A/N: Sorry for the late post! I wanted to post it earlier but my internet had taken a nose dive into oblivion. No clue what happened. Perhaps it was all of the rain?
Anyway, I'm putting this out now just before I fly off... TO JAPAN! I'm taking a short break from work for now. Too much had gone wrong at work recently and I need a break.
Well, here we go!
Angel Beats!
What We Live For
Operation 45
Battle for the School: Ghosts of the Past
This young girl, no older they were, came crashing through the sky like a rocket, obliterated the Shadows with one hit, made a crater the size of a tank, and said... yo? And what was that whole thing before? Just as Kyou was about to ask, an inhuman screech made all turn. A cannibal type Shadow, one that had feasted on its own comrades and the bodies of the fallen, had not been blown away in the blast and was charging towards the young girl. A powered up Cannibal. It would take a tank to take it out and even so the Tank would suffer a long and tough battle against one. The large cannibal charged straight for the girl but she did not seem to react much to it. Only... a smile.
".. They sure have changed over the years I've been gone."
She smirked before reaching to her side and drawing a single beretta pistol. A lone pistol?
"Osuwari."
She said before pulling the trigger. What went off was a gun shot but what happened... was not. With that one shot, the cannibal was made still. It seemed as though it was frozen on the spot but what happened was the fact that it had a large hole in the middle of his head made by that one pistol. What in the World is that pistol? But more importantly to Kyou and Yamato, just who is that girl?
"Hmm, things have gotten far worse than I had anticipated. Hm? Wow, they now have flying types. Was it an improvement on Kanade-chan's wing program?"
The girl seemed to ignore all signs of danger around her as she looked up to the flying Angels. One Angel in particular decided it was a good idea to attack the newcomer, transforming his hand into a blade and flew straight at her. However the newcomer did not seem to be all so alarmed. It all happened in a blink of an eye as the newcomer side-stepped the attack, grabbed the wrist of the Angel and did a judo flip on him, slamming him into the ground before pulling out her pistol and pressing it against the Angel's head.
"Checkmate."
She pulled the trigger and the shot made short work of the Angel. She just handled a Class B Angel like he was nothing? Just what was going on? The girl stood back up and dusted her hands.
"Well, it's time to clean up."
The girl smirked as the Angels began to encircle her, cautious of attacking her.
"Who are you? !"
One of the Angels demanded, pointing an accusing finger at the newcomer. The girl merely smiled.
"Who am I? I am nobody, yet everybody. I am a child, yet a leader. I am the avenger, yet the appeased. I have come to right the wrongs of my past and to correct the present of these lost souls."
She raised her hand high into the sky and pointed skyward.
"With my call, I am the blade that shall strike into the weakness of all!"
All looked up towards the sky. At first there was nothing, but then-
"Is that-"
Before Kyou could finish her sentence, multiple... things, came crashing down from the sky.
"NO GOD!"
BOOM
"NO BUDDHA!"
BOOM
"NO ANGEL!"
BOOM
Each of these crashes made a small crater and standing within them were-
"M-more of them? !"
The Angel retreated a few steps upon seeing what just happened. From the sky, about twenty young men and women came soaring through the air and crashing into the ground just like the first girl. Each of them wearing the SSS uniform.
"Yurippe, you shouldn't just jump out like that, it gave everyone a heart attack, especially Noda."
One of the newcomers mentioned, walking over to the first girl.
"Oh, took you long enough, Hinata. Where is Noda anyway?"
"Over there."
The one called Hinata pointed to one particular guy who came crashing down with the rest but somehow messed up his landing and ended up with his head in the ground.
"... Idiot. But never-mind about him. All of you have arrived, and that is all that is necessary. So everyone! What are we? !"
The girl shouted out loud and all of the newcomers shouted back in unison.
"WE ARE THE BLADE OF VENGEANCE FOR OUR DESPAIR! WE ARE THE LIGHT THAT SHINES THROUGH THE DARKNESS! WE ARE THE REBELS AGAINST GOD! WE ARE THE SSS!"
Their shout was strong and fierce, forcing all enemies in the vicinity to retreat back. Whoever they were, they were very bad news. The girl nodded and smiled.
"Yes! We are the SSS! The ones who defied the heavens and forced the hands of fate to turn! And I am their leader, Nakamura Yuri."
The SSS. The legendary predecessors of the SSS2. Fujibayashi Kyou had never thought she would be able to see them, let alone meet them in person. They were no different from the rest of the SSS2, but they held a certain dignity, a certain aura that made them stand out. They were something that the SSS2 could never amount to be. Like an unattainable goal that stood before them, an impossibility made possible.
"The... SSS?"
Kyou muttered. Yamato knew what this meant to all of them. To all of the SSS2. The large majority of the SSS2 had long come to terms with their past, with their regrets, but they were afraid. Afraid of what lay beyond the passage of passing on. Afraid to lose themselves and what they had accomplished. They hated the World and wanted to curse their fates that brought them to ruin but in actual fact they were simply waiting. Waiting for something, someone to tell them that it was alright. That they were not alone. The SSS2 had brought together thousands of like-minded individuals into a single entity, one sole entity of despair and fear. It wasn't meant to be like that. The SSS2 was meant to be like their predecessors, trying to take down God, trying to take on the cruel fate of their lives. Along the way they became different, moulded by decades of constant war against the program and the system. And now? Now the SSS stood before them, a testament of what they had spent the last decades doing... was all for naught.
"No, it wasn't in vain."
The one called Nakamura Yuri suddenly spoke up, surprising everyone as though she read their minds.
"Your lives, your fight, your struggles! They were all never in vain! The tears you shed, the blood you've spilt! Those are the testaments of your lives!"
Her words resonated strongly in them. It made their bodies tingle with excitement, their minds clear of doubt, their hearts true, their determinations solid.
"If you are truly the ones who have inherited the will of the SSS, then STAND! STAND AND FIGHT!"
The SSS2 all slowly began to stand up once more. Her words were filling them with the one thing they needed, hope.
"The fight is never over until the last of the enemy has been defeated!"
Yuri shouted, pointing her finger and directing all of the SSS2's attention onto the enemy. The enemy of their lives, of their despair, of their pain. The flying Angel sneered at her, pointing his own bladed arm at the leader of the SSS.
"Such feeble attempts to force these weaklings to stand. Their hope and souls are already crushed! No matter what you do is useless!"
The Angel laughed maniacally. The leader of the SSS simply sighed, shaking her head.
"What a dumb over-used small-fry bad guy line in some B-grade game. Don't they have something better to say than that?"
The one called Nakamura Yuri closed her eyes and rubbed her temples with obvious signs of disappointment. This made the Angel rather angry but before he could do anything, she looked up with a smile.
"Still, it doesn't matter what they say or do. By my name as the leader of the SSS, I will bring down the hammer of justice and right my own mistakes. I will put an end to this madness and close this chapter of insanity. So do me a favour, and just die."
Just as she said that, something flew straight at the Angel. A missile. The Angel did not have time to do anything to defence. So, he put a stupid face just before he disappeared in a ball of fiery explosions when the missile impacted him. As bits of burning Angel rained down on ground, the one called Yuri smiled and pointed towards the sky once more.
"The day of reckoning has come."
From the skies they appeared. No, they weren't shooting comets of flying people. Rather, what the SSS2 saw shocked them.
"W-what the hell? !"
He looked down at the rifle in his hand. Taking out the magazine, he checked the bullets that filled its plastic case. How long has it been since he actually used one of these?
"Worried?"
He looked up, seeing the young man who sat across him. Worried? Maybe he was. The bumps of the ride did little to ease that either.
"... Not really."
He replied, slapping the magazine back into the rifle. Placing the rifle by his side, he looked around, seeing the different men and women who sat in this bumpy ride, all awaiting for the word to be given. All dressed in the same type of clothing, him included. He looked down at his own shirt. Though it was modified heavily and sported many military equipment, it still had the basic shape and form of a school uniform.
"... Why do we have to wear this anyway?"
He asked out loud, obviously unhappy about the whole arrangement. The young man opposite him laughed at his despair.
"I know it's not like us to wear school uniforms, but it's like our leader said, it's for this mission only."
"I know what the leader said, I was there."
He grumbled.
"Well, this is all for our sake as well. We help the Japs, they help us in turn. Fair trade, is it not?"
Helping the Japanese team. While he did not seriously think they could provide anything of use, it turns out he was wrong. They all were. Except for their leader.
"Still, who knew the Japs had the technology to connect Worlds? With this, we can really go back to our own 'World' and finish off that bastard!"
"Calm down Jackson. Being all riled up gets you nowhere, happened back in the other World and it didn't end too well for you."
One of the other guys spoke up, making all laugh. The guy opposite him only smiled sheepishly back.
"Kyle."
He looked up at the call of his name and saw the team leader walking over to him.
"While I know you do not trust outsiders much, try to put up with this. It's as Jackson said. We help the Japanese, they help us although just giving us this technology is more than enough help."
The team leader said, scratching the back of his head.
"... True. It seems like we're simply repaying the favour more than trying to earn one from them... Still, why do we have to call ourselves after them?"
"For simplicity sake. With so many teams coming in, we can't keep track of who is what. The same will go for them when they come to our side. Besides, since this mission is a request from the Japanese, they will be the ones in command, not that I mind."
The team leader replied with a slight smile. It was then the communications crackled to life.
'"This is SSS (Japan), Kamiya Yuzuru, to all SSS units. Deploy and engage the enemy."'
The team leader merely smiled at that, before turning to the rest.
"Alright boys and girls, ready up!"
At his call, all the team members picked up their weapons and checked them one last time. The team leader nodded and started to brief them on their mission.
"We are the leader's main elite strike team and we're going back into hell! Though a different sort of hell, it is still hell nonetheless! From what I hear about this technology we're using, it allows us to connect to specific Afterlives and at the request of our Japanese comrades, we have entered their Afterlife. Though we can take more hits than those already in hell, we are unable to revive. That means we die in hell, we get rebooted out of here and are unable to jump back in for at least a whole day! That is as good as being dead! Check your sixes and make sure to go in groups. The enemy we are facing are mainly Shadow types but there is a new type of enemy that none of us have faced before, the Angels. They are specific to the Japanese Afterlife and are the NPCs that have gone out of control and are of a significant threat to any and all. Do not hesitate and take them down in groups!"
"Damn Japs and their robots dolls, never making anything easy, are they?"
Jackson muttered.
"Our mission is to clear out the enemy! No fancy ideas, no big explosions! Kate, I mean you especially."
"Tch."
He heard someone cluck their tongue in disappointment. The team leader ignore that sound and continued.
"Right! We are about the hit dirt soon. On your feet UP!"
At his call, all jumped to their feet.
"We are the sword of justice!"
The team leader shouted.
"We are the ones who cleave through evil!"
The rest shouted back.
"We are the hammer of light!"
The team leader shouted again.
"We will smite through the darkness!"
They shouted back.
"And as we walk-"
"The Earth will shudder!"
"Into hell-"
"FEET FIRST!"
"Load up and roll out!"
"UURAAA!"
From the skies they came in the thousands, with their heavy weaponry and steel plated hulls. The giant rotors roaring and deafening all, kicking up dust clouds as they neared the ground. Helicopters.
'"This is SSS (Japan), Kamiya Yuzuru, to all SSS units. Deploy forces and engage the enemy."'
The comms network suddenly blared out from an unknown origin.
'"This is SSS (USA), we hear you mission command."'
'"SSS (England), solid copy."'
'"Understood, SSS (Germany) is en route."'
'"SSS (Canada) is deploying troops."'
'"We are SSS (Spain), following orders."'
'"This is SSS (France), in transit."'
'"SSS (Russia) is engaging hostiles."'
'"SSS (Greece) reporting in."'
'"SSS (Italy) is following your lead."'
'"SSS (India) got your back."'
'"SSS (China) is taking point."'
More and more transmission were coming in as reinforcements came in by the hundreds.
"Those are... Black Hawks?"
Yamato muttered in disbelief as the helicopters flew over head. Apache Gunships flew in, forcing the Angels and Shadows to retreat while the Black hawks hovered over head to allow their troops repel down ropes. But these were not troops. They were young men and women, wearing a modified SSS uniform that sported more military grade armour and equipments. Just like the SSS, they radiated a certain feeling that was indescribable to the SSS2. One helicopter flew low, kicking up the dust as it landed close to where they were. Jumping out of the helicopter a young man and woman walked up to Nakamura Yuri.
"Yurippe, you know you shouldn't jump out all of a sudden out of the helicopter."
The young man said with a disapproving look.
"Ah, Yuzuru. Good for you and Kanade to join us. Jumping out of the helicopter was all part of a grand plan."
"Which failed for some."
The young petite girl with long flowing white hair said, pointing the one of the SSS who landed on his head.
"Well, that's just Noda for you. Are the preparations complete?"
Yuri asked the newcomer who merely smiled back.
"You bet."
As more helicopters flew in, dropping SSS fighters in the hundreds, the battle started to push in the favour of the SSS2.
"Landing zone is hot. Green light. Deploying troops."
The pilot said as he neared the ground enough to let the troops jump off.
"This is SSS (USA)'s Alpha team, we're moving up the western point."
The teams alighted their transports and immediately engaged the Shadows that charged towards them.
"Go go go!"
"We've got a giant Shadow heading our way!"
"Clear the landing zone! All helicopters are to clear out now!"
The team scattered just as a Gigas stomped its massive foot down on where they were less than a minute ago, however the helicopters were not so lucky as the Gigas swiped its hand at one of the black hawks as it tried to leave, cleaving off its tail rotor
"Shit! Controls gone! We're going down!"
The black hawk spun out of control and crashed into the ground in a fiery explosion.
"We have a black hawk down, repeat black hawk is down!"
"We must go rescue them-"
"It's pointless! If the crash didn't get to them the Shadows will!"
Alpha's leader shouted at his men, who silently stared back. They knew what their leader said was true.
"What we need to do know is complete our objectives. Clear out the landing areas for our reinforcements to come and that-"
Alpha leader pointed at the giant Gigas howling at the other Black Hawks further away.
"-Is blocking our path."
"But we can't take it down on our own! We lack the fire power to even make a scratch!"
"That is where our fly boys will come in. But we must keep it distracted. Ura?"
Alpha leader asked, and the rest of his team nodded.
"Ura."
"Good. Now break!"
The team scattered, finding cover as they got into position.
"This is SSS (USA) Alpha leader to Apache attack team, do you read?"
'"This is SSS (USA) Eagle team, we read you SSS (USA) Alpha leader."'
"We've got a giant Shadow at the drop site and we need it cleared for the heavies to drop in. Got visual?"
'"Just mark the target Alpha leader and leave the rest to us."'
That was all the confirmation he needed. He nodded to his second before coming out of his cover.
"Eat lead!"
He shouted as he fired off his rifle at the smaller Shadows that accompanied the giant while his second took out a large aiming projector like device and primed it at the Giant. Alpha team continued to suppress the Shadows in the area while the Apache gunships closed in.
'"This is Eagle leader, Alpha, we've got visual and are commencing attack run."'
"Glad to hear it."
'"This is Eagle one, weapons hot, let's light them up."'
The Apache flight team flew in, guns blazing as their heavy weapons riddled the ground with holes, tearing through the Shadows on the ground as well as peppering the Giant with bullets and missiles.
'"This one is tough. Damn what did the Japanese do to their Afterlife to make such a monster?"'
It was true that while the five Apaches concentrated all of their fire power at the Gigas, it did not seem to do much other than to make the Gigas howl out and be irritated.
'"You boys look like you need a hand."'
A new voice came in on the comms network as more gunships came flying in.
'"This is SSS (England), Knights team. We're here to back you yanks up."'
"England's team? But what about your side?"
Alpha leader asked through the radio.
'"Our lads have secured their landing zone and are proceeding on with objective."'
Just as the English pilot said that, additional gunshots were heard as the English SSS team charged in, backing up Alpha. The English team's leader ran over to Alpha leader and smiled.
"Heard you chaps needed some additional fire power."
"Damn right if I was ever so glad to see a tea drinking Brit in my life, or after life."
Alpha leader smiled, shaking the English leader's hand. Like the rest of the American team, the English team wore the SSS uniform with military modifications. Strapped on to their arm was the British Union Jack.
"It seems that most teams got hit by heavy enemy fire. Only the Indians, Germans and us got away with rather light opposition."
The English leader explained, his thick Queen's English being quite obvious.
"The Chinese can handle their own, they have too many people to spare anyway. The Germans are currently heading to aid the French though I cannot help but see irony in that situation, and the Indians are going to head towards the Italians."
"Is it that bad?"
Alpha leader asked, to which the English leader merely smiled.
"Don't worry too much, we've all been through this before though the Japanese Afterlife seems to make ours look like a picnic. Currently these 'Gigas', as our Japanese comrades call them, are the biggest threat... for now."
"For now?"
The English leader pointed to the ominous black tower that loomed in the distance.
"Apparently that tower fires a beam periodically that would cut through anything and anyone like a hot knife through butter. Already it has taken down five of our transports as they tried to go near it. At the moment we can only guess that it has a minimum of two kilometre kill zone."
"Kill zone?"
Alpha leader quizzed. The English leader looked over his shoulder and signalled to another one of his team members.
"Boyle! Get over here!"
The English shouted and a second English SSS member ran over, ducking constantly as he ran.
"You called cap'n?"
The second British asked.
"Show the yank our map."
"Right-o cap'n."
The English team took out a large map with circles and circles drawn all over it.
"The total range of the tower can stretch very far. Until we regroup our forces, we'll have to stay clear of it keep an eye for its attack."
"..."
"But let us focus at the problem at hand, shall we?"
The English leader smiled, patting Alpha leader on the back.
"Our Japanese friends tell us that the weakness of these giants are on the back of their necks. So far the Japanese afterlife army has been using these unusual belts to climb up."
The English leader said as he produced one such belt. Alpha leader stared at it with a suspicious look.
"Don't worry, we won't be using these, but they will."
The English leader pointed out where several SSS2 fighters were rushing at the Gigas. Without missing a beat, they fired the anchors from the belts and flew up the Gigas.
"We only need to keep that giant looking our way while we let them finish him off."
Alpha leader was still unsure about it. They were suppose to come in to rescue these SSS2 people, but it seems that they had been fighting against these crazy monster for far longer than anyone can imagine. These weren't just young boys and girls who were angry at their lives, these were battle-hardened souls of soldiers, of warriors. Though Alpha leader did have his fair share of fighting during his own time in his Afterlife, nothing could compare to this. Still, he came here to help and that is what he plans to do. He tapped his ear piece.
"Listen up Alpha, you heard the Brit. Let's given those SSS2 some covering fire!"
Mobile Forward Command Post, Avalon
"Well, this is a fine mess we've gotten into."
Sakurai Yuri, now calling herself Nakamura Yuri, muttered as she looked down at the digital map that displayed the entire field. Shortly after regrouping with Yuzuru and Kanade, Yuri was unwillingly forced out of the front lines and into the command post of the SSS2. Gathered in the war room of the command post were the leaders of each and every SSS unit that came. It was quite a sight to see the different countries that came together for this battle. At the corner were the SSS2 leaders, Fujibayashi Kyou, tending to the wounds of Kusanagi Yamato. The SSS2 still found it hard to believe that their predecessors, and also the different men and women from other countries, could enter this Afterlife. Not only that, they were here as reinforcements? To be honest, Yamato had to stab herself several times to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Pinching wasn't going to do it anymore.
"We did not expect such heavy resistance."
The leader of the SSS (Germany) said. Apparently everyone can understand each other as a certain feature of whatever technology they used to enter this Afterlife attuned their thoughts and languages into something they could all understand. In other words, something happened and they all appear to talk in the same language. To the Japanese team, the others speak Japanese, to the others, they speak in whatever language they are used to.
"Your Afterlife is sure crazy, mister Yuzuru."
The SSS (France) added with a laugh.
"Well, I did not expect it to be this bad either. But either way we need to confirm the situation."
The one called Yuzuru replied. Apparently he was the brains behind this entire strike force and everyone seemed to look towards him for answers. All except for the sulking Yuri. Somehow Kyou could not help but see Yuki in this Yuri person. They were very similar. Too similar. Their facial features were not too far apart and Kyou almost mistook her for Yuki. But Yuki was now different. Yuki had changed over the past few days into something darker, something more sinister. This Yuri was a very bright and cheerful person, if you discounted her current sulking behaviour.
"The Shadow class of Gigas can be taken down but only the SSS2 have experience in fighting them so the most we can do is to provide back-up and distract those monsters while the SSS2 teams go in for the kill."
"Ah, but from what I hear, the SSS2 themselves have only a limited number of people capable of bringing down such a beast, am I right, miss Fujibayashi?"
The SSS (China) leader asked. Kyou spaced out for a moment before nodding.
"Y-yes, only our Guard 1, Edge squad and Wolf squad are able to fight them."
"So that much is covered. Next are those NPCs... those... Angels, as you call them. Personally, we have never fought something of that level before."
The SSS (USA) leader muttered, rubbing his chin in thought.
"We didn't mess up our Worlds as much as you guys did. But what's done is done. We can take down those flying ones with our gunships, but their speed may be troublesome."
"And that tower is problematic as well."
SSS (India) added. The war room fell silent at that. Within the first five minutes of the SSS appearing, the tower fired once, cutting through a whole group of transport helicopters.
"If we can disable that tower somehow, we can land our Opsray planes and Chinook helicopters for heavier reinforcements. But until then, we're stuck."
The War room fell silent once more, until Yamato suddenly spoke up.
"We... will do that."
"Yamato?"
"I'm fine Kyou."
Yamato said, pushing herself up and staggering over to the war map. Resting on her hands, she traced her finger down the river line of the map till it hit a single blinking dot.
"That... just leave it to us."
Battleship Yamato
"We're almost to the bridge!"
Yamamoto Takanari shouted as he pushed a Shadow off and grabbed a knife from his boot, stabbing it into the chest of the Shadow.
"Just hang on!"
He pulled the knife out and did not bother to wait till the Shadow completely disappeared before running straight at the next Shadow, tackling it against and over the railing of the ship.
"Captain! Shadows have gotten into the bridge of the ship!"
One of the fire team members shouted, pointing up towards the bridge of the ship. Yamamoto looked up and saw the flashes of gun fire. Was it too late?
"Dammit! Takahiko! Matsura! With me! We're going back up!"
"Y-yes captain!"
Takanari rushed back into the ship with two others, braving the fire and unstable structure of the ship. The battleship had suffered heavy damage but it still sailed at full speed towards its destination. With fire breaking out on every deck, the fighting had grown fiercer as the Shadows had managed to get into the ship. They were stretched thin as it was, trying to ensure the ship stayed afloat but now they were forced to fight the Shadows while hoping the Ship could keep itself afloat long enough to reach their destination. Takanari reached the bridge of the ship, witnessing a massacre. Shadows were tearing into the nearly defenceless SSS2 fighters left and those who fought back only had small fire-arms with them.
"Dammit!"
Takanari charged into the Bridge and tackled the first Shadow to the ground, taking his knife and throwing it at another, felling it after it after the knife stabbed into its head. Bringing his rifle around, he fired more rounds at other Shadows on the Bridge. It was a harsh fight, but Takanari managed to take control of the Bridge.
"Takahiko! Take care of the wounded! Matsura! Guard that door!"
He ordered as he ran over to the main controls of the ship. He looked down at the metres and saw that in the scuffle, the ship had lost a significant amount of speed. He looked up and saw the school's bridge was already in view. His mind immediately told him that they would not be able to destroy the bridge as originally intended.
"Dammit!"
He banged his fist against the console in frustration. This was not how it was suppose to be! The flashing lights on the consoles told him that the ship would not hold much longer. Nearly all of the decks were going into critical. With less than fifty of his men left on-board the entire ship, there was no way he would get out of this alive.
"... So what?"
He muttered with a smile. He readjusted the systems on the console, re-routing power from all unnecessary areas of the ship towards the engines.
"If I cannot take it down, then I'll just have to ram it as hard as I can!"
He pushed the lever of the engines forward, forcing every single ounce of power left in the ship to propel itself forward. The bridge was in sight. On it were dozens of Shadows, all waiting for the battleship to approach them. Unfortunately they were suppose to be waiting for a slower vessel. The Yamato was not what they were expecting.
"GOOO!"
Takanari shouted as the giant flaming Battleship charged straight at the bridge.
"All hands! Brace for impact!"
BOOM
With with giant weight and momentum, the giant battleship rammed straight into the bridge, destroying the bridge along with several Shadows in the way. But as the speed was not what he wanted, the battleship could not go through the entire bridge. Pushing forward as much as it could, the battleship finally screeched a halt mid way through the bridge.
"All cannons to port side! twenty degrees!"
The giant guns of the battleship turned slowly, taking their aim at the looming tower in the distance. This was what their entire fight came to. The last barrage of the Battleship Yamato.
"FIRE!"
BOOM
BOOM
BOOM
The turrets fired all of its remaining guns at the tower. At first all was silent, then-
BOOM
In the distance, Takanari could see the tower being lighted up as the rounds impacted the tower, causing the laser fire to die down, but not before firing one wild shot into the sky.
'"The tower is down!"'
'"All units advance!"'
The radio communications confirmed it. The tower was disabled. Yamamoto Takanari smiled, slumping back into the chair behind him.
"... Our work... is done..."
He smirked, looking down at his hands that trembled slightly. Such an intense build up to that final moment.
"This is too much excitement for two lifetimes. After this afterlife, I'm taking a very long vacation."
He muttered, running his hand through his hair and shaking off the dirt and sweat. While he wanted a breather, he knew that it wasn't over. He stood up and walked over to the announcement console, activating the announcement systems throughout the ship.
"... Alright, all hands, abandon ship! We're going out on foot to join up with the rest of the SSS2! Take all weapons and ammunitions and haul ass! We don't want to miss out on the fireworks, do we?"
"The tower is disabled, all SSS units, attack!"
"Bring in the heavies."
The helicopters of the SSS units flew in in full force, with thousands of AH-6 Little bird helicopters ferrying SSS fighters directly into the fire fight. Following in together with the smaller helicopters were the Apache Longbow attack helicopters, rushing in and engaging the Shadows and Angels without fear from the tower's attack. Additional Black Hawk carrier helicopters flew in, dropping in more SSS fighters in the war zone, allowing the SSS to constantly push the enemy back. With their new allies, the SSS2 found renewed vigour and pressed the attack with their tanks.
"Ospreys, coming in hot!"
From the sky came large planes. V-22 Ospreys. These planes flew in directly into the fire, twisting their propellers vertical to allow them to hover as more SSS troops jumped out from the back, descending down on the enemies. Additional vehicles were dropped out of the transport planes, adding additional fire power to the fight. Though the tower may be disabled, the Shadows and Angels were still a force to be reckoned with.
"We'll be focusing on clearing out a path for you."
The SSS (USA) leader said as he got into an armoured Jeep that was dropped off by the reinforcements that came by the Ospreys. Additional Jeeps were being dropped off not too far from the mobile command post. With their reinforcements being able to come in at a steady rate, the SSS could now focus at the main problem at hand.
"I've instructed the convoy to bring you guys straight into the tower. We will finish off the enemy on the outside and ensure that no one goes in after you. However you need to hurry. There's no telling if and when that tower will regenerate."
The SSS (USA) leader said before nodding to the driver. The Jeep drove off, leaving Yuri and the rest of the SSS (Japan) behind. Yuri then turned to the others, planting her hands on the make-shift table set up outside the command post.
"Alright, so let's prepare our plan. We have no idea what is the layout within the tower or what to expect."
Yuri said, turning to Yuzuru and Kanade.
"The two of you will head to the basement level of the tower and disable the first console. This is a copy of the shut-down program."
Yuri said, throwing Yuzuru a small disk.
"Shut-down program? Yurippe, what are you talking about?"
Hinata asked his eccentric leader who merely smirked.
"You'll know in time. For now, we'll leave the basement levels and the first console to those two. The rest of us will head up the tower."
"Sending only the two of them down? Are you sure that's alright?"
Ooyama asked. Yuri nodded and turned to Kanade.
"Kanade-chan can fight off most of the enemy. She's had more experience with the program than any of us. Besides, climbing the tower is the more important part."
Yuri said, turning back to the rest.
"Is it?"
"Well, in most games, anime and movies, whenever there is a tower, the last boss is sure to be at the top, right?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
No one wanted to say anything against that. While there were a lot of points they could argue back on, somehow they all knew that it was pointless. Yuri had a point, though no one wanted to admit it. It was like one of those stupid things that happens in reality yet too stupid for anyone to believe it actually exists. Like how you would believe your teacher could never be dumb enough to forget that he placed the answers on the chalk board before he started the exam but he actually did. Or that annoying friend who is always so diligent in reminding you to do your homework when the next day he forgets to come to school.
.
.
.
.
"... Right, so onto the next agenda-"
"Oi!"
Yuri narrowed her eyes at Hinata who actually retorted back at her.
"Do you have something to say?"
Hinata was taken aback, looking to the others for some moral support though got none. He finally sighed, hanging his head low.
"N-no..."
"Good! So onto the next agenda-"
"Wait!"
Yuri was really starting to get ticked off by constant interruptions, turning around and glared at whoever dared to interrupt her. Which was Kusanagi Yamato.
"We'll go with you."
Yamato said firmly. Yuri narrowed her eyes at the commander of the SSS2 fighters. She was clearly beaten up, wounded and not very stable. Just what had this war done to these poor kids?
"No."
Yuri replied.
"But this is our fight!"
"This is no longer your fight!"
Yuri snapped back, banging her fist on the table, silencing all around it.
"... This... this is something that we-... that I, as the founder and leader of the SSS... must finish."
While Yuri did say she would let Otonashi's creation complete the job, she would not never let him finish it with his own hands. Yuri was resolved to close her past. Even if it was by herself. Looking at the state of things in this war, she felt pained, devastated. This was all caused by her inadequacy to finish what she started. To ensure that all loose ends were tied up. These SSS2 kids had fought long and hard, almost to the point where she wondered if they could even pass on properly. This war... had changed them all. No longer were they young vengeful kids who suffered at despair of their lives. No longer were they young adults who swore to right the wrongs of their past. No longer... were they human. She could see it in their eyes. Twisted forms of hatred, of pain, of despair. The insanity that grew within them. Though she knew that Otonashi's pet had managed to clear away some of that insane despair, it was impossible to get rid of it completely. These SSS2... they had to pass on as soon as possible. Otherwise Yuri fears that they may never be able to pass on at all.
"But our leaders are still in there!"
Yamato shouted back, able to find some ground of confidence to talk back to Yuri.
"..."
Yuri saw something in this Yamato girl. Something that reminded her of herself. What was it? Ah yes... stubbornness.
"Yurippe, just let them come along."
Yuzuru said, making Yuri rethink about it. Unbeknownst to most, Yuri actually listens to what Yuzuru and Kanade says, mainly because they are her two most trusted friends. Hinata can be trusted but his ideas were mostly weird and completely infeasible. And... Yuri still harbours certain feelings for Yuzuru. Though she may convince herself that Kanade was Yuzuru girlfriend (most likely for life), she could not get rid of that feeling out of her chest. So if Yuzuru said something, she would... reconsider.
"... Fine. Come along. But we will not be responsible for anything that happens inside. Do not get in our way either or I will personally shoot you myself."
Yuri warned though her warning did not seem to carry that much weight as compared to her approval for the SSS2 to come along as Yamato smiled and nodded back.
"I'll get my own team ready then."
Yuri did not know if this was the best solution but perhaps it was meant to be. If she denied them this chance, it could back-fire on her. It was all a gamble. A gamble of lives, of souls. Yuri was right now hoping she was betting on the right side. She turned to the rest.
"Alright, here is plan again. We charge in and battle our way up the tower. Kanade and Yuzuru will handle the basement levels. We do not stop, do not pause, do not hesitate. This is the last battle of our struggles, of our lives. As the SSS, we will finish what we started. Operation: Angel Beats. Start!"
A/N: For now, the main feel of battles is that the SSS units have the air advantage with three main helicopters.
- MH-6 Little Bird
- Sikoorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
- AH-64 Longbow Apache
There is also the chinook but I decided not to write them much.
The SSS also brings along armoured Jeeps and Opsray planes. These are mainly USA military vehicles but I have no real reason for choosing them either than their efficiency for the story.
The SSS2 brings along their superior numbers and their battle tanks, mainly the Type 74 and Type 90 battle tanks. The SSS2 are considered better soldiers and fighters than the SSS due to experience and training, but the SSS are able to take more hits, as stated in the story.
This will probably be the last chapter of full-on military stuff. The rest will not be focused on the military aspect so I took my time to explain them here. Well, see you guys soon!