaven... for prayers?"
cubey@aol.pl (21:08:16): This all starts sounding all too mystical.
drascin (21:08:32): Kagura lands and walks deeper into the massive Shaft
VJockey (21:08:50): "...I don't get it..."
VJockey (21:08:54): "Heaven..?"
Wyverncakes (21:09:02): The more you work your way into the Shaft, the more you'll all start to realize just how long the tunnel taking you to the core is.
drascin (21:09:05): Kagura: FOLLOW ME. IT'S TIME TO DO OURSELVES A NIETZSCHE.
Wyverncakes (21:09:12): ... Or how for that matter you all manage to reunite.
Wyverncakes (21:09:42): There are no twists or turns. There's not even a point where any of you overtake others or are overtaken either.
Wyverncakes (21:10:18): You all just... come back together again.
Wyverncakes (21:11:02): From there the mysteries of this "heaven" only increase. Strange geometric shapes begin covering the once-featureless walls.
cubey@aol.pl (21:11:05): Izuru: "Hey..." He's glad everyone's back, but something's bothering him.
drascin (21:11:14): Kagura: DON'T BREAK YOUR HEAD TOO MUCH ON IT, KLEIN. WE'RE NOT HERE TO BE UNDERSTANDING. WE'RE HERE TO KILL SAMSARA.
cubey@aol.pl (21:11:20): Izuru: "What are the PRAYERs, anyway?"
Wyverncakes (21:11:25): Cubes, and symbols, and then words. Words everywhere... but all gibberish.
cubey@aol.pl (21:11:33): "Are they an alien civilization, like Wulgaru?"
drascin (21:11:34): Kagura: GOOD QUESTION. I HAVE NO IDEA.
Wyverncakes (21:11:37): A mash-up of characters from every alphabet in existence.
drascin (21:11:44): Kagura: ALL I KNOW IS THEY'RE OLD. REALLY OLD.
Wyverncakes (21:11:46): All thrown together in some kind of alphabet soup.
VJockey (21:11:59): "Samsara?"
Wyverncakes (21:12:01): And finally you reach it. The true interior.
drascin (21:12:08): Kagura: READ A BOOK, KLEIN.
tengusaur (21:12:11): Asagi: "Read a book, Leos."
Wyverncakes (21:12:19): ... It looks bigger than the entire area outside of the Shaft.
tengusaur (21:13:01): Asagi: "This place is really bizarre, though... Something against laws of physics as we know them is going on here."
Wyverncakes (21:13:25): And around you all, lining the walls, are countless panels. Each like a window into some other, picturesque area around the world, like you could just step through them and-
drascin (21:13:31): Kagura is more focusing on what is in the room to care too much about the dimesnions of the room
Wyverncakes (21:13:42): There is a clanging noise from above.
Wyverncakes (21:13:43): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1PAxkEPTLk
cubey@aol.pl (21:14:33): Izuru: "Uwah... this is amazing..."
Wyverncakes (21:14:47): And up above, you see... the half-finished form of the Scarlet Queen floating there, other fragments of it drifting around its form. And the Rusted Dragon's remains are being brought up too, along with a whole mish-mash of other ruined PRAYERs in various states of repair.
cubey@aol.pl (21:14:52): Red Five is looking in all directions, spinning around rapidly.
drascin (21:14:57): Kagura looks up and all her weaponry glows
Wyverncakes (21:14:58): And the craftsman repairing them?
drascin (21:15:19): Kagura: WELL HELLO THERE
Wyverncakes (21:15:20): A strange, blue disk.
Wyverncakes (21:15:24): Floating.
Wyverncakes (21:15:29): Perfectly two-dimensional.
cubey@aol.pl (21:15:33): It reorients itself at the PRAYER graveyard.
Wyverncakes (21:15:37): Energy radiating from it.
drascin (21:15:43): If she could, she'd be grinning madly
cubey@aol.pl (21:16:01): Izuru: "Is that... who are you, exactly?"
Wyverncakes (21:16:03): And large enough to fill nealy the radius of the Shaft.
Wyverncakes (21:16:09): (Perpetual Calendar: http://s1110.photobucket.com/user/Steamrollerssolveall/media/PerpetualCalendar1_zps552ea81c.png.html)
tengusaur (21:16:20): Asagi: "All of the previously destroyed PRAYER... So this is why they return."
drascin (21:16:46): Kagura: THIS IS IT. I KILL YOU, AND WE WIN. NO MORE PRAYERS. IT WON'T BE MINOGAME, NOT DEADLIAR, NOT NINELIVES. IT WILL BE ME. KAGURA. THE REJECT.
drascin (21:16:55): Kagura: TIME TO DIE.
Wyverncakes (21:16:58): (Kagura, Asagi, Walt... you've made it this far. Time to take this down and put an end to the PRAYERs once and for all)
cubey@aol.pl (21:17:39): Izuru: "The reject?"
cubey@aol.pl (21:18:07): But there's no time to ponder that. In front of him - whether it's an automated mechanism, another PRAYER, or maybe something else altogether... is his target!
drascin (21:18:16): Kagura: EVERYONE GET READY. ON MY WING. AND REMAIN CAREFUL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TRICKS IT CAN POOL.
drascin (21:18:19): *pull
VJockey (21:18:30): "Okay!"
cubey@aol.pl (21:18:42): Izuru: "Roger that! We didn't go that far jsut to fail now so do your best, everyone!"
tengusaur (21:18:57): * Asagi: "Focus on the fight. We're this close to ending this!" There's still some power left in the beam cannon, and as he goes to the side, he uses it to send several powerful rays straight at the center of the strange disk! +
drascin (21:19:47): *And so, Kagura springs to action, flying upward and beginning to shoot at the gears rolling around the immense Calendar with her cannons, maiming it from the inside out+
Wyverncakes (21:22:44): [Kagura and Asagi] The shots fly up, heading for the Perpetual Calendar. But... your aim feels off. It's not a matter of missing or friendly fire, or even that you weren't locked on. It's just the attacks somehow instead crash into the outermost layers of the Calendar itself.
VJockey (21:23:16): "Whaaa-?!"
Wyverncakes (21:23:17): There is a twisting, screeching noise that is let loose... and then fire. Plums of fire begin to erupt in the panels surrounding you all.
VJockey (21:23:22): "Was that supposed to happen?!"
drascin (21:23:41): Kagura: CAUTION ON YOUR SIX
Wyverncakes (21:23:55): Not only that, they begin to shuffle around, replacing themselves, even spinning around in bright wheels of flame around you... and then plumes are fire through them straight at Asagi and Kagura!
Wyverncakes (21:24:01): (React: Asagi and Kagura)
Wyverncakes (21:24:10): (Leos and Izuru can act)
Wyverncakes (21:24:28): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgYCn4m1ZK8
VJockey (21:25:25): *Leos is going to try something different... maybe things were working backwards...? He unleashes a barrage of missiles along with Laser and Plasma along the outer layers of the Calendar to see what happens&
Wyverncakes (21:25:28): The unfinished PRAYERs fly up into the upper regions of the Shaft, far beyond what any of you can see or make out... and the flat, enigmatic Calendar turns to face all of you, its frame beginning to spin faster and fater.
tengusaur (21:25:38): Asagi: "No, it wasn't!" AHSMB momentarily switches to survival mode, and he starts to quickly evade the incoming flames - maybe if he escapes on the other side, putting the Calender between himself and the fire as cover, that will have some result! +
cubey@aol.pl (21:25:53): Izuru: "Fire! Watch out for fire!"
cubey@aol.pl (21:26:21): *Ranged combat seems broken in this weird type of reality - so Izuru engages in melee, Red Five coming in close for another swing!+
drascin (21:26:39): *Plumes of fire or laser blasts, Kagura doesn't care. She's not going to lose her focus so near her prize. She waits coldly to the last split second to move to the side, and spirals down to force the plume to turn around and lose speed to follow her+
Wyverncakes (21:27:26): [Leos] Well Leos, they actually... just stay on course, hammering the outer layer of the Calendar. The damage you've managed to through throw at it adds up with Asagi and Kagura's own shots... and in fact that outermost ring shatters and falls apart in a rain of glass shards...
Wyverncakes (21:28:07): ... For all of a second before each one transforms into a bird, butterfly, or other winged creature... up to and including pteradactyls and begins flying off and away ito the firey "windows"...
Wyverncakes (21:28:14): Bizarre, to say the least.
VJockey (21:28:17): "..."
Wyverncakes (21:28:32): Unfortunately...
frifreeman (21:28:58): Walt: "Major, you're doing okay, right? Don't say that you turn hunt-crazy because you finally get this close to your pray... I mean prey."
tengusaur (21:29:22): Asagi: "I didn't expect that..."
drascin (21:29:47): Kagura: I'M OKAY. GLOATING COMES LATER. FIRST WE WIN.
frifreeman (21:30:31): Walt: "Well, let's see if a DODS gun can pierce whatever barrier this thing has." And so he fire.+
Wyverncakes (21:31:05): [Izuru and Leos cont.] Izuru, it's not just ranged attacks. Red Five hurtles towards the Perpetual Calendar sword swinging at its frame. But it's just that... when you strike, one second you're attacking the some general spot of it... and the next your sword is smashing into the new outermost layer, biting down and cutting into it! But then... suddenly from the entire Calendar things are let loose. Leos, suddenly a new wave of Danmaku comes out of the Calendar at you... while Izuru, a gigantic, mechanical limb swings up to try to smash you instead!
Wyverncakes (21:31:15): (React: Izuru and Leos)
Wyverncakes (21:32:07): [Kagura and Asagi] The flames are... actually somewhat slower compared to the relentless attacks of the Rusted Dragon, and evading around the burning prominances is pulled off without much difficulty. At least for now.
Wyverncakes (21:32:30): Later might be a more difficult challenge though, as two forms pull themselves out of the Cardenal's frame.
cubey@aol.pl (21:32:31): Izuru: "Huge!"
Wyverncakes (21:33:01): (Proto-Prayer 1: http://s1110.photobucket.com/user/Steamrollerssolveall/media/PerpetualCalendar2_zps97c88011.png.html)
Wyverncakes (21:33:14): (Proto-PRAYER 2: http://s1110.photobucket.com/user/Steamrollerssolveall/media/PerpetualCalendar3_zps92008327.png.html)
cubey@aol.pl (21:33:19): *Flee - to the side? It doesn't matter... what matters is where you're running away FROM. Red Five tries to match its speed with the giant hand, and when it swings at it, time to make a quick dodge in the opposite direction!+
VJockey (21:33:24): *Leos is going to dodge as best as he was able! Something about this... maybe...+
Wyverncakes (21:33:26): (Izuru, it's PRAYER-2 that's attacking you just for clarification)
VJockey (21:34:20): "This thing... maybe its like some sort of crazy Doom Calendar! We have to take it piece by piece from the top!+
VJockey (21:34:29): "
Wyverncakes (21:35:49): [Walt] The DODS Gun pelts the damaged outer layer of the Calendar, one more compromising the ring furthest from the center. It breaks apart as well.
drascin (21:35:52): Kagura: PIECE BY PIECE IS WHAT I DO BEST.
Wyverncakes (21:35:53): There's still a lot more to it though...
Wyverncakes (21:36:57): [Izuru and Leos] Proto-PRAYER 2's arm juts out suddenly and abruptly, belying its colossal size! But Red Five is not a sluggish mech even with the damage it's sustained...
Wyverncakes (21:37:17): You evade being smashed apart, but the PRAYER is now completely out and in the battlefield too now.
tengusaur (21:37:24): Asagi: "It summoned allies... I'm going after the first one."
drascin (21:37:59): Kagura: KLEIN, SUPPORT TOSHIKAZU. SCHMERTZ, YOU'RE WITH HITACHI.
Wyverncakes (21:38:17): [Leos] It's a mad scramble to avoid the shots, especially since you're now without your shield. A few panels around you are smashed apart, and flames erupt from them and begin travelling up the length of the tower.
VJockey (21:38:19): "Understood!"
Wyverncakes (21:38:27): (Kagura, Walt, and Asagi can go again)
cubey@aol.pl (21:38:46): Izuru: "That was a close one... but I can fight something like this!"
cubey@aol.pl (21:38:48): "We can win!"
Wyverncakes (21:38:57): (Enemies: Perpetual Calendar (somewhat damaged), Proto-PRAYER 1 (dangly arms), Proto-PRAYER 2 (stabby arms))
tengusaur (21:40:36): * Asagi: "Let's see how strong your armor is!" He draws Blue One's spear and spins it above his head, then rushes forward in a charge! But it's not a complete straight desperate bullrush - rather, he's trying to circle around the opponent, trying to find a spot where its arms won't protect it, and then moves in, stabbing right in its chest with the armor-piercing polearm, and following up several times! +
frifreeman (21:40:45): Walt: "Well, at least they can be damaged."
drascin (21:40:47): *Kagura hits a valve and drops her weaponry. Well, that served its purpose, but now it's time to change tactics. And so, as the powerful launchers fall to the faraway ground with a very loud clang, Kagura unsheathes her Xanthez Sabers and moves in, spinning with the Calendar and slicing the gears off one by one+
VJockey (21:42:43): @Asagi?
Wyverncakes (21:42:54): (I'll approve it)
frifreeman (21:43:28): Walt boost and maneuver around the Proto Prayer 2, shooting at its arms from various angles. "I'll cover you, Mr. Hero!"
Wyverncakes (21:43:33): [Asagi] it's Blue One vs. Proto One, and the unfinished PRAYER seems to turn to try to keep focused on you as you near. Your spear strikes its midsection, and it... actually yields quite easily. Though capable of combat, this PRAYER's body is not as sturdy as others fought before, and your attacks begin to make swiss cheese of it! But an arm flicks out like a whip, intending on smacking you away and into an inviting patch of flames!
Wyverncakes (21:43:41): (React, Asagi)
VJockey (21:43:48): *Leos switches out the Karasawa for a Melee Halberd, moving in to assault the PRAYER Asagi was attacking from the opposite end!+
tengusaur (21:45:05): *Asagi: "Hell no." He stabs his spear at the incoming arm, but not in order to cause damage (or at least, not mainly) - rather, he's going to use this impromptu lever to pole vault himself over the enemy's arm! +
Wyverncakes (21:45:16): [Kagura] Your sword radiate power and they do finally find purchase against the outermost gears on the Calendar's rings. One gets trashed, and another after it! But more flames are released, and bullets are sent in a wide spread in your direction too!
Wyverncakes (21:46:16): [Walt] From your ranged vantage point, the second unfinished PRAYER can't punch back at you. But what it can do is fire off several precise bursts of energy at your location and around you, each shot fanning out into quartets or even quintets in short order!
Wyverncakes (21:47:50): (React: Walt)
Wyverncakes (21:48:27): [Asagi and Leos] Blue One's spear does stab into the arm of the PRAYER and you do manage to lurch to safety... somewhat. The twisting strain of the attack finally gets the better of the spear though, causing it to snap and sending the machine flying uncontrollably until smashing into a blank spot on the wall of the Shaft. Fortunately no fire. Leos's own stabs tear apart even more of the PRAYER too, but its attack is still going, and the Pale Rider is struck in place of Blune One instead, knocking the machine back and with a deep gash in the machine's frame.
Wyverncakes (21:48:41): (React to those shots and flames too, Kagura)
Wyverncakes (21:48:50): (Leos and Izuru can go)
drascin (21:49:35): *The good part of the Xanthez sabers is not having to drop the SEAL field to attack - which probably is the only thing that saves Kagura's ass as the Calendar an arm's length from her face begins shooting at her! She lets herself drop down away from the Calendar, gaining distance - and then turning on herself and shooting a sudden flash beam at it as she falls!+
tengusaur (21:50:29): Asagi's thrown around in the cockpit. "Gah... Tch, there goes that weapon..."
cubey@aol.pl (21:51:37): *Red Five flies under the Proto-PRAYER 2. The shoulder blades are deployed. "Here I go! Nooooow!" Izuru leaps up in an uppercut-like movement, spiralling as he does so, the blades cutting into one of the PRAYER's arms - at their most vulnerable point, the connection between limb and main body.+
VJockey (21:51:58): "Hhhgrkk-!!"
Wyverncakes (21:52:04): [Kagura] The shots are one thing, but the searing heat from the flames is something else though, with more of your body beginning to warp and melt, if only for a few seconds. Your flash beam shows you've still got lots of fight though... and a third layer of the Perpetual Calendar is smashed apart!
Wyverncakes (21:52:28): Bit by bit it's shrinking, its energy readings growing noticeably weaker.
drascin (21:52:52): Kagura: WE'RE MAKING A DENT. DON'T GET CARELESS NOW.
VJockey (21:52:53): *Ow! That stung! Leos clearly isn't going to take that lying down though! In fact it just means he's going to rush right back in to rip apart the PRAYER's arms!+
drascin (21:54:23): Kagura: I'M GOING TO BRING MY TEAM BACK WHOLE ONE LAST TIME.
Wyverncakes (21:55:06): [Izuru] The PRAYER sees you coming and tries to strike back, in some twisted, Bizarro David vs. Goliath cross counter! Your spiralling makes the difference though, and you manage to dodge and subsequently shear through the PRAYER's arm, leaving it hanging more or less by threads. But hey, why not just get rid of it now? The hulking entity suddenly spins around rapidly too, its nigh-severed arm getting wrenched free.. and throwing at Red Five!
Wyverncakes (21:55:08): (React: izuru)
Wyverncakes (21:56:48): [Leos] The damage to the Pale Rider's body impedes your RIP AND TEAR-fest, but fortunately Asagi's spear was a good start for tearing off Proto-PRAYER 1's damage arm. Sure enough its limbs aren't reinforced against this sort of thing just yet and you tear it clean off, great going! Bad news though: now it's opening fire on you with gun emplacements all along its OTHER arm, along with whats left of its first one!
Wyverncakes (21:56:51): (React: Leos)
Wyverncakes (21:57:02): (Kagura and Asagi can act. Walt can as well once he takes his action)
tengusaur (21:57:13): # Leos (will also combine with my action)
cubey@aol.pl (21:57:22): *Izuru is still spinning, and activates his shields. But there's a reason why he does that - he tries to grind them against the thrown arm while leaping aside for a hopefully glancing contact, and uses that grinding to adjust his own AHSMB's direction of movement - jumping off at the earliest opportune moment!+
Wyverncakes (21:57:47): (Go for it)
VJockey (21:58:40): *Leos counters with missile and away! Dodgedodgedodge!+
frifreeman (21:59:17): Walt: "Hnngh." Walt's genoace doesn't have the agility of the other mechs, and isn't actually too well suited for a danmaku battle. So he can only raise his shield and boost backward while shooting, trying to at least take the shots with his shield and protect his back with wall or whatever this shaft have.+
tengusaur (22:00:09): * Asagi: "I got this!" Suddenly that barrage of fire is interrupted as Blue One rushes in, from behind the enemy, raising its katana for a strike. Asagi launches a single, powerful slash, straight at the Prayer's firing arm, trying to cleave right through it, and then follows up with another, vertical one over its body! +
Wyverncakes (22:00:25): [Izuru] The shields buckle against the concussive force of that entire limb -much bigger than Red 5- grinding against them! One of the arm shields actually fizzles and bursts out, leaving the other with a virtually impossible task... but the other lasts long enough for Izuru to spring away safely. The arm keeps hurtling past, crashing into the Shaft's wall. More fires spread out of control now, with parts of the Shaft's interior beginning to fall down around you.
Wyverncakes (22:00:38): (What's Walt attacking?)
drascin (22:00:46): *Kagura looks to the sides. The kids have the proto-PRAYERs fairly in hand. So she can keep focusing on the Perpetual Calendar itself. Wait, why does she know what it is, now? Well, no time for that kind of thing now. She boosts upward at the massive disc, weaving through the wall of bullets without a jump on her heartbeat, before reaching the shell again and ripping+
frifreeman (22:01:19): (the second prayer, or the energy it shots, if possible)
Wyverncakes (22:01:33): (Righto)
Wyverncakes (22:03:00): [Leos and Izuru] Answering lasers with missiles is a weird kind of bizarro logic, but then again lolHellsinker. Unfortunately it doesn't work to great and even though you do manage to damage the PRAYER further... the proximity of the missiles' explosions to you doesn't do the Pale Rider any good! BUT... fortunately it's Izuru with the same, lopping through the PRAYER's intact arm in one slash... before a second one cleaves through the midsection of it at long last.
cubey@aol.pl (22:04:14): (That was Asagi)
Wyverncakes (22:04:27): (Onore Hiraiface)
tengusaur (22:04:36): Asagi: "That's one down."
Wyverncakes (22:04:37): (Just once I wish I could get through a mission without you humiliating me so!)
Wyverncakes (22:05:08): [Walt] Your own DODS shots... actually do quite a number to the PRAYER. With one trashed arm and the other damaged, it's quickly being worn down. Unfortunately, your own machine catches a nasty hit to the head, taking your main camera though you still have your others.
Wyverncakes (22:05:15): (Walt can now take his turn proper now)
cubey@aol.pl (22:06:07): Izuru: "Schmertz-san, hang in there!"
cubey@aol.pl (22:06:25): Izuru: "One of those is down already, just a few more good hits and it's over!"
Wyverncakes (22:08:24): [Kagura] Your blades bite into yet another layer of the Calendar, cutting through down to a point where suddenly your blades won't go any further. This layer breaks too. There's another creaking noise afterwards though... and suddenly the fiery window panels are wrenched free of the walls and hurtle at you! But midflight they shift, transforming into... words. Bizarre mash-ups like before. Flat and two-dimensional... some hurtle towards you like blades for cutting, others like walls for bludgeoning.
Wyverncakes (22:08:26): (React: Kagura)
Wyverncakes (22:08:35): (Leos and Izuru)
cubey@aol.pl (22:09:22): Izuru: "It has to be over quickly, or else the whole place will fall on our heads!"
Wyverncakes (22:09:32): Or fall up.
Wyverncakes (22:09:57): Considering how the laws of physics have worked out in this place, who even knows how long until gravity fails you?
tengusaur (22:10:06): Asagi: "What the hell is that... Major, to the right!"
drascin (22:10:47): Kagura: COPY THAT.
cubey@aol.pl (22:11:10): Red Five lands on something resembling stable surface. "I think my shield's down, and damage doesn't help at all. Kinda wish Kei was here.... but it's okay."
VJockey (22:11:24): "I know how that feels Izuru..."
VJockey (22:11:33): "But its okay! We've still got each other here!"
drascin (22:11:40): *Yeah, Kagura is going to shift to defense now, seeing the avalanche of words coming right at her. She takes her stance in midair, and begins slicing - one, step, two three, step, like a dancer learning a new dance as she slashes the air+
cubey@aol.pl (22:11:41): Izuru: "I'll do it, because I have to. Because if I do, then humanity will be safe from the PRAYERs. Just a little bit more safe, and that's what matters!"
drascin (22:12:16): Kagura: IT'S WEAKENING ANYWAY. I CAN FEEL IT. LOOK AT YOUR SENSORS. IT'S RUNNING OUT OF ENERGY.
cubey@aol.pl (22:12:41): *Red Five grabs at its weapons. It steadies itself - and fires everything it's got. The triplle barelled machinegun, the chainsword's beam gun, and that's not all yet. Because...
frifreeman (22:12:44): Walt: "If I die here, 'll be the first man who reaches heaven before he dies." Walt mumble as he fires shots randomly at the general area of the enemy.
frifreeman (22:12:45): +
cubey@aol.pl (22:13:18): *Because the Red Five core unit leaps out of its Jaeger armor and adds to that, firing both of its beam pistols after the giant barrage, aiming at most damaged parts of the second PRAYER prototype.+
Wyverncakes (22:13:25): [Kagura] The pen might be mightier than the sword, but the same can't be said for the words a pen writes! Your blades begin hacking through the words, at first not suffering much resistance but it gets harder and harder as time goes on... and when one of your blades meets the final one it feels like a bitter clash between two equal forces! Equal enough that both crack and shatter in the end! At least you have one left!
drascin (22:14:08): Kagura: THE LAB MONKEYS AREN'T GOING TO LIKE THIS.
drascin (22:14:42): The Xanthez sabers are more expensive than a small nation's GDP
VJockey (22:14:43): *Leos preps the laser cannon for maximum power! With the shield busted and him not using the Karasawa at the moment he can push the limits of its power to maximum as he just blasts the everloving hell out of the Calendar! Pushing more and more power into it to the point he may end up breaking the damn thing and fusing more than a few parts together from overuse!+
Wyverncakes (22:14:51): [Izuru] The remaining PRAYER Prototype is hammered relentlessly, your show of force overpowering its damaged frame and finally annihilating it!
Wyverncakes (22:17:24): [Leos] This time... your shot isn't drawn to the outermost edge. The outermost "layer"... if the only layer left. And your rifle's overclocked shot hits it dead center, making it actually crack and fracture from the damage!
Wyverncakes (22:17:30): It's on its last legs!
Wyverncakes (22:17:46): (Anyone else who wants to opt in, feel free to include an attack here)
drascin (22:17:50): And that is enough of an opening
Wyverncakes (22:18:06): (Just specify you're doing this too so I know and won't leave you out/leave everyone hanging waiting)
drascin (22:19:22): *Kagura flies up, emptying her machineguns on the Calendar, at one point through the fire and ignoring the pain, and then she reaches - and hits the dead center of the Calendar like a drill missile with her remaining sword+
frifreeman (22:21:41): Walt: "I can't see anything anymore, you know?" Walt just fire at the general direction of the enemy noise+
Wyverncakes (22:23:00): [Walt] Fortunately there's only one enemy left, so aiming in that direction is a good call! And the DODS Gun this time... pierces straight through the form of the Perpetual Calendar! Huge parts of it are breaking and falling apart now...
Wyverncakes (22:23:09): And Kagura...
Wyverncakes (22:23:55): [Kagura] With all the damage accumulated, even your machineguns are breaking parts of the Calendar off like pieces of cheap glass. The fire is nearly unbearable, but it doesn't last long. Your sword runs through the exact center of the Calendar and in an instant, the entire entity just split apart into seemingly infinite fragments.
Wyverncakes (22:24:03): You've got it. It's dead.
drascin (22:24:20): Yes
drascin (22:24:24): Hell yes
Wyverncakes (22:24:35): ... But then with one last hurrah, the form shatters, its remains flying off in random directions.
Wyverncakes (22:24:44): ... Transforming into energy blasts.
Wyverncakes (22:24:50): And you're at ground zero.
cubey@aol.pl (22:24:55): Red Five's weapons cool down as Izuru tries to pack the core back into the armor.
cubey@aol.pl (22:25:01): Izuru: "We did it! Yes... ?"
cubey@aol.pl (22:25:06): Izuru: "..."
cubey@aol.pl (22:25:09): "Major Kagura?"
drascin (22:25:51): *Kagura jumps back, not having lost her cool yet. Thankfully, she has her SEAL field, and so she trusts it to slow the blasts just enough to dodge between them!+
frifreeman (22:25:59): Walt:"Hide behind me! I'll distract it with my torso!"
Wyverncakes (22:26:34): [Kagura] You have the SEAL field, that's true. But that also... is an entirely pointless fact. These shots don't slow down. At all. Or if they do, maybe they're just going so fast even the SEAL field's effect isn't noticeable.
Wyverncakes (22:26:50): And you're struck dead center in the chest by a blast.
Wyverncakes (22:27:04): There's a small explosion, smoke erupting from Kagura's body...
Wyverncakes (22:27:06): And she falls.
tengusaur (22:27:15): Asagi: "Major!"
drascin (22:27:24): Kagura just stays floating in the air for an instant, as if shocked
drascin (22:27:28): and then drops like a rock
Wyverncakes (22:28:16): The Cardinal Shaft itself finally seems to be burning itself to pieces, burning away like a cheap sheet of paper... the unfinished Scarlet Queen and Rusted Dragon PRAYERs above falling to the ground only to wither up and erase themselves from existence too.
cubey@aol.pl (22:28:19): Izuru: "Major! Quick, try to catch her!"
Wyverncakes (22:28:42): And with the Cardinal Shaft gone, the PRAYERs are gone.
Wyverncakes (22:28:54): And so is the dreamy landscape you were in previous.
Wyverncakes (22:29:12): Now you're just all somewhere in the Alps once again, no sign of damage anywhere, save for on your bodies.
tengusaur (22:29:13): Asagi: "Quick, we must get out of here!" He already swoops in to grab Kagura's body, unless someone else is faster.
Wyverncakes (22:29:23): Better get that contact beacon set up.
tengusaur (22:29:31): Asagi: "Or... It all just disappeared..."
Wyverncakes (22:29:51): Asagi, you get to be the man of the hour still, caching Kagura's body.
frifreeman (22:29:57): Walt: "So we destroyed heaven?"
Wyverncakes (22:29:59): So much smoke, so much trashed metal...
Wyverncakes (22:30:08): ... Is she still alive? Or whatever the robot equivalent is?
Wyverncakes (22:30:13): MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
cubey@aol.pl (22:30:19): Izuru: "Major! We need to fix her and fast!"
frifreeman (22:30:25): Walt: "What happened to Major Kagura?"
tengusaur (22:31:24): Asagi: "I don't know what state she's in! I'm not a specialist on robots!"
VJockey (22:31:33): "MAJOR!"
VJockey (22:32:03): "Someone hold onto Pale Rider! I'll try to find out what's wrong!"
frifreeman (22:32:11): Walt: "Please don't die, Major, you're one of the higher ups that makes sense around here."