Forward, you dogs of war. Show them your steel-fanged bite! Show the foe your blood iron resolve! Let the sword-song ring and the axe-fall resound!
Takamori activated his right forearm aether blade. No, reality was not like the clean theatrics he had performed and studied. The two ought to have nothing to do with each other. But deeds of valour on the battlefield were celebrated, which in turn inspired more generations of young warriors. Such aspirations to equal the deeds of heroes long past, real and fictional, that was the junction at which reality and fiction met.
The NMX Ripper had not noticed the Yamataian squad yet, doubtless it would very soon. In his left arm, Takamori activated the shield. Playing the hero was never a role he liked. He considered himself a minor background character, both in life and on stage. But sometimes, a minor character needed to act boldly before the major characters took action. And sometimes, he made too many theatrical references to reality.
Takamori boosted towards the Ripper using his thrusters, stabbing the machine's abdomen once. He bashed it away with his shield before stabbing the Ripper again.