The Ballad of Team Black Egg
Disclaimage- There's a moral in her somewhere... don't steal.
I DON'T OWN IGPX.
Junk- It's been a while I know...
"It's race day, boys and girls!" Sean Shine shouted into the microphone. "Today, it's the face-off many have been talking about as it is definitely a first time in the sport. Today, we have a race that is entirely black and white, but don't get the wrong idea it's only Team Black Egg against Team White Snow."
Kale tried to get herself focused. The week had just raced by and know she was once again about to get into the cockpit and take on another IG-1 team.
She tried to remember the pointers Veronica had told her almost a week ago, "Team White Snow used to be all about playing dirty and coming up with ways to bend the rules. But at the end of every race, the rules would change and yet again, they'd have to come up with something that had never been done. That didn't last and soon they were just barely managing to stay in the IG-1. But they somehow got a man inside and have been making small adjustments to the rules. That's how the managed to put two robots in the driver's seat even though it's clearly against the regular rules. I wouldn't worry too much, they're still not the team they used to be and they can be beaten." She sighed even though it was definitely encouraging news, but she couldn't let her guard down just yet.
Rye gave Amelia a hug and whispered something in her ear. She hoped their new relationship wouldn't cause them any problems out on the field. Mostly she was worried about Amelia. Rye was definitely not a gentle kid, but she knew he cared about her. She wished she could just be happy for them at least.
At least this way, she wouldn't have to worry about her teammates as much on the track. At least she hoped so.
Kale traded a few blows with Demitri Caucasus, the only human pilot of Team White Snow. The albino mech gave her hook that had her spinning, but she regained her balance and tackled the aggressor. The pale man's machine managed to reverse it and she was suddenly on the other side of him and slightly off balance. She managed to turn and block his next attack but just barely.
"Mel, Rye, how are you holding up?" Kale asked as she locked claws with the white robot. The colors of their machines made their small feud seem so much deeper although the two pilots had no immediate personal problems with one another.
"Nothing we can't handle, don't worry about it." Rye said confidently as he swiped a stubby foot under the computerized Defender and made for the other robot Midfielder even though his teammate had no apparent problems holding her own.
"Don't tire yourself out…" Kale told the overprotective boyfriend, although she really wanted to tell him to back off and focus on his own problems."
"Awful close, aren't you?" Demitri asked the other team-captain, obviously amused by her care for her teammates.
"What's it to you?" Kale asked as she blocked the other machine's foot from making contact with her shoulder.
"Nothing, I just think it's cute."
"Don't go there; I'm not in the mood."
"Ha-ha, sounds like you need some privacy. How about a little—"
"Let me guess…" Kale cut the man off, "White Noise?"
"Oh that's right; Windy Bird showed you that one already. I'll let you in on a little secret, my team made it possible for them to use that little jamming trick." The pale Forward said as he knocked his opponent off balance once again.
"I thought you were supposed to be the strong, silent type…" Kale said as her anger against this strange man was peaking.
"Only in front of the cameras, little lady,"
"Incoming!" Rye shouted as a robot-controlled Midfielder was thrown at the two Forwards. Kale managed to dodge and Demitri was hit by his teammate.
"Grah! Get off of me!" The large man shouted as extra weight began to slow him down.
"Data error…" UG-TI137 beeped and the team-captain growled and threw off his teammate. He turned his sights on Kale who wasn't far ahead and seemed to be waiting for him. He growled again, "Let's get serious!"
"It's about time," Kale said confidently.
"Rye Descatellie takes the checkered flag!" Sean Shine announced to the stadium.
Just about as soon as she had gotten on her mech she pinned the Defender to the black metal.
"What's your problem?" She asked him with savagery.
"Problem? I won the race, Miss Team-captain." Rye chuckled despite his compromising position. Kale quickly punched him against the solid Defender's mech which was currently in Speed mode.
"Kale!" Amelia shouted as she ran near, attempting to break up the fight.
"No, Mel," The Forward shouted at her teammate, a bit louder than she had intended, "He deserves it!"
She gave him another strong punch before letting him fall to the track floor. Amelia shouted the young Defender's name as she ran up and picked the boy up from under his shoulder. Despite the weight she made a serious face at her team-captain. Kale made an assured sound to say that she had not regretted it at all.
"I understand you two are not getting along," Charles Sinclair said from behind his desk, he only seemed to act truly serious when a hefty amount of ill-dusted wood was between him and his quarry.
"That's an understatement…" Rye said with his arm crossed, not even looking at the team manager, "She's jealous, because she didn't get to cross the line first."
"What? Of course not! You left Mel alone to take on Team White Snow's Defender!" Kale said assuredly.
"Only for a little while," Rye said a bit embarrassedly, "But she could take care of it."
"The point is you could have let her do it rather than hogging all the glory and putting her in harm's way."
Rye thought about it for a moment, "But what if Demitri had caught her?"
"You think I'd allow that?"
"Just like you 'allowed' me to pass?"
"Did you honestly expect me to stop my own teammate?"
"Considering how pissy you're gett—"
"Enough!" Pops shouted, trying his best to set things straight, "Obviously there's a problem here. We'll never take the championship if you two don't stop fighting."
"Championship?" Rye scoffed.
"You don't think we can do it?" Kale asked, eying him angrily.
"No offense Miss Team-captain, but Vance would turn you into Rocket road-kill."
"Why you little—"
"Kale!" Pops shouted to once again end the two pilots' bickering, "He might be right. Currently as we are now, we have no chance of winning against Team Rocket GTS. And they just so happen to be our next opponents…"
"What?" Kale gasped, "You can't be serious!"
Charles Sinclair nodded, "Right now, more than anything, we need to step up our game-plan if we expect to win."
There was knock on the door of Kale Ricarro's apartment. The Forward threw on her usual leather jacket and opened the door.
"Veronica? What are you doing here? How did you find this place?"
"Oh please Kale, I'm not one of those non-beautiful people, you know. When I ask a question, people give me answers." The blonde said as she let herself in and looked around.
"You're joking right?" Kale asked, not exactly appreciative of the girl's forwardness.
The other pilot turned around and made a face, "Maybe…"
"So… I heard you lost to Rocket GTS…"
"I heard you beat White Snow…" The beauty seemed to almost echo back to her.
"You aren't upset?"
"No… my sister was though…" Veronica said nonchalantly. The girl's sister was the team-captain of Team Skylark. Not only that, she was currently dating Vance Simstrum, emphasis on "currently".
"What are you doing here anyway?"
Veronica sighed, "Okay I lied, I am upset about losing to Rocket GTS. Could you… take me on a ride on your motorcycle? It's a classic isn't it?"
The bike hummed as Veronica clung to Kale's back. For a second she wondered if the girl had fallen asleep, but considering the tightness of the older girl's grip, it was unlikely.
A light turned red as she approached it so she slowed to a halt. She looked over her shoulder, "You can come out now."
"No," The helmeted blonde said in a mix of defiance and fear. Kale laughed, but she noticed another man a bike in a nearby lane, he was staring at them.
"Dykes on a bike, Vance Simstrum said, "How quaint…"
Kale growled as she stared down the Rocket-to-be on an obviously much-newer motorcycle. The cocky pilot motioned with his head towards the red light, signifying that he wanted to race. Kale nodded her reply. "To the park then." Vance said, clearly quite sure of his many advantages. The light went green and the two bikes sped off into the evening light.
Next Time: Amy