Author: Holy crap we get to see Jake!

Brain: Told you we would get to him in time :3

Author: Yeah...you did. I'm sorry

Brain: Apology accepted now get back to writing! Next chapter now now!

Author: *Whines* B-but I wanna read my work agian.

Brain: *whips the writer* CHAPTER FOUR DO IT NOW!

Onwards with the story!

Chapter 3: Strangers (1)

Ron smiled weakly as he worked the control stick back and forth, his palm striking the colored buttons one after another; fighter delivering a hard series of punches to the enemy ninja. With one final spin kick he defeated the ninja and sent him spinning into a pit full of scorpions that rend him limb from limb. He smiled a little more when he saw he had taken first place on the games score board. "Ah won de top spo' finally aye mon?" Ron turned to the voice and nods keeping his weak smile. "Hey Mr. Voodoo , yeah I finally took the top place." The old man dressed in his yellow pineapple Hawaiian shirt, blue shorts and sandals walks up to Ron with a small smile under his sunglasses. "So mon, wha' will yah be doin' now?" He asked as Ron glanced around the arcade; he had played most of the games at least five times by now. "Awww man!" The cry came from the corner with Super Mecha Defender X, Ron glanced over as did Mr. Voodoo and both saw three teens fuming over the game machine. A small chuckle escaped Ron before he turned to . "Well if that machine keeps having issues, I might have to charge you for the repairs I do here." The old man could only laugh heartily at Ron nodding. "No worries mon, wit' how yah be helpin' me around dis place I'd probably pay yah anyway." The two walked towards the trio and looked as they seem on the verge of demolishing the offending game. "Hey kido's what'cha be doin to mah game?" asked with a small chuckle, the trio snapped around and all quickly sighed in relief. "Hey Voodoo man whats up?" The young colored girl asked walking up and high-fiveing with the old man. Ron simply reached into his pocket and pulled out some of his custom tools. "Hey man this machine just ate like four dollars." A young asian teen boy with green highlighted black hair, and a bright neon red jacket commented as he glared at the machine. 'Wonder if he is trying to melt it with eye beams?' Ron half joked to himself.

"No worries Jake mon. Mah main mon 'ere can fix dis greedy machine in a jiff." Mr. Voodoo said as he walked past the trio to Ron's side. "So mon, what be bugging her now?" he ask and Ron pops the front panels for the game and begins checking the wires. "Hmm...oh..." Ron blinks as he spots what he thinks is the problem. "Hey Rufus, think you can pull that part out?" He ask and the three teens gasp as a small fur-less creature scurries out of Ron's pant's pocket, up his leg, onto his arm and into the machine. A short time later the creature brings out a small circuit board and hands it to Ron. "Oh boy, it looks like this thing was made with some bad chips." He looks it over as the teens watch him begin working on the board with his tools. "Hey Rufus can you grab the spare 323 chip?" He asked and the little creature squeaks as it quickly climbs back into the pocket and pulls out a short time later a small computer chip. "Wha' dat mon?" Mr. Voodoo ask what was on the other trio's mind. "Oh this? Its a XK-323 chip, they make handy computer band-aids." He muses as he clips the chip down onto the fried original. The trio watched as he handed the board back to the creature and it scurried back inside the both and soon after some small sparks flew out, the game booth comes back to life. Ron, pushed the coin return and the machine all but vomited five dollars worth of quarters. "Wow." Was all the trio could say. "Danks Ron, I be glad someone like yah is around." Ron smiled alittle more than he had in a while, it felt good to get a little praise for something right he did.

"Ron is it?" As the dark haired asian teen asked and Ron turned to nod at him, he blinked in surprise when the kid offered a hand. "Name's Jake, these are my buds Trixie and Spud." Ron smiles and shakes the offered hand. "Hey, Ron's the name. Nice to meet you three." Jake and his friends smile at him before Jake moves aside and motions to one of the control sets. "Care to join us? You fixed the game, don't see why you should join in the fun." Ron looked around nervously and for a brief moment he felt he should leave. 'After all nobody really wants me around.' He though sadly, The others noticed his sad look and Spud nudge him in the side gently "Yo dude, whats got ya down?" Ron looks up to them and sighs. "You guys sure you want me to join you?" He ask and Jake all but laughs at the question. "Sure man come on, we could always use the help." Ron smiles at them then nods. "Alright then. Lets do this!" He took his place between Trixie and Jake and put in some quarters. "Hah that's the spirit boy!" Trixie smiled as she finished putting in her quarters and selecting her character.

Two Hours and 10 dollars in quarters later.

"This is it the final boss fight!" Jake declared and the group stood ready to face their ultimate test in the battle to safe the earth from mecha zombie aliens. Ron's monk master stood next to Jake's samurai warrior, Spud stood beside Trixie's druid with his own paladin warrior. The stylized warrior mechs now faced over a thousand enemy alien zombie mechs and behind they glare at them with evil glee was the master zombie warrior himself the Dark Horned King mecha. Around them a crowed had gathered to watch, even Mr. Voodoo was impressed, nobody alone or with a team of friends had gotten to this game's last level. 'How will dey respond, to de challanges of de dark king?' he thought to himself. "MECHA WARRIOR FIGHTERS READY!?" The game asked. As one the group of friends shouted at the game. "GO!" With that the four friends charged into the fray. Zombie mecha soldiers were sent into flying pieces from their combined assault. Ron found himself being alot more aggressive in his play style of the game; pushing forward to keep not only pace with Jake and Spud but at times to push past them and scatter a thick group of enemy zombie soldiers for Jake and Trixie to pick off with their speed.

Swords slashed, fist flew, and the four friends demolished and vanquished all of the zombie mecha soldiers that stood in their way. When Spud yelped for help Trixie and Ron covered for him while Jake healed him with a repair kit. Soon the zombie mecha soldiers were dealt with, leaving the four warriors to stand before the dark horned king. The giant machine roared at them as the game gave them their score before the boss fight. "Wow...we are at the Horned King." Spud gasped aloud as he saw that Ron and Jake were pretty evently matched for score. "Nicely done Ron babe, your kicking as much ass as Jakie." Trixie chuckled as she took a drink of her cola, setting it down on one of the arcades specially marked drink tables. "Thanks guys. I really haven't had this much fun in a while I really appreciate it." Ron smiled to which the others simply laughed and patted his shoulder or gave him a high-five. "MECHA WARRIOR FIGHTERS! VS THE DARK HORNED KING! FIGHTERS ARE YOU READY!?" The group all pushed their start button. The game roared "DARK HORNED KING READY! MECHA WARRIORS FIGHT!" and the fight began in earnest.

As the four friends moved closer to the boss, when they saw claws appear out of the ground and suddenly become five barreled cannons. The enemy boss began laying down a torrent of fire, so much so Spud being the slowest fighter was singled out for one of the bosses ultimate attacks. "HAND OF KAMI!" the boss bellowed and out of the ground the bosses hand appeared and grabbed Spud's paladin fighter. "NO SPUD!" Trixie moved to break him free as did Jake and Ron; only to get caught in the attacks area of effect. Jake, Ron, and Trixie watched as their health points were dropped to half and Spud's paladin was crushed to a pulp. "NOOOO!" Spud cried in dispar. "Sorry dudes...augh I'm done for now. Best of luck guys." Spud said as he sat back to watch sipping on his own soda. Jake and Trixie growled as they tried despreitly to dodge the bosses cannon fire. Ron being the most agile was having an easier time. "we can't dodge his attacks for ever. We need to break in close to him!" Trixie snapped. Ron suddenly saw an opening in the bosses attacks. 'The boss fighter can't move himself...his own attacks must have a limit. There! He has a blindspot we need to get behind him!' Ron smiled and nudge Trixie and Jake. "Attack him from behind while I get his attention!" The two friends blinked in surprise while Ron sent his monk fighter straight at the enemy boss.

Jake and Trixie were shocked but moved along with Ron's plan and sure enough found that the boss could not attack much directly behind it. As Ron kept the brutes attention up front using the majority of his defensive castings; Jake and Trixie moved in behind the boss. Suddenly the boss fighter bellowed agian "STRIKE FOUR KINGS OF PROVIDENCE!" and out of no-where four fighters appeared and attacked Jake's and Trixie's fighters. Ron was pushed back away from the boss by the other two. They were being corralled and just as they saw the end in sight the whole building went dark. Cries of "WHat the?" and "The lights are out!"broke out before shouted loudly. "QUIET ALL OF YAH!" His voice sounded like the god of thunder had spoken in the building. "So de lights be out. No worries. Yah all can come back later right?" He asked and slowly the crowed nodded in agreement. As the crowed began to leave, Mr. Voodoo watched Ron and his new friends as they left; his old eyes seeing more than he was sure they themselves could see.

Ron had worried him ever since he had first shown up. His Chi and magic were almost non-existent which for a human was not a good thing, he had seen it before. Ron's levels were the same as someone about to die. He figured Ron was in the city due to some tragedy, and had silently been hoping to find something to brightening the boy up, to help heal him. 'T'was da will of da spirits dat he meet does dree today.' He mused. He has seen as they played the game together the chi and magic from Jake and his friends had slowly feed into Ron's aura and slowly it had grown closer to what it should have been for a normal young human. 'Spirits please continue to watch over dat boy. He has a good heart.' He thought sincerely as he watched the last of the people leave his sanctuary. As they did he turned and slowly opened a door and walked into the forest inside.

As they left the arcade Ron turned to Jake and the others, "Well thanks guys, that was a blast." Ron smiled as he offered a hand to the others. Jake and the others hesitated for a split second and for a moment Ron was scared they were only taking pity on him in there. Instead Trixie walked up and smacked his hand with a side-five. "Who said we're done?" She asks and Jake chuckles as he puts on his helmet and flips down his skateboard. "Yeah you can come hang out with us. My Grandpa's shop isn't to far." Jake says as he gets onto the board. "You sure?" Ron asked nervously. Spud just smiled and patted his shoulder. "We're positive." (2) Ron suddenly smiled at something and countered "Only fools are positive." Spud suddenly grinned having picked up on the joke. "Are you sure dude?" He ask and Ron smiles and mocking feigns insult. "Of course I'm positive...wait." And Spud burst out laughing as did Ron. Jake and Trixie looked at the two in confusion, taking a moment Spud and Ron explained the joke to them. Getting a 'Ohhh' from the two of them, Spud turned to Ron. "How did you know about that?" Spud ask and Ron shrugs. "I like a little bit of everything, movies included." Spud just chuckles and gives him a small punch to the shoulder. "You're okay with me dude. Not many remember that movie." Jake and Trixie only shrug before motioning for Ron and Spud to follow.

The going turned into a brisk walk as Ron had not brought any form of transportation with him today. As they walked Jake and his friends got to know Ron a little better; as well as learn that Rufus was a naked-mole rat not a mutant or alien. "So Ron how did you get that good at using the monk mecha fighter?" Spud asked as they walked along. "Yeah man, I've not seen anyone able to us that thing even half as well as you did." Trixie commented with a small laugh "Spud tried using it once and we couldn't even keep him up together right Jake?" She asked the asian boy nodding with a small laugh. Ron gave a small chuckle at this and shrugs "Well he feels the best in my opinion out of the guys you can use in the game right now. I mean sure the Berserker hits the hardest and is easier to use, the ninja is the fastest of the classes to use but out of all of the mecha fighters I've tried playing with I found the monk just...fit me you know?" Jake and the others nodded in understanding. Their conversation covered the gambit of topics important to youth; ranging from favorite music, to what styles looked cool, even what idols they each held in reverence. Jake and his friends were very open and in Ron's mind amazingly friendly with him. It brought back some bitter memories the more he dwelt on that thought.

He had tried repeatedly during his younger days back in Middleton to branch out and make more friends. At best it got him accepted into many groups of different people; which he always believed helped developed his broad and open mind and generally accepting opinion of others. It was a factor for while he had few close friends, he in truth had few real enemies. Still all he was to most people was a acquaintance, the 'side-kick', or as a green wearing women had once said "chum". The more he thought about this, the more it weighted him down. Ron started to slow and slightly fall behind Jake and the others. Jake noticed this first and stopped dead and as Ron caught up to them, the young asian boy gently tapped his shoulder. "What up man? Somthin' wrong?" Ron blinked in surprise at Jake before he looked away and a sadness swept over his face. Trixie and Spud both raised a brow at this, Spud walking over to Ron with a concerned look on his face. "Yeah bro, whats up?"

"I-it's nothing." Ron muttered, the trio were not convinced. Jake shook his head and frowned. "No way man, I can tell something's bugging ya." Ron looked up to him and sighed he made to speak before he turned to run. Jake watched as Ron turned his back and made to leave, he could see the tears forming in the other boy's eyes. 'Did we hurt his feelings or something?' Jake wondered, suddenly he felt himself almost acting without though reached out and grabbed Ron's arm as firmly as he dared. The blond boy squeaked in surprises as his escape was halted and he all but fell back onto his ass. "Owww..." Ron moaned as he looked back to find Jake kneeling down and offering a hand with a friendly smile. "Dude you can talk to us." Ron looked at him with a small tear in the corner of his amber eyes. "I..." Spud and Trixie walked over and also offered their hands to help him up. "Friends help each other." Spud commented and Trixie just smirked at him but in a friendly way. "So you don't gotta worry about what ever it is that has you down kay?" She said with her best smile. Ron slowly took Jake's and Spud's hands and allowed them to help him up. He rubbed at his arm nervously as he looked to the ground, the back of his hand coming up to wipe away the small tears.

"It is just. I've never really had any friends other than like these two other people." Ron almost mumbled, his hand going back to his arm and clenching at it nervously. "One of those people, I had thought would always be my best friend...as much as Rufus has been." The pink little rodent poked out of Ron's pocket at the mention of his name and happily crawled up to Ron's shoulder where he grew a weak smile and gently petted his friend on the head. "You guys probably don't want to hear this...I should go." Ron said suddenly and once more turned to leave. "What makes you think that?" Trixie asked her hands on her hips as she poked Ron's chest gently. "Look Ronny, you fixed a game that had darn near stolen our money. You then joined us in said game, helped us pass all of our old records and in the worst moments of the fighting on said game. You stood right in the thick of it with us. We then said you could hang with us and have after only a short time found we all like similar music, we like some of the same idols and stars, and to top it all off your about as weird as Jake here. So Ron I hate to break it to ya, your wrong. You've made three friends." She declared and grinned smugly at him as he stood their slacked jaw for a moment, before blushing lightly and rubbing his neck in embarrassment. "So as your new friends, we want to know. What's got you feeling so hurt that you don't want to risk making friends?" She asked and finally Ron relented and sighed deeply.

"One of the two people I counted as my bestest friends, she...she walked away from me." Ron said at last, looking to his shoes which he absently kicked at a small pebble. "She didn't just walk away...she just ignored me, like I didn't even exist anymore." He whimpered softly the others seeing the tears that Ron barely felt starting to creep along his cheeks. "I tried to talk to her, in the end it meant nothing. I saw I wasn't wanted, wasn't needed in my hometown anymore. All I had left was Rufus, my Dad, and a...a LDF." Jake and his friends watched as Ron almost completely broke down in front of them. "S-so I decided t-to take up an offer from a aunt of mine. To get away from it all." Ron said his tears falling to the sidewalk, Rufus looking to his friend with concern. Jake and the others also shared a concerned glance before they each smiled softly and Trixie reached into a pocket and pulled out a small silk handkerchief. "I got ya, so that's whats been eating ya." She says as she wipes his tears away with a kindness Ron was not used to seeing in anyone say for his Aunt Miki and Rufus. Jake nodded as he motioned for them to continue along adding. "Well we won't ditch ya man. Your too cool and handy to just leave behind." His smile seem more viral than a cold for soon even for all the fear, and doubt that he felt Ron was smiling as well. Trixie and Spud both knew their friend well he had this charm with people; when he stopped trying and just let it happen.

Author: And so we continue on with this mess...

Brain: What are you complaining about? You wanted a story about Jake and Ron!

Author: BUT WHAT DOES ANY OF THAT HAVE TO DO WITH A BACKSTORY WITH GODZILLA IN IT!?

Brain: *rubs ears and sighs* You will just have to finish the story to finally get your answer won't you?

Author: *glares daggers of death at brain* You are evil sir. By the way...why does Mr. Voodoo sound like a troll from wow?

Brain: *whistles innocently as he runs away*

Author: Brain?...Brain?...what the...*angry face X* GET BACK HERE!

References

1- Strangers by Yoko Kanno from Wolf's Rain listened to it for most of the time while writing this chapter.

2 - Reference to the talk between Batty and Zak from Ferngully 1.