Chapter 6: Of Breakfast and Robattles
"Honestly you two, it's nearly nine-thirty," Baton continued his rant as Argenta and Rokusho came to where he was perched upon the banister. He flew off as they came near, swooping down into the living room. Argenta leaped sideways onto the rail and slid down, ignoring Rokusho's shout of protest. The Professor was passing by the stairs, and paused as she finished her descent.
"Good morning, Grandfather!" she said cheerfully.
"Good morning, Professor!" Rokusho and Baton greeted him.
"Good morning everyone," the old scientist said. "I'm afraid you'll have to forgive us, Argenta we tend to get up rather late," he said, still dressed in his light blue pajamas.
"Hey, speak for yourself, Professor," said Baton as he landed on the man's shoulder, "Besides, a teenager like Argenta ought to fit right in," he said. "And don't even get me started on Rokusho."
"Hey, I'm not lazy! In fact, I haven't slept at all!" she said indignantly.
"That isn't exactly good, you know," the parrot remarked. "What's your excuse, hmmm?" he asked turning to Rokusho.
"Hmmm, I am getting on in years, old friend," he said wryly, his finger resting on his faceplate in mock thought.
"Yes, and this friendship is the only thing that is old around here, aside from that excuse," Baton returned. "Don't you play that age card on me Rokusho, I'm older than you!"
Argenta and the Professor both smiled, enjoying the pair's friendly banter. The Professor was relieved that Baton's ill mood had passed with Argenta's coming. It appeared that the both of them were back to their usual antics.
"Is there any coffee or tea?" Argenta asked.
"The coffee's done, I started it before I came to wake you," Baton said.
"Baton usually starts the coffee pot in the morning," The Professor said. " I try to remember to have everything ready the night before, but I have a habit of forgetting to measure out the coffee."
" I can measure out the coffee just fine, but if you forget the water, then there'll be no morning coffee," Baton said. "I can't manage the coffee pot when it's filled with water, it's too heavy."
" We could just set the timer I suppose," Rokusho remarked. "But we've done things that way for as long as I can remember."
They came to the kitchen, and Argenta and the Professor went about getting their coffee. The Professor preferred his coffee black, which made Argenta grimace, much to his amusement.
"To each his own, my dear," he said, as Rokusho headed for the fridge. "Thinking of reviving another old tradition, Rokusho?" he asked.
"Yes," answered the Medabot. "The usual?" he questioned, and his creator nodded.
" So you're gonna cook for us?" Argenta asked.
"Yes, how do you like your eggs?" he asked as he pulled them from the fridge.
"Scrambled, with hot sauce, if we have any," she replied. "Do you need help?"
"If you could put a few things on the counter for me, I'd appreciate it," Rokusho said. He passed her the milk, a tub of butter and an unlabeled jar of orange colored jam.
"Apricot?" she asked.
"No, it's pear," the Medabot corrected. "The Professor makes jam from time to time," he explained. "Ah, here's the hot sauce," he said, handing her the bottle. "Now, where…Will you get the pancake mix for me please?" He continued rummaging through the fridge as Argenta found the pancake mix under one of the cabinets and set it on the counter. "We must have some, the Professor wouldn't let me go without any…" he said, but the Medabot sounded slightly worried.
"What are you looking for?" She leaned into the fridge over him.
"In the cabinet, Rokusho," The Professor said suddenly, causing Argenta to straighten and look in his direction. He indicated the cabinet next to the one she had gotten the pancake mix from, and Argenta opened it.
A large box had slid to the back of the cabinet, and the girl reached in and pulled it out. Something inside the box clanked noisily, and she saw that the box was made of cardboard and looked like a box of soda, except for the fact that the metallic blue box was stamped with the Medabot Corporation's logo. Beneath the logo in both Japanese and English it read:
Low Grade Medabot Oil: High Blend. WARNING: Contents Under Pressure. Do Not Store In Extreme Temperatures. Do Not Freeze. CAUTION: Product is not for human consumption. If product is consumed, contact the Poison Control Center immediately.
Argenta moved aside as Rokusho came and opened the box of oil. Oil was to Medabots as food and water was to humans, and even though their need for oil wasn't quite as dire, they needed a good supply in order to function properly. Argenta knew this, but she had never seen a Medabot actually consume the substance. She watched as he put a few of the cans in the lower part of the refrigerator, and then took an extra can and set it on the counter. Argenta got to her feet and joined the Professor and Baton at the table as they watched Rokusho prepare their meal. It didn't take long and soon the Medabot came to them with two plates filled with eggs, toast, bacon and pancakes.
"Thank you Rokusho," The Professor said, and the Medabot handed both of them their silverware. He glanced back at the kitchen at the humming microwave for a moment, and then sat down beside them.
It looks good Rokusho, but aren't you getting any?" Argenta asked him.
The other three looked at her in confusion until Baton said, "You aren't around Medabots often, are you?"
"No…. Not until now…" she answered worriedly. What'd I say?
Baton buried his head under his wing as the Professor explained, "Medabots cannot consume human food, it makes them quite ill."
"Oh, sorry Rokusho," she grinned sheepishly.
"Apology accepted," the Medabot responded.
"Although," Baton said, "That didn't stop you from eating that watermelon, did it, Rokusho?"
"What watermelon?" the Professor and his granddaughter asked in unison.
"Baton!" Rokusho stood suddenly, and his voice rose an octave. "That was our secret remember! You promised!"
"Oops," said Baton , although he didn't sound particularly apologetic.
"You're busted, Rokusho!" Argenta said half-laughing, and the Medabot sighed as he caught the Professor's eye.
"It was a long time ago, back when the Professor had his lab in that cottage on the hill," The Medabot began. "One of the neighbors brought over a small three-pound watermelon for the Professor," The white Medabot looked extremely guilty as he recalled the situation. "I tried to put it away and not think about it, but I just couldn't," he moaned.
"I thought only Kabuto type Medabots were attracted to watermelons," Argenta said.
" Yes, it is a well-known fact that the Kabuto, or Hercules Beetle type Medabots are attracted to watermelons, but the same hold true for Medabots with any kind of Beetle medal, and that includes Stag Beetle medals," The Professor said.
"All this time, you knew?" Rokusho exclaimed in surprise.
Professor Hushi chuckled. "I've accompanied you enough times to the grocery store Rokusho," he said. "You always did get rather glassy-eyed around the fruit."
Argenta giggled at Rokusho's discomposed expression. "Because he's too busy thinking about those tantalizing watermelons," she said with a grin before taking another bite of her food, and Baton snickered.
"But why?" The Medabot groaned in frustration. "Why does this happen to me?"
"I believe it's an inherited condition, a compulsion from the most basic instincts of your Medal," The Professor answered. "I'll have to do more research, but I believe that other types of Medabots may also have behavioral quirks that reflect the nature of their medals, or the type of body that they are in."
"So, Rokusho's got a thing for melons because of his Stag Beetle medal?" Argenta asked.
"It appears so," replied the Professor as he continued eating.
The microwave beeped, and Rokusho headed towards it. He returned with a large white mug filled with steaming Medabot oil. Argenta stopped eating to watch in fascination as his white faceplate moved downwards and folded into place beneath his chin. His nose and lips were humanlike, except for the fact that they were a metallic white, to match his armor. He blew on his oil to cool it before taking a small sip. Not wanting to be caught staring, the girl returned to eating her own meal, but she failed to realize that the Medabot was watching her with equal interest.
Rokusho often watched the Professor and other humans eat, and somehow he never seemed to tire of it. Perhaps it is simply because I am unable to eat human food myself, he mused as he sipped his oil slowly. Just as humans ate faster or slower, or more or less than others, the same was also true for Medabots. Like a human with a full stomach, a Medabot that had filled its reservoir with oil moved slowly, but preformed better in a robattle. Medabots who drank less oil were faster, but not as strong. The concept then was to find a balance between the extremes, and the amount and type of oil a Medabot drank depended on both the Medabot and the type of body it was in. Rokusho didn't drink more than a can of the watery high-blend oil a day, which was considered rather unhealthy among Medabots, but during his years alone, a wandering Medabot like him was fortunate if he could happen across a can once a week. He knew he should drink more oil, but drinking one can each day was a struggle for him mechanically. The Professor left, excusing himself and Baton followed. The remaining pair finished at about the same time, and both sighed in contentment.
"Thanks for breakfast," she said appreciatively, and Rokusho nodded in acknowledgement. "What do we do now?"
"I have a few friends in this town that I would like to visit, would you care to join me?"
"Okay, let me get dressed," She got up from her chair and headed for the stairs at a run.
"Will you bring me my cape please?" Rokusho called after her.
"Okay!" Argenta called back as she neared the top of the stairs.
She came back twenty minutes later dressed in her usual black jeans and T-shirt and a black leather jacket. A pair of dark sunglasses protected her sensitive eyes from the sun. Slung over her right arm was Rokusho's cape, and she handed it to him as he thanked her. Argenta then made her way to the Professor's open office door, and found him working at his desk, his back to her, and Baton dozing on his perch, his head beneath his wing.
"Grandfather, Rokusho wanted to go see some friends of his, and I was going to go with him, is that ok?" she asked softly. She was hesitant about asking because her Mom never let her go out with her friends, convinced that she was up to no good. For a few moments he said nothing, and Argenta was about to ask again when the memory of her mother's harsh "I heard you!" in situations like this sprang to mind and Argenta's repletion died in her throat as she stood there dumbly, silent and confused, unsure whether his silence was an indication that it was alright or not. With her mother it normally depended on her mood as well as how much she had had to drink the night before, but according to Rokusho, the Professor didn't drink, so...
The pen the old man was writing with fell to the floor with a clatter, startling Baton from his snooze, and he perked up, his wings rustling. The Professor bent down to retrieve it, and noticed Argenta still frozen in the doorway, uncertainty across her face. "Did you need something?" he asked, and Argenta realized that he simply hadn't heard her before. She repeated her question, and the Professor nodded. "You're of an age where you don't need my permission to go out, but be home no later than ten, and do make sure that either Rokusho or Baton is with you, for safety's sake."
Argenta beamed, for this was far more than she had hoped for. "Thank you, and don't worry I won't be out late!" She turned and ran off to rejoin Rokusho.
"Hey, I was having a nice nap you know," she heard Baton complain to the Professor, who replied something unintelligible.
She came back to the living room to find Rokusho waiting for her. He was wearing his cape differently than he had the other day, Argenta noticed. This time, the long cape was arranged on him so that it covered both the front and back of his body, and his arms were only partially visible.
" I think I like your cape better that way," she told him as they left the house. "It looks cooler."
Rokusho didn't reply right away, he seemed to be debating on telling her something. Finally he said softly, " It also hides my damaged Medaparts."
Argenta looked at him, concerned by his sudden change in mood. "But you've lived for a long time, and if they're your friends, won't they just be happy to see you?"
"Yes," he said. "But I don't want them to see me like this, broken and appearing even more peripatetic than I was before."
"I think you worry to much," Argenta said, and he led her into the city until they reached the riverbank. Argenta looked at the groups of Medabots robattling along the slow-moving river, and her eyes gleamed with excitement behind her shades. Rokusho seemed to be looking for someone, his dull red eyes squinting against the bright sun.
" Argenta, do you see a yellow KBT type Medabot anywhere?" he asked. "I can't see the other side of the river clearly from here."
"Um," Argenta looked where he had indicated, scanning the many Medabots locked in combat there. "Hey, yea there's one, it's a yellow Mark IV Kabuto type." Like all Kabuto or KBT types, this Medabot was built for shooting. He was armed with a dual-barrel submachine gun on his right arm, and a single-barrel rifle on his left.
"Hmm, the body's too new, but it could still be him…" Rokusho muttered. "What about the Medafighter?"
"Um, he looks Asian, I think he about fourteen, red shirt, blue shorts, black messy hair-"
" Pulled back into a topknot?"
" Yea, he's the one you're looking for?"
"Yes, let's go!" Rokusho said and they headed in the boys' direction.
The boy was standing on the footbridge that went over the river, speaking into the wristwatch-like device posed just below his chin as his Medabot was chased underneath the same bridge. "Metabee, you've gotta get out of there, they've got you boxed in, you're too close!"
"I know, Ikki, I know, but wha'do I do?" his Medabot asked over the comm. link, speaking fast.
Argenta looked and saw what the Hercules Beetle Medabot's problem was. Two KWG Medabots were on either side of the bridge. One was a Mark III KWG, a white and blue Medabot that looked like a slimmed-down version of Rokusho. The other was a bulky Mark IV KWG type. Unlike his partner, this Medabot was covered in heavy blue and gold armor. The extensions on his shoulders jutted upwards instead to the side like most KWG types, and with their jagged edges they looked more like jaws than blades.
Hey, Mark IV's just came out a year ago, and even then they're super-rare. How'd this guy get two KWG type Medabots? He doesn't look rich, Argenta thought to herself.
" Fire off a quick burst at Tyrelbeetle, then turn and make a run for it past Roks," the Medafighter Ikki commanded. "He's lighter than you are, and he might be fast, but you can barrel right through him."
There was the high-pitched sound of Medabot gunfire, and the white Stag Beetle type – Roks - moved aside as the KBT- Metabee - rushed towards him out from under the bridge. Ikki's opponent, a shy-looking Asian boy with glasses, ran up and stood beside Ikki.
"Roks, use your Cutlass, quickly!" The other Medafighter ordered the white Medabot, and he ran at Metabee, leaping into the air, his white and silver Cutlass gleaming in the sun as he swung both arms over his head.
"No! Not that way!" Rokusho bellowed at the other Stag Beetle type, causing both Medafighters to turn to him in surprise, and amazement mixed with recognition flashed across Ikki's face.
"Take this!" Metabee shouted. He fired two missiles from the rocket launchers mounted on his head like the horn of the Hercules beetle his type of Medabot was named for. The rockets slammed into the airborne KWG's unguarded body, and he fell to the ground limply, face first. A small rectangular portion of the Medabot's back slid into a hidden niche in his armor, and the Medabot's medal was ejected from the slot where it normally rested. Metabee walked up to the medal where it had fallen to the ground with a metallic clatter, and picked it up.
"Well, Roks was my lead Medabot," said the other boy, "So since you beat him, I lose."
"His attack was poorly executed," said Rokusho. The boy looked to the other Medabot in confusion.
"Um, who are you?" he asked puzzledly, his soft voice barely above a whisper.
"Rokusho's an old friend of Metabee and I," Ikki explained as the other Medabots joined them. Roks' medal had been reinserted into his body, and he leaned against Metabee and the other Stag Beetle type, Tyrelbeetle for support.
"Hey, Rokusho!" Metabee greeted him. He extended his fist, and Rokusho thumped his own against it lightly.
"It's good to see the both of you again," he said. "Argenta, these are my friends, Ikki and Metabee. Ikki, Metabee, this is the Professor's granddaughter, Argenta Hushi."
"Professor Hushi's your grandfather?" Ikki exclaimed.
"No way!" said Metabee. Argenta nodded. "Oh, this is Zuru, and his Medabots, Roks and Tyrelbeetle." The KBT introduced the others. "Ikki and Zuru are in the same class, and we robattle each other sometimes."
"Wait, so Rokusho's your Medabot?" Zuru asked Argenta as they left the bridge.
"Huh, Rokusho? No, he belongs to Grandfather, so I'm not a Medafighter," Argenta said.
"Besides," said Ikki, "Rokusho only robattles when he absolutely has to, so if you're looking for a robattle, you're out of luck."
"Unless, you make him mad," chimed in Metabee." But you won't like him when he's angry, trust me, " said the KBT, then changed the subject. "So what'd you think of that robattle, Rokusho?"
"Excuse me, but I thought you just said he didn't like to robattle," said Roks.
"I don't robattle as other Medabots do, but I don't mind watching now and again," said Rokusho. "As far as the robattle is concerned, it seemed like a fairly ordinary robattle for Metabee," he said, and the yellow Medabot nodded in agreement, knowing that Rokusho was familiar with the way he and Ikki robattled. "But as for you Roks, I'm disappointed."
"Hey, what do you mean?" asked the other Stag Beettle Medabot, looking offended. Argenta realized with a start that his voice was alarming similar to Rokusho's own, and she found it unnerving.
"Hey-" Zuru began.
"Hold up!" said Metabee. "Roks look, Rokusho may not robattle as often as we do, but he's one seriously intense Medabot, and man, if he's about to give you some advice, take it, because he's the only Medabot I haven't beaten in a robattle."
"But we'll getcha," Ikki said, nudging Rokusho with a friendly wink. "You were saying?" he prompted, and Rokusho began again.
"Your footwork was erratic and uncertain, you shied away from Metabee when he was headed right for you-"
"You would have met him head-on?" Roks looked at Rokusho as if he was crazy.
"Yea, he would've, and he wouldn'ta let me out of that block either," Metabee said.
" And lastly, your final attack…" Rokusho said, shaking his head.
"Roks, brother, I've got a Ghost medal, so I'm not even what you'd call a real Kawagata Medabot," said Tyrelbeetle, his voice low and thick, "But even I know that was bad."
"Never, never swing both arms over your head like that, especially in midair," Rokusho finished in a slight moan. "You were wide open."
Roks didn't look happy about being told what to do, but his Medafighter and Tyrelbeetle seemed grateful for the advice. "We need to get home, but thanks guys, and it was nice meeting you!" Zuru said as they made to leave. They all said their goodbyes as the three left.
"Was that too much?" Rokusho asked as they walked along the riverbank. Argenta and Ikki sat on some nearby rocks, and Rokusho put his foot on one as he looked at Metabee.
"Naw, Roks can take it," said Metabee, turning towards him. "Hey, that reminds me, you owe me a robattle!" He shifted into a fighting stance, his rifle at the ready.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to fulfill that promise, Metabee, I'm sorry," he said regretfully. Metabee lowered his weapon, his expression incredulous.
"How come?" Ikki seemed disappointed.
"Hey, what gives?" Metabee asked angrily.
"I-" Rokusho began, but found himself unable to finish. At that exact moment, a strong gust of wind blew across them. They shielded themselves from the dust, and Rokusho's cape blew madly in the wind. As Metabee uncovered his eyes, Rokusho's cape fell behind his back, revealing his badly damaged parts, and the older Medabot hung his head in shame.
"Oh…" said the KBT softly, regretting his angry tone a moment before. "Rokusho, I- I didn't know…"
"What?" Ikki looked to his Medabot, confused.
"I'm too old for robattles now, Ikki." Rokusho sighed. He sat down on the rock in front of him, beside Argenta, and Metabee came and sat on his other side in the bright green grass.
"Whoa…" said Ikki softly. "I mean, I've heard Metabee joke about not being able to robattle, but I didn't think it would ever really happen to a Medabot."
"I'm afraid so."
"Hey just get a new body then, what's the big deal?" Metabee said. "I did, and the parts I had before were pretty old."
"But Metabee, we'd need new Medaparts and a new Tinpet, and that costs a lot of money," Argenta said forlornly.
"Besides," Ikki said. "We got those parts for free from Miss Nae remember, and even then, it was just the new Medaparts. A new Tinpet costs at least three times that."
"Oh, yea…" The Hercules Beetle type tried to think of a solution, but came up with nothing. "Man…"
"Not to mention KWG type Medaparts are almost impossible to find." Ikki added.
"What, really?" asked Metabee.
"Yea, and Rokusho's parts aren't even in the catalogs, remember?" The boy reminded his Medabot.
"Yea, I always wondered why there wasn't a listing for a Mark I KWG," Argenta said. "Why, isn't your body in the catalogs, Rokusho?"
" I don't know. I suppose it's only because Dr. Aki has never been able to get his hands on me," he commented.
"Wait a minute! Dr. Aki! Couldn't he fix you?" Argenta asked. "I mean he's the head of the Medabot Corporation!"
"Yea, but Dr. Aki was once an apprentice to Professor Hushi," Ikki said.
" The Professor has tried to fix me many times already, and even he says it can't be done," Rokusho said. "If he had Dr. Aki's equipment, he might be able to get my Medaparts working so that they could be used as spare parts, but they wouldn't survive a robattle."
"Hey, let's go see Miss Nae, she might be able to help you Rokusho!" said Ikki, and Metabee instantly agreed.
"Who's Miss Nae?" Argenta asked.
"Dr. Aki's granddaughter," said Ikki. "She's great, she fixes the local Medabots all the time in her shop, and most of the time she does it for free."
"Sometimes she gets leftover parts and stuff from the Medabot Corporation, so she might be able to help," said Metabee.
"Hey, but I don't have any money," Argenta said.
"Don't worry, Miss Nae'll work something out with you, Metabee, and I end up at her shop all the time, and we're broke too," Ikki said, and the four headed off to the mechanic.
Today's Robattle – Metabee defeats Roks and Tyrelbeetle in an unofficial robattle
No Medaparts won/lost – [Unofficial Robattle]