Chad responded to Rai, considering all he had learned, "Apparently, the five remaining people out there from the front lines include..."
He looked at his customized G-Radar System. He had memorized recent tournament winners and such, purely in case they ran into em today.
"...Soichi Saga, won six local tournaments and made it to Nationals in the last year, is related to a prominent Japanese Gunpla Fighter. They call him Screwbite due to his...habits. Uses a customized Hydra Gundam."
He then looked on to the next one, "Gabriel Sangrein, a lot more of a pleasant figure than the last guy. He has quite a strong female following, and has gone very far in National Tournaments and Locals. He uses the Red Seraph Gundam, apparently a unique design."
"The others...hm, looks like some strong local contenders. Not enough information yet."
He grimaced as they emerged into the next room, he really hoped they kept ahead of Screwbite. Even so, it looked like that might be the least of their worries. Up ahead was a scene right out of Gundam Seed Destiny - a Destroy Gundam, flanked by a Chaos and a Windam model.
No doubt these guys will fight smarter than the characters did in Destiny.
"Don't cluster together too much!" With that, he started toward the ceiling, aiming to get a good shot in at the Destroy Gundam's head.
The Windam banked and threw one of its own Stiletto armor piercers right back. Chad meanwhile found himself dueling against the Chaos as it dodged the attack that came in against it.
He released his funnels again - while each shot was dodged in short order, he used the movements he forced his opponent into to chase the Chaos down, finally managing to lock blades against it.
However, the two machines flew apart from each other when the Destroy tried to fire a selection of its high powered energy blasts at Chad.
Now moving closer down to the ground so to speak, he thought about this, We can't take down those two until we have the safety of knowing the Destroy's done. But if we go for the Destroy, those other two will flank us. They're fighting pretty smart.
Rai ducked, a bit slower than usual as a beam just barely passed him. The Sazabi's funnels came out and began defensively firing.
"Bit difficult with this plan guys. I gotta control the Scouts separately for this. But they hold just as much power as every other machine on the battlefield!"
And with that, the Scouts reappeared behind the Destroy and opened fire with their Beam Rifles, full force at the Destroy.
It looked like the two blasts hit the Destroy, and for a brief instant nothing happened.
Then a massive conflagration as its huge halo device on its back exploded violently, throwing the machine to the ground, meaning that it was most likely down for the count.
Chad, meanwhile, cut power to his thrusters to fall behind the Chaos while blocking an ensuing slash from its beam saber, he then looked down at his weapons, This is not how I wanted things...but it looks like I have little choice.
Reactivating thrusters, he released the funnels again, but this time, they shifted slightly, three fins sliding into formation on either side of the Funnel, followed by a blade made of pure green particles emerging from the weapons.
Each one impaled the Chaos machine once, its two attack drones being singled out for destruction first, followed by its arms, head and then legs. When the machine exploded, Chad recalled his funnels, breathing sharply. A game for nerds indeed...damn...
The Stiletto whizzed by the Blu Duel, hitting a wall and exploding behind it, sending the Blu Duel sailing towards the Windam. "Dammit!" grunted Daniel, gripping his controls. "No way to stabilize before I crash into the Windam...gonna have to make the best of it!"
The Blu Duel's vulcan cannon opened fire on the Windam, and the beam sabers flickered to life. Daniel hoped he could use the momentum from the blast to impale the Windam.
It whirred to the side, but was caught by the beam saber, and was thus dispatched.
However, just as Rai was about to shoot the Destroy again, a GN Particle Blast came in from the entry point to this area, hitting it right through the skull and destroying it.
Chad instantly checked and cursed under his breath, "Pros are here...well, one of em at least." And wouldn't it just figure its that one.
Slowly, a cloaked machine floated through the entrance to the area, lowering what looked like some sort of custom weapon resembling a Colt 45 mm handgun. Its head appeared to come from the Epyon, but the cloak came from the Deathscythe Hell, four indentations in the cloak on the shoulders were visible. The arm holding the hand gun-esque weapon apparently came from a GNX Throne Varanus Model, except colored black and red.
The arm apparently also had the Altron Gundam's Dragon Fang built on to the upper arm, though it looked customized in some way.
The pilot barely registered those around him, though his machine seemed to turn to look at Daniel momentarily. "Hello, have we met?" The voice was cold, though also almost flat in a certain way.
Soichi looked first at Rai and his machine, almost seeming to stare at it for some time. "No, I do not believe so. I used an earlier version of this machine."
He then looked at Daniel, seemed to concentrate utterly on him, and then sighed audibly, "Nope, I can't remember you either."
Chad seemed to descend down and prepared himself to deploy his funnels again if Soichi turned hostile. "Do you intend to fight us here, Screwbite?"
Soichi's machine kept moving forward, "No, there are more challenging enemies than you guys deeper in Axis. I'm willing to play at good for a time. So hold your horses, Musclehead."
Chad seemed to groan audibly at this - it'd be in poor taste to spit on Soichi's offering of temporarily alliance. There was also the fact that Gundam Cassimolar was better as a friend than as an enemy.
"The objective...is to reach the core of Axis. I have no delusions about being the only guy to get there for the reward. I am obligated to chew apart the toys defending the prize. I've no obligation to destroy any of you."
He then seemed to take another look at the Blu Duel, "And, again, I cannot remember you. People battle me all the time, I can't be asked to immediately recall each one."
Chad moved over to the Blu Duel and whispered to him, "Don't let him under your skin."
There's also the fact I only trust Screwbite as far as I can throw him. I've got my hands on my weapons at all times. I just cannot know what's under that cloak. Though Daniel might know, they have apparently fought before.
"I think he has a point. There is no reason to distrust him, after all we are all working towards the same goal. I don't see why we can not work together." Grace said, siding with the veteran player. Unfortunately she was saying this while her Banshee was floating upside down. It was her first time playing in space after all.
Screwbite looked back over, seeming to direct his Gundam's gaze right at the Blu Duel, as if wondering how Daniel would handle this.
Chad wondered what kind of game this guy was playing, and then remembered what he read - That's right, guys like him...
He stated, "Whatever you guys do, I'm good with it." Well, as long as we have an out plan.
edited 5th Mar '15 11:36:55 PM by NickTheSwing
Daniel let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, we work together. But I've got my eye on you, Screwbite." he said, struggling to hide contempt in his voice. He was certain that his past opponent would betray them, and was going to stay behind him so he could take the cloaked Gunpla out when the betrayal came.
Screwbite seemed to take the front position, putting him at risk from any surprise attacks further down the line. It did definitely seem like he preferred high risk positions that offered excitement.
Chad stayed back near Daniel and whispered to him, "Can you explain what your beef is with that guy? Did you two fight before or..."
I need to know so I can plan my strategy better. Its common sense on the field to study the enemy quarterback's moves.

Chad started to head down the new corridor, checking to make sure everything was okay with everyone.
Okay, we've still got the ball, and we're reasonably ahead...no reason not to push things a little.
"Alright, guys, as long as we stick ahead of those others, we should be fine."
His funnels returned to his machine, he mentally prepared himself just in case SID made a return later. He knew from AGE that machine could possibly assimilate others into itself, which was an ugly possibility if they managed to incorporate that into it somehow.