2009-11-01 - VII: Israfel

TOKYO-03 GEOFRONT

NERV HEADQUARTERS

"But Doctor Akagi," poor young Maya Ibuki says, eyes wide with concern, "with Rei still recovering from her injuries at the hands of the last Angel, and Shinji bedridden from that allergic reaction to ritalin, that leaves us with... Asuka, in case an Angel attacks. Should we begin accelerating the next available options...?"

Ritsuko Akagi lights a cigarette directly under the 'NO SMOKING IN CONTROL ROOM' sign, glancing at a monitor half-heartedly. "Tch. Things will be fine. The little blue-haired moppet will be on her feet in a day or two, and then we'll be ready f--"

Red klaxons blare: AAAAA AAAAA AAAAA AAAAA

OFF THE COAST OF TOKYO-03

The next Angel rises from the ocean, lurching upward. Its shape is not unlike an arrowhead, a huge arc defining its body to a sharp peak, all trunk and unwieldly limbs. At least a hundred feet tall, it begins sloshing toward the shore methodically -- casually destroying the boats and marinas and people in its path.

Naturally, all manner of alert systems pick this up.

"That looks REALLY bad.", comes Andrew's voice from Space Mountie Station 4 to the general band. In orbit around Neo Canada colony, the recently reinstated member of the Space Police is watching a bank of monitors from his solo seat in a two-person satellite. He has patently declined to have a partner thus far. Lumber Gundam is in the hangar, outfitted with a special drop pod assembly cooked up by a Toronto R&D firm that allowed him to enter battle anywhere on Earth as long as he was ready to take a leap of fatih. Getting back up was the tricky part. Donning his toque and rising from his chair, Graham leaps across the launch bay and into the Lumber Gundam, whose cockpit has snapped open in accordance with a scan of Andrew. "Mobile Trace System active." quips a pleasant female voice, as the Trace rings descent and ascend, wrapping Andrew in his black and red outfit. Restyled since the Gundam Fight, when it bore the logo of the same technologies group that had designed the systems at use in the original forestry robot, the Suit now bears the Canadian flag high on its chest. The axes gleam as Lumber Gundam snaps into action within the rolling "bubble" that forms the shielded drop pod. Then, the machine accelerates out of the hangar at phenomenal speed. Graham has settled onto a launch couch that descended from one of the wrestling ring sized cockpit's walls.

MERE MINUTES LATER... Entering orbit like a glistening red and white comet, the Neo Canadian fighter watches the shielding around the Gundam ablate into nothingness just as proper atmosphere reasserts itself. Retro jets in the feet have just enough fuel and power to bring the machine crashing down onto the Tokyo shore without annihalating anything else in the region. Graham is at full posture in a second, staring at the creature he'd only seen by radar signal and zoom from above. Close-to, it looks even weirder if anything. Grasping holographic duplicates of the axes held in his Gundam's hands, Andrew takes a few moments to stare, cringing as bystanders and property are crushed in the massive Angel's wake. "Keep coming, monster..." While Andrew recognizes there is no use yelling at the creature himself, he's more than prepared to psyche himself up while staring down a creature beyond his admittedly simple policeman's comprehension.

Asuka Langley Sohryu had experienced too many losses for her liking. One to Rei Ayanami, who had lost her virginity before /she/ had. Two, to the last Angel, who was beaten by a pulp while she was grappling with Johnny Domino's /stupid/ furry mecha!

She was not anxious to experience a third.

Thankfully, Asuka was finally given the chance she was waiting for. With Rei still recovering from her injuries, and that stupid Shinji bedridden from his ritalin freakout, she was the only person left to save all of Tokyo.

Standing at the edge of the coast is Unit-02, progressive knife in hand. The Angel lurches upward, sending waves racing towards the coast.

And then, it moves towards them.

"I've got this one!" she shouts, blazing with the same fiery overconfidence she starts with during every battle. "There's no way this Angel will be able to defeat me!" Then, in standard Asuka fashion, she races towards the Angel, not so much giving a second thought to the destruction (two buildings) she causes (the dock) along the way (a series of boats capsized by her leap into the water).

She springs upwards, her arms raised in attack, then slashes down the Angel's middle, from head to bottom of torso.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Progressive Knife added to their queue.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has struck a solid hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Seventh Angel Israfel using Progressive Knife.

Knock Out! Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Seventh Angel Israfel unit has become disabled!

The personal guardian and champion of the Ruler of Known Space gets to do a lot of things. Latooni basically gets her pick of assignments and has a lot of perks that, strictly speaking, her actual rank in the EFA (First Lieutenant) allows for.

She also feels obligated to do rather more than her rank requires of her. Fair's fair, and Latooni practically lives for work anyway. 'Time off' is for people who aren't her.

Fairlion glides in from further inland, trailing violet sparkles from the thrusters on the skirts. It looks kind of silly, especially given that it is miniscule and currently carrying a sword probably as long as it is tall in both hands.

It has been a while since the Earth was defended by the likes of TOMMY DRASK, pilot of the Great Knight. Like all true celebrities, he was busy with a much-needed stint in the Potato Hills rehab center. After an extremely stressful morning shoot in the sure-to-be-a-blockbuster Gekiganger movie, where everyone (even him!) kept screwing up on lines until they ran out of sunrise, he felt like he really needed a drink.

These days, when Tommy needs a drink, he goes out running.

Blue hoodie thrown on under his white-and-gold jacket, Tommy landed the Great Knight in the rolling hills of New Zealand some time ago, to jog and jog where nobody would bother him.

Tremendously far away, the Angel rises, and Tommy stumbles. Even here, he keeps the Glory Blade - the magic longsword linking him to the Great Knight - at his belt, and now the blade is awake in reaction to the Angel. The scabbard shudders under the force of the sword, swirling in white light and red flames. He reaches down to grip the hilt - and sees it, just for a second. Letting go, Tommy pulls his hood down, wipes sweat off his forehead, and smiles. The Knight shimmers, kneeling on a hilltop.

A bright white contrail flashes in the background as Asuka just makes it happen, the gleaming form of the Great Knight circling in, sword and shield in hand. "Daaaaamn," he calls out, "you just straight up do not mess around!"

Subject Name:          Domino, Johnny, Agent Physical Analysis:     Testosterone Overload Psychiatric Evaluation: Mentally Unstable Conclusions:           Extremely Dangerous Recommendations:       Keep Out Of Reach Of Children

Signed, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi, Phd

This was but an excerpt from the report NERV provided to the EFA following the last Angel battle in which Johnny Domino lost control of the Chimera. With his bio-unit going berserk and attacking both friendlies and non-friendlies indiscriminately, Gendo leapt at the opportunity to have a full-evaluation of Domino 'fabricated' so as to paint him in the least positive light imaginable.

Once the bigwigs at the EFA saw the report, not only would Johnny Domino and his filthy bio-unit be forbidden from ever horning in on NERV's turf, but the young pilot may very well find himself out of a job! Yes, yes, it was all just as planned.

GENDO'S OFFICE, LESS THAN AN HOUR AGO

Fuyutsuki stands before Gendo, back as rigid as his belly is bulging. With a calculated tone, he says: "I am afraid I have bad news, old friend. It's about your son."

Gendo says nothing, glaring at his once-mentor. Fuyutsuki purses his lips and after a short-lived staring match corrects himself: "It's about the Third Child."

Gendo grunts. "What is it?"

"He's fighting for his life," Fuyutsuki informs his Commander. "A violent allergic reaction to Ritalin we did not foresee."

Gendo pauses and then intones: "He was not given permission to fight for his life. Put him in the brig as soon as he recovers."

Fuyutsuki swallows. "..yes, Commander. Until then, however, it might be prudent to discuss a replacement."

ANGEL LANDING, NOW

Johnny Domino, despite NERV's best cockblocking efforts, is here.

Sitting snug inside the Chimera, the Agent Extraordinaire frowns. As it turns out, not only was Shinji incapacitated, but the oh-so-flattering report NERV provided to the EFA was still sitting at the bottom of a huge pile of unread documents (including, but not limited to, Public Opinion Polls, angry letters from mothers and official missives from lawyers who threaten to sue the EFA if the organization does not compensate the little people for having a giant mecha stomp on the beloved family dog answering to the name of Fluffy).

For Johnny to be allowed to be here and act as a backup 'Eva', however, there is a catch: he must not use any of his unique Chimera powers. He must use nothing but the standard procedure weaponary found inside the NERV-certified Evangelion Tactical Weapons Depot. Which would explain why Chimera is standing way way way way way at the back, watching the Angel advance in the distance, and holding... a Pellet Rifle.

Johnny grouches, "I can't believe they're making me use this toy." His bio-unit glares at the rifle in its beastly paws. "I feel like I'm gonna break the damn thing."

-- and then Asuka murders the Angel. --

"........" Johnny Domino stares, a long and hard stare, until finally... and slowly, the Chimera moves its arm to the side, opens its hand, and drops the Pellet Rifle to the ground. THUMP, Crack.

Yeeeeaaaah, Domino is so out of here.

The fact that Angel had a branch in Tokyo was a brand new one to Aoba. "Uliman, huh..." Then again, the Canaima and Luepa bases were still pretty much unknown to all but a select few people. It isn't -too- far out of the realm of possibilities. "Maybe Moribito will be there." Aoba bites her lip nervously as she flies her Nana-Two Way to the Japanese shores and sets down. This is potentially dangerous. Aoba knows this. She'd rather not run into any EFA forces, despite how many of them are stationed here in Japan.

When alarms begin to sound, Aoba leaps out of her seat in surprise. "Ow!" She lifts up a hand and rubs at the top of her head, not yet used to the low clearance in the Nana-Two's cockpit. "What's going on? Did someone spot me?" The Jinki turns this way and that, arms held up defensively, but there doesn't seem to be any guns pointed her way. This isn't about her, but what could it be?

"Oh wow..." Aoba's eyes go wide as she catches sight of the giant angel out in the ocean, just as it gets cleaved in two.

The glowing blade of Asuka's progressive knife cleaves the Angel in twain, as if it were some sort of sword that cleaves some sort of evil. The beastly creature is still for a moment, a shimmering white line running down from the top of its skull(?) to the end of its crotch(?) -- and then, slowly, with a deep splash to either side, it separates, each half falling to one side. Aside from the minor tidal wave this causes, all is still for a long moment.

INSIDE NERV HEADQUARTERS

Misato Katsuragi blinks. "Wow. I didn't think Asuka had it in her--"

THE WATER

Suddenly, the two halves of the Angel begin to tremble and quake. The two huge pieces of angel hide quiver, their form seeming to distort and take on non-euclidian shapes. Flesh boils and bubbles, as positively tumorescent growth begins to take shape.

With a resounding, echoed cry, the Angel is reborn -- as /two/. Each half is the size of Asuka's Evangelion -- that is to say, huge -- and in the same funky shape as the original whole. Their faces (if they're even faces at all) are round, with black holes tenuously denoting eyes and a mouth. Their arms are huge, like some sort of spheroid gorilla's.

And they both begin to advance toward the shore, walking /around/ Asuka's Evangelion as if it was no bother.

NERV HEADQUARTERS

"God /dammit/," Misato spits.

Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Israfel transforms into its Alpha and Beta mode.

 Tommy Drask transmits, "Oh, I call /bull./"

 Johnny Domino, already on his way home, "Hmm?"

 Andrew Graham hmm. "I'll take the one on the right."

 Tommy Drask transmits, "It cheated!"

 Tommy Drask transmits, "...whatever it is."

Asuka spins around on heel. "This was a job for the one and only second child! There's no way they could trust any other pilot with /this/ duty." The redheaded girl preens with pride. There, that would show them!

But before Asuka can continue gloating at anyone who happens to be within range of her communication, she hears a deafening cry roar out from behind her.

"W-what?!" She spins around once more, just in time to see as the Angel split out of the two divided halves she had just sliced through. "This isn't /fair/!"

And as Asuka braces for attack, the two of them just saunter right past her, as if she hadn't just nearly caused their complete and entire annihilation.

Asuka is offended; she's angry; she's humiliated! Before, she had looked so good, but then this /thing/ had to ruin it for her yet /again/! She looked so /stupid/!

"Don't think you can just walk away from me like that!" she shrieks. "/DIE/!"

She spins around again, and leaps forward, then attempts to plunge her progressive knife into one of the divided Angel's backs.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Progressive Knife added to their queue.

SOME TIME AGO

Leo Stenbuck is taking care of business, Bachman-Turner Overdrive style, somewhere in China. That all comes screeching to a halt when he gets a text message.

angel attack plz help

As he hastily changes into his flightsuit, he wishes he had some kind of Batpole, that he could just slide down, and that'd put his flightsuit on.

Yeah, that'd be awesome.

FIFTY SECONDS AGO

Leo's cell phone/PDA/laser gun buzzes again inside the cockpit of the Vic Viper, which is currently hauling ass out of Chinese airspace.

nm asuka killed it

"Uh... oh," Leo says, a little shocked. He shrugs, and pulls a midair supersonic U-turn.

THIRTY SECONDS AGO

Leo's wizardphone buzzes buzzes /again/.

nm it got better

"Oh, my God!" Leo exclaims, throwing up his arms in exasperation. He turns around again.

NOW

The Vic Viper enters Japanese airspace going approximately a bajillion miles an hour. Several hundred miles of ocean do not experience a sonic boom until almost twenty seconds after the Viper has passed over it.

It slows down as it approaches Tokyo-03, and begins its descent towards the battle, its Options popping into existence behind it.

Well.

That was unexpected.

Latooni is still some distance away. She did not see the Angel drop; she /did/ see the two of them get back up, which is enough (with the radio communications) to tell her something is weird. Her long-range scanners are a little anemic in Fairlion when the -G unit isn't around for a second set to combine with her own. She needs to get closer.

Latooni guns the engines on her machine, causing another fountain of sparkles to erupt from the back of the skirt. She stays overhead, firing sustained sprays of little energy balls from the curled 'hair' of Fairlion, peppering the water around the Angels as well as the Angels themselves. Itself. Whatever.

"Fairlion on site," she says, into the radio. "Commencing scans shortly."

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Double Rolling Cannons added to their queue.

The Great Knight's head reels back in surprise once the Angel simply... splits, and goes on with its life. And then, ignoring Asuka so bluntly, it lets out a low "Ooooooooh. Ice /cold./" Fingers tighten on the sword, and it aligns itself. "Alright," he says, mostly to himself - but to anyone who'll listen, as everything the Great Knight says gets broadcasted over radio, mundane sound, /and/ telepathic impressions! It's a pretty sweet machine. "...if it split like that, it's gotta be way less powerful. That's just science."

Light floods the edge of the Glory Blade as Tommy charges in, aiming for the same Angel Asuka just hit. Pincer, pincer! He rises up, light cape looking radical, and chops down for the white mask-face-thing.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Gleaming Glory Blade added to their queue.

Well. Hell. Andrew Graham closes his eyes and mutters a prayer to Saint Michael, patron saint of policemen and soldiers. Then he realizes he's fighting an "angel", reconsiders, and settles for just tensing his legs and /leaping/ into the air. Lumber Gundam, though much smaller than the Angel, can leap surprisingly high. The machine flies out into the water, small boosters on the back of the legs accelerating it forward, and stops dead when it has flown past and above the angels. Then, managing to come to a bare stop, the Gundam raises both axes over its head and tries to repeat Asuka's maneuver, to cut one of these Angels in half, and keep cutting. His axes move so fast they are a blur, Andrew lashing time and time again with the deadly force of his meaty arms and the expertise of having felled tens of thousands of trees. Canadiana McLumberpants itself raises one arm in salute toward Latooni's Fairlion as he spots it flying nearby, but Andrew's moreso focused on going toe to toe with the angel until it squashes him like a bug or dies FOR REAL. Tongue between his teeth, Andrew focuses on every strike without apparent fear. He quips over local band in answer to Latooni's salutation: "Andrew Graham here. Lumber Gundam and I will try to keep this one occupied." Slash. Slash. Slash.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Master Axeman added to their queue.

That was really cool. No, strike that. It was awesome! Such a giant thing taken out so easily! The pilot of that other robot must be amazing.

Only then, it proves itself to be resistant to cleaving. "Um.. um..." Aoba fidgets slightly in her cockpit... then takes a deep breath. "I really hope they understand I'm only trying to help." Because something that can just keep going after being cut in half like that looks like it's pretty tough!

The Nana-Two begins to run, taking a few big steps, before the large metal plates on the back of each leg swing downward as each leg is in the air. The plates slam into place and, as soon as they tough the ground, the Jinki is launched forward. As it leaps closer to shore, it reaches back and grabs its machinegun from the locking point on the shoulder.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. 120mm Machine Gun added to their queue.

Johnny Domino was already directing the Chimera back to the nearest exit when the Angel decided to split in two. Completely missing this UNEXPECTED new development, the young Domino busies himself wondering how to next spend his afternoon. He could go to the beach, or he could hang out at the arcade. Also why are all these people cursing over the comm-system and why can he hear explosions?

The Chimera glances over its shoulder.

"W-wha--"

What's going on here? Why are there two Angels? What happened to that big one? What is wrong with the world?!

"ASUKA," Johnny demands, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Because it's clearly all /her/ fault.

Jogging up to the Pellet Rifle he left lying on the ground, Chimera pounces, diving into the earth and sliding for the weapon like some kind of heroic action hero of action. Leaving a deep groove in its wake, the bio-unit grasps the Rifle in mid-slide, and -- without missing a beat -- comes up in an amazing(ly) unnecessary combat roll.

Kneeling on one knee, Johnny aims at one Angel!.. hesitates, aims at the other Angel!.. growls, aims at the first Angel again!.. almost squeezes the trigger before moving to aim at the second Angel once more!.. God, maybe he should just shoot Asuka and be done with it.

Johnny Domino has such a hard time picking a target out of the three, he eventually lets out a loud curse and simply lets loose a rapid volley of shots, spraying everything in his line of sight. Angel A, Angel B, Asuka -- oh hey, and now also Tommy and Graham.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami, Asuka Langley Sohryu, Tommy Drask, and Andrew Graham. Pellet Rifle Ratatatata added to their queue.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has struck a minor hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using 120mm Machine Gun.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with his Gleaming Glory Blade attack.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has struck a minor hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Double Rolling Cannons.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has struck Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with a minor critical hit using Pellet Rifle Ratatatata.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has struck a minor hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Master Axeman.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has struck a solid critical hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Progressive Knife.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has struck Asuka Langley Sohryu with a minor hit using Pellet Rifle Ratatatata.

 Tommy Drask transmits, "Hey, Leo! Long time!"

 Rei Ayanami, sedated. "Nnmmmmnnleooo?"

 Leo Stenbuck transmits, "Yeah, uh... sorry I'm late. Don't worry, Rei, we've got everything under control up here."

 Rei Ayanami, sedated. "mmmbhh crrrfuhhh"

 Mister Bushido transmits, "Hmn."

 Leo Stenbuck transmits, "Just try to get some rest, okay?"

 Rei Ayanami, sedated. "nnsthhzzzzzz"

 Tommy Drask transmits, "She alright, bro?"

 Leo Stenbuck transmits, "She's still recovering from the last one... They've got her on painkillers or something, I think... Rei, don't try to talk, okay? Just go to sleep..."

 Andrew Graham transmits, "Hmmph. Anything I should know about this thing?"

 Latooni Subota, patiently, "It hasn't been scanned completely yet."

<Radio: A - Chat> Andrew Graham transmits, "Fair enough, didn't mean to rush you. Rrrgh."

The two Israfels make landfall, their heavy steps shaking the landscape in stereo -- and then, the wrath of god descends upon the Wrath of God, as six intrepid warriors take the fight to the Angels. Five of them are intrepid enough to actually hit, too.

The most visible strike comes from Asuka (again) as she quite literally stabs one of the two Israfels -- let's call him / it 'Israfel.1' -- in the back. Whether or not this thing even has a spine is anyone's guess (if it does, it's probably horizontal and runs along its arms). But it staggers the thing, causing it to slouch forward in a serendipitous way that keeps Tommy Drask from pulling a Tommy Jarvis and machete'ing it in the face.

Meanwhile, Israfel.2 is axed right in the chest by Andrew Graham -- repeatedly, and hard enough that when the hacking is over (and it has not split into yet smaller pieces), it staggers backward and falls into the ocean, crushing the Tokyo-03 Aquarium in the process and setting free countless captive whales and dolphins. (The Japanese have a thing.) This is about when Latooni and Johnny D. come in -- their assaults, widespread from the former and just plain frantic from the latter, blast chunks out of the hides of each iteration of the Angel. In the process, the scans performed by the Guarlion provide strange results. These things are clearly alive, but their biology matches no known records that are not absurdly classified.

Last, but certainly not least, the one currently engaged with Asuka and Tommy -- Israfel.1 -- turns... and promptly has its face /vaporized/ by Aoba's machinegun. The rounds batter and pulverize the thing's bizarre mask, revealing little more than pulsing void beneath... but as the two monsters begin to regain their footing and attack, that mask seems to be -- reconstituting itself, somehow.

The beasts lash out -- one, toward Andrew Graham (as he's the closest), and another toward Asuka and Tommy (as they are also the closest). Their arms are gigantic, but shockingly fast, swinging in a manner not unlike a bullwhip being cracked. A bullwhip with huge claws at the end, mind.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has attacked Asuka Langley Sohryu, Andrew Graham, and Tommy Drask. Double Claw added to their queue.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck a solid critical hit on Asuka Langley Sohryu's Evangelion Unit-02 using Double Claw.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has counter attacked for a minor hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Spike Launcher.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has missed Andrew Graham with her Double Claw attack.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with his Lumber Axe counter attack.

<Radio: A - Chat> Andrew Graham transmits, "I have inadvertently freed the whales."

<Radio: A - Chat> Misato Katsuragi hmphs. "We'll just have to re-catch them later, then. Stay focused on the Angel! ...s!"

THREE HOURS EARLIER... Andrew Graham, secret MASTER OF BUREAUCRACY, has an uncanny knack for being asked to proofread reports. Not in person, because he is a giant gorilla of a man, but when the EFA needs something proofread for spelling errors or put through the system along appropriate legal channels, Andrew often skims for clarity without officially knowing or actually remembering much of the documents in question. As he sees Johnny firing, the words TESTOSTERONE OVERLOAD boom through the chambers of the space mountie's mind, and he inadvertently clenches his jaw while looking in Johnny's direction. This is of course the Mobile Trace System command for head vulcan fire. He doesn't have time to squelch the order before the bullets issue forth in rapid fire straight for the Chimera. Turning his head back with a muffled curse, Andrew returns his attention to its appropriate target just in time to meet a blow coming the other way... which he manages to avoid by taking out his lumber axe and bracing his feet on it. Thus, when the attack hits the axe (on the flat side), it knocks Lumber high up into the air. When Andrew falls back down again, it is with his arms spread wide and electricity running all over Lumber Gundam. This attack, once deployed against Argo Gulskii at Niagara Falls, makes a blistering comeback as huge waves of electricity zoom out through the water, trying to root themselves (with remarkable precision) in the pair of angels. He emphasizes this by trying to squeeze his own angel around one of the long arms and try to squeeze it as painfully as possible. Success or failure are irrelevant, all that matters is delivering... A Hug.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has struck Andrew Graham with a minor hit using Pellet Rifle Ratatatata.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has counter attacked for a minor hit using Head Vulcans!

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Cub Hug added to their queue.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck a solid hit on Tommy Drask's Great Knight using Double Claw.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has missed Tommy Drask with your Pellet Rifle Ratatatata attack.

Latooni Subota knew they were organic; this is not the first Angel she has encountered, although it is the first one that looked quite like this (then again, from what she hears, they're all different anyway). She was not actually expecting much of use.

She is not disappointed in her expectations.

Latooni puts the Fairlion into a circling pattern. The sword is clearly not her best option here, judging by the fact that last time Asuka carved one of these things up, they got two, and Latooni is not anxious to find out if she can make it three. The Assault Blade is returned to its hanging spot over Fairlion's back, and Latooni pulls out a pair of oversized pistols instead.

She aims at the one whose face was just pulped. Yes, it looks like it's reconstituting, but if she keeps filling it with supersonic lead (tungsten-carbide actually) maybe she can stop it. At least it doesn't seem as big on the forcefield as the last one.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Double G-Revolver added to their queue.

As she sees the bullets impact the creature, Aoba smiles. At least it isn't completely immune... even if it does regenerate rather quickly. "Mmph..." The machinegun is locked back onto the shoulder, and a metal rod is grabbed in its place. This is going to call for getting a bit more up close and personal.

As the Nana-Two grips the rod, it extends out into a long spear. The Jinki twirls it once and begins to charge toward the Angel in great bounding leaps. As it moves, Aoba spots just who some of the defenders are... specifically, she recognizes one of the robots. "Hi, Latooni! Please don't let anyone shoot me I'm here to help!"

Aoba is worried, but she's hoping that the others (especially a certain other one she recognizes) won't misunderstand her appearance here. For now, all she can really concentrate on is trying to drive that spear through one of the two creatures.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Hybrid Spear added to their queue.

Leo somberly watches Johnny Domino devolve into friendly fire as he guides the Vic Viper through its brief descent. He cannot help but wonder if it's a world record; that can't have been more than eight or nine seconds from 'engagement' to 'shooting the wrong people'. Perhaps Guinness should be contacted.

Keeping track of the friendly fire means Leo's attention is on Andrew Graham and his Gundam when he decides to employ the time-honored battle tactic of embracing his foe. He may not be some kind of hug doctor, but embracing something like six times your size seems like a pretty terrible idea, and the V2 swings its flight trajectory around for an attack run on Israfel.2, hoping to distract it enough that it doesn't simply crush Lumber Gundam against its forehead like a can.

Space ripples briefly in front of the Viper, and then a Gravity Bullet erupts from midair, echoed by one from each of the Options trailing the LEV. The five blasts of kinetic energy soar in a line towards the Angel, and Leo can only hope, as he pulls out of his attack run to keep from getting too close to the thing, that their combined force is enough to at least knock it off balance.

COMBAT: Leo Stenbuck has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Leo Stenbuck has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Option Gravity Bullet added to their queue.

Johnny Domino stops squeezing the trigger like a crazy yokel. His Pellet Rifle goes silent, muzzle smoking. Through the Chimera's yellow eyes, Domino can see the Angels falling over, getting stabbed and hacked and their faces vaporized. This certainly seems brutal enough. Could it be that it's over already?

HELL NO, JOHNNY DOMINO ISN'T FALLING FOR THAT TRICK AGAIN!

The pilot lets loose an additional bullet spray for good measure. YEEEEAAAAH!

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami, Asuka Langley Sohryu, and Aoba Tsuzaki. Pellet Rifle Buddabuddabudda added to their queue.

The Glory Blade cuts the air above Israfel.1's head...ish...curved...spot, leaving an arc of golden light in the air. Before he can recover his balance, it smashes into him. Tommy cries out as the claw dives into the Knight's torso, leaving a shining gash.

The Knight's boots and cape flare out, and it halts in the air. With a quick motion, Tommy whirls to his right, whipping the sword up, smacking a few shots out of the air as he gets his shield up. The rest of the pellets heading for him go up in puffs of flame. "Is this a dagger I see before me, Johnny?" Tommy taunts. "Watch your fire, bro, close some distance!" Tommy - and the Knight - rolls his neck, and sights down his sword at the first Israfel. The Knight seems to be averting its eyes. "That thing... God, I can't stand that mask." Light focuses on the point of the Glory Blade.

The Knight takes a big 'step' forward, still hovering itself over the surface of the water, and thrusts out. The light lances out into three beams, piercing for the Angel's chest. "Strike true! Glory Trident!"

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Glory Trident added to their queue.

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota transmits, "Mr. Domino."

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "Just a moment!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Misato Katsuragi, less calm: "DOMINO WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU /DOING/"

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota transmits, "Don't shoot our units. The DC unit is here to assist. And Asuka is /certainly/ not to be shot."

<Radio: A - Chat> David Churchill transmits, "Yeah, what's he doing?"

<Radio: A - Chat> David Churchill transmits, "-this time, anyway."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Hey, it's OK! He hits like an eighth-grader..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "...and that's a DC unit, huh..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "YOU GAVE ME A RIFLE, I'M USING A RIFLE"

<Radio: A - Chat> Misato Katsuragi, exasperated: "It /LOOKS/ like you're teaching yourself how to aim, and /not really doing a good job of it/!"

In the middle of his attack, Tommy locks the Flame Shield onto his wrist.

The Great Knight points at its visor.

The Great Knight points at the Nana-Two.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has struck Asuka Langley Sohryu with a minor hit using Pellet Rifle Buddabuddabudda.

Asuka is on the defensive. "/ME/?! I didn't do anything!!" How could Johnny accuse her of /anything/! She was the one who had defeated it, while he just stood there, like a dumb, useless, stupid furry rock!

The progressive knife sinks deep into the skin of the Angel. That'll teach that stupid thing to try and walk away from her in the middle of an attack! But, unfortunately for Asuka, her victory is short-lived, as the pilot of the chimera lets loose a volley of shots in her direction!

"A-ahhh!" Asuka's unit loses its grip on the progressive knife as the bullets send her stumbling backwards; her arms, reflexively go up to defend herself against the attack, but it's to little avail.

"This is all your fault," she shrieks at the Chimera pilot. "If you hadn't attacked me, this fight would have already been finished!"

But before she can argue any further, Israfel.1's arms whip towards her, its long claws digging deep into the chest of Evangelion's armor. Asuka lets out a shriek of pain. The panel in the Evangelion's back opens, shooting a series of spikes towards the arm as the appendage whips skyward.

Heaving, Asuka's head spins towards the creature--she needs her progressive knife! This is all Johnny Domino's fault!

And as Tommy and Latooni launch their assaults on Israfel.1, Asuka attempts to circle the Angel; once she's behind him, she plans to leap on him and pull her knife free from the creature's flesh--

--but before she can, another spray of fire coming from Johnny's unit comes barreling towards her.

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "With all due respect, /SIR MA'AM/, target practice is NOT IN MY RESUME!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Johnny."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "You gotta find your zen, man."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Imagine... a potato, floating in your mind."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Pristine white beneath, but covered with the ugly brown skin of anger and frustration."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Peel the potato, Johnny."

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "....."

<Radio: A - Chat> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "Uh..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Misato Katsuragi makes a sound of choked rage after 'sir ma'am.'

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has struck a solid hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Hybrid Spear.

COMBAT: Leo Stenbuck has struck a glancing hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Option Gravity Bullet.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with his Glory Trident attack.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has struck a minor hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Double G-Revolver.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has struck Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with a minor hit using Pellet Rifle Buddabuddabudda.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has struck a solid hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Cub Hug.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has missed Aoba Tsuzaki with his Pellet Rifle Buddabuddabudda attack.

NERV HEADQUARTERS

Misato Katsuragi sputters. "Who the hell approved that kid to get back on the field?! We'd be better off with someone from Skull Squad, or something -- their Valkyrie would go down in one hit but at least they wouldn't /shoot their allies/!"

The frustrated Captain opens a secure comm-line to one Tommy Drask. "Drask! This is Captain Misato Katsuragi of NERV! If it becomes necessary, you're to contain Johnny Domino's Chimera! We can't have him distracting Asuka -- her Evangelion is still the best bet we have against these Angels! NERV out!"

ON THE BATTLEFIELD

Israfel.2 is seized in a massive bearhug by Andrew Graham. Its hardened flesh-armor begins to break and buckle around its broad chest, and the thing lets out a bizarre shriek, arms waggling around like a Wacky Waggling Wavy Inflatable Tube Man that they sell in those weird informercials on neo-TV. This gives it a rather keen vulnerability -- that is, the gravity bullets launched by Leo Stenbuck /explode/ the top of it, like the scene everyone remembers from 'Scanners.' It's gory and disgusting and it's right in the Lumber Gundam's face.

And then it starts regrowing, which is almost more disgusting to watch.

Johnny Domino and Latooni Subotta coninue their brutal attacks, striking at both angels in furious succession, staggering them -- particularly #1 -- and slowing their advancement with regard to 'raining death everywhere'. Israfel.1 is also markedly damaged by a spear smashing through its guts, causing blood(?) to spew in every direction. It doesn't look like blood, really. More like... sewage, or something. The coup de grace comes from Tommy Drask, as this blow to the monstrous thing again causes it to avoid Tommy's attack completely by accident. Not his day.

Thing One and Thing Two stagger closer together, moving back to back, as if to keep anyone from sneaking up on them. As part of the apparent regeneration process, Asuka's knife falls out of Israfel.1's back, landing on a water treatment waystation. The two things sidestep in perfect unison, moving in a stationary circle -- as horrible energy begins to well up within them, making all manner of scanners beep excitedly. The energy comes out as /DEATH RAYS/, shot from each Israfel in perfect synchronization. They continue spinning, letting the blasts lance out in all directions, moving up and down to take out pilots, units, landscape, property... the collateral damage runs about a couple million per half-second here, and it's lucky Tokyo-03 has already been evacuated (as is the custom).

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has attacked Asuka Langley Sohryu, Tommy Drask, Johnny Domino, Leo Stenbuck, Aoba Tsuzaki, Latooni Subota, and Andrew Graham. Synchronized Ray added to their queue.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck a devastating critical hit on Latooni Subota's XAM-007S Fairlion using Synchronized Ray.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has missed Tommy Drask with her Synchronized Ray attack.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck a solid hit on Asuka Langley Sohryu's Evangelion Unit-02 using Synchronized Ray.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has missed Johnny Domino with her Synchronized Ray attack.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino counter attacks Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with a minor critical hit using Pellet Rifle Blamblamblam.

COMBAT: Leo Stenbuck has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck a apocalyptic hit on Leo Stenbuck's Vic Viper FM using Synchronized Ray.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has missed Aoba Tsuzaki with her Synchronized Ray attack.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck a devastating hit on Andrew Graham's Lumber Gundam using Synchronized Ray.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with his Gundam Wrestling counter attack.

Andrew Graham is caught in the force of a Death Ray. Superior Canadian construction and the ability to roll with the damage mostly keeps his Gundam from imminent demise, but his whole Trace Suit burns red as full body pain from incideental collateral exposure sends him reeling and hissing, trying to shake off a burn. Graham, thrown back by the blast, lands in the water near the "feet" of one of the Angels. An energy field around his unit's boots turns into a solid hover field. Then, floating there, he begins weaving back and forth as if sizing up to an ice hockey goal. Both hands whip out the axes, which shine despite the beating Lumber has taken (its whole front covered in charred and melted steel, the axes themselves blackened but quite sharp on those edges), and Graham dashes forward as if ice skating on the water. Pirouetting in an uncharacteristically balletic fashion, Graham leaps up and tries to cut through the dual "trunks" of the Angels in a single deathly stroke. The wind whips behind him as he reaches surprising speed, the air wrapping around Graham's blades and seeming to push them onward. Andrew spins in the air like a nigh-invisible dervish cloaked in bladed glory. This will surely put him in the way of danger, coming so close to a pair of creatures shooting death rays... but the massed firing has not gone unnoticed. So, trying to fell them like two massive "trees", the proverbial lumberjack does what he does best. With all of his training, all of his expertise, and all of the precisely balanced might a Mobile Trace System can lend, Graham leaps his wounded Gundam into the air next to the angels... and swings. His voice, over local radio, sometimes cuts in from spasmodic physical "on switch" cues programmed into the Mobile Trace: "DIE MONSTER... WHALES! ... NORMA!", he is apparently having trouble keeping it on, or possibly realizing that the Angel would be unlikely to comprehend or care and screaming out of nerves.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. I Killed Bigfoot added to their queue.

Asuka's arms move in front of her to guard; she groans with pain, the force of the Angel's beam attack pushing her back. She attempts to hold herself in place, but gravel rises up behind her as she's propelled backwards. The beams burn through part of Unit-02's arm armor, giving rise to pink lumpy flesh beneath. A ring of blackened armor circles the Evangelion Unit-02's injuries.

Asuka's head spins towards Johnny's Chimera Unit. This is so stupid! Why was he allowed to pilot that thing anyway?! She wasn't even in his way and there he was, firing bullets at /her/, the only person who could ever possibly defeat this Angel!

The plan to retrieve her progressive knife is abandoned; the Angel fortunately launched her towards one of Tokyo-03's many hidden giant weapon caches; the building's side opens, revealing a pellet rifle.

Asuka reaches for the weapon, readies its aim, then fires at the same half of the Angel she attacked before.

What the hell is that guy screaming about?!

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Pellet Rifle added to their queue.

In better circumstances, Tommy would manage to put a playful leer into his voice, because he is a rascal. "Man, he's just gotta find his chill zone. I'm easily better right here, but... I'll give him one more shot to not drop the ball all over our faces again."

While saying this, Tommy is simultaneously cursing his /horrrrrible/ luck as the Glory Trident flies out into the sky, and the Angels start getting ready to unleash some kind of Hell. Tommy backs off, bringing the Knight closer to the city, and holds both arms out.

With a flourish, he stabs the sword into a port, hungrily waiting on the edge of the shield. Flame erupts as the shield connects with the sword, the blade closing up, the shield splitting down the middle. With a final blast of heat, the Infernus Axe is formed, and just in time.

"I'm easily better right here..." The lasers come searing in at Tommy, and he hauls back on the axe. Flames build up around it. "...but..." --he swings, holding the axe broad-side out. Flame arcs above him, well away from the buildings of the city, and the lasers streaking in at him are caught up and deflected harmlessly upward. A wide wedge of Tokyo behind the Knight is handily protected. "Whewwwwww. What's with this thing? Hey, Asuka, what are these guys even trying to do, just smash everything?"

Lowering Infernus, the long lance across the Knight's back swings up, pointing out from his shoulder like a beam cannon, chains trailing from it. "Glacius!" Tommy cries out, and the spear jumps forth, trying to pin both Israfels together and end their dance. The Knight /doesn't even look/. Tommy may already be expecting hilarious circumstance to knock the Angels out of his way. "And hey, Domino! You got one more chance, slow your roll, man!"

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Glacius added to their queue.

Latooni Subota runs out of bullets pretty quickly. Rather than reload the revolvers, she drops them, trusting to NERV to either find them or to pick up the tab with their immense budget. She brings her hands up, flipping the knives out over the hands to project forward, and seems about to charge.

Latooni changes her mind and pulls up when she sees them draw back. She can't figure out what she's doing at first, other than -

"Watch out!" she snaps into her radio, before practically vanishing in an eruption of energy and fire. Fairlion remains hidden for several long seconds in a slowly expanding cloud of smoke.

It clears. Latooni still has her purple machine hovering, but it appears to be missing one leg from the knee down and is pretty much a uniform charred black colour from the front. She's turned off the audible alarms to avoid deafening herself.

She seems rather less interested in charging straight in after that; she comes in from the back of one of them, whirling repeatedly like a small and particularly metallic tornado, lashing out with the knives attached to Fairlion's arms as she spins. Perhaps she's been learning from Schwarz Bruder.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Pirouette Piquee added to their queue.

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota transmits, "These two are highly coordinated. I cannot detect any communication - but -"

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "It's probably... telepathy, if it's not actually just one being."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "I don't think these things are conventional, Lat, I can feel 'em. Like an eclipse over the sun. Not a fan."

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota transmits, "None of the Angels are. I have encountered one before; it was nothing like this."

<Radio: A - Chat> Misato Katsuragi butts in, "They aren't much for consistency. Each time it's like facing an entirely new lifeform -- the only similarity is that they're always taken down by a strike to their cores. Look for the little red orbs, usually around their center of mass -- you have to destroy /that/ to destroy /it/. Not just, you know, rip them apart. Asuka."

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota says, almost loyally, "Ripping them apart assists us in getting to them. They are behind... ribs?

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "It's so easy for you to bark commands, isn't it?! If you know so much, maybe /you/ should be piloting Eva-02!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Wuh-oh, catfight."

Johnny Domino grits his teeth, the Chimera's grasp tightening even further over the rifle and its trigger. Goddamn, WHO DO THESE PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE?! They gave him a rifle and ordered him not to use his bio-unit's inherent attacks... and now they blame HIM when the consequences come crashing down all around them? Bastards.

"..just shut the hell up," the young pilot spits out, voice low. He doesn't really mean it to be heard across the com-system, but... at the same time, he also really has to let that out.

And then the Angels start retaliating. Aw, /CRAP/!

Not letting go of the trigger for even a second, the Chimera dives out of the way, rolling across landscape and man-made infrastructure. Some of his bullets hit the monsters of the week, others whizz by and land in the ocean. One particularly naughty bullet finds a plump whale near the surface of the water, and sends the creature exploding in a shower of gore.

Then, finally, Johnny releases the trigger. This close call with painful burning death is enough to wake up the boy from his savage trance, and in the back of his mind he knows: he's probably in big trouble, and he'd better try and stay in control unless he wants to be in even BIGGER trouble. But what can he do? What can he do?!

Maybe he should peel a potato.

Taking a deep breath, Johnny fidgets and, with some effort, closes his eyes. This is a really dumb thing to do, considering he is in the middle of a freaking BATTLEFIELD, but eh. The pilot concentrates, trying to conjure up the image of a potato in his mind's eye. A medium-sized potato, brown and coarse to the touch.

Brushing imaginary fingers against the potato, Johnny can feel its stiff bumps teasing his fingertips. An invisible blade comes into view, slicking across the potato's raw skin. A brief kiss, and then -- a bite. The blade breaks the potato's flesh, and begins to slowly undress it. White potato meat is uncovered underneath, glistening with cold potato juice. Over and over, the blade passes, removing the brown crust with growing speed. Again and again, faster and faster, back and forth, back and forth!!

AND THEN THE POTATO IS NAKED!

Johnny Domino opens his eyes with a calm start. His expression is stoic, his mind as blue and deep as the bluest and deepest of lakes. He found it. He found his center. He can do it. He has the goddamn vision of a hawk, he can snipe those Angels while standing on the back of a ladybug. Or maybe it's the other way around. Or whatever.

Aiming his Pellet Rifle, Johnny pulls the trigger. CLICK! ...CLICK! ........CLICKLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK!!

No more bullets. Well, shit. Johnny Domino loses his calm and tosses the STUPID GOOD FOR NOTHING RIFLE RIGHT AT ONE OF THE ANGELS!

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Pellet Rifle BONK added to their queue.

After thrusting the spear into that Angel, the Jinki pulls back and quickly leaps into the air. It flips backwards, over the incoming beams. Aoba also notices some of those pellets splashing into the water where she just stood. "Wh.. hey! I'm trying to help! I don't mean any harm here!" She glances down to see another robot with a flaming shield pointing at her and lets out a soft squeak. "N.. no! I'm telling the truth!"

The Nana-Two lands and takes a few steps back. "Fine... I don't care. Shoot me if you want! I'm still going to help!" The spear is twirled once more, and the back end extends out into a large double scythe blade. "Harken mode!" She's scared... more of the others who might shoot at her than of the Angel, but she won't give up. As the Jinki approaches again, it plants one foot and twists, swinging the double harken diagonally down across Israfel number one.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Hybrid Spear - Harken Mode added to their queue.

SOME TIME AGO

Leo Stenbuck, ace pilot, wastes time in a mall arcade while waiting for Rei, who has excused herself to the restroom. In accordance with his natural talents, he attempts a top-down shooter. It turns out to be a special kind of Bullet Hell, and he goes through two and a half space dollars in forty three seconds.

"I-I'm way better than this usually," Leo assures a cute girl standing nearby who chances to glance at his failure. .o(Man, this is gay.)

NOW

Leo Stenbuck, ace pilot, finds himself in real-life Bullet Hell. He'd love to get out of the way of the storm of laser death, but, he muses as lasers carve huge slabs off of the Vic Viper and drive it out of the air, he's pretty sure it's actually impossible. The LEV plows through several buildings on its way down and rolls across the city, adding nicely to Israfel's rapidly rising collateral damage tracker.

Eventually, it comes to a halt, concealed in a spreading cloud of dust. After a few seconds, it rises uncertainly out of the cloud, transformed out of flight mode and looking like it lost a fight with a giant robotic tiger. (But not a Zoid. That'd be shameful.)

"I-I'm way better than this usually," Leo assures Misato Katsuragi, in a brief transmission to NERV HQ. .o(Man, this is gay.)

Okay, okay, new plan. The Vic Viper spends a few moments scanning the battlefield and then suddenly flits across it towards Unit-02, coming to a halt in the air behind and just to the left of it. it Options float around it in a loose circle, now bright yellow instead of blue.

The LEV flicks its hand almost casually, and the four Options flit off across the battlefield towards both Israfels, flinging themselves at the Angels indiscriminately like the giant blunt instruments they are.

Leo Stenbuck's Vic Viper transforms into its Vic Viper mode.

COMBAT: Leo Stenbuck has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Option Varrior Swarm added to their queue.

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota transmits, "..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Leo Stenbuck coughs. "Hey, uh, Unit-02, do me a favor and don't move."

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "Why should I do that?!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Andrew Graham transmits, "If it has a core... I'LL FIND IT."

<Radio: A - Chat> Misato Katsuragi sighs: "No, Asuka, it's /not/ particularly easy. But you're right, Latooni, their cores are in their chests. Concentrate fire on one of them next chance you all get -- see if we can't cut the problem down to just /one/ of these things."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Leo's ship might be made of paper and spit, but those Options of his'll punch through a battleship."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "And since he's such a cool dude, he's trick shotting them right into melee. It'll be fine, just don't... well, move."

<Radio: A - Chat> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "Uh... what he said?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "Fine!"

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has struck a major critical hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using I Killed Bigfoot.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has struck a solid hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Hybrid Spear - Harken Mode.

COMBAT: Leo Stenbuck has struck a major critical hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Option Varrior Swarm.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with his Glacius attack.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with her Pellet Rifle attack.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has struck a solid hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Pirouette Piquee.

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami has struck Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with a solid hit using Pellet Rifle BONK.

The gang-up on the pair of Angels can best be described as 'apocalyptic,' although the apocalypse would probably do a lot less damage to the Angels' surroundings. When it's all over, they're in the center of a crater that was once part of a city (including a public park), dust that was once concrete buildings and asphalt roads wafting into the air lazily like smoke. (There is also a lot of smoke.)

What happened was this:

First, Aoba's spear struck home again -- and in a catastrophic turn of events for Team God, the spear sank through /both/ Angels, binding them a la Cheng and Eng. Quite literally pinned together, their mad thrash took them out of the path of Tommy Drask's attack, but put them directly in the way of Andrew Graham, whose mighty swing was enough to rip one of them nearly in half, so that its body hanged awkwardly from its own waist, spewing entrails like party favors. This sudden lack of mass in quite the same space put it out of harm's way from Asuka's assault, although Johnny's managed to strike the /other/ incarnation of Israfel from behind, and the rifle barrel juts out of its hide like a planted flag.

Then came Latooni. Whirling like a hell-dervish with her Fairlion's blades, she tore into the mostly-whole half-self of Israfel, and in doing so severed what little connection the other one had to its hips. This half-of-a-half-being was thrashing and helpless when Leo Stenbuck's Options shot forward -- one of them stabbing itself directly into one of Israfel's cores, causing the red ball to burst.

The ground quakes from the force of the dying Angel's spasms. 'Blood' -- red, viscous, tons of it -- gushes out like a river, and the dying half lets out a hideous choked cry that briefly dominates radio chatter. It seems primed to explode -- but then, suddenly, all of that 'blood' begins to flow in /reverse/. It even obeys the laws of physics, but perfectly backwards, as it rewinds itself back into the core and Israfel.2 swings back up onto its still-standing legs... whole once more, and very not dead.

"Shit," mutters Misato Katsuragi somewhere. "Shit shit shit."

As Israfel.2 reconstitutes itself in swift measures, Israfel.1 plucks the spear out of its body and drops it. It turns toward the one that hurled it -- one Aoba Tsuzaki -- and suddenly charges forward, /leaping/ in an attempt to both slam its mass into her unit, and at the same time rend it with angelic claws!

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has attacked Aoba Tsuzaki. Savage Claw added to their queue.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck a major hit on Aoba Tsuzaki's Nana-Two Way Aoba Custom using Savage Claw.

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota says, eventually, "...it reconstituted again."

<Radio: A - Chat> Andrew Graham transmits, "Nothing in this world cannot be destroyed if you fight with your heart in your fists."

<Radio: A - Chat> Misato Katsuragi groans, "But that's impossible -- an Angel has never recovered from an injury to its core! I... agh, there's always a catch with these things, I just need to figure it /out/..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Oh, man, this one's so obvious!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "We just gotta throw them into a volcano."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "/Always works./"

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota transmits, "There is no volcano here /and do not make a volcano/."

<Radio: A - Chat> Gai Daigouji transmits, "That didn't work on Godzilla!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Wh-- I can't make a volcano! I'm not /that/ magic."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Yyyyyyyyyet?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Maybe with the Templar, I could do something similar... not here, though, I try to keep /out/ of collateral damage."

<Radio: A - Chat> Andrew Graham transmits, "Look, just because something doesn't look dead does not mean- Never mind. I'm just going to keep beating it. I do not know when I'll stop."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Even if this part of Tokyo always seems to just grab collateral damage and rub it all over its body."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "I swear to God a building broke apart and nothing even happened to it."

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota is not going to admit she bounced off the building. "I have an idea."

<Radio: A - Chat> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "I bet I could make a volcano."

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota transmits, "Can the core be removed entirely from the body and /then/ destroyed?"

Johnny Domino takes a few deep breathes. Stay focused, Domino, STAY FOCUSED!

"Ugh, bloody hell," the boy curses a moment later. "Shouldn't have done that."

Indeed, throwing his Pellet Rifle away was probably a silly thing to do. Even if it stabbed the forehead(?) of an Angel with a satisfying SPLRTZ sound, NERV was going to get on Johnny's case soooo hard for this. Nevermind that the actual Eva pilots lose equipment left and right all the time -- just look at Asuka's recently lost Progressive Knife!

Well, sucks. Johnny really ought to try and get that Rifle back. Like, now. Right now! NOW!

The Chimera kicks into gear, running for Mr. Angel.1 as it tries to kill Aoba. "OY! You! Don't move!" Is Johnny talking to Aoba or to the Angel? Who knows. Who cares.

With a mighty leap, the bio-unit makes to jump onto the Angel, clinging to its back like some sort of awkward piggyback rider. Growling and grunting, the Chimera tries wrestling with the enemy of humanity and wriggling loose the Pellet Rifle.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Will There Be A "POP" Sound?! added to their queue.

<Radio: A - Chat> Misato Katsuragi says, "It's... poss-- LEO DON'T YOU DARE MAKE A VOLCANO -- It's possible! And it's a better plan than nothing -- just don't get yourself killed!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Andrew Graham transmits, "I will check."

<Radio: A - Chat> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "I'm not gonna! I'm just saying!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "I totally could."

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota transmits, "I will ram the other one. I believe the Sonic Breaker system is disabled, though..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Andrew Graham transmits, "I had an idea. Latooni Subota, Winner of the Gundam Fight. If I hold one still, can you attempt to dissect out the core and get it out of here ot destroy it separately?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota transmits, "Yes."

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino, having successfully peeled a potato and now clinging to one of the Angels, transmits, "I'M TRYING TO KEEP THIS ONE STILL ALREADY, COME ON!"

And her attack misses! Anger rises up inside Asuka--from Misato acting as though she's some dumb rookie pilot like that idiot Shinji, from not being able to big the Big Goddamned Hero from the beginning, from being sprayed with that stupid Johnny Domino's attack for not one, but two times, from being instructed what to do and what not to do by pilots whose units weren't even /made/ for fighting Angels--

--and then her thoughts have to be interrupted by Tommy's questions.

"I don't know," Asuka responds irritably, her voice strained and high-pitched. "Every time! Every /time/, the Angels attack Tokyo-03!" If they were just looking to destroy, the way that Tommy implies, there were plenty of other places other than the city Asuka called home for it to smash up!

And then her eyes dart back towards their targets, just in time to watch as the first Israfel pulls Aoba's spear out of her body, and the blood pours back into the second one.

"T-The Angel..." she manages to get out after a moment.

Asuka's resolve won't be broken that easily. She'll show them! All of them! One hand tightens around her weapon, holding it steady--its target Israfel.2's core; the other's index finger tightens on the trigger.

She fires.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Pellet Rifle added to their queue.

Glacius spirals through empty space as he goes for the same thing Aoba managed, the chain suddenly tightening and hauling the lance back. "God, /REALLY?/" Tommy protests. At least Johnny peeled the potato, if the fact that he doesn't just try to kill everything has any merit behind it. "Hey, DC!" The lance re-attaches to the Knight's back. "You owe me some thunder!" Because you stole his. /GET IT?!/

Meanwhile, Tommy has fought and trained next to Leo for a while now, barring his recent 'vacation', and he knows how the kid's Options move. Once Glacius returns, he tightens his grip on Infernus, the Knight's cape flaring out, the twin points of light that are its eyes narrowing. The boots explode with light, and the Knight surges forward.

Tommy goes "WHOOOO!" as he passes through the flight paths of the Options, the Knight twirling in a way its frame should really not allow to fit through, charging right through to Israfel.2, just finishing putting itself back together. "STAY DOWN!" He whips the axe up in a loop, red flames building up around it, and tries to wedge it into the Israfel's top. Not to cleave through - just slam and pin.

With an expert move, he vaults over it's 'shoulder' just before impact, putting himself behind it and getting out of Asuka's way. He's been told that's advisable.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Infernus added to their queue.

<Radio: A - Chat> Andrew Graham transmits, "Alright. Engaging Bear Hug system override now. Lumber Gundam going in."

Andrew Graham, floating atop the water after his running dash, turns to see the devestation which the Earth Federation Army has wrought on this creature, and ponders whether or not victory is assured. Then it reconstitutes again. He does not swear or sweat, but Andrew does roll up the sleeves of his jacket and leaps toward Israfel.2, in an effort to repeat an earlier move. Lumber Gundam's strength is disproportionate to its size, and with its massive arms it tries to get a good grip on the Angel around the "midsection" of the bulbous head. If this succeeds, Andrew would try a combination of tearing force and holding might, trying to lock the terrible being in place so that one more skilled than he can dissect out its vital core and subject it to something terrible. Andrew's "Bear Hug" comes with the strength of some truly mighty arms, but this is more of an inverted bear hug than the conventional variety: calculated to restrain movement, distract the entity, and rip pieces of it asunder all at once. Lumber Gundam has stowed its axes, and electricity runs along the metal in reaction to the sheer force being exerted.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Bear Hug added to their queue.

Latooni Subota deliberately holds back to let Andrew rush in. There is a plan. It is not a good plan, but it is a plan.

When Andrew goes for the grab, /then/ Latooni darts in. The knives on Fairlion are relatively narrow, at least in one axis; with the Angel (hopefully) immobilized, she glides in, reaching in with them almost delicately. She's trying to get to the core, grip it between the knives, saw the connection off between it and the Angel -

And then, suddenly, she twists, whirling around and attempting to both detach and throw the core away from Israfel.2 itself; she follows it if she manages it, firing close-range lasers from the chest of the Fairlion down at it to destroy it.

She thought it might work. She is probably going to be disappointed.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Vostok Laser added to their queue.

Leo winces when one of his Options breaks one of the Israfel's hearts like a snowglobe. It's nothing, of course, compared to the wince that he gives when the dying monster decides that it doesn't quite feel like dying and starts sucking its blood back into its body. "Looks like we're going to be here for awhile," he mutters.

Leo doesn't even bat an eye when Tommy maneuvers dangerously close to his Options as they finish up their attack run and start on their path back to the Vic Viper. Maybe it's because he trusts him not to get hit in the face by one, or maybe it's because he doesn't care too much if he does.

It's a tough call.

Leo just stares in contemplation at the regenerated Angel for a moment. Well, two can play at the game! "Hey, hold still for a second," Leo suddenly declares to Asuka. The Vic Viper drifts close enough to the Unit-02 to touch it, and then does so, resting its spindly fingers on the Evangelion's waist.

After a few beats, it becomes apparent that it's more than just a case of copping a feel; fallen shards of red armor, blasted off by the Angel's laser and scattered across the nearby buildings, suddenly lift into the air and drift towards the damaged Evangelion. A few even constitute themselves practically out of thin air, uselessly small pieces merging into larger ones.

The thickening cloud of armor shards close in on Unit-02's arms and settle themselves gently onto the places where they were previously blasted off. Once they're locked into place, they begin fusing with the rest of the armor again, a process made apparent by the large jets of mysterious sparks that erupt from Unit-02's arms.

COMBAT: Leo Stenbuck has repaired Asuka Langley Sohryu's Evangelion Unit-02 using Repair Engine.

"Wh.. I don't have any thunder!" No, Aoba doesn't get it. She glances up at the knight robot, peering through the glass canopy of the cockpit. There's no time to puzzle that out, though. Quickly reaching out, the Jinki reaches to yank its spear back, only to become the focus of one of the creatures. It quickly leans back, bringing up both arms and the spear to try to block the brunt of the impact. The Nana-Two manages to keep on its feet, despite the size of the Angel, but those claws tear through armor like it wasn't there. This Jinki wasn't quite as well-armored as Moribito, and Aoba isn't completely used to the best way to operate it just yet.

"These things just keep regrowing!" Aoba reaches forward and activates her radio transmitter. "If they keep regrowing like this, how do we stop them before they can wear us down? All we're getting out of them is a lot of ugly sludge!" Not wanting to face those claws again just yet, she leans back in her cockpit. The Nana-Two Way reaches back and pulls a large rifle from its other shoulder, along with a long barrel. The barrel is locked onto the end of the rifle, and the entire cannon is braced against a shoulder. If some of the tohers are hanging back to shoot... so will she!

"Taking aim... a few degrees higher..." The rifle is obviously rather too big for the Nana-Two, but it still manages to hold the weapon steady for long enough to fire a single heavy shell at the angel.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. 227mm Anti-Jinki Recoilless Cannon added to their queue.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has failed to cover Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has struck a solid hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using 227mm Anti-Jinki Recoilless Cannon.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has struck a major critical hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Infernus.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has struck a solid hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Vostok Laser.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has struck Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with a solid hit using Will There Be A "POP" Sound?!.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with his Bear Hug attack.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with her Pellet Rifle attack.

The plan to siege Israfel.2 does not go off as such. Its huge lumbering body proves surprisingly quick, as it /leaps/ over Andrew Graham's attempt to man-hug it. It's still held down for Latooni, though -- by Tommy Drask's flamin' axe, which briefly tethers the entity enough for Latooni to swoop in and try to cut its beating heart out.

And it sort of works, too. As the beastly Angel thrashes around, creating new fault lines in Japan in the process, Latooni's blade cuts its core in two, causing that 'blood' to spew out again, /all over the Fairlion/ like it was at some sort of Satanic Splash Mountain. Tommy's axe tether begins to falter, though, and Israfel.2 suddenly thrashes free, its split core sucking lifeblood back up like a magical vacuum tube. It grabs at the chain stuck in its head and attempts to /swing/ Tommy at Latooni. It's using tools. Next... they'll be able to open doors.

Meanwhile, Israfel.1 attempts to murder the shit out of Aoba still. It thrashes and thrashes like a big thrashing jerk, as Johnny Domino's Chimera grapples it (and rips its rifle free in a spurt of gore) and Aoba's huge cannon punches a hole clear through its belly, narrowly missing the Chimera's robot thigh. The thing lashes out with both arms, attempting to do the incredible -- clothesline the Chimera and the Nana at the /same/ time. Hulk Hogan would probably be proud.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has attacked Latooni Subota, Tommy Drask, Aoba Tsuzaki, and Johnny Domino. Synchronized Claw added to their queue.

<Radio: A - Chat> Misato Katsuragi sputters, "Cutting the core in half... that's /it/!"

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck a devastating hit on Latooni Subota's XAM-007S Fairlion using Synchronized Claw.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck Johnny Domino with a major hit using Synchronized Claw!

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask, suddenly, "Ahh, crap, Latooni! This thing's too huge, I'll end up breaking her apart!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "--"

<Radio: A - Chat> Andrew Graham transmits, "Young man... I don't even know."

<Radio: A - Chat> Isamu Dyson transmits, "Nice!"

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck a major hit on Tommy Drask's Great Knight using Synchronized Claw.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has counter attacked for a minor hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Glory Blade.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has missed Aoba Tsuzaki with her Synchronized Claw attack.

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota says, sounding dazed, "I will be fine."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Under these circumstances, it's tough to be more gentle about it... sorry, Lat."

<Radio: A - Chat> Isamu Dyson transmits, "...Nice."

<Radio: A - Chat> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "..."

Sparks rise up from Eva-02's arms as the Vic Viper rests its mechanical hands on her unit's waist. "W-what are you doing to my Unit-02?!" she shrieks.

But the sensation is not painful; in fact, it's warm. Asuka can only watch as her unit's armor stretches to cover the area previously exposed by the Angel's earlier attack.

Asuka lets out a small, disapproving hmph! Did he really think that she needed his help? Her Unit-02 was stronger than that! "I'll handle this!"

The pellet pistol, which had missed not just once, but twiced, is dropped as Asuka races forward. Her unit lowers to a running crouch as she approaches Aoba's fallen spear, and then immediately seizes it. This time, Israfel.2 won't be able evade her attack!

And while Israfel attempts to spin Tommy into Latooni, Asuka launches herself at the Angel, Aoba's spear readied and aimed at the second being's core.

<Radio: A - Chat> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "-- oh god she's moving, I'll, uh, I'll just wait back here."

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Polearm added to their queue.

Johnny Domino grapples and wrestles and struggles and squirms and grinds and rubs and thrusts and -- the boy manages to pull out at the last second. His rifle, that is.

"AHA!" The Chimera raises the Pellet Rifle triumphantly above its head. EYES ON THE PRIZE, BOYS, WOOHOO!

Then the Angel sends the Chimera flying, deep gashes forming in its exoskeleton. The Pellet Rifle slips out of the bio-unit's grasp, lost once more. There's a pained cry from the pilot, transmission crackling and breaking apart. Eventually the Chimera makes an abrupt landing in the ocean. With a large SPLASH, salty-waters are sent gushing in every direction, forming a mini-tsunami that laps at the already-destroyed coastline.

The bio-unit flails, trying not to sink, when-- huh. Johnny blinks, realizing he's lying in shallow water. Or, rather, shallow for the gigantic monstrosity Domino is currently piloting. Well, dang.

The bio-unit pushes itself up to a sitting position, face dripping. The thing's once majestic mane now hangs like wet barbed wire, making the thing look like some pathetic furry kitten. And then, oh, crap again, WHERE IS JOHNNY'S PELLET RIFLE NOW?! With frantic urgency, the beast begins wading elbow-deep in the water.

There! Johnny found it! Straightening up and recovering the item from the depth, Domino's heart ceases its festivities and sinks. He didn't find the Pellet Rifle. He found Asuka's Progressive Knife! GODDAMNIT SON OF A CREEPAZOID ON A STICK ARGH!

Peel the potato, Johnny, peel the potato.

Huff. Puff. Rrrgh. --wait, wait!.. maybe, huh, yes. Maybe Domino can work with this. Hmmmmmm...

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "Asuka, I found your Knife."

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "I'm gonna borrow it, thanks!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "W-what?! Bring that back here!!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "Who said you could use /my/ unit's progressive knife?!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "Finders keepers!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Misato Katsuragi says, "Not the time, kids, settle it /later/! We think we're onto something down here!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "T-that's /stealing/!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "Aha! Aha! See Asuka? We need to shut up now! Right away, sir ma'am, shutting up now!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino may or may not be smug.

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota transmits, "I cannot do this again, Fairlion is almost destroyed."

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "Oooh....!!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota says this over a nails-on-chalkboard harmonic whine.

<Radio: A - Chat> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "If you can get over here, I can patch you up!"

The moment the Angel grabs at the chain, the ANCESTOR SPIRITS of the previous pilots of the Knight clue Tommy in to what's about to happen. He reacts with admirable alacrity - Infernus springs apart, the shield dangling loose as Tommy pulls the Glory Blade, stabbing it down into Israfel.2's arm and /twisting/, trying to hack it right off, before...

Crrrunnnchhh.

"Urraaaghh!" The larger Great Knight makes it through the robot-on-robot contact better off than the Fairlion, but there's still nothing fun about it.

No matter what the radio may indicate.

Despite his greatest efforts, Tommy plows down into the city, smashing through a warehouse complex before he can come back to his feet. He stabs the Glory Blade down into the road, righting himself. The cape of light cracks... and bursts into a mantle of flame. "You can't just smash around my bros and not expect me to get PISSED OFF!" The Knight lifts up... and explodes forward, light blasting in twin pillars from the boots (but not damaging anything! way to go, robot built to defend people). The Flame Shield locks onto the Knight's wrist as it holds the Glory Blade ahead of itself like a spike. It angles away from the second Israfel, aiming back for the first.

"I'M ON A CRUSADE!" Light explodes from the tip of the sword, spiraling down across the entire length of the Knight. "STRIKE TRUE, THIS LIGHT! SHINING... GLORY DIIIIVE!" He tries to pull up right after, carrying the Angel with him. "And now... GREAT GLORY BUSTER!"

Tommy and the Knight come to an abrupt stop, all the golden light built up from the charge exploding up into the air - with the Angel right at the focal point?! Super Robot pilots really need to settle the hell down.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Shining Glory Dive - Great Glory Buster added to their queue.

Andrew may not have had much impact on Israfel, but it is not for lack of trying. He is thrown clear during the thrashing that results from Latooni's attempt. So far is he thrown that, for once, Andrew cannot close to melee range quickly enough to strike effectively. He begins his approach, resorting to the only ranged weapon he hasn't unloaded already... CHAFF GRENADES. Lumber Gundam's forearm opens up and looses hundreds of confusing chaff grenades. So many, in fact, that even the ostensibly biological or divine senses of the Angels might be confused by all the shiny paper and minor explosions. Andrew keeps it up as he closes to murderin' range, his body dripping sweat and the trace suit colored faintly pink all over from tension and stress injuries. It really has been too long since he fought. Deep inside the Lumber Gundam, the strength-boosting systems designed to let him lift whole forests on his massive back are kicking in. They only function properly when the machine's been damaged enough, as a safeguard to prevent their reckless and unnecessary use. Andrew feels they may indeed become necessary soon, and he's already begun looking around for the necessary supplies to carry out a Plan. Like the previous one, thinks Andrew as he scoops up a length of streetlight that's been blown out into the water by the Angel's death beams, it is not a particularly GOOD plan.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Chaff Grenade added to their queue.

Fairlion is tiny for a robot. Great Knight is not. Latooni, already suffering from trying to get away from the blood spray just in case it's acidic or something, takes the hit across Fairlion's entire upper body with a metallic shearing noise and a series of explosions.

Its left arm is missing entirely after that, and that side of the body seems twisted and dented. Latooni, in her cockpit, is still safe - but the machine is barely operating, and she's lost half her weapon systems.

Latooni flies up, up, up - it looks like she is trying to escape the fight, but at the apex, some distance away and quite a ways up, she hovers, looking at the two Angels below. Okay, she tells herself. Okay. This is just like you did in the Fight against the swarms. Do it just like that. It will work fine.

Latooni flips the Sonic Breaker systems of the Fairlion forward, long projections over its shoulders. The left one sparks horribly but still activates, albeit with a horrible resonance to the sonic shield that should not occur; it sets her teeth on edge like fingernails on a blackboard.

Then she dives, pulling up at the last minute. Latooni tries to literally plow through the closer of the Angels and then keep going, trusting to her forcefield to protect her; she doesn't have enough momentum to go all the way through the other, but she can strike with the sonic wave at least.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Sonic Cutter added to their queue.

When something big is running at you with the intention of clotheslining you, there is but one proper way to react: you duck.

The Nana-Two falls into a crouch, allowing the angel to run by right overhead. "Ha! You'll have to do a lot better than that!" The barrel of the rifle is still smoking, and Aoba doesn't want to risk firing it again... especially not without solid footing. The fact that her first shot hit so well was nothing short of a miracle. The barrel is quickly pulled off the end of the rifle, and both pieces are locked onto the Jinki's back. Now, where did that spear go?

Aoba loks this way and that, and lets out a noise of protest when she sees where it had gotten to. "Hey! Be careful, that's not just any normal spear!" Not to mention that she never deactivated the Harken mode... hopefully the Evangelion won't cut itself. "Mmph. If you wanted to use it, you could have asked..."

Now spearless, and not ready to break out the blade after seeing how quickly this thing seems to recover, Aoba lifts both hands toward the roof of the cockpit. "Alpha Ball!" Those with any mental sensitivities will probably be able to detect some pulses of telekinetic energy coming from the Nana-Two, as well as a spherical object approaching from somewhere offshore. As the object gets closer, it appears to be... a soccer ball? Without turning toward the ball, the Nana-Two does a neat backflip, striking its plated foot against the ball in midair and launching it at the head of Israfel the second. "Shooooot!"

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Alpha Ball added to their queue.

"Don't freak out," Leo assures Asuka, as the repair process nears its completion. "And it's--" Handle this? Wait, what? "Handle this? Wait, wha-- oh God," Leo gapes, as Asuka charges into melee again. So much for that plan. "Uh..."

Leo considers getting closer to the Angels for about a third of a second before he decides that's a terrible, terrible idea, and the Vic Viper merely turns to face the two Israfels again, cocking back its right arm. Yellow energy coalesces into its hand, and it thrusts its entire arm forwards towards the distant Angels.

A Gravity Bullet erupts out of thin air towards Israfel.1. A beat later, it's joined by a second as the Vic Viper repeats the motion with its left arm. And then a third, with the right again, and then... you get the idea. Five blasts in all cut across Tokyo-03 towards the first of the two Angels, carefully placed to just slip by all the crazy folk in melee with the thing.

COMBAT: Leo Stenbuck has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Gravity Bullet Storm added to their queue.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with her Alpha Ball attack.

COMBAT: Leo Stenbuck has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with his Gravity Bullet Storm attack.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has struck a major hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Shining Glory Dive - Great Glory Buster.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has struck a solid hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Sonic Cutter.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has struck a glancing hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Chaff Grenade.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has missed Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with her Polearm attack.

As it turns out, Israfel the second doesn't really have a head, so much as a big hunchy curve with a face plugged into it. It ducks just slightly, and Aoba misses accordingly, rolling down the beast's back. At the very least, it's a moment's amazing fun in the midst of heated combat.

As Aoba has Super Happy Fun Slide time, Asuka has Awful Terrible Missing With Polearm time, the second Israfel swooping casually out of her path and attempting to brain her with a punch to the EVA's head in the process as it passes. This attempt is stopped, though, by Tommy Drask hitting it so hard and so furiously that its arm literally flies off, severed completely and flopping around on the ground. It destroys most of City Hall in the process.

Chaff grenades explode around Israfel.1, which unfortunately seems to screw with the Vic Viper's ability to target it as much as it screws with the Angel itself. The gravity bullets choom into the landscape, ripping deep gouges into the ruined cityscape. As this happens, though, Latooni Saboota crashes downward, and her sonic cutter produces terrifying results -- lopping off most of the Angel's hunchback, causing it to slop onto the ground in a great giant mess.

The two wounded Angels lope around like the cripples that they are, their recovery seeming to slow a bit as they attack whatever's nearest with huge, wide beams -- in this case, Johnny Domino and Tommy Drask, miscreants both.

Meanwhile, Misato Katsuragi is screaming on the radio: "Each of them only has HALF OF THE CORE! You have to take out both of the cores AT THE SAME TIME!"

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has attacked Johnny Domino and Tommy Drask. Angelic Chorus added to their queue.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck a solid hit on Tommy Drask's Great Knight using Angelic Chorus.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami has struck Johnny Domino with a major hit using Angelic Chorus!

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "Alright-- I'll aim for the grey one, with Gloria!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "I'll aim for the other one with /Asuka's/ Knife!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "N-no!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "This is my fight! Outsider miscreants like yourself should not be involved!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Latooni Subota comes through with the painful whine in the background. "You cannot do it alone if we need to do both at once."

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "I won't let him outdo /me/!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask takes a deep breath... and puts on the /actor voice./ "Please, Miss Sohryu... consider this a well-deserved break for all of your hard work. Let us shoulder this bloody burden, for this one night."

<Radio: A - Chat> Johnny Domino transmits, "What he said."

<Radio: A - Chat> Asuka Langley Sohryu transmits, "You don't think I can do it, do you?! I'll show you what Eva Unit-02 is capable of!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "I don't think she's buying it."

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "(U--uaagh! Charm Technique had the opposite effect!)"

<Radio: A - Chat> Tommy Drask transmits, "(...a formidable girl.)"

S-she missed?!

"This isn't fair! Why can't you just stay /still/?!" Asuka's high-pitched and high-strung voice rings through the comm as she leaps right past the side-stepping Angel. She lands with a crunch, the force of her landing raising granite up off the ground. Chunks of granite-rock take out some of the low-level windows of the building.

There's only a moment's hesitation before she races back to her target; this time she won't miss.

"Listen to me," she says to her unit. "Just do exactly what I say!"

Asuka leaps towards Israfel.2, Aoba's polearm readied, and with a shout, attempts (once again) to shove it straight through the Angel's core.

But maybe this time, actually hitting its intended target.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Polearm added to their queue.

Tommy Drask descends back to Earth, his cape looking especially grand and flowing. Linked to Tommy's emotions - right now he's feeling extremely confident, so his cape looks extra-radical. He whips the Glory Blade through the air, clearing it of nasty Angel blood - and finally touches down, feeling the beam coming on. "Not gonna work--!" He pulls up the shield.

The beam refuses to deflect. The Flame Shield takes the most of the blow, but the beam still refracts into him. A few holes punch right through the the Great Knight, and Tommy cries out, feeling it like spears through his body.

But he outlasts, and when the pain stops roaring through him, he hears Misato's entreaty. Both cores... at the same time? "Alright, Johnny. you've peeled the potato... now let's /peel this bitch./" He'd be grinning, if the Knight's almost-entirely obscured face bothered to show his emotions. Tommy slams the sword into the shield, forming Infernus, and cries, "FIRE AND ICE!" as he flings the axe straight up.

Glacius follows soon after, chasing the axe down and slamming into it. The axe folds over, the spear-point extends through, and red and blue light spirals around the halberd, Gloria, as Tommy charges up after it. The spirals transfer to the Great Knight as he takes hold of the weapon. "Right for the core..." He loops back, and around...

...and charges, crossing the battlefield with incredible speed, weaving in and out of everyone. Waves of ice roll out to his left, fire to his right, stubbornly holding true to the Knight's purpose and refusing to damage the surroundings. "GLOOOOORIAAAAAA!" The Great Knight slams at the center of Israfel.1, the grey one, with all its might. A /flaming pillar of ice/ explodes up behind it.

"May God judge you to Hell!"

The pillar shatters.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Gloria added to their queue.

It's both of them.

Latooni very nearly hits her own forehead after that - she /should/ have been able to tell. It is, in retrospect, obvious. Hindsight is always 20/20.

Latooni joins in the melee pileup on Israfel.2. If she still had both arms and both legs it would be a pirouetting dance. She doesn't, so it's more a rather acrobatic rampage with her remaining (spike-heeled) foot and the arm knife; she is trying to free it (with her much more precise strikes) so that Asuka can splatter it.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Cripple Dance added to their queue.

Having claimed Asuka's Progressive Knife, Johnny Domino sketches up a quick plan in his mind. It goes a little something like this:

"Pellet Rifle gone, not good, without weapon can't use tentacles, if I tentacle stuff, NERV will waterboard me -- wait -- Knife is also weapon, goes stab instead of pew pew, hmmm, they didn't say I can't use a knife, holy shit, I think I'm gonna use the knife, yes, and this time I'll STAB them (because it's a knife) and --"

About that moment, Johnny sees the Angels being reflected in the knife's blade as they do... /something/. It is a sad state of affairs, for while Domino was looking for his Pellet Rifle in the water, he ended up with his back to the enemy. "..what the..", Johnny mumbles, squinting at the reflection of the Angels, slowly drawing the blade closer to the Chimera's eyes as he tries to figure out what the two creatures are doing.

Oh hey, they're shooting at him.

-- SON OF A BITCH THEY'RE SHOOTING AT HIM!

Chimera drops down, Johnny ordering it to dive underwater so as to avoid the beam assault. SPLOOSH, the bio-unit disappears underneath the liquid surface. The good news? Chimera managed to avoid the brunt of the attack. The bad news? The beam hit the water instead, causing the temperature to hit boiling point at record speed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!", Domino screams as he feels himself getting cooked. The various whales and dolphins who tasted delicious freedom shortly before are now tasting delicious in their own right. Yummy.

However, the only food on Domino's mind is a potato. A naked, glistening, pure-white potato. Bursting out of the ocean, Chimera roars, spraying seering hot droplets on the surrounding environment. "These hot potatos are GOING DOWN, TOMMY!"

Johnny Domino charges, Progressive Knife coming down.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. I stole Asuka's Progressive Knife because she carelessly dropped it in the ocean and now I'm also going to steal her glory by stabbing at an Angel's core and causing it to explode and shower Tokyo-03 with Angel blood and guts thus saving the world from destruction because as God is my witness I HAVE PEELED THE POTATO added to their queue.

The Alpha Ball flies wide, and keeps flying, off into the distance. Since it missed the goalie (target) does that mean that Aoba just scored a goal? She'd have preferred to peg the Angel, though...

Not letting that get her down, she reaches to the side and runs her hand along a series of switches. "Preparing for.. huh?" She pauses as a radio broadcast fills the cockpit. "At the same time. Right!" The Nana-Two leaps into the air and leans over enough for Aoba to properly see what's going on below. She sees several blades going into Israfel.2, and not as many into the other one... so her decision is made. "PHANTOM!" A small cloud of chaff is released from the backs of the Jinki's legs, and it 'steps' down onto it. As soon as the plate-covered feet touch the chaff, the Nana-Two is propelled forward at blinding speeds. "Glittering..."

As it flies overhead, another puff of chaff is released, and kicked off from, the Jinki changing direction without losing any speed... only picking more up. "Dragonfly..."

Several more changes of direction are made, with the Nana-Two Way pinballing back and forth in the air, before it finally shoots straight downward, one foot extended to ram in between the pillars of fire and ice that are assaulting Israfel.1. "KIIIIIIIICK!"

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Glittering Dragonfly Kick added to their queue.

Andrew closes in on Israfel.2, and raises the streetlight he's picked up over his heaqd. He then begins wailing on the massive angel repeatedly with it like a chair to the back of an unfortunate entertainment wrestler's head. It is probably barely enough to even draw the thing's attention, but its attention is just what the Canadian Gundam Fighter needs. Lumber Gundam, and its pilot, are in poor shape. Even Andrew is slightly fatigued, and lumber has seen better days. The machine is sparking with electricity, hovering over the water, raising its pole and whacking away in an effort to start a fight. Over local comm, he transmits goading language, trying to provoke a fight: "Hey, I've seen meaner things than you in hockey fights! Get down here or I'll eat you." It may not be an idle threat, Andrew did not stop for coffee and timbits on the way from /space/.

COMBAT: Andrew Graham has attacked Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami. Gundam Wrestling added to their queue.

COMBAT: Aoba Tsuzaki has struck a major hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Glittering Dragonfly Kick.

COMBAT: Latooni Subota has struck a minor hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Cripple Dance.

COMBAT: Johnny Domino has struck Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami with a solid critical hit using I stole Asuka's Progressive Knife because she carelessly dropped it in the ocean and now I'm also going to steal her glory by stabbing at an Angel's core and causing it to explode and shower Tokyo-03 with Angel blood and guts thus saving the world from destruction because as God is my witness I HAVE PEELED THE POTATO.

COMBAT: Asuka Langley Sohryu has struck a major critical hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Polearm.

COMBAT: Tommy Drask has struck a major hit on Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta using Gloria.

Knock Out! Rei 'Israfel' Ayanami's Alpha and Beta unit has become disabled!

Today, everyone learns something about... teamwork. As the melee side of things piles up on Israfel.2, Israfel.1 has to contend with the secret and horrible power of what happens when Johnny Domino learns how to not screw up a team-up. The results are predictably catastrophic for the enemy, showing, perhaps, that Johnny D. really did have the power /within/ him all along. Either that, or it's just good luck for Tommy Drask that it's Israfel's potato who got peeled and not his. The topless -- literally topless, as it head and shoulders look like they've been sliced by a sushi chef -- Israfel half is peppered with gunfire by Johnny Domino, distracting it as a /flaming pillar of ice/ erupts out of Tokyo-03's probably-radioactive earth and shoots up /through/ the creature, impaling it and bursting its core with a horrific /splack/ sound.

At that exact same moment:

The melee pile-up on Israfel.2 is like a perfectly balletic car wreck on the interstate. Andrew Graham's wrestling moves the armless creature into place, and Latooni Suboota's spiked foot and bladed arm cut its chest to ribbons, effectively creating a hollowed-out and oozing bullseye around the pulsing core. Then, the real message about teamwork gets delivered.

At the exact same moment, Asuka's spear (actually Aoba's spear) and Aoba's foot (not Asuka's foot at all) crash into the other Israfel's red core and squash it between them like a grape. It's a beautiful example of pinpoint precise timing.

And it is followed by a grotesque display of what is apparently 'Angels getting super space cancer and popping like zits.' Blood shoots everywhere, if what the creatures have can even be called that, their cores leaking red fluid all over anything they happen to face (which includes everyone but the cowardly, craven spacenoid Leo Stenbuck, setting his people back about 50 years). Their bodies wriggle and seize, and begin to bulge outward, as if being inflated with an air pump...

...and then they /explode/, their hides splattering in all directions, necrotic holy blubber and foul-smelling blood raining from the skies. Tokyo-03 is saved -- and destroyed -- once again, and as the battlefield settles, a rainbow begins to form in the sky.

And you can read more about that in /the Bible/.