Instruments.
A tool or implement, especially one designed for precision work.
There are many kinds of instruments: surgical, kitchen utensils, measuring tools.
But when most people use the word instrument, they're usually referring to the musical kind. It's only natural. Music is as old as man— and even older than language itself.
09 days until Riko Rexton's death.
The camera focused on Punk-Function.
The mech mixed dark colours with vibrant reds and purples, perfectly representing its name. But what truly captured onlookers eyes was the giant guitar it held— an axe in the most literal sense.
"Star aspect?" Rune accidentally voiced his wondering.
Riko leaned in, analysing the screen.
"Doubt. Never heard the mech's name before. Must be some sort of gimmick."
The camera switched to the other side of the landfill, where Andros-Hammer stood. Built like a tank and lined in rust, it blended perfectly with the set battleground. A massive hammer rested in both hands.
Veig lit a cigarette— much to Lumi's displeasure— and offered Riko one. He declined with a simple head shake.
"Andros-Hammer in this day and age?" Veig said. "I heard they built that mech on Earth." He laughed clearly, enjoying his own joke.
Guessing they're both melee types, though I have no idea what the guitar does.
Suddenly the two mecha dashed forward. Each step sent waves of trash flying.
They collided at the centre of the arena, weapons swinging in unison.
The impact made the invisible barrier shudder and the crowd roar.
This is what they had paid to see.
Both of the mechs stepped back after the clash, analysing each other.
Riko noticed Lumi locked in harder into her monitor.
"They're waiting for their comms to give them the rundown on others' attack power. Then they offer a risk analysis, highlighting what kind of damage taking blows would lead to." he said.
Lumi nodded, keeping her eyes on the fight, hoping to not miss a single moment.
"Andros-Hammer still has no idea what type of damage that guitar can do though. They would have been better off immediately launching another attack." Veig added.
Andros-Hammer burst forward again to launch another attack, but instantly Punk-Function slipped to the side.
Then switched its grip of the guitar now holding it like a musician would.
The group all drifted further into the screen, experiencing it like they themselves were on that battleground. Each movement built more anticipation.
"Say what you want about it. I can see why this tournament has sold so well." Riko muttered.
Punk-Function began to strum the guitar, however the audio cut on live footage.
The strumming became more aggressive, no sound could be heard through the screen but the mech went from navigating the instrument as if playing a child's song to whacking its wrist like a rockstar.
But Andro's hammer didn't react, it stood completely still. Too still.
Punk slowly walked up towards it still playing the guitar—
Then swung the axe towards Andro's, completely taking one off its arms off.
"The sylvian pilot was only able to react during the short window the guitar wasn't being played. It has to be a star aspect." Rune said.
He turned towards Riko expecting a reply or some sort of rebuttal but the boy was too engrossed. His face— it looked as if he was piloting a mech himself.
An aspect?
Did it turn off all of Andro's functions whenever playing the guitar?
His Immersion suddenly broke and his face dropped as if he was dissatisfied, confusing Rune.
Damn it, I want to know what kind of sound it's making.
Andros-Hammer instantly attempted to swing its hammer towards the opponent.
Just before the hammer slammed against Punk-Function—
It paused.
It paused right before impact.
Veig exhaled out of his nose. The room had started to become greyed by the smoke but no one seemed to care.
"All those damn camera drones and they can't capture what is happening properly."
The pov quickly changed— almost as if the production could hear Veig's complaints.
Punk-Function was holding the guitar. Right hand on the body. Left on the base. Its fingers danced across the wires.
It again slowly walked up towards Andro's, like it no longer cared for any potential attacks.
They stood merely inches away. Andro's still paused. Both mechs reflected each other in the glares of their metal.
The crowd stood in excitement.
It was—
Punk-Function swung the axe directly through the middle of Andros, splitting the mech in two.
The crowd went wild, nothing like their reaction to the first match.
Tsk.
Sylvian pilots likely died from neural trauma. But now they cheer.
"Damn, I wonder if that was big-ears. Might be why the guitar had so much of an effector." Riko said, holding his chin deep in thought.
"What?"
The others all turned to him confused. They all finally decompressed from analysing the fight.
Veig stood up and stood in front of the screen, using a rolled up magazine as a pointer. His best imitation of a school professor.
"Let's run down what just happened then."
He pointed towards Lumi, catching her off guard. She didn't reply straight away until Veig nodded at her with a soft smile.
"... So we know Sylvian state is now down to two pilots, and as Rexton said the last will probably be the strongest— oh and we can't forget about Full-Summer and its fire aspect."
Veig gave her a smile of encouragement and Riko clapped until realising no one else was joining in.
Veig then pointed to Rune.
"Punk-Function. My money's on it being some sort of aspect, and an annoying one at that. We're best off hoping someone else can put it out of commission." Rune replied.
Veig then pointed to Riko who was clearly waiting his turn.
"Every aspect has a flaw. It would have been nice if we had an audio feed."
"I might be able to get audio playback." Lumi interjected.
Riko smiled and pointed a thumbs up towards her.
"Okay, continue to do some brainstorming just in case we do come up against that mech. For now we just wait for the next draw."
A few hours passed until the draw screen randomly appeared on the screen once again.