"…Ready, Fight."
It was Jacob and Sarah's first fight as a team. They were fighting two pilots from the Perfect Razors Team, each of whom piloted a silver Rev Raptor.
"Sarah, try to hold them off until I find a proper sniping position," Jacob said. "Try to stay out of the range of their scythes as they are their only real dangerous weapons. If they get too close use your shield to bash them away." He took off running.
"I got it bro," Sarah replied. She flipped open the twin rocket pods on the Shield Liger and fired twice. One of the Raptor dodge the rocket but the other didn't react quite quickly enough and got spun around by the impact.
The first, however, kept coming. It was closing the distance fast. Relying on instinct Sarah fired the triple impact cannon. It struck the tiny Rev Raptor and sent it reeling.
"Good shot Sarah," Jacob commented. "This next one's mine." A single shot rang out and the Rev Raptor that had just righted itself after Sarah's rocket was struck in the side by an armor piercing 144mm round from Jacob's rifle, effectively ending its battle.
"Battle Over. Battle Over. The Winner is Team Dusk," the Judge said.
After the battle, Jacob and Sarah went to a nearby town to have lunch. They enter the local dinner and found a seat.
When the young waitress came over to take their orders she gasped. "You're Team Dusk, the team that we watched battle this morning. You did pretty well. How long have you two been battling?"
"That was our first time actually," Jacob said. "I mean I've fought in a few battles before but this the first time Team Dusk has seen any action."
"For a couple of first-timers you two are pretty good," the waitress.
"Thank-you but you don't need to say such unnecessary things just because we're here," Sarah said. "We won our battle because I got lucky, not because we're greatly skilled."
"No I mean it," the waitress said. "You two are decent pilots. You'll be Class A in no time."
"I'd be grateful to make Class B," Jacob said. "We'll be lucky if we win another battle, let alone enough to make it to Class A or B."
"Lori, stop bothering the customers and take their orders," called the older man behind the counter.
"But dad they're Team Dusk," Lori called back. "You know, the team we watched beat the Perfect Razors team this morning."
The man came out from behind the counter and said, "Wow, I'm sorry for my rude behavior. I'm Thomas Thornsen, the owner. Since you're the new team on the block everything is on the house today."
"That's not necessary," Jacob said.
"No, but it's the least I could do after you exerted yourself on the battlefield," he replied grinning.
Jacob and Sarah conceded to Thomas's wishes and placed their orders. As they waited a young woman approached them. She was about nineteen years old and had shoulder-length blond hair and dark gray eyes. She was wearing blue jeans, an emerald t-shirt, and a crimson vest.
"I heard that you were Team Dusk. I'm Leslie Star and I was wondering if you were looking for another team member. Shadow and I have been looking to join a team for a while now and your performance earlier impressed me."
"What model is Shadow," Jacob asked.
"He's a Helcat," Leslie said. "And he's seen his fair share of action already."
"Oh, you fight under the title Shadow Star right," Jacob asked.
"Yeah, that's me," she replied.
"I'm Jacob Moon, formerly known as Midnight Might," Jacob introduced himself. "But now I run Team Dusk, both on and off the battle field. This is my sister and teammate, Sarah Moon."
Leslie stared at Jacob in shock. "You're Midnight Might? The solo pilot that takes on entire teams and wins? The only pilot ever to have beaten a member of the Blitz Team one-on-one in under a minute? And the only pilot ever to have defeated a melee oriented Zoid in close quarters combat with a Gun Sniper?"
"I was," Jacob said. "But that's all behind me. Now I'm Jacob Moon of Team Dusk." He smiled and chuckled a bit. "Shadow Star. I know your reputation. You are a fairly decent pilot in duel-type battles. Except that your ego gets in your way. I wonder, how you are in multiple target matches?"
"Don't know," Leslie said. "Never been in one. That's why I'm looking to become part of a team. So, will you let me join?"
He smiled. "I don't know." He turned to Sarah. "What do you think, sis?"
She smiled as well. "I think we could use a little more help. Besides, if she doesn't listen we can simply use her as a shield."
"Than it's official," Jacob said. "Welcome to Team Dusk Leslie Star."