Kirishima slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair.
"What the hell just happened? Get that idol bitch back under my control now!"
On the bridge there was a flurry of activity as the crew tried to access the Kimaris Vidar's systems, to no avail.
Suddenly on the screen an image showed up of that blue haired girl, what was her name? The one they used for the AV system. "You… you.."
"The names' Yohane!" The girl said, striking a pose. "You're not hurting Lily anymore!"
The screen went blank.
"Sir, we've lost contact with the Kimaris. We can't reconnect…"
Kirisihima gritted his teeth. "Damn you idols! Unleash the limiters on the Hashmal! Destroy them all!"
The crew looked at him with fear. "But Captain, if we do that, we might-"
"I don't care! DO IT!"
The crew gulped. "Roger that, sir…"
On the battlefield, the Hashmal seemed to have powered down. The combatants stared at the huge metal beast with uncertainty, not sure what is going to happen next.
On the Kimaris' screen, Yoshiko had a satisfied look to her face with her arms to her sides.
RIko, Mari and Chika were now descending to the ground, where the members of Aqours were waiting.
"Now DES can't control you anymore, Lily," Yoshiko said. "I've used my new demonic powers to cut off their binds to us!"
"How were you able to do that?" Riko asked.
Yoshiko shrugged. "Comes with being an AI I guess? Does it matter, Lily? Now we are free!"
Kanan greeted the group. "Mari! Everyone! You're all okay."
"Thanks for keeping those plumas out of the way, Kanan!" Mari said. "I knew you could do it."
"I did it, Kanan-chan! I helped save Riko!" Chika said.
You, who was fighting below, noticed what was happening and flew upwards to meet them.
"Chika-chan! RIko-chan!"
"You-chan!" Chika said.
You saw the damage the Barbatos took. "What happened? Your hands are destroyed!"
"Well, I did what I had to do, hehehe…" Chika said.
"Come on now, don't forget about me!"
You and Kanan were surprised to hear Yoshiko's voice. "You're alive!"
"Well, yes and no. The powers of darkness have resurrected me as an AI!"
"Yoshiko-chan! You're alive zuuura!"
Their display screens showed the cockpits of Hanamaru's shiden and the Flauros, where Dia and Ruby were sitting. "Zuramaru! Of course I'm alive! You doubt the great Yohane!"
"Thank goodness!" Ruby said.
"I'm happy you're both alive. But, Riko? Shouldn't you be saying something?" Dia asked. RIko had been silent throughout the whole thing.
"I.." Riko began talking. She still had doubts. "I'm sorry everyone. For what I did, for the trouble I caused."
"Buu buu desu wa," Dia said. "We forgive you. That's enough, Riko. We know you weren't yourself."
"That's right! We still love you zura," Hanamaru said.
"Don't worry, Riko. Nothing will change between us," You added.
Mari smiled. "See, RIko? They forgive you. There;s nothing to worry about."
"Thanks.. everyone…" Riko said.
Just at that moment the Hashmal suddenly came back to life.
"Hey, hey, what the hell?" Kanata said as the giant started moving again. Plumas started rushing out of it's body.
"It' become berserk!" Honoka said.
"Everyone fall back!" Takamina ordered. The troops at the front line started backing away from the raging beast.
Mari asked Dia now. "How is the loading of that missile?"
"We're ready," Dia said. Launching right now."
"Roger that," Mari said.
"You have a plan?" Yuuko asked Mari as the plumas started to attack en masse.
"I have a plan. Attack!" mari said as she charged forward at the Plumas, slicing them with the Bael's swords.
"What kind of plan is that?" Kanata asked, but she joined in the attack anyway.
"We have to stall until Dia and Ruby are finally on the field," Mari said. "There;s no other way but to keep it busy!"
Sarah and Leah were able to keep up with the more advanced suits used by their peers, using the lightly amored Geirails to make swift strikes. The members of NO NAME all banded together, each doing their best to ward off the plumas.
Those with ranged weapons tried to distract the Hashmal itself, but with ammo running thin they had to be careful.
RIko fought back with only her katana, while Chika has trouble fighting using only the tail of the Barbatos.
Finally You and Kanan took Chik and asked for some cover. Mayuyu and Sayaka obliged.
"What are you doing, You-chan, Kanan-chan?"
"Battlefield, repairs," You said. "It's a good thing these frames are compatible!"
You started to deatch the arm of her Shiden.
"Come on, detach one of your damaged arms."
"But You-chan!" Chika said.
"No need to worry about me. But I'm worried about you. You can't fight like that. This will give you a fighting chance. Just let me do this for you, okay?" You said.
You-chan…" Chika removed her Barbatos' left arm, replacing it with the much smaller arm of the shiden. Despite this the Barbatos had no problem controlling this arm.
"But what about weapons?" Chika said.
"That's what I'm here for," Kanan said. "My sword can do this."
She detached the handle of the huge sword. "Here. Use it as a club."
"Thanks, Kanan!" Chika said. Now that Chika is ready to fight again, the three of them join the fray, Kanan rushing to back up Mari while You and Chika stuck with each other.
Yoshiko and Riko were working in tandem, with Yoshiko serving as second pair of eyes, warning RIko and moving the Kimaris as necessary. Because of this the two were able to fight better.
"Hey, this isn't so bad!" Yoshiko said as they dodged another attack.
"You got used to being an AI fast, Yocchan!" Riko said.
"Of course! You expect any less from me? I can conquer anything because of my demonic powers!" Yoshiko said as they countered an approaching pluma with the Kimaris' drill knee attack.
"Riri, after this…"
Riko knew what Yoshiko was going to say. If Yoshiko was going to stay an AI, she can never live a normal life.
"Yocchan, no matter what form you take, I'll still love you. Don't worry."
"Really? I knew you would, of course!" Yoshiko said.
Riko smiled at that. The two continued fighting.
Mari overheard the conversation between Yoshko and Riko.
"Those two should learn how to adjust the privacy of their transmissions," Mari said. "Thankfully I have something that will fit them just fine."
"Mari?" Kanan asked.
"Oh, nothing," Mari said. "Just something for those two lovebirds when we get out of this alive."
"Just for them? What about us lovebirds?" Kanan said.
"Oh, I have a special reward just for you!" Mari grinned.
The Hashmal was going berserk.
Soon it will destroy everything, Kirishima thought. Then I, Kirishima, will be known as the one who has destroyed AKB0048!
Kirishima was so deep in thought that he didn't hear the warning his crew was telling him.
"Sir, heat signature approaching, the Hashmal is-"
The crew never got to finish his statement as the ship was obliterated by the Hashmal's blast.
"What happened?" Honoka asked.
"It's gone berserk. It doesn't recognized ally or enemy anymore," Kanata said.
"We need to destroy it now!" Yuuko said.
Mari contacted Dia. "Where are you guys?"
One of the underground hangars opened, and the Flauros and Shiden appeared, the shiden immediately assuming a postion to cover the Flauros.
"Your savior has arrived!" Dia said.
"Are those…" Riko said.
"Dainslef bullets," Mari said. "They can destroy the Hashmal's tough armor. Wait how did you know?"
" I have some bullet here with me too," RIko said. "Inside these shields. But they can't be much use because the launching mechanism, the drill lance was destroyed."
"Well, what we have here should be enough," Mari said.
"Let's go, Ruby!" Dia said. She transformed the Flauros into shelling mode, looking like a quadrupedal beast.
Ruby took aim at the rampaging Hashmal.
"Ganbaruby cannon, FIRE!" Dia ordered.
Ruby fired the dainslef missiles, penetrating the armor of the giant beast.
Although damaged, the Hashmal still moves.
"It's not enough!" Hanamaru said in disbelief.
"What are we going to do now?" Chika asked.
Mari was trying ot think when Takamina approached her.
"RIko, give me those bullets."
"What? What are you planning?" RIko asked.
"I'm going out there and ramming those bullets into that giant bird."
"But Takamina, you'll-" Kanata tried to argue.
"It's something I have to do," Takamina said. "I've stepped down as the AKB leader already; I've caused you enough trouble. At least now I can make up for my mistakes."
"Are you sure about this?"
IT was Tsubasa Katagiri, up in the bridge of the Katyusha.
"Yes, I'm sure," Takamina said.
"Very well. Godspeed. And thank you for everything," Tsubasa said.
Takamina had a determined look on her face.
Riko nodded. "Yocchan, unload the bullets. Give them to her."
Yoshiko did as told. Takamina took hold of the bullets. "This is my last order to you all. Cover me as I make my way through. Don't let it get me. IT was an honor."
"Roger that, Takamina," Yuuko answered. "We'll make sure you get to your target."
Takamina started flying towards the Hashmal carrying the dainslef bullets. Beside her Kanata and Yuuko were flying along, repelling any plumas that were trying to attack. The others were also following them, doing their best to distract the enemy. Finally they've reached close enough to the Hashmal, and the group stopped, allowing Takamina to go alone.
"Goodbye, everyone." Takamina flew straight towards the Hashmal, destroying it with a huge explosion.