Text - Heaven's BBS

[all_seeing_eye]

Posted: September 27th
From: Yog-Sothoth

So... this banquet thing. Is it mandatory? Because I honestly can't think of anything I'd rather do less than put on uncomfortable clothes and be in a big crowd of people I don't know all night. Anybody want to have an anti-banquet where we sit around and watch sentai shows or giant robot anime or play video games instead? Can that be a thing?

Comments

[yousaytron]

[Oh boy, he can tell where this is going.]

Really. [Like he can tell this is going to be largely to her advantage already.] What kinds of things would you be trying to figure out?

[all_seeing_eye]

Whatever I can. The properties of the metal it's made of, how all the systems function... maybe even try to make friends. And of course, I'll share everything I find out with you. Understanding more about your partner here can only make you a better pilot, right?

[yousaytron]

['Make friends'... while it's obvious enough that red has some sort of personality, Keith never really saw the robot has having enough agency to do something like 'befriend' another person. Even Lance's lion had that kind of subdued display when it came to personality, something the pilots could tell was there, but without any big, grand displays.

It sort of makes him wonder if it's something he could simply be missing, or overlooking.]

... Probably. [Sounds reasonable enough.] What kind of deal did you have in mind?

[He can guess, given their earlier chat, but if she's got something else up her sleeve, he'd like to hear it too.]

[all_seeing_eye]

Well, I'm kind of in the market for a shinki that's not like a creepy zombie. And it sounds like you need a place to stay.

[She pats the control panel.]

And, y'know, a good place to park this guy.

[At least she gets right to the point.]

[yousaytron]

[At least she's not springing anything completely unexpected on him again, either.

For as undeniably rational as the idea of partnering up if only for the sake of not spending his time inside red 24/7 is, Keith's never been particularly receptive to simply pairing up with others on a whim, and still sounds pretty reluctant.]

I'll let you know now, I don't really like the idea of working with someone I don't know very well. [It's not a 'no', however, and being too stubborn in the face of his own situation feels. Foolish. Besides, he did still show up even after she made that initial offer, he can't pretend like it isn't a little appealing.]

Do you have any kind of combat experience? Or intend to do any fighting now that you're here?

[all_seeing_eye]

Then all we need to do is get to know each other better.

[Easy, right? Futaba smiles, nodding to herself.]

Umm... sort of. I'm more of a support type. Here, let me show you what I mean.

Persona!

[As she calls out the word, a UFO suddenly manifests just outside Red. Futaba herself transforms into her Phantom Thief outfit, disappearing from inside the lion and ostensibly into the UFO, considering the source of her voice a moment later.]

This is my Persona, Necronomicon. I can provide all sorts of combat analysis from in here, and even make my allies faster and stronger. Pretty cool, right?

[yousaytron]

[Okay, even through all of the bizarre nonsense that is gods and their weird powers and transporting themselves wherever they please, Keith can't possibly pretend that the UFO isn't kind of amazing. Something about it appeals to him innately, so even if Futaba isn't the kind of close combat fighter he is, there's plenty of merit to be found in what she can do with... Necronomicon? What a name that is.]

Nice ride. [To put it lightly. It'd be hard not to pick up on the impressed tone in his voice, at least.] You can just summon that thing whenever you want?

[all_seeing_eye]

Yup.

[There is no small amount of pride in her voice as she answers.]

It's a little complicated, but I'm bonded to it. It's part of my soul, so it's always with me. And from inside the control room, there's nothing I can't see.

[yousaytron]

[It's a bit of an abstract sounding concept, but it's easy enough to take her at her word, all things considered.]

I bet it's useful for recon-type work. Can't say I'm used to having that kind of back-up.

[It's... probably something someone with his propensity for recklessness could benefit from.]

[all_seeing_eye]

Yeah! Recon, combat support... I can do it all. I’m the best backup you’ll ever have, guaranteed!

[Hey, at least she’s confident.]

This thing can basically perform low level hacks of reality, so it comes in handy in tight spots. Ever get taken by surprise and surrounded? Surprise! Now you’re the one with the advantage. All it takes is a little folding of space time. Easy peasy!

[yousaytron]

[That is a little less easy to believe at face value, but that's a pretty big claim to just lie about, so...]

Think I could get a demonstration?

[That should be easy enough, right?]

[all_seeing_eye]

You got it!

[And completely without warning, numerous portals in the otherwise empty void they're floating in open up. Countless mechanical tentacles with eyes on the ends emerge, shooting toward the red lion at high speeds.]

Aaaaaaaaaaand... switch!

[Shooting toward the red lion, that is, until they're not. Quick as a flash, Keith is now situated directly across from the tentacles in the perfect position to mount a counteroffensive or at least effectively defend himself.]

...Don't actually shoot them, though. Those things take a while to repair, even for me.

[yousaytron]

[He was just expecting a quick zap to a slightly different location or something, not a complete simulated battle scenario! You can't just dump something like that on him without warning and not expect him to get ready to strike...!

As quick as he is to get ready for a fight, he's just as quick to put the brakes on his plans when Futaba tells him to hold off. He is, however, poised about 0.01 second away from actually going in for some damage, though.]

That was... [Impressive, but also,] Jarring.

[Surely much more handy when you expect it, probably.]

[all_seeing_eye]

Hey, you asked for it.

[Futaba isn’t the type to do things halfway.]

So, seen enough?

[yousaytron]

[He did. He literally did. Knowing that, he isn't complaining nearly as much as he could be.]

Yeah, I think so. [The whole exchange has been pretty telling of both her abilities and personality, and, well, it's already a lot more he's been able to get beforehand from his previous gods.]

Got anything you want me to demonstrate? It sounded like you may have gotten a pretty good read on the red lion earlier, but... [Seeing something in action is better than just knowing about it, surely.]

[all_seeing_eye]

Mm... we'll save that for later. I'll program some holograms for a combat simulation. For now, I'll take you at face value as an ace pilot.

[He definitely looks the part, at least. That's good enough for her.]

If we've got a deal, what do you say we move this to the center of the temple? It's a little hard to do the naming thing floating in a formless void. I can get you right back to Red when we're done, though, don't worry.

[yousaytron]

[If he's in red, that's a pretty strong signal for 'ace of the team' if your sentai shows are to be believed. Keith, however, doesn't quite understand where she may have pulled that judgement from, but also doesn't seem inclined to downplay it either.]

Yeah. [He's sold, more or less.] Are you just gonna warp us to somewhere else in the temple, then?

[all_seeing_eye]

[That's exactly where she's getting it.]

Yup. You ready?

[yousaytron]

[At least he's prepared for it this time!]

Whenever you are.

[all_seeing_eye]

Okay, here we go! Teleport!

[She doesn't have to say it out loud, but she also kinda does. Either way, they're now sitting in what looks like a teenage girl's messy bedroom. Probably because that's exactly what it is. It's a bit anticlimactic after the swirling nexuses and the yawning void and everything, but a girl has to sleep somewhere.]

All right, naming time!

[Clearing her throat, she starts the prayer.]

You, who have nowhere to go and cannot pass on, I'll give you a place to stay.
My name is Futaba. Lingering here gripping thine true name...
I make thou mine servant with thine alias... thy name is follower, thy vessel is sound... obey mine order and become my shinki.

[Opening her eyes, she extends a finger and traces the kanji 刀 in midair.]

Come, Touki!

[yousaytron]

[This is an unexpected sight after the rest of the temple and its surroundings being so... what they are, but he can't imagine someone so normal looking thriving in such an otherwise spooky and eerie place.]

Let's go.

[He's been through the naming process before, so he knows what to expect out of this. The kanji affixes itself to his left wrist, and in a flash after the name is given, Futaba will be treated to a vision of Keith fighting against someone who looks... decidedly non-human. Much too tall, too bat-eared, too purple, and with a massive, glowing prosthetic arm that is clearly made for combat rather than everyday functionality.

Keith, and the rest of his team, if the color-coordinated outfits are anything to guess by, appear to be in pretty tight straights until an unexpected shot comes from one of the incapacitated team members to catch the opponent off guard. Keith moves in to deal some blows, but ends up being grabbed by that huge cybernetic arm with enough force to crush him badly through his armor, before being roughly thrown off to the side. Another teammate steps in to immobilize their foe, and Keith summons up enough strength to get back up and shove him back, allowing a wall of solid light to shoot up and trap him in place...

But that's about all he can manage at that point, and the vision fades into darkness.

Lots of alien looking stuff, basically, and a fight scene that doesn't end so well for your new shinki, despite an assumed overall victory. Futaba's left with a device in her hand, not unlike what the team was fighting with.]

Green this time...? Huh.

[all_seeing_eye]

[Watching Keith's death is exactly like watching an exciting sentai show. It helps to blunt the impact a bit once she witnesses his inevitable demise. Still, she's quiet for a few moments until he breaks the silence.]

Huh...?

[She looks down at the odd device, turning it over in her hand.]

'This time?' Did you look like this for your last god too?

[yousaytron]

[At least she's more composed about the whole thing than his last god had been. It kind of makes him wonder what actually happens during the naming process, but it's also one of those rabbit holes that feels like an extremely bad idea to fall down. Maybe it's just a personality difference.]

Yeah, but his was blue. It'll probably change into something a little different, I'd imagine. [Ah, yeah, maybe letting her know how to actually use this weapon form is a good idea.] Try focusing on 'activating' it.

[all_seeing_eye]

Huh.

[She was pretty sure shinki were supposed to be different things each time, but whatever.]

Okay, let's give it a try.

[Closing her eyes, she concentrates on the weapon for a moment and it transforms into a small green gun.]

Hey, cool! I wonder what it does.

[yousaytron]

[Ah! This is pretty different for sure!]

I can't say just yet... [Maybe knowing more about the last form will give them both a hint?] Before, it was a sniper-type rifle. The bullets were more like... ice-projectiles. They'd freeze the target on impact, so it might be something like that.