pawnstorm | DUNGEON ♛ HAVE A BALL (NOT LIKE THAT)

DUNGEON ♛ HAVE A BALL (NOT LIKE THAT)

HAVE A BALL (NOT LIKE THAT)
17 FEBRUARY (VIOLA) 2016

To quell the rumors and (one-sided) bad blood between the Heroes and the regular army, the Prime Minister has decided to settle the matter once and for all with a snowball fight at the Colosseum. Located on top of a mountain at the edge of Caissa, winter seems to have transformed the Colosseum into a fortress of frost, complete with stairs of ice along the mountainside that lead up to the arena gates. It’s a full house—the seats are jam-packed with people from all over Blanc who’ve come to see our Heroes in action!

Once the Heroes step inside the arena proper, they’ll find that this fight isn’t just any children’s game. The arena has been converted into a huge mirror maze made of ice so polished, you can see yourself. Inside, the best of Blanc’s soldiers lie in wait. What gives? Maybe if you reach the center of the maze, you’ll find your answer…

But first, the rules!

Participants are divided into two teams: Heroes and the Blanc National Army. Only Heroes, Blanc soldiers, beasts and mechanical units in the arena are regarded as players. Just what else could be in here with you? Well...
Once a player gets hit by a snowball, they’re out! They will automatically be removed from the arena via trap door into the arena’s underground (please note that this will be a different level from the hypogeum in Option 2 and will lead directly to the outside). This rule does not apply to mechanical units.
Once a mechanical unit can no longer function, it’s out! It will NOT be removed from the arena until the game is over.
Hitting players with snowballs and disabling mechanical units are the only valid ways to earn points. Each player hit or disabled mechanical unit nets the attacking team one point.
Excessive destruction of Blanc property and intentional injury of other living players is not allowed. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification and automatically remove the player from the arena via trap door.
The use of non-magical weapons is not allowed. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification and automatically remove the player from the arena via trap door.
When the boss at the center of the maze can no longer function, the game will end.

Now get out there and have fun! Your reputation is on the line!

All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.

"Haha, wow, a full house! Our Heroes are quite lively today, aren't they? Hey, you! Gooood luuuuck!"
"Don't waste your breath, Prime Minister. They'll need more than luck to best our own."
“If anyone needs snowball making tips, I’ll be hereeee!”
“Prime Minister…”

ONE ♙

Braving the ice mirror labyrinth is a test of both the body and the mind. The walls are 15 feet high and strangely impervious to fire magic. In fact, the entire maze is like a freezer, literally chilling everyone to the bone. If you ever get lost, we hope you brought something warm to keep you from freezing to the floor or the walls! It’s a very likely scenario, too; reflections in the ice do their best to both confuse your enemies and reveal their location. Unfortunately, the mirrors do their job so well, Heroes, soldiers, mechs and beasts alike are bumping into walls and walking (or sliding) in circles.

Yep, you read it: beasts. Scattered around the labyrinth are magical snow wolves, prowling around the labyrinth. They are most likely found in the outer rings, sniffing for our Heroes or chasing their own reflections. Don’t be fooled—taking them down is no walk in the park!

ENEMY ♟ Snow Wolf
Weak against Fire	Strong against Ice, Water	Immune to None
“Grrr…” These canine creatures are trained to chase off Heroes with their incredible SPEED. They are also capable of throwing SNOWBALLS with their tails and firing FREEZING ICE BLASTS from their mouths. One hit can turn anyone into a popsicle! In an attempt to one-up the yetis of Shatranj, Blanc has also trained these wolves to STAND ON THEIR HIND LEGS. Commander Lisbrand herself is said to have complained about the canine unit having too much time on their hands. Don’t fret! Although trained to attack, the wolves would never kill a Hero—especially if they bring RAW TREATS and BELLY RUBS!

TWO ♙

Everything is easy peasy, right? The good old dodge and throw that every child learns sooner or later. Except that whoever taught our Heroes didn’t include the possibility of enemies getting the jump on them. When Heroes least expect it, the trap doors bring reinforcements of soldiers and mechanical monsters into the fight from the underground. Better get ready to take them down!

Entering one of the trap doors—on purpose or accidentally—will lead to the hypogeum, another underground maze below the ice. Although made of stone, it’s filled with enough snow to supply both teams with ammo. Those who tried to memorize the labyrinth above in order to get around faster will have to redo their precious work: this maze’s layout is entirely different. If you thought Blanc’s budget wouldn’t allow for more ways to make you suffer, you’re wrong.

Traditionally used as the arena’s “backstage”, the hypogeum contains a huge network of tunnels and rooms used to hold both fighters and monsters. Wandering around the hypogeum will lead to the discovery of even more soldiers and mechanical monsters than in the ice maze above, so pay attention to who is coming up behind you and keep a steady supply of snowballs at hand.

ENEMY ♟ Blanc Soldier
Weak against None	Strong against None	Immune to None
“I thought what we had was special!” Fueled by envy, spite and suspicion, this soldier won’t go easy on you. Wearing LIGHT ARMOR to allow for FASTER MOVEMENT, this guy has absolute ZERO CHILL. He seems especially good at firing snowballs at A FAST RATE but his AIM seems to suffer every so often due to his GLASSES fogging up—a perfect opportunity to strike. Knocking off his glasses seems like a good strategy to win this, if you want to cheat a little. You might have to be careful, though. He is a trained soldier after all... If you manage to back him into a corner, you might just be at a range close enough for him to whip out his small but trusty SNOW BLASTER for a lucky shot. Even a guy with bad eyesight can get you from two feet away!

ENEMY ♟ Mechamon
Weak against Water	Strong against Lightning	Immune to Status Effects
“…vrrr…” Mechanical monsters proudly decorated with ‘MADE IN FISCHER’ logos. They come in a VARIETY OF SHAPES, from majestic bears to the exotic one-eyed ahriman. They move in a slightly CLUMSY manner and are prone to SLIPPING on the ice and snow. They shovel large amounts of snow into their oral cavities, which process them into (slightly lopsided and possibly with a dangerous spring sticking out) snowballs that reappear in their hands or mouths. Strike when they’re out of ammo! Be careful, since Mechamon limbs can still flail and leave bruises. They’re also fond of ATTACKING IN GROUPS, so Heroes might suddenly find themselves surrounded by packs, herds or flocks of these mechanical critters. Make sure to bring backup! If someone happens to get the bright idea to FRY the mech’s CIRCUITS, they’ll be bitterly disappointed. Rather than bringing the Mechamon to a halt, it will MOVE and ATTACK even FASTER than before. Hope you’re prepared for a barrage of snowballs!

THREE ♙

This is it. The final battle. Despite the utterly frosty weather, the very atmosphere seems to heat with anticipation. Muffled cheers from the crowd above are drifting down and the ground shakes as something begins to approach. This soldier must have had a Monday Mystery meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner to help them grow because no regular human could possibly be as tall or as heavy as whatever seems to be looming just around the corner. Cracks begin to appear on the ground and the sound of booming footsteps grows until…

An oversized robot shambles into the arena. Wait, what? Wasn’t this supposed to be between the Heroes and soldiers? There isn’t much time to fume and complain as the robot moves closer. Hoping it’s intelligent and can be reasoned with? Any attempt at talking to it will be met with loud, mechanical screeching and angry whirring noises. Diplomacy is out. Good thing the robot is very slow and won’t be able to cover a lot of distance very quickly—oh. Judging by the ridiculous leap our robot of the hour just made, distance could be a problem after all.

ENEMY ♟ CR-E MARK VII
Weak against Water	Strong against Lightning	Immune to Status Effects
“ENEMY DETECTED.” The CR-E MARK VII doesn’t waste time and springs right into action. Don’t let its entrance have fool you: this robot is FAST. Anyone hoping to get some distance from this thing will find themselves cursing the disadvantage of having shorter legs. Heavy, quick steps leave cracked and deep imprints in the ground and inattentive Heroes may trip and fall. Whoever is able to catch a glimpse of the robot’s palms will see the FLEUR DE LIS logo branded into them. “ANNIHILATION MODE.” Heroes who have come to a halt are being targeted, especially Pawns that are CASTING MAGIC. Those who know how to be bothersome pests should try and draw attention away from the casters unless they want to face a rampaging robot with fewer people to back them up. But watch out! Rather than bring snowballs to the fight like a good kid, this robot is here to prove its superiority to the human element; its long, spindly arms somehow manage to haul HEAPING HELPINGS OF SNOW, whirling the whole mess like a miniature, mobile avalanche to target Heroes! Occasionally, it JUMPS to create QUAKES and TREMORS, effectively causing Heroes to lose their balance, cancel their spells, or throw off their aim. The unlucky ones might even FALL INTO A TRAP DOOR jarred loose by all the commotion. “INITIATING BETA PROGRAM: EXECU-U-U-TI--vrrr.” The robot becomes HOT to the touch and those who specialize in hand to hand combat should take heed! Steam begins to rise from the hot metal, making the large ICE CRYSTALS on the ceiling slowly MELT and drip onto the participants below. Whenever a DROP hits the CR-E MARK VII, it will begin to thrash and its movements will become unsteady and rigid. The green lights in its face turn red, as loud and eerie mechanical whimpers fill the air. More observant Heroes may notice that the longer the battle goes on, the more HAPHAZARD and IRREGULAR its ATTACKS become. It will begin to flail more and act with much less coordination than before, partially due to the water but also because of circuits frying. “ERROR ERROR ERROR.” Once enough damage has been dealt, the robot goes into TOTAL SYSTEM OVERLOAD and starts indiscriminately hurling rocks, debris, ice, snow, and fellow mechanical creations in all directions without rest. Stay clear or end up with injuries Heroes never thought they’d get from a snowball match. Although it’s hard to dodge, the lack of openings makes it even harder to land a hit. Just when it seems as though all is lost (or about to be buried in a completely unprogrammed avalanche), COMMANDER LISBRAND suddenly jumps in out of nowhere, hurling the massive REMOTE CONTROL she’s been carrying towards the robot and then drawing her GUNS to fire upon CR-E MARK VII. “How many times have I told them I don’t need these buckets of junk to help me do my job?! How many times? You should all stop standing there catching flies and get moving! I want two on each flank right now! Did you hear me? I don’t want to see a hair in my line of fire!”

You thought one robot was bad enough? How about the fact that mechanical lackeys begin to show up halfway into the battle, throwing snowballs at everything and everyone?

ENEMY ♟ CR-E MARK VII-MINI
Weak against Water	Strong against Lightning	Immune to Status Effects
“Vrrr!” Meet the CR-E MARK VII-MINI units. You may think of them as CR-E MARK VII’s children. Actually, they’re support units originally intended to function as an auxiliary arsenal for CR-E MARK VII... But development was halted when the division ran out of funds. They’re now just a smaller-scaled version of their parent design--the result of desperate salvaging and a terrible naming sense. By itself, a single mini unit isn’t threatening. But when they get together, these little robots are a true menace, sneaking small rocks into their snowballs that can give unfortunate Heroes a brief STUN STATUS. Wow, did they all just multiply by two? Better shake off that dizziness before more of them hit you! What else do they do? Absolutely nothing! But don’t let your guard down; they’re smarter than they look! These mini units may often wait for an opportune moment to execute a COMBO with their parent unit. After all, defending the parent is the basis of their programming.

FOUR ♙

Despite having been in charge of the Heroes for less than a month, Lisbrand manages to seamlessly blend her attacks into their attempts to disable the CR-E MARK VII and its tiny lackeys. It’s almost as though she’s been watching you. She does seem to be at the Hall of Glory a lot, even if she hasn’t given a lot of orders so far…

Her attacks are measured and pinpoint-precise, crashing through the robot’s joints and hidden mechanisms with an efficiency almost as devastating as the force of the literal avalanches it was unleashing earlier. Finally, the MARK VII yawls backwards, arms pinwheeling comically, and one of its legs folds the wrong way… sending it to a crashing halt. The battle is done, the day is won!

“It’s a miracle this is only the MARK VII… But this is what you get for skimping on your tests.”

Blanc’s soldiers, despite knowing they’ve lost, immediately burst into a thunderous round of cheering. Some of them have even thrown their dignified guard hats into the air. Yells of, “Go Heroes!” and somewhat less appropriate hollers of, “I’m sorry, please marry me!” ring out from the crowd. The snowball match (if it could still be called one at all) is over and the bad blood is miraculously gone in a cloud of burnt circuitry and adoring gazes not quite directed towards our Heroes. It’s time to return home victoriously to Wednesday’s dinner of mutton stew and meat dumplings. Your loving floor nannies will approach shortly, carrying first aid and other necessities. Even they begin showering you with affection!

The Prime Minister appears to be ready to give the Heroes a congratulatory speech, but Lisbrand quickly interrupts to remind him about some business he needs to attend to. In the middle of speaking to the Prime Minister, she raises a hand to excuse herself, takes out her revolver and shoots at a screeching stray bat in one fluid motion. Although the bat falls, its body is nowhere to be found. What’s a bat doing in the arena, anyway?

After blowing the smoke from the barrel of her gun and returning it to its holster with a flourish that looks oddly deliberate considering her usual reserve, Lisbrand turns to the Heroes.

“I suppose some congratulations are in order. Nothing ever goes as planned on the battlefield—and that’s something you should be taking with you into the dungeons if you want to come out again. Prime Minister, if you would please, keep it short.”

“Congratulations! It was a victory hard fought and well won. I hope it was as fun for you as it was for the audience. Let’s do this again next year!”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[For Marie, the trek through the maze had been a difficult and tiring one; but it had given her an opportunity to become better acquainted with Sparkling Bonds- a weapon type unlike anything she was personally familiar with using. Although she'd tested it prior to this there was nothing quite as helpful as the hands on training she'd received in the battle. Being able to swat away snowballs had come in handy when dodging was too difficult. She'd been able to conserve mana, seeing as the snow was easy to strike and snow was all she really needed to take down her enemies.

However as she got further, she began hearing sounds- some familiar and some worrying- that made her pick up her pace. That's when she saw it. The CR-E Mark VII was being assaulted by a small group; a number of them familiar faces. Although she has her doubts as to just how useful she can be against an enemy of this caliber it wasn't a question of going or not going. Of course she was going to support them in any way she was able.

Taking a quick look around the field to judge their position, she took note of a few things. It was already facing significant damage to it's leg and the smoking was starting to melt some of the ice which in turn was only damaging it's circuits further. Large as it was, it was still a machine and it still worked on those principles. The external armor would be difficult to take out, but once that was done any spot could be considered a weak spot. With her weapon's ability she'd be able to strike it harder the more she let it absorb light. Doing so, she began to tap into her mana stores for the first time while she steadily approached the electric-powered monstrosity.]

Let me lend a hand or two.

[Fighting up close and personal with it was no small bit intimidating, however she wasn't alone in this endeavor. Even those she didn't know she was willing to trust for the sake of this fight. After all these were people who were helping friends of hers. That was enough for now.

But more importantly-- the task at hand. It looks like most of the work here has been done. Thankfully, her weapon's skill may allow it to be as strong as steel but it's still wood. It won't conduct electricity. For that reason she feels it's an ideal weapon to use against the boss' exposed knee; swinging it the whole way around her body to use the momentum to deliver the strongest attacks she's capable of. It jerks unsteadily and to add to it's distress while it's weak, she pulls the weapon currently lodged there out before delivering one last hard strike to the back of the knee, hoping to unbalance it before jumping back, away from it's flailing arms.

A quick glance down at the weapon in her hand tells her she doesn't know who this belongs to. But a scan of the immediate area tells her there's only one person who currently doesn't seem to have one.]

Here!

[Especially considering the new arrivals, it's a bad time to be weaponless. She tosses the blade into the snow a few feet away from Sion. It's the best she can do at the moment without letting her guard down too much. Hopefully it's enough.]

[ Three loud gunshots. Where did that come from? It nearly threw Setsuna off, but does his best to maintain his professional stature. He can't let anything distract him in the middle of battle, much more when he's in a tight bind or when he has friends to protect. He isn't new to tanking actually, he had to take and hold aggression of enemy Gundams before; one prominent example being the Memento Mori mission where he acted as decoy to ensure the safety of CBS-74 Ptolemaios 2.

But tanking something this colossal with a mobile weapon that he has yet to master... Now this is a new experience. If Setsuna's concentration suffers, he won't be getting away with a mere vehicle crash... He won't let it happen, not when he's so intent on keeping the robot's attention away from everyone. Those gunshots from Shinya however did a wonderful job of ruining the opponent's rhythm. It allows Setsuna put more protective distance between himself and CR-E MARK VII.

It's that instance that Setsuna gains a moment to turn his head, reaffirming the new situation after new Heroes seemed to have come in. Tieria running, carrying Sion to the earlier corner with Regene. Ah... It seems one of the new Heroes is with Tieria, too. In fact, it's a familiar face. Setsuna is just in time to see Shinya take position behind a convenient pillar, just in time to process and put together who exactly aided him to gain this advantageous distance. You're... kidding, right? Disbelief immediately takes over, his heart skipping an intense beat as a memory runs through him. This is just like the feeling when... the Dynames assisted his Exia. He wanted to stare at the sniper longer, but he can't afford to do so.

Setsuna shakes his head once to tell himself to get a grip, especially when the CR-E MARK VII-MINI units start running in. He spares another quick glance as the cold winds brush against him, noticing that Marie is the other new Hero. She successfully manages to finish off the first knee, which leaves one left. It's the leg which he secondly attacked and exposed its wiring... He looks towards his distant allies, lifting one arm as if to signal them. ]

I'm turning it again!

[ He means CR-E MARK VII's direction. If he's turning it again, it means he's going to give them a chance to start concentrating attacks on the remaining knee. Get ready! ]

I'm going to assume there's a good reason for why I should do that, and trust you. Don't let me down.

[ This is said right before he sets his gun down for a moment to Tieria, not at all happy about being ordered around and moved without explanation by a near stranger, but he's been on the scene for far longer, it seems. He hopes his new glass-slippered friend is competent.

As for being dragged by the collar? It's crude, but apparently he's got it easy, cause it's still worlds better than being dragged by the hair. He keeps shooting as they're moving, the motion only hindering his aim a bit, because he didn't want to miss a moment. The hits are proving effective at at least disorienting the machine, making its attacks less accurate and easier to dodge. A few moments after being set down, he spares a moment to look at Sion, who's now conscious again. Good morning, sunshine.

Taking the new advice to heed, he focuses his efforts on the landed snowballs within the framework-- specifically, any that seem to have landed in frayed circuit spots. He tries to be one step ahead of where Setsuna, Marie, and Bernard hit, so as to try and wear the area down and brace it for further impact. This also means that he catches the very brief moment of Setsuna looking focus, and while he hopes the other man has enough combat experience not to let a few bullets disrupt his plans, it's worrying. ]

Pay attention, Setsuna. [ He pauses the firing, lifting his head up from the barrel and mouthing the words. But oh, good, he's back in business already. Atta boy.

Shinya also takes a moment to re-load while Setsuna shouts for a shift in focus, finding it an opportune time to make sure he wouldn't run out of bullets while it was vulnerable. ]

[ Regene glances toward the source of the gunshots. The last time he heard that sound was when he watched Tieria die. He won't let that happen again. This group is working surprisingly well together. He takes note of all those he doesn't recognize, their apparent experience and unique skills. With his allies he knows what to expect, but this makes things interesting.

It's more action than he would prefer, but he is capable of fending off small robots. He targets those about to attack his comrades. They can do without the distraction of being pelted with snowballs while they deal with the big one. That looks like an ordeal as it is. It's turning into a full time job just to keep up with all of these things, but he still manages to toss a snowball in the robot's direction when he can spare a moment. ]

[Well, if there is one thing he can predict, it's that he can't predict exactly how this party will react, whether it's to his attempts to help them help themselves or to unexpected circumstances; it doesn't make Bernard feel any better about being a part of it, but since nobody else got electrocuted and Setsuna's bike hasn't beaned anybody over the head at this point, it doesn't make him feel any worse, either.

He hears Shinya and Marie's arrival before he ever lays eyes on them, his ears swiveled back towards those he's covering to check on them when he can't spare any other senses. The gunshots and sudden addition of another wooden weapon is a bit startling, but just like lightning magic, he can at least wrangle them into his battle strategy.

Thus, luckily, he isn't too distracted by the arrival of reinforcements both on their side and to the aid of the robot -- and can it be anything else, even out of the corner of his eye, when he can hear every menacing mechanic click and whirr... but also the sound of Sion, revived, smashing through them like so much matchstick. This is possibly one of the most bizarre battles he's been a part of to date, but he's too busy being relieved that they have more (alive) bodies on the battlefield. The timing is almost suspicious, and perhaps someone finally got their Carrier off its butt in this cold. Lira isn't especially prone to leaving her warm nest somewhere between his collar and his neck in this weather, particularly when she can't see the sky.

But the timing is good, no matter what the source is: Bernard could use a little breather from taking the brunt of the robot's upper half. It's a wonder he hasn't tired more quickly -- he's certainly taken enough heavier blows from the arms at this point that his own are numb more often than not, but there's some warmth and vigor to be had from the mana trails and the trails of fire left from earlier.]

... Don't let its arms touch the ground. [He's mostly abandoned his attempts to strike at its knees, his companions with less bulky or more agile weapons more suited to that task and the now-damp wood on his weapon less safe to use around the exposed circuitry; he'll do his best to keep Setsuna and Marie from having to deal with any of the robot's limbs besides the ones they're after, but meat shielding with shorter reach in terrain that's been mostly destroyed by Setsuna and Tieria both is definitely a challenge. Shinya's bullets give all of them a little leeway to play robotic-arm-limbo, but there are still some close calls.] And don't stay too close to--

[Well, he tried: the robot, having had enough of it knees being pounded on and the inability to reach the ants scurrying around below, raises both arms and grabs some of the icicles on the ceiling to keep its balance. It's not actually a move you'd expect of something this crude-looking, but there's no longer any time left to ponder that.]

--Back! Back!

[This to the Setsuna and Marie, the only ones within range of the tremor that's coming. It's going to be a doozy, and Bernard will probably try to grab and drag whoever doesn't move fast enough -- yes, even the Gundam with his entire bike.]

[She's not as quick as Bernard would have liked, and finds herself pulled back away from the fight. Too late had she realized what that shaky motion meant but soon she's running with him as fast as her cold legs will carry her. The icicles steam in the robot's grip and quickly start deteriorating from the point of contact. The smaller of the two dislodges and drops through it's fingers, hitting it's shoulder before it begins to crumple onto it's knees with a heavy smashing noise. Wires and metal crunch and tear under the weight and the ground rumbles.

Although they'd made it a fair distance, the sudden shift of the ground under her sends Marie falling forward; although she's quick to sit back up. Sparing a look back, she sees the CR-E Mark VII is hunched over and shaking. But it's not done yet. The arms are still functioning; although there's occasionally an erratic twitch that looks unnatural, but could also be dangerous.

Picking herself and her weapon up, she looked around to make sure everyone else was alright.] Careful... it's closer to the ground now. It's going to be harder to attack it up close now... [At least without putting themselves in very real danger. Still, this was a good sign. The snow under it is melting and dealing it's own damage.] We need to come up with a way to disable the arms.

[They do have a decent mixture of abilities among them. Formulating a new plan using those strengths shouldn't be too difficult.]

[ This whole trial dungeon run is getting more and more under his skin by the seconds, especially this sorry excuse of a Sion Astal. Tieria almost jumps at the abruptness of Sion's consciousness and the mana exchange link forming between them in less than a second the slap connected. While he's glad that Sion is seemingly fine ( even if Tieria wonders just how strong he really is ), he could do with less physical contact between them. ]

I will when you stop being recklessly stupid in the middle of a battle!

[ Although angry, he doesn't pull away until Sion releases his hand. Despite how he feels about Sion in his personal capacity, Tieria is not one who would allow it to cloud his judgement. On the battlefield, an ally's safety is paramount. As someone who has to shoulder the safety of Celestial Being's Gundam Miesters and their transport ship, Tieria knows his responsibility better than anyone. Even if Sion isn't a member of Celestial Being, them being teammates is enough. That's not to say he wouldn't kick Sion later.

By then, their battle has suddenly escalates into a matter of reckless danger, mostly thanks to CR-E MARK VII. He heard Bernard and Marie's warning before he notices Setsuna approach, a control panic rising in his gut at the possible disaster awaiting them. ]

Get out of there! [ He barely avoided a snowball aimed at him from one the new mini-robots Sion's dealing with and quickly steps behind Sion. That's when he notices there's more to the snowball as it hits a dent into the snow barrier they have been using for protection. ] Don't get hit, there's rock in them.

[ Unable to focus on the bigger field for now, he aids Sion with the mini-robots, easily catching one midway through it punch, Tieria breaks the arms by snapping it against it's joint. ]

[ It's almost amazing to see CR-E MARK VII so desperate to keep standing. The fact that it's now holding on to the ceiling is a spectacle... Though having the colossal robot do this means that Setsuna could finally halt blazing around in dangerous speed. He's getting tired at this point, lightly panting as he makes it to a safe side alongside Bernard and Marie after being beckoned to back up. He observes how the robot will react from now on, noticing that it seems to be acting more and more erratically hazardous. It didn't take a genius to know that it is the result of broken circuits and wiring, it's now undergoing a system overload.

But wait, is... is it steaming? Is that on purpose, or is that the result of their combined damage? Setsuna couldn't tell, though he didn't have much time to ponder. Once the icicles above start breaking from its weight and the hot steam, CR-E MARK VII falls against the ground and causes a huge tremor; this results in more icicles from above to arbitrarily drop through the surrounding area. Alarmed by this new peril, Setsuna immediately grips his motorbike's handlebars in preparation to start dashing through again. Without its legs supporting the robot, it's likely going to begin using its arms chaotically, no less with that system overload. Icicles dropping, a gigantic robot on a rampage, and small robots throwing rocks everywhere... Could this get any worse?

Half the party is still busy with the smaller robots. Although they're weak and easily defeated, their numbers are overwhelming. Setsuna takes it upon himself to continue tanking then, at least until more of the others can join them in destroying the arms. He has to do it without coming close at all, so he gives himself a small motivational sigh before staring up with sharp eyes. ]

... I am going!

[ He has no idea where to tank now, but he can't just stand by idly. So he rides through, taking the aggression one more time as the legless giant starts attempting to grab at the young Meister. His eyes constantly roam from above him to watch for icicles, below him to watch the remaining ground, and his sides to avoid any swinging robotic arms. It's actually quite open to attack whenever it does a heavy, wild swing if anyone is able to jump in with proper timing. ]

[ They are rather tedious, tiresome things, the mechanical miniatures which are keen to swarm—where the Hero King's heel pierces the central motor of one unit, another swiftly rises to take its place, and even with the combined might of three (Tieria, he dismantles the menaces with ease, and Regene intercepts all those who seek to return to their parent machine, suppressing the would-be reunion!) the flood is difficult to quell. And while he is grateful (and so indebted to the woman who'd entered the scene, turning the tide!) for the return of Guiding Light, he is only able to call you've my thanks, my Lady! for he is otherwise occupied: the snowballs flung by the diminutive models carry quite the nasty surprise, and there is no room for Sion to slow, or to truly reclaim the blade without paying a significant price.

Somewhere, though, amidst the metallic groan of their foes collapsing, the area surrounding strewn with their pieces and parts, Sion becomes aware of ...warmth. Steam rises in great billows from the CR-E MARK VII, and even from a distance, Sion sees and feels its effects. Above, the cavernous ceiling begins to melt, its large crystalline ice formations sloughing away from their roots, producing runoff which frazzles the remaining miniatures, the water as damaging to them as it is to their parent machine.

With the onslaught of snowballs diminished (the small units responsible for the barrage no longer able to throw with accuracy!), Sion seizes the opportunity to dive for Guiding Light, pulling the sword from the snow with a flurry of motion before...! Icicles begin to fall, adding yet another element of chaos to the fray—one by one, they loosen and drop, crashing to the ground below to splinter into shards. One, however, and this icicle is no icicle at all, but rather a monstrous, tapering mass reminiscent of the tip of an iceberg, doesn't seem likely to descend on its own, which is a pity on account of its location: poised directly above the trapdoor which the miniature machines continue to spew from.

But then...! ]

Hey, Mr. Sharpshooter! [ A pause—Guiding Light is swung in a merciless arc which could have taken the head of any man, but severs a robot unit neatly into two, instead. ] Or would you prefer Mr. Handsome, instead?

[ With a too-regal flourish, he raises his blade to mark it, the aforementioned mass of ice! ]

Would you lend me your aid?

[ With bringing that iceberg down, is implicitly said. ]

[ With each passing second, and every element of chaos hindering not only CR-E MARK VII's movements, but their own as well, it becomes considerably more difficult to see his intended target areas. The shots come less frequent-- the intensity of each attack sacrificed to maintain the integrity of his aim. It isn't a favorable position to be in, but Shinya didn't relish the thought of accidentally shooting one of his comrades.

He also has to move. Gone are the moments where the pillar provided the shielding he needed, because as the numbers of the smaller units grow, they also begin to wander into his area, too close for comfort. So Shinya is on the move, remaining as far back as his range would allow him, pausing frequently to continue his assists. This time, he waits for their cue, the fighters who are concentrating their efforts on the arms, before continuing.

And he would have continued in this manner, even if the snowballs and pockets of ice are more and more fleeting before melting into water, were it not for the voice that interrupts his focus. It doesn't take long for him to understand Sion's intent, given the now-obvious effect of water on the machinery. It's a decent plan. ]

I'm not picky, but I don't usually get such flattering names. It's good to see you back on your feet, Sleeping Beauty. [ With a grin, he crouches down again, low to the ground, at a vantage point hopefully far enough that he can fire in relative peace again. ]

You got it. [ After a quick and rough scan of where the ice seemed the weakest, he fires, first the weak point, then at the surrounding areas, with the aim to bring down the massive structure. ]

[ For lack of another suitable weapon, Regene finds that using a piece of one of the robots he's destroyed will work. He summons up the aggression he usually keeps tempered. This is their time to prove themselves. But it's hard to keep fighting when he must also dodge falling icicles. One such frozen spear comes crashing down too close for comfort. He takes a tumble in the snow to avoid it, losing track of his glasses in the process. But he knows he can't stay in one spot and quickly returns to his feet, brushing himself off to swing at robots once more. Rather than taking the brunt of it he's merely cut by some shards. All the while he keeps track of progress they're making on the big one. He sees what they're doing with the ice mass above, so why not do that with the small ones as well. Save them some effort. ]

Of course. We'll lure these things where they can be hit by falling ice.

Hmph. At least it's finally starting to get serious.

[Is that what it's doing?!

Well, with the number of tiny and incredibly annoying robot helpers that have come out of the woodwork at this point, the sudden and painful rain of icicles, and the fact that the parent robot has started making some truly alarming noises -- maybe that's one way to put it.

Bernard may not know very much about robots, but he's relatively well-acquainted with this one's movements by now; and the way its patterns are starting to shift, to slide into chaos, may be a result of the water, or maybe it's just becoming alarmed that its 'children' are in peril. There's no way of knowing. He's pretty sure throwing the robot off-balance both literally and figuratively is a good thing, but a cornered animal or creature or... whatever this is can become more dangerous before it's placated.

At least he has his second wind now, pausing for a moment in his retreat to turn a more attentive eye to how the back of their line has been doing; he can't really stay still due to the stray snowball still coming from the back, but he can also easily lift his halberd above his head and swing it into a good, solid spin to give himself a little cover from the icicles. He can wield it single-handed, but it's not ideal for lengthy battles like this one, especially when they're fighting on two fronts.

Ideally, they would have someone capable of taking care of the icicles or following Regene's suggestion of baiting the smaller robots into them, but their only real range fighter is a bit busy, just now.]

We should get back to the front line, but it looks like that one might need some sorting out, first. [He nods to the scrambling Regene, tilting his head towards Marie at his side. (What is names?? Someone really should have made callsigns for everyone; it's made worse by the fact that he can't tell the two dark-haired ones in the back apart in the fray.) A brief sigh, even as he's already moving to rejoin Setsuna again, before he calls over his shoulder--] You, the closest one with dark hair! You're about to step on your spectacles.

[Regene will have to do the rest himself, or collar someone else farther in the back, because Bernard's taken off running full tilt towards the robot. It's still following Setsuna wheeling about like a particularly off-kilter merry-go-round; its head is even starting to whirl a little in place. Perhaps it's actually getting dizzy, which would work in his favor.

Because once Bernard gets close enough that he can time the thrashing of those pesky arms, he jumps -- a pretty impressive leap for a guy carrying a good few pounds of wood and metal and himself, lands for a split-second on the robot's elbow at the end of a swing, and then goes straight for the shoulder.]

Heads-up!

[The yell is more for their sniper's benefit than anything else -- he doesn't really relish getting shot in the tail whenever Shinya is finished introducing his iceberg friend to the robotic compatriots. There's very little time now, so Bernard does a simple, quick swing: CLANG goes his blade in a resounding smack against the robot's helm, to a screech of either mechanical distress or metal against metal.

The principle is simple: it's easier to take out one head than two arms, and if something like this comes packaged with a head-like implement, there must be some value in taking it out.

Those close by may notice that even as he moves to take a second swing before jumping clear, the blade of his halberd -- perhaps from the friction of impact, perhaps from something else entirely -- has at some point gathered an ethereal glow. By the time he's done, it's almost like a miniature star in the gloomy confines of the labyrinth, though it's already fading.

Also, the robot's head -- knocked a bit sideways but not off -- has also started smoking pretty heavily. That's a good thing, too, right?]

[ The quicker he can get the mass to fall, the better. With their efforts concentrated on just one enemy as opposed to many, perhaps they could reduce the amount of injuries sustained. So Shinya works as quickly as he can, though his onslaught of bullets does come to a momentary pause when he notices Regene having a bit of trouble. ]

Uh oh. We definitely don't want to hurt you, mister. [ Miss? It's hard to tell, with the vision on his scope so butty with humidity. He waits until he's more certain that Regene is out of harm's way. This just so happens to coincide with Bernard's warning, so it's nice to see that despite all the chaos, everyone is still watching each other's backs. That's probably a good sign. The pillar is on its last legs, and any second now-- ]

Everyone, please get as far away from the robot kids as possible! Just for a moment...

[ Speaking of Bernard's warnings, the second one, directed at him, is appreciated as well. Truthfully, his face aches with both frostbite and the cuts of ice raining down on them, but they just have to persevere a little longer. He waits until the stars have aligned, so to speak, before shifting in position and aiming the angle of Nezuban just a bit higher. The structure is quivering, unstable, and on its last leg.

It's time to put it out of its misery! ]

Aaand... BANG! [ He yells out as he pulls the trigger, firing one last shot to the base of the iceberg. At once, it cracks and pummels to the ground with a loud sound, a giant mass and weight that should hopefully do the trick of blocking the passageway. ]

[There's no time to let it compose itself so to speak. Although Regene is still without his glasses, there's not much to be done about that right now. Bernard is moving to step in again and she's going to follow. Although she cannot hope to reach the same heights she can cover him while he takes on the shoulder and the head; knocking back blows from it's arms when they come too close. It's hard to keep track of the work of their sniper; although she knows Shinya is working at the ice above. When she hears him call out she braces herself for the impact, although they're already at a safe distance from the miniature bots and the falling ice. Still, the crashing ice kicks up the snow, sending it blowing through the air-- an effect that may prove useful against their larger foe as well, who's head has begun to smoke thanks to Bernard's quick work.

The lights on it's head are flickering faintly, insinuating there may be weak connections somewhere to some part of great importance. Striking at it's joints with the ends of Sparkling Bonds and deflecting with the strong center, the CR-E Mark VII's forearm begins to dangle oddly and with one more it falls limp.

Still, there are tiny sparks close to the surface of the robot and with it still thrashing about it's still capable of using that damaged arm to it's advantage by momentum alone.] Careful-- it can't control it's left arm anymore but there are still sparks coming from the inner circuitry!

[That makes it completely unpredictable, even so far as the robot is concerned. A few surprising movements drive Marie back solely for safety's sake while she tries to map out the new way it moves and slowly make her way towards the other arm. At the very least it can't raise that arm any more, leaving that side of the head more exposed than it was previously. As long as they could keep the other occupied, the others would have some good opportunities to chip away at the head.]

[ When the iceberg falls too close to Regene, Tieria almost had a heart attack. He's not about to lose Regene in a mock dungeon run. ] Regene! Don't stray too far. Come back here!

[ It's hard to fight the smaller robots when he has no actual weapon, so Tieria stays within Sion's immediate peripheral, lending him help whenever he can, be it finishing a robot or lending Sion mana periodically. He might not like him much, but he knows from that strange memory and what Sion has showcased, he's reliable in battle. To be honest, this is the one few times Tieria felt so useless in a battle that he's willing to do all that he can, regardless of how bruised his ego is.

Throwing a disabled mini robot back into the impact zone Shinya is working on, Tieria makes sure Sion doesn't stray too far off from their current position. ] Sion, you're too far out. Back up.

[ Observing the battlefield without his veda system is truly inconvenient but Tieria tries his best regardless. Once Shinya successfully dropped the giant iceberg to cut off the trapdoor, things became easier on their side. But it's not for long as CR-E MARK VII begins to short-circuit and goes into overdrives, it's movements erratic and unpredictable. Tieria watches in quiet horror at the situation their tankers are in and quickly looks around to find a way out for them. ]

Do not engage!!! Follow the wall and get out of there! [ He yells to Bernard, Setsuna and Marie. ] The icebergs! We'll use the icebergs and water to fry it's circuit! Get out of there quickly.

[ Turning back to Sion once before he starts casting fire spells to bring down more icebergs on CR-E MARK VII as well as melts teh fallen ones near the robot. ] Sion, Sniper, [ this is why he should ask for names more often... ] help me out!

[ Never before has he felt more frustrated at the lack of magic at his disposal. The power of regular bullets, while still destructive, is relatively weak, especially for something inorganic of this size. Thankfully, they do conduct heat, albeit not as well as some good old fashioned demonic fire might. He's firing so quickly and with such focus, desperation almost, the he remains completely silent.

Once the large iceberg has fallen, and able to feel the heat radiating from the giant mass (not to mention that his teammates have outwardly pointed out the robot's increased heat, he targets more ice. As much ice as he can hit with the round of ammunition he has left, which, admittedly, isn't that much more.

He doesn't respond to Tieria, not verbally, but his actions and a quick, cursory glance in his direction should hopefully be enough to convey that they're in the same line of thinking. Smaller pieces of ice fall into the fray, forming water, and then vapor, almost instantaneously.

The downside of being so intensely focused, however, is that his gaze remains on the sky. He never sees the boulder hurling towards his midsection until it's too late and his vision goes blind, a pained yell coming from his direction as he's knocked back into the ground. ]

[ That didn't go so well. He can hear the concern in Tieria's voice. The best thing to do is go back with him and regroup. As long as he still has mana he'll be useful to someone who needs it. The glasses will have to wait. He looks in Shinya's direction, cringing slightly at the moment of impact. If only he could have warned him. Well they can't have that. They need him shooting things, so Regene quickly makes his way over. After a quick glance over, he reaches for his arm. ]

Can you stand?

[ No structure, it seems, even the artificial and the inorganic, enjoys the process of entropy—it is the ultimate fate of everything, and everything resists it, including the CR-E MARK VII. Even in the throes of overdrive, the parent machine adopts a pattern, making use of its immobilized left arm (dead weight is still weight to be utilized, after all!) as it fashions itself into a cyclone of smoke, sparks, and heat, its torso whirling in full rotations at a frightening speed, the revolutions of its limbs forming an impenetrable wall with which to drive back all those pests who had put it in such discord to begin with. And when the giant can no longer maintain the massive output of energy necessary to remain in such a whirlwind of a state, it hurls surrounding debris indiscriminately, lobbing boulders, rocks, and even the frames of its smaller, kindred machines.

It is between these two phases that the CR-E MARK VII fluctuates, unforgiving in its violence as it heaves a boulder which meets with its target, stealing away Mr. Handsome's breath, in effect. Where Sion had once taken to assisting both Tieria and the sniper with raining shards of ice down upon their opponent, his blade, now, can be put to far better use—Setsuna, Marie, and Bernard all will need to put distance between themselves and the vortex of a machine, and Guiding Light will allow for him to grant his comrades leeway.

Do not engage!, Tieria had said, but Sion propels himself forward, sailing over the mangled terrain (the shards of ice, the wiring and parts of miniature bots, and the divots dug by Setsuna's bike), picking up a certain someone's glasses along the way. For now, he'll trust that Mr. Handsome is safe in Regene's capable hands, that Tieria will not fret overmuch (there is a pervasive ache in his scalp, and Sion has his own suspicions of who is to blame!), and that the three who had weathered the CR-E MARK VII down to the end would be able to take their flight safely. ]

We will suffer you for no longer. [ —where Guiding Light had glimmered before when reducing an avalanche to simple motes of snow and ice, it blazes now, lambent with Sion's will to drive the machine back, to keep it still. And that will is actualized in the moment when Hero King strikes, his blade focusing its own light into a crescent much larger than the first, the force of it kicking up all within its path (the rocks, which the giant would have liked to throw, and the ice which hasn't yet melted) before it collides with the CR-E MARK VII, driving it back...!

But not enough. It isn't nearly enough, and so Sion swings Guiding Light again, again, and again, the drain on his mana worth it if only to see the giant unable to achieve anything more than a few harried throws in between the knockbacks of his blade. ]

Be still!

[ But for how long can the checkmate last? ]

[Despite the now-habitual recklessness of Sion's actions, it's probably a good thing he raised his blade against the Mark VII when he did: not far from where the stalemate is proceeding, a mess of red hair, bedraggled fur and stray, sparking minibot are in the midst of a spectacular tumble through snowdrifts that didn't exist a couple of minutes ago.

Somehow, the torn up battlefield as well as the billows of snow released both by the Mark VII's Last-Ditch Beyblade Storm of Death and Shinya's efforts with the ceiling have proven themselves useful. Had the battle taken place directly on frozen ground, or on rock, or almost anywhere else, any Heroes who lost their footing would have been in a world of hurt no matter what they hit. Here, there are soft landings everywhere, even if they also come with a pervasive chill and the making of the second-worst live snowball in mock-dungeon history.

Bernard hadn't been naive enough to think the battle won coming off his semi-failed gamble at sawing off the mechanical head, but he'd thought they'd at least have a breather. And he'd needed one, as the landing he would've made with eyes closed and hands tied to his halberd behind his back at home turned inexplicably into a stumble, bringing him to one knee behind his foe. The strange tug of mana, of magic not-quite-right from a different place than he's used to, has by now faded into the background where the thrum of frustration at having his own taken from him lives. So he hadn't expected the sudden disorientation of true magic use, not quite controlled, and he'd been laid low more by surprise than anything else.

Robots make no allowances for surprise, however, nor apparently for blind spots: though Bernard almost immediately gains his feet again, using the haft of his weapon for leverage and speed, it's still a half-step too slow to get clear once the Mark VII truly loses its mechanical marbles. He's got enough reflexes and presence of mind remaining to semi-catch the half-crushed minibot that flies at his face from a particularly vicious parental swing, but it sends his halberd spinning to catch between the ankle plates of the motherbot. Because sticking weapons there for storage is all the rage, obviously.

Bernard, meanwhile, is getting a more up-close and personal acquaintance with the innards of a strange piece of technology than he ever wanted to in his entire life; no doubt the younger heir of Ulka would have enjoyed it on some level, but Bernard could do without.

Hopefully, everyone manages to get their asses out of the way of both the Mark VII and the sudden, growing dog-and-machine snowball hazard, because the Bernard & Minibot Unwanted Combo is headed straight for the back line.

> Catch them like a true team player
> Deflect them before they squash you; somebody else can take the fall
> Allow them to scatter the remaining minibots like an amazing pinball
> Option D]

[ With Setsuna's tank position, it was impossible for him to assist anywhere else. (Sorry, Bernard!!) One distraction meant the worst outcome. That's why all this time, he keeps his eyes forward rather than turning them anywhere. He focuses on dodging, and it isn't just the robot's arms to worry about anymore as time went on. Thankfully, the annoying minions that kept trying to throw him off-balance have been taken care of before his concentration really suffered through. But at this point, his mana is reaching alarming levels again — still, he tries to be as careful as the situation would allow him.

Setsuna isn't looking, but he knows that they're making significant progress. The sound of a gigantic icicle sealing off the CR-E MARK VII-MINI's main entrance thanks to the long range and support team, the screeching of CR-E MARK VII itself with the loss of its arm and significant damage to its head thanks to the close range team — though by doing all these, the more dangerous the battle is becoming. At this point, it's distinct that the colossal robot is nothing but a rampaging entity. It's no longer in Blanc's control, especially as the audience started screaming around them. If this keeps up... even the innocent civilians would be caught in the crossfire. Commander Lisbrand's booming voice is heard from the distance, clearly this mock dungeon has become a clean up operation in that instance.

“How many times have I told them I don’t need these buckets of junk to help me do my job?! How many times? You should all stop standing there catching flies and get moving! I want two on each flank right now! Did you hear me? I don’t want to see a hair in my line of fire!”

Tieria yells out shortly as well, and Setsuna prepares to escape as the Commander begins to order the rest of the Heroes. However, it was in that instance that Sion tries to tank for the remaining time. The young Meister could finally turn his head again, looking over the chaotic situation entirely. His eyes widen at Sion's recklessness, an extraordinary feat... To think that someone is capable of being far more reckless than him? The others must be laughing at another dimension. Unfortunately, Setsuna couldn't even marvel at Sion, not with everyone else needing assistance too. He looks at Shinya and Regene, he looks at Bernard and Marie, then he looks at Tieria and Sion once more. Everyone, hang in there...!

As much as Setsuna would like to dash forward again, his mana is already this low. In the end, all he could do now is stay close against the walls as he continues his escape. Hopefully, the entrance of the Commander and the teamwork of the rest of the Heroes can make in time to save Sion. He's already feeling his vision blank out... ]

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DUNGEON ♛ HAVE A BALL (NOT LIKE THAT)

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