Author's Note: Like I said before I'm not writing any more disclaimers. I hope you've all been enjoying the story so far. I realize now that the reason I write is because I like the feeling it gives people. Well that, and the fact that I like the feeling I get from writing. But enough of my ramblings, read, enjoy, and write those reviews!
The Jackal's Gate
Flickers of The Ancients
Devon was pushed and shoved amongst the crowd. Carried along by the human tide he soon found himself outside. Amid the confusion he was able to catch a glimpse of the Medabot Corporation. Flames poured from the upper stories and the occasional shower of embers only added to the imposing effect.
This was a worst-case scenario, any inkling of useful information had to have been in the sky scraper and there was no way of knowing if any of it had been retrieved.
As the crowd continued to run Devon searched for Zagan. It was fruitless, the sheer number of people and medabots made picking out anyone in particular extremely difficult if not impossible. He reached for his medawatch but found there was not enough room to move his arm.
His only option was to keep running and try to avoid being trampled. "You guys better be alright…"
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Dr. Aki sat in his car, a scowl covering his features. He looked up at his life's work going up in flames. "How could this happen?" he snarled.
The masked figure next to him answered. "You know as well as I do this was no accident."
The doctor gritted his teeth. "Unfortunately I do."
"Would you like me to check it out?"
"No. I already know who's responsible. Get a hold of Ikki and his friends. Tell them to meet me in thirty minutes."
"Understood." With that the masked man got out of the car. He went to a nearby payphone and dialed a familiar number.
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Erika's work was interrupted by the shrill ring of the telephone. "Why is it everyone decides to call when I'm in the middle of something?" Putting down the photos she had been examining she answered.
"Amazake residence, can I help you?"
"Erika"
The young girl was taken aback by the speaker's mysterious, yet well-known voice. "Sp…Space Medafighter X?"
"Yes it's me. Listen Erika; I need you to call Ikki and the others. Tell them to meet at the 24-hopmart in a half-hour. Do you understand?"
"Yes. But do you mind if I ask you some questions for the school paper first?"
Space Medafighter X heaved a frustrated sigh. "Yes I mind!" he yelled as he hung up.
"I'll unmask you someday" she thought as she dialed Ikki's number.
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Zagan searched frantically for Maverick. The fire was spreading and the GDN knew full well that time was against him. Signs of their battle were everywhere but Maverick's body was nowhere to be found.
Scanning the room one last time he finally found what he was looking for. There, in a corner, was Maverick. Zagan rushed over to him and found that he was conscious. "Come back for a souvenir?" the burgundy medabot chuckled.
"Yeah you could say that" Zagan replied. Despite his cheerful demeanor he knew there was no time for jokes and quickly offered his hand.
Maverick turned his head. "Sorry guy but I can't move"
Zagan thought for a moment and soon replied. "Well then I guess I'll be carryin' you outta here." He quickly hoisted Maverick over his shoulder and began to trudge toward the door.
"What are you doing?" Maverick questioned.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm gonna save you."
Maverick was puzzled. "Why?"
"Well…I hate to admit it but you're not a bad fighter" Zagan huffed. "I can't let my new sparring partner go up in flames now can I?"
"Sparring…partner?" Maverick could not have been more perplexed. He had done his best to destroy the very medabot who was now saving his life. The sound of crackling embers caused him to dismiss the matter. "Pick up the pace there Goldie."
Zagan merely laughed as he continued toward the exit.
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Isis peered down at the city streets, looking for any sign of Brimstone.
Mariah's voice suddenly came into her head. "That medabot was pretty badly damaged. They can't 've gone far."
The memory of Brimstone's faded green optics and the oil running down his chin flooded back. She almost gagged at the thought.
She would have much preferred to be looking for Zagan but Mariah seemed dead set on finding the DRG and his medafighter.
As she continued searching one question plagued her. "What's happening to you Mariah?" She had seen her medafighter angry before but there was something different about her now. It was as if she had forgotten everything that ever mattered.
"Where are you, you little…?" Mariah's mind swirled with frustration and sheer anger. There was no possible way a battered medabot could have escaped so quickly, was there? Regardless the two had to be found.
"I won't let anyone hurt you…" Mariah snarled.
"I've got something!"
The exclamation startled her. Raising her medawatch she questioned. "Is it them?"
Isis smiled at the question. She had indeed found a medabot, but this one was black.
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Koji was growing impatient. "When are they supposed to get here?" he asked, his tone demanding and annoyed.
"I'm sure they'll be here soon" Neutranurse assured as she looked around the 24-hopmart. Everyone had gathered at Erika's request and were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Ikki, Dr. Aki, and Space Medafighter X.
Erika tapped her foot anxiously. "You guys better hurry up" she mumbled, noting the growing restlessness in the room.
As if on cue Dr. Aki stepped through the door, his eyes cast down in thought. More out of relief that their long wait was over than genuine cheer, every eye in the room brightened.
Koji was the first to approach him. "So Dr. Aki…" he chuckled. "What's all the fuss about?"
The old man just walked past him. Koji began to lodge a protest but froze at the sound of another voice. "Let him go."
The young boy whirled around to see Space Medafighter X standing in the doorway. He spoke in a deathly serious tone. "We have some very important information to share…if you'd all please take a seat." It was more command than request.
Once everyone was seated Space Medafighter X turned the floor over to Dr. Aki. He nodded in thanks and cleared his throat before speaking.
"Ikki should be here for this but I don't have time to wait for him" he said grimly. "As some of you may already know the Medabot Corporation building is on fire."
Only Karin remained unsurprised. Everyone else sat in stunned silence.
Dr. Aki suddenly felt uncomfortable. It seemed that, in revealing the news, he had stolen something from the intrepid young medafighters. Nevertheless, he continued. "Worse is the fact that this was not an accident."
The entire group was startled by the sound of yet another voice. "No shit." Devon walked through the door, a stern look on his face.
Dr. Aki glared from behind his sunglasses.
Devon gave in to a smirk, "Why so surprised doctor? Did j'ou really think I wouldn't find j'ou?"
Space Medafighter X stepped in front of him with arms thrust out. "I can't let you pass" he proclaimed heroically.
Devon chuckled. "Oh well." Without another word he plunged a fist into the masked man's stomach.
Space Medafighter X collapsed with a weak grunt. Devon cocked his head at the crumpled mass now lying on the floor. "Not much of a body guard is he?" he inquired sarcastically.
"What do you want?" Dr. Aki growled
Devon's reply took him by surprise. "Information. You know something about the gates and I want to know now."
"I…I don't know what you're talking about" Dr. Aki stammered.
"Y…you're a terrible liar" Devon mocked. "But then the mind is the first thing to go. Let me refresh your memory old man. I was there when you unearthed that Medallorian temple and I know all about the experiments."
Karin suddenly cut in. "What is he talking about Uncle Aki?"
Before the doctor could provide any answers or even consider doing so a rich tenor voice split the uneasy calm.
"Devon, Devon can you hear me?"
Turning his attention away from Dr. Aki the teen responded. "Yeah I hear ya. Where are you?"
"Not far from the Medabot Corporation. I've got a friend with me and we need a pickup."
"I'll be right there." He turned back to the doctor. "Care to join me?"
Dr. Aki looked stunned. He considered refusing but after glancing at the unconscious Space Medafighter X he nodded in agreement.
"Great. I'll drive" Devon laughed as he left the 24-hopmart.
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Ikki jogged down the street toward his home. His clothes reeked with the smell of singed metal. "Mom's gonna kill us" he proclaimed worriedly.
"Well then why are we in such a hurry?" Metabee questioned.
"Because she'll kill us even worse if we're late!"
Not up to continuing the inquiry the KBT continued to run alongside his medafighter.
The two soon reached their destination and Ikki released a heavy sigh. Putting his key in the door the young boy signaled for Metabee to stay quiet. He opened the door slowly, peering around for any sign of his mother.
Seeing nothing he continued upstairs. Reaching his room he flopped down on the bed. "Whew! Looks like we made it Metabee!"
"Yeah" Metabee replied. Looking at his parts he added "But my beautiful body's ruined!" he exclaimed.
Ikki rolled over to look at his medabot. "I'll take you to Miss Nae's shop later."
"Later! You'll take me later? How do you expect me to look good for the meda-babes like this?" the KBT yelled in frustration.
Ikki mumbled something incoherent before going into the bathroom. He locked the door behind him and turned on the faucet, hoping to drown out the sound of Metabee's cries.
As the bathtub filled with water Ikki's mind wandered. "How are Devon and Mariah involved in this whole thing?" He remembered every detail of the robattle at the Medabot Corporation and the strange conversation between Maverick and Zagan.
He let the warm bath water flow over him, hoping it would clarify the matter. Something about the situation just did not fit. Why were Devon and Mariah looking for Dr. Aki and, more importantly, how did he get involved? The answer was simple; he did not have enough information.
Climbing out of the bath he dried himself off and put on a blue terrycloth robe. "None of this makes sense" he groaned.
Putting the thought aside he stepped out of the bathroom.
"Welcome home dear" chimed his mother.
"Mom!" Ikki yelped in surprise. "H…How long've you been here?" he stammered.
"I just got back from shopping honey" she replied, her voice enthusiastic and sweet.
Ikki just shrugged his shoulders though secretly he rejoiced that she did not know about his lateness.
She turned to leave but stopped in the doorway. "Oh I almost forgot. Erika left a message. She wanted to tell you that everyone was meeting at the 24-hopmart. Something about Dr. Aki and Space Medafighter X."
The sound of the mysterious medafighter's name was motivation enough. Forgetting about his mother Ikki quickly threw off the robe and reached for a fresh set of clothes from his closet.
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Devon sat in the driver's seat of Dr. Aki's car. He scanned the surroundings for Zagan while keeping up a conversation with the old man. "So tell me Dr. Aki, why are you so intent on keeping secrets?"
Dr. Aki fiddled with his fingers nervously, not sure whether or not to answer.
A hard glare from Devon quickly compelled him to speak. "You don't know what you're getting into."
Devon cracked a smile. "I know that the gates are part of something a lot bigger than what you'd like me to believe." Suddenly his face softened. "Listen doctor, I know you're trying to protect people but this…this is something all your knowledge can't solve." His expression turned grim again. "If you really wanna help then tell me what ch'ou know."
Devon's words rang in the doctor's ears. Could he really have the power to stop all this? After a moment of thought he spoke again. "Unfortunately I don't know as much as you think. All I was able to decipher from that temple we excavated were a few explanations about the gates themselves."
"Like what?"
"Well…only that the gates were built as some kind of hibernation chambers. And that the contents would be instrumental in some coming struggle."
Devon turned his attention away from the road briefly. He stared into Dr. Aki's eyes, his piercing stare penetrating the dark sunglasses. After a tense moment he went back to driving.
"I'll 'ave ta get the story from him" Devon mumbled.
"Him who?" Dr. Aki questioned.
Devon suddenly stopped the car. Unbuckling his seatbelt he shouted "Him!"
Leaping from the vehicle Devon rushed over to the huddled form of Maverick. He shook the damaged medabot gently. "Hey! Hey you alive?"
Maverick moaned weakly. "I won't be if you don't stop shakin' me…"
"Stop whining" Zagan's voice commanded as he stepped into view.
Devon nodded in acknowledgement, a grin placating his features. "Good ta see you guys."
"Yeah, thought I'd lost you back there" Zagan chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. The two merely stood for a while, laughing good-naturedly.
Suddenly Maverick cut in. "I hope ya don't mind but I could really use some help!"
"For someone so tough you certainly do cry a lot" Isis giggled as she descended from above.
Zagan cast a thankful eye on the winged medabot. Her grace never ceased to soothe, it so reminded him of someone but he could not quite recall whom. He thought for a moment, the answer was so close but it kept slipping just beyond his grasp.
In what seemed like divine response green text began to scroll across his vision.
Shira
A picture of a Sphinx type medabot accompanied the name, her pristine smile exposing milky white fangs.
Zagan was stunned; she was the medabot from his vision. Even more surprising was the striking resemblance she bared to Isis. Their faces were nearly identical, right down to the unfathomable teal blue optics. The GDN reeled, his mind suddenly awash in memories and long faded emotions.
"Are you alright?" came Isis' sweet voice. She placed a hand on his shoulder, a look of concern covering her face.
Zagan stared at her blankly. His vision began to fill with static and the entire world was bathed in red, green, and blue. The spectral display danced and swirled, its dizzying effect clouding Zagan's systems. Just as he reached the point of collapse his vision slowly returned to normal, or at least…almost normal.
Isis had been replaced by the golden SPX he now knew as Shira. Her optics stared out into the distance, an icy glower fixed in the teal orbs.
Zagan stood up and tried to focus. He had just been with Devon and Maverick, hadn't he? He gazed out at the dunes and small monoliths. Everything was bathed in rosy dawn light and would have made for a beautiful scene were it not for the ever-closing sound of gunfire and shell bursts. As he tried to process the situation Shira turned to him. Her voice was hard and determined. "We have to keep moving."
"W…what are you talking about?" Zagan asked, still disoriented.
She looked at him curiously. Had he taken a blow to the head? "I don't know what kind of game your playing but we have to go!" Seizing his arm she pulled him along.
The GDN ran shakily through the desert sand. He had to struggle to lift his feet out of the constantly shifting ground. Quickly growing tired of fighting the terrain he decided to try a different form of locomotion. It was as simple as flipping a switch. Slowly, he felt the intake valves begin to draw oxygen and the propulsion system come roaring to life. In a rush of compressed air the medabot sped over the sands, a plume of dust forming in his wake.
Shira's mouth fell open; her fangs blanched cherry pink by the sun. She knew immediately that he had the right idea. Spreading her crimson lined wings the Sphinx type kicked up her own cloud of dust as she rose into the crisp sky.
Not much action in this chapter but I needed to bring things back after the high emotion battles in the last chapter. What's going to happen to Zagan and Shira? Or has it already happened? You'll just have to read to find out!