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[Sub]+}Lightning Round{+[/Sub]
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[quote] [color=00aeef]"I thought you were that guy over there! I saw him a little bit ago... or, well his helmet anyway,”[/color] [/quote]

[color=6ecff6]“No. He. Jake.”[/color] Aurora would softly interject, an amused smile breaking across her features at Serah’s generally upbeat vibe. It was a soothing counterbalance to how the end of the Simulation had been.

Which the skirmish on the east was hardly as interesting as watching Cockroach’s pilot weave into the dead Frames system and restart the Kattai system. Yes, she hadn’t destroyed the engine when her and Sleepy took off the top half, but still. That was by no means an easy feat to pull off. Clearly, that pilot was very skilled in at least Framewerk systems. Which made her wonder why it seemed to be assembled so basically.

She also wondered why it was pink. Seeing as that wasn’t part of the file she had read up on before the Sim. 

Regardless, Aurora’s attention was partially pulled away from the mission on display when the Professor’s Lilim assistant approached her and offered up the Vial of Buran-X. It wasn’t something that Aurora had ever taken, as normally her compatibility with the VR systems led her to be unlikely to settle deep enough for feed back issues.

With a mental shrug she quickly took the vial. And true to the Lilim’s word she felt the nausea fading shortly after. Same with the underlying migraine she hadn’t fully noticed.

[color=6ecff6]“Thank you.”[/color] Aurora would reply to the Assistant, giving the Lilim a kind smile of her own.

She returned her attention to the Sim in progress, just in time to witness Mema-Ka seemingly abandoning Arrish, Horst, and Logic Diver. That was very much [i]not[/i] what she had expected from the man. She posited it could be due to what had been happening to his brother’s Frame, but the dead did not need more attention than the living. Especially in the midst of combat. She would not make the mistake again, assuming she ever found herself in place to do so.

Still she didn’t know what Cockroach was going to do in response, but she didn’t doubt that he had one. Their technical skills alone almost assured it.

Not that it was something she was watching for. No, Aurora’s attention was more focused on Arrish. And the pit of… guilt, that had sprung open inside of her. She still stood by her reason for attempting to shift command. Arrish had defaulted on his operational role, and was seemingly rushing into a unneeded confrontation. But Mema-Ka had proven he wasn’t worth having turned it over too. No matter how his play might turn out. [color=6ecff6][i]‘I owe Arrish an apology for this, if nothing else…’[/i][/color]

[color=6ecff6]“You as well.”[/color] Aurora would reply to Argo’s pilot as they came up to her. Turning slightly to face to imposing woman with a smile. [color=6ecff6]“If the missiles hadn’t worked, I dread to think what would have become of my team. Especially considering everything needed to stop you and Argo.”[/color] Her voice was still raspy, but the Buran-X had also soothed her throat enough to not be threatening closure with each word.

Before more could be said, Griff awoke from the VR with the same boisterous energy he always had. Aurora could tell that his heart was in the right place at least, but his execution left much to be desired. But it was clear that he was trying, and as such Aurora was willing to give him some more slack.

That said both him, and shockingly to Aurora Squid’s pilot, were shortly thereafter corralled by Goose’s Lilim. Though not before the machine had dispensed blankets and water bottles to everyone present. Something that Aurora was quick to take advantage of, her throat was still parched from the feedback.

And some water would help in soothing her stomach as well. It was mostly filled with bile at this point after all.

In the foreground the Simulation raged on. Aurora's attention, never fully pulled away from it. As such Arrish’s courage and skill to climb out and then take out the Drone hack was seen, and it was commendable. As was Elora’s use of the Hyper wave Array to scramble and stall the hacked controls. Determination in the face of all that had befallen Apple was heartening to see.

And once Aurora was again impressed by Cockroaches mechanical ingenuity, with their attempt to crush Raptor with a Kattai malfunction. At least she hopes that was the intent. Otherwise it was an error she would be puzzling out for a while yet. Regardless, she wasn’t impressed by the suicidal nature of the action.

Her attention on that half of the battle field was quickly dropped upon seeing Argent Wings move to open up its own Flash. Thus meaning Aurora missed the midair quick draw, not that she would mind. As what really caught Aurora’s attention was Logic Diver. And the way the Simulation started to strain in response to Elora's distress.

[color=6ecff6]“What in the…”[/color]

Rather than turn her attention over to where Elora was waking up. Aurora was watching the Professor. due to her angle she caught him out of the corner of her eye, and how he wasn’t surprised at the oddity of the simulation. Her eyes narrowed. [color=6ecff6][i]‘You [b]are[/b] looking for something in all of this…’[/i] [/color] She thought to herself. Making a mental note to see if she could get a recording of the VR station’s log, if not hands on access to it.

She glanced over at Elora, Lucius, and Cockroach’s pilot. And decided to leave Elora to them, she had gotten herself into this situation after all, and while Aurora wouldn’t hammer it in. She agreed with Elora; the young pilot had failed. And she only had herself to blame, as Aurora had warned her against going in deep. But this was training, which is the best situation to encounter such failures. And she had made up for it in the end. Aurora would keep her thoughts to herself unless directly asked.

In the meantime, Aurora would watch the final moments of the mission. And keep an eye on the Professor.