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[center][@Punished GN] [/center][right][code]World Fighting Carnival - Maintenance Room[/code][/right][hr]

The small woman in a jacket leaned backwards, facing upwards at the roof, covering her face in her hands as she let out a loud exhalation. The giant butcher loomed over their failed gladiator, once again face-down and under multiple straps binding it to a chair. Not just the back of their head, most of their plates of armor were removed and placed on a neat, clean table right next to them in the filthy garage room. All along SYM-24's exposed back muscles were abrasions and steaming flesh, still undoing the brutal exertion it underwent in their second and final match. The butcher worked with various tools, casually pulling, tweezing, and picking at various parts of the creature's disgusting anatomy. His expression was still much more cheerful than his partner's, casually humming to the tune of 'Mr Sandman' through grit, smiling teeth. All the other auxiliary staff were absent.

[color=12694B]"One Job, Daren. One job and we blew it."[/color] the girl groaned, muffled through the sleeves of her jacket. 

[color=6FBD88]"I mean, technically not? All we had to do was observe him and collect data, right? If anything it's [i]Ulric's[/i] fault."[/color] The man countered, not breaking pace with his delicate work. 

[color=12694B]"What're we supposed to tell Ivory?"[/color]

[color=6FBD88]"She'll understand. Cmon Ari, we screwed up on worse. Right now we just have to fix up Fido. I'm sure Ivory thought of some sort of backup plan. Who knows, maybe there'll be another chance at getting it?"[/color]

As if divine intervention, Arianna's jacket suddenly began to loudly chirp mechanically. A notification from one of the drones. Immediately she pulled the hood up, quickly erecting a metallic bird mask covering her face. Inside the mask, several holographic images were generated; Data charts, status metrics, and surveillance footage of over a dozen or so robotic, birdlike drones. Most of which were watching the ongoing fights above, a few hung around in high-interest locations watching the crowds. [i]One[/i] in particular had been assigned to watching a certain particular figure, resembling a robotic skeleton. They observed the mysterious figure constantly, sometimes X-raying through thick stone walls, thermal readings, and even echolocation, making sure it was always on top of where they were and what they were doing. 

After throwing the most recent match, Arianna witnessed them with one of the other competitors -- Olivia and Xolys, she noted. Though the drone was unable to properly capture audio of their conversation, the two of them walked down, first into the maintenance tunnels -- Giving Arianna a brief chill up her spine at the thought of how close they would've come to them -- And then into the security vault, which had been mysteriously opened and disabled. Every other security measure was disabled as well, letting them walk through unbothered...

Arianna immediately sprang to her feet, and started violently shaking Daren's shoulder, causing him to nearly drop a scalpel into his "patient". His smile faltered for a brief second in surprise and indignity.

[color=12694B]"Daren! DAREN DAREN! Cmon!"[/color] She anxiously stumbled over her own words, trying to communicate the sudden opportunity God had just dropped into their laps. 

[color=6FBD88]"Wha? Ari slow down I'm--"[/color]

[color=12694B]"COME ON! Now's our chance! The Vault! It's open!"[/color] She excitedly exclaimed, excitement and desperation completely overwhelming her. Despite being smaller than his hulking frame she managed to pull him up onto his feet as well and started running out the door. He briefly looked down at the still restrained and armorless SYM-24, then the open door. He shrugged and started rushing after Arianna, grabbing his cleaver with one hand as he charged out and down the maintenance tunnel halls. Probably should be leaving their contest-losing squash all alone, but he knew a chance at swiping the Power Stone was infinitely more important. Plus he was egging for a good fight.

Meanwhile, Arianna was microtasking all of her drones, recalling them to her position. Setting them to assault mode. All across the stadium, those with keen eyes noticed black birds flying down from the rafters, around corners, and even one out of a popcorn machine, flying stealthily yet hurriedly through the doors and halls of the stadium until they caught up with their operator. 

[center][h3][i]. . . . . . . . . .[/i][/h3][/center]

Not even a moment after they had left, SYM-24 had begun to twitch and writhe, before freeing their bound right-hand. When Arianna had suddenly shoved Daren, his scalpel had made an ever-so-small incision in one of the creature's restraints. With that small freedom, they suddenly began to violently twitch their upper arm, until all the restraints on their arm had broken free. They easily snipped apart the rest of their restraints using their clawed fingers, and they struggled back to their feet, despite both overexerting themselves much earlier and now having their entire back exposed for surgery. The beast was now free.

Did they rush along with their compatriots, helping them to complete the sole objective they were created for? 

No. 

They had a score to settle.