~Chapter 9~







~That Fateful Robattle~






"Then, it's--ow, agreed!"

Everyone looked up, and saw Mr. Referee up in a bird's nest, a humongous hawk pecking at him! Meta-Ikki sweatdropped.
'Why does he even bother coming, since he always just runs away..?' he thought, sweatdropping.

"I officially declare--ow, this an offical--ow, robattle! You know the rules! Medabots--ow, ready?" Mr.Refferee declared,
trying to dodge pecks from the hawk. He finally got pushed down by the hawk, and landed on the ground, on his back. But,
he got up, with many scratches and bruises covering himself. "Medabots...robattle!"

'Ok, let's get in there, Metabee!' called out Ikki.

'I'm one step ahead of you!' replied Metabee, and Meta-Ikki's body ran forward towards Talon.

Talon stood there, calm, but ready for action, and he waited for Meta-Ikki's attack to follow. It did, and Talon dodged
his laser cannon attack. Talon glanced at Robert, awaiting for orders.

"Right, use your laser cannon too, Talon!" Robert called out into his medawatch.

Talon roared in agreement, running towards Meta-Ikki, and shot a laser cannon at Meta-Ikki's feet. That stopped him dead in
his tracks, giving Talon the oppertunity to shoot them at Meta-Ikki again, hitting his chest. Meta-Ikki got knocked back, and
was surprised to see Talon sprouting wings of of his back! They were forest green with red tips, formed to look almost like a
bat's wings. Talon flew towards Meta-Ikki, and kicked him in the face. Meta-Ikki cried out in pain, getting knocked back once
more. Meta-Ikki got up, straining a bit. Meta-Ikki turned towards Talon, his optics narrowed. He then jumped up into the air,
and shouted out, "Missle Lauch!" Out of his missle shooters came out his seeker missles, which Talon couldn't run or fly from;
he was hit dead on.

"Warning, 50% damage to body, 30% damage to legs," rang Robert's medawatch, as he grinted his teeth.

"Talon," Robert muttered into the medawatch, "Slash attack."

Talon glared at Meta-Ikki, and without question, stood ready in position. Too bad for Meta-Ikki, he didn't hear Robert's command,
and came racing towards Talon, ready to shoot his laser cannon. Talon would have grinned if he had a mouth, as Meta-Ikki raced by
him, trying to confuse the Dragon medabot, but to no avaid. As soon as Meta-Ikki raced by him once more, Talon slashed him across
his stomach, making him cry out once more.

'70% damage to body, 10% damage to head,' a voice said in Meta-Ikki's head.

Meta-Ikki fell on one knee, panting hard. Meta-Ikki tried to do it quickly, because Talon was powering up for another attack!

'Metabee..I don't know..how much longer we can last,' Ikki grunted.

'We have to try..!'

Meta-Ikki got up, and turned his head around, but screamed as a fire blast headed right in front of him, which was coming from Talon's
mouth! It hit Meta-Ikki, and burned him pretty badly. Meta-Ikki fell onto the ground, but wasn't ready to give up just yet.

'90% damage to body, 40% damage to head, 50% damage to arms and legs,' the voice rang again in Meta-Ikki's head.

"Meta-Ikki!" Sailor Erika shouted out, shutting her optics, "We've got to help him!"

"We can't! If we do, we'll get beat up, too!" Merodi said softly.

"Well, I'M not afraid to get a few scrapes," snorted Rocat.

'That's what I'M afraid of.." Merodi thought to herself.

"Don't worry," said NeutraKarin, "If you guys get hurt, I can just heal everyone!"

"But I--"

"Sorry, but you cannot interfere in an official robattle!" Mr. Referee popped up from behind them, startling them. "If you do," he continued,
"He will be disqualified!"

"This is more important than robattle rules!" complained Rokusho, "Their lives might be at stake!"

"Rules are rules!" Mr. Referee jumped into the air, getting out of the gangs' view.

"Well, I don't care," growled SumiliKoji, "I'm going in."

"No..please, don't!"

Everyone turned towards Meta-Ikki, who was slowly getting up. "Let me...do this on my..own. I can..do this, guys."

"You..sure?"

Meta-Ikki nodded, standing up fully.

"Your foolish bravery will be your downfall!" Robert laughed.

"Oh ya? Take..this!" Meta-Ikki grunted, flinging himself towards Talon at warp speed. Meta-Ikki attacked before Talon could block, and shot at him
a laser cannon attack. But for some reason, it was stronger than before! It hit Talon hard, causing 20% more damage to Talon's arms.

"What the--?" Robert gawked.

"Hi-ya!!" Meta-Ikki threw a fist at Talon, hitting him in the jaw. He then kicked in the legs, knocking Talon down. Before Meta-Ikki could aim a
laser cannon at him, though, Talon's wings sprouted out against, and took flight. Meta-Ikki grinted his teeth.

"Now, Talon, slash him again!" Robert ordered.

Talon roared out, and dived down towards Meta-Ikki, who didn't have time to get out of the way, because of the damage he already had done to him.
Talon slashed his head, knocking him down. Talon landed on the ground, inserting his wings back into his machine back.

Robert grinned evilly. "Do it,"

Talon kicked Meta-Ikki in the head, knocking him back again. Meta-Ikki gasped for air, as Talon grasped onto him, and pushed him into a nearby tree.
Talon started punching him like mad, kocking his head back and forth into the tree. After a few more hits, Meta-Ikki lost consciousness, and his head
started to leak oil, as if it was bleeding.

"META-IKKI! NO!!" Sailor Erika cried out, running towards him, but Merodi knocked her down, holding her in place. "Let go, let go!"

"Do you want to end up like Meta-Ikki or what?!" hissed Merodi.

"..."

"Right now, I don't care I'm going in, now!" Rocat sneered, running forwards before anyone could stop her. And if they could anyways, she would be too
fast for them, and get away anyways.

"Rocat!" called out Merodi.

Rocat couldn't hear her, as she placed her paws together, and started to make whirrling noises as they spun.

"Look out, Talon!" shouted Robert.

Talon ignored him, as he continued to smack Meta-Ikki against the tree.

"THUNDER DRILL!!"

Talon should have listened to Robert, because Rocat's attack came shooting out of her paws, and smack him up-side the head(lol, inside joke with my friend).
That knocked Talon off of Meta-Ikki, as he slid down the tree, and fell onto his back.

Rocat flipped into the air, and landed gracefully onto the ground, in front of Talon. He growled hatefully at Rocat.

"Hey, want a piece of this, punk?!" Rocat challedged.

Talon roared, ignoring all commands from Robert, racing towards Rocat.

"Hey, I said no interfering!" Mr. Referee hissed, appearing beside Rocat. Without thinking, Rocat kicked Mr. Referee, knocking him back into the pine tree,
and getting many more pecks from the angry hawk.

Rocat's violet optics narrowed, as her left arm spun around and around, getting ready for her next attack. "Lighting blade..and fire!" boomed Rocat, jumping out
of Talon's way once more, and landing on his back, as her left arm disconnected from the rest of her body, and hit Talon, making him roar in pain. Rocat jumped
off of him, and landed behind him. "Next time you decide to pick on someone, do us a favour, and take a bubble bath instead!" Rocat snarled.

Talon eyed Rocat angerly, rushing back towards her. Rocat smirked, and jumped out of the way once more. Talong raced towards her again, but Rocat jumped behind
him again. Then again, then again, then again.

"She's a good robattler," gawked SumiliKoji, "But is she going to attack or what..?"

"I'm fine with the way things are going right now.." Merodi muttered to herself. "I don't want her to get hurt,"

"Listen to me, Talon! Next time she jumps, fly after her!" Robert yelled out into his medawatch.

Talon seemed like he wasn't listening, but he was. He rushed to Rocat again, as she jumped again. But, this time, it was different. Almost as soon as Rocat reached
mid-way, Talon grew his wings again, and flew into the air, in front of Rocat! Rocat screeched out, but couldn't stop herself; she slammed right into Talon's gut,
and fell to the earth.

"Oh, no!!" shouted out Merodi, "Rocat!"

Sailor Erika's jaw dropped, and looked away from Rocat, as her pink optics layed on Meta-Ikki's unconscious body. 'Meta-Ikki..! Please, oh please wake up..!' she
thought hopefully. Sailor Erika closed her eyes, and felt a tear drop fall from her right optic, as she let out a soft and almost unnoticable sob. The tear hit
the ground, leaving a wet mark, in a messy heart shape.

Rocat hit the ground, as Merodi's medawatch rang, "Warning, 50% damage to legs, 50% damage to arms, 90% damage to body, 40% damage to head."

'How..?!' Merodi thought to herself, clenching her fists.

Another tear fell from Sailor Erika's other optics, in another messy heart shape, letting out another sob. "Meta-Ikki..!'

Suddenly, a soft groan passed Meta-Ikki's lips. Meta-Ikki's emerald green optics opened, just enough to see a little, almost slit-like. His vision was blurred,
but he could see Rocat and Talon, fighting. Rocat was pretty banged up, but Talon wasn't looking so good, either. But, it still looked like he had the upper-hand,
and had more strength to give. He heard some sobs, and twisted his head, which had a throbbing head ache, and turned it towards Sailor Erika. She was...crying. Why?
Why was she so sad?

He looked back at Rocat and Talon's robattle. Rocat cried out, in a cat-like way, and as she hit the ground. She was robattling...for him. Rocat defended him, when
she could have left him to possiblly dying. And now, she was the one getting beat up. Meta-Ikki's optics opened a bit more, looking back at Sailor Erika. Was she crying
for Rocat? Who wouldn't be?

"Meta-Ikki..!" Sailor sobbed softly.

Meta-Ikki's optics opened more. She was crying...for him?! She...cared about him? 'Sailor Erika..' Meta-Ikki grunted a bit trying to get up. A voice inside of his head
reminded Meta-Ikki, "Warning, 70% damage to arms, 80% damage to legs, 90% damage to body, 98% damage to head. Preparing funtion sease."

Meta-Ikki didn't care, though. His heart felt pain in it. Friendship, courage..love..those feelings swam around in Meta-Ikki's body, as he stood up fully, and yelled out,
his medal glowing, and well as the rest of his body.

Everyone turned their heads towards Meta-Ikki. Even Talon did, who was having a field day kicking the crap out of Rocat.

"Dude...I rock." Meta-Ikki chuckled.

Robert stuttered, not knowing what to do, as Talon glared at him, growling a little.

"Meta-Ikki..!" Sailor Erika whispered in awe, "Is using... the medaforce!"

"It's time..to kiss your 'bot goodbye!!" Meta-Ikki roared, lifting his arms into the air, towards Talon. "MEDAFORCE!!" Streams of light shot out of Meta-Ikki's blasters,
which Talon could not defend. Talon roared out, getting knocked back by the medaforce, dropping Rocat to the ground. Talon got rammed into a nearby tree, and for about a
minute, had the streams of light hit him. But, after it was over, Talon slid to the ground, and his medal popped out, and became lifeless.

"Fuction seased, the winner is--wow!!" Mr. Referee stood up, but was caught by another oversized hawk by the feet, and flew away, as Mr. Referee shouted, "Meta-Ikkiiii!"

"Meta-Ikki!!" Sailor Erika stood up, as Merodi raced for Rocat, "Oh, Meta-Ikki!" Sailor Erika ran towards Meta-Ikki, who was standing up against a tree grinning. But, in a
half step towards Meta-Ikki, Sailor Erika froze, unable to move, or talk.

"Sailor Erika..!" Meta-Ikki grinted, spreading an arm towards her. He glared ar Robert, Valentina, and Verra, then his optics layed on Shamia, who had just been released,
and his medallion glowed. Meta-Ikki shivered, as he felt for the first time that he had a dark medal, too. "What have you done to her?!" he shouted.

"Oh, just froze her in time, don't worry, it's temperary," smirked Verra, "But what we'll do with you will be permanite(O.O Ugh, I can't spell...)."

"What--?" Meta-Ikki sputtered.

"Leave him alone!" Rokusho yelled, "He's defeated you, now buzz off!"

Valentina half smiled. "No,"

Rokusho growled, running towards them. But, he stopped dead in his tracks, but Shamia, who put a freezing spell on him as well, only he could speak. "B**tards..!" he snarled,
trying to move.

"Hey, you mess with one, you mess with the rest!" SumiliKoji challedged, but he found he couldn't move, either. Shamia put a spell on everyone else, too! SumiliKoji growled,
trying to move, as well as everyone else. "Let us go..!" NeutraKarin grunted.

"Not until we're gone." Robert snorted.

"Let 'em go!" Meta-Ikki grinted, standing up fully.

"Now, now, calm down," Verra said, "Maybe you should...take a nap," Verra nodded towards Shamia, who nodded back. Meta-Ikki had a bad feeling about this...

Shamia glanced back at Meta-Ikki, and smirked. Before Meta-Ikki could react, he felt tiredness wash over him, as Shamia's medallion glowed once more. Meta-Ikki groaned, nodding
his head, trying to fight sleep. He nodded two more times, and couldn't hold on any longer; he collasped to the ground, his optics shut.

Shamia chuckled.

"Meta-Ikki..!" SumiliKoji grinted, trying to move again. Shamia ignored him, and walked towards Meta-Ikki, and picked up his sleeping body.

"Let's go," said Valentina emotionlessly, as the four walked away, into the distance.

As soon as they were out of view, everyone broke away from the spell. Sailor Erika fell backwards, her optics wide. "They took him..!" she whispered, closing her optics.

Suddenly, everyone turned they head towards a revving sound, like a motorcycle. Lights appeared, as a black motorcycle appeared, and swirved into front of them, coming to a stop.
A man with white hair was on it, but his face and top of his head was covered by a helmet, so they didn't know who he was.

"Merodi!" he said, releif in his voice, "Thank goodness I found you!"





~To Be Continued...~




A/N: What can I say? R/R! :)