Kamina took a closer look at his monitors. "This is Mr. Kasshu's student?"

Unimposing was a good word to describe the machine that faced them now. After having seeing the heroic Gundam, the monstrous Evangelion, the broad-shouldered Gipsy Danger, and a walking furnace like the Big O, this small, orange craft seemed quite plain. It was just a little taller than Gurren Lagann, but it did not seem nearly as threatening. Its legs were simple boxes, as were its stubby arms. There were no gaping vents to draw in cool air for a hungry reactor, and no gigantic weapons slung over its back. A set of folding wings were bolted to the sides of those simple, boxy legs, giving the slightest hint that it might be capable of some mid-air maneuvering. It did carry a heavy-looking assault rifle in its right arm, complete with underslung grenade launcher.

"We can't let our guard down," said Simon. "Even if it doesn't look impressive, it could be really dangerous. And who knows about that pilot?"

"Yeah, you're right," agreed Kamina. "We can't get too cocky."

"It is an honor to fight you," said the voice of their opponent over their communications channel. From the little they had gotten to know him, Inaho seemed like a smart, quiet kid. Intelligence could be dangerous, but when he didn't talk much it made him hard to read. Simon carefully moved the controls to bring Gurren Lagann into a fighting stance.

"Same to you," he replied. "Let's go."

The orange robot began to move the only threatening thing about it- the rifle, which was a sign that Gurren Lagann should get out of the way. Simon tilted the controls back and hopped out of the way, but Inaho had not fired.

Hmm. Their first response to the rifle being drawn is to run. They have no ranged weapons of their own. This is logical, he thought. This is exploitable.

"He's just faking us out," grunted Simon.

Kamina pushed his own angular sunglasses back into place. "Well, Team Gurren doesn't get faked out! Let's show him what we're made of!"

"Right, bro!"

Gurren Lagann dropped to one knee and sprinted forward, extending a long, thin drill from its right forearm. The orange robot took a step back, as the wings on its legs unfolded to their full length. The feeble booster on its back warmed up, and it slowly floated out of the Gunmen's path. Inaho lowered his sights over Gurren Lagann's exposed back.

Your Giga Drill Maximum move is the only time you have any coverage for your back. Otherwise, your jets are completely exposed. Anyone just needs to wait for you to charge to clip your wings.

"He… just dodged?" asked Kamina, swinging Gurren Lagann's drill out to pierce nothing but air.

"No, wait! He's trying to shoot us in the back!" cried Simon, knowing it was too late. The Gunmen was fast, but it was not faster than a trigger pull. Yet, the bullets never came.

Her target lazily floated around in the zoom optics. Either he was hustling, or he was actually that slow. Considering that they were fighting Gurren Lagann, Holly assumed that they really were that slow.

"So we've got a nice, plump turkey for you to shoot, Liger," grinned the elf. The cockpit had a little inertial damping, but not much- it was an unusual feeling to bounce up and down so much as she sped across the desert. Being seated inside of the robotic cat's head certainly looked amazing, from the big holographic displays to the tapered canopy, with the huge, heavy control arms providing wonderful feedback- considering the luck she had with the jet and now this machine, Holly decided to add stealing vehicles to her internal list of viable strategies.

"Now, what kind of weapons have you got? Let's see… double-barreled shock cannons and a beam gun. Not bad. But which one will do the most damage to that big turkey?"

The Liger let out a soft, metallic roar as the weapons display panel shifted to a new image.

"Strike Laser Claw? Now that's a name I can stand behind. Claws, good; striking, good; lasers, even better. Strike Laser Claw it is."

Maybe she was being childish, but piloting the Liger was just too much fun. A targeting reticule moved into the center of the display, and instructed her to increase her speed. Holly shoved the control arms to the full-throttle position and clicked down the oh-so-wonderful boost button. Twin turbines and accompanying winglets folded out from the Liger's flanks to provide extra thrust and downforce. The speed shoved Holly further back into the racing-bucket-like seat.

Gods, it's like a mecha death cat sports car! Amazing!

Her target closed to three hundred meters, two hundred, one hundred. She jolted the controls backward and the Liger leapt into the air, placing the oblivious orange robot below her. In the corners of her display, the front paws glowed with energy channeled through the Liger's metal mane.

"Okay, Zero, let's tear 'em apart! Strike! Laser! Claw!"

I need to calm down. This is just too great!

The massive robotic liger crashed down on top of the orange machine, its energized claws slicing through the Kataphract's thin armor like paper. Gurren Lagann hesitated before turning around to find that their opponent had suddenly been mauled to death. Holly opened a hailing frequency, kicked her legs up onto the center console, and folded her hands behind her head.

"Simon, Kamina, how's it going?"

"Uhm, just fine, thanks," replied the younger boy.

"Well, we've just spent the rest of the round getting the band back together, and we wondered if you guys were in for one last gig?"

"Aw, yeah! The indomitable Kamina always is ready for a new challenge!"

"Great. Just give me a ride back to the others. I'm going to set this beautiful creature free." Holly tapped the canopy release and hopped out of the Liger Zero's head, flying over to Gurren Lagann's waiting hand. The Liger gave the elf a wistful look before turning towards the horizon and releasing a triumphant roar. Holly waved the Zoid goodbye as it loped away.

"I'm going to miss that cat," she sniffled.

"Our objective is now only one kilometer away," chirped Miku, halfway through her rendition of Hooked on a Feeling.

"Finally. This heat is killing me," groaned Elsa languidly.

Jotaro rolled his eyes. "We know, you haven't shut up about it."

"There's a town just up ahead," announced Rainbow Dash, pointing ahead with the barrel of her Mobile Suit's massive rifle.

"Miku, is our objective within that town?"

"By my calculations, yes."

"Okay. Let's stay on our guard. With buildings surrounding us, we won't be able to spot anyone approaching from the ground until it's too late. Dash, you'll be our lookout and early warning system, got it?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Kujo!"

"Good. Let's hoof it from here." The young man placed a hand on his cap and used the other to vault out of the Mark II's hand. Towards the end of his plummeting, he cautiously slowed his breathing, and his speed gradually decreased until he simply stepped onto the ground as if he was descending a staircase. Elsa, not one to foolishly throw herself down twelve meters, pulled off her gloves, pointed her open hands toward the ground and constructed an actual crystalline staircase, while Miku simply jumped out of the hand and careened into the ground, plucking herself out of the dirt as Elsa reached the bottom of her icy stairs. Jotaro made sure that his team was ready, and signaled them onward. They sprinted across the open desert until they reached the comforting shadows of the town, the buildings providing them long-awaited cover.

"Abingdon," Elsa read off of a general store's sign as she pulled her gloves back on. "It's really quiet."

"Like everybody decided to leave town all at once," muttered Jotaro.

"Our objective is approximately fifty meters in that direction," said Miku, pointing down the street at another building.

Jotaro raised an eyebrow. "The bank? Okay, everybody, take off your masks."

"I don't get it," frowned Elsa.

The young man shook his head and led them towards the building, ducking into and out of cover when possible. After a series of potentially excessive combat rolls, he arrived at the door.

"Everyone ready?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'm so excited/ And I just can't hide-"

Elsa clamped a chillingly cold hand over the Vocaloid's mouth.

"She is also ready."

"Good," grunted Jotaro, swinging the door open. The Trans-Dimensional Analysts charged through the door, prepared for anything on the other side, to find nothing but an empty teller's counter. Internally, Jotaro breathed a sigh of relief. Actually having to fight someone with a team at each other's throats was not going to be pleasant.

"Miku, do you have the exact location within the building?"

"Our objective should be seven meters ahead, presumably down that hallway."

She pointed a green-painted nail toward a corridor past the teller's counter, guarded by a heavy wooden door.

"Elsa, would you do us the honor?"

"Certainly," replied the young woman, removing her gloves again. She placed a bare hand on the door, which quickly became surrounded in a thick sheet of ice. Elsa then stepped back, put her gloves back on, and drove her heel into the center of the door. The entire structure gave way, splintering beneath her kick.

"Thank you," nodded Jotaro, leading the Analysts further into the bank. Miku pointed to their left, and they found themselves facing a massive vault door.

Elsa folded her hands across her chest. "So our objective is… behind this?"

"Yes. My sensors indicate that there is a small space-time distortion within this vault. If our organization can capitalize on the instability of these structures, we will be able to gain access to the Nexus of Carcosa upon our arrival."

"Well, there's no time for sitting around. Miku, can you interface with the vault's systems?"

"I believe so."

"Then get started. Elsa and I will cover you from in here."

Much to Jotaro's chagrin, a sudden beeping in his Scouter's earpiece indicated an incoming call from Rainbow Dash, which could not be good. He tapped the receive button and answered the call.

"What's up, Dash?"

"We… may have a problem."

"That's quite a large thing, that is," murmured Jack as the stared wide-eyed out the windows at the gigantic machine in the center of the town.

Luffy stretched anxiously in his seat. "So somebody's beaten us here for the coin?"

"Well, considering the way it's just sitting there, I'd say they were rather in the process of making off with it, as opposed to them having already snatched it, savvy?"

"So there's still a chance for us to stop them?"

"It would seem that way, yes."

"Optimus, you could take care of that big machine, couldn't you?" Luffy asked of the truck he was seated in.

"It may be possible."

"Okay then," grinned the youngest pirate, pulling his straw hat down tightly over his head. "Let's go do some hurt!"

"Hooray!" cheered an exhausted Usagi.

"I repeat, do not engage them," barked Jotaro, sprinting out of the bank with Elsa following closely behind. "We'll do whatever we can to avoid a confrontation."

"Got it, Mr. Kujo!" called Rainbow Dash, lowering the Mark II into a passive kneeling stance.

The candy-red-and-blue truck rolled to a noisy stop a few meters in front of the TDAs, as three figures emerged from within. A man clad in exotic seventeenth-century garb, a boy in a red shirt and denim shorts, and a girl in a sailor fuku- they didn't seem overly threatening.

"Greetings," waved Jotaro, doing his best to seem polite. It wasn't his natural state, but he was certain he had learned to fake it well enough.

"'Greetings'? What do you think this is, a book club?" The boy did not look receptive.

Jotaro kept his urge to punch him in the face under control. "No, no- we were just wondering if we could help you with anything."

"I'm not sure if you can," said Jack, sauntering toward Elsa, "But perhaps the mademoiselle could help us find the coin within this township's banking establishment?" Elsa blushed, which she attributed to the heat.

"W-was that a dirty joke, sir?" asked Jotaro through gritted teeth.

"No, there's actually a coin in the bank here. And we're pretty sure that you're just stalling us so that you can steal it," snapped Luffy.

"Well, we aren't," replied Elsa, biting her lip. "We're just… examining it."

"Yeah, what she said," Jotaro agreed.

"That doesn't sound very convincing to me," called Usagi from next to the truck.

"I don't believe it is, either," oozed Jack. "So let's say we stop pretending that we're trying to sneak into a ball-"

"Or a book club," interrupted Luffy.

"-and get to the bit where we trounce you, savvy?"

Jotaro lifted a finger to his Scouter.

"Rainbow Dash, hold your fire. We will attempt to neutralize this threat on foot."

"Copy that, Mr. Kujo."

"Okay. If you want a fight, we'll be happy to oblige. Elsa, call Miku out. We'll need her support. I'll begin analysis."

"Yes sir," replied Elsa, taking a step back and fiddling with her own Scouter.

Jotaro's eyepiece began to cycle through the targets, processing each one. Since there was no way to predict who he would be encountering in the field, he hadn't been given any dossiers to read. It didn't matter if he didn't know their names, though- he just needed to know how hard they could hit. The man with the mascara was targeted first, and gave off a steady reading of 13.

Average for a typical human fighter. No trouble there.

The reticule then moved to the girl, cowering next to the semi. The Scouter took a while to process her level, but eventually it spat out a measly reading of 3.

That is just pathetic. Now for Straw Hat over there.

The scouter buzzed with a few alarms as it processed the scowling boy's power level. Jotaro gasped when the reading- a fairly high 10,000, appeared.

So it's true… many teams really do rely on a single stronger fighter to support weaker ones who perform other roles. 10,000's a bit higher than even my power level, but with Miku and Elsa we should be able to leverage that out. If we can stick together and coordinate our attacks, we'll make it through.

"I'm here, Mr. Kujo," announced Miku, sprinting to her leader's side.

"Great. Open up the Fight Music playlist and shuffle."

"Excellent choice," she chirped, and began to whisper.

"What's she doing?" asked Luffy, watching with concern as the girl's arms split apart to reveal electromagnetic rails.

"I think it's pretty self-explanatory," replied Jotaro.

Several rhythmic cymbal strikes were followed by the Vocaloid floating into the air, lowering her railguns toward the pirates, and screaming "FLOOR!" in an uncharacteristically harsh manner. The weapons produced a sharp cracking sound as they propelled two metal slugs into the ground at the men's feet.

"Luffy… you can do the thing," sighed Jack reluctantly.