Leo'sScrew Ups
Leo & Christi were enjoying themselves when Leo slipped on the ice covered dance floor & he accidentally shoved Christi towards the snack table. Christi hit the table & the punch bowl was flung into the air & drenched Christi with the fruit punch. She placed her hand on the table to pick herself up but the weak table broke in half making Christi fall along with it & all the desserts & junk food dumped onto Christi.
Leo was stunned & shock as this unfolded. Save covered his eyes same as ColdCut.
Christi picked herself up to show all the cake, juice, candy, & other sweets covering her. Leo was about to apologize like there was no tomorrow, but then the entire crowd began to laugh their heads off. Christi looked at Leo with anger, embarrassment, & sadness. "Christi I'm-" but he was cut off when Christi began to sob.
She covered her face, cried, & then ran off onto her mecha & sprinted away. "Wait, Christi!" a guilty Leo called out but was completely overpowered by the laughing. "What did I just do?" Leo asked himself & then he smacked his head.
ColdCut face palmed his head. "Hoser." he muttered as Leo's friends gathered around Leo.
Tim had win himself a giant plush Frostcrawler toy, Quiver was still enjoying the hot chocolate, Sydney & Luke won the team duel, Garo lost the pie eating contest, & Ashely got herself a tiny ice sculpture of a Whail. "You really screwed up this time." Sydney told a guilty & apologetic Leo
Leo just shrugged down before hopping onto Walker, & sprinting off to an embarrassed & upset Christi.
Leo caught up to her easily, thanks to the trail of sweets. "Christi!" he called out to her.
A crying Christi turned her head to see Leo catching up to her. She revved up Skip & sprinted faster away from the apologetic Leo. "Wait, Christi! I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" he apologized, but Christi didn't even slow down. "Wait!" Leo called out again but he did get an answer from a Christi's Vinedrill that created a giant wall of vines in Leo's path making him stop Walker. "Christi I'm really sorry!" Leo yelled through the vines & watched as Christi rode out of sight. Leo sat back on Walker. "Great job Leo, you really did it this time." he groaned to himself & looked down at the ground in shame & depression.
Save wanted to cheer up his friend but there was nothing he could say or do to help, so he sat on Leo's shoulder silently & depressed.
Leo revved up Walker, set him at a walk, & made it home an hour later. He parked Walker inside the garage where Navy was parked so Leo knew that Sydney & Tim made it home before he did. Leo stepped off Walker & entered the main room of the Hideout where Tim was playing a video game on the TV. Tim smiled & was about to tease Leo, but he stopped himself when he noticed how depressed his brother looked. Leo left for his room, he passed up Sydney but she stayed quite when she noticed Leo's condition, Leo locked himself in his room, & slumped on his bed. Leo's slugs hopped out of their slug tubes & backpack but they were too concerned with their sad friend to do anything. Not even Jokes cracked a smile or tried to pull a prank to cheer Leo up. So all the slugs just hung around in the room in silence & worry.
About 15 minutes later, Eli & Trixie returned from dealing with a Hyper situation over at the Magma Cavern. "We're home!" Eli shouted cheerfully when they entered the house.
"Hey mom, dad." Tim shyly grinned
"Hey guys." Sydney greeted
"How was the Snow Carnival?" Trixie asked
Sydney & Tim told their parents about how they had a snow race, the Desert Sand attack, & they told them about the slug target range & the team duel, leaving Leo's screw up unmentioned. "Sounded like it was very eventful." Eli chimed
"It sure was." Tim responded cheerfully
"So where is Leo?" Trixie asked, Sydney's & Tim's smiles disappeared.
Trixie could tell something was wrong, she made her way towards the stairs, but before she could walk up Sydney stepped in her way. "Leo's napping right now, so I wouldn't go up there." she lied with a nervous grin.
"Ok, now I know something's wrong." Trixie snapped "Because you'd jump at the chance to mess around with Leo."
Sydney sighed "Mom, dad, there was something else that happened at the carnival." Sydney said as Tim frowned with disproval.
Sydney told Eli & Trixie about how Leo asked Christi to dance, but then he slipped & accidentally shoved Christi into a snack table, & she ended up being humiliated, cried, & upset at Leo. "Oh my, poor Leo." Trixie gasped after being told what happened.
"Man I never heard of anyone screwing up so badly." Eli gasped, but then heard Leo groan from his room letting them know that he heard them.
Trixie gave a stern look to her husband. Eli gave a shy grin & shrugged "Sorry." Eli apologized as Burpy face palmed himself. Eli then walked up the stairs & knocked in Leo's door. "Can I come in?" he requested, but got no answer. "Come on it didn't sound that bad." Eli lied
"Dad, I heard what you said earlier." Leo groaned from inside his room.
"Oh, right." Eli said "But can you just let me in so I can help."
Leo opened the door with a giant frown "Ok, but I don't think you can help." he said gloomily as Eli walked inside.
Leo sat back down on his bed & Eli remained standing. Eli sighed "You really feel bad about this, don't you?" he asked & Leo nodded his head, yes. Eli took a seat next to Leo. "If you really feel that bad then go apologize." Eli suggested
"I tried that." Leo said sadly. "And besides I don't think Christi will ever forgive me." Eli began to laugh making Leo feel worse. "Yeah, that's what I thought after I hurt Trixie's feelings." Eli laughed & Leo gave him a surprised & confused look. "Yeah, right before I started dating Trixie we had a duel where I glued her to a runaway mecha with Gooper & then I used a Flatulorinkus slug on her, all when she had it recording live on her camera."
Leo began to laugh until they heard Trixie punch a table from the main living room. "Yeah, she's still sensitive about that incessant." Eli said nervously.
"How did you get her to forgive you?" Leo asked curiously.
"Oh...um, she didn't talk to me for like a month." Eli replied nervously & Leo frowned thinking that Christi may do the same. "But then I got an idea." Eli chimed "I thought of if we could defeat some powerful goons as a team, she may forgive me after she saw how much of a great team we were."
"Did it work?" Leo asked
Eli chuckled "We're together aren't we & besides how do you think Loke & Lowd ended up in Stalagmite 18?" Eli asked with a grin.
Leo chuckled. "So if I can show Christi how much of team we are she'll forgive me?" Leo asked
"You bet." Eli assured & padded Leo on back. "And I got the perfect mission for you two. There's an illegal duel club going on over in Botton & Spinx Cavern." Eli added
"What makes it illegal?" Leo asked
"They're not licensed & there are rumors of a pair of slingers that use Hyper slugs." Eli answered
"I'm in, but how will I get Christi to go with me?" Leo asked
"I'll call her & tell her that I need her to take care of it, but I'm not going to tell that you'll be there so you two will have to work it out yourselves." Eli explained, Leo smiled, & Eli left the room to call Christi.
"Do you really think this is going to work?" Save asked as Leo gathered up his arsenal.
"No, but what else can I do?" Leo replied before leaving his room where his concerned family watched him mount Walker.
"Alright, Christi agreed to go, but she still seems a bit upset." Eli warned as he handed Leo a slip of paper with the duel club's address written on it.
"It's not like this can get any worse." Leo sighed before sprinting out of the garage & riding off to Botton & Spinx Cavern.
He made it there in great time, he walked around looking for the correct address until he spotted Skip parked in front of a large building. Leo took a breath "I hope this works." he sighed & approached.
"Wait!" Save shouted making Leo stop.
"What is it?" Leo demanded
"If this is an illegal duel club then they're probably keeping an eye out for any Shanes or Cavern Security to come by." Save explained
"Good point." Leo said & fired Sorry who disguised him & Save as an Infurnus. "Actually, this works out even better," Leo commented "since Christi's upset with me then she'll be willing to work with someone who's not me, we can go in without anyone telling us otherwise, & then when all is good I'll have Sorry to drop the illusion."
Save, disguised as an Infurnus, and hopped into a slug tube along with Sorry, who disguised herself as a Dirt Urchin. "I really hope this works." Save sighed as Leo approached the entrance where 2 large slingers stood guard.
The guards stepped in Leo's path. "No crybabies allowed." they growled
"What did you say?" Leo growled
"I said beat it kid." the guard replied
Leo was just about to teach the giant guards some manners when a strange man approached them from the building. "What's going on out here?" the man demanded
He seemed to be in his early twenties he has blonde hair, a small goatee, tan skin, & wearing what appears to be some kind of dancing outfit.
"This kid wants to enter, Mr. Ritt." the guards answered & pointed to Leo.
"So let him or is there going to be a repeat about what that girl did to you two earlier?" Ritt snapped
The guards began to quiver "That girl was so mean & that girl's Hexlet's Blambaste attack was too much." they wined, Leo frowned in fear thinking that Christi may do the same to him if she sees past his disguise.
Ritt then padded Leo on the back. "What's your name kid?" he asked
"I'm Leo-I mean Neo." he corrected "My name's Neo."
"Cool now come inside before we get some unwanted attention." he grinned & led Neo/Leo inside.
Ritt took Leo to a large arena area where 2 pairs of slingers were dueling it out against each other. "This is so cool." Leo chimed as he watched the slingers fire Armashelts at each other.
"It sure is." Ritt commented "So are you here to duel or are you here to watch?"
"Duel." Leo grinned
"Ok, but you're going to have to find a partner." Ritt said
"A partner?" Leo asked
"Yes, all the matches here have to be team battles so everyone can get get a duel in." Ritt clarified
"Oh, well don't worry I'll find a partner." Leo replied
"Good, now I've got to get going before the main events starts." Ritt said, Leo was about to ask him what was the main event, but Ritt had already walked away.
"I guess we should go find Christi." Leo muttered to his slugs & walked off to find his upset friend.
Leo walked around the building, watching the team duels, & avoid being pushed around by the cheering & roaring crowd. Leo walked around for 15 minutes until he bumped into a blonde hairs girl with a Hexlet on her shoulder. "Hey watch it!" Christi scolded
"Sorry, about that." Leo apologized
Christi examined him. "You look familiar. Have we met before?" Christi demanded
"I don't think so." Leo replied, he was about to ask her name just so he can stay on character but then someone spoke through the intercoms.
"Attention, attention everyone." the voice said "The main event will be starting very shortly."
"What is the main event?" Leo asked
"It's when the owners of this duel club face off against another pair of challengers." Christi answered before she headed off towards the main arena leaving Leo behind.
Leo followed & stood by Christi as an announcer stepped into the arena. "Let me introduce to you all our hosts & the tag team slingers Left & Ritt!" the announcer declared & pointed to a grinning & waving Ritt who was standing next to a woman who also appeared to be in her early twenties.
Left has wavy brown hair, white skin, & wearing a dance suit similar to Ritt's.
"Now who will be their challengers?" the announcer asked
Christi didn't hesitate to jump onto the arena. "I, Christi Charm, will be your challenger." Christi declared
"Sorry sweetie, but you need a partner." Left said
Leo then stepped into the stage. "I, Neo, will be her partner." he declared
"Neo?" Christi echoed
"Yeah, listen you better not hold me back." Leo told Christi
Christi smiled "I was about to tell you the same thing." she grinned & pulled out her blaster.
"Ok this duel will be between the team of Left & Ritt against the team of Christi & Neo!" the announcer shouted he stepped to the side, pulled out his blaster, & fired his Phosphoro to signal the slingers to start.
Christi & Leo/Neo fired their Hop Rocks but Left & Ritt spun to the sides, avoiding the slugs, & then they spun back towards each other before posing & firing a pair of Hyper Armashelts. Leo & Christi ducked down to avoid the slugs except they turned around & smashed into them from behind. "Well that hurt." Leo groaned & rolled to the side to avoid a Hyper Jellyish.
"Quite talking & keep slinging!" Christi ordered as she fired her Rammstone to fend off an attacking Hyper Strang slug.
Her Rammstone missed the Hyper Strang, the slug spun & danced in the air, before hitting Leo & Christi repeatedly. Leo growled & fired Warden who caught the Strang in his frills. "Nice shot, Neo." Christi complemented, she then shot down an attacking Hyper Arachnet.
"Same goes to you." Leo grinned & fired Dumpster at the dancing slingers.
Ritt picked up Left & gracefully jumped away from the Flatulorinkus avoiding it completely. Ritt spun around & lowered Left as she was lowered she fired a Hyper Vinedrill at Christi. Leo quickly reacted & fired Magma who knocked the Hyper slug away. "Thanks." Christi thanked
"No problem." Leo replied & fired Ghost at their opponents.
Left & Ritt bent backwards, avoiding the attacking Frightgeist, & then they both fired Hyper Frostcrawlers. That froze the entire arena floor making it slippery & cold. Christi growled & fired a Flaringo but it was easily avoided when Left & Ritt smoothly skated out of the way & fired a pair of Hyper Rammstones. Christi slide to the side & avoided the Hyper slugs, but Leo slipped on the ice, fell, & was clobbered by the powerful Hyper slugs & he crashed into the wall. He hit his head hard & as he crashed Sorry hit her head against the side of the slug tube & became unconscious because of the hard hit, & Leo's disguised dispersed. The crowd gasped as Christi stood there in shock & then her expression turned angry. "What are you doing here?!" she demanded
"Ok, Christi I can explain." Leo shrugged
But before they could say anything else a pair of Hyper Hoverbugs snatched them up, they flew them out of the building, & threw them into the street. "Come back when you two work out your problems." Ritt smirked from the entrance before Left shut the doors.
Christi picked herself up & growled "I don't believe this." she growled & then she faced Leo. "You set this up, didn't you?" she demanded
"No I didn't, & Christi I'm really sorry I didn't mean to embarrass you like that." Leo apologized
"Oh, so the best way to say you're sorry is by lying about a mission, disguising yourself, & then humiliate me in public again!" Christi scolded
"I didn't mean for us to lose the match." Leo defended
"Like you didn't mean to shove me into a snack bar?!" Christi screamed
"Christi, please, I'm really sorry."
"You can apologize all you want, but I'm not going to listen to you." Christi said, crossing her arms.
"But...but." Leo tried to protest but he couldn't think of anything.
"What you have nothing to say now?!" Christi demanded "Maybe you should go back to the Shadow Clan, you were probably better off with them anyway." she said grimly.
Leo had had it at that point. "You know what maybe I will!" he yelled with rage.
"Good now get going." Christi snapped
"I will, so I can get away from the giant problem in front of me!"
"Yeah, & I want this skinny cyclops out of my hair!"
"And this skinny cyclops doesn't want to be near a sensitive 2 legged Frightgeist."
"And I don't want to be near a freak like you!"
"Well this freak wishes he never met someone like you, I mean who wants to be friends with an embarrassing & pathetic fool like you?!" Leo yelled but then his anger subsided into guilt when he finally noticed tears in Christi's eyes. "Wait, I didn't mean that." he said apologetically, but Christi just cried & ran off to her mecha & sprinted away.
Leo fell to his knees in guilt & shame "What have I done?" he asked himself gloomily.
Leo stayed like that for about 5 minutes before Save convinced him to leave. Leo's eyes were tearing up but he mounted Walker & slowly made his way home in a depressed state.
Leo made it home an hour later. "So did it work?" Eli asked, but he didn't need an answer from Leo's depressed expression. "Are you ok?" he asked
Leo didn't even glance at him instead he just went straight to his room & collapsed on his bed, not even bothering to shut the door. Save & the other slugs hopped into the living room to give Leo some space. "What can we do for him?" Trip asked
"I don't think there's anything we can do." Save answered sadly.
"There has to be something." Sorry said
"But what?" Save asked gloomily
"What if?" Prize muttered
"What was that?" Dumpster asked Prize
"What if we give Leo & Christi another reason for getting back together?" Prize replied
"What do you mean?" Save asked
"If we give Leo & Christi a common goal & something to work for they'll have to work together." Prize explained
"And maybe they'll forgive each other." Sorry suggested
"That could work." Save chirped happily.
"But what will the common goal be?" Trip asked
Prize just grinned & looked at Flight. "We need you to go get a friend of ours." he said & then he looked at Save with a wicked grin.
About 30 minutes later, Eli burst into Leo's room. "Leo have you seen this?!" he asked & held out a slip of paper to Leo.
Leo sat up & read the paper.
Dear, Leonardo Shane
We have your Pulter slug & your friend's Hexlet slug if you want them back you must go to the duel club & win them back.
From,
Left & Ritt
"How did they take Save & Jinx?!" Leo demanded & stood up.
"Don't know, so what are you going to do?" Eli asked
"I have to go save them." Leo replied & gathered his remaining slugs.
"Will you get Christi?" Eli asked
"Maybe, I...I can surprise her by getting Jinx back for her." Leo replied & left for the garage.
"Good luck." Eli smirked as Prize's plan unfolded & Leo rode back to Botton & Spinx Cavern.
Leo got there on record time determined to get the slugs back & to get Christi to forgive him. He marched straight up to the guards. "That's far enough kid." they growled but Leo easily pushed them aside & marched inside.
He walked right into the arena as 2 other teams were competing. "Get out of way, kid." a slinger ordered
Leo just fired Return who knocked the 4 slingers out of the arena before returning to Leo.
"Well, well, well look at who's back for an encore." Ritt smirked when he & Left noticed Leo.
"I, Leonardo Shane, challenge you both to a duel!" Leo declared "If I win you give me back the slugs you took!"
Left & Ritt laughed as they held up caped slug tubes with Save & Jinx inside. "But our rules here are that you must have a partner." Left said
Leo was about to protest when a voice spoke out. "I'll be his partner!" Christi shouted & stepped onto the arena.
"What?!" Leo asked in surprise.
"I still haven't forgiven you." Christi told Leo
"Then why are you here?" Leo asked, but Christi just handed him a slip of paper that read.
Dear, Christi Charm
We have your Hexlet slug & your friend's Pulter slug if you want them back you must go to the duel club & win them back.
From,
Left & Ritt
"So you're just here to save Jinx." Leo said gloomily realizing that he had failed to surprise Christi with a rescued Jinx.
"Well, I know how much Save means to you too so I couldn't just leave him either." Christi answered & Leo looked at her in surprise. "But I still haven't forgiven you."
"That's fine," Leo said sadly "lets just get our slugs back." he said as Left & Ritt danced onto the arena.
"If we win we get the rest of your slugs." Left said
"Deal." Christi & Leo replied as the announcer loaded a Phosphoro & fired it into the air.
Left & Ritt spun around before firing a pair of Hyper Aquabeeks. Leo fired Prize to create a crystal wall, blocking the attacking Hyper slugs. Christi leaped away from the crystals & fired her Frostcrawler, but it was pushed aside by Left's Hyper Sand Angler. Leo fired Goop but Ritt fired a Hyper Tazerling that pushed aside the slug & nearly zapped Leo. "I can't even get a shot in." Leo muttered
"We have to do something or we'll never win." Christi said after she dive behind the crystal wall.
"I'll provide a distraction while you slug them." Leo said & Christi nodded.
Leo loaded Star & dove away from the wall & launched the slug at the dancing slingers. Left & Ritt fired a pair of Hyper Arachnets that defeated Star, but Christi had fired her Armashelt that smashed into the slingers knocking them backwards. "Yeah!" Leo cheered & then fired Smasher who punched Ritt as Christi's Hop Rock hit Left.
"We got them now!" Leo cheered & fired Slips who Ritt stepped up & fell.
Left helped Ritt up & they fired a pair of Hyper Poleros. The slugs tangled around Leo & Christi tiring them together. "Aw, how cute." Left teased as the teens tried to free themselves.
Left & Ritt fired their Hyper Frostcrawlers which used their Icefloor moves on the arena. They then fired Hyper Armashelts at the struggling teens. Leo purposely fell down so they could avoid the Hyper slugs & then they were finally free from the Hyper Poleros. Leo & Christi smiled with relief but then Ritt fired a Hyper Hop Rock at Leo. Christi fired her Bubbaleone who used its belly to bounce the slug back at Ritt nearly hitting him. "Thanks for the save." Leo thanked
"Don't mention it." Christi said & fired her Whail slug that nearly smashed into Left.
Leo ran & slid on the ice, he slid behind Left & Ritt & fired Trip at them. Trip tripped them & Christi fired her Tazerling who zapped them into submission. "Ok, ok we give up!" Left & Ritt surrendered & held out their captive slugs.
Leo snatched them up & handed Jinx over to Christi who was over thrilled to have her friend back. "Glad to see you guys safe & sound." Leo said to them "How did they even get you guys?"
"Um, they knocked us out." Save lied
Just then Eli appeared & arrested Left & Ritt. "Dad what are you doing here?" Leo asked as the crowd dispersed & ran off.
"Remember our original mission was to shut this place down." Eli replied & he led the arrested slingers outside leaving Leo & Christi behind.
"Hey Leo." Christi called & Leo faced her. "I'm...I'm really sorry I snapped at you earlier I knew you didn't mean to humiliate me."
"I'm sorry for humiliating & for what I said earlier." Leo apologized
"But that was really my fault, I was the one that snapped at you first." Christi said
"Yeah, but I'm the one that made you cry." Leo said depressingly.
"That was just me overreacting, that's all." Christi insisted but Leo still felt terrible & guilty. She grinned with a mischievous idea. "I know what will make you feel better." she said before leaning in & gave a little kiss on Leo's cheek.
Leo turned red & so surprised that he stepped back, slipped, & fell to the frozen arena floor & his blush turned even redder as Christi laughed at his clumsiness.
Meanwhile, Eli led the 2 slingers out of the building & into a nearby alley. "Thanks for the help you two." Eli thanked them & untied them.
"Oh it was no problem at all." Ritt said
"Here's a Hyper Cure machine." Eli said & handed them the machine.
"Thank goodness, I got tired of using these mean little Hyper slugs." Left said & placed her slugs into the machine.
"Same, & that was genius to have us use their slugs as motivation." Ritt grinned
"Oh, that wasn't my idea." Eli said & explained how Prize told him about his plan & he convinced Flight into getting Jinx for them, & then Eli delivered the slugs to Left & Ritt himself.
"Well whoever thought it up it was brilliant." Ritt praised
"Do you think those 2 love birds will figure out that this was a set up?" Left asked
"They will eventually," Eli replied "thanks again for all your help."
"No problem." Left & Ritt replied before leaving on their mechas.
Eli grinned & found Christi & a red faced Leo waiting for him in front of the building. "Where's Left & Ritt?" they asked
"They're with Cavern Security." Eli replied as he mounted Lucky. "Are you guys coming?" he asked Leo & Chtisti.
"Um, maybe after we get some smoothies." Leo offered to Christi
Christi smiled & they left for their mechas & rode off leaving a smug faced Eli to be proud of his and Prize's brilliant plan.