Kim Possible: Zoids - New Century.

Disclaimer: Disney owns Kim Possible, Tomy owns Zoids, Kim Possible: Zoids – New Century plot line owned by 'Blue Kiwi'.

Thanks to captainkodak1, RSfan, Eddy13, CajunBear73, Wanderer3, soulman3, dex drako, Katsumara, wolfey141, Grey Field, RipBlade for the reviews, hopefully some of your questins about Kim will be answered.

Thanks to Ormagoden for his beta work on this chapter.


Chapter 3: Fight...

"Ron? Ron? RON?! Argh! How are we supposed to get anything done if we can't even get him up, Monique?"

To say that Kim was feeling tweaked would have been an understatement in Monique's opinion. They both had been trying to get Ron up for about fifteen minutes now, and the best response that they had both gotten out of him was when he had tried to turn off a non-existent alarm clock.

He had then just simply rolled over whilst snorting slightly, and then he went back to sleep...well, that was not entirely true, as he had not woken up in the first place.

Kim was not a happy camper with this situation: it was 7.36am, and her battle briefing was supposed to be at 7.30am sharp. Of course, that was when it was supposed to start; everyone was expected to be there at least ten minutes early.

That was the unspoken rule that they -the team- had usually abided by within the past.

Whenever a battle was on the day's agenda, be it at 9am or 9pm, the team had always had a briefing at 7.30am.

This was atypically followed by a thorough maintenance check of all of the zoids.

After this (although it usually depended upon both the distance that had been travelled and if the team were already at the battle area or not), combat drills and practice runs would normally be initiated. Upon the completion of each training drill, a tactical briefing would be called in order to both discuss and refine the previously used tactics and formations, and the resulting feedback would be used in improving the team's cohesiveness within the following drill.

This rigorous and fairly brutal training regime of nonstop drills and briefings usually ended up causing both long and tiring days for the entire team.

Somehow, Monique did not think that this boy ran like that, and that he would have a more 'chilled' and 'relaxed' approach for the upcoming battle...that is, if he was anything like what Felix had said of him and from the observations that had been made of him from within the last day and a half, it certainly seemed to be the case.

Well, good luck to him with convincing Kim to chill out before a battle; she was always a turbocharged ball of energy beforehand.

Monique winced as Ron hit the floor with a reverberating thud, still entangled inside of his blankets; Kim had tried to pull him out of his bed.

This, however, resulted in about as much success as the last ten minutes worth of trying had done: Ron had simply rolled over on the floor whilst clutching the blankets even closer to his body.

"Argh! That's it, I've had enough!" Kim growled as she frustratedly threw her hands up into the air.

Kim shot a glare at Monique. "You know, you could be more help."

"I am being helpful: I'm supervising," Monique calmly retorted. "Ya know, listing what doesn't work at waking him up."

"Humph!"

Kim turned and then stomped towards the bathroom, grabbing an empty cup off of the bedside draws as she made her way past. She then disappeared into the bathroom and a few seconds later, Monique heard the water tap running. Kim then returned with a filled cup in hand.

"Umm, you might want to think about this for a second, Kim!"

Monique was looking concerned; Kim was, if anything, looking more tweaked than she was when the 'cake incident' had occurred. (Yes, it was now being referred to as the 'cake incident': no one had yet told Kim about the experimental white chocolate Seven Layers of Heaven cake that Ron had lurking about somewhere, so she was still aptly pissed off at Ron because she had not gotten to finish 'her' cake).

Kim just looked over at Monique without saying a single word. She then held the cup out high and then, with a calm turn of the wrist, poured the ice cold contents over Ron's sleeping face.

The results were instantaneous.

"Yargh!"

A rudely awoken Ron suddenly attempted to leap up and thus stand up upon his own two feet, but due to his blankets being so tightly wrapped around his own body, all he managed to do was crazily thrash around upon the floor for a few moments. After he had finally managed to free himself from the majority of his own self inflicted blanket prison, he erratically swung his head from side to side and then quickly spluttered, "What- huh-what-huh?"

He quickly noticed that both Monique and Kim were standing over him, with both of them peering down at him. Blinking in confusion at the whole situation, he asked, "Monique? Kim? What's going on? Why am I wet?"

As Ron eased himself up into a sitting position, he accidentally shed the last of the blankets that had been covering his body. He glanced around at his immediate surroundings and then, as if he was just realising it (to which Monique had to admit that he probably was just realizing it), it had finally sunk in that he was now upon the floor.

Blinking, he looked up at the girls once again. Ron realised that neither of them had answered his queries...in fact, both girls were now staring at him, and this was starting to make him feel very nervous. "Ummm, ladies? Hello, ladies? LADIES!"

Monique jumped as she had realised that she had been caught staring: it was not as if Ron was naked or anything as he did have a pair of boxers on, but Monique was impressed with the sight none the less.

"Damn, he does have a tight bod!"

Ron was still looking confused, and he merely wanted to know what was happening. "While I don't mind being woken by a couple of bon diggity ladies...um, what's with the cold water? And why am I on the floor?"

Kim's cheeks had a faint yet clearly defined blush to them, and she had immediately started to shyly gaze at her own two feet as soon as she had realised that she had been staring at him.

"You're-late-for-the-team-briefing!" she quickly blurted out. Before Ron could even blink, she had turned and then rushed out of the room.

Monique and Ron glanced at Kim's departing form before they both turned to look at one another.

"Huh?"

Monique sighed. "She said, 'You're late for the team briefing'. It started at 7.30."

Ron now just looked even more confused. "Why?"

Monique simply raised an eyebrow at Ron. "Why, what?"

"Why the team briefing, and why at 7.30 in the morning? Why not a more civilised time like 9.00? After all, the battle isn't 'till 11.00."

Monique just sighed once again: she was really starting to wonder if the boy sitting below her really was this dense, or if it was a masquerade of some kind. "The briefing is to go over the opposing team, and what zoids they're using, and how we'll fight them."

Ron looked surprised; judging from his reaction, Monique was starting to wonder if such a thing had ever occurred to him before. His next words however, blew that thought right out of her mind so fast that it made a crack of lightning within a raging thunderstorm look like a dozing snail.

"So, you know who Eric has teamed up with?"

It was Monique's turn to look surprised. "Ummm...no."

Ron just lifted an eyebrow. "So, I repeat: why the briefing?"

"Because we are, now get dressed and get your cute tush over to the briefing room!"

Ron finally got up onto his feet, but instead of yawning or stretching and then turning towards the bathroom like Monique had sort of expected, he had instead turned back towards his bed. As he sleepily trudged a few steps forwards, he shot over his shoulder at Monique, "Well, the briefing sounds like fun, but I have a better idea: how about you go to the briefing and I go back to sleep. Then, at a more civilised time, say 10.00, you give me your crib notes."

Then, with an unceremonious 'thump', he flopped back onto the soft mattress.

Monique just rolled her eyes as she walked up to him. Grabbing Ron by the ear, she yanked upon it and then used the leverage to pull Ron back up onto his feet. She then practically dragged him towards the general direction of his adjoined bathroom. If his ear remained attached or not was up to the now yelping boy. "I've a better idea; you get dressed and join us in hell-uh, I mean, the briefing."

Trailing behind Monique, Ron could not argue, "Oww-oww-oww, Monique, that's my ear!"

"If ya want it to remain your ear, you'll do as you're told. You have five minutes."

And with that, Monique gracefully slung Ron into the bathroom.

"I'll be outside, timing you!" Monique called out as she walked out of the bedroom.

ZNCP

When Monique dragged Ron into the briefing room an exact ten minutes later, Kim was impatiently pacing back and forth at the front of the circular room. Ron and Monique walked around the guard rail and then into the sunken seating section. Ron plopped into one of the seats at the end next to Felix. Monique sat next to him and on the other end of the seating area sat the Drs. P.

Ron greeted Felix and the Drs P, who in turn returned the greeting cheerfully.

Kim was glaring frostily at Ron as he sat: she was not in a good mood. Her entire schedule had been put behind by at least twenty minutes due to Ron lazily sleeping in, but at least he looked awake now. Maybe he would pay attention; it was bad enough that they were going into combat with an unknown quality at their side, and the fact that he was not even trained was only going to make things harder.

Oh, he was a talented pilot sure enough: Kim had to give him that, but he went into situations with little to no forethought. He did not plan and he did not pay attention to what others were doing in a battle. Twice yesterday while they were playing 'tag', she had set up the Schubaltz solution. Not once did he use any of the recommended counters to the manoeuvre. True, he did beat it both times, but that seemed more due to luck than actual planning. If he had read the academies tactical books like she had assumed that he had done, then he should have known both the solution and the varying counters that accompanied it.

Kim snapped at Ron after he had sat down. "Ron, for future reference, team briefings are at 7.30 on the day of battle. Make sure you make it on time, as we have drills and tactics after. Time is short, so let's get started."

Ron just shrugged. "Sure, Kim. Just a quick question or two before you start, though."

"What? Come on, make it quick," Kim snapped.

"Well, I was just wondering why 7.30, seems far too early to be thinking straight."

Kim looked offended at that. "7.30 is the recommended time for briefings. It leaves enough time to run drills so everyone knows what they're doing in the coming battle. I don't know how you did it in the past, but this is how we do it in the Academy."

Ron did not even look abashed at Kim's statement: he just continued to grin. "Oh, that's simple, we always briefed the night before a battle, 'cause that way we could sleep on it and if we come up with anything new overnight, we could discuss it the next day before hand."

Felix, with a grin upon his face, turned so that he could wink at Monique. Monique caught the wink and thus because of it, she looked slightly concerned: things were going exactly as Felix had said they would last night.

"Shit, I can't lose that bet. Nah, Kim will win this discussion, nothing to worry about."

Ron continued. "As for the drills, sounds tiring and inflexible: why run your pilots ragged before a battle? And if you don't know what each other is doing by now, why are you a team? Not that I think you have anything to worry about there Kim as you set up the Schubaltz solution on the fly twice yesterday easily enough."

Kim was flabbergasted!

"You knew what we were doing, and still didn't do any of the recommended counters. Why?"

Ron did not answer: he just continued to smile goofily at Kim.

Mrs. Dr P., sensing that Kim was about to erupt into a blaze of anger, quickly interjected, "Kimme, maybe you should continue with the briefing?"

Ron quickly sat up. "That brings me to my second question."

Kim sighed; this was going to be a long briefing! "What now?!"

"So, do you know who Eric's teamed up with?"

Kim just silently stared at Ron for a few tense moments. Finally, she softly answered, "No, we don't."

"Then why are we here?"

"We are here to go over how Eric will respond to our attacks in the Command Wolf," Kim replied very slowly to Ron in exasperation.

Ron, however, just shook his head. "Eric doesn't use a Wolf: he pilot's a Saix. As for how he's going to react, that's easy."

Ron turned to Felix on his right, and then addressed him. "Felix, what's the recommended counter to an overhead Strike Laser Claw strike?"

Felix simply shrugged. "That's easy: sit the zoid back, wait for the enemy zoid to drop down and blast him. If done correctly, your shot will get the zoid in the chest at point blank range, freezing his system."

Ron nodded and then turned back to face Kim. "There ya go, that's what Eric's going to do when I give him the claw."

Kim just stared at Ron for a couple of seconds before snorting, "I see three problems with that. One, it isn't assured that Eric will do that counter to the strike. Two, Eric was using a Command Wolf with this team, so of course he will use a Command Wolf. And three, who said that you will be the one taking on Eric?"

Ron leaned back into the seat and then hooked his hands up behind his head. "Kim, Kim, Kim, of course Eric will do the counter: it's in the book that it's the proper and correct counter manoeuvre, and let's face it, Eric hasn't had a original thought in his entire life. If it's not in the book, he won't do it."

The unsaid and implied finish of "just like you" was clearly heard by everyone inside of the room. Kim herself just glared at Ron, preparing to blast him at that statement, whilst Ron just continued onwards.

Ron looked at Kim for a second before inquiring, "You drove the Wolf back at the compound?"

Kim nodded.

"Ah, that explains that then. Eric piloted the same zoid as you to create common ground in order to get to know you. He'll be back in the Saix for the battle."

Everyone gasped aloud at the depths that Eric would go to in order to both get close to and to get on to the team.

"As for three, didn't Felix tell you? Part of the deal for my help is that I get Eric."

Kim looked at Ron in surprise at that statement before she turned to give Felix her best death glare. Speaking through clenched teeth, she addressed Ron, but her intense gaze never left Felix's now slightly unsettled face. "No. Felix forgot to mention that."

Felix squirmed into his chair whilst he was under Kim's glare. "Gee, thanks for getting me in trouble," he shot at Ron under his breath.

Kim returned her gaze to Ron. "Regardless of what Felix said, he didn't have the authority to make that deal. I'm team leader. Eric's mine."

"Nah, you're too emotionally involved, Eric's mine," Ron casually shot back.

Kim placed her hands onto her hips and it was clear that she was getting more and more tweaked by each passing second. "Ron, I'm team leader, what I say goes. I'm taking on Eric, and that's final. We attack according to my plan: that too is final. If you have problems with that, well gee, tough."

Ron leaned forward in his seat, bringing his hands forward and then resting them upon his knees. Leaning forward upon them, he calmly stared at Kim, whilst she in turn simply glared at him, breathing hard.

After a minute or so, Ron spoke.

"Okay, fair enough that Felix didn't have the authority to approve of the deal. How about this, then? A bet. Nice and simple. If you win, the Hover Cargo and all the zoids within, excluding Rufus, are yours free and clear. Win or lose, that will set your team up."

Ron paused so that what he was saying could clearly sink in. Judging from both Kim's expression and how the way her eyes had quickly widened at the news, it was obvious that she clearly understood the full implications of what exactly Ron was offering: even if they still lost the upcoming battle, they still would not be screwed. They would be able to sell the unneeded zoids, and be able to continue to function as a team.

Ron continued onwards. "But, if I win the bet, Eric is mine and we attack my way."

Kim simply snorted at the idea. "If we lose doing it your way, no, I should say, when we lose, what then?"

Ron simply shrugged. "Then I pay all the team's debts off."

Everyone inside of the room gasped, and Kim's eyes widened. Monique turned to Ron with sheer astonishment gracing her face. "You have the money to do that? How?"

Giving Monique a quick glance before he looked back at Kim, Ron calmly muttered, "Over the last three years, Monique, I've been in, and won, over two hundred battles. Of which, I only had a team for about sixty of them. The last year, all my battles have been in class A where the prize money is six times the amount of class C."

"Whoa! That's a lot of money," Monique muttered.

"Yeah, well, I own all the zoids I have. Don't owe any money to anyone, and don't have a team to pay. Me 'n' Wade don't need much, so the money's just sitting in the bank, doing nothing."

Mrs. Dr. P. chose that moment to speak up. "Ron, while we appreciate the offer, we can't accept your money like that."

"That's right, hard work and dedication have gotten us this far," Kim proudly (or, perhaps, arrogantly) added.

Ron smirked and then chuckled, "Yeah, at the bottom of class C."

Ron tentatively held his breath after that; that last statement would either cause Kim to physically attack him and thus put him in hospital (or worse), or it would cause her to take the bait and then agree to the proposed bet. He was not goading her to simply be cruel, he was trying to get Kim to adjust her currently rigid way of thinking when it came to zoid battles. And the only way that he knew how to get that to work was to challenge her...and he hated doing that. He was not good at it at all.

He prayed that it would work, and that it instead would not get him brutally killed by the possibly soon to be enraged, auburn haired valkyrie standing tall before him.

Kim just gasped in surprise at his statement; she could not believe what Ron had just said! Judging from the looks upon everyone else's faces, they could not believe it either.

"Oh, you are so on! If you lose...no, when you lose, the hover cargo and all the zoids within, including Rufus, are Team Possible's...plus, you pay off all of our debts," Kim shot at Ron.

Ron just merely raised his eyebrow at the increased stakes. "I win, we do things my way and Eric's mine?"

Kim paused, and then added, "Yes. Now, what's the bet?"

Ron smirked. "I have five minutes to find out who Eric's working with, what zoid he's using. Wolf or Saix, and what his game plan is."

Kim could not believe what she was hearing! She had been calling around everyone that she knew in order to try and get that information! She had been working hard all week upon that task, and now Ron thought he could do it in just five minutes? No way could he do it! Not if she could not!

"Oh, this is too easy, Ron! You're on, and your time starts now."

Ron simply leaned back into his seat and once again hooked his hands casually behind his head. With his legs stretched out in front, he sighed in content and then simply said, "Ahhh, Kim, Kim, Kim. Too easy."

Felix cast Ron a concerned look. "Um, Ron-man, what are you doing?"

Smirking, Ron calmly answered Felix. "I'm gloating, Felix."

"Boy, you don't have time to gloat! You got four minutes, thirty seconds left and counting!" Monique chimed in.

Ron just stretched out even more. "Wade, you listening, buddy?"

The screen in the front of the briefing room lit up in order to display Wade, of which whom was drinking a gigantic soda.

"Wade, what teams have been promoted in the last week?"

Wade looked at a nearby screen to the side of him and then started to tap frenziedly away upon a nearby keyboard. Seconds later, he answered, "Well the Mad Dogs and Bebes have been promoted to class B..."

"WHAT!? Noooooo, that can't be! How did she get promoted!? No, I don't believe it."

At Kim's sudden outburst, Ron blinked, raised his eyebrows and then leaned over towards Monique. "Ah...?"

"Academy evil. Don't ask."

"Right. Anyhow, Wade, go on."

"As I was saying, the D Hall'ers have been promoted to class A."

Ron pondered upon that piece of information for a couple of moments whilst he watched Kim impatiently pace backwards and forth at the front of the room, muttering something about evil...itches?

"Wade, anyone of those teams have a new team member registered with them, and if so, are they piloting a Wolf or a Saix?"

Wade continued to type away. "As a matter of fact, the D Hall'ers registered a new team member, piloting a Saix, last night. Let's see...it's registered to one Eric Rotham."

Ron just nodded and then sighed, "So, that's his tactic."

Mr. Dr. P. finally spoke up. "What's his tactic, Ronald?"

Ron thought that it was strange that neither of the Drs. Possible had said much during the entire briefing, but he had just shrugged it off to them simply letting Kim run the show.

"He's not going to fight."

Kim looked at Ron with confusion upon her face. "How...do you figure that one then, Ron?"

"Simple: the D Hall'ers are class A, you're class C. By the Commission's rules, you are not allowed to battle a team in a higher ranking." Ron gave a disgusted snort. "Typical. Eric rigs as much as he can in his favour so that he wins without any risk."

Kim looked defeated. "So, that's it? We've lost without a battle?"

"Nah, there's always a way around. If necessary, I'll fight the lot of them myself. After all, I'm a class A pilot."

Kim looked up. "The agreement was four on four or we forfeit."

Ron cocked his head towards Kim. "Yeah, but was that four on the team, or four on the field?"

Kim frowned. "It was four in the battle, he specifically stated that."

Ron frowned, and then sat forward. Bringing one hand up towards his chin, he muttered, "Damn, he actually learned from the Yamanouchi affair. Well, how about we register you lot under Team Unstoppable, that way you're class A, and it's a four on four?"

'Yamanouchi affair?'

Kim would have to enquire more about that later.

"No, again he specifically stated that it had to be Team Possible. No one else fighting for us, and no fighting under a different name."

"Damn, he actually learned from the Killigan incident as well? Who knew he would be able to learn from past mistakes. Well...I got nothing. Wade?"

'Killigan incident?'

Kim would be enquiring about that one later as well.

"Well, there is a provision that considers the levels of pilots within the teams for battles between classes in the rules."

Ron nodded. "Uh-huh, I see...um, could you explain it for Kim's sake, if she doesn't understand?"

Kim glared at Ron for a moment and then turned back towards the screen. She quickly realised however, that she herself did need clarification. "Well, Wade?"

"The provision is simple: it works upon the levels and experience of the pilots. The D Hall'ers may be class A, but they've only just become class A. Eric was a class C pilot, same level as Team Possible as he was on the team. His joining the D Hall'ers doesn't improve their standing. Team Possible, on the other hand, had Ron join; he has been a class A pilot for a year, with an unbroken winning streak. His joining Team Possible has raised it to the top of class C, and his level and experience can be argued in the teams favour for the upcoming battle. Especially, since he often battles one on three."

Ron smiled. "Sounds like a solution, Wade. File it with the Battle Commission to see if the team will be cleared for the battle. Well then ,I believe I win the bet in…"

Monique looked at her watch before speaking. "Six minutes, twenty eight seconds."

Kim smiled in apparent victory. "You lose, Ron. The cargo belongs to Team Possible."

Mr. Dr. P. then rather noisily cleared his throat. "Ah...hmm, actually Kimmie-cub, I believe Ronald wins."

Kim looked at her father: she was clearly confused. "How do you figure that one, dad?"

"Well, Kimmie-cub, the bet was for team, zoid and tactic within five minutes. He did that in three minutes, ten seconds with gloating. It took the other three minutes eighteen seconds to come up with a solution to the problem."

Kim harrumphed, and then grudgingly admitted defeat. "Fine, Ron wins. I still don't see how it should count. Wade did the work, not Ron."

"Ah, you're just upset because I worked smarter."

"You didn't work at all, Wade did! Where did he get that info' from, anyway?"

Ron simply smiled. "Zoid Battle Commission lists of course, widely available to all teams."

Kim slapped her forehead with her hand. "Oy, why didn't I think of that?"

"Too busy working harder and not smarter: hard work isn't the only way, Kim. Just like the manual isn't the only way. It's a guide, not a 'must do'."

Kim glared at Ron whilst she clenched her teeth. "So, Ron, what's the plan?"

Ron gave Kim a goofy grin. "Simple: after I beat Eric with the claw, I back up Felix. When we win that battle, Felix backs up you and I back up Monique."

Kim just stared at Ron in disbelief. "And?"

Now, Ron looked confused. "And, what?"

"And what is the rest of the plan? What formations are we going to use? What is the go sign? Who attacks who?"

"No formations, go sign is me taking down Eric. Up to you, who you match up with."

"And that's it? These tactics got you into class A?"

"Ah, yep-yep."

Kim was getting incredibly frustrated at this lack of anything that even remotely resembled a plan. "Unbelievable! This isn't how a professional does tactics! It's amateurish! You...you... you're an amateur!"

Ron grinned goofily at Kim's declaration. "'N' proud of it! After all, according to law seven of Murphy's laws of combat-"

Just then, Ron's stomach let out both a huge and an impressive rumble. Ron looked down upon it with a slight frown. He then simply shrugged, and the familiar goofy smile that usually resided upon his face returned in full force.

"I'm hungry. Hey, who's up for waffles? I'm making waffles!"

And with that, Ron leaped up, stood upon the back of the seat and then jumped over the rail behind it.

He then calmly exited through the door.

An incredulous Kim just stared after him.

Felix glanced around and then casually said to no one in particular, "You know, I could do with some waffles."

He then turned to the side in order to make his way up the ramp towards the door. Upon seeing this, Kim called up to him. "Where do you think you're going, Felix? We still have a briefing to do!"

Felix half turned towards Kim. "I'm going to get some waffles before Ron eats them all."

Kim glared at Felix. "No, you're not. We're going to stay here and get a game plan in place."

Sighing, Felix turned back all of the way around so that he could fully face Kim. "We've already got a game plan in place, a damn good one."

Kim just stared heatedly at Felix for a couple of moments. "A good game plan...that half cocked plan of Ron's? You're going to have to explain how that's a good plan in any sense of the word there, Felix."

Felix just stared at Kim in astonishment. "Do I really have to spell the plan out to you, Kim? You were there, you heard it!"

Kim just silently stared at Felix: she was clearly waiting for an explanation.

Felix frowned at Kim. "Okay then, it's simple: the D Hall'ers use heavily armoured zoids, and outside of the Dibison, our zoids cannot go toe to toe with them. With me so far, Kim?"

Kim frowned at Felix. "Don't get snippy, Felix, just explain the plan to me as its sooo brilliant that I just didn't get it."

"Fine, Kim. The D Hall'ers use smash and bash tactics, so they will just take the hits and walk through any formation that we try. Ron knows this as he's fought them before: the only way to take them on is two on one. Therefore, we have to be able to double up; the only way to do that is if we take out the weakest link."

Kim's eyes widened in realization.

"Eric."

"Ahhh, now you're seeing it, Kim! That's right, the Saix can't take the punishment that the rest can, so Ron takes him out first by giving him an attack that he sees coming. In this way, Eric will defend as per the book, and then Ron counters the counter and then simply just takes him out. This in turn allows him to aid me in taking out my target. Simple enough, yes?"

Kim looked abashed. "Well, when you put it like that, yes. But, why didn't Ron just say that? And why are you backing me up and not Monique?"

Felix snorted, "Ron did say that Kim: you just weren't listening. As for why I'm backing you up, and Ron, Monique? I would guess that's because Rufus and the Saix armours are the weakest links in our zoid's defence. The Dibison can take a hammering, and the Liger has shields. We can cover you from most of the heaver weapons, while you and Ron in the faster zoids can flank our opposing numbers zoids."

Kim looked stunned. "Well...it's okay, I guess. Not what I would have done. I would have been a bit more formalised...added a couple of formations, maybe round to zoid ratio expected in the battle, that sort of thing. Overall, Ron didn't do too badly. If he had simply taken the time to explain it like you did, Felix..."

Felix turned to head back up the ramp, and as he wheeled up, he just shot over his shoulder at Kim, "Perhaps he thought it was too obvious and that he didn't need to explain it more?"

He stopped at the exit's threshold, however, and then he turned back to face Kim once more.

"Just for your information, Kim, law seven of Murphy's Laws of Combat is, 'upon the field of battle, the professional soldier is predictable. It's the amateurs that are dangerous.' You are very much a professional, Kim. Just like Eric."

Felix then turned so that he could head out of the door, but he stopped once again. "One more thing, Kim? Just because Ron didn't go to the Academy, doesn't mean that he wasn't trained. He was. Better than us."

And with that, Felix finally walked out of the room.

Kim blinked, and then turned to look at the remaining occupants of the room. Monique had her head buried deep into her hands. She was leaning forward, and Kim could hear her repeatedly mutter several muffled "noes". She looked over at her parents.

"Well?"

"Well what, dear?" Kim's mother asked in turn.

Kim sighed. "You weren't saying much during the briefing, so you must have wanted to see something. Well, did you see what you wanted to?"

Kim's mother simply smiled. "Yes, dear, I believe we did."

Kim waited for a few seconds before she coaxed the inevitable answer out of her parents. "And?"

Mrs. Dr. P. just continued to smile. "Well, he's a little rough around the edges and he's not exactly orthodox in his approach to doing things, but he should work out quite nicely."

Kim just blinked. "Work out? Work out?! Did you not just see what he just did?! He took over the briefing! He turned it into a mockery, and he has turned Felix against me!"

Mrs. Dr. P. just looked at Kim for a while before answering. "Kim, how did he turn the briefing into a mockery? He got valuable information on your opponents and then came up with a viable plan of attack. The plan is viable, isn't it, Kim?"

Kim looked at her mother for a few seconds before she dropped her gaze towards the floor. "Yes...it's viable. It's actually pretty good. He could have gone into more detail, though."

"Then bring that up with him, Kim. After all, if he's to continue working with the team, he will be giving his opinion of other battles and opponents. Get him to compromise in the briefings so that he can give you in depth information and plans, as well as giving you the freedom to relax some. After all, he did bring up some valuable points...even if he wasn't very tactful in giving them."

Kim looked at her mother, thinking upon what she had just said before she finally decided to answer. "Okay, I will concede that he had some valuable points, but he completely undermined my command! And Felix...he's never been like that before!"

Surprisingly (considering that she had continued to hold her head within her hands throughout the entire discussion), Monique answered Kim's statement. "Kim, Felix has been unhappy with how you've been running the team for a while now, even before this whole thing with Eric. He's been even talking about rejoining his old team. He may just see this as an opportunity to do so..."

Monique paused for a moment, as if she were considering whether to continue or not. She then decided to just barge ahead anyway. "Actually, Kim, we've both been unhappy with the running of the team: you've been very closed with briefings and you never seemed to even listen to our opinions with tactics, only Eric's. We've always felt exhausted from all the drills you make us run just before battles. Overall, we don't feel like we're equal members of the team."

Kim looked absolutely stunned.

"Monique, if you felt this way, why didn't you say anything?"

Monique just looked at Kim. "I've tried several times, but you never seemed to be in a receptive mood so I put it off, thinking that it would get better. It hasn't. Maybe Ron being on the team will be good for you...and him."

Kim continued to just stare at Monique. "How do you figure, Monique?"

Monique in turn just smirked at Kim. "Well, he seems to have gotten you to relax some, if yesterday was any example. Who knows? Maybe he'll help you burn off some energy before the battles..."

Kim quickly blushed at the suggested implication that was not so subtly carried behind Monique's seemingly innocent enough remark.

Monique continued on. "And, he hasn't been with a team much. You heard him: limited team time, so the boy's used to doing things his own way because he's never had to worry about others."

Kim turned towards her mother, and she quickly noticed that her father -in the meantime- was scowling at Monique. "What do you think, mom?"

For a few seconds, Mrs. Dr. P. thought upon the issue before she decided to respond to Kim's question. "I think there's a lot of changes to be made, Kim, and several fences to be mended if this team is to survive beyond this battle. Now, why don't you girls go grab some waffles before the boys eat them all?"

Kim turned and then grabbed Monique by the arm. As they both started to head out of the room, Kim tilted her head back and then called back towards her mother. "Okay, mom, I'll try to patch things up with Felix, and talk to Ron about explaining his plans in more depth."

She then turned to face the large screen behind her so that she could address Wade, of which whom had just been silently observing the entire conversation. "Wade, you can feel free to share information with me at the same time as Ron, please and thank you."

She then turned her attention towards Monique. At the same time, both of the twins came running into the room. "Now, Monique, what had you so upset just now?"

Monique -in turn- turned away from her whilst mumbling, "I made a bet with Felix about the outcome of this briefing."

Kim just shrugged: apparently, she did not see any problems with Monique losing a bet. "No big Monique, just pay Felix the standard bet fee."

Monique glanced down, blushing. Kim, now curious and slightly nonplussed, simply raised her eyebrow up at that as they both made their way out of the door.

"Monique, what did you bet?"

Still staring at the floor as they both walked onwards, Monique muttered, "Welllll...we decided to make the bet more...interesting."

Kim's interest was now greatly piqued. "What did you bet?"

"Welllll...the loser had to model Tara's bikini. I thought Felix could model it nicely...unfortunately, I lost."

Kim stopped within her tracks. "Tara's bikini? What bikini is that?"

Monique halted at a single pace ahead of Kim. "Oh, I can't believe that I forgot to tell you the gossip! Must have been because I was distracted by the white chocolate Seven Layers of Heaven-"

Kim's eyes had lit up at the mention of her favourite cake, and she rudely interrupted with, "There's a white chocolate Seven Layers of Heaven? And you didn't tell me?! Where is it?"

Monique took a sudden step back away from Kim at her sudden enthusiasm for her most desired type of cake, "Um, in the kitchen."

Kim turned upon the spot and then quickly raced off, leaving both a stunned and staring Monique inside of her wake.

ZNCP

Mrs. Dr. P. watched as both Kim and Monique left the briefing room and as both of the twins suddenly rushed in, looking clearly excited.

"Now boys, calm down. What has you so excited?" Mr. Dr. P .addressed.

"We just spoke to Ron…"

"…about how much the weapons on …"

"…the Cargo suck. So we…"

"…asked him if we could…"

"…do some modifications."

Mr. Dr. P. suddenly looked intrigued at this new development. "What did Ronald say about the modifications?"

Tim and Jim simply grinned like the proverbial Cheshire cat.

"He said, that we could do what we liked…"

"…as long as it was legal…"

"…or if not legal, to at…"

"…least give him plausible deniability."

Mr. Dr. P. started to grin with this development. "Well now, any modifications we want, hmm? I believe I saw some spare weapons down in the maintenance bay! Let's go have a look."

Mr. Dr. P. got up and then headed out of the room. The twins had started to follow him when Tim suddenly stopped. He reached into a pocket and then pulled out a folded piece of paper, of which then he proudly held out towards his mother.

"Oh, we did the job that you wanted us to, mom. This is the result."

Mrs. Dr. P. carefully took the paper away from Tim. He himself then headed out after both his brother and his father. Mrs. Dr. P. opened up the folded paper and then looked at the picture upon its glossy surface.

She suddenly gasped as an unbridled jolt of surprise hit her, and her empty hand went straight up towards her mouth.

Images suddenly came to mind of a younger Kimberly Ann Possible, of which whom was waiting for her most best and closest friend of five important years to turn up for her ninth birthday party. She had just finished talking to him through the phone, and she was excitedly expecting him any minute now.

After waiting for two long hours, there was not a blond hair in sight. She had finally decided to brazenly rush over to his nearby home...only to discover that it was empty, and picked clean of any sign of any previous habitation: there was no sign at all of anyone having even lived there. The entire house was completely empty, a mere shell of brick and mortar and not a home in even the most vaguest of senses.

The Possible family in vain had tried to find out what had happened to the Stoppables for many long weeks after that: the Stoppables had just vanished as if they had never even existed at all.

Kim had been both completely demoralized and heartbroken at that.

She had cried within her room for weeks after both her closest friend and his families' mysterious disappearance, and she had bordered upon becoming a depressed wreck...

There had been no sign of either him or his family for nine entire years now...but now, now she held in her clenched hand the digitally manipulated photograph of what Ronald 'Unstoppable' Stoppable had looked like at the tender young age of just nine years old.

The image was a perfect match to what she remembered of Kim's once best friend.

"Oh, Ron...what happened to you and your family? Do you still remember your friend? Judging from Kimmie's actions around you, she recognises you at least on some sort of level...but she doesn't remember you clearly, not yet."

Whilst shaking her head, Mrs. Dr. P. turned towards Wade's image that was upon the nearby big screen. "Wade, what do you know about Ron's past?"

For a few long and silent moments, Wade simply sucked upon his soda's straw. He was clearly considering his answer carefully. "Enough to know, that it's not my place to tell you. Why?"

Mrs. Dr. P. looked torn for a few moments. Finally, she sighed, "Nothing, Wade. I'm going to the Kitchen, please let us know when we get to the battlefield."

ZNCP

Eric was happy: he had just about finished yet another successful recruitment.

The best thing of all however, was that there had been no interference from that loser once again.

He had interfered with the last three acquisition attempts, but this time, this time there would be no saving this specific team.

It had almost been too easy this time.

That stupid bitch Possible had fallen all over herself in order to just get to know him, and her father had been just as easy to manipulate as well: laugh at his lame and stupid jokes, bring his little 'Kimmie-cub' home before her curfew and make sure that he had been there for the goodbyes. It had taken very little effort really, and soon the Backdraft would have a few new pilots. That was just the main bonus, however: his real target had been Dr. Possible and his twin sons. The brainpower from those three alone would easily guarantee the crucial successes required for Project Rebirth.

It had taken an entire year, but the inevitable success was definitely worth it.

"Who knows, maybe the Council will give me Kim to break. That would be...fun."

Yes, he would enjoy seeing the look upon her face as she learned the agonizing truth. Then, he would sadistically enjoy breaking her spirit and will so that she would be his simple little play thing. Eric was more than looking forward to it: a few more minutes, and she would be his.

"Not that she ever had a chance of winning."

No, this had been well and truly thought/laid out.

Breaking the team's morale with the losses, whilst simultaneously sowing discord within the team's ranks had been too easy: Kim had even unintentionally helped him with that to no end. She had blocked out the rest of the world to simply be with him, and this had also allowed him to both quietly and strictly control all of the battles from plans to tactics, thus leaving nothing to chance. He had found it simply too easy to divert her own attention away when her friend had tried to get her to notice what had been going on, and to let her know what had been happening.

"Stupid bitch, she almost ruined the op'...not that it mattered. I've won now."

Bankrupting the team's finances had been too easy: once he had been listed upon the accounts, it had been child's play to secretly outfit the D Hall'ers for the upcoming battle. Sabotaging the zoids had been as just as easy: after all, he had enough solid experience at that sort of task from previous experiences. Then, just to make sure that they would lose according to the official terms of the battle, he had threatened all of the pilots that either Kim or her team mates currently knew of so that none of them would fight for Team Possible in the upcoming duel. Therefore, they would never be able to find the crucial fourth pilot that was required by the terms of the battle. If by some miracle they did manage to find both a fourth pilot and the zoids that were required for the upcoming battle, they had no way of getting to the battle site on time unless they had managed to get their hands upon another Whale King.

A Gustav travelling at its maximum speed of 135 kilometres per hour would never make it here within the time limit, nor would a simple Hover Cargo travelling at its maximum speed of 200 kilometres per hour.

If, somehow, they did manage to get here in time with the requirements of the battle filled to a letter T, they would never be allowed to battle anyway due to the class rule. Not that Eric was going to take any chances anyway: the loser had proven to him on several occasions before within the past that there were ways around even those seemingly solid obstacles. That was why he had enlisted the D Hall'ers: Kim would try her normal razzle and dazzle formation tricks and tactics upon them, and they would simply walk right through them and then destroy whatever zoids that they would have.

He looked out to his immediate right where the rest of his team was located.

Standing right beside him was a Dark Horn, a huge dinosaur type zoid that was as heavily armed as it was armoured, as well as standing tall over 13 meters high.

Next to that was the even bigger Madthunder, which was both even more heavily armed and armoured: weighing over 500 tons and standing at over 16 meters high, it was truly an imposing beast. Only an Elephander was a match for that type of zoid.

The last of the zoids that the D Hall'ers had was the Spino Sapper: whilst not as imposing as the other two zoids beside it as it only stood at 11 meters tall, it was just as heavily armoured as its nearby brethren and the laser chainsaws mounted upon its back would cut through even the staunchest armour of any zoid type.

The D Hall'ers were not especially smart, but they had brought a lot of fire-power to the party, especially since he himself had acquired the Madthunder for them. It had taken some wheedling from the Backdraft archaeology team in order to get it from them, but it had been worth it.

He was almost feeling sorry for Team Possible.

Almost.

Just then, Eric was distracted by the sound of an incoming object whistling through the air. This was quickly followed by a huge and grinding impact about a rough kilometre away. Once the smoke and dust had settled from the air, the white judge's capsule could be seen deep inside of the crater. The front of the capsule then pivoted up, revealing the white judge that had been cocooned within the capsule. It was roughly humanoid in shape with a single leg, and in the place of its hands were blue and red plates that were used to signal which team had won a fight.

Eric smiled victoriously: there was no sign at all of Team Possible. He activated his communication unit.

"Well boys, it looks like that bitch Possible didn't even have the guts to show up. This was way too easy a win."

Just then, the Judge had started talking.

"By special dispensation of battle rule 135, subsection 3, paragraph 1, this interclass battle has been approved."

Eric could not believe his ears! The battle had just been approved!

"WHAT! What do you mean, approved?"

"The provision that considers the levels of pilots within the teams for battles between classes has been considered. Dispensation has been given, battle approved."

"This cannot be happening, again," Eric thought bitterly to himself.

The Judge started to talk once again.

"Battle mode 0982, approved..."

"Area scanned.....area clear."

"Battlefield set-up..."

"Ready....."

"Wait, what are you doing?! That cowardly bitch Possible isn't even on the field of battle! She forfei-"

Eric stopped talking as a blue and white hover cargo suddenly de-cloaked less than a single kilometre away from his own position. He then heard Kim's cool and edged voice emanate over and through the main communication frequency.

"Cowardly bitch then, eh, Eric? Well, it's nice to know what you really think of me."

Eric watched in sheer disbelief as the magnetic ramp over the top of the hover cargo's bridge extended, and the top of the shell itself opened up. A red headed Saix positioned itself upon the ramp, and it was then flung down the ramp. It then smoothly landed in front of the Dark Horn at a distance of barely 200 meters away. As the Saix was landing, a Shield Liger had been positioned upon the ramp and it too had spectacularly launched. It then landed neatly beside the Saix upon its left flank. Then, the head of the Cargo opened up, revealing a Dibison, which then quickly charged across the ground so that it could get into its assigned place at the Liger's left flank.

Eric was stunned! Not only had they gotten fully operational and combat ready zoids…

"Where did they get them from?"

...but they had also turned up on time to fight the battle, and also somehow gotten the interclass battle legally approved.

"How?"

A realization suddenly hit him, and a cruel smile had started to develop upon his superficially charming features.

"Wait, this is a four on four battle! Team Possible only has three team members! They forfeit the mat-"

Once more, Eric's speech was interrupted by movement taking place upon the Team Possible deployment ramp. He noticed some pink rat like thing positioning itself upon the launch ramp. It was then flung down the ramp, but unlike the others, it had landed barely 50 meters away from Eric and his zoid upon his left. After landing upon the ground, it quickly turned to face Eric's Saix with surprising speed, grace and agility.

ZNCP

Kim was impressed: Wade's tactic of waiting upon the field, cloaked, had worked! Eric was totally thrown off: he had gotten into his overconfident and smug mind that no battle was going to take place. Judging from the sounds that were coming from the communication frequency, he did not know what to think or do.

She then noticed Ron landing in Rufus over close to Eric.

"Damn it, Ron! I know you're supposed to take on Eric, but did you have to get so close?"

Kim then heard Ron's voice echo out and over the team communication frequency: he sounded clearly impressed.

"Woah, is that a Madthunder? Kim, they have a Madthunder! That would be sooo cool, if it wasn't going to hurt us!"

Kim sighed: Ron could at least act professionally just before they were about to fight!

"Ron, concentrate," Kim admonished.

"But Kim, these bad boys were designed to go up against Deathsaurer's!"

"Never mind that, just remember the plan."

"Plan...plan? We have a plan?"

Kim could not believe what she was hearing! Surely Ron could not be panicking!

"Yes, Ron, the plan, you remember the plan, don't you?"

Kim quickly switched her communication frequency to exclusively broadcast to Felix. "Damn it, Felix, is he always like this before a battle?"

Felix sounded unconcerned. "Yeah, pretty much, but don't worry about it...he'll pull through. He always does."

Kim just continued to listen to Ron as he rambled over the communication frequency.

"Plan, we have a plan? Hey Wade, is this the P plan that we're supposed to be doing?"

Kim continued to listen intently as Wade answered back.

"Are you sure you want to go with the P plan, Ron? I would have thought S or X would have been the better option here."

"Nah, definitely P. The shields on the Mad Thunder are designed to reflect a CPC, plus it's slow. Plan P, get it ready."

"Plan P, S and X? What has Ron not told me? What are those plans?"

Kim's thoughts were interrupted by Eric of which whom was calling her over the general communication frequency. He sounded pissed off beyond belief!

"Stoppable!? You replaced me with that loser, Stoppable!? You really traded down there, Kimmie!"

Before Kim could answer Eric's barb however, Ron did. Kim suddenly heard something carried within Ron's voice that she had not heard in the entire two days that she had known him: there was a raging hot anger in his tones.

"I'm a loser? Yet, I keep beating you, Eric! What does that say about you, huh?"

It only escalated from there with Ron and Eric trading barbs backwards and forth. As Kim listened on, she definitely got the impression that not only were Ron and Eric old acquaintances, but they also loathed one another with a passion. The animosity grew between them with each passing barb.

Somewhere within the verbal match that Ron and Eric were having, the Judge was heard calling...

"Fight!"

Just when the call was made however, Eric said something to Ron about his parents.

Ron did not respond with words. Rufus suddenly darted forward.

"RON! Amp down-"

But it was too late. Rufus had jumped up. Laser energy could clearly be seen emanating from Rufus' laser claws. Ron was going for the overhand Strike Laser Claw attack.

Rufus was coming down from the jump with his right paw held high, left paw held down.

"Too easy, Stoppable," Kim heard Eric say over the main communication frequency.

She watched as Eric sat his Saix back into the standard counter manoeuvre to the overhead strike.

Just as Rufus dropped down to the range where Eric had pretty much a point blank shot, Rufus then did something that completely confirmed his status as the most agile zoid that Kim had ever seen: he pulled his right paw back and over whilst at the same time, he brought up his left paw from underneath. Eric's shot went through the empty air where Rufus' chest had been less than a scant second before, and Rufus quickly gutted the Saix from the chest upwards to its jaw with his left paw. Half of the Saix's cockpit had been cleanly torn away, leaving a shocked Eric completely exposed. Rufus then finished the side flip, landing upon his right paw before he continued onwards within one smooth and fluid movement. Jumping up high, his front claws went down through the Dark Horn's weapons upon its back. Then, as he vaulted off of its back, his rear claws cut into and through the armour of its back and into the delicate circuits below, sending the stricken zoid into a catastrophic system freeze.

As Rufus was coming down from the leap at the Madthunder, it just pulled back slightly in the hopes of trying to simply impale Rufus upon its Thunder Horn. Rufus, of whom despite being thrown off of his aim, still managed to slice both Magnesser Drills and the Thunder Horn off with his claws before he landed in front of the Spino Sapper. Rufus turned into the Sapper, rearing up onto his hind legs with his forepaws locking up with the Sapper's claws.

It was at this stage that Kim had finally decided to get into the battle.

"Monique, back up Ron! Felix, with me on the Madthunder. Ron, we're a team, work as such!"

Ron made no response to the communication, but Felix was distantly heard saying, "Oh, yay! I get the Madthunder. Just what I always wanted."

ZNCP

Inside of the bridge of the Hover Cargo, Wade was sitting at his console going over the battle specifications displayed clearly in front of him. Rufus was performing well above expected levels, as evidenced with his display against the D Hall'ers within the first sixty seconds of the battle. Still, against the Madthunder, it was not known if it was going to be enough.

Watching the battle upon the screen continue, he saw the Spino Sapper start to bring its Laser Chainsaws into play. Rufus would not be able to last too long if he got hit with them. Wade keyed his communication frequency so that it was directed to Ron.

"Ron, Monique's coming up behind you."

Ron simply grunted, "Monique, Crusher Horns."

Rufus then slipped his right rear foot back, and then threw the Sapper with a hip toss. The Sapper landed right in front of the Dibison and then got hit full into the back with the Dibison's Crusher Horns, sending it flying back past to where it had been initially thrown from. Monique continued to chase it down, and once she quickly caught up with it, she simply ran it over with the Dibison. The Dibison's Crusher Hooves landed in several places that -if the Spino Sapper was a male- would not have been too happy about.

"That was hardly needed."

Wade barely caught the comment from Mr. Possible, who was up behind Wade inside of the command post.

Wade just keyed all of the communication links. "That's all zoids but the Madthunder disabled. I would recommend coming in from the sides and rear for your attacks."

"Is that where its amour is weakest, Wade?" Kim asked.

"Nah, but I figure that you will be less open to its secondary weapons."

"Not helping, Wade!"

Wade was about to reply to Kim's deadpan, but Mrs. Possible signalled for his attention. She was both sitting to his left and monitoring the team's vitals.

"Wade, is this correct?" she asked, indicating Ron's heart rate.

Wade glanced at the statistics for a brief moment, before nonchalantly replying, "Yeah, that looks about normal for Ron."

All of the team's heart rates were slightly elevated, as it was to be expected with them being in combat and all....except for Ron's

Mrs. Possible looked puzzled. "How is this possible? Even when he was in that shouting match with Eric, it didn't go up...if anything, his heart rate has gone down."

Wade sighed; he did not know how much he was allowed to tell. He had to tell Mrs. Possible something, though; she was a doctor, and she knew how the body should have normally/naturally reacted to combat related stresses.

"Ron's doing battle meditation; it's a trick he learned from the Yamanouchi Team, when he worked with them two years ago."

Ron had learned a lot of things during the time that he had worked with them. They had stayed together for a couple of months before Ron had moved on, as per his usual modus operandi. They had met up several times since, though, with Ron learning more and more each time.

"As for the argument, that was a show for Eric's benefit. After all, if Eric didn't think Ron was acting rashly, he may have used his boosters to get out of the way," Wade continued.

Mrs. Dr. P was impressed. "He went into this battle well prepared, I'm impressed."

Wade looked at Mrs. Dr. P. "Ron may not have learned the academies way of doing things, but he has learned the psychology of zoid battles."

Mrs. Dr. P. was about to answer, but before she could Kim was once again heard over the team's main communication frequency. Things were not going well against the titanic Madthunder.

ZNCP

Kim was moving the Saix around the Madthunder, landing well placed shots where she was able. The Saix's fixed weapons were proving to be incredibly frustrating in regards to this desperate task, and she had to be facing the Madthunder in order to hit it accurately. Considering the Saix's speed compared to the Madthunder's (even without using the boosters), that meant that she only had a couple of seconds within each pass in order to land a hit. Not that her shots were doing much anyhow: she doubted that the titanic beast was even aware of the shots that it was taking.

She glanced over to where Felix was: he himself was not fairing that much better. He had depleted the Liger's missiles against the Madthunder, and they had no more effect upon the behemoth than her own current attacks.

She looked over at Ron: he was darting in and out inside of Rufus, landing blows with his Strike Laser Claws. He was leaving deep and prominent gouges within the monstrosities thick armour plating, but he was not doing any real damage. He could not even get into the joints to severe a leg.

"What we need is heavier fire-power. What I wouldn't give for some Hybrid Cannons!"

Kim pulled up short, her Saix sliding to a full stop.

"Plan P...Hybrid Cannons..." Ron's description of Rufus's capabilities came towards her mind.

Her eyes widened.

"He's CAS compatible…"

"RON!" Kim screamed over the team's interlinking communication frequency.

"Argh! Kim, indoor voice over the comm's, please!"

"Ron, it's time for plan P!"

"What!? Noooo, we can win this without plan P, Kim!"

Kim growled with frustration: even now, he was being difficult! And it originally was his idea...

"Ron, we need the fire-power of plan P to get through the Madthunder's armour. We're doing nothing here but annoying it!"

"Kim, if we can open up a joint, we can win!"

"Ron, you're not even getting through that armour even with Rufus' claws! How 'bout this, then? Team vote. Felix?"

Felix had just taken several heavy hits from the Madthunder's secondary weapons, and thus he sounded shaken from the heavy impacts. "If it finishes this quickly, hell yeah!"

"Monique?'

Monique had just lowered the front of the Dibison down, looking to use her main weapons: seventeen 105mm mortars mounted upon its back.

"I've got your plan P right here!"

Monique fired all seventeen mortars at the Madthunder, and all seventeen of the rounds struck with both devastating force and a thunderous boom. Once the smoke had cleared however, the Madthunder could be seen clearly unharmed.

"Then again, plan P sounds like a good option at this time," Monique backtracked towards Kim.

"Three tops one, Ron, plan P is a go!"

Ron sighed. "Fine. Hold the fort, I'll be back as soon as I can...still think its overkill," he muttered.

Kim saw Rufus then turn and then head towards the Cargo's rear hatch.

Just then, the Madthunders pilot called over the open communication frequency. "Damn, Stoppable! Eric said that you were a loser, but he didn't mention that you were a coward as well, running from the battle. Ha! 'Unstoppable' isn't as unstoppable as he's made out to be!"

Ron replied to the taunts, "I'm not running, Vinnie, Rufus just isn't dressed for the occasion. I'll be right back once Rufus has changed."

Rufus then gracefully entered the rear hatch.

Kim and the rest of the team continued to circle the Madthunder, using ineffectual hit and run tactics against it.

"Wade, how's it going?"

"Rufus's Prime armour has been removed, rotating secondary armour into place. Ron will be finished and back on the ground in thirty seconds," Wade responded.

Kim glanced over towards the cargo: it had started moving forward. Its left side panel pivoted down with the maintenance deck sliding out onto the panel. On top of it stood Rufus, now standing 8.9 meters tall and also decked out within bulky green armour. Most prominently, twin Hybrid cannons were upon his shoulders.

Wade could be heard over the communications. "Rufus Panzer CAS complete. Rufus Panzer deployed."

Rufus dropped off of the back of the panel and landed hard upon the ground. He then turned towards the Madthunder and then started to calmly walk towards it. At the same time, the Madthunder turned towards Rufus.

"Is that supposed to impress me, Stoppable? 'Cause it doesn't."

Vinnie then opened up with all of the Madthunder's secondary weapons, directing them straight at Rufus: a Double-Barrelled Large-Bore Impact Cannon, two Beam Cannons, a Quad-Barrelled Shotgun, and a Double-Barrelled Shotgun. Rufus was hit dead centre with such devastating force that it kicked up dirt and dust.

Several ominous seconds passed.

Incredibly, Rufus then walked out of the smoke and dust without even a scratch upon his armour.

"That your best shot, Vinnie? Too bad. Here's mine."

Rufus set himself down, lowering his front. He then fired the twin Hybrid Cannons. Four beams shot out and then hit the Madthunder directly upon the head and between the broken remains of the Magnesser Drills with a devastating result. The entire armour plate was destroyed, alongside most of the Mad Thunder's head. The zoid continued to stand for a few moments, but eventually gravity took a hold: it had fallen over onto its side. Rufus himself had slid several meters backwards from the pure and unrelenting force of the Hybrid Cannons powerful recoil.

All was quiet for a minute. Then, Monique whistled, "Damn, I thought the Madthunder had shields."

Wade responded to the question. "It does, they're designed to reflect a CPC. The Hybrid cannon are made up of an AZ 216 mm Railgun and AZ 108 mm Beam Gun. The Madthunder had no shield defence against them."

A clang was heard resonating over and upon the battlefield.

"The fight is over, the fight is over. The winner is...Team Possible."

Upon hearing this, Ron then pulled Rufus up and then opened the cockpit's armoured canopy. He released his restraints. Kim -in the meanwhile- had pulled the Saix up beside Rufus as he watched the Judges capsule close up and then launch itself into the air.

Kim contacted Ron through the private communication frequency assigned to Rufus.

"Ron, you got some 'splaining to do!"

Ron leaned forward so that he could answer Kim. "About what, Kim?"

"Like how do you know Eric? And what is your history with him?"

"Oh, that's easy," Ron casually replied, "we were in the Backdraft together."


Madthunder is a Triceratops-type.

Bear Fighter is a Bear-type.

Dark Horn is a Styracosaurus.

Spino Sapper is a Spinosaurus type.

CPC – charged particle canon

CAS – changing amour system

Panzer (Armor or Tank in German)

The third CAS Unit, the CP-21 Panzer Unit is designed for heavy assault and long-range bombardment. The armor reduces the Zoid's speed and agility, while increasing its overall level of protection and drastically increasing its firepower. The unit sports two heavy beam cannons in addition to numerous concealed missile launchers.