Can you not hear the wind crying?
Gear Eight, Shift Two: The One Percent Finding
The thing is Shou, Akio…
Tsubasa stormed out of the door, a blazing look of anger swept over his face. Shin, struggled through as Daichi and Amaya rushed up to help him.
What we're facing right now, is something much bigger than anyone could have guessed.
"Tsubasa, you ok?" Miu asked in concerned, Tsubasa passing by her without as much of a glimpse.
Spitfire, you'd better not be joking about this.
"You're a pretty clever girl aren't you?" Tsubasa walked up to a female Two-Stepper standing at the entrance to the lot. She was wearing a navy blue jeans and a tight grey shirt along with the same blue bike helmet as the others. "All this time standing there and I didn't even noticed you. I'm ashamed of myself."
If what you say is true, we'll have to act now.
The female remove her helmet, flinging her long golden hair to straighten them up. She looks as if she was in her early twenties.
Not now.
Tsubasa grabbed her by her shirt and lifted her off the ground. "What I wouldn't give to put a Magnum through your head right now!"
They're in a trap, sown by the warden himself.
"Gun King Tsubasa Tadashi, how nice it is to see you again." The girl replied calmly, smiling all the while. "Do you remember me?"
The time will come when we make a break from his cage.
"How could I forget, Fang Queen, Lucia Miller." Tsubasa said; his eyes filled with hatred.
For now, we'll wait to be captured.
Lucia smiled and said in a seductive tone. "You're friends were quite tasty no?"
For now, go help your friends. They're in trouble. I'll help you, don't worry.
Tsubasa dropped the female. "Bet your Regalia, I'll be sending you home in a body bag!"
XXX
"Tsubasa, what's going on man?" Daichi came up, as surprised as the others.
"This girl is Lucia Miller from the U.S and she's the current Fang Queen." Tsubasa said, still eying Lucia who was picking herself up. "She…killed two of my former team mates when we went to the U.S one month ago, a week before our battle with you."
"She doesn't look half bad for a blood thirsty killer." Daichi said, scanning the girl with a sly look who smiled back sweetly. It sent a chill down Daichi's spine however.
Tsubasa kept his serious look. "She used a sly tactic to judge our strength just then."
"What?"
"She used parts that look scratch and old to make Jason and Conon look like they've been riding for a long time. They acted like scouts, judging whether we were strong."
"How does she judge that?" Miu asked.
Tsubasa continued, "If we've sent our weakest member, which would be the usual tactic, showing we did not notice the parts and branding us as weaklings. If we did notice, the parts and sends in our best riders, we would be branded as professionals. What they do after they've figure that out, is entirely their choice. Most likely, she has already planned out what would happen after this. It's the same as last time. She's just playing with our mind."
"Very good my dear Tsubasa." Lucia said seductively. She pointed to two members of the team standing at the corner, issuing them the order of going next.
Tsubasa stepped forward, eager to get his revenge on the team but Miu grabbed hold of him, telling him to remember the lack of manpower they have and Tsubasa backed down. After being told of the field, Daichi and Amaya stepped forward, eager for their turn at them and they proceeded after their opponents to the door.
When the door closed behind them, Amaya and Daichi left their mouths hanging wide open as if they open long enough, a fly might go in.
"W-What the hell is this?!" Daichi exclaimed. "I thought this was going to be a hotel lobby!"
The area they were in was as large as the lobby that Tsubasa and Shin described but every single item that was suppose to be there wasn't. No reception table, no glass door, no spiral stairs, none of it. The room was made entirely out of metal. The material was left with scratches from previous battles and the light came from tubes at every corner of the room. A pole extended from the right led all the way up to the ceiling where a door, similar to what you find on a submarine was placed. There were also two metal rails suspended parallel to each other in mid air from one side of the room to the other, trapping the pole in between them. And to their right, something which looks like a large metal sliding door you see in sci-fi films is placed into the wall and nothing more. Two large tunnels were also suspended around three meters above the ground in the centre. Cameras were placed at a few nook and cranny and from what they could tell; they could capture the entire room on screen.
"I could get use to this place." Amaya said, obviously stating the fact that this area was perfect for her. Daichi on the other hand, is not really happy about it.
XXX
"Shou, do you mind going on without me?" Akio ask as Shou was about to leave the scorched rooftop.
"What's the matter?"
"I and Ine here have some catching up to do."
Shou reluctantly agreed and Spitfire left without even asking.
"You see right through me again." Ine said once the area is cleared. "I've never had anyone else who could listen to sounds of the hearts as closely and accurately as you two do. You guys would have done well as the next Pledge King, well, one of you at least."
Ine started pacing around the roof, something which was rarely seen of her. She seems flustered and Akio could clearly understand why.
Both me and Shin, we have been Tuners long before joining Tool Toul To. Nearly ten years in fact. We both started out as curious young inventors who stumbled into the world of Air Trecks by accident and were hooked ever since. Next thing we knew, Shou's accident happened and we went our separate ways. If it wasn't for Ine, Shin and I would never have met again. We met her, eight years later, again, another accident decided by fate. We planned out the details to get Shou and Tsubasa together again. We've met many times and the planning let us to the final battle against the Stormers, but not before we joined Tool Toul To.
"I don't understand you Akio. Not you or Shin." Ine blurted out all of a sudden.
"Remember what you said that day when you agreed to help us?" Akio replied calmly. "A Regalia should never be apart."
Ine just couldn't understand. "But you two could have been the successor to Tool Toul To AND the Pledge Regalia!"
Akio gave a deep sigh. "The Ring Road is one of the neutral Roads. You don't take sides unless absolutely necessary. The night before we announce leaving Tool Toul To, me and Shin, we discussed a few things. We have two Kings, one Regalia, there was no way we could remain neutral. And of course, having two Tuners who could understand the frequency of two Kings at such a high level, being able to listen to the beats and strums made by two different person whose relationship with us did not go even as high as brothers, the Ring Road just doesn't explain that."
Ine look disappointed but was breathing easier now she understood better but there was still many questions left on her mind. "And the Drill Road does?" Ine asked almost instinctively.
Akio kept quiet for a few seconds before he spoke again. "You live in the world of the Infinite Scale, a world we experienced once but just didn't click with us. It was amazing, perhaps, too amazing. We heard so many beautiful noises but the problem is that there was no silent."
Ine snapped to attention, realizing the truth behind the words.
"The Infinite Scale is your world, while the Endless Serenade is ours."
XXX
"COME ON!" Shin and the others shouted into the television set that was brought out for them.
Amaya was battling an enemy on the horizontal pipes while Daichi was being chased around on the ground below. Daichi took the pleasure of landing the first hit on his attacker by jumping into the tunnel. When his opponent attempted to follow in, he received a kick to the face. Though slowed, he got up and charged again. Daichi made a run for it, jumping from one tunnel to the next before jumping out, planting his feet to the opposite wall, and launching himself back and attacking the opponent with a clothesline before landing backwards in the tunnel.
Tunnel to Wallplant to Fakie Moonwalk 180
"Do I rock or do I rock?" Daichi taunted and praised as he continued with his hits and runs.
Above head, Amaya was having her own battle. Going back and forth on the two suspended pipes; jousting like knights of the old age. On their fifth round, the enemy turned but could not see his opponent and the next thing he knew, he felt a tuck at his leg and he was swung from the rails. He jumped off, seconds before fully losing his balance and grabbed hold of the rail on the other side. Dangling in the air, he turned to see Amaya's ATs sticking to the rail hanging her upside down.
"I still freak out when she does that." Miu exclaimed. "How does she do that anyway?"
Shin took it to himself of explaining. "You guys must have noticed Amaya's run has always been slow right. Well, the reason is, she has Magnet Wheels." The rest listened attentively as Shin continued his explanations. "Unlike normal wheels, the Magnet Wheels have magnetic rims and axle placed in them. Her axle is positively charged and the rim is laid in a positive-negative manner. The negative areas of the rim attract the positive axle allowing the wheel to turn as the axle does and positive area repels the axle, allowing it to 'float' to reduce fiction and absorbs more shock. Furthermore, two magnets are used to secure the wheel and they are constantly being charged with electricity from the motor, thus, constantly increasing the magnetic charge of the rim while the axle gets it charged directly from the motor. Super charged magnet also means increased grips on metal surfaces and so, Amaya can hang upside down."
"That sounds cool. Do you think I can have one of those wheels?" Miu asked.
"I don't think you can handle it." Shin said without thinking and Miu hammered him in the head. "Let me finish! Thank you. Now, as I was saying, even though these wheels increase handling and absorb shock, it greatly decreases acceleration as the hold between the wheel and axle depends entirely on how strong the rim magnet it. Amaya has trained very hard to learn how to use those wheels and let me tell you, it wasn't easy."
XXX
"Are you sure you don't want to go find them?" Spitfire said. "Weren't you the one who said we have to leave immediately?"
"No, I believe that was you." Shou replied, taking a sip of his drink.
They sat outside Hermes where Shou has ordered a large cup of coke where Spitfire settled with just a cup of water.
Spitfire looked at Shou intriguingly, "Are you sure they can beat a D-Class team like them? I know Tsubasa can handle himself but the rest are just F-Class riders!"
"And your point is?"
"Haven't you heard? Experts calculated that the chances of a team of lower Class beating one with a higher Class are barely one percent. Do you really think your friends have any hope of beating them?" Spitfire continued.
Shou took another sip of his drink. "Spitfire, you're forgetting who we are." Shou looked up at the sky with pride. "One percent, don't make me laugh. There's no such thing here. Don't forget, we're not just any humans. We're Storm Riders."
XXX
And all the way on the other side of town, Amaya dropped her opponent all the way to the ground before heading down the pole. Squatting down and grabbing the pole with both hands, she rides down the pole spinning.
Grab the Paper
Daichi headed towards her and once the two are leveled, Amaya stood straight up, using the cling of her wheels to support her. She extended her hands to Daichi who took it and slingshot him three hundred and sixty degrees round the pole straight into the oncoming enemy. A smile spread across Daichi's face as he lands the final kick.
Daichi-Amaya, Round the World Slingshot
Tricks
Grab the Paper: Spins round a pole in a squatting frog like position. It is good to use this trick to increase friction and reduce the speed of descend.
Round the World Slingshot: Amaya and Daichi tag move. Amaya uses the magnetic cling on her wheels to hang onto a metal pole. Daichi runs up to her at high speed, grapping her hand and turning one full round, fling himself at anything and anyone.
Team: Two-Steppers
Status: Active
Member count: 19
Lucia Miller (Leader): A psychopathic yet extremely attractive lady who have a taste for blood. Likes to play psychological warfare with her opponents and god know what is going through her mind. She is the current Fang Queen.
Jason: One of the two 'scouts' frequently used by Lucia. His riding skill is slightly better than his partner but not by much.
Conon: One of the two 'scouts' frequently used by Lucia. His skills as a rider are mediocre and is considered the lousiest in the team.
