"C'mon..." Esebu muttered. "Let's go..."

And together they ventured deep into the mist to face the unknown.

At once Esebu's communications systems started to malfunction. He couldn't get a reading from satellites, least of all TV signals or even wireless signals. Only his radar was working, and even then it was just barely. A low growl escaped his vocalizer at this. That meant they had to rely on their optics and hearing, not their radar systems.

Esebu clenched his fists as he looked around, optics straining to pierce the thick fog, smog, smoke, whatever it was. It was thick, sure, but not entirely black like with the Coal Walker. In fact, it was more like a dim grey, almost like the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. The mere thought made his frame shudder, armor plates rattling against one another.

"Esebu? You okay?" Haifu called from behind him.

"Yeah... Just can't get over how eerie this is," he remarked. "It's too much like an apocalypse..."

Matagi's snort came from right beside him, and the lead Shinkalion almost jumped out of his armor. "Hardly. Otherwise there would be more damage and stuff."

Esebu took in a shaky breath to calm his racing engine. "I know. I'm just saying it looks like it," he remarked.

The red and white Shinkalion nodded. "Okay."

The group continued on, unaware of the red optics flashing once in the mist...

(Shows a pair of eyes opening before the eyes morph into optics)

START Kaitei no Orchestra (Precious Time) (ROMI)

(The optics flash as the camera pans out to show six shadowy mecha before they leap towards the camera, brandishing their weapons)

Hiroi aoi kono basho de tokiga nagarete yuku my precious time (The image fades to show a cat Faunus boy with brown hair and magenta eyes walking down a street close to the ocean, looking down at an image of his mother in his hand. He perks up as he spots a rabbit Faunus girl with light green hair and eyes hugs him, making him yelp. A boy with brown hair and brown eyes joins the girl on the cat Faunus's other side, and gives a thumbs up. A boy with dark purple hair and eyes approaches from the left and smiles a bit before a ninja youth leaps down on the right, his dark grey hair and purple eyes standing out with the purple highlight on the right side of his bangs. The five look up at the sky as a shimmering image of a cheetah Faunus with blue hair and eyes appears behind them. The title appears below them all.)

GRIMMFALL: SHINKALION RISING

Itsu no manika kiete shimatte kakegaeno koega (The image fades to show the cat Faunus standing beside his mother's grave, his eyes fixed on her name)

Tsumaranai hibimo sorega sukide ikitetanda (Memories of her and his family march past as he bows his head)

Higa sashiteru tokomade omoikkiri hashitte (A wind blows past and he perks up as he sees something ahead of him, making him break into a run to try and reach the shadowy, winged humanoid shape as it looks back with yellow optics, holding out a hand)

Shinjirarenai koto bakari menomaeni okiru (The two embrace hands and then a flash of light engulfs the screen, fading to show a large Kaiju-class Grimm being attacked by a blue and white mecha wielding a drill before the two clash)

Taiyou no hou wo miagate tachiagaruno tsurakute (The impact throws off a light that engulfs the screen, dissipating to show the cat Faunus, but battered and wounded, looking at the sky, the sun shining down on him as he reaches up a hand, as if grasping at it)

Susumu koto dake omouto (He tries to stagger to his feet, only to collapse briefly before he lifts his gaze, a yellow optic forming in place of his eye as it glows brightly)

Setsunai tabiwo tsuzukeru kawatta me no okuniwa (The light of the optic fades as the camera moves out to show a green and white mecha armed with a sword and wings on its back attacking a porcupine Kaiju-class Grimm in close combat, only for the Kaiju to fire off a slew of spines from its legs and back, making the mecha block with a shimmering tri-colored Aura)

Natsukashii itoshisa wo motomete (On my way) (Behind the mecha appears an image of a cat Faunus woman, and the mecha lunges forward, its sword glowing as it traps the Grimm in an energy cage before slicing it in half)

Kizutsuke attanowa nikui wake janai nosa (The Grimm explodes before a Faunus Ultra gorilla lunges from behind, making the mecha spin to block with its sword, images of a peaceful world appearing behind it before punching the Faunus Ultra and sending it staggering back)

Sokoni kibouga arunonara my precious time (The images coalesce around the mecha's chest as it fires a blast of green energy from a hidden chest cannon at the screen)

Itsukaraka onaji keshikini kakomarete sugoshite (The screen comes back into view, this time showing the cat Faunus as he stands atop a building in Tokyo, his friends beside him as they eye the distant horizon, a shadowy shape behind Mt. Fuji in the distance)

Akinonai koega sukoshizutsu chiri hajimeta (The boy looks down at an image of his mother in his hands, his friends placing their hands on his shoulders to comfort him as tears streak down his cheeks)

Ameni utareta mamade omoku seouno tsurakute (The camera zooms in on his eyes before panning out to show him looking at the window, the same green and white mecha on the other side, both touching their hands to one another before it shifts to show the cat Faunus's mother as a transparent image behind the mecha)

Ushinau koto dake omouto (The camera zooms in on the mecha's face before panning out to show two Faunus, a fox woman and a bull man, standing atop a hotel in downtown Tokyo)

Togirenai omoino nakade hisshi ni tsukamunosa (The two Faunus lunge for the mecha, only to be blocked by a red and white mecha with two guns and a purple and white mecha wielding two shuriken in its hands Beside them is a white and green mecha armed with a sword and the blue and white mecha with the drill is close by)

Dokomademo dokomademo sagasunda (Find your way) (The five mecha charge towards a large shape as it looms out of the shadows of the two Faunus, and behind them is the shape of a white and blue mecha armed with twin energy blades)

Otagaini motomeatte kakera wo tsunagunosa (Shows the six mecha as they stand in a line, each of them holding their weapons at the ready before they charge forward; the green and white mecha fires off its chest cannon as the blue and white mecha spins its drill up, a blue aura engulfing it, the red and white mecha fires its twin guns in a rifle configuration as the purple and white mecha uses its shuriken as weapons, the white and green mecha swings its sword as heat radiates from the blade and the white and blue mecha swipes with its energy blades, releasing a shockwave)

Sokoni kibouga mierukara wow oh wow (The blasts combine to generate an explosion as it hits something before the smoke parts to reveal a scenic image of the city of Tokyo, the tendrils of Satyra retreating from it)

Kimiga tsukutta monogatari saikou no omoide ni nattanda (The image shifts to show the cat Faunus looking down at a photo album of his mother and his friends and family, tears pricking at his eyes before he sees his friends beside him and they hold out their hands, a smile crossing his face as he takes their hands and they pull him out of the darkness into the light)

Bokurano nakani ikitsuzukete soshite arigatou wow (They all hug before a flash of light envelops them, fading shortly after to reveal the six mecha, this time images of the six kids behind them as they charge at a shadowy shape as it looms over them)

Setsunai tabiwo owarasunda miraiwo kaete tsukuruno sa (The image pans to the right to show them all charging, this time transparent scenes of new enemies marching past them - Dr. Robotnik, Sammael, and Moloch - before fading to show the city of Tokyo at sunset, a light shining in this darkening world)

Istumademo akiramezuni oistuzukete (On my way) (The green and white mecha with the wings thrusts its hand out towards an image of the cat Faunus's mother as she reaches out, and their hands clasp before it shows the green and white mecha firing off its chest cannon, the beam this time a shining gold color)

Tashikani kanjitanda kimiga kureta yuuki wo (The blast strikes the enemy before them - Dr. Robotnik - before it shows the mecha with its companions as they join in on the attack with their own moves)

Bokuno subete wo gisei ni torimodosunda bokurano precious time (The image fades to show the six kids standing in front of Tokyo, the title of the series appearing below them)

GRIMMFALL: SHINKALION RISING

OPENING FILES:

CLASSIFIED

DECRYPTING...

FILES DECRYPTED

OPENING FILES: TOKYO TOWER

An iconic landmark, Tokyo Tower has been around for over fifty years. Initially developed as a communications and radio tower, it has since evolved into a more modern hub for communications and broadcasting within the city of Tokyo and its prefectures. The tower is painted a distinct international orange and white to comply with air safety regulations, and its colors have become part of that iconic look. The Tower has also served as a means for amplifying communications signals put out by Tokyo SDI Headquarters during missions. The Tower has also become a hotbed for several related Kaiju Grimm attacks.

TERMINAL ENTERING STANDBY PHASE

"Icons are just as important as landmarks for status and symbolism. Like the Emperor's Sword." The man shifted in his seat, tenting his fingers. "During the Time of Awakening, the Emperor's Sword was a symbol, a rallying point for those who fought against the Grimm. It represented hope and light, trust and unity, friendship and bonds. It was a mark of righteousness, of a just cause, and of a better future. But..."

The man's eyes hardened as the screen showing the sword faded. "What happens when someone loses that symbol? Well... That...is something you'd better hope never happens to you."

CHAPTER XVII - TRUST

The Shinkalions made their way down the bridge, trying to avoid stepping on cars and people as they scampered to and fro, trying to find ways out of the thick soup that blinded them and kept them from going anywhere.

Esebu felt a low growl escape his vocalizer as he clenched his fists.

"Man... sure wish they'd fire off a capture field..." he muttered. "Fighting around the humans is gonna be a pain in the ass..."

Beside him, Fumikiri nodded. "Yes. So we'll have to be wary of where we land or step."

"Perhaps an alternative could be to redirect the humans to areas where we know they won't be harmed," Haifu suggested.

Esebu shook his head as he skirted around a truck. "No. That won't work," he stated. "We don't know what kind of abilities this Grimm has, or if there are multiple. And even if we do get the humans to safety, it won't do much good if the battle goes into their area."

The femme lowered her helm, feeling embarrassed. "Oh..."

"It was a good idea though," he assured her. "We just need to be extra careful and think."

Haifu nodded. "Right."

Behind them, bringing up the rear, Nozoma grunted. "Or maybe I could fight, while you four watch the humans," he said.

"Oh, no! No way!" Esebu growled, whirling around to face him. "We are not going that way! We've fought more Kaiju Grimm than you have, as that Misertree was the first one you ever faced!"

"I've been fighting longer than you have, and that's saying something!" Nozoma shouted. "I was fighting long before you got roped into this whole thing!"

"And that equates to experience against Kaiju?!" the lead Shinkalion roared. "Because from the looks of things, you didn't even know what that tree ogre was capable of!"

"And that tree ogre almost broke you!" Nozoma countered, his voice rising in his anger. "That is not a sign of someone who is experienced! You are just a liability! All four of you!"

"Says who?!" Haifu interjected. "We have as much right to fight as you do! So let us stop this and start focusing on the Grimm!"

Nozoma glared at the foursome with his light blue optics, his frame tense for a possible confrontation. For a moment, it seemed as if the group would be split apart as conflict erupted amongst them. But instead, Nozoma huffed and crossed his arms. "Fine! Do what you want! I'm going to hunt down that Grimm!"

He turned and walked off in the opposite direction of the others.

His frame vanished into the thick mist, and the other four Shinkalions looked at one another.

"So, where do we begin?" Matagi asked Esebu.

The blue and white Shinkalion crossed his arms as he bowed his head, thinking.

He finally lifted his gaze. "Let's split up and see if we can find any trace of this thing. But don't go too far. Stay in visual range of one another. Use your lights to mark your position, or barring that, give a blast of your horn. This way we can be sure we're close by," he ordered.

"Hai!"

The foursome split off in different directions, but never out of each other's line of sight. Esebu flicked on his chest-mounted headlights and they were barely able to penetrate the gloom of the fog. A few clusters of people were already starting to gather in groups as it was getting close to nighttime, with fires going near their cars or close to open areas. This was something that made things much more difficult. And it worried him.

How were they supposed to fight with all these people trapped here?

Esebu stopped close to one of the pylons, looking at the surrounding fog. He dimmed his optics a shade as he looked left and right, but no enemies stood out. Maybe this was some kind of a trick pulled by the Kaiju's master? It did seem possible...

A familiar voice called out to him. "Esebu!"

The blue and white Shinkalion turned in the direction of the speaker, recognizing it as Fumikiri. "What?" he called back.

"I think I found something! You need to come see it!"

Esebu hesitated, as he had strictly ordered his friends to not go far from one another, himself included. But if Fumikiri was calling to him, then it had to be important. He broke into a run, sprinting past several cars and pedestrians who recoiled from his sudden appearance. He spared them a small glance before refocusing his efforts on trying to reach Fumikiri's location.

However, when he got there, the ninja Shinkalion was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey! Fumikiri!" Esebu called, cupping his hands to his faceplate. "Are you here?"

No answer. He was all alone on this span of the bridge.

Strangely, the more he looked around, the more apocalyptic the place seemed to get. He could see the suspension wires seeming to waver and corrode, but his sensors indicated that they were still intact. A few abandoned cars gave the area an even more apocalyptic feel. He shuddered against his will as he held out a hand and summoned his Wheelset Drill to his grasp. As soon as the grip was in his hand, he hefted it and held it out to the side.

Already something was wrong. Where was Fumikiri? Hadn't he called him over here?

"Esebu, can you hear me?"

Esebu's helm jerked up as he heard the unknown voice in his internal COMM system. "Who are you?!" he blurted, tensing his frame.

"I apologize for startling you. I am the SHinkalion Assistant Humanoid Operations Tactical Unit, or SHASHOT Unit. But you may call me Shashot if you prefer," the voice said.

The lead Shinkalion dimmed his optics a shade. "So you're the AI we were told about..." he mused.

"Yes. And I have been ordered by Director Hayasugi to provide you with all the assistance you may need in battle." Shashot's voice he noted was deep. Much like his, only with a slightly more thunderous tone. It made him want to mute his audio receptors. "However, as of right now, I am working in concert with Futaba."

"So, what's the deal then?" Esebu asked as he stood up, his frame still tense for anything coming his way. "I mean, right now, there's nothing to be-" He was cut off by Shashot.

"There is an enemy unit not too far from you!" the AI stated. "It is coming in at forty miles per hour, and it is intent on taking you out. It is fully armed with tentacles that have blades at their tips and it is clearly based off of a Seer Grimm. But it is a new type that we are not familiar with. It is not in the database."

Esebu's helm shot up at that. "Where is it?!" he cried, whirling around to try and spot it.

"The enemy Grimm is-" Shashot was cut off as something bowled into Esebu's back, knocking him flat on his chest. A cry escaped his throat as he landed on the ground, almost losing his grip on his drill. He clenched his hand around the grip for it, holding it in a death grip. He wasn't about to lose his only weapon, that was for sure. He perked up as he heard whistling coming his way. The Shinkalion rolled to the side as bladed tentacles drove themselves into the ground, cracking the pavement of the bridge. The bridge swayed dangerously from the impact, and he felt his nonexistent stomach lurch. Instinct took over and he clapped a hand to his faceplate, even though he couldn't barf.

Esebu finally forced the nausea down as he staggered to his feet, looking left and right for whatever had attacked him.

Then came Fumikiri's voice. "Esebu! Over here!"

He turned, half expecting to see the other Shinkalion, only to see bladed tentacles whip out of the thick fog. Esebu gasped and leapt back, only for thick black tendrils to lash out of the mist, several of them winding together to form a larger one. He cried out as it wound itself around his right arm, twisting the joint of his shoulder and elbow to prevent him from using his drill. He felt the pain stabbing into his back and right side, but he forced himself to twist his frame a bit more to try and get a glimpse of what was holding him.

And he came face-to-face with a pair of light blue optics as they pulsed in the darkening mist. Esebu's optics glowed brightly as he realized that this was not Fumikiri. There was no way in hell he could do this! This... what was this thing?!

The unknown Grimm hovered closer, those bladed tendrils whipping out, reaching for his neck.

And he realized what was going to happen. "N-No!" he grunted. He struggled against the grip of this thing, his optics flaring.

But the unknown Grimm, which started to come into view, refused to relent. As it drew closer, Esebu could make out that it was as Shashot had said: A Seer Grimm, but more mechanical in nature, with optics similar in color and shape to Fumikiri's, and a faceplate that had a speaker on it instead of pure white metal. The tentacles holding him came from the bottom of this thing, and three of them had dangerous metallic-bone blades at the ends. They whipped through the air in cutting motions, each one coming closer to his throat.

The Shinkalion began to struggle harder. His arm twitched as he tried to pull it free to use his drill, but the thing was holding him too tight. Esebu's fingers pressed the trigger once, and the drill jerked, but didn't pull more power. He tried again, and the drill jerked once more, causing the Grimm to hold it even tighter. "D-Dammit...!" he swore. "Not... Not gonna let you get me... you hunk of shit!" he growled.

Esebu pressed his drill's trigger once more... and this time something surprising happened. The drill began to spin, slowly, but surely. As it spun up, something slid open on its sides, emitting some kind of light blue mist. The drill itself began to glow lightly, but Esebu didn't notice. All he knew was that his drill was in motion, and he was going to take advantage of this. He pressed down on the trigger, and he felt a jerk in his hand as it spun up to full power. The light blue mist began to spew out of his drill as it spun faster and faster, becoming just a blur of light blue mist and silver metal. The tentacle holding his arm began to jerk and spasm as the deep cold seeped into it, starting to turn it into nothing more than a solid block of ice. Esebu let out a roar as he started to writhe, this time kicking out with his foot to kick the black head (Good name, he mused.) away, at the same time twisting his right arm and pulling with all his might. The tentacle shattered under his pull and he spun his frame away as he glanced back over his shoulder. The Black Head was hovering there, its shattered tentacle stump flailing about. The other tentacles curled into one another to form a larger one, and then it thrust that tentacle at him. Esebu dodged it and whipped his drill out in front, not even noticing the ice Dust spilling from it. "Okay, creepy! Time to punt you to the pits!" he shouted, his Aura flaring.

The Black Head's speaker-mouth suddenly opened up and it screeched as it lunged for Esebu. The Shinkalion ducked to the side, skidding on his feet as he splayed his arms out to keep his balance. He glanced up, his optics locking onto the Black Head as it came back around towards him, those bladed tentacles unfurling to drive themselves into his chest. Not even hesitating, the Shinkalion leader tensed the hydraulics in his legs and he leapt up, letting the thing sail underneath him. He twisted his frame around, bringing one foot down in a drop kick right for the Black Head. It swiveled in midair to try and evade, but his foot made contact with the thick metallic armor that covered its scalp. A massive dent appeared on its hide as it was sent crashing into the bridge below.

Esebu landed on his feet, panting a bit from the near miss.

He finally took note of the mist coming off his drill, and he brought it up to optic level. He stared in shock at the vents open along the sides, light blue Dust drifting out of them. The Dust had covered his drill in a thin sheet of ice, making it icy cold to the touch. He raised a hand, and gave his drill a light poke. Icy cold raced down his finger and he yelped, pulling it back as a thin layer of ice began to cover it. "What the hell...?" he whispered. "What is this?"

"Ah. Good. Seems like it worked," Shashot said, his voice reaching his audios. "We weren't sure if the Dust dispenser would work as planned, but it looks like it did."

"Hold up. Dust dispenser? Is that what's in my drill?" Esebu asked.

"Yes. It was Director Hayasugi's idea to give your weapons the ability to dispense Dust to augment your special moves. Each type of Dust means that your special attack will have a different form," the AI explained. "Like right now, your Wheelset Driver is equipped with ice Dust. So it's known as Wheelset Kori Driver."

Esebu was about to answer when he heard a faint sound coming from the crater he had made after kicking the Black Head. His helm snapped over to look in that direction and he gaped in shock as the thing floated out, sporting an ugly dent on the side of its helm. "Crap... Now what'll I do?!" he whined.

The Black Head hissed before it floated away from him, vanishing into the thick mist as it engulfed the entire area. Within minutes, the thick clouds parted, revealing the span of roadway, but no sign of the Grimm.

"Shit... It's gone..." he muttered.

"That means bad news... It seems like there are two more coming from the left and right. I suggest you stay on the move, Esebu," Shashot's voice insisted. The Shinkalion growled, but realized that he had a point.

Esebu slowly began to walk, his head swiveling left and right as he scanned for any sign of the Black Heads.

A familiar voice called out to him. It was distinctly feminine in tone, and he recognized it as Haifu's. He paused, tensing his frame. What if it was another trick? He wished he could use his radar, but due to the fog jamming it, he was left with only his optics and audios. He paused as her voice called out.

"Esebu? Is that you?"

He stood stock still, the only sound being the whisper of air through his vents. His optics dimmed a shade as he listened for the sound of Haifu's voice.

"Esebu? Answer me! Are you there?" came the voice.

It sounded like her... but was it her?

He could vaguely hear footsteps... but it didn't sound like hers... her footsteps were less pronounced due to her feminine shape and design. These sounded more... masculine due to greater mass. His optics flashed as he spun around, his drill spinning up to full power as ice Dust began to stream from the openings on its sides again. He thrust it forward, a cry escaping his vocalizer...

And had it been possible, his optics would've widened in shock at the shape of Fumikiri as he emerged from the fog, his shuriken held at the ready.

"Whoa!" Esebu wound up stumbling, which made his drill go off course and jab itself into a nearby truck, freezing the container attached to its front solid. He staggered back to his feet, pulling his drill out of the container's icy remains as the Dust dispensers closed up.

"What the hell?! Esebu, you almost hit me!" Fumikiri exclaimed as he sheathed his shuriken.

"Yeah, well try avoiding getting hit by some crazy Black Head Grimm," the lead Shinkalion replied.

"Black Head Grimm?" Fumikiri tilted his helm in confusion.

"Yeah. Big black thing. Looks like a Seer, but more mechanical in nature," Esebu replied as he looked around. His optics dimmed a shade. "And it can mimic our voices and optic color."

The ninja Shinkalion froze. "Shit... that's not good..." he muttered.

"I know," Esebu stated as he hefted his drill. "We have to be extra careful. And do not stray. You hear a voice that sounds like one of our friends, don't answer!"

Fumikiri nodded, gulping audibly. And to be honest, Esebu couldn't blame him for being nervous. Even he was nervous as hell. The two continued to walk, keeping their optics and audios peeled for any sign of a possible Black Head.

"Esebu, I see you rendezvoused with Fumikiri," Futaba mused over his COMM system.

"Yeah... speaking of which, how are you communicating with us when all signals are being blocked?" Esebu asked, getting a suspicious feeling in his gut.

"That's classified. We'll discuss that later. Right now, we have a Grimm to defeat." Her voice cut off at that.

"Esebu... if all signals are being blocked..." Fumikiri's voice trailed off and the other Shinkalion nodded.

"Yeah. I'm beginning to think we're being played..." he muttered. Although some small part of him felt that Shashot was the only one who was real, as not even the enemy knew of him. And he took that knowledge without a grain of salt.

He finally came to a stop. "Fumikiri... I think we need to talk..." Esebu muttered, his voice low. He waited until the ninja Shinkalion had stopped and walked over to his position.

"What?" he asked in a low tone of voice.

"I suspect that whomever is contacting us is not Futaba... at least the one we know," he muttered. "And when I got jumped by that Black Head, I was in contact with the AI... Shashot."

Fumikiri's optics flashed a little in shock. "You were? How can you be certain it was him?" he hissed. "If we can't trust anyone we hear-"

He was cut off by a quick wave of Esebu's hand. "No one outside our group and the SDI knows Shashot exists!" he growled. "So that alone is enough for me!"

The ninja Shinkalion was silent.

For a long while, the two just stood there, gazing at one another before the purple and white mecha sighed. He pinched the area of his faceplate where his nose would've been were he human. "Okay. I'll trust you on that one. But we have to take it with a grain of salt regardless."

Esebu knew what he was getting at, and he nodded. "Right. But remember what I told you."

The other mech nodded. "Hai."

"Now let's see if we can find Matagi and the others," Esebu ordered.

The two continued on, intent on finding the others.

Of course, things weren't looking so good for Matagi.

He was alone, and with no way to make contact with his compatriots, he was utterly isolated.

And the Black Heads were taking advantage of this.

Already three of them were hovering in the darkness of the mist, using the voices of his friends to keep him on edge and luring him into traps. He had several scratches and scrapes on his frame, but nothing too damaging... yet, anyway.

His optics flickered as he hefted his guns, creeping along warily. His engine was racing in his chest as he stopped and paused, hearing the voice of Esebu.

"Matagi? Where are you?"

The red and white Shinkalion didn't answer. He stayed put, crouching behind some overturned cars in a pile as he aimed his guns in the direction of 'Esebu's' voice. He kept his fingers on the trigger and then he pulled them.

A few shots struck something hard and a cry escaped the voice's source. "Hey! Watch it!"

Again Matagi remained silent. He had been also getting contacts from Shashot, but he had refused to answer the communications signals. He didn't trust that AI as far as he could throw it. His optics dimmed a shade as he pulled back behind his cover, checking his ammunition levels.

'So far so good...' he thought. 'As long as I conserve my ammo, I should be able to hold out...'

"Hey! Matagi! If you're here, just answer, dammit!" Esebu's voice shouted. "I know you're here, so why aren't you answering?!"

He felt a bit of anger in his chest and his engine increased its humming as he poked his head out a bit. "Shut the fuck up! I don't even know if I can trust you, Esebu!" Matagi snarled, surprising the speaker. "You can't fool me!"

"Wait! It's not-" The speaker was cut off as he aimed his guns and fired off a barrage, forcing a large shape to leap to the side, taking up cover behind an overturned truck and several piled up cars. The form poked out, and he caught a glimpse of green optics flashing, only to fire on the form's head. It ducked back behind its cover shortly after. Matagi's optics pulsed as he broke into a run, firing on the newcomer.

"Matagi! Stop!" came Esebu's voice. "What's gotten into you?!"

The red and white Shinkalion didn't answer. He just fired again. The figure rolled out of the line of fire and now he could see it held some kind of a drill...

Wait... Drill?!

"Over here! Don't trust that faker!" Esebu's voice shouted from another location. Matagi whipped his helm around, trying to spot the speaker.

He gripped his guns in his hands, aiming them in both directions. "Okay! Which one of you is the real Esebu and which one is the fake?!"

"Dammit, Matagi! I'm not some floating head!" Esebu 1 shouted.

"Neither am I!" Esebu 2 barked. "So shut up, ya fake!"

"Says the one who's got nothing but tentacles for a body!"

"I do not have that! You do!"

Matagi's helm swiveled left and right as he tried to distinguish between the two. One he knew had to be the real Esebu, but as to which one, it just didn't seem like he could tell. Both of them sounded exactly the same, and possessed green optics. But which one was real and the fake?

"All right! Just answer me! Which one is fake, and the other real?!"

"I'm real!" both voices shouted. "He's the fake!"

Matagi pulled the trigger on both guns, one of their rounds striking the ground close to each speaker.

"Gah! Hey! Watch it!" Esebu 1 cried. "You almost hit my foot!"

"Watch where you're aiming, Matagi!" Esebu 2 yelled. "You could've hit my face!"

"That's because it's the only thing you have, ya poser!" Esebu 1 snarled.

While this was going on, Fumikiri darted along the top of the bridge, his optics picking out a pair of black shapes as they floated along, tentacles unwinding and sneaking along the roadway. The purple and white Shinkalion leapt off the bridge top, landing on the suspension cables and sliding down them as quietly as he could. While he could've jumped, he didn't want to cause a racket or possibly crush any people who were hiding either on the deck or underneath on the suspended tollway beneath.

His optics landed on the two Black Heads, Esebu had called them, and in his mind, it was a perfect name for them, considering that they were almost entirely black save for their optical sensor color. They also appeared to bear a slight resemblance to the main hero from that old Space Boy anime he had seen once at a comic convention a few years ago. He frowned to himself in his thoughts as he clenched his hand on the cable he was on and came to a stop, just mere meters from the deck and his prey. Now that he was above them, he was in a key position to take them out. But he paused, wanting to see just what Shinkalions they were supposed to mimic.

One of them pivoted itself around, a pair of yellow optics with a green pair above them glinting in the low light. Fumikiri had to actually mute his vocalizer to keep a gasp from escaping his throat, although he couldn't do much to stop the extra air from being taken in through his vents. He froze as the other one - with light blue optics - glanced around. He found it weird that these things hadn't even taken notice of him. Was it because of this Mistery? Was it jamming their radar as well, or were they just not aware of his presence in general?

He had no idea. And despite being in a good position to take them out, he needed to get an idea of their voices before he moved on.

One of them - the one with four optics - finally spoke, calling out to a shape he recognized as being Haifu.

"Haifu! We're over hear!" came Matagi's voice from the four-eyed Grimm. Fumikiri's optics pulsed in anger as a low growl resonated in his chest, making his engine rev as a result. He felt so... betrayed by this, by whomever was using their voices to sow distrust. While it was a code amongst ninja clans to never trust anyone outside of the clan, Matagi, Haifu, Hayato, and Esebu had proven themselves trustworthy and were therefore considered honorary Tsukiyama clan members. So to hear his friends' voices being used to sow such distrust was considered the lowest anyone could go.

The other Black Head finally spoke, but not in his voice.

It was Nozoma's.

"We think we found something," Nozoma's voice said.

Haifu's footsteps began to make their way over...

And Fumikiri made his move. Without any hesitation he sprang over the Black Heads, landing on the opposite side of a tanker truck and grabbed Haifu by the arm, pulling her back with a squeak.

"Don't even dare!" he hissed, facing her direction.

"Fumikiri, what the hell is going on?" the female Shinkalion asked. "Are you trying to separate us?!"

"No," he answered. "I'm trying to keep us from becoming separated." Then his optics pulsed. "And for good reason."

Haifu tilted her helm to the side as her rabbit ear extensions quivered. "Why?" she asked, her own optics pulsing as she folded her arms.

Fumikiri glanced at where the Black Heads were. "Those voices... are not Matagi or Nozoma," he began. "And before you ask, Nozoma doesn't trust us to handle the fighting. He sees us as too young for it," he added as he saw her raise a hand to protest.

"So... then who or what was speaking?" she asked.

The purple and white ninja Shinkalion growled. "Black Heads..."

Haifu was not too keen on the name, but for some reason it made her tense. "Black Heads?"

Fumikiri simply waved a hand for her to follow him. She cocked her helm to the side in confusion, but followed her friend regardless. They both peeked around the corner, and Haifu let out a muffled squeak as she stared at the two black heads floating around, barely visible in the mist. She could see one looked like Matagi's from a distance, and the other one had the same features as Nozoma, at least from a distance. But what really creeped her out were the tentacles as they slithered out from underneath the two heads, forming into long bladed whips. She pulled back, looking to Fumikiri in shock.

"Are those Black Heads?" she asked in a soft whisper.

The Shinkalion nodded. "Yeah. And they appear to be mimicking our optic colors and voices to sow distrust..."

Haifu's hands flew to her faceplate in shock. "Shit..."

Fumikiri's optics hardened as he looked at her directly. "We have to take them out. And now."

The female Shinkalion was silent before she looked up, squaring her shoulders and summoning her Turnstile Sword to her hand. "Right."

However, it would be easier said than done at this point...

TOKYO SDI HEADQUARTERS

COMMAND CENTER

The entire room was tense as the radio signals struggled to penetrate the fog.

And actually, it was a bit disturbing just what Shashot had done to establish contact with the Shinkalions.

To hijack communications signals was one thing, but to actively augment them using a powerful broadcasting system was another.

Especially when said system was one of the main landmarks in the city.

His gaze was fixed on the news showing the iconic international orange and white structure, along with a news report talking about a strange signal being broadcast out along with its usual array of media. The signal, Hokuto knew, was from Shashot himself, as it had been described as 'half alive'.

"...unsure of where the signal is broadcasting from, but so far, according to the director at the tower's broadcasting center, the signal has not interfered with the broadcasts and stations transmitted from the tower itself. In fact, it appears that the unknown signal is being transmitted in unison with the usual signals put out by the system..."

"Sir... is it even wise to let him do this?" one of the technicians asked nervously. "I mean... given what he just did... He could in theory shut down all communications in the city... and even possibly the entire country..."

Director Hayasugi was firm though. "Yes. I do agree it is disturbing, but this was the only way for him to reach the team out in the field, given that the mist blocks all transmissions otherwise," he stated. "So to use an already existing system to amplify the signal was the most logical conclusion."

The techie rubbed his head. "Still I don't like it..."

'And neither do I...' Hokuto admitted to himself. 'But what other choice do we have? All other signals, including satellite communications, are blocked. So... I hate to admit it, but Shashot is our best bet to win this one...'

The AI's face flickered on the screen in the lower left hand corner as he spoke. "Director, I have made contact with Esebu."

Hokuto looked at him directly, fingers tenting in front of his mouth as he sat back at the main console. "How's the team faring?" he asked worriedly.

The AI's features took on a frown. "They are currently engaging an unknown type of Grimm. Esebu has called them Black Heads, and so far they are proving to be rather tenacious, in addition to causing distrust amongst the team."

The summary of the fight was enough to make the blood drain from the cat Faunus's face. His eyes went wide as he stood up, slamming his hands down on the desk. "They're what?!"

Shashot's eyes hardened. "I can only conclude that the enemy is seeking to take advantage of that fact and use it against us."

Now was the moment of truth. Hokuto swallowed nervously as he looked Shashot in the eyes. "What is your recommended course of action, then?"

His green eyes flickered before glazing over. He fell silent and the tension in the room mounted. Hokuto bit his lower lip as he watched. Futaba had her hands over her mouth and Honjo was silent, his gaze fixed on the AI. Other technicians and operational staff looked at one another, worried as well as concerned, and a bit excited. In truth, Hokuto was worried that his gamble was going to fail. If the AI failed to produce a viable plan, then it was going to be shuttered... and possibly the whole project as well.

The AI's green eyes returned to bright clarity and the avatar looked up.

"The best course of action is to expose the Black Heads," Shashot answered. "But in order to do so, there must be a strong gust of wind that can blow the mist aside. And seeing as how it's not windy - and will not be for another four hours - that means we will have to resort to another way to disperse it."

Hokuto narrowed his eyes at the recommendation. It was a sound plan. But he was also right about the wind. And they didn't have four hours to wait, given how close the team was to coming apart.

So their next best bet was to somehow generate an artificial wind. And that was going to be easier said than done.

Still, he had to try. He finally looked up. "Contact Esebu and inform him of the plan."

"Hai." The AI's avatar saluted before switching to the Shinkalion COMM frequency.

TOKYO BAY RAINBOW BRIDGE BATTLEFIELD

Esebu ducked behind his makeshift cover of a pile of vehicles as more bullets sailed past his armored shoulders.

"Shit... Now what?! I can't get through to him!" he muttered.

He leaned out again, still intent on reaching his friend. "Matagi! Just stop and think!" he shouted.

A barrage of gunfire was his response. Esebu pulled back just as he heard his COMM beeping in his head. His hand flew to his helm on instinct, putting a finger close to where his audios were. "What? I'm kinda busy right now!" he growled.

"Esebu. It's Shashot. I have an idea as to how you can expose the Black Heads," the AI stated.

"Then lay it on me! Matagi thinks I'm one of those damn Black Heads!" Esebu exclaimed.

"Very well. The plan is as follows: to expose the Black Heads to Matagi, you must figure out a way to generate an artificial wind to scatter the mist. However, the wind is not supposed to pick up until four hours from now," Shashot explained. "And as it stands, my calculations state that you only have a limited time before the distrust causes a divide in the team. So you have to act and fast."

Esebu ducked down as more bullets streaked overhead. "Okay! I'll see what we can do!" he shouted.

Shashot's signal faded from his COMM system and he glanced around, lowering his hand as he did so. He could see that a number of vehicles were overturned, and a soft wind whistled through their still frames. Esebu wasn't sure where the people who were trapped here were, but some part of him suspected that Nozoma had ushered them down below the surface where they'd be safer than up on the surface.

Now that he had a plan, all he had to do was figure out how to carry it out.

But how?

Fumikiri glanced to the side as the Black Heads sailed past their hiding spot.

He hefted his shuriken in their kunai configuration and tensed his frame. He gulped nervously before he poised himself to strike.

The one with the four optics stopped, looking left and right as its tentacles floated around it, as if sniffing out his location.

Thankfully he wasn't even on the ground.

He was instead clinging to the side of the bridge's pylon, using his ninja abilities to stick himself to the side like a gecko.

The ninja Shinkalion dimmed his optics as he watched the Black Head float along the ground, finally coming to a halt as it scanned for his location. He slowly crouched...

As the thing looked in his direction, he sprang off the side of the pylon, his shuriken flashing as he threw them towards the Black Head. Thin wires were attached to the backs of his weapons, allowing him to pull them back after they did their damage. He gripped the wires in one hand as he flipped, the weapons embedding themselves in the Black Head's speaker, earning a loud screeching sound that made him mute his audios. Fumikiri whirled around and gave a firm tug of the wire, metallic fragments, oil, and Dark Substance flying from the mechanical frame of the Black Head. A bit of oil splattered on his frame, but he ignored it as he caught his kunai in one hand before reattaching them to his arms.

The Black Head turned, that metallic grille now just a mess of sparking wires and shredded metal mesh. The tentacles writhed as the thing flew at him, and he gripped his kunai before he slammed them together, forming his shuriken.

"Not gonna happen this time!" he growled.

The Black Head soared towards him, and Fumikiri tensed his frame. Every system, piston, and hydraulic was poised for the attack. He took in a breath through his vents and let it out, focusing on the task at hand.

He waited until it was just within mere feet... and then he leapt into the air, his frame twisting around as he threw the shuriken. "Fumikiri Shuriken!"

The bladed weapon spun through the air like a buzzsaw, the edges of the blades gleaming in the dim light of the fog. The Black Head began to spin its tentacles, much like a buzzsaw as well. The two sped at each other, one a Grimm, the other a weapon, and then...

Fumikiri's optics flashed as he held two fingers in front of his faceplate. "Aura Clone Jutsu!"

The Black Head perked up as suddenly the shuriken began to glow... and split into four! Its optics flashed in shock as the four shuriken cut into its frame, cleaving it in half, and then into quarters, sixths, and then eighths. The Black Head could only squeak before it exploded, leaving a fireball behind. Fumikiri swiped his hand to the side and the Aura Clones vanished, his shuriken coming back around towards him. His hand lashed out and caught it before dismissing it.

He looked back, his optics filled with worry. "Esebu..."

Haifu peeked around the other side of the pylon, her sword held in her hands.

The Black Head posing as Nozoma floated past her hiding spot, and she gripped the hilt of her weapon tightly. She took in a nervous breath before she tensed her frame.

The Grimm came to a stop, and a chill raced down her spinal struts as it spoke in that voice she knew to be Nozoma's.

"Haifu, just relax. It's just me, Nozoma," it said.

'Hardly!' she thought as anger pulsed in her systems. 'Nozoma is not that kind, or considerate!'

She didn't even answer as she hefted her sword and prepared to spring into action.

Her wings twitched as she finally made her move.

She leapt into the air, propelled by her wings' thrust and she held her sword out in front of her as she brought it down in a downward slash. A short cry escaped her as she prepared to bisect the Grimm in half.

However, she was not expecting it to block her sword with two tentacle-blades. Her optics flashed in shock. "Nani!?"

The Grimm's other tentacles whipped out and collided with her chest, sending her flying back. Haifu slammed into the street, skidding a ways before she came to a stop, groaning slightly. She forced herself to ignore the pain in her torso as she pushed herself into a sitting position. The Black Head seemed to sneer at her as it floated closer, two tentacle blades raised and poised to drive themselves into her chest.

The female Shinkalion's optics pulsed as she reacted swiftly. She drew her legs close to her chest and then lashed out in a double kick, knocking the blades aside and hitting the Black Head in the face, shattering its speaker and denting it. The Grimm also bounced along the pavement much like a soccer ball or basketball, she noted as she scrambled to her feet. She held her sword in her grasp in a kendo stance, her optics locked onto her opponent as it regained itself and came to a stable hover in midair before her.

A soft gust of wind blew through the open space between the two, one hovering Grimm, the other a female Shinkalion. To Haifu, it reminded her of an old Wild West film she had seen once. Both were poised to make a move, and only the fastest would be the one to win. She knew she was quick, but this thing had numbers on its side. So it all came down to reflexes.

And she hoped she had the reflexes to beat this thing and its tentacle blades.

The Black Head lunged for her.

Haifu's optics flashed as she hefted her sword and, feeling her engine racing, turned it to face the Black Head. The 'closed' symbol on the side flashed red, and she held her blade up. A flash of light came from either side of the Black Head and spread out, creating the energy cage to trap it. Just as it soared through towards her, the front 'gates' slammed shut, causing it to bash itself into them, denting them but the energy cage held. The rear 'gates' slammed shut, trapping it inside the cage. The Black Head lashed out with its tentacle blades, but Haifu was already in motion. Her back wings flared and she dashed right for the Grimm. "Turnstile Sword!"

Her blade began to glow as she slashed, generating a mild shockwave as she cut through the Grimm as it tried to escape the cage. She landed on the other side, spinning around and holding her sword off to the side as the Grimm exploded.

Panting, Haifu looked over her shoulder, every inch of her frame tense for a possible attack.

Her optics flashed in shock as she saw the tentacle blades lance out towards her from the smoke. She reacted swiftly, her sword coming up to block each blade's attack. She relied on her kendo training and her reflexes to keep them at bay, but judging by how swiftly they were attacking her, it was only a matter of time before she made a slip up. And that they couldn't afford.

The female Shinkalion began to back up in an attempt to get some breathing room between her and the Black Head. Much to her surprise and relief, the tentacle blades withdrew into the smoke, allowing her time to brace herself for what she expected to be a charging attack. She tensed her hydraulics and servos, locking her joints for a possible attack.

The Black Head came soaring out of the smoke, its optics flashing, a nasty gash across its speaker grille and a large number of those tentacles missing. She had missed the vital strike, she thought as frustration built up in her chest. She tensed and finally lunged, pushing off the ground and darting towards the Black Head, sword held out in front like a lance. And this time, she didn't miss.

Her sword drove itself right into the forehead of the Grimm, stopping it cold as its processor or whatever it had was penetrated. The optics flickered before they went dark and the remaining tentacles fell limp, smoke and oil coming from its wounds. The thing began to dissipate into black smoke, and Haifu stood up, letting its remains fall off her sword. She gazed down at them before she backed up, turning and looking back at where Fumikiri had darted off to.

"Esebu... Please be careful..." she muttered.

Esebu was not having an easy time trying to reach Matagi.

He was very tempted to just charge in and tackle the other mech, but that would only make things worse, he realized as he peeked out in the direction of the other voice.

"For the last time, I am not a copy! You are!" he shouted.

"Says the fake!" his voice shouted back.

"Yeah? Then tell me something only I would know about Matagi!" Esebu snapped, a desperate plan forming in his processor. Maybe this would work... Or it could backfire spectacularly in his face. But what other choice did he have?

The other voice was silent for a moment, and Esebu seized his chance. He scrambled to his feet, trying to bolt for where Matagi was. However, a hail of gunfire stopped him cold and he had to roll to the side, in the direction of the voice mimicking his own. He glanced up, and his optics flickered as he caught a glimpse of two green optics much like his own... And then he saw it.

The cluster of tentacles at the bottom of the Black Head.

His frame tensed as they whipped out towards him and he leapt back, barely avoiding getting grabbed by them. Esebu pressed the trigger on his Wheelset Drill three times and the Dust dispensers opened, icy blue mist seeping out from them and coating his drill in a thin sheet of ice. He wasn't about to be caught off guard like he was last time. Esebu waited for the tentacles to come closer, but it seemed like they were withdrawing... Had this thing caught onto what his plan was? The mere thought sent a shudder down his spinal struts and he growled lowly in his vocalizer.

"Esebu, I take it you have a plan?" Shashot asked over his COMM.

Esebu nodded. "Yeah... but barely. I just hope Fumikiri can manage to do his part..."

He was really worried. What if Fumikiri failed to generate the artificial wind they needed?

All he could do was pray for the best.

KAIJU GRIMM DATABASE:

NAME: Black Heads

SPECIES: Kaiju

CLASS: Ultra

BASIS: Heads/Seer Grimm

ABILITIES: The Black Heads are able to mimic the voices and optic color of any Shinkalion they encounter. They are armed with bladed tentacles that can merge to form other, thicker tentacles. They are bigger than a Seer, and they possess the same abilities to communicate with Sammael as regular Seers. I.O.N.E.S.C.O.U. has also given them DG Cells, allowing him to communicate through them using a Shinkalion's voice.

NAME: Mistery

SPECIES: Kaiju

CLASS: Mega

BASIS: UNKNOWN

ABILITIES: The Mistery is a complete unknown. All that is known is that its mist can jam any and all communications, except for those amplified by external means.