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"By this point in time, Asakusa, once known as the Imperial Capital's definitive entertainment district, had certainly seen better days. After all, few things can ruin a festival (or for that matter, a good night's sleep) quite like an entire street being turned on its side to launch a gigantic blimp. Needless to say, property values dropped to an all-time low, and there are surviving records that suggest that some of the more desperate evacuees were actually paying people to take their shops.
"That the entire district did not simply shut down is something of a miracle, though this can be attributed to the fact that those shopkeepers who stayed behind were one of three things: those who loved to gamble, those who had the luck of the devil, or those who were simply stubborn as all hell. In short, those who stayed behind were resilient enough to weather anything the demons (or the government) could dish out.
"However, even the proud residents of Asakusa would find it exceedingly difficult to take on a full-fledged demonic assault and, say, the youngest person ever to pilot a steam-powered spirit armor, all at the same time. This is precisely what happened on that fateful day, July, 1923..."
- Excerpt from the 1977 edition of "Samurai Spirits: The History of the Flower Division," written by M. Sunnyside.
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TAISHO ERA, 12th YEAR: JULY
ASAKUSA - KAMINARIMON
Clearly, some people thought that they would be able to avoid the Golden Monster by taking refuge at Asakusa Temple.
They chose... poorly.
Granted, it's still surprising that they'd choose to risk the wrath of Iris instead of taking their chances with the demon-driven mechanical soldiers. Wakiji, at least, can't eat souls.
For a change, the boss has decided to barricade himself inside what could be the most well-fortified site in the area, rather than prancing around on top of gates or sitting outside of a warehouse.
It appears that for once, we'll finally be able to get that good ol'-fashioned "your princess is in another castle" feeling. 
[Rasetsu]
Onkirikiribasaraunbattah, onkirikiribasaraunbattah, onkirikiribasaraunbattah--
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[Rasetsu]
-- onkirikiribasaraunbattah, onkirikiribasaraunbblkbjkgjh--
[Rasetsu]
Thit.
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Once again...
... the Hive of Darkness marks its territory.
Where most organisms would use scent glands or graffiti or "Kilroy Was Here" signs, these guys deemed it necessary to use giant demonic drill bits.
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[Rasetsu]
Hmph... howwible mithtakth athide, it theems to have gone off without a hitcth. Now, let's see what those puny humanth--
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[Rasetsu]
-- GYAAAAAH!!
[Iris]
WHO DARES AWAKEN ME FROM MY DREAD SLUMBER?!
[Rasetsu]
You wretch! This prank wasn't funny the FIRST twenty-five times you pulled it! Now leave me alone, before I send you to--
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[Iris]
Kyahahaha!!
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[Rasetsu]
And why won't you just leave me alone and go destroy the REST of Japan for us!?
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[Ogami]
...
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[Sakura]
...
[Sumire]
...
[Maria]
...
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[Kanna]
...
[Kohran]
...
[Maria]
... Kohran, you're not allowed to ride shotgun with Ayame anymore.
[Kohran]
Look, how in th' heck was I supposed t' know that she'd actually win the "I bet ya can't make th' Rolling Thunder flip upside-down" wager!?
[Sumire]
Honestly... thanks to you, we have wasted a solid ten minutes trekking the rest of the way here!
[Kohran]
Don't I at least get bonus points fer gettin' us outta those railway tunnels in record time?
[Maria]
...
(Nine minutes ago...)
[Maria]
... no. No, you don't. In fact, if it were at all possible, you would be getting a negative number of points right now.
[Kohran]
Aw, c'mon, don't be hatin'.
[Ogami]
Speaking of hate... shouldn't we be looking for Iris right about now?
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[Sumire]
Iris-cha~n. You're quite the clever one, aren't you? Now, please come over here.
[Kanna]
There, there. Be a good girl and c'mon over here.
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[Ogami]
Great! Good going! Now let's see if we can't calm Iris down and convince h--
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[Kohran]
Ya can't run anymore!
[Kanna]
Look, just be a good girl!
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[Ogami]
MAN, you guys suck at this.
[Kanna]
Hey, Captain, I know, how about if you came and actually gave us a hand!?
[Ogami]
Oh, no need, I know what's coming next.
[Maria]
... Captain, why are you running away?
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[Ogami]
Sakura-kun! I'm sorry!
[Sakura]
O-Ogami-san!? What--
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[Sakura]
IYAAAAAAAAAA--
[Ogami]
... okay, I lied, I'm not exactly sorry. I'm alive, and that's all that counts!
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>KANNA takes 9999 damage!
>KANNA has fainted!
>KOHRAN takes 9999 damage!
>KOHRAN has fainted!
>SUMIRE takes 9998 damage!
>SUMIRE loses 999 morale!
>SQUAD IS BROKEN!
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And there goes Iris, ducking deeper into enemy territory.
As if our job wasn't difficult enough already.
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[Ogami]
Cut our losses, consider ourselves lucky, and run like bats out of hell, leaving Iris and the Hive of Darkness to duke it out and hopefully eliminate each other?
[Maria]
... Captain, do you see what I have in my hands right now?
[Ogami]
It's... a hat?
[Maria]
It is a commissar's hat that Ayame handed to me before we launched. If I put this hat on, I am given the full authorization to shoot anyone in the head for showing signs of cowardice.
[Ogami]
You're kidding. They wouldn't let you do--
[Maria]
[Ogami]
...
[Maria]
I'll do it, too.
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[Ogami]
But if we leave it like this, Iris and the townsfolk will get targeted, too...
Ogami leaves a few other reasons unspoken, thinking back to that little bear named Jean-Paul.
[Ogami]
... Iris. Wait for me. I'm coming....
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[Ogami]
Iris!
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[Ogami]
.... nah, she ran away. I haven't been able to talk to her yet.
[Sakura]
I see... I'll help, too! Let's hurry and save Iris!!
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