"So...today's the day."
"Yep."
"Our final stand."
"The final fight."
"Never thought this day would come."
"I still can't believe it. Feels like just another day you know."
"Things have changed so much since then. But yeah, I get it."
"I just feel like I'm not ready."
"Yeah. You never feel fully prepared for this kind of stuff."
"Just...gimmie one more day, you know. One day more. Another day. Another destiny. This never ending road to cavalry. These men seem to know my crime will surely come a second-"
"HEY!" Roko's voice barked out at the rebels over a megaphone, "How much money do you think this rebellion has?"
"Huh?!"
"Not nearly enough to pay the copyright fines and start a musical! So zip it!"
The offending rebel just shyly dipped his head and nodded as Roko moved on. With Corissa following behind him.
"Ah, she's so cute." the rebel's friend said, watching, smitten from afar.
"So hot." his friend agreed.
"I didn't think she'd show up to a shitty run down city like this."
"Truly, an angel if there ever was one."
"I love her so much bro. I can't imagine not being able to see her again."
"So fucking live man. Live and you'll see her smiling face again at the end."
"Her smile all for me? God, I feel immortal."
"Yeah."
"What about you?"
"Me? I did not live until today… How could I live...when we are parte-"
"WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST SAY?" Roko barked again.
"Sorry! Sorry sir!"
Roko sighed as he tossed the megaphone down onto a crate again.
"Are you sure that's not giving us too much away?" Momo grinned.
"What's to give? We all know we're coming out of the one gate that we captured. They know it too."
From atop Minchir, Roko could gaze across the other side to Muldingirmus where a sizable army, multitudes bigger than their small rebellion, stood ready to face them. Some wore standard police gear but most wore a suit of armor with the telltale Starry Knight armband. There were two forces forming their opposition's defense while their offense consisted of one force split into two distinct groups, those with armor and in leather. The armor that had been reserved for those under Roko's direct control has now been freely distributed to those who wanted it though the majority of those who did were still...ambivalent about Roko's leadership.
"Sure we couldn't splurge on more armor?" Helena asked, "Feels kind of bad to only have half our army prepared."
"Leather is perfectly fine as armor." Roko scoffed, "The armor was mainly an insurance to account for Kajou's interference. Now that Momo's here, you're going to have to hold off Kajou the entire time."
"Hold off huh?"
"Something wrong?" Kaguya asked
"You don't think I can beat her?" Momo asked Roko.
"I don't think you want to beat her."
"Wow Roko! You figured that out too?!" Momo grinned as she scratched her head sheepishly, "I thought I was keeping it pretty quiet up til now too!"
"Anything I can help with?"
"No, well I want to beat her, I really do but...I also want to help her too you know."
"Help? How?" Corissa blinked.
"I dunno. I just feel like she could use some help."
"...Got it. I'll see what I can do." Roko nodded.
"Wow seriously, Roko?! You're the best!"
"Yeah yeah." Roko sighed, "Our first phase will be to seek out and lock down each of the Planetary Stars with one of our prepared match ups. The rest...will play out as it will."
"And in the middle of all this, you'll be heading straight for Sirius' throat."
"Yep. After phase 1 anyway."
"So...when do we start?"
"Wanna sound the horn?"
"Oh please, can I?"
Momo squealed as Roko handed her the war horn they had prepared and after a steadying moment...Momo blew into the horn, calling for the gate they captured to open and for the rebels to finally start charging towards each other on the clean streets of the rich.
"Now we get moving." Roko said as he began to move quickly.
"Uuuhhh, Roko?" Helena blinked, "About that…"
Roko looked up as he saw familiar giant fireballs begin forming from around Min al Az'al and fling themselves towards their forces.
"Oh yeah. Forgot about those."
"Did you?"
"Nah. I got this."
With a twist of his hands, Roko manipulated a long prepared spell circle and sent the fireballs flying right back towards their owner. And to be exact, right into Sirius' personal tower, blasting such large holes into it that it was shocking that the entire structure was still standing.
"Seems like they stopped." Momo remarked as the fireballs suddenly stopped appearing.
"Alright then. Onto the war."
"We just got first blood! On one of their key structures too!" Momo cheered as she followed Roko down from the wall, "That's a huge morale hit! Wooo! I love war!"
The war at the gate was both the most important and least important battle in the war. If they lost it, they might as well have lost the entire war even if Roko managed to corner Sirius. But it was also their most evenly matched line up so even with Zhong of the Planetary Stars leading the defense. All they needed was to hold out until the rest of the battles were determined. For that reason, Roko's group rode out ahead of the rest of the rebels, their lone cart running deep into Muldingirmus in advance to contain the most active threat to the battles.
"Look, there she is!" Momo cried as she spotted Kajou walking calmly across rooftops towards the battlefield.
"Stop the cart!" Roko commanded.
"Wait, why are WE getting out?" Roland cried as he followed the two out of the cart as well.
"Who cares, let's check it out!" Helena grinned as she jumped out of their cart as well.
"Eh?! K-Kids you stay here!" Corissa yelped following everyone else out of the cart as well.
"Hold it right there!"
Kajou stopped as a familiar looking figure appeared before her, looking annoyingly smug yet oddly threatening. She seemed familiar and Kajou felt like she knew who it was. But she's been in this situation many times before and knew better to assume.
"Sorry...who are you?" She asked.
The woman in front of her smirked and began making a grand gesture, waving her arms around her as she announced,
"Princess of the Momokami Dynasty! Momo Pink!"
Momo Pink ended her gesture with a grand flourish, one hand thrust open palm in front of her with the other close to her head.
"I see what's going on here." Another man said as he finally climbed onto the rooftop, seeing Momo Pink's introduction and quickly began to add onto it.
"Otherwordly Tactician. Roko Blue!" Roko Blue announced with less energy than Momo Pink, his arm crossing across his chest before pulling it back in front of him with a classy snap of his fingers.
"What's that?! That seems fun!" Another woman that Kajou definitely didn't recognize joined them on the roof and began to join in on the roll call, rhythmically clapping her hands before stretching one out across from her and bringing it back into a fun v sign next to her eye, "Sniper of Absolute Zero. Helena Green!"
"Interesting." Another woman Kajou didn't recognize said, composing herself before throwing a hand forward, throwing it up and finally pulling it back down to a sassy stop on her hip, "Core of the Moon. Kaguya Yellow!"
…
"Your turn now."
"Must I?"
"Yep."
A tired looking knight next to her sighed and drew his sword, spinning it around in his hand before smoothly sheathing it, announcing his name with a click of his sword, "Lunar Satellite. Mikado Orange."
"U-Umm…Holy Mage! Corissa White!" A very cute girl quickly announced herself with a polite bow but when that didn't seem enough she added a cute little hop to her performance.
The black knight next to her watched with mild interest but sternly crossed his arms when expectations turned to him.
"Varis Black!" Corissa White squeaked from behind Varis Black for him.
"Melia! Melia, your turn!"
"Me too?"
"Of course!"
"Ahem." Another woman Kajou didn't recognize cleared her throat and began mirroring Helena's rhythmic clapping but when she threw her hand across from her and pulled it back, she tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear instead of a fun v sign, "Noble of the Earth. Melia...Gold?"
"I guess that makes me...Knight of Love. Roland Silver!" The knight next to Melia Purple drew his sword, making a few fancy slashes with his sword before tucking it behind his back and making a polite bow.
"Oh. My turn huh?" One final knight got up with a demanding presence and a smug grin as he began to announce, "I am! White Knight! Rolaaaaaaaandddddd~"
The knight threw his hand forward before drawing it back into a soulful fist in front of his face. Tossing his hand back forward, he casually unbalanced himself, hopping forward on one foot before spinning around, back turned to them as he pulled both his arms up above his head and slowly pulled them apart to his sides then crossing one across his body before tossing it back out to the other side, doing so again with his other arm, spinning back around so he was facing the front again before snappily uncrossing his legs, stomping on leg close to his body before kicking it back out in a second stomp, repeating the same motion with his other leg, and from this position, pushing his arms out from his sides and bringing them up for them to meet again over his head, crossing his wrists and he pulled them back down over his chest. Then, pounding one hand over his heart, he swung this arm around in a full circle before covering his face with his hand and tipping his head back, pulling his legs back into a cross and uncrossing into a full 360 degree spin, ending this spin with a point to the top left, then a point to the top right, slamming a fist into the palm of his hand then with the fist, he pointed skyward and slowly lowered his hand back down to his downturned head, flicking the brim of an invisible fedora over his eyes.
"...Red."
"The hell was all that about?" Helena said hitting Roland in the arm.
"And who let you name yourself Red?" Roko added.
"Hey, you can't blame that one on me okay?! Yall had the chance before me to name yourself Red and you didn't!"
"That doesn't mean we recognize you as Red."
"Honestly, I thought you were going to name yourself as Red, Roko." Momo chuckled.
"Roko Red does have a ring to it." Helena smiled.
"What's wrong with Roland Red?!"
"Eh. Doesn't roll off the tongue as nice."
"Why I oughta-"
Kajou began laughing, quite amused by their performance, "What the hell was that? That was such a weird way of introducing yourselves."
"Just a little something I thought of to help you remember us." Momo grinned.
"I like it." Helena nodded, "Makes us feel like some kind of...Rebellion Squadron."
"How about Powered Rangers?" Roland suggested.
"Rangers? Like at a park? Roland, what park are we at?"
"To be fair, we already did rebellion with the bug kings already too." Roko added.
"You mean the King Squadron King King-gers? Banger series. Rebellion's still available for a name though." Helena shrugged, "Think about it. 'Rebellion Squadron! Roko-gers!'"
"WHY IS MY NAME ON IT?!"
"Pfft. Ahahahahaha~"
Kajou's laughter had a crispness to it. Like someone who used to laugh a lot rediscovering something she used to do so often.
"Okay." Kajou chuckled, "I might have to remember you lot again after all this."
With Kajou still giggling, Roko stepped up with the question he had in mind, "If you don't mind me asking, Kajou, why do you work for Sirius?"
"Are you trying to make me join you?" Kajou smirked.
"If I did, Momo Pink would be very upset with me." Roko scoffed, "No, I just want to know if I'm right."
"Do you now?" Kajou snickered, "Well, you entertained me enough so I think I can give you an answer."
"Really? We came up here to ask a question?" Roland rolled his eyes.
"Shut up, Roland Gray."
"Have they ever used gray? I think they've only used gray once. Maybe twice."
"I mean the answer is quite simple, really." Kajou continued, still stifling a laugh, "I mean, have you SEEN the way that guy dresses? One look at Sirius and you can't mistake him for anyone else."
"That's what I thought." Roko nodded before turning to Momo, "I'll leave it to you then."
"That's it?"
"Yep. Get back into the cart, Roland Brown."
"Oh come on, they've never actually used brown!"
Kajou watched as the rest of Momo's group climbed back down and drove off on their little carriage towards the rest of Muldingirmus.
"Fun group." Kajou remarked, "Seem like they'd be interesting to be around."
"You don't even know the half of it." Momo grinned, "You can join us if you like."
"Can I? What color would I even be?"
"How about Kajou Purple?"
"Mmm, I like it. Much better than gray or brown."
"Right?!"
"But...that all comes after our fight."
"Of course."
The two swordswomen drew their weapons, taking one last moment to ready themselves before the fight began with an air shaking strike that erupted into several more instantaneous sword clashes that lit up the surroundings with sparks that left no shadows atop the roof for a few seconds. The two swordswomen remained on the roofs, having not moved from their positions from this introductory skirmish. The two women smirked in knowing anticipation of a worthy battle to come and wasted no time, charging right into their battle.
Roko's cart rattled to a stop about halfway towards Min Al Az'al. Their path was being barred by a very large man with several laughing kids playing around him.
"Bwahaha!" Goemul laughed as the kids climbed up over his shoulders and hung down from his muscular arms, "Alright kids, the rebels have arrived so I will have to ask you all to run back to your parents now. If you want to watch me win, then remember to be at a safe distance and to be in a well lit room!"
"Goemul." Roko sighed, climbing down from the cart as well, "Just you here?"
"If you're here then, Roko, Zhong will be quite disappointed." Goemul smirked, "He was looking forward to matching wits with you."
"Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I've predicted the full extent of that fight already." Roko crossed his arms, "So I've passed the script onto my associates."
"That confident huh?"
"Where's Kadal?"
"Kadal moves to his own whims. Though I suspect you already knew that, since you've already sent off a group to chase him down."
"You're surprisingly well informed." Roko replied, "What pray tell is your information coming from?"
"Haha! Goemul is friend to kids everywhere! And kids are wiser than you know."
"I'm well informed on that already."
"Ho...in what way?" Goemul's eyes narrowed.
"Some people have called me a father." Roko said, crossing his arms.
"...Like as a priest or a parent?"
"You can't be this dumb."
"I suppose it matters not." Goemul sneered, "My job remains to stop you here!"
With a shrug of his shoulder, Goemul snapped the strap carrying the giant broadsword on his back, the blade embedding itself into a ground with a quaking thud before Goemul drew his blade back out.
"Now...seeing as we're in a war, which one of you will fight me?"
"I've got two lined up for you." Roko snapped his fingers.
"Time for my debut then huh?"
From the carriage, Hirudo stepped out onto the paved ground and looked around curiously, "So this is Muldingirmus."
"That sickly looking man?" Goemul frowned, "You think a frame like his would stand up to my bulging muscles?" Goemul flexed his free arm to prove his point.
"That's assuming you can hit him." Roko replied, "But if we need someone to tank your attacks, I got one for that too." Roko said as he snapped his fingers again.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." Roland scowled as he jumped off the carriage, white armor gleaming in the sunlight, "Man, having to listen to you is making my armor heavier."
"Well don't worry, I'll be out of your way soon." Roko said as he stepped back onto the front of the carriage.
"You think I'll let you pass me?" Goemul frowned, "You'll need more than two men to stop me you know!"
"I'm well aware on that already." Roko said as he took the reins of his carriage, "But if you think you can stop me, give it a try."
With a snap of the reins, Roko called for the horses to continue to pull the cart forward, past Goemul. The Planetary Star scoffed, shrugging his heavy sword off from his shoulder as he pulled his weapon back to cleave through the approaching horses and cart.
"Chorus Concerto: Fermata."
In the blink of an eye, Hirudo was in the air, sailing over the sword swing and with a tap of his sword onto the flat end of Goemul's broadsword, his attack came to a sudden stop, struggling in the air as Roko and the carriage raced past him. This paralysis didn't last long though as Goemul's sword was able to complete his swing not long afterward, with its target well past its range.
"...Vibrations huh?" Goemul stabbed his sword into the ground and flex his wrist, shaking off any lingering effect the attack had on him, "If your swordstyle has more effects like that, then you'll be an annoying enemy."
"I appreciate the recognition." Hirudo smiled, "But I'm afraid I know a lot more than one swordstyle."
"Ho? Then what about you, white one?" Goemul called as he glanced back at Roland who hadn't moved from his spot, "What's your gimmick?"
"Don't got one." Roland replied shortly.
"I see you have two swords though. Is that your swordstyle?"
"It's a style. Not really a swordstyle per say."
"I see."
"What about you then?" Hirudo asked, "What is your 'gimmick' as you call it?"
"Heh. I'm afraid I'm not as skilled as the other Planetary Stars." Goemul sneered, "I'm just a simple swordsman."
"I see." Hirudo frowned, "That's...a disappointment."
"Can't copy that, can you rebel?" Goemul said as he grabbed his sword again, "That's no surprise. The great Goemul is a hero and idol to kids but there can only be one of me!"
With that, Goemul charged at the sickly Earthbound.