Author Notes:
+ I do not own Medabots, only my own characters.
+ If needed, refer to Chapter 1 of this fanfiction.
Part 1 : RST - Reunions, Sabotage, and Trouble
"Are you done yet?"
"Um, maybe?"
"Inao!" Nerai rolled her eyes. Since she came by Inao's house early that morning, the Meda-team captain had been checking and re-checking his tools to make sure that the team had everything they might need. At least four times.
Finally, Inao put away his list and closed the tool box. "There. I guess we'll be off now."
"Good," Nerai replied. "Kenro and Rokusho have been waiting for half an hour for you. Did you really have to check four times?"
Inao ignored the question as he met with Kenro and Rokusho, who were sitting on the lawn. "So, you two ready?"
"As ready as we can be," Rokusho replied. "Not much more we could do at this point."
"You ready to go, captain?" Kenro asked.
Before Inao could reply, his pocket began to ring. "Hold on," he said as he pulled his ringing cell phone out of his pocket. "Hello? Oh, hi Hana. You ready for-? What? Oh, okay. See you later then."
"What's wrong?" Nerai asked when Inao groaned in frustration.
After taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he replied, "Hana's sick, so she can't make it today. Now we can't enter."
"Inao, I'm sure we can find a fourth member before registration closes," Kenro said. "What's the plan for me and Rokusho then?"
After a few minutes of thought, Inao said, "There'll probably some singles matches at the tournament. I guess we'll have to enter you two in those unless you want to do a different challenge.
"As for this fourth member, you seem to have someone in mind," he added after Kenro and Rokusho shook their heads.
"Maybe," Kenro shrugged. "Is there a challenge for endurance?"
"Yes, there is," Nerai said before Inao could respond. "We weren't planning on registering someone for that challenge, so I didn't think you needed to know," she told Inao. With a grin, she added, "Besides, I thought you already knew about this, captain."
Scowling, Inao turned to Kenro. "I take it the two you have in mind specialize in endurance?"
Kenro shrugged again. "Who knows, but we can take a chance. You still want to enter the competition?"
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The park was packed with people and Medabots alike milling about the vendors' various stalls and looking at the array of different challenges awaiting the Meda-teams assembled today. All around was a buzz of excitement that even got the easily-worried Inao eager for the day's events. One person didn't need a push to be excited at all today had to offer.
"Whoa! Can I get some of that food?"
"Right after we get you registered," Inao sighed, trying to lead his last-minute, overeager fourth member to the registration booth.
Walking a few feet behind Inao and the fourth, Nerai asked Kenro, "You sure about this?"
"He'd come for the food anyway. Might as well give him something to be involved in," Kenro chuckled. "Besides, Kurt and Belzelga should be fine for the endurance challenge."
"Win or lose, we should all have fun while we are here," Rokusho added.
Nerai sighed. "You don't even know how the challenge works, let along Kurt and Belzelga."
"Not that it will bother them," Peppercat said, shaking her head. Ahead, Inao was still struggling to keep Kurt from wandering off, their path hardly straight to the registration booth.
The team finally made their way to their destination and registered for the competition without a problem.
"Can I go now?" Kurat asked, grinning widely at Inao. The team captain simply nodded in reply and slumped onto a bench.
"Just be back before noon," Inao told Kurt. "I want to go over some last-minute prep stuff about your challenge."
"Don't worry, captain. I'll make sure he's back in time," Belzelga said quickly before running after Kurt, who was quickly moving from stall to stall and apparently enjoying himself.
"Kenro, I appreciate you finding a member for our team so quickly, but are you sure about this?" Inao asked tiredly. "Kurt's a nice enough guy and all, but his reliability is questionable."
"No doubts at all," Kenro smiled. "All they need to know is what they have to do for the challenge, and Kurt and Belzelga will do what they can to succeed."
"Which is why your mother enjoys them so much," Rokusho added, a slight joking tone to his statement.
"I still help out," Kenro retorted. "Anyway, while we're still on the topic of Kurt and Belzelga, what do they have to do for the Endurance Challenge, anyway?"
"Basically, it's punching a wall," Cyandog answered. "The catch is that for each wall that is broken, a tougher wall takes its place. Maybe the wall is made of a stronger material. Maybe the wall is even electrified. Point being is that the challenge is between the Medabots and the walls."
"How'd you know that?" Inao asked incredulously.
"Peppercat told me," Cyandog said, his tone that of an innocent puppy.
"And you didn't tell me?"
"You don't need to be told anything except that you ain't winning."
Both Medafighter and Medabot turned to face the speaker. Of Inao's team, only Kenro's mouth dropped at the sight of the large figure and his team.
"B-B-Big Joe," Kenro stammered, more in surprise than in fear.
"You got it! We're back and meaner than ever, just for the competition. Don't worry, kid. I'm still keeping my end of the deal, and I'll leave right after the tourney's over," the large man laughed, taking Kenro's hand and shaking it vigorously. "So, how've you been?"
"I'm doing well. Thanks for asking," Kenro replied, still a bit bewildered by the encounter. "How about you and the Rockers?"
Big Joe and the Rockers stiffened, Big Joe's smile fading slightly. "All's well with us," he started, "but I have some worries about the tournament."
"Like what?" Nerai asked.
"Like sabotage," Mohawk said, shuddering from the thought.
"Yeah. We hear that another group from the town we moved to is participating today, and those guys are ruthless," Spiky said. "They'd stoop so low as to attack other people's Medabots to get rid of potential competition."
"Which is why Boss proposes we help other teams watch out for 'em," Piercings added. "We might look and act like thugs, but we have a sense of community and honor."
"Thank you for telling us," Inao told the Rockers and Big Joe.
"No problem. 'An enemy of my enemy is my friend', right?"
Before anyone could respond, shouts broke out nearby. Both teams and their accompanying Medabots ran over to the growing commotion to see Kurt and Belzelga fending off against an assailing Medabot. The unknown Medabot was brown with large fists and had a Jolly Ranger perhaps stamped or branded on its head part.
"Belzelga, whatever you do, don't hit back," Kurt said, his cheeriness gone, "but let's try not to take too much damage either."
"We'll see about that," the brown Medabot chuckled. It readied itself to rush in, fists flying, but the sound of approaching footsteps and the heads of officials caused the would-have-been saboteur to flee the scene.
After Kurt explained the situation to the officers, he and Belzelga rejoined their team and the Rockers.
"You okay, Kurt?" Inao asked.
"Okay enough, but that was scary!" Kurt said, shaking from the experience.
Big Joe shook his head sadly. "Can't believe he'd do that so openly," he muttered to himself.
To the group, he said, "That was Agadama, a raccoon-type Medabot that has seen his fair share and enjoyed most of his fistfights. That mark makes 'im a member of the Street Pirates, the group I was alluding to. From what I know of their habits, they must be really concerned with the other teams if they chose to attacked so publicly."
"Maybe it's because of me," Belzelga sighed.
"Not necessarily," Rokusho said. "You and Kurt were separate from us, so that would make you better targets for an ambush. I do agree with Big Joe that their public attack does not seem to make much sense."
"Hold on. Where's Peppercat?" Nerai said, looking around worriedly for her Medabot.
"I'm here, Nerai," the red Medabot replied, appearing beside her Medafighter.
"Where did you go?" Cyandog asked.
"Just doing a bit of scouting," Peppercat said. "A bit strange that I didn't see any other Medabot with that mark back where that brown Medabot returned to."
"Then Agadama and his Medafighter of part of someone else's team? Even worse," Big Joe sighed. "I'd love to stay and chat, but the Endurance challenge is starting soon, and Megaphant has to get ready. Then Phoenix's entering Agility, and the Black Rams are tag-teaming in the Arena. We'll probably meet up later in the day, so see ya guys."
"Later, Big Joe," Kenro said.
"How do these challenges work after each round, anyway?" Kurt asked Inao.
"Best two move on to a second round. The Robattles, on the other hand, are elimination matches; basically, you lose the round, you're out of the competition," Inao explained, directing the latter part of his statement to Kenro. "Not sure how finals will work though aside from the Robattles."
"We'll worry about that when we get there," Kurt said confidently. "Anyhow, Belzelga and I need to get to our challenge."
"Good luck, Kurt," Inao said. "You know you'll be facing Megaphant now, so you ready for that?"
"You betcha!" Kurt smiled, flashing a thumbs-up before dashing to his challenge.
"Don't worry about us," Kenro said before Inao could ask. "Rokusho and I'll Robattle for Hana and Lea as well as the rest of the team."
"So we will put our efforts into the rounds ahead," Rokusho finished.
The captain nodded. "Good. I'm going to make sure Cyandog's ready for the Accuracy challenge. You two watch yourselves, and we'll meet up at the Lot to see the Endurance challenge."
"Peppercat and I are going to check out the stalls for a while. See you later, Kenro," Nerai said, heading off with her Medabot.
"Are you ready, Kenro?" Rokusho asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Kenro replied. "Want to wander around while we're waiting?"
"I don't see why not," Rokusho shrugged, following Kenro through the park.
It was a bright sunny day, and with the park and tournament officials on the lookout for further attacks or sabotage, how could anything go wrong?
Much more seriously than everyone thought.
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"You idiot! What were you thinking?"
"Calm down. I was just trying to improve our chances."
"And what if you or Agadama were caught, huh? Then what? You'd kick the whole team out, not just yourself!"
"Enough!" another voiced boomed. "At this point, the officials only wish for the tournament to run smoothly, so Agadama should not have any trouble participating in today's events.
Now, I have sought each and every one of you to partake in this tournament, specifically on my team, for a reason, and I will not let mere bickering forfeit our participation. What's done is done. Is this clear?"
"Almost completely," said Agadama's Medafighter. "What's this 'reason' you're talking about?"
"Why do you care?" the first speaker snapped.
"Because I'm no one's pawn," he snarled back.
"And you aren't," the third speaker interjected. "You do not need to know or understand my motives, but I assure that you that the results will be satisfactory. For all of you."
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End Notes:
+ About time I put out a new chapter, right? If you are still reading this fanfiction, I am extremely grateful for all of your support and for being patient with me for so long. I will try to release the next one sooner, but because real life is about to make things a bit more difficult for me, it may take a long amount of time between releases. I will still do my best to get the next chapter out for you, my readers old and new.
+ While I am not looking for more fan-made Medabots and/or Medafighters for the tournament, if you have still have Medabot and/or Medafighter ideas that you want to submit, please feel free to do so via FanFiction's 'Send Message' function found on my profile page.
If submitting a Medabot and/or Medafighter, please include his/her name, a clear description of the character, and his/her personality. For Medabots, if you want a technique or such to be used, please include the name of the technique, a clear description of how it is done, and if applicable, the name of the Medapart(s) being used. I will give proper credit for any of your works that appear in this fanfiction.