Solve for R (MK)

[GEAR]

All of a sudden... the torrent stopped. The Getviewm horde went limp where they stood, drifting about harmlessly in space. At the heart of the maelstrom, covered in what felt like a million scratches, X sneered triumphantly. The X-Robo's foot kicked one of its former adversaries away callously, letting it bonk into its fellows. Whatever power source had been running this place was gone.

She'd won.

"...Ha. Was that it?" X said to herself.

There was a whine of rising energy - and instinctively she jerked back on the controls, sending the Robo darting back as a pulse of green power punched through the space it had just been standing.

"What-? ARGH!"

The second blast, however, connected with the Super Robot's chest, sending it hurtling into a floating building, sparks flying in all directions. For a moment it was entombed, as Remedy made her grand entrance, the Gravalin hovering over the assembled buildings like a blood-red God from legend. The seconds ticked by, and Remedy could be forgiven for thinking that she'd knocked her adversary out cold. However, a noise was starting to build from below, at first just barely audible, slowly rising with every passing second into ear-splitting decibels.

"AaaaaaAAAAAAAAAaaAAAAAAGGHHHH!!!"

A scream of pure, unadulterated hatred, accompanied by an eruption of plasma energy, blasting apart the building below in a cloud of hellish fury. The X-1 Robo stood in the aftermath, clouds of dust and chunks of destroyed Getviewm raining down on its frame as it looked up at the new arrival, now just as big and powerful as it was.

Within the cockpit, X could taste blood. Could see red. Her eyes were wide and bloodshot, and the trickle of blood now running from the corner of her mouth indicated at least one of her teeth had shattered from the force of the prior impact. Didn't matter. Pain was fuel, kindling for the hatred that drove her every step, even if she herself didn't fully understand from where it came. A shaking hand came up to move her bangs out of her face, the movement jerky, as though even the muscle memory that once guided the body was breaking down.

"Should have stayed down, girl...!" X roared, the machine answering her fury as it practically exploded off the rooftop towards Remedy.

"IN THE DIRT WHERE YOU BELONG!"

The two forearms fired off at mach speed, a pair of rocket-punches that could have smitten a smaller machine instantly as X moved to close the gap. Already the plasma generators were revving up, the dangerous electromagnetism coming back online, eager to repeat their previous engagement on a larger scale...

 

[MKR]

Really? The ear piercing scream was understandable but after all that time they told her, her! To remain down, had they learned nothing from the countless bouts. Remedy grumbled as her opponent made it tough for her to stay serious with a remark like that. She grit her teeth as the scream still rung in her ears, feeling that she would be hearing that one for the next few days at least.

Still with the arms approaching the Gravalin widened its own arms as if to prepare an embrace, instead however. Light bellowed forth from the eyes of the machine, like yellow rays of the sun tracking across the environment from left to right detonating the remains of Getviewms which were between the two super robots. Yellow turning blue as it continued before striking at the arms themselves while detonations filled the air sending particulates every which way. Should the hands not get at least knocked off course she would have to brace, but she was ready for them.

"Here's the thing." She remarked as the Gravalin suddenly seemed to grasp its own chest. "I'm not the only one here with an irrational nature." the red giant began to float upwards, suddenly debris from around it starting to be pulled towards it as with seemingly herculean effort it pried its own chest open, exposing the Dimensional Crystal core fully. Brilliant green light cascading over the ruined surroundings.

"There's Mother, there's Hyle and of course- You." A large purple sphere formed in front of the machine, Gravalin bringing its arms wide as if to both embrace and contain it. "Yes, you. You who hate my irrationality yet you can't explain why you yourself hate do you, logic would dictate that hate is irrational, a defect.
A purple sphere had formed inside the larger orb, expanding in size rapidly as she spoke.

"Your vaunted Galaxy of Darkness, it is illogical, backwards! And yet you lack the willingness to look inside and see that you yourself are along with me. The most illogical being!" The giant suddenly leaned forwards, the purple sphere looming with it as suddenly- its face opened up revealing streaks of purple across a black décor beneath.

"So you are... Human." Remedy closed her eyes, smiling sincerely "Not insurmountable, not inevitable, just sad, resentful and lonely." The arms of the Gravalin shook, slowly moving apart as X moved forwards. She could feel the static electricity at this proximity. 'She' aught to survive this, there was enough machine in the way to survive this. Besides 'she' could survive in space, it had been proven plenty of times before.

Around the Gravalin pieces of rubble, twisted corpses of Getviewms and remains of skyscrapers underground floated, held aloft and raised higher by the gravitational anomaly in her hands. "Go! Gravisphere Cannon! This one is from Data Recycling!" The sphere was released, catapulting forwards, swallowing up anything unfortunate enough in its wake and pushing aside the rest as it coursed towards the X-1.
"Together! Let's soar among the stars!"

The machine extended a hand, watching the sphere fly away.
"With your hand in mine! And my hand in yours! I WON'T LET GO!" And Gravalin tightened its fist, once X-1 was inside the projectile would curl up and compact, crushing the machine before detonating under its own weight.

 

[GEAR]

"That's... Origin Law?"

The X-1's chest lit up as soon as the Gravalin's own spit open. Within the cockpit, X's eyes widened at the feedback from her scanner. It was as if the entire place was coalescing around it, being pulled in, as if it were rearing back for a colossal counterpunch that had the mailed fist of an entire miniature plane of existence behind it. The output she read just kept rising and rising, breaking every limit possible.

"How? How can someone like you-?!"

A brilliant flash of light - the torso mounted cannon flashed out, a blast of death that had sent MD to the scrapyard in the sky. At the same time, the Gravalin heaved - and sent its sphere of power hurtling towards X. The two attacks collided in midair, a shower of plasma erupting on all sides that ripped into the buildings that remained, sending multi-hued cracks across space as the very fabric of reality was strained. But-

One had more weight behind it, so to speak.

The sphere collided with the X-1, carrying it up into the sky. The power to crush a small planet imploded upon the X-1, crushing its exterior as the Super Robot struggled against the forces that bound it. Even so, it took everything the Gravalin had to hold it fast in its grip, the force its counterpart exuded being almost equal as it pushed back. A static-flecked transmission burst from the trapped Super Robot, as X spat in fury:

"REMEDY! Curse you! BECAUSE OF YOU-!"



The explosion ripped the skies, sending chunks of debris in all directions. No trace of Dark Brain's emissary remained, only blackened chunks of metal.

---

All around her, the strange world was starting to fade - passing from white to grey. It was different from the corrosion she had seen before - no, rather it was more... natural, as if it were merely sand in an hourglass being drained away.

"Well done, Remedy."

Hyle's voice crackled to life over the radio.

"I'm glad I was able to see you again, after all this time. Without the Gravalin, this place will soon fade. That is the nature of Dimensional Power - it is strength merely borrowed, and as such must be returned. Had our creators been able to accept this, perhaps all of this might have been avoided."

The buildings, the Getviewms, dissolved into light, flickering across the horizon. The Dimensional Power that held it together, along with Hyle's own will, now permitting it to return to the Records, exactly as he had said.

"...Thank you." Said Hyle, after a pause. His voice sounded tired, but... contented.

"Because of you... I was able to be more than just a mere functionary. I hoped. I dreamed. I dared. I lived. Now... I can meet my end without regrets.

The Aristarch is waiting on Deimos. If I may trouble you, please, for one last thing...

There is something outside entrusted to me for safekeeping long ago, that your young friend may find use for. There was a time when humans and the Database did not fear one another. A better time."

Hyle gave what amounted to a nostalgic chuckle. There wasn't much left of the world around her now.

"A world without fear, where knowledge and truth can be shared freely by all. Yes, I have faith that it is still possible, as illogical as it seems."

Perhaps that is the remedy we need."

 

[MKR]

She watched the spectacle play out, the Gravalin's face closing back again afterwards as it regained a calm position between the dying world. Around it, everything hit by the electrocution still exuded static, in front of it in contrast was a clear path for the woman within to behold the rubble through. She didn't feel it, the passing of 'her life'. So her dark mirror image was still out there, but not here. This place was now becoming lonely.

The final curse hung in the air until Hyle spoke up, his gift turning to look at where it had come from. Where he had been, the core of this place.
"Hyle..." She had found him, both here and in her memories, only to lose him again. So much yet unanswered even as she knew more. But, hearing him there was no way she could bring herself to ask him to stay.

"You'll have to forgive them, they too were illogical after all." She answered with a smile "Being unwilling to accept a natural course... Well that's just par for the course. Same with me." Her gaze went upwards, watching the Getviewm's turn to snow.
"I'll take care of your legacy, this and the one outside."

A tear rolled down her cheek. Goodbyes, she hated them! It was always easy to say see you later when you could just be.. anywhere you wanted really it always counted. This however, was final. "Maybe it is, and I'll make sure that faith isn't misplaced. That future- That world, I want to see it. Until I can, they do need a Remedy." A pause, she closed her eyes.

"Hey Hyle, I don't know where you're going but I've been there often. Maybe 'I'm' waiting for you there already but still... Wherever it may be, wait for me. I'll probably make you wait until the end of time if I have any say in it. But I want to see you there." As that tear rolled down, a smile came on her face. "Until then, well someone's got to beat up Executive."

She turned away, before she left she would have to pick up Hyle's gift. But afterwards, there was much and more to be done.

 

[GEAR]

Hyle laughed in response to Remedy's comments. It sounded very faint, as the last of the world faded away.

"Yes." He said, softly.

"I'll see you there."

...And with that, he was gone.

When Remedy returned to reality, all that remained was the barren interior of Mars' depths. What parts of the facility that had remained had crumbled to dust, as if they too had only been held together by Dimensional Power - all but one thing.

A gigantic mechanical sword, colored a brilliant burgundy, driven into the heart of the planet before her, the last rays of Martian daylight sparkling across its body.

---

Meanwhile...
Arm Stora Bridge

Irkalla waited, eyes closed, on the bridge of the Database's most prominent vessel. There was always a degree of uncertainty involved in these things... but probability was not a God. High risks came with high rewards, and she wasn't left with any other choice but to gamble on that girl. Eventually, her senses were greeted with a ping of new notifications, as an android helmsman read off incoming sensor readings to her.

"Confirmed: MD has ceased functioning. The Cloud Stream anomaly is returning to normal. We're also detecting a Proton Reactor signature that's highly likely to be the Arms Arcus."

It paused here, swiveling its glassy gaze in her direction.

"Shall we inform the Aristarch?"

Irkalla shook her head, sending her blonde tresses waving back and forth across her shoulders in a uniform, artificial wave.

"That's not necessary."

"By your command, Censor."

She exhaled for what felt like the first time in hours. They had everything they needed now. All that was necessary was to use the older protocols to disconnect the two from the existing authority network... and then the hard, yet necessary work could begin.

"So that's what you were up to." Said a familiar voice behind her.

The Branch of Sir William Exeter approached, evidently having overheard the exchange, a look of smugness on his features that caused her scowl to deepen.

"Treachery? From a functionary?" He said, voice dripping with faux-concern,

"And here you were, deriding we "feeble organics" for our emotional irrationality! Well, I guess that means we're not so different after all, does it?"

If she had been capable of rolling her eyes, she would have. Instead she folded her arms, addressing the knight face to face - even if she had to tilt her head up to look at him.

"This is necessary to my function." She said, stiffly.

"The Aristarch has far overstepped his boundaries, and is long overdue for a correction. One, I shall administer as per my specifications. If you intend to interfere-"

"Please." - William held up his hands, as if to shield himself from the impending accusation.

"Perish the thought. I swore no oath of fealty. And besides..." - He folded his arms as well, mimicking her posture, and surprisingly, averted his gaze.

"To aid a lady in need... That is what it means to be a knight of Luna."

There was a delicate pause, Irkalla seemingly taken aback for a moment, before she laughed at the display. The bold and dry Sir William, suddenly showing a moment of sensitivity after their endless sniping, was almost too much for her to bear.

"Your antiquated notion of chivalry applies even to a "heartless machine", like me?" She retorted chidingly, causing him to clear his throat.

"Yes." He said, still seemingly unable to meet her gaze.

"I confess: I was wrong. About you."

Irkalla propped her head up with her hand. Should she needle him further, she thought? No, there was no need for that. Strange that she had never taken delight in such things before - but, she'd never had to work in close capacity with a human before either, Branch or otherwise.

"...And I as well, Sir William." She said finally, with a weary smile.

So it was, she thought, that they would start over. There wasn't any more time for division with what lay ahead. If it were just the two of them, she thought, there would be no way it was possible... But with those two...

Farron Longinus and Remedy...

Perhaps the Database could be saved after all.