Into the Platinum Base

Falling through the air, the girls desperately tried to regain their bearings. Just as fear was about to take over, they landed onto a soft, bouncy surface, cushioning their fall.

The girls let out a collective sigh of relief, feeling the softness of the surface beneath them.

Kinsey sat up quickly, the adrenaline still pumping through her veins. "Is everyone okay?!" she called out into the dark void below.

The other girls responded with confirming groans as they slowly stood up, trying to regain their bearings.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Kairy muttered, dusting herself off.

Rachel agreed, checking herself for any injuries. "I'm good, just a few bumps and bruises, I think."

Armani chuckled at the girls' disheveled states as she stared down the long hole at them. "Told you to be careful.”

The girls looked up at Armani's figure standing above them. Rachel's voice was tinged with irritation.

"Careful, she says! You could have at least given us a warning before the ground decided to disappear under us!”

Armani shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, I was testing you. And you guys fell for my trap."

Kinsey grumbled, "Yeah, literally."

Armani chuckled, her voice echoing through the dark space. "Oh come on, it was a harmless prank. Besides, I knew you guys were gonna be fine down there. Soft landing, right?”

Kairy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, thanks for the soft landing. A little warning next time, perhaps?"

Armani smirked, clearly unbothered. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, you're all still alive, aren't you?”

The girls grumbled but couldn't deny the truth. They had indeed landed safely, albeit unexpectedly.

Rachel crossed her arms, a hint of annoyance still in her voice. "Yeah, we're fine. But that doesn't mean it was a great experience, you know?"

Armani shrugged again. "Hey, it built character, right?”

"If by 'built character,' you mean it made us slightly annoyed, then sure," Kairy replied, her tone dry.

Kinsey chimed in. "And slightly scared. Can't forget that part. Seriously, Armani, a little heads-up next time would be appreciated.”

Armani chuckled, her demeanor unapologetic. "Alright, alright, I get it. I'll throw in a little warning next time before the ground decides to disappear underneath you. Anyways, I'm going back home, have fun~”

"Wait, wait, wait! You're not just going to ditch us here, are you?!" Kairy exclaimed.

Rachel's voice carried a hint of panic. "Yeah! You can't just leave us in this dark hole! And we need your Miracle Eyes too!”

Armani shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, what do you want me to do? I don't have all day you know."

Kinsey's voice was laced with annoyance. "Oh, I don't know, maybe help us out of this situation YOU put us in?!”

Armani smirked, enjoying their frustration. "And why should I? You guys fell for my trap, remember? Shouldn't you have been more careful in the first place?"

Rachel exclaimed, her temper rising. "Oh, so now it's OUR fault?! You were the one who told us to walk directly into that clearing, you knew what you were doing!”

Armani chuckled, still unfazed. "Oh, and yet you guys blindly followed along. Sounds like a classic case of not using your common sense to me."

Kinsey rolled her eyes, her annoyance growing. "Common sense?! You know perfectly well that we would trust your 'expertise' and walk into your little trap!”

Armani shrugged, her smirk never leaving her face. "Well, I guess I overestimated your critical thinking skills then. Not my fault if you guys can't think for yourselves. Anywho, I'm out, see ya!”

The girls watched in disbelief as Armani turned to leave.

Kinsey's voice was filled with indignation. "That cheeky, stubborn, infuriating... Argh!"

Rachel clenched her fists, barely containing her anger. "I swear, when I get my hands on her-"

Kairy, the voice of reason amidst the chaos, cut in, "Hold on, let's not do anything rash. We need to find a way out first."

Before any of the girls could formulate a plan, the doors to the Platinum Army base began to open with a loud whirr.

The girls abruptly ceased their arguing, their focus shifting to the noise of the large doors opening behind them.

"Wait, what's goin' on now?" Rachel asked, her voice tinged with unease as she pulled out her pistol.

As the doors opened wider, a dim light spilled into the previously dark space, allowing the girls to see their surroundings better.

"Looks like some sort of massive hangar," Kinsey observed, her voice echoing as she squinted to adjust her eyesight to the now-illuminated surroundings.

"Yeah, and it's not exactly empty either," Kairy chimed in, pointing towards the center of the hangar.

The girls followed Kairy's pointing finger and were taken aback by the sight before them. In the center of the hangar, illuminated by bright spotlights, was a colossal mechanized being. It stood motionless, the massive size, and imposing presence of the mech leaving the girls stunned.

Kinsey's voice broke the silence, awe evident in her tone. "What the hell is that...?”

The girls exchanged incredulous glances as they approached the colossal mech.

Kairy's voice wavered slightly as she spoke. "That thing is massive! It's like something straight out of a sci-fi movie."

Rachel's eyes were fixed on the mech's colossal frame. "And it looks like it's not just some display piece. This thing is built for combat.”

As the girls moved closer, they noticed several details on the mech that confirmed its combat-ready state.

"Damn, it's got some serious weaponry," Kinsey muttered, her eyes tracing the outlines of the mech's weapons. "Looks like it's packing some heavy firepower."

Kairy nodded, still awestruck. "Yeah, and look at the armor plating. That thing's built to take a beating.”

The girls continued to approach the mech, their eyes scanning the intricate details and design elements.

Kinsey pointed to a control panel on the mech's chest. "Looks like it's got some sort of control console here."

Rachel's curiosity piqued as she reached out, her hand grazing the cool surface of the control panel. "I wonder what happens if we press these buttons.”

The girls shared a brief look before Rachel impulsively pressed one of the buttons on the control panel.

A moment of tense silence followed, the girls holding their breaths as they waited expectantly for a reaction.

Then, without warning, the massive mech surged to life with a loud whirring sound.

The girls swiftly jumped back in surprise and alarm, their eyes wide with shock. "Whoa! Did we just activate it?" Rachel asked, her voice filled with nervous anticipation.

The girls watched nervously as the colossal mech slowly began to move, its motors and hydraulics humming as it shifted its massive frame.

Kairy's voice was tinged with a hint of fear. "Looks like we did. And I'm not sure that's a good thing…”

The mech continued to move, its size and power becoming more evident as it fully came to life.

"Yeah, definitely not good," Kinsey agreed, her eyes fixed on the towering mech. "This thing's designed for combat. And it's clearly not here for a friendly chat. If I can hack it though…”

Rachel turned to Kinsey with a mix of disbelief and intrigue. "You think you can hack that thing? Seriously?"

Kinsey shrugged, a hint of a smirk on her lips. "Yeah, why not? It's just software and hardware. It's like any other computer. Given the right tools and enough time, I can probably hack it."

Rachel nodded her head as if she understood every word Kinsey said (she wasn't). "Software, hardware, yada yada, I dunno all that techy shit so just do your thing.”

Kinsey chuckled at Rachel's lack of technological knowledge. "Don't worry, I've got this. Just stand back and let me work."

As Kinsey approached the control panel, the girls stood behind her, watching intently as she began working on the computer. Her fingers danced across the keypad, inputting commands and attempting to gain access to the mech's system.

The girls watched in awe as Kinsey worked her magic, her fingers moving with lightning speed across the keypad.

Kairy's eyes widened in amazement. "Whoa, she's moving so fast!"

Rachel nodded, impressed. "Yeah, she's like a freakin' hacker prodigy or somethin', man. I didn't even understand anything she just typed.”

Kinsey chuckled as she continued typing, her focus unwavering. "It's just basic programming and hacking tactics. Nothing too complicated."

Just then, a warning message popped up on the screen: "Unauthorized Access Attempt Detected. Engaging Security Protocol.”

The girls exchanged worried glances as the warning message flashed on the screen.

Kinsey's fingers paused momentarily, her focus turning to the warning message. "Looks like the mech's got some security measures in place. It detected my access attempt."

Kairy's voice was filled with concern. "What does that mean? You can still hack it, right?”

Kinsey nodded confidently, her fingers resuming their dance across the keypad. "Course I can. I've hacked through tougher securities before. It's just gonna take a bit to bypass it."

Rachel's voice was tinged with urgency. "Just hurry, 'kay? That thing's getting antsy.”

Kinsey nodded, her concentration deepening as she worked diligently on bypassing the security. "No problem, I'm on it. Just give me a few more minutes."

As Kinsey continued her efforts to hack the security, the mech's mechanical movements became more agitated. Its motors hummed louder and its lights flickered intensely, a clear sign of rising tension.

The girls watched anxiously as the mech's agitation increased with each passing moment.

Rachel's voice trembled slightly. "Uh, Kinsey? The mech's getting really restless. Hurry it up!"

Kinsey didn't look up from the keypad, her fingers moving at a rapid pace. "I know, I know. Almost got it…”

The girls held their breath as they watched Kinsey's fingers dance across the keypad. The mech's motors and hydraulics roared with increased intensity, the tension in the air palpable.

"Come on, come on," Kinsey muttered to herself, her focus completely fixated on the keypad.

Just as she managed to bypass the final layer of security...the mech suddenly lurched forward forcefully, its robotic arm swinging in a wide arc.