EMERGENCY!

PART 2

How do I describe the situation I found myself in? Words almost fail to articulate the predicament in which I had managed to wrap myself in.

Almost.

Also, those were two words I never thought I'd use in the same sentence. But my personal attacks on my own intelligence are for a whole different occasion.

On this day, I managed to go out with a friend and a friend of a friend, who quickly became my own friend, if that makes any sense. We shopped around in the Giga City Shopping Arcade for a while, despite a recent Maverick attack that destroyed a portion of the Arcade. We were doing well, too. I bought a dress and a kimono that I absolutely fell in love with. All while the fact that the one person I hate the most in this world, despite the all of five seconds we actually talked, was harboring some sort of plan to destroy this city for some odd reason. A plan that, lest we forget, that I still had yet to share with anyone other than my pet-slash-support unit Ocelot by the name of Tango.

After shopping for a while, my friends and I found ourselves caught in an attack-slash-weapon demonstration orchestrated by some bat-based Pseudoroid, I assumed, and the Mechaniloid goons, again I assumed, in an attempt to further his position in what he was thoroughly convinced was an area of the black market he probably wanted to corner. I decided to try and put a stop to his plans, even though I'd been told by one of my field technicians that there wasn't any sort of Maverick activity in the area.

I was doing fairly well on my own against a group of things causing destruction and chaos compared to my previous attempt at such. The time before, I had been sufficiently mauled and nearly destroyed until previously mentioned Ocelot leaped into the fray and saved my proverbial bacon. This time, however, I managed to take down five Krybots, as the Pseudoroid called them on my own, sustaining a leg injury in the process. The last two active Krybots were taken down by a mysterious source, as far as I knew at the moment. The Pseudoroid turned tail and flew away, apparently beating a quick retreat. I tried to chase after him, but pain, heat and sparks kept me from pursuing him.

Looking around, I managed to find the source of the bolts that defeated the last of the Krybots, as well as keep me in a single location. What I saw was not nearly what I had expected to see.

See, aside from the concerns that I had about Berkana wanting to level Giga City, a big issue that didn't sit well with me was the fact that I had apparently been tasked with protecting the entire country of Neo Arcadia by myself. Not an easy task for a teenager, let alone someone who'd recently discovered that she's the daughter of two of the world's greatest heroes.

I, at first, hoped that the five people running toward me was the introduction of newly assigned Maverick Hunters to help me with my cause. After all, you can't exactly expect one person to be able to protect a country on their own, right?

Right?

My hopes, however, diminished when I realized that the one in the middle, brandishing the twin red Buster Pistols, was probably the one who fired around me, keeping me in place. Not that a painfully burned shin wasn't doing the job on its own.

I also figured that they weren't here to help me when they stood a few feet away, the dual Pistol wielder holding them level and aimed directly at me. It did, however, give me a chance to get a good look at them.

The five wore bright uniforms. The full-body suits were almost identical, save for the fact that each was a different color. Red, blue, green, yellow and pink. The chests on each also bore the numbers 1-5 respectively. It seemed like a kindergarten lesson in colors and counting came up to stop me from following the bat Pseudoroid. I did the only thing I could think to do.

"What is going on here?"

"You tell me." One of them answered. I couldn't tell which one right off because their helmets covered ever part of their features. At least you could see my eyes through my helmet. The only way I could tell it was the one in red was because he was actually moving like someone who was talking would. "You're the one trying to strike a deal with an intergalactic criminal."

"Intergalactic what?" What was this guy going on about? "Look, who are you people, anyway?"

Big mistake asking that, Iris.

Big.

Mistake.

Because, as it would happen, that was apparently an invitation for the group to sound off.

"One!" The red one shouted. I jerked my head back slightly in surprise. "S.P.D...Red!" With that, he struck the most ridiculous pose I think I've ever seen. The other four followed suit, shouting numbers and colors to go along with equally embarrassing stances.

Ibuki would've loved these weirdos. They were right up her rather strange alley. I, on the other hand, had a hard time believing people like that actually existed. I mean, who dresses up like that and tries to be much cooler than they actually are, anyway?

Note to self: Don't look in any mirrors for a couple hours.

"Space Patrol Delta!"

The group eventually finished, each finally standing up straight and holding out a small black box with flashing red lights on the top and the letters "S.P.D." in white running along the side. Similar lights flashed on both sides of their helmets.

If it weren't for the fact that I already had a hard time trying to stand on what I was pretty sure was a badly burned shin, I probably would've stumbled forward in sheer embarrassment.

"There's two minutes of my life I'd gladly trade everything to get back." I muttered under my breath.

"Really, now?" The one in blue sneered slightly. "Would that include trading in your freedom?"

"That'd be really weird if it does." The green one chimed in. "Because that'd mean that you'd go to jail for something that you wouldn't get anyway. Physics and the time-space continuum being what they are and all..."

"Bridge!" The one in yellow, who through the whole introduction sequence I deduced to be a female, shouted. Green slowly turned his head toward her.

"Sorry."

Pink, also obviously female, scoffed and set her hands on her hips. "Can we get this over with? I've got a manicure and a pedicure waiting for me when we get home."

Oh, then by all means. Don't let me hamper your plans.

"You did when you decided to try and buy off weapons from that bat!" The red one accused, leveling his Buster Pistols at me. Mouth runs ahead of brain once again. I should start keeping score. "Now tell me where he went and things might not go so badly for you."

I held up a hand in defense. "Whoa, hold on! This is big misunderstanding!"

"Really?" Blue spoke up. "Just what part of you attempting to make a deal with an intergalactic criminal are we misunderstanding, exactly?"

My eyes rolled. "How about the part where I destroyed several of those Mechaniloid things?"

"Big deal," Yellow retorted. "Beating a bunch of Krybots doesn't mean a whole lot."

Great. Thanks for diminishing my accomplishment, you sun-kissed jerk.

"Look, let me-argh!" I made the mistake of trying to stand up straight and ended up placing more weight on my burned leg than it wanted to take.

"I think you've explained yourself enough." Red said as he holstered the Pistols. "Now then, you're coming with us!" Before I had the chance to try and defend myself with my words again, the five brightly colored nuisances charged me. Now I had to defend myself with my fists and I couldn't properly move around because of my injury.

Wonderful. This is what I get for trying to do something a little different.

Red and Blue both leaped at me, legs extended into flying kicks. Avoiding the attacks were easy. A simple roll to the side was all I needed to do. The hard part was avoiding the ax kick from Blue that followed the flying variety. I brought my arm up to block the attack, forgetting that I still had my Z-Blade in my hand. The blade pointed upward, creating a very dangerous method of blocking an attack.

At least, it would have on someone else. The body suit apparently protected him better than I thought it would. He didn't even flinch when his Achilles' hit the blade. I pushed off with the blade, knocking him off balance and into Red. Green attacked this time, delivering a pair of low kicks of his own. I blocked them both, but doing so forced me off balance. I swung one of my swords at him, catching him on the stomach. As he rolled away, Yellow and Pink aimed Buster Pistols of their own at me and fired. My leg still in pain, I didn't have much choice but to try and shield myself from the blasts.

Fat load of good that did. It only resulted in my forearms joining my shin in offering me intensely irritating pain. Things didn't get any better for me, as the five of them lined up once again, all leveling their weapons.

"Ready..." Red called out. My eyes widened at the sight of the firing squad before me. "Fire!"

"Aw-" Was all I could get out before numerous bolts of energy landed on and around me, creating an inferno of flames and sparks all around me. I cried out in pain as my armor as a whole intensified in temperature. If this kept up, I was sure I would've been cooked alive.

Not a good way for things to end, I decided. I could only hope that the shots would come to an end soon.

A second later, my silent and pained prayer was answered as the shots came to an abrupt end. I collapsed forward, gasping for breath. My hair fell in front of me, appearing to be an extremely faded blond. I looked at it oddly. It didn't make sense for my hair to change colors like that, and it was the second time it happened.

"Now then." Red said as he pulled the black box from earlier from his belt. "It's time to end this."

Right. More important things to tend to here. I didn't need to worry about my brunette locks...

Wait. Brunette? I wasn't sure how or why, but my armor faded, leaving me in the street clothes I was wearing before I morphed. My head dropped in a mix of pain and embarrassment. I just couldn't stop taking beatings in fights, could I? Even my armor gave up on me. Or it might've if it could think for itself.

Red held the box out in front of him. "You are hereby being charged with soliciting business with a known criminal and destruction of private property."

I groaned. "I keep telling you...that's not how it was..."

"We'll see. Judgment Mode!" He pressed a button on top of the box. The front flipped open, revealing a display that alternated between a blue 'X' and a red 'O', as well as a timer. I tried to stand up, only to find that my feet were frozen in place. Whatever was going on, it made sure I couldn't move from where I was.

That was fine by me. After the assault and horrendous feelings from my arms and leg, I wasn't in that big of a rush to get anywhere. I took a few deep breaths, trying to push the pain out of my mind. Not an easy thing to do when the body parts sending those signals of agony to your brain are your limbs.

A few moments of near silence passed. The black box continued to alternate between the two lights, ticking away the seconds that passed by. None of the six of us moved. They were waiting for the machine to finish. I was waiting to get out of there.

Eventually, the little black box finished whatever it was doing and displayed the result. The blue 'O' glowed brightly, the light pulsing slowly.

"Huh?" Red asked. The five looked at the box with what I was sure were surprised expressions. It was kinda hard to tell with their helmets covering everything. "Not guilty?"

Oh, so that's what that thing was. A portable judge and jury. I'd have thought it cool at the time if it weren't for the fact that I was aching and stinging everywhere.

"See?" I said. "I told you this was a misunderstanding."

"Then why don't you explain who you are?" Red asked, holstering the box.

"I'd love to..." I shifted my weight slightly, trying to take some of it off my burned leg. "But I'm kinda having a hard time concentrating on anything other than 'ow' right now."

"Uh, yeah...sorry about that..." The five started to approach me. I assumed they were going to try and help me, but they never really got the chance. After taking a couple of steps, they were cut off by a set of flying weapons. Black, diamond shaped knives embedded themselves in the ground before them. A pair of bodies, the ones I saw before, flew in the air above me, landing in between us. My eyes grew when I saw who they were.

"Stay back." Ibuki growled, clutching an unused kunai tightly and still in the dress she bought earlier. "You're not laying another hand on her."

Unlike Ibuki, Sarai was more focused on me. "Hey, are you alright?"

I painfully chuckled for a moment. "Except for a slight tingling, I'm fine."

Red put his hands up defensively. "Relax. We're going to help."

Ibuki tightened her hold on her kunai. "I don't think so. We'll take it from here."

"Look," I said as I struggled to stand. "I'll be glad to explain everything later. Do you know where the Maverick Hunter Corps HQ is?"

Red shook his head. "No, but I'm sure we can find it."

"Good, because I couldn't tell you where it was if I knew." Surprisingly enough, I was able to get up on one leg. I kept my weight off of my burned leg to try and minimize the pain. "Wait for me there. I'll meet up with you later."

"Sounds good. Let's go, guys." With that, the five turned to walk away. I could only hope they were actually leaving and not just trying to pull a fast one. Before they left my sight, however, I could see Pink stop Yellow.

"Wait," I could barely hear her say. "What just happened there?"

"Got me." Yellow shrugged before the two continued walking. "I just hope he knows what he's doing."

A few moments passed after the five left. Ibuki relaxed, hid her kunai under her dress and set off to retrieve the ones stuck in the ground. Sarai slid under my arm on my burned side.

I know I'm bringing it up a lot, but have you ever been badly burned? It's kinda hard to get off your mind.

Sarai looked over the arm I draped over her shoulders. They weren't as bad off as my leg. "Wow. That can't feel too comfortable."

I laughed slightly. "Not really, no."

"You deserve it." Ibuki said as she approached the two of us. "Keeping secrets from and tricking your friends and all."

"Which reminds me. What are you guys still doing here?"

Ibuki flashed her watch at me. "I just happened to check the time on our way out. It's nowhere near 4, so I figured something was up."

Sarai laughed nervously. "It didn't help that we ended up falling through the bottom of the ventilation shaft after a couple of feet anyway."

"I swear, they make those things without considering the possibility that a ninja might need to use them..."

I rolled my eyes. "Look, you can rue the day designers forgot about you guys later. Right now, I'm kinda injured here."

Ibuki scratched her head. "Oh, right." She slid under my other arm, allowing me to use both her and Sarai as human crutches. We slowly made our way toward the nearest exit. Just before we reached the door, Ibuki took the opportunity to say something I found very important.

"Just so you know," she said. "I called your mom and asked her to come get us."

My eyes bugged once more. Great. Now I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do.

"Thanks."

Who knew that writing a brief oneshot makes for good motivation?

Anyway, I kept the action sequence in this part rather brief due to the fact that Iris was injured and couldn't do much to defend herself because of the injury. I also opted to skip the majority of the intro sequence due to time constraints. Namely, I felt it'd be too long and too repetitive.

Trivia time! Iris says something the guest stars of these two episodes that a villain from their franchise (not necessarily the same season) says. What does she say about them?