"Sparky, don't grind your fingers off there…"

I was sharpening a blade on the Slash Liger, intent on getting it sharper than physically possible.

"Come on…you don't have to work yourself to death just because you woke up with…"

I winced and sharpened faster.

"I mean, so you and Clara don't remember anything. Doesn't mean anything happened."

"…Psy, how the heck do you know anything about waking up after a party with a friend of the opposite gender?"

"…saw it in a sitcom?"

I sighed and stopped sharpening.

"…so, any updates on Geno Rangers?"

I was changing the subject to something lighter-toned. Namely that battle we watched down south, Blitz Team versus Geno Rangers. But hey, our first flashback.

We got the area data from the ZBC, and floated off to the side high enough to not get hit with anything but have a great view. Well, that was too safe to be fun so we dropped down in the zoids to sit in the desert and watch just outside the assigned area. Pretty much the sidelines. Psy and I were stretched out on the sand like a sleeping cat, chin on paws. The Slash Liger was on its haunches, making little drawings in the sand. The Reaper, eh, I'm not sure. The cloaking device was on. And usually a cloaking field just blends in color wise. Well, I couldn't see it at all. So I checked the infared screen to make sure she was there.

"Sue, what's with the invisibility?"

"…no reason."

Our communication system was ever cleared with the new zoids. Speaking of new zoids, here comes the Geno Rangers Great whale king. There are the launch capsules…and out come crawling four technicolored Genos. They shake the dust off and stretch a bit, just to show off. Looks like they upgraded.

They were the same design as in the battle with Psy, the speedy but useless Yellow, Blue Sniper, Bladed Red, and the Green with mechguns. Except nearly a half size bigger than last time. With even more of their corresponding weaponry. And now the entire zoid was painted its color, with the pilot's name on the chest and back. We sealed our com-signal and laughed our heads off. I tapped a button in Psy, testing out the new Cloak I put in the other day. It was more for novelty than battle. The ZBC only allowed one official option per battle. Booster, Cloak, Mines, or Smokescreen. I watched the panels indicate we were nearly as invisible as the Reaper. I looked over at the Slash Liger to see it also had cloaked. We should try using this stuff in battle.

Well, the Geno Rangers didn't even pick up we were watching. Soon the Hover Cargo pulled up and launched each zoid in turn. And finally, I got a view of the Liger. It was pretty much an advanced, basic Liger. They had chosen the white, plain armor. Maybe so they could switch later. Well, pretty nice. Okay, very nice. The Shadow Fox. God, that is one nicely made zoid. Well, it would be if they incorporated some Glow fox technology into it. The Gun Sniper LT. Meh, never been a fan of overkill. Surprisingly the Raynos popped out and soared around a bit. Oh yeah, this was a four on four.

The Judge touched down, scanning the area. He didn't see us or scan use thanks to our cloaking. We were just spectators, anyway. He declared a free-ruled battle and the starting buzz sounded. Quickly the Blitz Team in general started out at the circle of Genos. Well, the Genos started spinning around each other like a pattern. By the time the Blitz Team had sprinted over they had stacked into a pyramid. Yes, like a bunch of cheerleaders. I don't get it either. Then they all locked onto each other. Their tails opened their vents, and started the Charged Particle Sequence. Dear Eve…they were doing a four-times CPC! It was only a quarter charged, ZBC approved blast but by four times?! The Blitz Team took one look and scattered, a good move actually. The Rangers kept charging. Wait…they weren't…before I could think sue popped up on the holo-chat screen.

"…they're not aiming…"

…and she finished my sentence for me. They were just going to fire the CPC at nothing in particular? They kept charging while the Blitz Team, noticing this, just got behind them and bowled into the bottom row. They went down like a stack of bricks and the Fox and Liger kept back as Leena used a Wild Weasel on the pile. Then the Fox and Liger barraged them with Laser Claws. And when the surviving Geno stood up to surrender the Raynos swooped down, picked it up, flew straight up and dropped it like an egg from the air. I like their style already.

The Judge shrugged, gave the battle to the Blitz Team and flew off. The Geno Rangers had to drag their zoids back into their gigantic whale while the winning Team stood around doing victory stances. Well, Leena and who ever the Liger pilot was did. Then all of a sudden my cockpit was covered by smoke. I looked around as Psy jumped to his feet, watching the outlines of the other zoids appear in the dust. The mercenary exposed us with a Smoke Screen…

As the Blitz Team rushed over we de-cloaked, knowing we were had. They stopped dead when they saw our zoids. The Reaper alone kept them back, the Saix and Liger just added on. Except for the Raynos and Fox. The green bird landed softly in front of us as its pilot hailed us, his head popping up in the cockpit in hologram form. Meanwhile the fox just sat down and looked us over.

"…Team Reckless! Sweet, heard you guys finally got into the next class."

…well, one of them wasn't afraid at least. And Jamie wasn't in his wild Eagle persona. I shrugged and returned the message.

"They had a few too many petitions."

Then a second head popped up over my control panel, long brown hair, blank face, strong jawline. I remember sue telling me he piloted the fox.

"…you guys wanna match, or did I expose your imaginary club house?"

…touche'…Right as I was about to comeback Sue's head popped up.

"Actually, Hunter, we were just in town and wanted to watch."

…Sue knew this guy? Well, each hologram head became smaller as they formed a square, this was the basic chat room system.

(Think hologram heads in a Brady Bunch formation)

'Hunter' smiled a Bit at Sue's disembodied head.

"Ryder…long time no see. Nice zoid."

Sue shrugged slightly, she had stopped bragging about the Reaper. Now she was gloating. I imagined they were seeing a tiny head in a baseball cap representing me in their cockpits. Jamie's head looked around, like he was looking for some one.

"Where's the guy with the Slash Liger?"

A little hologram of Rax wearing his bandana popped up, with his usual confused expression. Then another little head of a purple haired girl with two wings in her hair. Rax screamed bloody murder and disappeared, probably in the fetal position in his cockpit. The girl looked confused.

"…hey, that was the guy in the Raptor I blew up once…"

…so that was why Rax was so mentally challenged…

Well, tis little high-tech 'chat room' kept on a few more minutes before I cleared my throat and asked for a little attention.

"…There's a little business we need to go through…"

Everyone shut up quickly. I sighed and continued.

I spent a half hour telling them our info about the Liger Zero X. And its new armor, its three identical to the Zeros, the possible connection between the two Ligers and other events, how cool my Saix is, some questions about the Liger frame, and a suggestion to keep a leash on Leena, Rax may have another heart attack.

The three Blitz Team heads, the Liger guy had never joined the chat, stared at my little baseball capped hologram. The mercenary spoke up.

"…How…the heck…are we gonna explain this to Bit?"

I typed in a file command.

"I made a second version just for that. It uses smaller words and has explanatory pictures."

Hunter, or Brad, whatever raised an eyebrow.

"Nice…could you make one that explains dating for him?"

"…don't push it."

Suddenly the Raynos pilot piped up.

"…hey, what was your name again?"

I shrugged, thankfully Psy had stayed silent the whole time.

"Trey Brand."

The fly boy shook his head.

"I meant the other name. the ones the media is calling you?"

Before I could answer the mercenary did it for me.

"Chase Brand II…"

I let my eyebrows jump up, I actually was known by a few people?

"Your teacher got me into zoids as a kid…"

…so Hunter was a Max fan…then the gun Sniper chick started talking.

"…wait, didn't we see you out in the desert?"

Oh yeah…my first run with Psy.

"…you dodged a Wild Weasel round…in that weird Saix…"

…why was her eye twitching? I felt Psy tense slightly, still not talking. I saw the other holo-heads disappear, leaving just the purple-haired one. I canceled the chat and flicked on the controls, knowing what was going on. I spun Psy around and took off straight ahead. The speedometer started rising from two hundred to three, four…five?! I watched the horizon flash by as I pulled on my oxygen mask, leaning down a bit.

"…best time to break a record!"

I nodded and adjusted the leg positioning as we broke five, then as the six digit appeared I started the brake, then we just jumped and spun around, instantly getting us to stop. I panted as I took off my mask, shaking my head.

"…why…did we just go past the sound barrier just to get away from her?"

"…to give them a message?"

"…like?"

"…I'm fast and eh…fast?"

Idiot…

"…where the heck are we?"

"…same place where you started…"

I spun the zoid around to see the shadow Fox sitting there in the desert.

"…you took off east…came in from the west…what the heck?"

…we did what?! Either we just went through a wormhole around the planet...or…eh…

"…don't ask."

"Will do."

And that was the day I forgot to write about, a couple days before I premiered the Liger. Now, I'm pretty sure they told the pilot about his Liger Zero. And what did I miss during the record run? Eh, just a few Wild Weasel Assaults that took out the Raynos, the Hovercargo, and knocked a few blades off the Slash liger while it was sprinting away. What happened after the party I told about? Eh, the next morning I woke up with Clara next to me. Which never happened. Got it? And the ZBC is sending me zoids to modify, we're picking them up tomorrow.