View source for The Battle of Midway

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/07/21
|Location=Midway Fleet Base <MFB>
|Synopsis=The Midway Fleet Base finds itself under attack from a new and dangerous enemy.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=112, 225, 281, 316, 359, 385, 432, 438, 494, 513
|Tinyplot=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����The Midway Fleet Base might have noticed some submerged vessels passing a good distance out now and then during the last few days. What they were, however, would be extremely difficult to determine, particularly since most of them would be no larger than a person if discovered. None of them went near for very long, however, and nothing ever approached the base afterward.<br /><br />����Until today.<br /><br />����Several vessels have begun to approach the shore, but every single one of them is very deep underwater. Surely not submarines; what use would they be in attacking a base like this right now? On top of that, five of them are truly enormous, easily the size of aircraft carriers and battleships, with several much smaller forms approaching without any real formation around them. It's not until they come within a mile of the base that they surface, breaching the water and letting their massive forms be seen.<br /><br />����They aren't like anything that's been seen before. Parts of them resemble female humans, though they're ghostly pale and obviously gigantic. Savo, the Airfield Princess, emerges from the water's surface with a pleased, excited smile, taking up the rear and hovering just above the ocean (http://tinyurl.com/mxemm7j); in front of her emerge Rossel, the Armored Carrier Demon (http://tinyurl.com/l543bcz), and Anchorage, the Anchorage Demon (http://tinyurl.com/lemhlnk), their mechanical bases snarling; and flanking the two of them emerge a pair of Flagships, a Ru-Class Battleship (http://tinyurl.com/oj9mlhq) who bursts out of the water with her arms raised and /slams/ the heavy walls of guns down as if the water were solid ground, and a Ta-Class Battleship (http://tinyurl.com/qdvyeot) who leaps up and twirls before landing on the water's surface in a braced crouch. Even more dark shapes are approaching from the ocean, but these, while numerous, seem smaller; closer to a human's size, compared to the ship-sized giantesses already standing or hovering on the ocean's surface.<br /><br />����Savo grins as she looks out at the base before calling out to her allies. "Alright! Remember Samar's orders; we raze this place to the ground and see if we can get any info on whoever it belongs to. That's secondary, though. Mostly we just want to make sure /everything/ dies. Preferably with as many explosions as we can manage."<br /><br />����Rossel, Anchorage, the Ta-Class, and the Ru-Class all reply in booming assent, "Understood!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:112|Yamato (112)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����With the old raid sirens winding up to their distinctive howl, Mikase Yamato dropped the books she was carrying and ran straight for the docks. It's pretty easy to see what the source of the alarm is, after all-the enormous ... MONSTERS on the horizon. Mikase comes to a halt, skidding to a stop on the dock and just staring at the creatures as they emerge, her jaw slack.<br /> <br />����Not Elvari. But /what/? With a 'tch', Mikase sets her jaw, teeth bared. She breaks into a run right to the end of the pier and then leaps the railing. In midair, she's surrounded by light, her clothing changing, metal materializing on her hips, arms, and shoulders. When she hits the water, the girl sinks in to her knees but then stops just as suddenly as if she had hit concrete, the force putting her in a hunch for just a moment. Hauling herself upright, the Maiden of the Yamato advances, her main battery turrets sweeping upward, water pouring out from the ones that had briefly submerged when she landed.<br /> <br />����< Surface vessels form line ahead. Prepare to show your broadside. General attack. General attack. ><br> <br>

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Even coming from a few worlds away, Yuna emerges from the warpgate as quickly as she can get there, already in the mermaid-style armor of her Marine Form ...<br /><br />Then doubles back to the surface to gawk at the size of the approaching forms. Also how monstrous they are, but it's mostly the size she's reacting to -<br /><br />And then Yuna disappears underwater again. It might look like she's fleeing in terror - and truth be told, she really kind of WANTS to - but more than that, she wants it to look like she really is running away. Hopefully the approaching titans aren't paying any more attention below the surface than the Elvari have tended to ...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:316|Sarah (316)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>  Reserve Captain Sarah is here. She probably looks extremely out of place wearing her layered Harmonian dress in the midst of a military base. For once, she didn't teleport today, because this isn't somewhere she's visited previously. Fittingly, she looks pretty winded, having jogged here through warpgates and other means.<br /><br />  She's still on the shore, because while she could use cheating water magic to go meet the enemy over the deeps, there are people here who probably need to be evacuated. Or at least stirred into shoring up their defenses. That explains why she's striding urgently through the base; stopping here to dismiss non-essential personnel, or advising soldiers there on what best they can do to work with the particular defenses she has in mind.<br /><br />  For now, though, she remains where she is, looking out to the water where those hideous things approach. Those pale, almost colourless eyes narrow very slightly. Through the water, she can feel how strange and foreign those things are; how wrong and foul they are. It leaves her with the equivalent of a bad taste in her mouth. Although the Rune is quiet, for the moment, even she can sense it recoil from such /wrongness/.<br /><br />  Negotiation is probably not going to accomplish very much, here. Those things have come with a single purpose in mind, and that is to destroy.<br /><br />  Calmly, Sarah strides out until she stands at the edge of the water, clutching her staff in both hands, and she takes a deep breath as her eyes flutter closed. And then she silently invokes the True Water Rune.<br /><br />  Like a dragon uncoiling, the power awakens within her, and she finds herself murmuring softly -- lost words, forgotten words; the language of the Sindar. It helps her to focus, because what she's about to try would be taxing even in the best circumstances.<br /><br />  And what is that?<br /><br />  Attempt to freeze the water that surrounds the giant ship abominations -- as solidly as she can manage. She doesn't make any attempt to damage the creatures, though. Her only intent right now is to slow them.<br /><br />  She does raise a hand to Yamato as the girl flings herself seaward, though. And Yamato might find that the water, while trying to thicken and congeal around the Abyssal Fleet, does not slow /her/. Or any of her Union allies, actually.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:359|Elasaid Hood (359)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Air raid sirens? What happened to the more smooth Stream Alert Klaxon? Elasaid grouses softly as she drags herself out of bed, opening her door before coming up short. "What in th'name o'all that's holy?" she asks noone, then sets off to the dock at a run. She doesn't even slow down as she approaches the railing, hurdling it as she slams her fists together in front of her. "Ventis Secundis!" She's enveloped in blue-white light, and splashes hard into the water, sending a gout of water into the air. As it recedes the Hood is standing there in her full regalia.<br /><br />����<Hostile fleet on radar. Sound Battlestations. This is not a drill. Show our broadside and prepare bracketing fire. Interval of three, five, seven. Load torpedo racks and watch for hostile air power.><br> <br>

:'''{{#var:432|Arizona (432)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����You what's awful? Wasted food. The very thought of that piping hot plate of pasta sitting in her room was making Arizona's blood boil. It was the first time in months that she had gotten everything together to have a really nice meal, and not something from Mess Hall, that was going to be delicious, and she only got one bite. ONE! It'd be COLD by the time she got back! You know how awful it will be after its microwaved? DO YOU?! NO YOU DON'T DO YOU!? RAAAAAH<br /><br />All thoughts within the Fleet Maiden's head as she lunges from the docks toward the water. A flash of light, a splash of water, and the maiden of the same name would be following in Yamato's wake. Its only once she hits the water that she gets a look at what decided to come selling Avon products or -- wait. ".. What the hell?!" Nope. Forget this. "Screw talking to these bastards! FIRE EVERYTHING!" And then she does just that. Its pretty loud, you know?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����With little warning, a black and white torpedo breaks free of the surface of the water. Oh, wait, no, it's not a torpedo, but the shape is similarly sleek. Just... far girthier. It's a Killer Whale! And it's clearly fleeing the zone of ice by SLIDING ITS BELLY OVER IT and into unfrozen waters, moving further and further from the Abyssal Ships.<br /><br />����Once the creature's back into clear waters again, it slips just beneath the waves and rushes towards shore, dorsal fin and upper body occasionally breaking the water's surface!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:225|Alexander Grey (225)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Alexander, as luck would have it, as just been standing by the water, smoking a cigarette. While he's not exactly -trusted- by the base personnel, they know he's got -some- sort of relationship with Alba, so they've been letting him stick around as long as he doesn't do anything too creepy.<br /><br />����Of course, with the navy coming into view off in the distance, he's definitely going swiftly down the list of the Creepiest Things In Midway Fleet Base. "...Huh. Would you look at that. Looks like we've got work, Bride."<br /><br />����He pauses for a moment to flick his cigarette into the water - and then promptly dives down after it.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:281|Rider (281)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>An invading fleet of ships who are also gigantic girls, and none of it is her fault. What she is doing in the seas here is anyone's guess, but there is a small magenta-haired figure just standing on a floating platform of wood out in the ocean. <br /><br />"Well, well! They're too tall to be the Fleet Maidens. Some new kind of ship, maybe..." Rider collapses her spyglass and tucks it into a pocket of her coat. "This should be fun." She glances to the side as the water's temperature seems to fall, but the wooden platform she's standing on just raises about half an inch, enough to keep her feet out of the water.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����The Killer Whale's been making progress towards shore. As luck would have it, the creature's managed to almost get there when its eyes lock onto the nearby Alexander's figure.<br /><br />����Swooping about underwater and doubling around, pulling up alongside Alexander, the whale emits a questioning squeak noise and a shriller cry of alarm that echoe-burbles hauntingly underwater.<br /><br />����Alexander won't be able to really explain it, but he gets a distinct sense from the way the whale wobbles in the water that it's saying 'Danger is that way! What are you doing?'<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:225|Alexander Grey (225)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Alexander just gives the orca a grin. He does... not seem too surprised that it suddenly swum up next to him. Maybe he saw it before? "Oh, danger like that is my line of work," he answers Finna. ... By speaking underwater. It kinda comes out gurgly but FInna can probably hear just fine.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����As if it UNDERSTOOD that, the killer whale now click-whistles and brings its body around and comes up UNDER Alexander, giving him a perfect opportunity to grab on.<br /><br />����He'd get the sense that's exactly what it's just told him to do too.<br /><br />����Assuming he does so... with a great whip-crack of its sleek yet thick body, WHOOOOOSH. Off they go, towards the Abyssal Ships, just below the surface!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:438|Rosamarie Alba (438)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����"Raid...?" says Rosamarie, puzzled. Why didn't she hear a warning of a stream detected? Automatically she checks her phone, then quickly accesses the schedule. No announced drill, nothing. So it's an unannounced drill, a screw-up, or something really unexpected and dangerous.<br /><br />����She gets enough from naval crews over slacking off already, she's not about to invite more. Rosa breaks from her room, pulling a windbreaker over her tank top for modesty rather than for any need for warmth. She sprints out towards the water, skidding to a halt as she sees what's coming. Not Elvari... something else. Something new. Shaking her head, she raises a hand into the air, then lowers it a few inches as she clenches a fist. "Albacore." she murmurs, magic cloaking her in a shimmering black shadow. Windbreaker, tank top, jeans, all gone now. Replaced by a form-fitting wetsuit with dulled black plate armor around her fists, her head, her feet, her chest.<br /><br />����Albacore jumps, following only slightly behind Yamato. Unlike the dreadnought, she doesn't land on the water. She dives instead, breaking the surface, then returning up to the surface once again, powering at speed towards the oncoming fleet.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����It's Ru and Ta who notice the arrivals first, blazing yellow eyes suddenly turning down to fix on the (relatively tiny) oppositon. Their expressions suddenly turn sour, shifting out of the violent anticipation they held before as they turn back to their Capital Ships. Ta is the first to speak. "Savo! We have Fleet Daughters approaching from the base!" Then Ru: "It looks like they're here with unknown allies, probably /not/ Fleet Daughters."<br /><br />����Savo frowns where she sits, her form hovering above the ocean. "What, seriously? We're not even /on/ their world - oh, look, sounds like they're hailing us." The Airfield Princess sighs, drumming her left hand along the edge of her 'throne' as she talks to Yamato over the radio. A few moments later, she smiles again. "Okay! Everything's sorted out. They're...Fleet Maidens, apparently. Same basic thing, so let's get to it, alright? Ta, Ru! Lead and start whittling them down! Rossel, Anchorage! We're going to send them a few presents from over here."<br /><br />����Those vicious grins return to the twin battleships as they turn back toward the base, but before anyone can open fire, it seems Arizona has already started. Cannons blast, and Ru has to shift to bring her twin walls of metal in front of her as a shield. Most of the shots crash against her 'hull', but at least spare her more fragile body. Ta is not so lucky; the Ta-Class Battleship, more agile than the Ru-Class, tries to 'skate' to the side to avoid Arizona's fire, but Sarah has already begun freezing the ocean's surface. Not much of a problem for the floating Capital Ships, but Ta and Ru have to walk. Ta is frozen, and before she can free herself, Arizona's shots blast into her torso, drawing a shout of pain...but without any blood. Her body is visibly pierced, but there's nothing from it! How strange.<br /><br />����"This is ridiculous," Ta hisses, raising her gun-filled arms and beginning to fire her own shots in retaliation, raining down battleship-scaled ordinance on the Union and allied defenders. Ru just smirks aside to Ta as her own guns open fire with loud reports. "What's wrong, Ta, can't deal with a little ice? I thought you were the mobile one!"<br /><br />����As shells rain down over the opposition, Rossel and Anchorage continue to hang back, Rossel smirking and Anchorage continuing to simply glower. "Let's go, Anchorage," Rossel asides to the Anchorage Demon, wiggling slightly where she sits in her mechanical base. "Time to give them some more to worry about!" Anchorage is silent, save for a low grumble. The two carrier ships open the glowing maws of their lower halves, then, and from them fly about a dozen bizarre aircraft (http://tinyurl.com/nt4ctx9) that sweep up and then dive down toward the defending forces. Their front-mounted guns open fire, showering the Union and allies with bullets to match the artillery of the larger ships.<br /><br />����Thankfully, Sarah's interference is making it difficult for the other ships down below to approach. She's bought some time, but it looks like torpedos are being fired underwater to break the ice.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:112|Yamato (112)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Across the island, various naval vessels are already pulling out of their berths. The USS Missouri, re-activated in light of the Elvari attacks, pulls free first, followed by a pair of destroyers who quickly overtake her in the formation. An anti-air frigate and cruiser follow, cruising to either side of the Mighty Mo. While the support ships prepare for air defense, the battleship's turrets swing around, elevate, and open fire with great plumes of smoke.<br /> <br />����Closer to the engagement itself, Yamato sights carefully with her own guns. When one of the huge shells descends her way, she pushes her hands out with a flare of white light. That shell impacts the glow, flashes, and then explodes violently. Shards of glittering white fly behind the battleship maiden, but when the smoke dissipates the core of her barrier is still intact.<br /> <br />����< Range 4000 yards, match Arizona's target. Spread fire, elevations 32, 35, 38. All guns, fire! ><br /> <br />����Following the girl's own mental commands and the actions of her guns, the Yamato's cannons speak in plumes of smoke and flame. While comparatively a lot smaller, those shells explode with force that's nearly the same as their full sized contemporaries.<br /> <br />����< Reload, fire again-- ><br /> <br />����And then a sound causes Yamato's brain to lock up. Pupils shrinking, she shoots a look to the sky, spotting incoming aircraft. The girl instantly shrieks in terror. The numerous gun batteries on her shoulders and hips all swing around, filling the air above her with bursts of shrapnel. During this sudden chaos, her main battery reloads, the barrels elevated as high as they can go. One at a time, the main guns fire, adding fans of shrapnel and blazing magnesium rods to the storm of shredding steel already surrounding her.<br /> <br />����"--STAY AWAY!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:225|Alexander Grey (225)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����And suddenly Alexander is lifted out of the water by a killer whale. He looks down in surprise for a moment, then whoops, laughing. "Alright! This is better than Sea World!" she shouts out, as Finna swims towards the melee. Alexander tries to direct Finna more towards Ru - entirely arbitrarily - as he closes his eyes for a moment.<br /><br />����Then...<br /><br />����"The Industrial Marionette!"<br /><br />����A voice speaks out of the air around him. It hisses, and has a very odd reverb. It sounds... vaguely female. <span style="color:red">"DANCE, PUPPET!"</span><br /><br />����To the eyes of the ghost ships, tendrils of ice-white ectoplasm shoot out from his fingers, clearing the distance from his body to one of Ru's gun emplacements in a fraction of a second.<br /><br />����Then the gun starts to turn to face towards Ta... and fire.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Yuna was in such a hurry to get out to Midway that she didn't even wait for Elner, just for Marina - and the little robo-faerie triggered her Light Suit as Yuna needed to transform, so she didn't think too much of it at the time. On the other hand, right now, she really wishes Elner were here with its sensors and analysis capabilities.<br /><br />No point in dwelling on it, though. Particularly not when she has shells sinking into the water - the first couple of impacts on the surface prompt a curious glance upwards, followed closely by alarm as she realizes what's HAPPENING up there ... and she dives deeper still, skimming along the bottom as her armor's tail flicks to propel her through the water. She's aware that her friends really need help, but the weaponry she currently has at her disposal isn't going to make much of an impact on the Abyssal Fleet's apparent commanders ...<br /><br />What she CAN do, though, is try to protect the ice barrier that Sarah created, and keep the smaller Abyssals from breaking through it too easily. Or at least, that's her plan until she hears Yamato freaking out.<br /><br />Yuna's first attacks of the fight are a spread of microtorpedoes, skimming the ocean floor even more closely than Yuna herself is until they're past the ice floes - and then they rise towards the mini-Abyssals who are chipping away at the ice, ten miniature warheads ready to blast the opposition ...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:432|Arizona (432)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Return Fire! When the Abyssal ships start to unload, Arizona throws up her own barrier, deflecting the firepower sent her way. The barrier manages to withstand an impact, the shell sending Arizona 'skidding' backward along the water, but it's as she's about to fire again that she hears something. "GET THOSE AA GUNS GOING!" While a broadside rings out, a moment later the sound of a ton of AA guns can he heard firing at the 'planes' sent out. Its as they're firing that Ari actually moves toward Yamato. Cover? Probably. Hopefully she won't get shelled by her ally.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:438|Rosamarie Alba (438)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Albacore begins by following Yamato and Arizona. She's not bristling with weapons like them, instead being limited to seemingly just a pair. A long gun scaled like a sniper rifle and an autocannon scaled like a machinegun. It's the former which she pulls forward first, sighting and beginning to open fire.<br /><br />����She lacks the devastating firepower of a battleship, but her weapon is far more effective than its small size appears. Rosamarie's power isn't like theirs; a flash of magic and a large explosion. Her attack is more subtle and much more concentrated. Power channeled into a series of single bullets rather than an array of explosive shells.<br /><br />����The attack from Albacore is, however, little more than a feint. As return fire streaks in, the submarine maiden takes action. <Ten degrees down-bubble. Go to periscope depth.> <Periscope depth, aye!> <Rudder hard left. Now five degrees down-bubble. Come about to 270 and increase speed gradually to flank.><br /><br />����Albacore shimmers, fades almost entirely from sight, then turns away from her fellow Maidens. She begins to head on a course bearing almost straight for the enemy fleet, falling behind as Yamato, Hood and Arizona continue on to their own optimum firing solution. She breaks away slowly at first, trying to make sure the movement of her shadowy form is less obvious until she's far enough away from the others to allow her motion to go more unnoticed.<br /><br />����Unfortunately for Rosa, the slow departure means she's in range as shells begin to fall on the Maiden battlegroup. Shrouded by her magic, Rosa's not entirely within the same reality. Shells find no solid contact to explode against. Penetrating rounds pass by rather than tear through. She's still hit, still hurt, but the pain and the damage is a distant thing, unreal. She lacks the powerful barrier just as she lacks the raw firepower of a battleship... but her magic serves well in its difference.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:359|Elasaid Hood (359)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Hood folds her arms, falling into formation with Yamato and Arizona. She's watching the hostiles moving, mentally reeling off trajectories and firing solutions... and that's when the huge car-sized shells start raining down. Hoods eyes go wide as she suddenly starts to backpedal.<br /><br /><All hands, brace for impact!><br /><br />����The shell slams into a previously invisible barrier, and smashes straight through, exploding against the girls underlaying armour. She skids back in the water, then topples backwards, yelping as she's sent over.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:281|Rider (281)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Despite the otherwise nice weather, a storm begins to brew. Off in the distance, thunder rumbles.<br /><br />"Mmm?" At the sound of a scream, Rider turns to look toward the fleet. "Oh. Huh." She rubs at her chin a moment, then taps her foot twice against the wooden platform she's standing on. "Guess it's time."<br /><br />All around her, the waves begin to get rougher and wilder, the Servant remains steady, arms folded calmly as she bobs up and down atop the water. Rider begins to hum softly as the wind picks up and the sea spray spatters against her coat. <br /><br />The weather starts getting rough.<br /><br />And then, in a surge of water, a small ship explodes up out of the waves, with Rider standing atop the deck. "Right, then. Can't have you terrorizing everyone like that." Despite the waves around her, Rider stands firm on the tiny ship as it's tossed on the waves.<br /><br />A buzzing sound echoes briefly as the small motor powers up, sending the ship directly toward the incoming undead fleet. There doesn't appear to even be a crew on the ship, but it seems to fearlessly battle against the rough seas as it approaches.<br /><br />Rider lifts her hands to her mouth and calls out loudly, "Hey, you carriers! INCOMING!" The ship suddenly accelerates to high speeds, faster than it probably should be able to go, and Rider leaps off the deck, performing a neat flip in the air. As the ship careens toward the Anchorage, those with good eyesight may see the name printed on the side of the prow: S.S. Minnow.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����And then, things get weird.<br /><br />����If Alexander's paying attention to his strange mount, he'll see symmetrical strips of flesh down its back, just forward of the Dorsal Fin, ripple like liquid... then EXTEND OUTWARD. These thin, long extensions grow a joint in the middle, and then...<br /><br />����THEN, a wave of black feathers sprout from the top, white on their bottom, spreading like a wave up onto the beach.<br /><br />����The winged(?!??!?!) Killer whale picks up some speed in the proper direction - right towards Ru, picking up on the cues - and then spreads those wings, flapping madly.<br /><br />����In a matter of moments, despite its considerable weight and the physical impossibility of such a creature flying on wings, IT TAKES OFF, with Alexander on its back!<br /><br />����"Even here, the dead have to plague the living? Yuck... why can't they just stay in whatever underworld they swum out of?!"<br /><br />����The whale SPEAKS. In a female voice, no less. A sharper, lighter-toned voice than one should ever hear from a beast that big!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����The barricade provided by the Ru-Class can only be so effective, especially considering the two Capital Ships are so large. Yamato's counterattack strikes against Ru's barrier, blasting into the armored hull and beginning to wear it down, but a few shots fly past to hit Anchorage right in the chest. The shells explode against her, finally drawing a wince instead of a glower as the Capital Ship is sent back slightly from the impact. "...annoying," Anchorage hisses, directing her attention to Yamato and lowering the single long, giant cannon over her shoulder. Only a moment is taken to aim before it fires with a resounding report, forcing Anchorage herself to lurch back slightly from the shot. Yamato's attacks are shooting down the aircraft very effectively, soon whittling them into almost nothing, but will she be able to deal with that direct shell?<br /><br />����Regardless, Anchorage might have to deal with a few opponents at once. Her focus on Yamato means that she doesn't see the ship charging toward her until it's too late; Rider's vessel SMASHES against the lower jaw of Anchorage's mechanical base, striking up a metallic howl from the creature as Anchorage's whole mass shifts aside. Her hateful glare is sent across to Rider - but Rossel raises a hand as two of her side cannons turn toward Rider, firing a twin burst of shells at the small target. "Ah, you're already occupied, Anchorage. Allow me."<br /><br />����Ru and Ta aren't faring too well, themselves. Ru is an excellent barricade, but she's also an excellent weapon, and Alexander quickly makes use of that. Before she can react, one gun is turned aside and fires on Ta, blasting a hole in the battleship's arm. Ta cries out in pain, stumbling to the side and at least managing to free herself from the ice. "-Ru, what the /hell/?!" Ru looks completely baffled. "That wasn't me, I swear-"<br /><br />����Savo interrupts with a frustrated shout, bouncing anxiously in her seat. "Shut up and go in there! Ru, smash them! Ta, blast them away!"<br /><br />����The two battleships comply, and only then do they move. Ru, the slower of the two, focuses her attention on Arizona; in rush, she crouches, then /leaps/ forward, raising one wall of guns and metal to bring it crashing down on top of the Fleet Maiden! Ta, meanwhile, focuses on the...strange flying thing that Finna has become, opening fire with anti-air guns as she starts to strafe along the ocean's surface with remarkable speed for her size.<br /><br />����Meanwhile, under the water, the dim light is pierced by several cyclopean blue lights. It's a fleet of half a dozen Ka-Class Submarines (http://tinyurl.com/kd4en8o) trying to break down the ice, though several other lights can be made out in the murky distance. When Rosa dives down and Yuna opens fire, however, their attention diverts. Three rush toward Rosa, the mouths tucked under their arms opening to launch black torpedos at the submarine Fleet Maiden, while the other three dive lower to meet Yuna, assailing her with the same force to match.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:225|Alexander Grey (225)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Alexander's concentration is pretty much broken immediately as his mount suddenly takes to the air. "JESUS! What the hell -are- you, anyway?" he says, in a voice halfway between surprise and laughter. Ru swiftly finds she can control that gun aagin, the ectoplasmic tendrils fading away...<br /><br />����They're being fired on! Alexander pats the orca's flank. "You gonna be okay on your own? ... What am I saying, of course you will." And then... he jumps! "Really should've packed a parachute!" he calls as he sails down towards Ru.<br /><br />����He does actually get hit. AA rounds pierce his body and come flying out the other side... but he doesn't bleed. Instead, the holes in his body fill with a misty white substance...<br /><br />����He aims to land atop one of Ru's 'shoulders'.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Problem number one: The submarine ghosts have noticed Yuna.<br />Problem number two: They're shooting back with torpedoes of their own.<br />Problem number three: Now that Yuna can actually see them, they are *SCARY* and it's all Yuna can do not to freak out - particularly with the torpedoes headed her way.<br /><br />Fortunately, Yuna has the presence of mind to 'summon' the Matrix Divider, the rifle/sword hybrid-ish weapon materializing in her hands, and bolts of focused, concussive light start ripping through the water - initially in an effort to blast the torpedoes before they can get close enough for the detonations to hurt her. If the Ka-class sub-ghosts are trying to maintain a steady barrage, Yuna will go so far as to try and shoot into the 'torpedo tube' mouths ... maybe she can detonate something inside?<br /><br />And the ghosts are freaky enough that she kinda doesn't care if she hurts them, she's FAR more worried about herself and her friends ... and despite Yamato's request, she doesn't have a whole lot of attention or focus left to offer up prayers, except for a silent plea to a couple of the kami whom Yuna personally venerates and prays to.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:432|Arizona (432)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����What do you do when a wall full of guns starts to fall toward you? You get out of the way. While the thought crossed Arizona's mind to just shoot it until it was deflected, for once she decided that firepower wasn't going to be the answer. She breaks into a run to her right, lunges, but ends up geting tossed by the massive wave created when the arm comes down! Thankfully, she doesn't end up on her back or under the surface. "Ugh.." Radio noises. "Wait, you're going to do -that-?!" How did that even work anyway! Pause, climb, once she's on her feet she tries to focus on enabling Yamato to do what she wants to do...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:359|Elasaid Hood (359)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����It takes a few minutes, but Elasaid drags herself, soaked and coughing, onto the shore. She kneels there for a few moments, before turning her attention back out towards the combatants.<br /><br />����The maiden doesn't do anything, or so it seems, but her willpower stretches out towards Yamato, and she lets her power flow out to her. "All me power's yers lass. Take it."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����When the whale sees the barrels turned her way... erp. The anti-air fire tears into her flesh, which is much easier to do than tearing through metal. But that whale blubber and thick skin isn't like human skin. It's much tougher than it looks. ALL of the bullets penetrate, drawing blood, some blowing clear through. The creature exhales through its blowhole then... well, that high-pitched noise is very likely a scream.<br /><br />����Unfortuantely, Alexander, MAYBE it won't be so okay. Blood pours from dozens of little wounds, and the creature's wings have taken the worst of it. The newly-formed limbs have lost plenty of feathers, and are drenched in blood. It can only sort of lopsidedly and inelegantly dive back towards the water. But as it does so the beast reorients itself. Silver fire BURNS from within those wounds, sealing them from within and... pushing the bullets that lodged in its guts clear out in a matter of seconds. Then the creature hits the water again, the great wings shriveling back inside its body as if they never existed.<br /><br />����The whale now has a new mission... find the submerged Elasaid Hood, and bring her to the surface!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:281|Rider (281)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As Anchorage glares at her, Rider just lifts a hand and waves it with a broad grin on her face. "Never seen one of you before... You're actually ships, are ya?" Not like... hmm. As she hears Yamato's words, Rider concentrates for a moment. "Not sure how much this is gonna help, but... give 'em all you've got, Yamato." Fortunately, that ice covering the water provides her with enough of a foothold to land and run. The first shell from Rossel strikes just a few feet to her left, and the force of the impact is enough to send her flying away from it as the ice shatters. "Whoof!" At least the blast knocks her away from the second shel, but the Servant lands in the cold water with a splash.<br /><br />When she resurfaces, she looks a little singed, but that grin is still on her face. "Fine then! Be that way! If I bring up something big, you'll probably have it sunk in no time! So..." So she takes a breath and dives.<br /><br />Just a few seconds later, Rider launches up from the water a short distance away, propelled by some mass of wood and metal just below the surface... that quickly crumbles right away. The propulsion is enough to send her high into the air, and she clings onto the Ta before she plummets back down again. "Gotcha!" It takes a bit of climbing up the ghostly clothing and a few jumps to get her to the top of the battleship, but she soon takes perch on Ta's shoulder. "Now then!" Rider reaches over, placing one hand against Ta's neck... and focuses. There's a force of will, then, strong as a battering ram, pressing against Ta's mind. "I'm your captain now, girl! Why don't you show me what you've got?" These ships have to be at -least- as powerful as a legendary beast... and Rider's face visibly shows the effort of even attempting this takeover.<br /><br />The Servant's free hand points toward Savo. "All guns, open fire."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:225|Alexander Grey (225)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Alexander is never alone.<br /><br />����He may be focused on the physical world around him... but the one who shares his soul, the Weeping Bride, Death God of Remorseful Suicide? Her senses stretch out into the metaphysical world.<br /><br />����The one called Yamato. She wants power? Alexander trusts her. So the Weeping Bride will lend her power.<br /><br />����Tendrils of ectoplasm, invisible to everyone except possibly Alexander - possibly - seek out the Fleet Maiden, as the Weeping Bride, for the first time since joining with Alexander, turns her attention to someone -else-.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:112|Yamato (112)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����On the water, Yamato pushes her hands out to call up her barrier again. Still panting, she overcomes her initial terrified reaction once the cloud of aircraft is significantly reduced by the freakout she'd just experienced. Something that, even now, she's embarassed about. With smoke pouring from her guns and support batteries, she braces herself against Anchorage's counterattack, the heavy shell slamming into the Barrier and exploding violently. As before, a spray of glass-like white shards scatters behind her, and as the smoke clears, the Yamato's famously strong barrier shows many cracks through it.<br /> <br />����She can't fight them like this... But the alternative, how would she even go about it?<br /> <br />����Slowly, Yamato draws herself to her full height, lifting her hands. Taking a deep breath, the girl bows her head. It's a classic prayer pose, specifically in the form associated with Shinto practice. She claps her hands twice and then keeps them together. The armor and guns covering her body suddenly disappear, though she starts to move forward even though she's not actually walking. She can feel it, somehow. The gathering energy donated by her companions. She doesn't notice, at first, the solid feel of steel under her feet, though the girl does look down when she feels herself lifting up.<br /> <br />����With a great explosion of seawater, an enormous behemoth of steel and guns erupts from the ocean, breaking the surface at an angle and leveling itself as soon as it's broken the surface. Water runs off the deck, pours from the doors and portholes of the unmistakable pagoda superstructure, drains from the upraised guns on the iconic three-gun turrets already swinging out over the side in conjunction with the smaller batteries already elevating into position. The entire shape shimmers like a hologram, but is very real and very, very heavily armed.<br /> <br />����Standing on top of the bridge, Mikase keeps her hands clasped together, though her eyes open. Muttering quickly, she recites only a single order: "All batteries, fire for effect."<br /> <br />����Small guns fire first, the 12 and 14 centimeter guns targeting the closer Ru Class, followed by the 20cm two gun turrets amidships. On top of the bridge, Mikase twists her posture and thrusts one hand out, fingers splayed, with a shouted kiai. In an instant response, the massive 46cm guns erupt, hurling shells weighing more than most cars not at the two frontline battleships but at the Airfield Princess herself, the one called Savo, who appears to be the leader of this formation.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:438|Rosamarie Alba (438)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����An idle thought strikes that part of Albacore that's still Rosa. 'Oh wow. That must be what I look like to others sometime.' Of course she's not quite so much glowing evil nastiness, but there's something pretty terrifying about a submarine firing at you... or three of them.<br /><br />����Albacore's in her element though, so to speak. With her rifle set back along her back for proper streaming speed, her only weapon is her fists. Well, that and the micro torpedo launchers in each. <Conn, sonar. Torpedos inbound> <Right full rudder! Flank speed evasion... cut engines. Left full rudder, engines back slow.> The incoming torpedos have a hard time with Albacore's evasive actions. Her magical shroud defends her by making her less real, less present for anything to impact. That includes sonar. If she's got time to get out of the way, unguided munitions have no chance of reaching her.<br /><br />����As Rosa drifts backwards, her body remaining pointed at the onrushing subs, she lifts her fist out before her. <Fire tubes one and two.> <One and two fired and running hot.> A ripple of dark magic streams out before Rosa, silent and compact. Her attack's unguided but discreet. Something that her opponent might not even notice until the moment of impact. And those little torpedos are hell on anything, warship or flesh. A shaped blast of magic geared to penetrate armor and rend magical shielding, the torpedo is more metaphor than physical construct. Still, should it hit, either warhead could prove devastating.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:359|Elasaid Hood (359)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Elasaid slumps down onto her ass, panting softly as she watches the younger Maiden pull out the Greatest Battleship the world has ever knwon. "Give 'em hell, lass... It might be time this ole' girl retired."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����"Just my luck." Quips a playful voice from behind Hood. Wait, when the hell did ANYONE get back there? Hard to say, but a white-haired woman who looks far too young to have hair that color - some of it a greyish black in no discernible pattern - has crouched up on the beach and is watching the fight, her jaw gaping a little at this sudden display. "Some kind of sorcery I've never seen... fitting counter for those spectres. GET 'EM!"<br /><br />����But after that shout, the young woman sprouts a little grin and asides Hood's way, "Aww, you're a few dozen years too young to even think of that? But those noisy weapons are nasty... surprised you even survived. How bad is it?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Thankfully for Alexander, Ru does have an actual shoulder, and it's large enough for him to land on as she rises from her crushing strike upon Arizona. The battleship notices him, of course, but there's not a ton she can do from here besides glaring angrily at him. "What the...get off of me!" Thankfully for Ru, Ta is now no longer occupied with the bird...whale.../thing/ that was flying around, and turns her blazing yellow eyes aside to her companion. She steps over, raises one gun-covered arm, and /swings/ it down on Ru's shoulder to try and smash Alexander. Of course she strikes her companion in the process, forcing Ru to buckle to the side with a cry of pain. "OW! That /hurt!" Ta just smirks. "Yes, and now we're even."<br /><br />����Though it seems Ta has her own boarding problems. She feels the light tug of Rider grabbing onto her clothing and turns to try and see where the Servant is, but she just can't reach around enough to do so. "Hey, what are you doing-!" The giant battleship flails, trying to shake Rider off, but the Servant endures and reaches her neck. Ta suddenly freezes, and after a moment, she turns to face Savo with both arms raised and her battery of guns aimed right at the Airfield Princess. Savo, Rossel, and Anchorage stare at Ta in confusion. "...hey. Hey, Ta, what do you think you're doing-"<br /><br />����Savo's question is immediately interrupted as the report from Ta's guns fills the air, blasting shot after shot at the Airfield Princess and sending her falling back quite a distance with a pained scream. Anchorage is the first to react: her mechanical base raises one huge, muscular arm before /punching/ Ta right in the gut in a downward slam, smashing the battleship down into the water with a huge wave from the impact. The battleship isn't /defeated/, not quite yet, but it's going to take the now-flailing Ta a moment to surface after that strike.<br /><br />����The splash and the shattering of ice happens to send a wave through the water where Yuna and Rosa are dealing with the Ka submarines. Already Yuna's slashes cleave through torpedoes and even blast away one submarine, the Ka's glowing eye fading as she sinks to the bottom, and Rosa's assault sinks another pair of them in silent defeat. The wave from Ta's impact only sends the rest rolling through the water before they can properly retaliate. On the plus side, this means that Rosa and Yuna don't have to deal with torpedoes for a few moments. Unfortunately...they now have the giant, swinging arms of Ta to deal with as she flails to try and get upright and resurface.<br /><br />����There are more problems on the surface, though. Savo's looking pretty damaged from the assault she suffered, with holes in her body and a scorched blasts in the hull of her base. She waves away the smoke hanging around her as a result of those many explosions...just in time for Yamato to make her grand entry.<br /><br />����Savo, Rossel, and Anchorage all just stare agape at the massive ship for several moments. Where did /that/ come from?!<br /><br />����And then Savo suffers another assault, this one /far/ more powerful than anything a Ta-Class could pull off. The Airfield Princess' shouts of pain ring out as she's obscured in the explosive debris of Yamato's attack. When it finally abates, she's looking terrible; cannons twisted, hull blasted, body torn and burned. But Savo is still above the ocean's surface, and the glare she levels at Yamato's ship is one of absolute hatred. "Fire," she snaps at Rossel and Anchorage, who both take a moment to look back at her. "FIRE! FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE /FIRE/!"<br /><br />����Hearing Savo so desperate, panicked, and /enraged/ is enough motivation for them. Rossel and Anchorage quickly turn about and fire their cannons at Yamato in rapid counterattack, while Savo braces her right arm with her left hand and angles the maw attached to it down at Yamato. It's not the gun on top she attacks with, though.<br /><br />����The mechanical mouth fills with crackling red energy, whirring as some sort of force is built up...and then Savo fires it off. The red glare encompasses the entire combat zone as a s<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����The mechanical mouth fills with crackling red energy, whirring as some sort of force is built up...and then Savo fires it off. The red glare encompasses the entire combat zone as a single gigantic beam of death incarnate rushes for Yamato's vessel.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:359|Elasaid Hood (359)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Elasaid is used to people sneaking up on her. Rosa's a culprit just from her nature, and she's been in the Multiverse long enough to meet ninjas and other stealthy types. Finna's arrival doesn't make her startle as it might others, she just shrugs a bit. "I'm still young, lass, but th'Hood's an old ship... maybe its time she let th'young'uns take over." she offers, glancing over at her new companion.<br /><br />����The respite is short lived, as Savo starts charging that big beam cannon. Elasaid hauls herself up, plants her feet and /RIPS/ the air in front of her. "VENTIS SECUNDIS!" A flash announces her redeployment, and she crosses her arms before her, powering her barrier to full. The glowing blue-white of the shield protecting both herself, and her companion.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:225|Alexander Grey (225)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Alexander is pretty quick to start berating Ru now he's on her shoulder. "What are you -doing- here?! You shouldn't be-"<br /><br />����And then... gigantic shipgirl arm coming down for him. He yelps, raising both hands. "Stigmata Shroud!"<br /><br />����<span style="color:red">"DEFEND!"</span><br /><br />����The ship girls might get a brief glimpse of blood rushing up around his body, before he's flattened against Ru's shoulder.<br /><br />����And then... after a few moments, he stands back up, dusting himself off - and leaking quite a lot of that white, misty substance now. "Aaaas I was saying. What are you doing here? You don't belong here!" His voice... has an odd tinge of Authority to it. As if he knows exactly what he's saying is True.<br /><br />����There's no magic involved. Alex is kinda tapped out now. He's just trying to appeal to Ru's inner ghostness.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:432|Arizona (432)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Desperation as set in. The amount of firepower that is being sent toward the Maiden's is enough to get Arizona to wince. Its Yamato's radio that snaps her out of it, "I can handle my-*EXPLOSION* Ohhellf@#$it!" For once, the hot-blooded woman slips behind someone else, readying herself for one last massive salvo. For once she actually considers firing solutions and trajectories. For once she wants to -anihilate- something rather than just rain destruction down upon it. For once, she's planning. <br /><br />����The Abyssal fleet should just run now.<br /><br />When she rushes out from under the Yamato's shadow, the flurry of reports from her guns is coordinated. A trio of blasts is sent toward the Anchorage's critical areas! She's trying to take out her weapons, her systems, heck even her mobility could be in trouble. Arizona is -focused- right now. Report after report will sound, and while others may focus on the leader, Ari wants to bring down the biggest thing she can!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Suffice to say, Yuna was *NOT* expecting one of the Abyssal 'leaders' to start thrashing about like that, particularly in any kind of proximity to her. Fortunately, the pressure wave from the first swipe pushes Yuna away - but the turbulence which follows it? Not REMOTELY so helpful.<br /><br />The best Yuna can do is dismiss the Matrix Divider and try to catch Ta's arm on the backswing, wincing in anticipation of the impact - and if she DOES manage to grab hold without simply being batted flying out of the water, her next move is to pivot her torpedo-launching 'ponytails' into attack position and send a full spread at the inside of Ta's elbow, for whatever good it'll do. It's not the most focused of barrages ...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:112|Yamato (112)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����As the primary target of Savo's rage, the mighty Yamato is far too slow to do anything silly like EVADE. Evasion's for destroyers. Battleships are made out of steel and armor and solidified stubborn attitude. Shells impact the vessel's armored hull, exploding, denting, but not piercing. One shell of note skips off the gunhouse mantlet of the #1 turret, flipping end over end several hundred yards past the ship to hit the sea harmlessly behind it. Shots that strike the superstructure have more success, but still only gouge small damage compared to the Yamato's immense size.<br /> <br />����That powerful beam follows, carving across the water and into the ghostly battleship's hull, sweeping upward and then aside. Something amidships explodes, one of the tertiary gun turrets, taking several of the secondary emplacements and anti-air emplacements with it. But the vessel still floats, stubborn in its denial of the Abyssal Fleet commander's wishes.<br /> <br />����Protected upon the bridge by her own Barrier Armor, Mikase raises her hands, "Reloading! Type 94, High Explosive Fragmentation! All guns--" Thrusting out her hand once again, "FIRE!"<br /> <br />����The forward turret opens up first, its cannons firing one by one in a staccato discharge of heavy smoke, flame, and visible concussive waves as they launch their two ton projectiles. Once the three guns of the #1 have fired, the #2 turret's guns fire, again one at a time. The secondary battery's turret picks up the slack once the #2 is done, and then all the surviving amidships batteries until it's ended by three more 46cm rounds from the aft #3 turret. And no sooner does the Yamato's aft gunhouse fire its final round that the #1 turret has finished reloading. The bombardment continues, sustained, for several long, thundrous moments.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:281|Rider (281)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As Ta flails about, Rider just laughs merrily. This is -not- as easy as she tries to make it look, but appearances are important. She'd like these ships to think she's doing this effortlessly. "Good girl! Keep it up!" <br /><br />But then Rider very quickly finds her ship literally punched out from underneath her. She remains floating in the air for just a second before beginning to plummet again. "Why do you all have to be so -tall-!" A pause. "...nice legs, though." <br /><br />As she tumbles down, down toward the waters, Rider lifts one hand high overhead. "Culverin Cannons!" THUMP. Her descent is suddenly halted as she lands on the deck of a wooden ship. Well... part of a wooden ship. There's only a few dozen feet of the side of the ship, and about a yard of deck, but the Servant throws her arm over the railing to pull herself up. "Gotta take out the big gun there. Looks like that one salvo didn't do it." A flick of the wrist materializes a flintlock pistol in her hand, and she opens fire, sending several musket balls toward Savo.<br /><br />They might not do a great deal, but it's the four cannons on the side of the ship below her that back her up with their own firepower, each of them sending a round of cannonballs flying toward the gigantic cannon at Savo's side.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����"Walking out into the snow to die is not what a warrior does, if they can help it." Finna declares simply and matter-of-factly, clearly displeased with this line of thought. She stands up, stretches, but in the middle of the gesture freezes in place.<br /><br />����And for those who can see it - that being, perhaps, anyone paying close, CLOSE attention, her tail wags about once or twice, then stops too. Her icy blue eyes are focused on the distant battle - and WHOOOOSH. Off goes Hood. "... heh." Grinning, Finna RUNS FORTH onto the water. Her feet splash with silvery light periodically when they touch the sea, but that's not the part best watched. No... instead, she reaches behind her body, pulls out a bow and single arrow and takes a flying leap, nocks the arrow, and... FWIP!<br /><br />����The tiny projectile doesn't look like much, but it behaves quite strangely. The arrow SKIPS several times off the water like a well-chucked stone, then SLAMS into the Yamato's spiritual hull and BOUNCES OFF at an IMPOSSIBLE angle, flying straight for Savo's main weapon!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:438|Rosamarie Alba (438)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Perhaps unusual for an anthropomorphic submarine, Rosamarie can't breathe underwater. Submerging is more a metaphysical act than a literal one, and in terms of underwater ability she's more dolphin than shark. Sleek and deadly, sure, but the surface is her domain rather than the literal depths.<br /><br />����Having downed two of the twisted little submarines, Albacore heads back to the surface. She ignores the remaining one, at least for now, though her sonar keeps track of the submarine as a background note in case it comes around for another torpedo run. No, Albacore has another target in mind. Maintaining her semblance of stealth, she breaches the surface amidst the flailing limbs of Ta.<br /><br />����Taking advantage of the chaos, discretely from as close as possible to Ta, Albacore opens fire on Anchorage. It probably will fool no one, but perhaps Anchorage will mistake the source of the attack as yet another friendly fire incident. It's not friendly fire though, it's armor-piercing warship-killer torpedos. About as unfriendly as you can get. She's not firing two, either. This time it's four, fired at close range and in rapid succession at roughly the same point. Should any crack armor, the remainder should be able to strike into weakened or breached areas.<br /><br />����As the shots fly, Rosamarie is smacked painfully by a massive limb of Ta. It's the risk she took, getting within the circle of ships for maximum surprise value. It's something Albacore's done in the distant past, more than once. Usually it means fleeing hard and fast after that one salvo, but that's always been the submarine's way. Of course it's not a real submarine dealing with the outcome, it's a small armored girl. Her out-of-phase existence minimizes the damage, her magic armor absorbing some of the remainder, but still it's a small girl being swatted by the equivalent of the hand of a giant. Ow... and Rosamarie goes spinning and twisting out of control.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Ru looks over to her shoulder to find Alexander.../still there/. There's not much she can say right at that moment, because she has to bring up her arms again to protect herself from the salvos flying everywhere, but when she's relatively safe she still tries to roll her shoulder to toss Alex off. Faintly uncertain though her words are, she still snaps at him. "You're right. We belong at the bottom of the ocean, where people like /you/ sent us. But Samar brought us back, and she's giving us the chance to share our fate with all of you!" Ru winces slightly as shots crash into her shields, making her waver where she stands.<br /><br />����Ta isn't doing much better. While she's not susceptible to sinking like a normal ship, she's much more vulnerable underwater than on the surface. Yuna's attack actually manages to take off her weakened arm, sending a cry of pain rolling through the water as that arm tumbles to the ocean floor, though at least it doesn't give out any blood or gore. Rosa's gambit gets Anchorage's attention as well, and the annoyed and slightly terrified demon gives an enraged shout before her fist comes down on Ta /again/, sending the battleship deeper underwater. It's only Savo's furious snapping that makes Anchorage stop. "ANCHORAGE. STOP IT." ...but she-" "I. DON'T. CARE."<br /><br />����Speaking of Savo, her beam isn't nearly as effective as she'd hoped. The discharge finally ebbs away, scarlet steam seeping from the mouth beside her as she glowers at Yamato. Before she can fire again or even speak, however, a remarkably tiny projectile suddenly /slams/ into her gun, making Savo veer off with a yelp of surprise. Rider's cannons follow, sending the Airfield Princess even further back, and as if that weren't enough, Yamato's cannons once again obscure Savo in a hail of explosions.<br /><br />����Once it finally ends, the Airfield Princess looks like she's barely remaining afloat. Her main gun is twisted and blasted, the mouth leaking ichor and steam. Her human form isn't much better off, burned and blasted from the various impacts, and it even seems her landing strips have been ruined. Panting and gasping, Savo glares at Yamato and her allies...then looks back at the remaining Abyssals. "We're going back. Samar's orders. Come on."<br /><br />����The ships look to Savo, then back at the Fleet Maidens and their allies. Then, finally, the group begins retreating, slipping under the waves and, surprisingly, shrinking to a human size before swimming off into the distance. Glares are leveled (though the Ru-Class gives Alexander a curious look before she goes), but no more shots are fired, at least for now.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:225|Alexander Grey (225)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����As explosions are happening all around, Alexander tries to reason with the Ru. "But it's -wrong-. Isn't it? I know you can feel it! You need to -let go-. Pass Over, to whatever comes next. You can't cling to life like this!"<br /><br />����But, no matter what he says, the Abyssal Fleet is in retreat now. Alexander ends up in the water, giving a curious Ru a look of his own before she vanishes off.<br /><br />����"...Damnit."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:112|Yamato (112)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Mikase, standing upon the bridge of the ghostly Yamato, glowers through the gunsmoke as the Abyssal Fleet makes smoke west in retreat. It's only when they've submerged out of sight that the girl's shoulders slump and she lets out an unsteady, wavering sigh. Beneath her feet, the ghostly battleship shimmers and then begins to sink, though it takes up no mass underwater. It simply dissolves into the sea, disappearing back from whence it came.<br /> <br />����By the time the superstructure disappears, Mikase herself has been deposited in the water, floating on her back, exhausted, staring at the sky with half-lidded eyes. After a few moments, the fog of exhaustion lifts enough for her to realize two key facts: She's floating in the ocean and she can't swim.<br /> <br />����Instantly, the abnormally tall Japanese starts flailing, which disrupts her floating and causes her to sink. Somebody do something before she embarasses herself further.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:432|Arizona (432)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Considering Arizona had just unleashed hell from not to far away, Arizona notices when that ship starts to fade. To sink, and then Yamato is put on the water. "..." Rush over, "Hey, c'mon," she starts, offering a hand, if not taken, she'd work on picking Yamato up. <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����"How odd." Finna quips, from her point of having snuck up on Alexander. There's again no sign of the bow or any weapons at all, really. "Ghosts of ships, instead of people? Really?!" ... She frowns a litle. Lips twisting about in perplexion. "... Does the -- wha?!" With the big battleship demateriailizing and its sole occupant tumbling into the drink so inelegantly, Finna doubles over in laughter for a few brief seconds. "Such sorcery - yet she cannot SWIM!"<br /><br />����This is apparently just HILARIOUS. "Hrnn..." Tail wagging - and starting to get a bit damp from all the ocean breeze and waves (for anyone who can actually see it!) she rushes over the waves and dips a hand down. ... Somehow, standing on the water. Very lightly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:112|Yamato (112)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Yamato flounders for a bit until she grabs on to Arizona's outstretched hand. Instantly, she climbs up on the shorter American girl. Completely. Having all that armor and those four turret guns means that even a two meter tall Japanese has enough room to hide from DEVIL WATER.<br /> <br />����Clinging to armor and superstructure and guns, Yamato smiles sheepishly, "...Th-thanks, Arizona. Shore, please?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:432|Arizona (432)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Yeah sure, just hold on, ok?" Zona would reply before starting back toward the shore. Slowly. That is one massive battleship carrying another, heavier, battleship. Sue her for being slow. Go ahead. She'll pay the bill in shells. Rawr.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:281|Rider (281)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The wooden ship segment Rider is standing on vanishes, and the Servant begins to fall again... but before she hits the water, she just vanishes. There's not even a splash. <br /><br />But then, by the time Arizona and Yamato are in the shallows, soft splashes can be heard beside them. "Now that was a fun battle!" Rider's voice comes out of nowhere just a few seconds before her body fades back into being. "Good showing out there." The Servant gives a thumbs-up to Arizona and Yamato as she walks. "Didn't know you girls were capable of things like that."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:438|Rosamarie Alba (438)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Albacore, having delivered the good news to the invading fleet in the form of miniature bundles of explosive joy, does what any good submarine would do upon successful delivery of payload. <Right hard rudder, come about 170. Make turns for 2/3 speed, steady as she goes.> The little submarine girl comes about, heading back to rendezvous with the fleet.<br /><br />����It should be little surprise to anyone, well, anyone in the Fleet at least, that Rosa appears from almost out of nowhere right in the midst of Yamato and Arizona, not to mention their Union allies. She characteristically makes no issue about her sudden appearance WAY too close. "We really need to teach you to swim, Yamato." she says, her tone cool. "Unless you want to take my role, that is. Surface ships shouldn't sink."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:112|Yamato (112)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Once she's confident that the ocean floor is not 'swim, stupid' distance away, Yamato gingerly extricates herself from Arizona's equipment and hops off, then wades ashore on her own. This is not completed, at least, without an appreciative "Thanks, Arizona." Even though she'd said it before, too.<br /> <br />����She's too tired to jump when Rider just APPEARS like that. Instead, she raises a hand to dismiss it, "I didn't, either. Elasaid did it, but I had no idea how.. Thank you for giving me some of that power back so I could do it." The idea of using the Servant as a battery for her Fleet Mode flutters across her mind, but then flutters off just as quickly when Rosamarie teases her.<br /> <br />����"I float just fine when I'm deployed!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:432|Arizona (432)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"You're welcome," Arizona muses before flinching at Alba, "Stalker.." she grunts at the sub bbefore glancing up to Rider, "Ah well, we were also caught off guard a bit. Stick around, I half expect a Stream to show up now.."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:359|Elasaid Hood (359)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>����Elasaid offers a wave, as she sits where she stood moments before, her Deployment long gone.<br> <br>


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