Chapter 05: We're gonna win... because every single person on this vessel is stubborn and crazy as fuck.

"Bring it over here!" Shinji called out just as the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon. "Right here, Jorgun."

"Alright!" The large man set down the heavy gear, gesturing forward a fistbump that Shinji easily accepted. "What next?"

"The sun's coming up, so a quick snack for the pilots might be for the best." Shinji noted, only for hum in surprise when Rei appeared from behind Jorgun to offer them both some grilled fish.

"I believe that applies to you as well, Shinji-kun." Rei came up to his side to watch the rising sun while Jorgun wandered off, the two Pilots watching the rising sun. "...how well do you think we shall do today?"

"So far, they've held up on sending out both Fourth-Tier Gunmen at once. But it's only a matter of time before we push them into sending both of them at once." Shinji sighed as he thought it over. "A small boon is how the Third-Tier Gunmen don't seem to be easily replaced after getting destroyed."

"That should be due to their constant victories, therefore meaning that they never had contingencies for their Gunmen being irreparably damaged."

"Like Doctor Akagi did with the Evangelion, huh." Shinji chuckled as he thought of his former home for the first time in a long while. Morbidly, he wondered if they'd all died in the past month-and-a-half. "...do you think that Misato-san and the others are still alive?"

"No." Rei answered succinctly. Even though her tone sounded uncaring, Shinji knew that she felt otherwise, especially with how her fingers curled and intertwined with his own. "If we assume time back on Earth to be passing along at the same rate of this world, then it would only take one more Angel for NERV's defeat."

Right... because only Asuka back home was the available Pilot... wait, what about that bespectacled girl? He hadn't exactly confirmed it, but the voice that spoke to him from EVA-02 was definitely the same as the girl who'd parachuted into the school and landed with her breasts against his-

Shinji shook his head suddenly, his cheeks hot. "Let's not focus on that anymore. Teppelin's the target today."

"That's right." Yoko suddenly commented from behind them, she and Simon approaching them with the kids hanging on to the latter. "How far with repairs to Dai-Gurren's levi-sphere?"

"Pretty much done with." Shinji answered. "Leeron says that we'll be able to lift off just as soon as the first sortie starts off."

"We should hurry." Simon's gaze turned to the megastructure in the distance, prompting the others to do the same. "I have a feeling that they'll be pulling out all the stops today."

"That's true." Yoko added as she looked over their comrades. "If we don't end this soon, we'll come apart at the seams."

Shinji didn't blame her for thinking so. It'd been a whole month since he'd commandeered Nigenai, but the fact that the beastmen had lost two of their generals seemed to have caused the Dai-Gurren Brigade to now be taken seriously.

Between constantly fighting seemingly endless enemies during the day, foraging and hunting during the night, treating of their wounded, repairment of accumulating damage, careful evaluation of new members, ceaseless shifting of duties so that everyone could at least have some sustenance and rest occasionally, Shinji found Yoko's prediction looking more and more inevitable after they'd finally parked Dai-Gurren within sight of Teppelin five days ago.

"Well... that just gives us more motivation, right?" Shinji spoke up, getting their attention back on him. "We're gonna go up to this Spiral King and we'll win. Not because we're the good guys, or because its our right as humans against the beastmen. We're gonna win... because every single person on this vessel is stubborn and crazy as fuck."

Darry and Gimmy at least giggled at that, which drew smiles from the others.

"That better not include me." Yoko muttered, albeit with a small grin.

"Indeed." Rei nodded. "I would also like to ascertain my sanity."

"Shinji's right." Simon agreed with a determined smile. "And even it seems impossible, just who the hell do you think we are?"

It was a question that Shinji now knew needed no verbal answer, especially as the sun fully rose to mark Day 6 of the Battle for Teppelin.

"It is said that the god who once created the world in seven days... created mankind on the sixth day."

"Sire?"

"Ah, that is from one of the ancient holy scriptures." Realizing what the Spiral King meant, Guame clarified for Cytomander. "Today marks the sixth day since those rebellious humans arrived at our doorstep. An amusing coincidence, sire."

"Amusing, indeed." Cytomander agreed. "In that case, I ask that I be given the task of leading the charge, sire."

"Go ahead, Cytomander." When Cytomander bowed and dismissed himself, the Spiral King continued on. "Guame, now they've come closer, I've noted there to be four distinct wellsprings of Spiral Power."

"Four? While I suppose Nia is amongst that number, but four?" Guame cast a wary eye downwards. "While they're truly a tenacious bunch, they have up to four Spirals? No matter how many times we stomp on them, why must they retain the consistence of weeds and keep sprouting back up?"

"That is what makes them so terrifying." The Spiral King spoke with complete certainty. "Despite the fact that I sealed them into the depths of the earth, sparks of rebellion always filter through the grains before flaring up into the blaze that will incinerate them all."

"That is Spiral Power, after all." Guame sighed in a mix of frustration and admiration. "As long as there are always humans who desire freedom and possess the will to seek it, the Spirals will never die out. Ironic, considering that their ignorant efforts merely hasten their demise."

"Ignorant, huh... An apt description." The Spiral King agreed. "Even so, it is what allows them to fight. How pitiful. Still... four Spirals, huh?"

Despite himself, Guame forced himself not to shiver at the sight of the Spiral King's lips tugging upwards as a spark of jagged crimson briefly warped around his form.

"Enemy battleship detected overhead!" Kinon reported from her spot. "It's Dai-Gunten!"

"Damn! They're here sooner than usual!" Dayakka fretted. "Levi-sphere status?"

"Leeron!" Yoko leaned forward as she tapped open Leeron's channel. "How's it coming?! Leeron!"

"We're now inside Dai-Gunten's firing range!" Kinon shouted with rising panic.

"What's the holdup, Leeron?!" Dayakka called out. "I thought you guys were done!"

"It's just some final reinforcements... and we're done!" Leeron finally assured, reassuring Yoko and the others. "Go for it, boys!"

"Alright! Take us up!" Dayakka declared, prompting Dai-Gurren to lift off. Just in time as a barrage of missiles landed upon their previous spot, creating a huge explosion of flaming smoke that briefly obscured the massive gunman.

Predictably, Dai-Gunten soon released their aerial fighters into the skies, the sheer multitude of flying gunmen making it almost difficult to see the enemy carrier.

Even as Kinon reported so, Yoko kept her sharp gaze on Dai-Gunten. "Kinon, has their lieutenant come out yet?"

"Um, not yet!" Kinon shouted over the booming sounds of Attenborough firing their cannons. "Is she going to go after Nigenai again?"

"We've only seen her in action a few times, but she's got a vindictive streak against Shinji just like Viral had with Kamina... but less... shouting."

"You mean how she straight up tries to kill Shinji without screaming her arrival like Viral does?" Tetukan muttered, causing them all to shiver at how Nigenai (and Shinji by extension) had literally been divebombed out of the sky with zero warning by Mona the first time they'd fought.

Despite their similar positions as lieutenants, it was almost startling how much they differed from each other. Viral was like a volcano just before eruption, seemingly steadfast and solid until liquid heat would surge out in earnest. In contrast, Mona was a thunderous sky, softly loud in a paradoxical way from the start until she became the lightning that simply could not be reacted against.

Case in point, Mona's third-gear gunman was a long-ranged type that always shot first as a way of announcing its presence on the battlefield.

And now, as the many gunmen acted as sacrificial shields in the sky, Yoko became uncomfortably aware of how perfectly the enemy sniper could hide herself within that cacophony.

"It's our turn." Rei softly declared as Watashi strode forward, Nigenai and Gurren-Lagann prepared to take off behind her.

"Sorry for the delay, Gurren-Lagann and Nigenai!" Dayakka called from the radio. "Launch!"

"I shall proceed with the infiltration into Teppelin with Nia." Rei spoke directly to the others through the radio. "Good luck."

"Good luck, Simon!" Nia called out from Rei's cockpit, reminding Shinji of their risky plan. "Good luck, everyone!"

"""Right!""" Shinji, Simon and Rossiu responded together before Nigenai and Gurren-Lagann took for the skies, quickly catching up to their flying comrades.

Once again, Shinji idly noted how the levi-spheres of Nigenai and Gurren-Lagann blazed cosmic green in contrast to the electric blue of all other levi-spheres in the sky.

"Let's go!" Simon ordered. "Gunmen Squadron, follow me!"

"Well, well, the amateur's turned into a first-rate commander!" Kittan commended. "Listen up! We'll handle the fodder! While Shinji deals with Mona again, you nail that battleship!"

"Speaking of which, any sight of her?" Shinji asked.

"She ain't out yet." Zorthy called out. "That chick's got a Viral-class hateboner for you, specific-"

A brief flash was Shinji's only warning before Nigenai kicked Sawzorthn out of the way from a laser beam that would've perforated them both. "Nevermind, I see her."

"Well, get her!" Kiyal encouraged, prompting Nigenai to shift forms into avian mode and accelerate further ahead. Just like in it's original form, Nigenai could switch between humanoid and bestial forms, the latter especially fitting for motion rather than combat.

Sighting another incoming shot as he approached, Nigenai returned into humanoid mode to deflect the projectile away into the mass of flying enemy gunmen, wincing a little at the following chain explosions. "Mona."

"That is Lieutenant Mona to you, thief." Mona called forth from within her third-tier gunman, Ikaros. In contrast to what he'd earlier expected, Ikaros resembled what Shinji would call a compromised mix of valkyrie and android. Even her weapon was one large energy bow she could split into two lightsaber-like cutlasses-

"Woah!" Nigenai dropped down to avoid the slash that would've decapitated it.

-like right now, in fact.

Letting the strange but unnaturally familiar green energy clad his fists, Shinji clashed Nigenai against Ikaros's weapons. Kicking out at him, Ikaros forced some distance between them before rejoining her blades together to form her bow, an arrow of energy immediately being formed and notched.

"Die."

Ikaros let the arrow loose against Nigenai's guard, causing him to grit his teeth as he tried to withstand it. Roaring in defiance, Shinji crushed the projectile between Nigenai's hands. Letting himself briefly drop out of the sky, Nigenai approached Ikaros from below and grabbed the gunman's legs, twisting about repeatedly until he flung her away into a cluster of enemy gunmen.

Another explosion later, Ikaros flew back towards him. Just as Nigenai tried to defend, Shinji suddenly halted when his gunman's arms instantly became restrained by two airborne gunmen. "What are you doing?!"

"Do not mistake me for Viral." Mona's voice was cool and sharp as Ikaros's kick landed unhindered into Nigenai's chest. "Honor is nice and all, but victory is better. Prepare to make my commander's gunman your coffin, thief!"

When she moved forward to attack him again, Nigenai forced the two restraining its arms to collide with each other, freeing Shinji to counter Ikaros's approach immediately with a bright green uppercut that blinded Mona and sent her smoking gunman soaring.

Then exploding.

Then falling.

"...well, I guess I won?" Shinji winced slightly as Ikaros finally crashed into the ground, a rising pillar of smoke marking the spot. "Right, then."

Shinji tapped on the radio. "This is Shinji. Just dealt with Mona. Anybody needing assistance?"

"Yes, we do!" Rossiu reported. "Shinji-san, I need some help with-"

"No, we're fine over here!" Simon interrupted. "Get down there and help against Dai-Gundo!"

"Dai-Gundo?" Shinji repeated before glaring down at the other fourth-tier gunman he hadn't noticed being deployed. "Alright. I'll get right on it. I hope Rei and Nia are having better luck than us."

"Me, too." Simon agreed.

Nia popped her head and slowly looked around through the spot they'd discovered. It looked just as empty as she'd suspected. "Nobody's here."

Rei popped her head and gave the area a much more suspecting lookover. "Agreed. Let us proceed."

Fully entering with Watashi carrying her in the gunman's hands, Nia shivered at how the noises of the battle outside immediately faded into a muffled ambience, leaving Adiane's tracking device as the only sound coming from them.

"How much further until our destination?" Rei asked. "I am suspicious on how we have yet to meet any beastmen within."

"This place rarely had many beastmen around back then." Nia replied, her memories of her lonely past resurfacing. "The beastmen always tried their best to be helpful, especially Thymilph. It was... lonely, however. Father himself rarely met with me, the other generals merely saw me as an extension of Father... Ah, and nobody really wanted me alone with Guame for whatever reason. Now that I remember, I wonder what exactly what he would have done."

Now that she could remember, the look in Guame's eyes had been the same as back then, when Father had introduced her to all of his generals. They'd all looked at her with the same eyes, sharing the sense of... objectification to their gaze, like how Darry regarded her doll.

Wait, that wasn't quite right. Darry cared for her doll, the same way Thymilph and the beastmen did for her. But Guame was...

Well, Thymilph might have been the most blatant about it, but Nia could now remember how not a single general ever let Guame be alone with her.

...whatever he might have done, Nia didn't think she would've liked it.

The tracking device in her hands suddenly let out a loud beam before releasing a beam that connected to a large metal door, the panel on it bearing Thymilph's emblem.

"We're here." Nia declared as Watashi brought them closer. Staring at the access pad, Nia wondered if it would still accept her handprint as some of the doors did in her time here. Placing her hand against it, Nia smiled when it immediately accepted her and opened up to reveal what was inside.

"Is that...?" Even from within Watashi, Rei's shock was apparent. It was for a good reason, as Nia felt as much regarding the third-tier gunman that was before them. It looked extremely humanoid like Gurren-Lagann, but had feminine proportions and a blue-and-white color scheme.

"Even if it is far more streamlined than Gurren-Lagann in design, that is unquestionably a torso with a face." Rei muttered. "Does this mean that it also possesses a Lagann of its own?"

"Possibly." Nia agreed. "Simon told me that he'd found it back at his home village by pure accident while it had been buried deeply. Thymilph probably encountered this Lagann in a similar manner."

Letting Watashi drop her on its shoulder, Nia was surprised to feel how it immediately opened up it's cockpit once she was close enough, allowing her to enter and see a name printed into the seat. "Solvernia."

Sitting into it, Nia reached forward for the controls and concentrated as she'd once done for Lagann, feeling a strange shiver in her body when all the lights lit up green as Solvernia activated, a mass of blue flames somehow 'falling down' the back of it's head, reminiscent of Nia's own hair. "It really does feel like Lagann..."

"Well done, Nia." Rei commended. "Let us now depart, so that we can assist the others."

The idea of being able to directly help the others excited Nia very much. "Yes!"

Suddenly, one of the walls of the hangar suddenly disassembled away, along with several other walls doing the same while rearranging the lay about until they were now left with a very blatant hallway with no other direction to go. "...I think Father's discovered us."

"Indeed." Watashi stepped forward to keep ahead of Solvernia, Nia feeling a strong surge of protectiveness from Rei. "Do not fear the Spiral King. I will protect you from harm."

"...okay." Nia answered before following after her, the two silently moving through the hallway until they arrived at Father's throne. Along the way, Nia paid some attention to how the entirety of Teppelin briefly shook for a while before suddenly stopping.

Just like before, it seemed that nothing had changed since the last time she'd been here. Even though the two of them technically towered over the Spiral King at the moment, just him looking at them made Nia feel small. "It has been a long time, Father."

"Welcome, my rebellious daughter." Father replied. "And her friend. I am surprised by your unexpected capability as a Spiral."

"Spiral?" Rei questioned. "What is the meaning of that designation?"

"Be silent." Even if it hadn't been directed at her, Nia unwillingly felt herself still at the unshakeable command that reverberated through the room. "I have allowed your presence, but a proper audience shall not take place until all four Spirals are before me."

The Spiral King then raised his hand, and all of Teppelin shook far more severely than Nia ever had any memory of it doing so. "Only then shall I properly do away with you all afterwards."

KingVessel: This looks like a nice spot for a cliffhanger. Leave a review!