Log:Eighth Man In

2014/08/29 Allison Chen Choukaizer Paragon Yutaka

1

Past midnight on a weekday means that the city, in general, is resting. The stars shine in the clear night sky, and the crescent moon makes its slow arc across the heavens. Aside from the dark alleyways of Harrisburg and seedy dens in Chinatown, all is generally peaceful.

But, as many sleep, at least one dark shape makes its way through and over the quiet cityscape...

Still without a place to call home, Third is crashing at Allison's place at Steel's Gym. Her little sister has left her in charge of taking care of/scaring the kittens in her mysterious absence, as well as lending Third use of her bed while she's off...sciencing. Doing science to things? That's as much as Third can understand most of the time. She went to bed not long ago after a long day, completely tuckered out.

Later on...Julius sends an alert message to Allison. <>

Bounding via rooftops and occasionally the street is a dark figure, traveling over the darkened city. In front of Chen's grandfather's stall, a figure lands with a light thud in the middle of the street. A car slams on the breaks with a screech to try and avoid the figure, which immediately leaps up and forward to avoid getting almost hit. Is that...Third? In her...jammies? She's wearing a white cami that rises to just above her hips, and a pair of baby blue kitten print cotton boxers with an elastic band. The car stops hitting the breaks and carries on forward after the scare, now that the obstacle is no longer in its path.

<> says Allison to Julius. <>

Then she looks up from her displays where she is working with the third shift of construction folks and their computerized modern construction gear. Her eyes sweep over the house that is about two thirds finished. Well, more than that in raw construction. Just.. it will need painting and lots of other cosmetic enhancements. The roof is almost complete at this point. "Jake?" she says, speaking to the actual foreman, "I might need to take off for a bit. Something might've come up. Okay?" And Jake chuckles, "You know, you don't -need- to be here so much as it is. My people have this well in hand... so sure, I think we can handle things."

Chen is taking the midnight shift at her grandfather's market stall so she's right on hand to witness the abrupt and highly unusual arrival of Third in jammies. With considerable surprise Chen recognizes the leaping figure despite the attire. "Third??" he calls out, not sure whether to believe her eyes or not.

Behind the car a good distance happens to be a motorcycle. That just barely stops in time and the rider even twists to the side to slide a bit and somehow keeps his balance. The entire movement causes the man to nearly lose control, but somehow he manages to not do so.

Said rider, one Ken happens to curse a bit before he raises the visor on his helmet. And happens to blink at the sight of Third. Holding on to the brake to keep from moving, Ken looks over Third for a brief moment before he looks towards Chen and then back to Third. "Hey, what's the rush?"

Third lands behind the car that nearly hit her. She doesn't react to the calls of her name. Not even a glance is cast towards Chen as she calls out before she leaps up and away again into the night's sky, hitting rooftop levels.

Chen takes out at a run after Third, running along the streets below the leaping Third and calling out her name. "Third. Stop. Wait up."

Ken turns the motorcycle quickly using one of his legs to pivot before taking off after Chen. He guns the motorcycle to pull up alongside her. "Any idea where she's going? I can give you a lift at least."

Third pays no head to her adopted sister, continuing to leap and run from rooftop to rooftop in a south western direction at speeds much faster than the posted city speed limits.

Chen grows another head to look at Ken while keeping eyes on Third, "I've got no idea. I've never seen her like this and she isn't responding to her name. Thanks for the offer of a lift. I'll take you up on it.." she says and settles on the pillion seat while the bike is still moving at speed.

The video feed is sent to Allison. It shows Third walking out in her pajamas as though she's sleep walking. She just steps out of the room, leaves the door open so the cats can run out, and doesn't pay attention to any of the odd stares from patrons. Allison inclines her head, "In her PJ's?" she asks aloud. "Okay Jake. It's time to go. I need to figure this stuff out. You know what to do." she offers the guy with a mechanical smile before growing drive pods and lifts into the air. <> she asks her friend... and it's not long before the almost-android body Allison soars over the city and angles on an intercept course towards Third.

Now Chen no longer needs to run full out she has the chance to pull out her PDA and phone Allison... "Answer. Come on, pick up. Don't go to voice mail."

Ken blinks a few times at that. And actually stares for a moment. "Huh. A shapeshifter." He shrugs as Chen gets on, then says over his shoulder. "Hang on." He then takes off, matching speeds to Third as he puts some of his driving skills to the test in weaving around traffic as much as he can to keep up and even using the sidewalk whenever there are no pedestrians.

"Yes Chen?" asks Allison as she answers. Caller ID is great, right?! "I'm zeroing in on Paragon's location as we speak. She left the gym in her PJ's and I'm a bit concerned about her. The vids look like she was sleepwalking." And of course, Ally is closing on that location.

Chen tells Ken as she waits to see if Allison is going to answer the phone, "Thanks. I'm Chen."

Chen breaths a sigh of relief as Allison answers. "I'm chasing after her. Someone is kindly giving me a lift. She didn't respond to me calling her name. Glad you're on the way. I'm worried."

Ken concentrates on driving, but answers back. "I'm Ken. Let's see about what's wrong with your friend. I'm guessing you're two of the heroines?"

Chen tells Ken, "Pleased to meet you. Especially under the current circumstance. I could never have kept up this speed on my own. Third, the person we're chasing, is a heroine. I'm more of a sidekick."

Colonial Heights

The southwesterly course continues to the upper-class suburbia of Colonial Heights, though it continues no further. The terminus is the open space of the CHHS athletic field. At this hour, it is deserted and darkened, lit only by distant street lamps, celestial sources, and one of two who already occupy the field.

Two armored figures stand near one another. One is tall, broad, and recognizable to those familiar with him as Fourth. The other is unknown, of more slight stature, but the exoskeletal armor, while less bulky, is visually similar in design. One key difference is that the seems between articulated plates, as well as lines along limbs and torso, are aglow with red-hued light.

Another non-armored figure plummets from the sky and lands on one end of the field in a half crouch before rising to its feet. Third walks across the field to join the other two figures, her eyes half closed as she approaches. Her expression is completely neutral and devoid of emotion.

Fourth

This tall figure stands at about 6 feet tall, covered in articulated, form fitting high tech heavy armor. It gleams like bluish-gray metal. The body is broad chested, muscular and athletic. The plating along more flexible areas, such as the abdomen and sides of the torso, are banded and flexible. The front chestplate has angled edges and looks like a solid piece, save for some hairline seams. In between the plates and in areas where there is no armor, a black armor mesh material shows through that doesn't quite look like fabric. This can be best observed on the figure's hands. The backs of the hands are plated, but the rest is just covered by the resistant armor-mesh gloves. The faceplate of the helm has a flat profile with a thin, jagged line seam that represents a mouth with teeth, and two eye-slots. The helm completely encases the head. From deeper within the helm, one can see the "eyes"; two glowing red orbs that burn so bright they appear orange nearer to their center. They blink out in unison from time to time or narrow into lines of determination. When Fourth talks, the voice is tinny and echoes from within the metallic helm. The voice is imposing and very definitely male. There's a robotic quality to Fourth's actions, but also a humane aspect.

Eighth

This figure stands just over six feet in height, with a fit, but not bulky, physique. The black technological armor which covers him (it bears no obvious feminine characteristics) also adds minimal bulk and high flexibility between exoskeletal plates. The numerous seams and joints glow with pulsing red light, as do tracks along limbs from phalanges to, and across, the torso. A matching helm and sleek, featureless faceplate protects and fully conceals the head.

Ken looks ahead, then frowns a little bit under his helmet. "That's good to know. In any case... we're here." He stops outside of the gate to the CHHS athletic field. "Tell me whoever's on the phone can get here quickly?"

Chen nods, "Yes. Allison is probably flying here faster than we travelled. Then she sees what's ahead. "Oh." and speaks into the phone with a voice loud enough Ken can hear, "Allison, there's a couple of figures here like Paragon and a another guy. I think it might be the Mechaneer and some more of the series. Do you think he's taking control of Third?"

"You will fix me..." Fourth states to the other. The digitized voice through the faceplate is somewhere between statement and query.

"Yes, your damaged condition will be rectified. Initiating..." The other responds and lifts its arms. One open palm is held near Fourth's visor; the other over Fourth's chestplate. The light patterns traced across it flicker, then deepen in hue and a thrumming noise begins to build. It crescendos and peaks in a scream.

A scream from Fourth, who suddenly jerks and twitches in seizures. Though he remains upright.

Allison angled just a bit off from what she had originally intended. Her eyes narrowed when she spotted the others in the field, and she set down between them and Third... glaring their way as she reached a hand out to Third's shoulder, "You guys are -soo- outdated," she mutters as her body sprouts little glowing nodes which erupt with energy to enclose her and Third in her full strength shields. Fortunately, she is right in with Third.

Chen hops off the motorcycle, "Thanks a million for the lift, Ken. I think you ought to get out of here. All hell's going to break loose in a moment of two." she says as she shifts into stinger mode. and starts a run for the person she thinks is likely the Mechaneer.

Third doesn't seem to even register Allison's presence. She just stares straight ahead, standing rigidly in place, unresponsive to the attempt to network.

The spastic marionette that is Fourth continues his dance for several seconds until it stops just as suddenly. He crumples to the ground, strings cut, to lie in an intert, contorted pile.

"Data transfer complete. Data integrity: 85.34 percent. Animation energy transfer complete. Efficiency: 97.62 percent."

The red-accented and glowing figure now turns towards Third and the others present. "Undesired arrivals detected. Assessing..."

Ken drives off after Chen leaves, heading around the side of the field and aiming to go around the field. He stops out of view around the side of the field before he parks the motorcycle and gets off it to run towards the field, changing as he goes. His form glows before fading away into a metal body that quickly expands into the armored form of Choukaizer as he fires off his thrusters to get on to the field quickly and land past the stands. "You know... whoever made this thing just doesn't have any design tastes at all." He says.

The onrushing Chen is, for the moment, the most obvious and imminent threat. "You will not interfere," the armored figure states plainly in its digitized voice, a moment before a ruby beam emits from its palm towards Chen.

The beam strikes and envelopes Chen, halting and holding her in a tractoring field.

Yutaka watched as all the after hours activity began at the high school, his security cameras he's placed show him it's not just normal hijinks. Nanite swim and firm around his body until the vanishing wolf armor is complete. even as it is forming he is out the house and in the shadows, where he can see and hear the commotion.

Too many armors, too many heroes to be anything but trouble. When close enough, he ports in...

Chen transforms to Martial Mode and grows a third arm and hand that extends out towards the exoskeletonal holding her with telekinesis and slaps it around the head with a fast martial strike.

The slap clangs against the armored helm. There is no structural damage, but the force is enough to knock the figure off-balance. It is forced to take several steps back to regain it. The beam and field about Chen remain.

SHIELDS UP! Okay, Allison turns to face Third fully. "Okay, you're in there. I know you are. So, let's say hello shall we?" she asks as she leans forward, closes her eyes and focuses.

<> sends Allison to Third.

Third's heavy lidded eyes blink a few times as Allison's networked words cut through the haze. Suddenly, her eyes open fully and she looks alert but confused, glancing about. She tries to gather her thoughts and remember how she got here. "Allison...? What..." she murmurs as her mind tries to catch up, putting a hand to her head. "I'm here. Present. What's going on?" she mentally transmits to Allison.

"Interference is unacceptable," the revised assessment by Eighth is that Chen was not halted soon enough. This lack is rectified as she is repulsed away from it 20m and roughly the same distance vertically.

The helm pans again to Third and Allison within the energy field. "Third of Nine. Approach for personal history download and recovery of animation energies. Subject: Temple. Allison. AKA Interface, lower your shields and surrender the defective unit for recycling."

"Great, you are useless of Borg, lower our shields, resistance is futile. Yadda-yadda. You're boring." mutters Allison.

"I'm...useless...?" Third sounds genuinely hurt. She always knew Allison considered her tech outdated. But never had it been put so cruelly.

Muttering even more softly, Allison says to Third, "Shh, I'm insulting the bad guys."

Meanwhile, the other heroic robot type off to the side, namely Choukaizer, has been looking at the thing and watching it fling Chen away. He can't exactly help her, but considering she... well, shape-shifted quite a bit. The robot turns it's head back towards the villain. "Wow. I feel special. Ignored and I'm a big freaking black and purple target." The robot brings his arms up and back, twisting his body before throwing one forward with a vocal call, "Kaizer Release: Magnum Punch!" One fist is launched off as a green flame missile at the glowing villain, followed by the second fist as he aims to give the unknown robot a pair of knuckle sandwiches. Whether it looks it or not!

Third nods once to Allison's comment. Her entire body goes rigid and shudders once as she is violently enveloped by her own cybernetic armor, now looking near identical to Fourth. She strides forward a step or two within Allison's forcer barrier and raises a finger to tap on it lightly to test its strength. And to signal Allison that it's getting in her way. Not that she couldn't just smash through it, but she wants to be polite to her sister. Her metallic ringing voice sounds out in heroic overtones to her intended target. "Eighth, I will give you this one chance to surrender peacefully. There's still a chance you can be freed from Mechaneer's control chip. If you do not surrender, we'll do this the hard way." She knows he won't. And can't. But she has to offer terms of surrender for much the same reason.

Shoro looks upon the armors, he is too far to act, so he tries to run in the shadows as he turns on his electron cloak.

Chen isn't happy about being repelled away out of her reach. Transforming to brick mode and growing wings she tries to break free of the grip of Eighth's telekinesis.

Chen snaps free of the force holding her and guess what, with her wings developed she doesn't even plunge face first into the ground.

The energy shield drops and Allison smirks to Paragon. "Atta girl." she remarks as she turns to face the oncoming threats. She rolls her neck as Shoro vanishes and she opens her mouth, but shuts it again as he right arm reforms into a multibarrel cannon. "Resistance is futile you losers. If you don't quit now, I might have to break your control chips myself... the hard way." and the top barrel of her minigun thing glows blue... for sensors that can pick up such things, she is... aiming an electromagnetic energy gun their way.

"Surrender is not a mission parameter." Paragon was correct in that it will not or cannot do so. Though Chen burst the tractor beam hold, Temple, Allison bearing a weapon at it constitutes a more immediate threat. "Evaluating... Energy format effectiveness: viable. Initiating countermeasures." The energy lines along its body dim then suddenly spike in a burst of energy across the visual and radio spectra.

Seeing the attack coming, Allison doesn't know what it is. She just knows being attacked first is bad. So the minigun chatters. However, the blinding flash goes off mid-shot and the rest of her shots go wide after a couple and hit the ground behind the targets, "Yay for blind. God I hate this crap!" she mutters.... at least she can hear the body of this guy sparking from the BODY it took.

Choukaizer gives a bit of an all too human sounding growl as his optics are blinded by the flash. The robot takes a moment to think things over, then realizes what he just heard. Some sort of zap noise... tilting his head, he moves to face the way he thinks the zap is coming from, then brings his arms up, "Chou Release: Lightning Blaster!" The chest area opens up slightly, the large star shape sliding apart to reveal an emitter that fires off a burst of electricity across the field, hoping to hit Eighth.

Paragon watches the barrier drop and listen to Eighth's refusal...just before the blinding flash causes the glowing lights within her helm to shrink down to pinpoints. She doesn't quite have to see to get closer. She leaps up and forward, overshooting her target by quite a bit and landing a little clumsily a few meters behind Eighth. "I'm sorry to have to do this," she says solemnly. "But I'm not going to be recycled. And if I can help it, I'm going to help free you." Her speech is being given in the wrong direction. Her chest expands as she draws her arms out and back, elbows bent. Her right hand is a fist, her left hand an open palm. With her full strength, she brings her hands together with a resounding crash and a shattering impact.

The loud and unexpected shockwave knocks Eighth forward and onto his face, which skids several meters across the turf.

Shoro continues his invisible charge, he tries to see with his other senses. Having trained heavily in blind fighting this is not unfamiliar territory, but he needs to take account of several things, so he does what he can...

Chen flies towards Eighth but not quite straight in its direction. "Can anyone see it. Where is it." she calls out. She saw the bright flash and is hoping to fool the exoskel into thinking she was caught too.

"That's right. You got knocked down you obsolescent POS!" exclaims Allison as she heard Paragon's shockwaves lay the guy out. Honestly, she's trying to taunt him into attacking -her-...

Eighth kips up to its feet. "Structural Integrity: Ninety-three percent. Arcano-Energy System Efficiency: One-hundred and four percent. It turns and steps towards a pending primary objective who stands not far from a completed objective. "Initiating recovery process..." Its hands reach out for Paragon, one towards her head and the other at her torso.

Paragon can hear Eighth as he approaches, but she can do very little to dodge whatever he has planned. After he plants his hands on her armored plating, she suddenly shudders convulsively as her systems get forcibly accessed and downloaded, and the very energies keeping her body animate seep away. Much like Fourth did before her, Paragon lets out an agonized scream.

The scream is echoed by Chen except mixed with the anguish is a terrible rage.

Okay, that scream was bad. Allison narrows her sightless eyes and move towards the sound of it all. She hopes that she can figure out which is her friend and which is not in time to do something truly stupid here.......

And.. when she gets closer, Allison rolls her neck, <> she tells Julius. After all, he's even cut off from the web here. Radio signals aren't working right now. She steps right in to be beside Eighth. "You need to deal with me first you toaster oven on steroids..." she says aloud as her body springs out nodes once more, and a shield goes up around both her and Eighth. Basically... isolating the two of them within the shield.

Choukaizer looks around, blind as everyone else at the moment before he hits his thrusters and flies towards the agonized sounding scream. That it's Paragon, he's fairly sure. Which now makes him think a bit. If the thing's able to do something like that to Paragon... yeah, Choukaizer decides to get in as close as he can to where the scream was. And Eighth's voice at that. Going hand to hand is probably a better idea than anything else at the moment.

Paragon's screaming and convulsing stops and she slumps forward, breathing raggedly as she sways in place, still standing.

Paragon shudders once more. That...-hurt-. He tore some part of her away with that. Something that may not be so easily regained. "You...you killed him..." she breathes out accusingly. "You killed Fourth," she grits her teeth and clenches her fist. And now she knows she needs to stop holding back. Eighth was right there in front of her a second ago, and that's where she sends her fist flying.

It was a powerful blow. Unfortunately, the gravitic shield absorbs the vast majority. Paragon does have the satisfaction of feeling her fist strike beyond it, but Eighth feels even less.

Okay, those heavy footsteps can only be Paragon. Allison winces and says a bit too late, "No Paragon, wait a.." *SMASH!* "Damn..." she mutters as Julius dutifully reports.  and she mutters, "Thanks, I didn't know that."

Shoro is still running when he gets his distance, and jumps his body twisting building a great deal of torque, and then he ports *POP* ending up next to 8th, his highly attuned senses kick in and he knows exactly where he wants to hit..he lets loose a kiai as his foot comes down in a spinning axe-heel kick...

Eighth cannot assess beings he cannot perceive. Nor can he defend against the same. The blow sends him sliding from mid-field to the 30 yard line, tearing up sod in his wake. "Error..."

Chen is screaming out her rage intermixed with cursing in Mandarin as her arms elongate and morph into thick tentacles. Reaching out she tries to grab Eighth, and if successful pulls him further back away from Paragon and flails him around wildly slamming him into every reachable object, be it the bleachers or a trash can. The ground is not excluded.

Shoro lands the strike, kicking his target out of the range of his ninja trained senses, that took a lot out of him, but he knows he struck true, despite his blindness, landing lightly he gets ready to follow up again, listening for the enemy...

Before he can re-orient, Eighth is grabbed and subsequently used as a landscaping tool. Repeatedly. What will the groundskeepers think if this in the morning?

How quickly the tables can turn. "Assessment error. Primary target priority adjusted." A ruby beam flashes out to claim the remains of Fourth and the lines of energy across him begin to glow brightly

"Objectives completed: Six of twelve. Transmatter relocation to Waypoint Delta in 3 ... 2 ... 1"

There is another burst of light, though only Chen can view it, and it is not blinding. When the flare fades, neither of the units remain.

Shoro doesn't see anything of 8th retreating, but when it seems everything is calmed down, he turns off his electron cloak. He looks around, and rushes over towards Third, hands glowing...

Shoro kneels beside Paragon.."its going to be ok.." he says softly, as he lays hands on Paragon. Attempting to heal her pains..

Paragon's vision starts to return. In correspondence, her eyes start to slowly illuminate and she looks around slowly. Seeing Eighth and Fourth gone, the first thing she does is...remote connect to the cloud service and cancel the timed message to be sent out in the case of her demise. Wouldn't want that to get sent out by accident. She shudders as she feels an ache all the way down to her bones. "Thanks...Shoro..." she breathes out weakly now that the rush of danger is gone. Another text message gets composed in her HUD and sent as he tries to heal her. "Think he...really messed up...my systems..."

Shoro nods, "I am sure your friend will help you with your diagnostics. I hope I can help you with your body." his hands continue to remain on her shoulders chi flowing.

Paragon's body trembles a little before slowly relaxing and growing still. She breathes a little easier as Shoro's energy replaces the binding magics that were stolen. "Feeling stronger...and better. Thank you," she smiles softly behind her faceplate. She looks to where Fourth was lying. "Fourth was not so lucky..."

Shoro nods.."I barely saw anything before that other armored guy blinded me...I am sorry. I would have helped him if I could. I saw him fall, but nothing else."

Paragon just shakes her head softly. "It was too late by then. There wasn't anything anyone could do," she says quietly. Her head pans slowly to Shoro. "Thank you again for your assistance," her voice echoes sadly. She sounds grateful, but mournful as well.

She seems stronger and Shoro doesn't feel the same flow going on, telltale that her chakra is flowing. "I think I've done all I can for you..." he stands and looks around, "So...just what was all of that about?" his tones are a bit softer than normal, more compassionate.

Meanwhile Chen is still flailing away and cursing even though Eighth teleported out of her tentacles.

Paragon remains standing, although now she's able to straighten out and stand tall and heroically again. "My creator...it seems he's upgraded his creations. And is sending them to reclaim the malfunctioning units. Like Fourth. Like me. Eighth managed to download some of my memories when he touched me. I'm not sure how much he got, but it was significant." Paragon's head pans over to Chen as she rages, and she turns and walks towards her without a second thought. "Chen...?" she asks in a concerned, big sisterly voice.

Chen turns at the sound of the voice and freezes. "You... you're alive?" she says in a quiet hesitant voice.

Shoro nods but stays back, Chen's current form is dangerous, and out of control.. Paragon shifts to an akimbo stance and says in a cheerful, confident voice for Chen's benefit, "As alive as I ever was, partner."

Chen loses shape for a moment, collapsing into a goopy puddle. Then she reforms as Chen, "I... I thought you were dead. When the other one did to you what he did to Fourth I thought you were dead." she says before running over and hugging Paragon tight.

Choukaizer walks over, having been analyzing and making sure the blindness was fully gone it seems. "I recommend we all consider counter measures to being blinded again." The robot says.

Shoro looks over to Choukaizer, "There are somethings that sensors cannot make up for.." he thinks this may be the first time he's ever met Choukaizer, "I am Shoro, Choukaizer right?"

Paragon hugs Chen back tightly. "He tried. Didn't manage to finish the job, though, thanks you you and everyone else. So don't you worry. I'm not going anywhere," she says reassuringly. As she gives Chen a big sisterly hug, her helm pans over to Choukaizer and gives a nod of respect. "Good recommendation. Thank you for your assistance, Choukaizer."

Chen turns and gives Choukaizer, "Yes. Thank you for helping my big sis." She looks around more, "He's gone, which is sensible of him, but there was a motorbike rider who I wanted to thank too. He gave me a lift here."

"Probably for the best. I'm glad no civilians were hurt because of this," Paragon sounds relieved as she nods once solidly.

Chen nods in agreement with Paragon. Stepping over she pushes a divot back into place with a toe and treads it down, a tiny repair to a field torn up by meta combat.

Shoro walks up to both Chen and Paragon "Looks like you're all ok," he looks around at the field.."Not so much for the school field. But you are right, no civilians." he salutes Paragon and nods to Chen, "You know how to reach me if you need me." he gives a snappy salute, and the electron shield goes up, and he walks off into the night.

Chen blinks, "Grandfather's stall. I left it opened up with nobody there. Another quick hug for Paragon and then "I have to get back." is said as she runs off towards Chinatown. Choukaizer turns to walk off, commenting over his shoulder, "The motorbike rider was glad to help."

Paragon fires off a cub scout salute in return to Shoro as he goes, then looks about at the field in dismay. Rubbing the back of her helm, she lets out a mechanized sigh. "I should probably work towards replacing this turf..." she murmurs. He looks to Chen and returns the hug before she leaves.

Yutaka can be seen walking the street near his home..

Paragon waves to Choukaizer, confused by his comment about the biker. "Take care, Choukaizer." She looks back to survey the damage to school property, and takes another look to where Fourth fell. It would seem Mechaneer no longer wishes to capture her alive. Which makes his job much easier.

Yutaka sits on his front porch, watching the High School, monitoring cameras from his holovid.

Paragon's helm flips up and back, folding away into the rest of her suit as she surveys the damage done from the fight, and Chen's tantrum. With a sigh, she goes about tidying what she can. Straightening out turf, packing down divots, filling in the grooves left from Eighth plowing through the earth and patting it all down. The ground is finally evened out by the time she's done, although she can't do much for the torn up grass.

"There. At least no one will trip of hurt themselves," Paragon murmurs to herself at the work she's accomplished as she dusts her hands off. Her mind is still troubled, but the simple manual labor helped her relax a little. She walks towards the street, and with a light hop, she's over the fence and outside of the school grounds.

Yutaka shuts off the holovid as he see's Paragon jump the fence, but remains on his porch, watching her, expecting her to leap off.

Instead of leaping away, Paragon drags her feet a little before picking then up and walking away from the school. She has a lot to think about, and leaping requires a bit more attentiveness to ones soundings and landings specifically. o O (Of Nine...? But six of twelve acquired. What other targets is Mechaneer after?) She rubs her chin thoughtfully as she strolls, eventually drawing near to Yutaka's place. She glances towards it curiously, still remembering her brief stay there, and is surprised to see Yutaka awake and on his porch. She raises her hand in friendly greeting with a smile. "Hello," she calls out quietly once she's close enough. Not enough to disturb neighbors, hopefully.

Yutaka smiles and raises a hand, "You're out late..everything ok?" he points to another chair on his porch, as well as an old fashioned swing bench which is never used, but still in perfect shape.

Paragon tilts her head slightly at the invitation to sit, slowing her stride to a stop in front of hte pahtway to his house. She takes a moment to consider, and decides it would be rude not to accept. She turns ninety degrees and walks up the pathway to his porch. Settling on the swing bench, she sits down carefully. "Everything's fine." It's her default answer to most things. Even with a hole blasted in her chest, she was still able to move, and thus, everything was 'fine' in her books. Her friends disagree with her definition of fine on many occasions. "Just a little bit of trouble."

Yutaka nods, "I noticed. Hard not to, it didn't last long though." he studies her for a long moment...

Yutaka says to her bluntly, "You...have changed. And you're a terrible liar...I've known that for a while now. I know you do not know me well, and that is ok, but I would like to believe that there is some level of friendship between us. I won't push, but you've changed, and I can not say that I am not worried about you."

Paragon just stares across the street straight ahead, not noticing Yutaka's studying. She straightens her legs out a little to push the swing bench back, then lifts her feet off the ground to start it swinging gently forward. "Changed...?" she asks curiously, still staring off ahead. "I don't know what you mean." An honest statement. Her eyes slowly drift towards Yutaka without her head moving. "I do not like to lie. But I do to protect my friends. And their feelings. They almost lost control tonight. Over me." She sighs and her eyes shift back to looking straight ahead. "Of course there is friendship between us. You helped me when I needed it. But...worried about me? I'm fine. My friends came to my rescue. The damage done by that unit is repaired."

Yutaka chuckles ruefully, "Third..." he says softly, "I don't exactly know what it is, but when I first met you, not so long ago, you had an openness about you. Infectious innocence. Even in your armored persona, you were a heroe's hero. Now..you are not open at all. And your innocence.." he sighs, "You act as if you have a broken heart." That is one thing that Yu knows well.

That finally makes her head turn towards him. "I grew up," she says softly. "And very quickly." She leans back in the swing as it rocks gently. "It's funny you should say you thought I was open. My friends always felt the opposite. That I hid behind the persona and the armor and was closed off. And that only now am I being more open and honest." She just shakes her head, looking confused. "I'm not broken hearted, Yutaka. I may have lost a lot of things. Failed a lot of people. But I am still fighting for what's right."

Yutaka nods, "Well, I am sorry to see the child in you gone. She was special." he looks up and smiles, "She was inspiring. She made me see better things in this world." he stretches his neck and body for a second before continuing, "She gave this bitter heart hope." he stands, and walks over sitting on the bench beside her..and it does creak dangerously..."Still..we all have to fight on right? Fight the good fight? That's what matters most right?..even if the child dies, we must fight the good fight, if only to honor her spirit of innocence." he pats her metallic thigh in a friendly manner.

Paragon glances down at the thigh pat in mild suspicion of its intention before looking up ahead again and sighing. "I haven't stopped fighting the good fight, Yutaka. I don't think I ever will. Not until I can no longer physically function in that capacity." She smiles softly and stares down at her lap. "But I assure you, Yutaka, I am not heartbroken. Maybe there's hope for your heart yet. I don't believe it's as bitter as you say."

Yutaka shrugs, doubtful about his own heart, but says, "I do not doubt you fight the good fight for others. What about yourself? Who fights for the innocent in yourself. Its not too late for you to find her, and nurse her back to health, defend her. No one else can. Its a fight as much with yourself as anything else." he looks out towards the street as if looking into the past, "Darkness is insidious, it pervades the heart, quietly, slowly, but it can latch on, and poison everything you care about in a slow languishing death. It is enticing, and strong, and can make you think that the strength it gives you gives makes you impervious to the dangers around you. It is like the oak, strong, but it breaks..and its strength becomes its weakness. Unable to weather the storm.." he sighs. "I'm sorry, its late, and I ramble.."

Paragon listens quietly and thoughtfully. When he finishes, she responds gently, "I'm afraid I have no idea how to do something like that, Yutaka. I fight the good fight because helping others makes me happy. And I try to do more things for myself these days. Things that I like. So that I'm not always being a hero. And that makes my friends and me happy." She leans forward in the swing and rests her elbows in her knees, her hands clasped between them. She comments curiously, "Darkness...what makes you say something like that? Do you think I've given into darkness?"

Yutaka shakes his head, "Not yet." his answer is short but clear. "Find a way to save the child." is the last thing he says before he stands, "If today seems heavier a burden than a few weeks ago, if finding purpose is more difficult today then it was a few weeks ago. If you find yourself sad when alone, If you find yourself shutting others out with the word "fine" to mean don't ask so I won't have to tell..." he heads for the door, "I heard your house met its end, do you have a place to lay your head?"

Paragon seems to understand his meaning, but she still seems uncertain why he's telling her of all people. To his final question, she rises to her feet and nods once, understanding the gathering is over. "Yes, the old Guardian safe house was destroyed. I have some places to stay, though. My friends offer me space to sleep when they can. Tonight I'm staying at Allison's at the gym."

Yutaka nods, "Do you need something to eat or drink before you go?" he opens the door, "This house will always be open to you, if you ever need anything, a place to lay your head, to talk, or to simply get away. I will reinstate your authorizations." he offers a knowing smile, "Everyone needs some time away..a safe haven. Consider this yours."

Paragon takes a turn to study Yutaka this time, seeming uncertain about him. "I seem to recall my presence in your home made you uncomfortable. I will not burden you again," she refuses with a kind, polite smile. "But thank you for the offer, all the same. Goodnight, Yutaka." She fires off a snappy cub scout salute, then turns to walk off the porch.

Yutaka calls out to her "Third!" his voice isn't sharp or loud, just enough to get her attention...

Paragon stops just at the steps leading off the porch and half turns to look at him with a questioning gaze.

Yutaka says, "To be clear, your presence in my home was not uncomfortable, it was the opposite, it was comforting. And it was not a burden, it was uplifting. I do not invite anyone into my home. Just those I trust. It is certainly your choice to ever use this home for any reason, to visit, or not, that is certainly not my prerogative, but, if you thought I was uncomfortable with you here, or that you were a burden, that was certainly not the case." he smiles and gives her a mock salute as well, "Good night Citizen."

Paragon has a look of doubt in her eyes still at his words, as though thinking now he's the liar, just trying to be polite. She stiffens slightly at his use of her tagline, then nods slowly. "Good night...Citizen." Whatever's on her mind, she doesn't vocalize it or bring it up. She just turns away mechanically and walks down the porch steps to continue her night stroll towards her destination, left to ponder over more than just the new mission parameters Mechaneer is giving his creations.