DISCLAIMER: I don't own Zoids, but I do own everything original in the story. And if anyone wants to use the Geno Reaper or Psycho Saix as cameos, ask me first.

"…and my client also requires coverage in all related clips and documentaries."

Sue, Rax, and myself were staring at Riz's proposed contract, Rax reading aloud. Sue suddenly tore it in half, tossing the pieces onto the table.

"Can we do this after the battle? Honestly, we don't even do commercials, why does she have to approve of name brands?"

We picked up Riz at the public hanger, then flying out with her aboard to our proposed battlefield.

During the flight sue showed her the Command Wolf, giving her some basic tips on the controls. Rax and I had spent a day installing a few features onto the Wolf, that Riz didn't have to know about. Namely a self-processing computer matrix, in case her piloting is truly that bad. Of course knowing her zoid will go into auto-pilot is probably a bit discouraging, we can't afford to show any false weaknesses.

Cut the chit-chat, our little bar patron is back from vacation. He came to the bar early today, it's a full house. Everybody has to see the first Reckless Class A bout. So far the network is focusing on their opponents, the Barrage Team. Classic Dibison, Blue Raynos, an amazingly piloted Cannon tortoise, and a modified Shield Liger, covered on both sides with mech-guns and other missiles. The network had been running interviews with them for the last hour, get the battle on already!

Finally, that gray Whale King flew up. We watched four dots drop off and disappear. Wait, four?! The network cameras zoomed in on the landing site but there wasn't anything there. Why was Reckless dodging the cameras? Team Barrage was in formation, all facing a different direction in a circle. Then something flashed around them in a circle and stopped in front of the Liger, the Saix of course. Then the Slash Liger, in all tis urban glory, jumped off a roof and landed next to Brand. Then a smoke bomb went off next to them, must be for effect, the battle hadn't been called on yet.

When the smoke cleared…is that a Juggernaut?! They have a Juggernaut now?! Dear god, I loved those things as a kid! Digi-camo, very nice…so they replaced the Snipe-Wait…they have a new pilot. Hm, some no-name. Well, nice zoid at least. The Judge called on the battle, still no sign of that Sue and her Snipe. Well, before Barrage could start firing the Command Wolf had already shot them full of holes. The the Liger pranced up and literally slashed their guns off, leaving the Shield Liger untouched. Well, almost on cue the Urban Assault and Liger disappeared into the mess of old buildings that they were battling in. The Saix waved its paw at the crippled Team and jogged off, apparently wanting them to follow. Well, all four apparently enraged Barrage members ran after him, following him a quarter mile into a tight alleyway, where there was no sign of the Psycho Saix.

Then both ends of the alley were covered by the Juggernaut and the Slash Liger, the Saix appearing on a roof over them. How did he jump that high? Well, normally Barrage would start firing wildly, my brother likes to watch them sometimes. But since the shield liger was the only armed one, it settled for just spinning around in a panic. Then a zoid de-cloaked next to them in the alley, so the Snipe had been hiding right next to the-…

A minute later the Judge announced something.

"Team Barrage has forfeited, battle over!"

That…was not a zoid…the battle had been over for ten minutes and the network kept playing the footage over and over again, like a national disaster. The first thing we thought was a Geno. Then the camera focused. It was a Geno skeleton with three heads. That was all we had to know.

It just looked at Barrage with those dead, glowing eyes and they forfeited. Then Reckless ran off to their Whale, the Geno taking flight with some bony-wings we hadn't noticed until now. A flying Geno of death…A command Wolf Juggernaut…A Psycho Saix, whatever it was…And a Slash Liger.

The entire bar stared for an hour, not saying a word. Then suddenly we were in an uproar, both at the new Wolf and the new Geno breed. We found out the name of the 'Geno Reaper' and soon we were all ordering subscriptions to every Reckless Battle for the next year. The same happened at every bar, this team had just gotten into A Class and people were making petitions to put it into S, for the safety of the other A Class teams, apparently. And another new thing, Reckless had a logo. A capital R made out of save-looking slash marks. Needless to say I soon owned a baseball cap, jacket and underwear with that logo.

But how about that new pilot? All she did was fire the machine-guns and show up at the 'trap'. With a zoid like that a chimp can get to S Class. Just aim and press the button. Hey, at least they can do four-person teams now.

Well, this is pretty close to the view of a real bar patron. The footage of the Reaper, the silence, everything. Our fan-base had gone from a sideshow fun-fest to a serious battle crowd. After the 'Battle' we received some messages from the ZBC. There were, in fact, petitions for the promotion of our team to a higher rank. Purely for one reason, people don't want to see endless KO after KO. We were promoted to A because they hoped we'd be challenged, that'd we be on par. Well, just the sight of a custom zoid won us a battle. Now, a lot of other lower teams have sponsors, and can customize their zoids like we have. To an extent.

Let's be honest, Psy has been an advantage off the battlefield too. He used reverse psychology to get us a Slash Liger, advised us to a Command Wolf variation that a child could operate, and also helped me design the Reaper. Also, the ZBC wants info on this new Geno. They want to do a full body scan and mold, they want an arsenal registration, and they want to make sure we won't use it to take over the planet. Just kidding, weapon registration is optional.

That battle was probably our easiest, their Shield Liger didn't even take a shot. I admit that the Liger pilot had to be decent, he dodged me and Rax's slashes and kept his zoid untouched. His team-mates overpowered him to forfeit. Then again, he wasn't the leader, he was a mercenary. I talked to him before we took off, it always helps to know a good pilot. Who knows, maybe he'll wake up and find a shiny new Blade Liger where his Shield had been.

Our post-battle meeting in the kitchen went as usual, Sue drinking, Rax nodding, and me rattling off possible ways to upgrade whatever hadn't been working at 300 power.

"Yep..."

"Well, that Geno needs a (hic) needs a…like a trophy shelf built in.."

"What if I tweaked the blade supports on the Saix and Liger to a higher cutting angle…"

Just imagine thirty minutes of that.

An hour later we were flying to ZBC HQ, yep, the Ultrasaurus. We actually landed on a tiny shelf built into its leg, it's that big. I supervised as several technicians recorded every detail of the Reaper. They even did a simulated weaponry test and an interview with me to ask about creating it. And Sue about how it piloted. And they asked Rax if he'd like a piece of candy. He did.

Everything went routine until some guy in a jacket came up to me and asked about how I knew about zoid cores.

"…eh, I read some older Scripts on the topic."

The guy didn't seemed to believe me.

"Well then…we've finished recording the profile on the 'Reaper'. We've chosen to use your name, as it is original enough."

I was a bit flattered, I named a zoid.

"…we want you to make zoids for us."

…the ZBC wanted me to make or modify zoids for them? What?

"Excuse me, but I prefer the battle life."

He smirked a bit, probably an ex-pilot himself.

"Heh…same here. You're Max's Boy, right?"

Hey, Max's old battle buddy. Get this, he was president of the ZBC. I was talking to a living God. And he wanted to hire me to experiment with zoids and give them the designs.

"And as for the pay…"

By now we were in his private furnished office, on the couch and sharing a bowl of peanuts. He wrote down a figure on the napkin and passed it to me, a drama king I'm guessing.

"Sir, you put a comma down instead of a peri…"

…wait…how did math work again? 1, 2, 3…

"…Sir, our Whale King cost less than this…"

"That's annual pay…every month in slow times, plus royalties on your design, which will be much more."

…must…not…ask for less money…

"Well, later on we may give you a raise…"

Two hours later the ZBC Medical Wing brought me back from fainting. I sat up in my hospital bed and just nodded.

"…I'll take it!"

I told Sue and Rax as we left. Well, Sue fainted. Rax asked if I'd buy him that planet next to Zi, the one with the giant fish. Well, six months ago I was a desert hick with no funds or life who ran away to the city. Then I got a zoid. Then a high-ranking team. Then a sponsor. And now a contract to do what I love, for enough money to be able to buy a country, blow it up, and rebuild it twice a day for as long as it's entertaining. But that's not all. There's something even better in all this.

I get whatever I want from the ZBC catalog…for free!

The next day we were sitting around waiting for the ZBC to give us info on the public outcry for the fact we're taking out losers. I was sitting on the couch, watching tv in my official ZBC jogging suit and hat, eating chips from the ZBC nacho bowl. Watching a movie on the order-only ZBC Movie Channel. And also watching a battle on ZTV. Sue walked by in a ZBC robe/towel and asked where the ZBC bathroom stuff was.

"In the third cabinet."

"Thanks."

She left, Rax walked in on her while she showered, he ran out screaming and hid under the ZBC themed covers of his bed. In an official ZBC grease monkey jumpsuit. Sue walked out in a ZBC towel, shaking her head.

"I didn't even threaten the guy…geez, with all the girls he's with he freaks at one nude one."

I shrugged, honestly not caring. She kept going, for some reason.

"Think it's the tattoo?"

She has a tattoo?

"Eh…what is it?"

She showed me her lower back.

"…yeah, that's pretty scary."

She covered back up and left, I just shook my head.

"HA! Geez, who ever did that tattoo has no idea what a Geno's tail looks like…touché on the naked women, though…"

What I lack in hormones and sensuality, I make up for in knowledge of giant animal robots. The intercom buzzed.

"Chase, this ZBC seat cover is really nice…order me three more, I like layers."

"Hey, it's all free, why not?"

I love this job.

Author's Notes

Well, the ZBC now owns a portion of Team Reckless. Well, not really, but Trey gets to do fun experiments now. But it's interactive! In the reviews, you guys give me the name of an existing zoid, inferior or fantastic, and Trey will enhance it in his own little way in the background of the story from now on. Thanks for the reviews, and start giving me zoid names!