"So let me get this straight. You want Link and I to go into a battle with Aurora and Terran, and you expect us to win against a Gojulas and Shadow Fox?" I said.
"Yeah, it's a four team battle, and it's two teams against two other teams. And besides, I want to see how well you and Link work together." Trevor replied.
"And of course you spring this question the day after Terran and Link got into a fight." I pointed out.
"Can't let grudges get in the way of a battle. Besides, your Revraptor is undamaged, and Aurora's took minimal damage." Trevor replied.
"Alright. What do we get if we win?" I asked.
"We get bumped up two classes, and five times the normal amount of prize money." Trevor said.
"When's the battle?" I asked.
"This afternoon." Trevor replied.
"And how much work does Aurora's Revraptor need?" I asked.
"It blew a gasket, and a conduit was damaged." Aurora said.
That small amount of damage incapacitated a Revraptor? What type of pilot is she? Link asked. Apparently, Aurora heard that clearly. She thought I said it, though.
"I'll have you know that I pilot a Revraptor PB, and those damages occurred on the right leg. The weight is what incapacitated me." Aurora replied vehemently.
Feisty. Link observed. Aurora walked off, heading towards the hangar.
"Well, I guess you should be careful with Aurora and Link. I'd suggest explaining it to her before the match." Trevor advised. I sighed, and went after Aurora. Link stood where he was.
"I think you're supposed to go with him." Trevor told Link. Link growled, but followed me. As I entered the garage, I could hear Aurora mumbling and moving equipment around.
"Smug little smarty pants. Thinks he knows everything." Aurora muttered.
"He did have a point, if it had been a normal Revraptor, we could have retaliated and beat that Raynos." A voice that sounded Aurora's said. I walked around the Revraptor's leg to see Aurora tightening some bolts.
"Aurora?" I said. She hadn't seen me yet.
"What?" She snapped, looking at me. Her voice seemed to have a duality to it. She noticed it was me, and clamped a hand over her mouth.
"What was just going on?" I asked.
"Nothing. I was just working on the Revraptor." Aurora replied in the same exact voice she'd been talking with earlier.
"Aurora, you're starting to freak me out." I said.
She's a schizo. Link told me.
"What was that?" Aurora asked.
"That was Link. Are you really a schizophrenic?" I replied. Aurora nodded. "Oh. By the way, the Revraptor comment back in the dining room was Link, not me." I told her.
"Thank you for letting us know that." Aurora said in her other voice, picking up a crowbar.
"How much has been repaired?" I asked.
"Just got done with the gasket. The conduit is the main problem, and it's up in the thigh area." Aurora told me.
So this is what the PB looks like. Link mused, looking at the Revraptor.
"Yeah, and don't you dare touch it." Aurora said.
"But how are we supposed to help you repair it?" I asked.
"You won't." Aurora replied flatly.
"Then what do you expect us to do? Just sit around for another few hours?" I said.
"I don't particularly care." She replied, walking towards the ladder up into the catwalks. I grumbled, but walked off.
Is your Revraptor the standard type, or is it a PB also? Link asked, following me.
"It's a normal one with some modifications. Guns on the back have been replaced with Hybrid Cannon styled guns, has an underbelly gattling gun, and it doesn't have the normal blades. It's got energy blades off of an old Blade Liger." I told Link.
Where'd you get the money to upgrade it like that? Link asked.
"I inherited the Zoid." I said.
Well then, why don't we take go check it out? Link suggested.
"You'll see it when it's time to battle." I replied.
But that would give you an unfair advantage in our bet. Link said.
"Fine, it's this way." I replied, walking through the rows of empty Zoid slots. We passed the Gunsniper, and Link looked at it oddly. "What are you looking at?" I asked.
Nothing. Link said, walking over to where I stood. This thing looks like it can't even move with all that weight. Link scoffed.
"It has advanced mechanics, and the framework has been altered. It can run at a fairly good clip, even without the boosters. Of course, it is hard to turn without the boosters, and the jump height is greatly reduced." I replied.
Could you copy the modifications over to a PB? Link asked.
"Yeah, and they would probably help it quite a bit. Problem is, it would take a couple months to do it. And it's expensive." I said.
Darn. Link muttered.
"So you can actually merge with this?" I said. Link nodded. "Cool. Can't wait to try it out in battle." I muttered.
You haven't tested it in battle yet? Link asked.
"I haven't used it, but my father and grandfather have." I replied.
Have you ever piloted it? Link asked.
"Yeah, how did you think I got it here?" I retorted. Link growled softly, but didn't reply. "Let's go get some lunch." I said, turning around.
Um, I don't eat. Link told me.
"But I do." I replied.
Stupid humans and their stupid requirements. You guys should have died out long ago. Link muttered.
"So what do we do to merge with this thing?" I asked, standing in the sand in front of my Revraptor.
Just shut up and hold still. Link replied. Suddenly, wires began snaking across my body. I tried to pull out of their grip, and see where they were coming from. Quit struggling, ya scaredy-cat. Link ordered. I stopped moving, and let the wires continue. I was suddenly yanked off my feet, and then pulled back into Link's open stomach. I could now see things that Link saw, hear things, feel things, and more.
Whoa. So this is how you see the world. I muttered.
Yeah. Just let me get us into the Zoid. Link replied. I gave a mental nod. Good. Link said, rearing up to his full height. He suddenly leapt up towards the torso of the Revraptor, and I felt two small boosters pop out of his back. They sparked to life, and hurled us at the Zoid. I kept expecting to hit the armor, but it never happened. Open your eyes, I'm done. Link said. I opened my eyes to see that I was in the cockpit. It was different though. There were no damage readouts, pressure gauges, or temperature gauges. And I was surrounded by what looked like Link's armor. It is. Link told me.
"Oh. Where are the gauges and readouts?" I asked.
Gone. You don't need them. Link said.
"Battle, start!" The judge yelled over the comm. I immediately checked the radar. Aurora was up on a ridge, and I was out in the open, and the Gojulas was taking aim. I couldn't find the Shadow Fox. I took aim with the Hybrid Cannons. The Gojulas fired, and I did similar. The back lash of my shot propelled me back, and Link kept the Revraptor balanced. The Gojulas shot slammed into the sand in front of us. The shot didn't do any damage, but the shockwave did. I gripped the controls, and tried to keep the Revraptor standing. I could feel the right leg weakening as if it were my own and the right arm was also useless. I let slip a small growl, and I could feel the Revraptor also growling. I looked around for the Gojulas as I limped away from the small crater. A line of bullets made their way across the Revraptor's chest. I fired the underbelly gun into the smoke. Link started turning the Revraptor around to face the right. I checked the radar to notice that the Shadow Fox was sprinting away from Aurora and towards us.
"Don't bother." I told Link.
Huh? He said as I prepped the boosters, and let them slide into position. The Shadow Fox burst out of the smoke, and I turned the boosters on. I diverted blade, weapon, and arm power to the boosters. My Revraptor leaped forwards, and I set into a limping run. The Gojulas shot where I had just been, and took the Shadow Fox out of commission. I came to a stop near a rock, and proceeded to charge and aim the Hybrid Cannons. The Gojulas turned around, and opened up for the shot I wanted. I could feel the Hybrid Cannons beginning to overcharge, so I fired. My shot tore through the attachments of the back mounted guns, cutting off their source of power and causing them to fall off. The Gojulas charged at me with unexpected speed. Link and I tried to prep the boosters and aim them, but we weren't fast enough. The Gojulas spun, and slammed us with its tail. The Revraptor landed about 30 meters behind Aurora's PB. I tried to get the legs working, and then Link tried. The words Command System Freeze flashed across my screen.
"We're out, and if that Gojulas gets too close to Aurora, the battle's lost." I said.
Not if I can help it. Link replied. My perspective shifted as Link pulled us out of the Zoid. Get Aurora to come over here, and get rid of Terran. Link told me.
Aurora, Terran! We need you over here! I told them. The PB fired off some shots at the Gojulas as it backed up. Soon it was looming above Link and I.
What do you need us for? Terran asked.
I've got a plan. You need to leave the PB now! Link ordered. A brown streak flashed out of the Revraptor PB, and landed on a dune.
If the girl or boy are harmed, you will pay dearly. Terran said firmly. Link shot upwards using his boosters, and then arced down towards Aurora's Zoid. The Gojulas was bringing it's fist down when we merged with the PB. As soon as I could see again, I was in another read cockpit. I was surrounded by Link's armor, and a multitude of readouts surrounded me.
Ruska, you need to do what I normally do, and keep this Zoid running smoothly. I exhausted my self merging the two Zoids. Link told me. A vidscreen popped up to my left.
"What did that Organoid do with my Revraptor?" Aurora asked. I was talking with her other personality since the voice was different.
"He merged it with mine. I don't like it anymore than you do." I replied. I sensed movement to our left, and stepped the Zoid back. Aurora was caught by surprise, and was shook up a bit. "You okay Aurora?" I asked.
"My name's not Aurora. I'm the Raptor Empress." She snapped.
"Alright. Now do you want to pilot, or will I?" I asked.
"I will." She said.
"Em, you might want to get us out of here fast. That Gojulas is coming again." I warned her. The Gojulas was going to be within striking range any second now. The Zoid shook as Em blocked a blow. I sent power to the legs and arms, and then found what I was looking for. I popped the cannons free of their locked position, and turned them backwards. "I'm going to use the boosters to get us out of here, after we're far enough away, use the cannons." I said.
"This thing has the PB cannons?" Em asked.
"Same style, but they're also boosters." I replied. I turned the boosters on, and kept them aimed at the Gojulas's feet. We landed in a crouch, and Em turned the cannons to face forward again. The Gojulas began looking around as I vented steam from the boosters. The cannons soon reached full charge, and I spread the Revraptor's stance wide, and leaned forward on the fore claws for balance. Em took careful aim. When she fired, we were forced back about twenty meters even though I dug the claws in. The shot struck the charging Gojulas's hip, and caused it to stumble and crash.
"The winner is the Raptor Team!" The judge announced.
"Raptor team? Who thought that name up?" I asked.
"Trevor did. We need to get back to base and prepare for tomorrow's battle." Aurora replied. It sounded like she was her normal persona now.
I'll put you in the cockpit before I unmerge. Link said, the exhaustion evident.
"Alright. Thanks for the help in the battle." I said. "Any chance you could unmerge the two Revraptors?" I asked.
No. Link replied flatly. Everything went black, and I found myself sitting in the second seat of the cockpit.
"Great." I muttered.
"Hey, Ruska. Why did your Organoid put a second chair in the cockpit of my Zoid?" Aurora asked.
Because I could. Link mumbled.
"It's not just your Zoid, my Revraptor is part of this also. And he just did." I replied.
And now that I've proven my superiority over you, I'll leave as soon as I'm rested. Link said.
"Bull. I think we both know that I kept up with you." I replied.
I had to slow down to keep at your pace! Link scoffed.
"Would you please stop talking to yourself?" Aurora asked.
"I'm talking with Link." I told her.
"Whatever." She muttered. "Do you know where Terran went to?" She asked.
Get your own spot! Link exclaimed.
You don't need that much space! Terran replied.
"He's with Link." I said. The two Organoids continued arguing all the way back.
