07: Onwards! The Mettle of Trothkin are Tested, and Tales of Nemeses Collected

[gurrenbrigbonded]

(Backdated to Before Grand Unified Theory Mission, and Open to All.)

[1]

Some time has passed since the Gurren Brigade Tryouts. You haven't heard much about that whole business, despite the big Land Battleship with stump feet that follows the Chalice about.

But then, communiques are sent to all those who expressed interest in taking part in the grand activities of the Gender-Neutral Brotherhood of Manly Souls at the meeting: invites, to be precise! Invites inviting all honorary members of the Gurren Brigade to a military exercise, in which there will be tactical drills, maneuvering practice, a mock battle, and–for those who prefer other such things–free snacks, drinks, and pastries at the end of it!

Those who show up to the Dai-Gurren will find it's own hanger filled with some mechs– a Dorbek and Dogozzo IIC, Matthew's own Nova Messenger, the Juaggu...and a Dom Tropen, stumbling about the relatively cramped hanger like a drunken loon as three familiar people attempt to dodge out of it's way.

"Don't overcompensate!" Matthew shouts up to the Dom's open cockpit, backing away from it with Chandra and Eilena. "Let the mech move itself! Work in harmony with it's Earth Sphere self-balancing software!"



"Stop throwing Nova Cat claptrap at me!" Tynall shouts. "Why does this stravag junk-heap not have a neuro-helmet like actual, proper mechs?"

Help out?

[2]

It's tactical drill time! Want to practice anti-mech tactics? Want to practice anti-mech tactics without a mech of your own? Learn how to to dodge things? Show off?

[3]

It's mock battle time! Two equally balanced forces, advancing through, a hilly, forested region with a huge lake, asserting supremacy over each other with paint-rounds and dialed down lasers! Who shall prove superior?

Also, a certain individual onboard the nearby Dai-Gurren may randomly decide to bombard you all. With paint shells. We think.

[4]

It's snack time! A table of refreshments is nearby! Hor-devores, tiny, sugary pastries, and various beverages! It also happens to be on the prow of the Dai-Gurren, a three-barrel battleship cannon right above your head.

At one point in this quasi-party, Matthew, tapping a fork against a glass for attention, will ask you all:

"Friends, Comrades, Trothkin. If there is one thing we have gained in our time aboard the White Chalice, during great battles and fierce conflicts, in our many travels and constant roaming...it is stories. Stories of others, and stories of our own. And among these stories of ours, the most prevalent story, I have heard, is that of rivalry. Of personal conflicts against other individuals, set against each other by differing ideals and beliefs.

For those who feel comfortable speaking of such things, I ask: what nemeses have you fought against in your time here? What rivals and adversaries have you encountered, and what is or was the mettle of their character?"

Comments

[gurrenbrigbonded]

A few shots whistle past Matthew's cockpit. Instinctively, he raises the Nova's arm and blocks the next few round with it.

His jump jets light up, and he starts maneuvering to the left, bombarding your location with several lasers...from his right arm pod only, the other pod hanging limp.

[lastfeather]

[Matthew, the black and red quadruped soon rushes out of cover - it takes a few hits of course, across its arms and chest, you nail the anti missile system with your sim-fire and disable it too - you'll also notice the massive cannon on its back swinging over its shoulder to target you. There is now a gigantic paint round rushing towards your mech.]

[gurrenbrigbonded]

Matthew triggers his jump jets and soars upward, the round clipping his leg and giving him a simulated limp and a potential leg collapse if he touches down too hard.

He aims at the cannon unit and fires off a full Nova Burst, five lasers lashing out all at once at the cannon...and then again. The simulated heat-curve on Matthew's Nova begins to rise higher and higher, and actual heat in his cockpit starts to makes sweat run his collar.

[lastfeather]

[As it registers as dead weight, Ryou disengages the weapon. Matthew, you may wish to note that the Nevermore has now gained considerable speed as it has purged its dead weight.]

Got you.

[The weapon on the other shoulder swings down. Only this time it was firing off massive clusrters of paint rounds like a shotgun.]

[gurrenbrigbonded]

Ryou strategized well. With Matthew at the height of his Nova's ascension, his maneuverability is impeded as his Nova's jump jets struggle against gravity.

Which is why Matthew grits his teeth and shuts them off.

The Nova drops like a rock, taking only half the spray of paint, which brings is still enough to give it critical damage. As Matthew falls, he takes aim right at Ryou's own cockpit–

"Alright! Fire-Fire-fire-fire!"

Some maniac onboard Land Battleship Dai-Gurren launches a bombardment of paint artillery rounds towardsMatthew and Ryou's general vicinity.

The Shells impact all around! Paint is flying everywhere! And Matthew howls something inarticulate over the comms!

[lastfeather]

[And Ryou's purging the shotcannon as well to get even more manuevering speed! Of course the paint barrage ends up with him taking much more simulated damage and putting him in critical. His leg systems were 'crippled']

Great. Just. Great.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

Matthew, through desperate feathering of his jump jets, manages to land his Nova more or less intact...

And then the simulation settings on his mech computer decide that the 'enemy' and 'friendly' fire has crippled his hind limbs.

And the Nova falls onto it's back.

Raising his fist to the sky beyond his cockpit, Matthew calls out on open comm...

"Attenborough!!!!!!!!!!!!"