AN: Hello, my name is Thorongil82. I have written/am in the process of writing a fair few stories here on FanFiction. I am also the leader of a writing group called the GMAD (Guardian Magic Archer Dragons). If you would like some info on the group, feel free to check out my profile or PM me. If you would like to join, again it would be wise to PM me.
I am trying to keep this author's note pretty short, so I'll just say a little more. This is going to be a pretty long fic, or at least I plan it to be. And I don't mean just by the length of the chapters either. If you've read some of my previous work, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't, then you'll be finding out pretty soon. All I'm going to say i that this chapter was initially joined with the next chapter, but I split it into two because of how long it was and how long it would have taken to read. If you're curious, it was 17,000 words long. No joke.
These first few chapters are mainly going to be about establishing the new characters I'm introducing, letting you all know where they seem to stand and how the Big Hero 6 are positioned in all this. From there, it will be plot development until we get into the real action.
That's all I've got to say right now. Probably went a little over, but oh well ... Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Big Hero 6. That franchise is property of Disney and Marvel.
Chapter 1 - Old Habits Die Hard
Illuminating the darkening sky is the vast city of San Fransokyo, the brightly lit buildings shining out as dusk falls overhead. The spectrum of colours, from the energetic electric blue to the warming golden yellow through to the darker mysterious luminescence of violet and purple light, cast back the darkness over the city, creating a feeling of life and excitement as the city bathed in vibrant radiance showed no signs of slowing down to sleep with the eventide approaching. Looking out from the bay that flowed into the ocean, San Fransokyo appeared bright and alive as the sun set before it, the glowing orb disappearing beneath the horizon sprawled out over the ocean, the curvature of the world draped in a warm glow. Leaving the city and crossing the bay, the Golden Sun Bridge spanned the gap between the city and the rest of the continent, the scarlet red steel overpass decorated with lustrous orbs of emerald green, rose red, marigold and ivory white light. Above the city the faint shimmering of stars begin to appear high in the twilight sky, the heavenly lustre of the celestial bodies faintly dotting the darkening sky as their number grows greater as time passes on. Further out from the city, from the Golden Sun Bridge, the stars grow in number and light, illuminating the dark sky in an otherworldly luminance.
Sailing in from the western waters is a large cruise ship, dotted with lights of all colours. Up on the top deck, a party seemed to be taking place as flashing lights and booming music blasted from the top level of the pearly white vessel as it glides along the waters leading into San Fransokyo, buffered little by the rocking of the small, gentle waves. Out of many windows of the huge sea vessel shone lights of the many various rooms within, the few dark windows marking bedrooms with no one inside or with curtains drawn shut. Many travellers within the vessel seem to be enjoying their last moments on the cruise ship before it comes into port, most partying up on the top deck, some eating in the dining room and some dancing in the ballroom with the live band playing tunes of various genres; classical, jazz, blues, R&B and soul. Regardless of their activities, all seem to be having the time of their lives, living and celebrating like there was no tomorrow while they still could.
The horn of the ship bellows out loudly as it passes beneath the Golden Sun Bridge, the crowd partying on top whooping and cheering in response, a few overly enthusiastically in their drunken states. They wave down at passing vessels as the cruise ship sails by, those aboard the smaller ships, house boats and yachts waving and shouting back up at them. In the night, the lights of the anchored ships were bright as their passengers relaxed out on the calm waters, the shine from the sea vessels making them appear like golden flowers blooming on a blackened tree. Before the ship in the distance, a long white building came into view on the water's edge, the luminescent sign 'Port of San Fransokyo' becoming visible and discernible.
Out on the bow of the ship, away from all the partying, three figures lingered. The largest of which, his body seemingly rippling with strength and power as his muscles bulged from underneath his black t-shirt and denim jeans, was sat down on a large white chair, having propped his trunk-like legs up on the round plastic table accommodating it. The second person was stood next to the hulking figure, his hands in the pockets of his suit jacket, his rotund physique letting his gut clothed in a blue buttoned shirt and red striped tie push out slightly from the suit jacket. While the first man had his head turned to the port side, looking out over the darkened sea, white and golden lights from other towns and cities on the continent dotting the land beyond, the second was looking forwards at the third figure leaning up against the railing on the starboard side of the bow. Dressed in slightly baggy black sports pants and a tawny brown leather jacket, with a hickory brown Stetson on his head and a weatherworn khaki knapsack slung over one shoulder, the third person gazed upon the city of San Fransokyo, taking in the vibrant and exciting illumination. With no lights on the ship shining down on their current area, the bright shine from the city reaching out over the darkened waters becomes the only light to bring the figures into view, though not focused enough to reveal many features of the men.
"San Fransokyo …" the man on the railing spoke, his voice soft and deep, providing a mysterious aura to the person. "It's been a few years since I was last here. Not much seems to have changed."
"Well, it's been much longer since we were last here," the man in the suit replied, gesturing to his companion in the seat next to him. "So things look a little different from our perspective."
"It could be the same or it could be a wasteland for all I care," pointed out the man sitting down, his thick arms and hands stretching up into the sky before resting behind his head. "I'm not here for the sights."
"It's not a bad thing to look at while you're preparing for your match," the hatted man chuckled, looking over his shoulder at the other two.
The bulging man swung his legs off the table and leapt to his feet, throwing a few shadow punches in the air in front of him before bouncing on his toes.
"I couldn't care less. I'm just here to beat this guy up and go home," he replies gruffly.
"Fine, then. You can look around while I'm doing what I'm here for," the man responds with a laugh, shaking his head in amusement and turning back to face the city. "There's plenty of time."
"Now, now … no need for things to get heated," the second man interjects as the hulking giant cracks his neck sharply, standing between the two. "We each do what we're in this city for and we do it how we want. Any spare time is ours for what we want to do, if we want to do anything."
"Of course," the man on the railing acknowledged, spinning around and waving the suited man off. "I'm just playing around with him."
"That's a dangerous game to play," the suited man comments as the muscled companion sits back down.
"One which only his family, you and I seem able to play," the other pointed out, slinging the knapsack off his shoulder and opening it up, checking the contents inside.
The propellers at the stern of the cruise ship audibly whirs to life, slowing the sea vessel down as it sails closer and closer to the port, crawling along the darkened waters reflecting the radiance of San Fransokyo. The enthusiastic voice of the MC for the party up top rang out from the speakers, amplifying his charismatic and care free tone across the entire ship.
"Ladies and gentlemen, partygoers of all ages," he spoke, cheers and whoops coming from the travellers on top of the cruise ship. "I'm afraid that the party ends here for now."
Sounds of disappointment and even a few boos are projected over the speakers, followed by the amused chuckles of the MC.
"I know, I know, I know …" he chuckled, walking around the stage with the corded microphone in hand. "I'd like to keep partying too. But look around you! We're about to dock in glorious San Fransokyo!"
Cheers and whoops sound out again, the voyagers livened up again at the announcement that their destination, temporary for those transferring over to another transportation, was only minutes away.
"So, if I'm able to make a request, I'd like you all to follow along and do your best," the MC continued, a cheeky grin spreading from ear to ear. A couple whoops and whistles come from the less sober members of the audience, with the MC winking in the direction of some women who had made the noises to him. With a nod to the band behind him, they start playing a tune, giving the MC the hip-hop beat he required as he began to rap and sing his instructions.
"If you all could please make your way to your rooms,
While this here band still blasts and booms.
Make sure you collect all of your luggage,
We don't want anything lost on this beautiful voyage.
This ain't the time to lie down and dream.
Get up! Get moving! Start running on steam!
Once you have all your personal things,
Dance your way to the dining room while this here man sings."
An African-American man jumps to the stage, dressed in a white suit and tie, with a jet black shirt underneath. As he brought up and waved his hands with a toothy smile and a laugh, the crowd cheer and applaud the singer next in line.
"From there, everyone will be directed,
On the way to where the exits are located.
Again, congrats to Dave! Such a fun loving guy.
He and his wife sure know how to make a honeymoon fly right by!"
Lots of laughs sound out from the voyagers on the top of the cruise ship as a sleek Latino man and the Spanish woman beside him raise up their glasses to the MC.
"Once you've left the cruise, there's no going back.
Double check to make sure there isn't anything that you lack.
We'd like to thank you kindly before you go,
And welcome, one and all, to beautiful San Fransokyo!"
With the last word rapped and his song finished, the MC bowed to the travellers as they stood up and applauded. They showered their fun loving MC with cheers and adulations before the large pack of partyers slowly began to shuffle back inside the cruise ship, making their way to their accommodations within the sea vessel to collect their belongings while the band continued with their next song.
"He's decent, I guess," the stout man commented, the ghost of a sneer appearing on his face in the faint light. "An interesting way to keep everyone's attention on the safety procedure."
"Don't worry, he's no match for what you can do on the stick," the hulking man reassured, patting his companion on the back.
"I doubt anyone can contend with your captivating mic work," the man in the hat added, closing his knapsack and slinging it back over his right shoulder.
"So, I take it you're doing the usual?" the corpulent man queered, looking at the man in the hat.
"May as well," he sighed in response, turning around and looking back at the city as the ship slowly crawled along the waters, the cruise ship finally pulling up alongside the port. "I can look around-"
"And get a workout at the same time. Yeah, we've heard it all before," the giant interjected, waving him off with a large hand. "Check out any possible competition and whatnot."
"Well, it is true. You'd probably do the same in my position."
"I pretty much am in your position and I've never done that."
"Except you're far more noticeable and well know than I am. And I know you aren't about to go running around with a mask covering your face."
"Damn right, I'm not!"
The ship finally comes to a stop at the port, the propellers powering down as the crew on land start tying the ship down, catching the ropes thrown down from the cruise ship by the sailors and wheeling the ramps over to the cargo holds and the exit points for the passengers aboard the ships.
"So, I'll see you guys at the apartment?" the hatted man inquired, placing a hand on his Stetson whilst glancing at the other two men.
"I don't see where else we'd be," the smaller man answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Unless, of course, we end up in the bar of the hotel."
"Just checking."
The man with the knapsack tilted his hat down and made to walk along the pathway running from the bow to the nearest exit point, a stair ramp being wheeled up and secured into place. Standing on the darkened forecastle above the bow watching the traveller leave, barely visible against the night sky, was a hooded figure. Their features obscured by the shadows of the cruise ship, their silhouette just barely detectable by the lack of presence of lights and stars blinking in the background, the shrouded stranger looked up from watching the man in the hat walk down the ramp to gazing up at the city of San Fransokyo. Their tattered cloak swayed slightly in the gentle sea breeze as they turned and walked away, out of sight from anyone's possible line of sight and melting into the darkness beyond.
Pumped up cheers and shouts erupt from a dully lit alley complex in downtown San Fransokyo, hidden from the light of the main central district by the various, closely situated, bricked shops, cafes and tenements. At the heart of the maze of alleyways, glowing red paper lanterns and flickering lights illuminate the reason for the vocalised cheers, the crowd within with their attention on the battle before them. The clash of metal rings out as two robots battle for supremacy, their crafted weaponry clanging against one another with sparks flying. With a powerful push, both robots are sent sliding backwards. One robot, its armour coloured in blues, browns and yellows, designed like a Viking warrior, rolled through along its back. The Viking bot finished the roll back on its feet, bringing up its spiked shield and swinging the axe for its other arm around in a circle. The bot fighter, a burly man with long golden hair pulled back into braids, a long handlebar moustache, denim jeans and a slightly faded storm grey t-shirt with the Scottish flag on it, gave out a loud laugh as his robot beat its axe against the shield, taunting his opponent.
The opposing bot fighter, a youthful looking woman with a cool, calm expression, electric blue hair that covered one of her eyes and was drawn into a wild, bushy ponytail that flared out into different bangs and tails, wearing a black and purple hoodie and navy blue skinny jeans, smirked at her opponent and pressed a couple of buttons and pushed the joysticks on her controller. Her bot, a red and black Slasher robot with three razor sharp claws on each arm, dug its right claw into the ground. Sparks flew off the concrete as the bot slid to a halt, leaving long grooves where the sharp appendages had dug into the arena floor, before the bot stood up and slashed an X in front of it.
The bots advanced once again, the Slasher bot with its claws raised almost in a boxing stance and the Viking bot leading with its shield. When they came close, the Viking swung wildly with its axe, which was parried with the right claw of the Slasher. The Viking then went to shield bash, looking to embed its spikes into the opposing combatant. The Slasher, in response, quickly spun around via the midsection, its legs not needing to move, and countered the attack with the back of the same claw, travelling in an upwards motion. The Viking bot was sent staggering back by the parring blow, stopping its fall by thrusting its shield and axe out when it fell to catch itself before pushing itself back up. They advance once again, their weapons locking up as the Slasher blocked first the axe strike then the shield bash. Both bots pushed against one another, trying to overpower the other, before the Viking bot reared its head back and brought it crashing down onto the head of its opponent.
The Slasher staggered back from the unexpected blow, which then was made more unbalanced by the power of the Viking winning over. As it teetered, the Viking's bot fighter let out a triumphant roar as his bot raised up its axe. The axe fell hard and fast, but was blocked by both claws just in time, the axe pressing down against the crossed blades. The bot fighter looked over to his opponent confidently, but his confidence immediately was replaced by confusion as he saw his opponents' expression.
"Game over," she answered his unspoken question with a wicked grin, before pressing a button located on the top of her controller.
At the press of the button, her Slasher bot transformed, with the outer two blades on each claw splitting apart, resulting in the bot having six arms and blades instead of two arms and claws. The two blades that were in the middle remained crossed over, holding the axe in place, while the other four spread out and curled in, ready to strike. In a panic, the male bot fighter ordered his bot to attack with the shield, which was quickly parried with the two free blades on the right hand side. The modified Slasher then stabbed forwards with the lower left blade, piercing the metal armour of the Viking bot, before side stepping and slashing down through the back of the Viking with the upper right blade.
As the Viking bot turned around, a puncture hole torn in the lower torso from the stab and a laceration across the upper back, the Slasher lunged again, stabbing and slashing with a fury. The Viking could block a couple of blades at a time with the shield and axe, but couldn't stop every attack as the opposing bot continued to scratch against the armour and pierce through with its stabs, occasionally ripping open a tear with the slashes as well. Completely in hysteria, the male bot fighter ordered his bot to go on the desperate offensive, slashing and striking at whatever it could. With a knowing smirk, the female bot fighter began to tease her opponent; letting her bot back off before quickly dodging every attack the Viking sent its way.
After several seconds of this antic, the Slasher leapt at the Viking and was caught by a well-timed block with the shield. When the Viking sent it flying as it threw it off the shield, the Slasher rolled through and started scuttling around like a spider. His eyes widening in alarm, the male bot fighter charged again, trying to hack and beat down the opponent. To his dismay, the Slasher was even faster when in spider mode, allowing it to roll and leap away with the greatest of ease. Scuttling behind the Viking, the Slasher leapt onto its back and held on by latching onto the legs of the Viking with its feet and wrapping two blades around to the torso, digging into the armour. As the Viking bot spun and flailed its weapons in a desperate attempt to throw the bot off its back, the Slasher rained down quick, fierce stabs with its remaining four blades, puncturing the back with many holes. The eyes of the Viking quickly went dull after a few seconds of this lethal attack before it slumped forwards to the ground, landing with a dull thud on the concrete. Smoke pours out of the pierced holes in its back as the Slasher scuttles off and reforms back into the two armed clawed version, while most members in the crowd cheer loudly.
"The winner, by complete destruction, Akiza!" the fight announcer proclaimed, a man with messy jet black hair, wearing a black leather biker jacket and ripped jeans, and holding a small closed metal box. The majority of the crowd cheer as he gestures to the female bot fighter, a few grumbling as money is exchanged between most of the crowd watching.
"Alright, who's next?!" Akiza loudly challenged as she collected her winnings out of the metal box the announcer is holding, her voice rising above the noise of the crowd as she placed the rolls of money in her hoodie. "Is there anyone left that has the guts to challenge my killer, the Slashing Nightmare?!"
Many of the bot fighters present glance nervously at each other, clutching their bots apprehensively or trying to hide them behind their backs. She circles around the ring with her arms outstretched, inviting any challengers to step forwards.
"No one? No one at all?"
"Come on, folks. Are you really going to let her leave with another seven wins under her belt?" the fight announcer questioned, looking at the fighters in the crowd. "Will her undefeated streak stay as such for another night?"
"Um … c-can I try?" a small, timid voice spoke, cutting through the silence.
The crowd around the source of the voice parted, revealing a small male teenager in a navy blue hooded jacket, a red hero t-shirt and a pair of baggy peanut brown shorts. The boy looked at the two in the ring with wide questioning brown eyes, his messy raven hair sticking out everywhere as he clutches a black robot, the arms, legs and what seemed to be ears polygonal in shape attached to three metal balls, with a drawn on yellow smiley face.
"I have a robot," the teenager said with a nervous smile, holding up his bot for them both to see. "I built it myself."
"Come on, kid. You really think that your little friendly bot there is going to defeat her?" the announcer laughed with everyone in the crowd joining in, while Akiza just looking at the boy with a slightly amused expression.
"Well …" the teenager replied, looking up and rolling his shoulders, "I guess there's only one way to find out."
"Sure, sure," the man continued to chuckle along with the crowd. "You got the money to play, kid? It a house rule, just like most of these places. If you wanna play, you're going to have to pay."
"Hang on," the boy said, padding himself down before pulling out a roll of money from one of the pockets in his shorts. "Is this enough?"
"You're really serious about this, aren't you?" the fight announcer questioned, looking surprised along with the rest of the audience as the laughter died down. "I certainly like your spirit, kid. But this ain't no playground. Better go home, and come back another time when there's a fighter more at your level-"
"Hold on," Akiza interjected, holding her arm out in front of him as she looked the boy up and down, eyeing the robot in his hand.
"Akiza, you're not seriously considering …?" the announcer began before a glare from Akiza cut him off.
"What's your name, kid?" she asked the teenager, her gaze turning to look back down at him.
"Hiro," the boy answered "Hiro Hamada."
"You got guts, Hiro. I like that," Akiza said, giving him a respectful smile. "Here's how we do things here. You pay up, you get your match. One round, no time limit. It's over when either fighter gives in, or one bot can no longer continue to battle. Once it's over, it's over. No rematch right after, no changing bots, no disputing the decision unless you have a legitimate complaint. If you want a rematch, you come back another night. You got it?"
"One round to the end, pay to play, no rematch until another night," Hiro summarised, listing them off on his hand. "Got it. Anything else?"
Akiza glances back over her shoulder at the disbelieving ring announcer, raising her visible eyebrow at him. He looked from Akiza to Hiro, the teenager looking questioningly back at him.
"N-No, that should cover it," the ring announcer stammered.
"Good. Looks like you're on, kid," Akiza responded, looking back down at her opponent with a smile. "Don't expect me to go easy on you."
"I wouldn't want it any other way," he replied as they both made their way to their respective areas.
Hiro set his bot down on the arena floor, the smiling bot standing upright initially before slumping down into a hunched seated state. Akiza spun around as she dropped into a cross-legged position, while Hiro just slid crossed his legs over and slid his feet apart, falling into the same seated position. The female bot fighter stretched her arms out in front of her, interweaving her fingers and cracking them as she stretched them out. Hiro mimicked her movements, though he made an artificial cracking noise himself. The fight announcer walked over to each fighter, still in disbelief, as they both put a roll of roughly equal money in the metal box he offered them.
"W-Well then," he stammered, looking into the metal box, "it appears we have a fight."
The crowd roared their approval, everyone appearing to be supporting Akiza. Hiro looked around him, appearing to be intimidated slightly by the noise of the audience. The energy that the crowd erupted with elated the fight announcer, allowing him to regain his smile, swagger and cool composure. He cleared his throat and continued.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I don't need to go over the rules with you again. You all know what's about to happen. Akiza Matsumoto defends her undefeated streak against newcomer Hiro Hamada!"
The crowd cheer and shout, hyped for the battle to begin. Akiza rolls her shoulders and looks across at her opponent.
"Good luck, kid," she said, her expression showing her determined and ready to get brawling.
"You too," he replied with a smile.
"Two bots have entered our arena," the ring announcer continued, circling the bots in the fight zone. "Only one will leave victorious, the other will be destroyed. We're only seconds away. Will Akiza add one more to her 64 consecutive wins, or will Hiro be able to somehow make an unbelievable upset?"
The crowd begin to chant "Akiza! Akiza!" in rhythm, the bot fighter raising her fist in the yeah to the cheers of her supporters.
"You know what happens now. I say the three, you all say the two and the one," the fight announcer instructed, holding three fingers up to the crowd. "Akiza, are you ready?"
"Ready!" she shouts, picking up her controller.
"Hiro, are you ready?"
Hiro nods at the announcer, picking up his smaller controller and holding it between his hands.
"On three, everyone. Three!"
"Two!" everyone in the crowd shouts out, counting down as the announcer holds up two fingers to everyone. "One!"
"Fight!" the ring announcer shouts along with the crowd.
Hiro's bot staggers to its feet and bumbles forwards, holding its arms out as if it's going to hug the opposing bot. Akiza appeared to suppress a giggle under her hand at the adorable sight of Hiro's teetering charge before making her bot slash twice in front of it and moves forwards, leading with its left claw. When the two bots got close to one another, Akiza's bot leant down and slashed upwards with its right claw, lifting the black bot into the air, before slashing through the ball joints of the robot, scattering the three identically shaped pieces as they hit the ground. The crowd cheers loudly and Akiza lifts her arms into the air triumphantly, looking to them all.
"The winner, by complete destruction …!" the fight announcer shouts out, walking over to Akiza and holding out the winnings to Akiza.
"What are you talking about?" Hiro asks, making them both turn to him. "My bot can still fight."
Everyone looks down at the arena, expecting to just see the three pieces of Hiro's robot lying uselessly on the floor. To their immense surprise, they see his bot standing in front of the boy completely intact, as if Akiza's Slasher hadn't just sliced through it.
"See?" Hiro inquired, his bot turning to the two of them and bowing. "It's still operational."
"Wha- But h-how?!" the fight announcer stammers, the crowd murmuring amongst each other in shock. "I saw it get sliced apart! We told you, kid. No swapping bots."
"I didn't swap him out," Hiro defended. "You can even check me if you don't believe me. I don't have any other bots on me."
"It's fine," Akiza interjected before the announcer could argue anymore. "I'll just make sure it's dead this time."
Her bot charges towards Hiro's, once again lifting it into the air with an upwards slash before again slicing between the magnetic ball joints, the three pieces falling lifelessly to the ground and scattering across the arena. The crowd cheer once again, thinking the match to be finished. However, Akiza watches the pieces of his bot intently, determined to make sure it was no longer operational. Just as the fight announcer was about to award the fight to Akiza once again, the three pieces whir to life to the surprise of everyone. The spheres of each piece spin round and round before coming together in front of Hiro, hopping back on top of one another and reforming back into the complete robot just like before.
"Well, if that doesn't work, I'll just slice down through everything!" Akiza growled, moving her Slasher bot forwards.
"I don't think so," Hiro quipped at her, looking at her with fiery eyes. "Megabot, destroy!"
"Destroy?!" the ring announcer repeats in confusion as Hiro pulls on his controller, expanding the small device into a much larger one, before jumping back as the face of Hiro's bot changed from the yellow, smiling, harmless face to a red, wild, bloodthirsty expression.
With the middle section of the bot spinning around wildly, Hiro's Megabot ran forwards quickly. As the Slasher clawed at Hiro's bot, leading its attack to strike where Akiza calculated the bot would be, Hiro's bot flipped out of the way, jumping over Akiza's robot. The Slasher repeatedly hacked and slashed at the Megabot which, thanks to its smaller size, was able to deftly dodge and avoid each and every attack.
"Finally, I get a good opponent," Akiza remarked with a grin, while the fight announcer and some of the audience just stare dumbfounded at both Hiro and his robot. "Haven't had one in a while."
"Glad I can step up to the plate," Hiro replied, watching his bot get caught by a rare strike and knocked to the ground before commanding it to separate as Akiza brought her bot's claws down in a stabbing motion, the strike missing and embedding the claws into the concrete below. With a great amount of strength, the Slasher pulls its claws free before splitting them up into the six blades, scuttling after the three segments of Hiro's robot and stabbing and slashing at the three pieces as they roll out of the way of each and every attack.
The crowd seems to get increasingly pumped and hyped up for the fight now, noticing that it was never going to be the joke that they originally thought and being pulled into the intensity and energy of the battle before them. They begin to cheer and shout along, many of them swapping from supporting Akiza to rooting for Hiro and for what they deemed to be an upset. Many bets seemed to be taken place within the crowd as everyone clamoured in to get their piece of the action,, the odds on Hiro winning drastically being shortened.
Starting to look a little worried after a few moments from having someone so effectively play the avoiding, teasing style she employs when she usually brings out the six blades, Akiza chooses to switch her strategy from embedding and destroying all of the pieces of the Megabot at once to targeting one of the pieces at a time. Selecting to target the head of the bot, Akiza's Slasher began to stab down around the segment, trying to pierce the polygonal arms attached to the sphere. The segment spun out of the way, rotating on the spot and making the blades miss the mark, instead pinning into the ground. However, with each blade missing, the more its movement was restricted, with Akiza instead opting to pin in the segment so it couldn't spin away. With four blades stuck into the ground around it, the head piece was pinned into place while not having been pierced, unable to get away.
"Gotcha!" Akiza cried out in triumph, bringing one of the remaining blades up and poised, ready to strike down on the trapped section of Hiro's Megabot.
Just as the blade came down, the remaining two sections of the Megabot slung each other over to the Slasher and wrapped around the joint for its left leg. They squeezed tightly and popped the leg out if its socket, causing the Slasher to lose balance slightly and throw off its aim, the stab of the blade just missing the head piece and piercing the concrete just like the other four blades pinned down. With a growl of annoyance, Akiza commands the last blade to slash at the two free pieces, which move out of the way and cause her to slice through one of the arms pinned into the ground, the limb falling away from the Slasher and landing on the ground. The two free pieces, working in tandem, pick up the fallen blade and together use it to slash through the arms holding the third segment in place. Two more arms are cut lose from the body, allowing the head section to spin away from its bladed prison and rejoin the two pieces that freed it.
"No!" Akiza shouted out as her bot repositioned itself to regain balance, the bot leaning heavily to the left and using the last remaining left limb to hold itself up. The two right arms that hadn't been sliced away started to lash out at the rolling pieces of Hiro's Megabot, the teenage boy going back to dodging the attacks sent his way as he pondered what to do next.
When a segment circled around the wounded Slasher, it pushed off with the left blade and stood upright for a couple of seconds, rotating around with the ball joint at the mid-region like it did against the Viking bot and then incorporating a semi-slashing vortex, narrowly missing the pieces before stopping as its balance failed again. This time, it leant down on the right side, the torso having spun to an inversed position, and leant on one of the two limbs on that side, using the remaining two to attack again.
After a few more cycles of this stage of the battle, Hiro's pieces worked together once again, one piece working as a lever while the other two extended from it clutching one of the disarmed blades (pun intended). In a large, sweeping motion using the blade, the three segments brought a downwards slice towards the stranded, wounded Slasher, looking to finish the fight. Reacting quickly, Akiza brought her bot into a roll, avoiding the vertical slash before lashing out with one of its limbs as it got back to its foot. The tactic catching Hiro by surprise, the teenage boy moved quickly to separate the pieces again, the desperate strike from Akiza just barely missing its target.
'Impressive,' Hiro remarked to himself as the battle continued, 'I wasn't expecting it to be so effective in its defence having taken so much damage. No wonder Akiza's been on such a streak.'
Back to leaning on its right side, using the lower arm to balance itself, the Slasher strikes downwards at one of the sections. As usual, the attack misses, piercing into the ground. As the Slasher rights itself, the three segments of the Megabot roll in from different directions and latch onto the supporting limb, squeezing at the joint and popping it out of the socket just like what had happened with the leg before. The Slasher throws both of its arms out in front of it to hold it up, catching itself mid-fall. Using the opportunity, the three sections of Hiro's bot scale up the three remaining limbs; the two arms and one leg, and climb to the head, reforming into the single complete bot.
Jumping on its back, the Megabot starts punching the Slasher in the back of the head, first slowly before increasing the speed rapidly, before separating quickly and coiling around the head. It constricts tightly around the head, the red face staring directly at Akiza before the head of her bot pops off from the overwhelming pressure, the wires connecting that had been connected to the head sparking a little as they stick out from the body before dying. The Megabot springs up from the body as it crashes lifelessly to the ground, reforming in mid-air and landing in its complete form, standing up and switching its face back to the yellow, smiling one as it bows to Akiza. The female bot fighter just stares at the wreckage of her robot, both surprising and disbelieving.
"The w-winner … by complete destruction!" the ring announcer cries out, looking at a loss for words himself. "Hiro Hamada!"
The crowd erupts into a euphoric state at the announcement, shocked at the fall of Akiza's undefeated streak and at the magnificence of the battle they had witnessed. The boy that they all had seemed to doubt, except for maybe Akiza herself, had effectively deceived each and every one of them to not only defeat Akiza, but thoroughly dominate the match with his multi-pieced Megabot. Lots of money was exchanged between those who had placed bets on the fight, the odds that were placed on Hiro winning making some people much wealthier than they were previously.
The ring announcer walked over to Hiro and presented the winnings to him, which the teenage boy placed within his hoodie. His bot walked over to Hiro and the teenager picked it up, dusting it off slightly in his hands. Looking up, the young boy noticed Akiza walking slowly to the arena, crouching down and picking up the broken remains of her Slashing Nightmare. She seems to stare despondently at her bot before placing the pieces within a backpack which she had brought over.
"How am I meant to deal with something like that …?" she mutters to herself as Hiro walks over to her. Noticing him, she straitens herself and slides the backpack over her shoulder.
"Looks like you got the better of me," Akiza said to him with a small smile, a little disappointed in herself. "I was a little disappointed at first when I sliced up your bot the first time because of your attitude in challenging me. But, you had a lot of surprises in that little bot of yours."
"Thank you, Akiza," he replied with a lopsided grin. "You caught me off guard with a few of your attacks as well. I really wasn't expecting you to be able to defend so well despite losing a lot of your limbs."
"But I still couldn't win, could I?" she questioned, mostly to herself. She shook her head in the process, her blue hair swaying slightly with the movement. "It was a good fight."
"It was, wasn't it?" Hiro responded, holding out a hand to her. She took it and they shook hands, the members of the audience still watching applauding the two.
"I hope you let me have a rematch once I get my bot all patched up again," Akiza declared as they finished their handshake, her hand moving to the strap of the backpack around her right shoulder.
"Uh … I don't tend to do much bot fighting these days," Hiro mentioned, rubbing the back of his neck. "But, if you can manage to track me down, I'm sure we could probably go another round."
"Then that's what I'll do," she replied before turning around and walking into the crowd, giving him a farewell wave before disappearing from sight.
"So, kid? You sticking around for more matches?" the fight announcer questioned as they watched her leave.
"Sorry," Hiro apologised as he shook his head, "but I need to get going. No more fights for me tonight."
The teenage boy took off from the centre of the arena, squeezing his way through the crowd before finally finding himself outside of the mass of people. Making sure he still had his winnings and his bot, he walked off into the alleyways with a smile, pleased with the progress he'd made.
AN: So there you are. Hope you enjoyed that.
As you could hopefully guess by the AN at the top, the second chapter is ready to be uploaded. However, I am going to wait a couple of days before adding it up here. Gives more people the chance to experience this first, if you understand. If you can't wait to read more from me, then feel free to check out my other stories. I have a few in How to Train Your Dragon, another in Big Hero 6, one in Kung Fu Panda, and one started in Pokemon which is only a prologue at this stage. Of course, the choice is entirely up to you.
I'm also a guy that likes to take my audience's views into account. So, if you have an idea that could be incorporated into this, then please don't be afraid to let me know. If you have an OC that you would like included, or that you think could work, then also feel free to let me know. Obviously, they need to be realistic for the story to be included, so take that into account.
Please fav and/or follow if you are enjoying this so you can stay up to date with uploads. Review or PM me to let me know your thoughts. Constructive criticism is always welcome, though if you are unhappy at least try to be civil about it. Especially if you're posting in the review section. I'm not afraid to delete a review if it is uncivil or uses unreasonable or inexcusable language.
I'll see you all in a couple of days. Till then, I bid you adieu!